Amber Miller
© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges
UFC 55: Fury was not one of Ultimate Fighting Championship’s most entertaining events from a spectator’s point of view. But from a rounded fighter’s perspective there were eight very interesting bouts on the card.
And whilst Fury mightn’t go down as one of the best UFCs to have been attended by a novice to the Mixed Martial Arts, it provided some interesting encounters from the perspective of the perpetual student of MMA.
The match between Marcio Cruz and Kiego Kinihara was probably the first fight in the Octagon since UFC 1 where two opponents – Cruz, the former BJJ World Champion, and Kinihara, the renowned Judo practitioner – appeared to be proficient in just one fighting discipline. Their match reconfirmed that regardless of a martial artist’s mastery of any particular discipline or traditional art, one fighting style just isn’t enough to cut it by today’s standards. Both men were lacking in the serious-striking department, and thus failed to comply with the UFC motto: As Real As It Gets. This bout just did not display true MMA skills.
The contest between Branden Lee Hinkle and Sean Gannon also pushed the need for fighters to be trained in all aspects of a fight. As Joe Rogan explained, Gannon was best known for his brawl with pro street fighter Kimbo Slice.
A cousin of pro boxer Emmanuel Augustus, Kimbo is an ex-con who served 10 years’ imprisonment before taking on his new profession in order to support his disabled mother and himself. Slice is backed by a Miami porn-site owner, and has a standing invitation for anyone to "throw down with him," providing they can match his purse of between $5,000 and $10,000 – winner take all.
Ironically, at the other end of the spectrum is Sean Gannon who serves as a Boston policeman. The pair met for an underground bare-knuckle bout after Gannon heard of Slice’s challenge on the internet. Although Gannon won the fight, he came very close to losing his job for using fisticuffs instead of handcuffs at their meeting.
(Readers can follow up this tale by Google-searching Kimbo Slice, and watching a brutal contest between Kimbo and a guy called Byrd.)
Anyway, back to UFC 55, one lesson to be learnt here was that once Branden Lee Hinkle took Sean "The Cannon" Gannon down and put him on his back, Gannon was mere cannon fodder. Again: Fighters today have to be well rounded and proficient in all aspects of a battle.
Another clue to be picked up here is that there is no substitute for good dynamics. Whilst grounded, Gannon tried to attack Hinkle with elbows, but his strikes lacked power. By contrast, Joe Riggs won his bout against Chris Lytle from the same position, using an elbow strike that reeked of dynamics.
The battle between Jorge Rivera and Dennis Hallman showed the importance of being able to end a fight conclusively, rather than letting it drag on to be decided by the judges. Whether by KO, submission or ground’n’pounding, you have to be able to finish off an opponent.
The other point to be taken from UFC 55 is that if you’re going to buy programs or a bite to eat at a UFC, make sure it’s not while the tantalising Amber Miller and Rachelle Leah are prancing around the Octagon.
Rachelle Leah
UFC 55: Fury
Alessio Sakara (6’0" 205 lb) vs Ron Faircloth (5’9" 205 lb)
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Herb Dean
Alessio "Legionarius" Sakara outstruck Ron Faircloth throughout round one – both in the standup and ground conflict. But at the start of round two, Legionarius caught a low blow to the pouch and came down with an instant outbreak of monstrositus scrotumungus.
Result: no contest.
Branden Lee Hinkle (6’2" 235 lb) vs Sean Gannon (6’3" 265 lb)
– Heavyweight
Referee: Herb Dean
Six-time Golden Gloves boxing champion with a state judo championship on his resume, Sean Gannon moved in to fight a standup war against the All-American and National Champion wrestler, Branden Lee Hinkle. But Hinkle was determined not to taste his opponent's power-punching bazookas, and clinched with Gannon at 4.57 as they swapped knees.
4.46: Gannon unloaded his only clean left of the night before being smothered again by Hinkle. Sean fired off another knee and was swallowed up by Branden’s loose guillotine attempt.
4.34: Hinkle took Gannon down and put him on his back.
4.28: Sean struck with a left elbow, but was unable to deliver dynamite from his back. Branden attacked with more loaded elbows from the guard and attempted a martial arts-style, double hammer-fist strike that may have worked in the dojo, but had little effect in the real world.
4.05: Gannon caressed Hinkle with more soft elbow-strikes.
3.11: Hinkle went for the first of a series of keylock attempts, but once again the dynamics weren’t there. Branden hadn’t applied the appropriate leverage necessary to turn the hold into a submission. He then elected to dish out some g’n’p-ing elbows. The whole time Sean was unplugged whilst lying on his back, and just absorbed the elbows and left fists from Hinkle. Herb Dean gave Gannon every chance to turn things around before stepping in.
Result: Branden Lee Hinkle by TKO – 4.14, Round One.
Joe Riggs (6’0" 170 lb) vs Chris Lytle (5’11" 170 lb)
– Welterweight
Referee: Big John McCarthy
Lytle came into this match with a reputation for never having been stopped in his 29-11-4 MMA career. After fighting in the heavyweight and middleweight divisions, Riggs was now looking to do battle as a welterweight.
Round One
Lytle shot in with some rapid-fire jabs to let his southpaw adversary know he meant business. Riggs replied with a left high-kick that Chris ducked under before clinching.
4.21: Lytle hip-threw Riggs down from the clinch and worked his way to side control. Chris then worked Joe’s body and head with left-right punches. Lytle kept busy, moving back and forth from side position to half guard while Riggs remained calm on his back.
2.46: Joe seized Chris’s right arm and went for an omoplate.
2.31: Lytle wriggled and rolled free. Riggs was now on his knees, ready to rain down some of his trademark knuckle-bombs. After being caught out by Ivan Salaverry’s up-kick at UFC 52, Joe was tying up Chris’s legs with one hand as he unloaded dynamite with the other. Lytle landed with some punches from his back, but they weren’t as brutal as Riggs’s.
1.44: Joe had side control, but with a wealth of experience behind him, Lytle wasn’t letting Riggs take anything easily.
0.59: Joe’s fists started slamming back down from above like kryptonite space junk. When Joe couldn’t get elevation because Chris had him tied up, Riggs came in with crushing elbows.
0.30: Riggs stood again and Lytle attempted to catch him with a lazy upward kick, but it wasn’t sharp and spring-loaded as Ivan Salaverry’s had been, and Riggs came busting down with a huge left fist. At the end of round one, Lytle’s right eye looked the worse for wear.
Round Two
They exchanged fists before Joe took it down at 4.39. He fought from the open guard until Lytle rolled him and appeared to be trying to set up a kimura.
3.13: Riggs had Lytle in his guard and was pushing his head up as Lytle worked Riggs’s body with punches.
3.05: Joe indicated to McCarthy that his left glove was covered in blood, and Big John separated the pair to check Chris for cuts. Chris kept his head down, not wanting the fight to be stopped. But when Big John and the ring doctor got one glimpse of the cut, the bout was pulled up.
The replay showed that this had been a well-planned move from Riggs. He had pushed Lytle’s head up with both hands, then caught him with a slicing elbow as Lytle brought his head back down. Not only could Riggs deliver smashing fists and elbows from above, but he could also take an opponent out whilst fighting from his back.
Result: Joe Riggs by TKO – 2.00, Round Two.
Renato Babalu Sobral (6’1" 205 lb) vs Chael Sonnen (6’1" 198 lb)
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Herb Dean
Round One
Babalu imitated Wanderlei Silva’s crystal-ball fist roll before the pair touched gloves. Chael struck Babalu with a right shin kick that Renato caught. He countered with a right fist and took Sonnen down while still holding Sonnen’s leg.
4.43: The combatants were standing again, clinched up against the fence. They both tried for a takedown until Babalu was successful with a leg sweep.
4.19: The pair sprang back up and Renato clasped Chael’s head and right arm in a lock, but was unable to capitalise on the hold, and they shared a clinch at 3.49, whilst swapping knees.
2.29: The action was back on the floor for the blink of an eye before they stood toe-to-toe at 2.19. Chael moved in and Renato landed with a powerful right kick to the head and a jab. When Babalu closed in Sonnen hit back with his own jab. They tied up and fell to the floor with Sonnen in Babalu’s guard, raining solid punches and elbows on Babalu.
1.39: Chael went for the elevated Joe Riggs-style punches, but was caught by Babalu with verticle axe kicks.
0.26: Babalu latched on a heel hook. It looked like Sonnen would tap as he yelled in pain, but the hardened warrior managed to tough it out and walked gingerly back to his corner after the end of round one.
Round Two
The bout recommenced with Chael dancing. He dispatched a tentative left front kick, but Babalu countered by sweeping Sonnen’s right leg and put him on his back. Renato dived down with a right fist and Sonnen tied him up in his guard.
4.28: Babalu attempted a Riggs elevated assault, but Sonnen performed a 205-pound leg press and pushed Babalu away. Sonnen sprang to his feet, unloading gloves on the downed Renato before being pulled into his guard at 4.15. Babalu went for a traingle, but Sonnen slipped out. However, Babalu persisted and caught Sonnen with his second triangle attempt. Sonnen tapped.
Result: Renato Babalu Sobral by triangle submission – 1.20, Round Two.
Forrest Griffin (6’3" 203 lb) vs Elvis Sinosic (6’3" 203 lb)
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki
Both men look so cool and relaxed, it is hard to believe they are about to go to war against each other. Many fans expect Elvis to go for an early takedown, but from the start he is happy to bang it out with Forrest.
Both men are full of beans as they move in. Sinosic shoots some lightning jabs that are way out of range, then he catches Griffin in the face with one after deceptively closing the gap between them. Forrest instinctively wipes his face with his left glove and shapes up again.
They exchange punches and Elvis follows up with a right kick that Forrest catches, but Sinosic pulls it back and they’re toe-to-toe again. Elvis lands with a left-right combination. He then kicks Forrest’s front leg with a right outer-thigh, left inner-thigh combo. More fists fly and Forrest scores with a right kick to Sinnosic’s left leg, and Elvis replies with a crisp right fist.
Griffin had hoped Elvis would stand and bang with him, and already the fans know they are surely being treated to a better duel than the originally scheduled bout between Forrest and Ian Freeman would have been.
4.20: Forrest and Elvis exchange leg kicks and Griffin follows up with a right fist.
4.10: Griffin lands another front leg kick and Sinosic dispatches a right fist that doesn’t appear to connect.
4.05: Forrest catches Elvis with an inside leg kick and Sinosic slams Griffin with a strong right fist that rattles Forrest, and has him backing out of harm’s way.
3.57: Forrest is moving in on Elvis with fists blazing.
3.50: Sinosic lands a sharp leg kick. Griffin then follows with two tentative kicks and both men miss with looping gloves. Joe Rogan comments, "Wow, Elvis is doing a good job of it. Elvis is very good on his feet, so far…good counter puncher. Wow, he’s getting the better of these exchanges…Elvis is doing a really good job of countering Forrest…staying just outside oh his punches and countering him with punches and leg kicks…"
As Joe says this, Griffin lands a strong leg kick of his own.
3.10: They close in on each other. Elvis connects with a leg kick and roughs Griffin up with some effective glove work. Forrest tries to answer with two left knees that are off target.
3.00: Griffin is landing some solid punches.
2.58: He catches Sinosic with a left hook, followed by a thigh kick, but is off the mark with a flutter of haymakers. Sinosic delivers a right knee to Griffin’s body, then Forrest connects with a short right hook and a right uppercut, before dispatching a further knee to Elvis’s ribs.
2.44: They separate and take a few deep breaths before exchanging some more fists. The glove swap is going pretty evenly until 1.41, when Forrest unloads a mixed bag of fists and puts Elvis down via the left hook. Mario Yamasaki rushes in and stops the fight. Many, including Sinosic, think the fight is stopped prematurely.
MMA chat rooms strongly backed this sentiment. On the same card, Sean Gannon had been given every opportunity to turn his match around. The contrast stood out like sharks’ ribs.
After the fight, Elvis Sinosic talked to knucklepit.com:
Elvis, do you think your fight with Forrest Griffin should have been pulled up?
"I really think it was a bit too quick…especially if you saw the show before where Jeremy Horn got rocked numerous times and was allowed to continue. I don’t deny I was rocked, but I really think it was stopped a little too quickly. I think it’s fair to say the referee overreacted. I don’t think there was anything more to it than that."
Could you have come back?
"I’d like to think I could have, and I would have liked to have found out. I don’t think I was out of the game. But what can you do? You have to rely on the referee’s call."
Elvis, would you like another go?
"Absolutely…I’d like to think I’ll get another shot. They were happy with my performance. I came out there and I didn’t run. I didn’t hide. I was dominating…I was controlling the match and landing the better shots…So we’ll have to wait and see what happens."
Result: Forrest Griffin by TKO – 3.30, Round One.
Andrei Arlovski (6’3" 236 lb) vs Paul Buentello (6’2" 251 lb)
– Heavyweight Title
Referee: Big John McCarthy
Prior to this Heavyweight Title Match, Paul Buentello had stated he wanted Andrei to go toe-to-toe with him. And Arlovski did just that. But with two of the biggest howitzers in MMA facing off for a swashbuckling showdown, it was clearly going to be like Russian roulette (N.P.I.). And only someone connected to their hookah would have expected the fight to go the designated five rounds.
Arlovski and Buentello touch gloves, then face each other from across the Octagon. The crowd fasten their seatbelts.
Big John barks out his trademark line, "Let’s get it on," and all hell breaks loose.
Andrei fires off a left and right combo. Paul answers with his own left and right. It’s hard to tell if either fighter connects, but both are keen to mix it up as Buentello pursues Arlovski.
Andrei throws a right and Paul comes back with a left – right.
Buentello is at centre ring and Arlovski is circling.
Andrei shoots out a straight left.
They both fire off H-bombs and Buentello collapses over Arlovski’s back.
Big John instantly pulls it up.
The crowd chant "bullshit", but they’ve just been treated to one of the biggest heavyweight broadsides in MMA history. The replay shows Paul had thrown a left and a right, but Andrei had managed to land his own overhand right fist between Paul’s two shots and brought Paul down. Big John had been spot on with his decision to intervene.
As stated above, when two cannons go to war there’s no telling how long the battle will last. It was just a matter of which big gun landed an accurate assault first. On this occasion, Andrei took the honours fairly and squarely.
After the fight, Paul Buentello talked to knucklepit.com:
Paul, are you keen to fight Andrei again?
"Oh, yeah. Definitely. That wasn’t even a fight. The sport that we all love and enjoy is one where you live or die by the sword. And Andrei didn’t plan on that shot, it was just a puncher’s chance that he caught that shot on me. It’s kinda bad that in 30-plus fights it’s never happened to me. And it just happened to happen on national TV for a world title, but it’s no big thing. It may have gotten stopped just a little too early or maybe not. But the thing is, it’s not even considered a fight. It just happened too quickly and I think it was just a fluke."
Do you think there should be a rematch so the fans can see what could have been?
"You know, the fans do deserve that."
Result: Andrei Arlovski by KO – 0.15, Round One.
Other results:
Jorge Rivera defeated Dennis Hallman by unanimous decision.
Marcio Cruz defeated Keigo Kunihara by rear naked choke – 1.02, Round Two.
Knucklepit’s Outstanding Fighter for UFC 55: Joe Riggs.
Joe showed just how dangerous a fighter can be while fighting from his back. And his elevated striking style from the mount seemed to influence a number of other contestants in later bouts that evening. At just 23, Riggs appears to have a promising career ahead of him. But he is limited as a fighter at UFC – now that there is no longer a lightweight division for him to compete in.
For more on UFC 56: Full Force – www.ufc.tv
We also recommend you check out this great new site – www.bigjohnmccarthy.com
