The Court Jester

When I first saw Forrest Griffin on the original Ultimate Fighter I thought of him more as a jokester. It’s not that I didn’t think he had talent or anything like that--it’s just I, like so many other fans, were not sure what this whole "Ultimate Fighter" show would turn out to be. We didn’t really get to see all of what Forrest had to offer until that legendary fight with Stephan Bonnar on the Ultimate Fighter Finale. But very few people could have seen what the stars had in store for the 30 year old from Athens, Georgia on Saturday night.

I will say this, Forrest Griffin may very well be one of the most fan endearing fighters I have ever seen. Mandalay Bay on Saturday night was absolutely bananas, and that is coming from a guy who has been to some of the loudest fights in the history of the UFC. It was nothing that was necessarily surprising to me, but that doesn't take away from the moment.

From the first round to the fifth round, it was non-stop adrenaline and sportsmanship, technique and aggression, with a taste of pride and honor. I'm of the opinion a lot can be learned from a fighters walk in, and on Saturday Forrest RAN to the Octagon--he couldn’t wait to get into that cage. When the time came for Bruce Buffer to introduced him, I honestly don't know if I have ever heard a louder ovation.

The "Court Jester" of MMA was in no joking mood--in fact, that seemed to be his demeanor the whole week in Vegas. Whether it was media day when I got to look in his eyes and hear his voice, or just seeing him around the area, the guy was all business. I couldn’t tell if it was an unhealthy nervousness or a controlled fear. Well, we found out Saturday.

Fight of the Year?

I know it may be too early to say, but Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton Jackson may have been the fight of 2008. Heck, in my opinion it was one of the greatest fights in UFC history. The first round saw a back and forth slugfest that no doubt went to Quinton (how two judges scored it for Forrest makes me want to punch babies) and the second round saw one of the most interesting and dramatic turns I have ever seen in a fight. Forrest's leg kick to Quinton's lead leg.

That leg kick may have meant nothing, IF Quinton had not reacted the way he did. I'm very well aware that you can't do anything about pain in a fight. You just control the pain and move on, but what Quinton did was give Forrest more motivation. As if he really needed it… None the less, this fight had it all. It had passion. It had aggression. It had a developing, respectful rivalry that unfolded before our very eyes and most importantly, we all got to see a "Rampage Slam"!…in the UFC!

That fourth round triangle that Forrest caught Quinton with was DEEP. We all saw it, we all knew the fight was over…well, we thought. I shouldn't be surprised Jackson found that strength to hold him off the ground, wait, and extend a 205lbs. man over his shoulders to slam him and break the hold. But I was! It was the fourth round! Where in the world did that man find that power that deep into a fight?! It is moments like those that make MMA the greatest sport on earth. The ebb and flow of a great fight, really is like an intricate ballet, and this Ballet was one for the ages.

The Decision

have heard a ton of discussion the past few days on the scoring of this fight. To be perfectly honest I couldn't care less what judge had it scored for either fighter. When the fifth round ended I remember looking around and talking to everyone around me, and none of us really knowing who it was going to go to. But the key here is folks, WHO CARES!? Does it really matter? This was a fight that every fan should have been proud of, even if you were a Rampage fan. I was rooting for both guys for the record, and I just wanted to see a great fight. And instead, we got a LEGENDARY fight!

If for some reason you disagree with me about what I'm saying, let me say this, if I may quote the great Adam Sandler, "Well, I have a microphone and you don't! So you are going to listen to every word I have to say!" I kid, I kid folks. What I'm really getting at is the heart of MMA, that "ebb and flow". Appreciate a great fight, and when you see it, KNOW IT!

The fans in Vegas did that too, they KNEW what they were watching. Even if a few morons booed the LHW Champ in Rampage when he entered, they were all cheering him when he left. That is why I'm saying and praying this ushers in a new era of MMA. The respectful era. But at the risk of going on one of my tangents on mental fans and their lack of knowledge and respect for our sport, I shall just hope and pray these "less educated" fans make the turn and become normal, respectful MMA fans. Because as I have said before, ANYONE who steps in that cage to fight another man, deserves the respect of the people he is fighting in front of.

With that said, I think Quinton Jackson won rounds 1, 3, and 4--and the 10-8 round for Forrest was unfair. We all have to re-evaluate what a 10-8 round constitutes, because in that round 2, Rampage took very little overall damage, besides the infamous leg kicks. Either way, in the whole scheme of things, it doesn't matter. A new champ was crowned, and a classic rematch is in the cards. All is well Madness heads.

The Rest

Ricardo Almeida Vs. Patrick Cote
This fight was about what I predicted. There was no way Almeida was going to even try and stand with Patrick for one second. And since Almeida isn’t Rickson Gracie, I didn't really see this one happening for the BJJ prodigy. Cote's evasive game plan and takedown defense was too much. In the end, that was a recipe for a fairly lackluster fight.

Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau
This was a decent fight that saw Tibau really surprise the former Ultimate Fighter in Stevenson. As usual, Joe figured out a way to win and landed one of those ridiculously tight guillotines he has. "Joe Daddy" is definitely back on the right track after a tough win over a really tough opponent in the American Top Team member, Gleison Tibau.

Chris Lytle vs. Josh Koscheck
Man, people sure love to hate Josh Koscheck. And as Josh once told me, "People talking about you is a good thing, whether good or bad." Saturday wasn’t one of Josh’s most exciting fights, but he won. Much like the Diego Sanchez fight, "Kos" had a game plan and stuck with it, and survived with a win. He stayed away from Lytle's hands and he was very evasive. To Chris "Light’s Out" Lytle’s credit, this man put in another solid show. Heck, the crowd was chanting HIS name at the end of the fight. You know win people talk about a loss really being a win? That is definitely was Chris Lytle had going on Saturday night, expect to see the Indiana native to be back in the Octagon very soon.

Tyson Griffin vs. Marcus Aurelio
Tyson Griffin put on another great show against the always tough American Top Team product, Marcus Aurelio. It wasn't Tyson's greatest performance, but what the fans who booed failed to realize is that these were two men with a great amount of respect for each other. The first round saw a slow feeling out process and the next two rounds were Tyson implementing his will. This kid has a bright future in the UFC, as many of you already have known for a while. Meanwhile, I can't help but feel bad for Aurelio, this is the man who shocked the world by beating Takanori Gomi, when he was on the top of his game! And now…who knows? I hope to see "Maximus" back for a couple of more fights.

Melvin Guillard vs. Denis Siver
I have never liked Melvin Guillard. Two reasons. He tested positive for coke, number 1! Hey Melvin, did you know coke is out of your system in three days roughly? So folks, that means Melvin was blowin Yayo a couple days before his fight…smart, genius, awesome. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I realize people make mistakes, but come on.

Two, the Rich Clementi debacle. Take your loss like a man kid, and if you talk smack, then don't act like a 13 year old when you get beat down. Just because Melvin puts on his "media smile" and acts nice since he's back in the UFC doesn’t mean I have to like him, or respect him. I realize this contradicts a previous statement made by me, but I seriously would love to see Melvin out of MMA. Either way, nice KO for Melvin, I hope he makes changes in his life and realizes the sport is not a joke, and neither is life.

Gabe Gonzaga vs. Justin McCully
Um, why is McCully in the UFC? Weren’t there some roster cuts? Listen, Gabe looked great, he had a nice key lock win, and it was quick and easy. But it was Justin McCully…No offense Justin, I just don’t know if you are ready for the UFC. But who am I to question Joe Silva? So it looks like Gonzaga has got back on some sort of track, and I can’t wait to see who he gets next.

Cole Miller vs. Jorge Gurgel
My god, do I appreciate Jorge Gurgel. The man has some of the best BJJ on the planet but he always stands and bangs. That is exactly what will be his downfall. Jorge, buddy, you have to win fights, not just have exciting ones! With that said, way to go Cole Miller for one of the best fights of the night! I was so impressed with Miller’s toughness and resilience. To submit a guy like Jorge Gurgel with a triangle like that, was truly special. It should have been the fight of the night.

Corey Hill vs. Justin Buchholz
I heard a lot of people complain about the main card and how it was "lackluster." Well, let me tell you the under card was some of the best group of five fights I have ever seen. And the night began with a banger! Hill vs. Buchholz would have been fight of the night on most cards. Hill looked sharp throughout the first 1 ½ rounds, his standup was MUCH improved. Everything was there for him, his foot work, his jab, his movement with his head, his power--it truly was all shining through.

Except, Justin Buchholz is one tough guy and a really talented young fighter. The fact is, Corey Hill is inexperienced, and he can’t be in the UFC right now. He needs to go get some wins in another organization. The WEC would be perfect for Hill.

On the other hand Buchhholz is a true Mixed Martial Artist, he goes wherever the fight may take him. For the first minutes of the fight Justin was constantly trying for a huge lunging right, hoping to connect on Hill. Hill was doing so well of getting out of the way and avoiding his power. Too bad he didn't realize that Justin was just setting him up until he could finish it where he knew he had the advantage--the ground. That is most assuredly why Urijah Faber’s closest teammate, Justin Buchholz may be the next big thing in the 155lbs. Division. He is well rounded, he has heart, skill, game planning, and a good team--what more could a fan or fighter ask for?