MMA, like many sports, has had some very strange moments. Adrenaline-fueled fighters often react odd ways or say vexing things in the heat of the moment. Sometimes it goes even beyond that – sometimes it borders on the unbelievable – but, that’s what makes sports what it is.
I’ve compiled a short list here of some of the stranger/weirder moments I can recall in the history of MMA to-date as I have seen it (in no particular order)…
“Run Kalib, Run”: Most remember UFC 83 as being the moment when GSP re-took the belt from Matt Serra on what was a generally solid card. What most who watched the event have tried to block out of their minds is the “evasive maneuvering” of Kalib Starnes in cage when faced with Nate “The Rock” Quarry. After a fight that started off a little slow and boring but dominated by Quarry, we eventually saw Starnes all out refuse to engage with his opponent to the point that he looked like the road-runner trying to evade Wile E. Coyote, allowing Quarry to show some of the more conspicuous in-the-cage mockery that has been even to this day. Starnes was subsequently released from the promotion, despite his plea that he was injured.
The Emotional Side of Forrest Griffin: Forrest Griffin is best known for his very brief reign at the top of the light heavyweight division and his epic 3-round battle against Stephan Bonnar in the TUF 1 finale, but so many have overlooked the more emotional side of Forrest Griffin. I’ve always struggled watching a grown man cry, and seeing Forrest Griffin ball his eyes out after losing to Keith Jardine after UFC 66 in the middle of the cage was actually a little disturbing to me. Or let’s not forget when he ran out of the cage after being KO’d by Anderson Silva to have a little private man-cry (at least he learned that time not to do it front of the world).
PS – the only times it is ok for a man to cry is when 1) His dog dies 2) a family member dies 3) She uses teeth
The Kiss of Death: One of my all around favourite moments in MMA history, period, was the “Kiss of Death” that Yoshihiro Nakao planted on the lips of Heath Herring at K-1’s New Year’s event in 2005. For some odd reason Yoshihiro thought it would be a good idea to plant a peck on the lips of Herring just before the bell rang for their match, and Herring reacting like most men in said situation planted a firm kiss right back in the form a fist knocking Nakao out stone cold.
The Burger King Blows an Octopus: Roy Nelson has always been one to poke fun at his size… and honestly, why not? The guy is bigger than a pot-belly pig at Christmas and still wins fights. Who can forget Roy Nelson’s christening into his professional UFC career when he KO’d Brenden Schaub to take the TUF crown and then blew an octopus (full face press) against his glass trophy in front of the whole world.
Two for the Price of One: The Ultimate Fighter 5 finale was a great crown to one of the better seasons of the show, and what better way to end the season than watching hyped up contestant Gray Maynard lay a beat down on a future can, in Rob Emerson? Unfortunately, it didn’t work out 100% as planned. As Maynard picked up Emerson for an epic slam he crashed his own head into the ground knocking himself out; Emerson not realizing this and being thoroughly injured by the slam tapped at the same time. Rarely have we been treated to two fighters being “finished” in the same match.
Fallon Fox: That is all.
“Tito, you’ve been a baaaad boy!”: I am not sure there is much to say about this one – but, who can possibly forget Randy Couture grinding Tito Ortiz’s head down into the fence at UFC 44 and giving him a spanking. I think it just makes it all the better that it was Captain America spanking the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” (pictured above).
Toe Jam: Many thought that Chael Sonnen’s title shot against Jon Jones at UFC 159 would present little challenge for the reigning champion. Those people were right, but few realized how close Sonnen was to being awarded the belt until after the fight. Not until Jones post-fight victory interview did the world see the compound fracture he suffered in his big toe – one of the most gruesome injuries noted inside the cage as you could actually see bone protruding from Jones’ foot. Had the fight made it past the first round, there likely would’ve been a doctor stoppage, awarding Sonnen the belt. Incidentally, Mark Hunt suffered a similar injury recently in his bout against Junior Dos Santos at UFC 160.
“YES!”: Since he first entered the UFC scene after his stint on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Diego Sanchez has definitely had a number of moments of strangeness. One that I think still perplexes everyone to this day was his constant yelling of the word “YES” as he walked up the cage as he entered his match against BJ Penn at UFC 107. Well into the second round of the fight I am sure Sanchez was yelling “NO” inside of his head, as he suffered one of the uglier beat downs in recent memory.
As mentioned these are only a few of the more poignant memories that I have that just kind of made me scratch my head a little when watching MMA, but I know that there are plenty others – adrenaline junkies say/do the funniest things!
Stay tuned!
Follow me on twitter: @lastwordmark, as well as the guys from Hammer MMA Radio – @SteveJeffery. Give the site a follow while you’re at it – @lastwordonsport.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how.
Photo Credit: Article.wn.com, CC
