Well, one thing is clear from last nights fights – don’t listen to my picks! That is part of the beauty of MMA… you never really can be 100% sure who is going to win at any given time! Let’s look at the main card as an example:
Belcher v. MacDonald: I was really disappointed to see MacDonald lose this fight! His win in Toronto earlier this year was a great comeback into the organization, and I had high hopes that he would re-entrench himself into the MW rankings. Belcher really had all of the tools needed to make a short night of MacDonald, though. MacDonald has never done that well against strong strikers; and ring rust was definitely no issue for the striker, Belcher, after a long lay off. Good for Belcher, though – the guy is a solid fighter and always puts on a good show.
Brookins v. Koch: I don’t really care what anyone says, this fight: it was slow. In all honesty, I don’t know what I expected. Brookins proved that he needs to work on his takedowns if he wants to win fights… if you’re going to classify yourself as a ground fighter, make sure that you’re sharp in all aspects of that game – especially the takedowns! GSP is the classic example of what a fighter should strive to be on the ground (i.e. solid wrestling, BJJ and takedowns). Koch moves up the rankings for now with the win, but we’ll see if he can be anymore than a gatekeeper.
McGee v. Yang: This fight started off interesting, but got boring as things moved along… so much so, that I actually fell asleep during a good chunk of this fight. With that said, I really don’t have much to say. Glad McGee got the decision, but let’s ramp up the excitement factor next time (not really sure who that comment is directed at).
Shields v. Ellenberger: Glad I woke up just in time for this – because, there wasn’t much fight to watch! I am actually surprised that Shields got TKO’d – one of his most endearing attributes is his chin. I can’t say I don’t take some guilty pleasure in how this fight played out. I always thought Shields was overrated and was shocked he did as well as he did against GSP. It will be good watching him and his whole camp eat humble pie for awhile (re: Diaz brothers, Melendez, etc…). I’m calling BJ v. Ellenberger for his next fight!
That’s my take on last night. I’ll take it for what it was – a shot of adrenaline before the BIG fight next weekend (re: Jones v. Jackson). Sorry, I don’t have more rhetoric to spew on this one… but, be patient.
… and that is the last word.
