- For two rounds it looked as if Rashad Evans was a new fighter; a potent mix of timely wrestling, excellent head movement and solid striking. Then, the third round happened.
Rashad Evans was up two rounds to none and a desperate Thiago Silva stood in the middle of the Octagon bellowing challenges at Evans like some ancient heroic warrior of Troy (or like a big game animal, maybe a peacock, take you pick). Evans had the fight won and there was no reason to gamble that against a showboating Silva. It looked as if Evans knew that fact yet, for whatever reason, that revelation completely paralyzed Rashad from making decisions-- almost as if he was a deer in headlights. Rashad tightened up and Silva was able to land a clean power punch that rocked Rashad.
At that moment Rashad was crippled and all Thiago had to do was lean on his opponent with a few punches and Evans would tumble like a tree. Alas, it was not to be, as it was Silva's turn to be blinded with indecision.
Somehow Rashad escaped with a victory.
- A win is a win but it definitely feels like a hollow victory for Rashad. Here's hoping Thiago Silva channels Dennis Green later.
- Thiago Silva's failure to attack after rocking Rashad is worthy of one big fat FACE PALM.
- Another version of events courtesy of reader.
Hope-a-dope (verb): to taunt your opponent into a poor course of action when you are down two rounds to none. Thiago Silva hope-a-doped Rashad Evans at UFC 108.
- Some dark part of my soul really wanted Rashad to lose to see if the UFC would put him against Rampage anyways.
- Since Rashad won though, it looks like he will get to fight Rampage in a main event bout later this year. Rashad even called Rampage an "actor." Stick to wrestling Rashad, leave the insult making to the blogs.
- I thought TUF 10 was suppose to have changed Rashad's image with UFC fans because there were a lot of boos directed towards Evans not to mention chants of "Silva." Well, the audience could have thought they were cheering on Anderson Silva. Just saying....
- For Dustin Hazelett, a weak stand-up fighter, deciding not to attempt a takedown in favor of trading punches and kicks with Daley is the equivalent of jumping into a pool of gasoline then playing with matches and expecting not to turn into a human bonfire.
- I think we may have a winner for "Worst Gameplan" of 2010 already.
- Dustin Hazelett deserves a Darth Vader Fail.
- Paul Daley has two straight wins in the UFC --his only two UFC fights-- and has beaten two top-fifteen fighters. Don't look now but Daley is one top-ten win away from a title shot. Hell, with the way the UFC welterweight division is currently aligned Daley might be one win against whomever away from a title shot. And people say there are no good fighters outside of the UFC. Well, they usually aren't outside the UFC for long....
- 'Best of Pride' on Spike hosted by Kenda Perz? Awesome!
- It usually takes an athlete a solid eighteen months to come back from major knee surgery. Joe Lauzon was at month elven. If Lauzon's fight with Stout taught us anything it is that fighters with ACL injuries are to be avoiding in gambling.
- Credit to Stout for surviving the early onslaught from Lauzon but after that first round it was clear that barring a miracle the fight was all over for Joe.
- Nice to see the UFC announce Takanori Gomi's arrival on the pay-per view event. It will be interesting to see what the UFC does with him. The scuttle-bug is that he could fight Kenny Florian........
- Jim Miller handled late replacement Duane Ludwig effortlessly and then proceeded to call out all the haters for bashing UFC 108. Where are all these haters now so we can stone them in the public square? Wait, why are you guys gabbing me and dragging me out there?
- Dos Santos has four UFC fights under his belt and all four are stoppages with just one going out of the first round.
- Looks like people are finally talking about dos Santos as a heavyweight title contender. I would take dos Santos' resume over Shane Carwin's any day of the week.
- Credit the UFC for convicing people that Gilbert Yvel would be a credible threat against Junior dos Santos. Then there was that left hook.
- Holy crap! Martin Kampmann needs to learn to move his head. For a seoncd it was like the Daley fight all over again. If it wasn't for Martin's very well timed counter punches he would have had a short night. While Kampmann dropped Volkmann twice during those bull rushes Martin didn't look like a top-ten fighter.
- Was it just me or did Kampmann seem a little punch drunk in his post-fight interview?
- Speaking of someone absorbing a lot of punishment. Cole Miller was about five seconds of undefended punches from being cut from the UFC. Luckily Cole didn't remember those moments.
- Cole Miller's submission over Dan Lauzon was reminiscent of Toby Imada's inverted triangle but didn't surpass it in sheer awesome, come-from-behind spectacularness!
- Cole Miller screamed at Dana White, "I told you I would kick his [Dan Lauzon's] ass!"
- Cole was pointing to a tattoo on his bicep throughout the pre and post-fight moments. Miller also had his brown belt wrapped around his neck in the winner's circle.
- Both the Lauzon brothers lost. Bad night for the Lauzon clan.
- Love paying to watch four fights twice. Feels really weird.
- Mario Yamasaki missed a tap out by Ryan Jensen. I wonder if Dana White is going to start calling him the worst referee in MMA?
- Mark Munoz brought a list into the Octagon to make sure he didn't forget to thank anyone. Hey, whoever is directing this broadcast start playing the fade-away music to get him off the stage a la the Oscars.
- People like to bash Strikeforce cards for being one-sided quick finishes, well, that is exactly what UFC 108 was and wil probably be remembered as one of the most entertaining cards of the 2010 (basically, I don't agree that quick fights make a bad card for any promotion).
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