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UFC 88: Rashad Evans Knocks Out Chuck Liddell

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Let's go to the Bud Light instant replay...

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UPDATE: Bristol picked up the story on the 1am edition...

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visions of Johnnie Morton.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Sep 7, 2008 1:50 AM EDT   0 recs

WOW!!!

I’m still in shock. By the way the fight was going it was gonna be chuck or rashad. Chuck needs to change his style.

by TitoG on Sep 7, 2008 1:52 AM EDT   0 recs

chuck is too slow for light heaver… hacklemen is an out of date trainer just like militech.

by mmalogic on Sep 7, 2008 1:56 AM EDT   0 recs

chuck needs to move to heavy weight.

by mmalogic on Sep 7, 2008 1:56 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Or Japan. They wouldn’t mind this string of losses over there.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Sep 7, 2008 11:05 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I actually feel bad

I was never the biggest chuck fan, but I actually feel sorry for him. Feels like it is officially the end of an era. Weird. First Franklin, then Hughes, and now Chuck. The first changing of the guard. How long will Couture hang on?

by Nick Travaglini on Sep 7, 2008 1:58 AM EDT   0 recs

At least until November, I guess.

by Richard on Sep 7, 2008 2:28 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, but how far into the fight is the question. I hope that he can beat Brock WITH ALL MY HEART, but I don’t know how he can make up for that size advantage. His Jits isn’t as great as Mir’s and he’s not nearly as big either. If there’s a way to think your way to a win, Randy will find it, but that’s a pretty big if….

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Sep 7, 2008 11:08 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Randy can use the cage, dirty boxing, and leg kicks to take Brock out.

The fight is going to have to happen up against the cage, though. Brock’s just got too much power in his right hand to keep it out in the open. Randy can’t control that part of the game, even though his striking is superior to Brock’s. Randy likes control, and he’s a master at establishing it.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 11:13 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I really hope you’re right. If Brock wins, they should make him fight in a division with bears or something.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Sep 7, 2008 11:27 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Or have a Magic 8 Ball with different items the fighter can bring into the cage

with them for the fight. Things like, ohh…chainsaw, cryogenically-forged katana, bucket of hydrochloric acid, etc..

Then have one face read normal: Outlook not so good.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 11:32 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I know it's bad form to follow your own post, but I'm laughing too hard here.

I’ve got these vivid scenes in my head of Brock, after the public consultation of the 8 Ball (during weigh-ins, naturally)

Dana: And the Eight Ball says:
(dramatic drumrolls)
Dana: Chainsaw! Tough break, Brock..
Brock: Chainsaw? What, is that his new nickname or somethin’? Sounds pretty gay to me..
Dana: No, Brock. He’s bringing the MS 880 STIHL Magnum™ into the Octagon, complete with the new Intellicarb™ compensating carburetor and extended chip deflector.
Brock:…
Dana: Incidentally, I might as well make our new partnership with Stihl Inc. offici-
Brock: Wait a fuckin’ minute.
Dana: Yeah, what’s up, bro?
Brock, thoroughly dumbfounded: He gets to bring a fucking chainsaw to the fight?
Dana: Jesus Christ, Brock. Keep up with the conversation or you’ll have to sit with Fergi.
Kimbo: I told you, mah name is SLICE!
Dana: Shut the fuck up, YouTube.
Joe Rogan: ::snickers::
Arianny: ::snickers::
Associated Press: ::snickers::
Dana: Anyways, I guess that’s it. See you all tomorrow night!
Brock: Y’know, this is total fuckin’ crap. I didn’t sign up for this shit…
Dana: Actually, yeah ya did. It’s in your contract, right alongside the Prima Nocta clause, as I like to call it. Speaking of which, when you bringing Sable over?
Brock: I wish I hadn’t killed Randy at 91, maybe he’d know how I’d be able to get some of this crap taken out of my contract…

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 11:57 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

NICE.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Sep 7, 2008 12:10 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Not exactly the case for Franklin. He can dominate the entire division with the exception of one guy.

Even exceptional middleweights like Marquart would probably not get their title shots if the had to fight Franklin as a gate keeper. That why the UFC has asked him to move weight classes. Otherwise he’d just be destroying every contender there is.

But I do agree with you that it is the end of an era. The old school fighter are not adapting their game to the new wave of MMA. Everybody these days is well rounded. Very well rounded. The older guys seem resistant to change and arent adapting as fast. Miletich camp, The Pit, Lions Den. Old school … not working anymore.

by Sauce on Sep 7, 2008 2:52 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

100% disagree

Palhares, Maia, Almeida, Marquardt.

Four guys that would beat Franklin. Not guaranteed; more often than not.

by Blackout612 on Sep 7, 2008 2:54 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Palhares is a fuckin bear trap. I wouldnt want to be on the ground with that guy. Everytime Hendo went down there I got nervous.

But I disagree. Franklin is a vet in every sense of the word. He’s been in tough situation many times before. Lutter is a jiu jitsu wiz … maybe not on the level of Maia … but he is damnnnn good. Franklin escaped out of two extremely dangerous spots like it was routine practice.

Not to mention that Cote beat Almeida …i have a feeling Franklin would be able to inpose a similar game plan. These dangerous jiu jitsu guys are always a tough fight for anyone, but I honestly actually think that excellent strikers rae a worse matchup for Franklin. Hendo and Silva might do the trick. Silva has twice.

by Sauce on Sep 7, 2008 2:57 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Sorry … not sure if we’re allowed to swear on here.

by Sauce on Sep 7, 2008 2:59 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

FUCK

We’re not? Here are my keys.

by Blackout612 on Sep 7, 2008 3:00 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Lutter=Maia? Cote beat Almeida?

Falsities, both. Almeida clear won that fight.. and Lutter? Well.. Mr. Lutter is unemployed.

Don’t get me wrong— I like Franklin just fine, and he did a pretty good job tonight.. But all four of those guys would beat him four out five times.

by Blackout612 on Sep 7, 2008 3:00 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

4 out of 5 time eh? I guess the odd makers would agree with you then? Since they try to make money on fights … but I have a feeling Franklin would be a favourite in the odds 100% of the time if those fights were to ever get booked.

He honestly one of my favorite fighters and I was nearly predicting a UD loss tonight. This guy always seems to get counted out but people forget that he has only lost to two guys in his life. Machica and Silav being the two guys. Im not sure many people on this planet can beat either of those.

Franklin is no joke. He keeps proving me wrong and im one of his biggest fans.

PS. Almeida’s stand up game is terrible. That fight was damn close …i might even give it to him. But his stand up game is just sub par. Same with Maia. Same with Palhares.

by Sauce on Sep 7, 2008 3:05 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

You know..

Saying I’d pick a particular fighter over another fighter is no sign of my feelings about the loser in that exchange. In example, I had Machida beating Thiago Silva, but I love them both. Now, I’ve long contended that Franklin is a good fighter with great hands, but that he’s somewhat one-dimensional. Look at the list of guys he ran through during his title reign. Solid, to be sure, but nothing to swallow your tongue over. Again, I like Franklin, but the game is passing him by (division getting better, Franklin getting older). Maybe a rematch with Machida is in the cards? That would be a very marketable fight that I could get behind.. But I stand behind my assessment of those four guys beating him, and it has less to do with their hands than their chins.

by Blackout612 on Sep 7, 2008 1:32 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

There's NO evidence for that

the only one of the current crop of 185 contenders Franklin has fought is Okami and IMO he’d lose a rematch in that fight.
I want to see Rich against Henderson, Marquardt, Filho, Leites and Okami again before I declare him the unbeatable 2nd best in the division.

by Kid Nate on Sep 7, 2008 9:48 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Watching SportsCenter...

As they’re showing the results of the USA/Cuba World Cup qualifier, a little graphic pops up at the bottom of the screen that just says “Coming up: RIDICULOUS KNOCKOUT”

by Chris Nelson on Sep 7, 2008 1:58 AM EDT   0 recs

Random buster SportsCenter anchor: “Sugar Ray-shad Evans with the one-hitta quitta, improves to 17 and 0.”

(graphic on screen clearly states 12-0-1)

by Chris Nelson on Sep 7, 2008 2:03 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I was in shock too

Man when i saw that i thought Liddel was dead or something.
UCF should really start to worry about a limit age for their fighters.

by bigcherry on Sep 7, 2008 1:58 AM EDT   0 recs

That is what the ac’s are for.

That punch would have knocked anyone out.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Sep 7, 2008 2:00 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

resp to BJJDenver

I agree, but i was really worried about Chuck’s health, because i know he is 38

by bigcherry on Sep 7, 2008 2:03 AM EDT   0 recs

just a shady area when you start disallowing guys due to age.

Some guys look better than others at the same age.

As for Chuck, I was worried to, it looked really, really bad. I just don;t think it had much to do with age. Look at the graphics. he is throwing the right and his left is nowhere to be found. I just think the younger fighters have evolved and some of the older guys are still sticking with the same styles that won for them 5 years ago. This is a rapidly developing sport and they have to keep up or fade out. I do think he may be done, at least in meaningful fights.He just seems slow compared to guys he is fighting. I had him winning the fight up to that point.

Glad he is ok and I hope he has no lingering problems.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Sep 7, 2008 2:09 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

The real danger isn’t age so much as mileage. It’s the whole “How many concussions does it take to get to brain damange? One, Ta-who, Three!” I’m on my fourth, so I’m staying out of punching situations.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Sep 7, 2008 11:14 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

And damn, I would never want to get hit with a shot like that!

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Sep 7, 2008 2:10 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

It would probably kill me.

And I’m not a pansy.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 5:25 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

It’s okay, MJ, you can come out to us. We won’t judge you.

(And if being killed by that shot makes you a pansy, you can slap my ass and call me Butchie.)

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Sep 7, 2008 11:15 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

resp to BJJDenver

I agree with you 100%.

by bigcherry on Sep 7, 2008 2:12 AM EDT   0 recs

I think we are on the same page, just saying it differently.

You are spot on. There definitely comes a time in any sport when someone needs to step in and say enough. The last thing I want to see is an athlete get their life ended or damaged due to hanging on to long.

I didn’t feel that way about Chuck going into the fight, but I certainly feel more that way now. He either needs to adapt to the game or get out of it. Many athletes have lost a step and changed their style to succeed further in their sport, and I think that is what Chuck may need to do.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Sep 7, 2008 11:46 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I would never have called that in a million years. I’m very glad Chuck is apparently okay. Honestly, though, I’m also glad he lost.

by FRANKIE on Sep 7, 2008 2:20 AM EDT   0 recs

Great win for Rashad, I think it was a star-making KO. Not like the Jardine win, this was huge for him.

I don’t think it’s age for Chuck, his game has just become too predictable and one dimensional. Pretty interesting seeing Franklin look great on a night where Chuck collapsed.

I don’t think Chuck will retire, but this is the end of his run at 205. I hope he is ok.

by Michael Rome on Sep 7, 2008 2:21 AM EDT   0 recs

Agree about Chuck's game being one-dimensional.

And the one thing you don’t want to be in the current MMA world is predictable. Chuck is what he is, a spraw-and-brawl machine who is at his best when people are trying to take him to the ground. Anywhere else, he’s almost ridiculously normal with plus power.

So the way to stop Chuck is to make him come forward. It diminishes his strengths far too much. Chuck needs to adapt or (more likely) move on. Fight at HW for awhile. Plenty of money to be made there in the near future.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 5:28 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree with the evolution of MMA...

MMA is growing way to fast for a fighter to stick with what worked a few years ago. Just watching Rashad grow shows how fast MMA is evolving. I remember watching Matt Hughes beating Royce Gracie not believing this was the same guy making light work of opponents outweighing him by 30-40 lbs ten years before.

I feel the striking aspect still has a way to go. That’s what I love about MMA, we still haven’t seen the best yet. The game just caught up with Chuck. Makes me wonder about the Lesnar/Couture fight. If Lesnar can control the fight, he could make it a long night for Randy. Lesnar is scary-fast for a guy his size. I find it hard to believe Randy can impose his will on a guy like that. Forget Couture/Fedor we might be talking about Lesnar/Fedor.

by Akorn on Sep 7, 2008 2:27 AM EDT   0 recs

Randy epitomizes the modern MMA fighter.

He’s smart, well-rounded, adaptable and humble enough to understand when his ‘strengths’ are no longer actual strengths, but relative push-points or even weaknesses.

I don’t think he’s going to kill Brock, but it would probably be silly to expect him to lose. I’m a huge Lesnar fan, and I think there are a few paths to victory for him over Couture, but I also understand that Couture is the smartest guy in MMA today, and that’s why he’s had the career he’s had.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 5:31 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

All that said, I've mentioned before that one of the wonderful things about this sport

is the impact of match-ups and the volatile nature of fight outcomes. It’s what makes MMA more exciting (in my mind) than Boxing or other combat sports. It’s much harder to ‘pick’ the winner in MMA. W-L records aren’t terribly meaningful. Randy’s only a 66% winner over his career, for crying out loud. And Chuck’s been beaten six times now, three in the last year and a half?

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 5:33 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Wasn’t there a fan post a few days back talking about how Rashad was definitely going to win? I don’t care to look for it, but nice call by that guy.

by Richard on Sep 7, 2008 2:31 AM EDT   0 recs

You know..

I had said previously that people were overstating Chuck’s abilities and that Rashad is capable of beating him (and that he was on the rise). My main thing with Rashad is that we didn’t know who he is now. It’s been a long time since he’s fought. But wow… I said that no one should be surprised if he won, right? I just never thought it would be like that. Kudos to Rashad.. Amazing..

by Blackout612 on Sep 7, 2008 2:57 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

By the “Forrest Griffin got a title shot for beating a guy who would have gotten a title shot had he won” logic, shouldn’t Rashad be next in line for a shot at the title?

by Richard on Sep 7, 2008 2:57 AM EDT   0 recs

Ha, I guess I was right.

by Richard on Sep 7, 2008 2:19 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

LMAO @ the youtube video from sports center. RAY-SHAD Evans. YOu figure the donkeys over at sports center would know the guys name :|

by Sauce on Sep 7, 2008 3:10 AM EDT   0 recs

Rashad v Forrest in December

Anything less is an absolute, boxing-style tragedy. It doesn’t really matter unless Lyoto beats Rampage or maybe Shogun instead of Thiago. Rashad Evans earned my respect and a title shot tonight. Damn.

by subo on Sep 7, 2008 3:15 AM EDT   0 recs

The bottom right .gif

is the one that shows the scariness.

Gives me the chills.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 5:34 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I watched the fight in a sports-bar with some guys in a motorcycle club who had been describing how one of their members laid down his bike, and the guy who was riding behind him said, “What I saw was wobble, wobble, wobble, and he dropped it like it’s hot.”

So when we watched that replay, it was like, “DAMN! You cursed him!”

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Sep 7, 2008 11:19 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Very nice.

Workin’ a little voodoo from the sports-bar. Rashad appreciates it.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 11:25 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Franklin McNeil proves himself incapable of getting even the most basic facts correct:

Liddell went down flat on his back. Referee Herb Dean jumped in immediately to prevent Evans from landing another shot on the helpless former champion.

by Chris Nelson on Sep 7, 2008 9:09 AM EDT   0 recs

Press Conference

Franklin McNeil asked the lamest questions at the press conference as well.

"My job is a decision-making job, and as a result, I make a lot of decisions." --George W. Bush, The Decider, Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007

by lovingmma25 on Sep 8, 2008 10:40 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

to borrow the term that folks used last night in the live blog thread, that was a kill shot. One of the nastiest one punch knockouts I’ve seen.

by monkeyfightclub on Sep 7, 2008 9:18 AM EDT   0 recs

I find it oddly mesmerizing to watch all 4 gifs at the same time in the post.

by Phildo on Sep 7, 2008 9:50 AM EDT   0 recs

The conclusion I drew

was that since they’re all varying lengths and speeds, my brain simply can’t reconcile the whole thing. Kinda like when you play with your dog, and you start..I dunno…Princess Waving in his peripheral vision. Freaks him out, since he can’t watch both at the same time, and the further you move them apart in his field of vision, the more unsettled he becomes.

Yeah, I basically felt like a dog watching those gifs.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 10:12 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

All I have to say is...

SHIT YEAH! I think I was the only one here pulling for Evans and damn did he come through. Awesome knockout and awesome ESPN coverage :)

One Hitta Quita!

by xFenixKnightx on Sep 7, 2008 10:07 AM EDT   0 recs

I didn't think he had much of a prayer.

He played the exact gameplan I anticipated, but you might say I was surprised when he enabled one-shot-kills for round two. I thought cheats like that one were only allowed on TUF and undercard fights? Regardless, the game designers screwed up big-time leaving it in there to use against a Boss like Liddell. Someone’s getting canned in the morning.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 10:15 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I know it’s not on subject, but Herb Dean did a great job of getting to Chuck before Rashad put another one on him.

Lucky for Chuck, Mario didn’t have that fight. He would still be lying in the cage.

by Heenan on Sep 7, 2008 10:18 AM EDT   0 recs

I’m not a huge Evans fan (never liked the showboating), but I will give him the credit that it looked like he stopped himself, as Dean stepped in. It looked like he realized Chuck was out, and decided not to pounce.

by mythbuster on Sep 7, 2008 4:46 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I thought it was odd too that no one gave Herb Dean props for getting to Chuck as quickly as he did.

"My job is a decision-making job, and as a result, I make a lot of decisions." --George W. Bush, The Decider, Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007

by lovingmma25 on Sep 8, 2008 10:41 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Refereeing is a thankless job. Fans and critics only notice the bad stoppages.

by Luke Thomas on Sep 8, 2008 11:59 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

this still makes me sick. was it just me, or does anyone else see how low Liddell dropped his left hand!?

by silverback on Sep 7, 2008 10:45 PM EDT   0 recs

It was everyone, and he always does it. Just lately, his opponents have been using it strategically.

by mythbuster on Sep 7, 2008 11:18 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Chuck's extreme takedown defense is based on keeping his hands

at his hips, like a wrestler does. Even Fedor fights like this, he is able to bring his hands up for defense when appropriate, however.

Chuck actually looked like he was trying to nullify the overhand right with his uppercut, but it obviously didn’t work, and I don’t think there was enough power behind it to KO Rashad.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 7, 2008 11:24 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Exactly

If Chuck thought he had reason to feel threatened by Rashad’s hands (and why would he before this?), he would have drawn his gloves up more often. You know what they say about hindsight..

by Blackout612 on Sep 7, 2008 11:55 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Something about needing eyes in the back of your head,

or you’ll get run over by that train coming your way when you weren’t looking?

I have always hated hindsight, personally. Do the best you can, learn from your mistakes and shortcomings, but don’t consume yourself with the past.

Doing so is one of the circles of hell…

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Sep 8, 2008 2:31 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Chuck’s choice of an uppercut was a big mistake if he was respecting Rashad’s hands. Doesn’t look like it though.

by zeroword on Sep 8, 2008 12:07 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Not taking anything from Rashad, but if they were about 3 inches to their own rights the fight would probably be the opposite, I think. Looks like Rashad connected clean to Chucks brain, and Chuck connected clean to Rashads shoulder. :)

It’s what they both said — they want to hit each other. They did, Rashad got the best of it.

by mythbuster on Sep 8, 2008 12:31 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I always knew Rashad had a chance of beating Chuck based on his fight with Brad Imes – which still baffles me as to how that was a split decision fight.

"My job is a decision-making job, and as a result, I make a lot of decisions." --George W. Bush, The Decider, Lancaster, Pa., Oct. 3, 2007

by lovingmma25 on Sep 8, 2008 10:43 AM EDT   0 recs

WOW! I'm still in shock!

I kept saying all along that Rashad would win. But I expected it to be a hard fought decision victory. This KO sent chills down my spine man! What a Knockout!

I think he has everything it takes to beat Forrest also. Too bad I like both of em. Gonna be hard for me to pick a favorite.

by flyingknees on Sep 9, 2008 7:02 AM EDT   0 recs

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