My delayed thoughts re: UFC 116

I'm trying not to parrot what others have said, but if I fall short, consider it an homage to that author.

 1.  Gerald Harris' crossface-slam combo was a beautiful display of technique (esp poetic after Branch's rope-a-dope move following Harris' failed flurry).  Fighters often cannot slam guard jumpers for fear of being submitted upon landing (see Nate Diaz vs Alvin Robinson).  This seems to be a great answer to that problem.  This is why I like MMA so much - every technique has its kryptonite.

2.  I'm surprised no one praised Leben's (or his management's) business savvy behind taking this fight.  Camps cost money, so this second bout doubles his return on investment.  Plus, he burns another fight off the contract, getting him that much closer to re-negotiating.  Additionally, most pre-fight jitters were burnt during his previous bout, making him looser (apparent to me during the walk in).  And of course, he did Joe Silva a solid - always a wise move.  Perhaps it's the Asian in me, but I dig that kind of efficiency.

3.  This on-a-mission version of Bonnar is fun to watch.  I hope he retains the momentum.  He still needs to keep his hands up, though.  He got popped way too many times.

4.  More judo!  I still think it's a perfect answer to clinch stalemates (my pet peeve).

5.  Perhaps I fell victim to the hype machine, but to see Brock near helpless was jolting.  Really, it showed just how green he still is.  But man...a win despite this?  And by submission?  Woulda never guessed.  The funny thing was, as he was semi-turtling, I told whoever was nearby Brock seemed lost on the ground and needs some BJJ training, literally seconds before he locked the choke.  Good for him, and honestly, I'm happy for the guy. 

6.  As a testament to how good the main card was, the Kendall/Goran fight was a bit of a buzzkill. 

Alright, back to work.  Happy reading.