By Elton "Hobbie" Hobson
Take Rich Franklin and Chuck Liddell out of the picture for a second.
What do you have? You have a UFC Pay-Per-View main event featuring one fighter who is 1-4 in his last 5, with 3 of those loses coming by crushing KO, against a fighter who is 3-3 over the same period and was, by his own admission, the victim of the worst KO in his career in his last fight. It’s not exactly a compelling contest on paper.
But that’s just it - you can’t take Rich Franklin and Chuck Liddell out of the picture. These men are both UFC legends who were the leading pillars of the UFC’s original explosion into the mainstream in 2004-2005. If this fight had been put on even four years ago, it would have been hailed as a super fight and likely drawn a blockbuster number on PPV. Now, it’ll be lucky to break 400,000 (just my prediction - I was right about 114 though, wasn’t I?)
Still, despite the rut both guy’s careers have been in of late, this fight is compelling because of the past accolades and reservoir of goodwill fans have and likely always will have for both fighters. Simply put, Rich Franklin and Chuck Liddell don’t have to prove anything to anyone. They’re already fan favourites, former champions, and millionaires with huge fan bases. No matter what happens, both guys will likely leave this fight the exact same way. All that’s left to decide is who‘s making the comeback.
And we know we’ll get a good fight. Besides, watching Chuck KO Tito for the third time would have just been masochistic.
Plus we get a solid undercard to compliment our TUF Finale of a headline fight. The UFC’s first foray into Vancouver (the second UFC event in Canada this year) is set to deliver two heavyweight slugfests, an interesting welterweight matchup, and the possible rise of the next big Canadian thing in MMA. Sounds pretty good to me - but then I’m a little biased, aren’t I?
Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald
Opening the show in General Motors Place is a match between a former WEC Champion in need of a win and the possible “next big thing” in Canadian MMA. At only 20 years of age, Rory MacDonald is already something of a phenom in the fight world. Having already amassed a perfect 10-0 and getting his hand raised in impressive fashion in his UFC debut, a big win here on PPV could mean the B.C native is ready to take the next step into the welterweight elite - a division that’s somewhat familiar with unstoppable Canadian prodigies.
In front of a packed and rabid hometown crowd in Vancouver, he’ll have to overcome Carlos Condit, a former WEC welterwight champion who was until recently a constant in the 170 lbs. top ten. A couple of tough split decisions in his UFC run thus far have all but halted his once substantial hype, and a loss to MacDonald couple mean permanent gatekeeper status. This should be a hell of a fight, as both guys are scrappers who go all out in their fights as well as being well rounded and versatile. If MacDonald has the mental stuff to handle this gigantic step up in profile and competition, he has all the tools to win this fight.
MacDonald via. Submission
Ben Rothwell vs. Gilbert Yvel
In a lot of ways, this fight is a heavyweight version of our main event - minus the gigantic fanbases. Ben Rothwell and Gilbert Yvel are huge guys who both need a win to right their ships following recent losses. I also expect that, like the main event, both will come out looking to bang it out on the feet. I don’t think this fight will hit the floor unless Rothwell isn’t getting the better of the striking exchanges and decides to take it there.
Both guys are veterans of the sport with long records and fights with extremely tough competition. With 24 years of combined MMA experience between them, one of these guys needs to step up and make a statement now if they still want to have time for a title run in their prime. Yvel has been smothered before, and Rothwell certainly has the frame to do it . I’ll go with him to take it in a careful decision - unless Yvel decides to tornado kick Steve Mazagatti or something.
Rothwell via. Decision
Paulo Thiago vs. Martin Kampmann
Now we’re talking. This fight is a sure favourite to nab “…of the Night!” of some kind and should answer some lingering questions about either welterweight contender. Martin Kampmann’s only two losses in the UFC have been to Paul Daley and Nate Marquardt - not exactly slender competition. The problem for the Dane is his tendancy to abandon his well rounded skillset in favour of a wild striking exchange, which his not so solid chin and lack of true 1 hit KO power betray him. When he wins, he wins smart and controlled. When he loses, he’s looking up at the lights wondering what happened.
Paulo Thiago is a beast. There’s no other way to describe the man many fans are calling the Brazilian Cro Cop because of his special forces day job. In the Octagon, he has faced elite fighters like Josh Koscheck and Mike Swick, and given them the worst losses of their whole careers. His only loss in the UFC was at the hands of Jon Fitch, the #2 welterweight in the world, in a close decision. I think he has Kampmann’s measure standing or on the ground, but I’ll go with him to win it via TKO due to strikes.
Paulo Thiago via. TKO
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Pat Berry
For what feels like the millionth time, fans around the world will watch in anticipation of one question - is “Cro Cop” back? I think the truth many fans are reluctant to aknowledge is that the once feared Croatian kick boxer was never the same following UFC 70/ There, he suffered his infamous KO loss via head kick to Gabriel Gonzaga, and after the brutal taste of his own medicine Filipovic was never the same again. His timing is shot now, and he rarely presses the pace as before. His vaunted high kick is gone, and he rarely pulls the trigger on any of his strikes like he used to. They had to wheel Anthony Perosh and Mustapha Al-Turk out of the MMA morgue to give him his only wins of late.
I think this fight is Pat’s for the taking. I know this is the same guy who was brutally choked out by no less a submission wizard then Tim Hague just last year. Still, he beat a far more impressive Antoni Hardonk is his next fight and showed solid kickboxing skills with the power to hurt. I see him wearing a tentative, circling Cro Cop out with leg kics and body shots a la Junior Dos Santos, before putting him away in the 3rd.
Pat Berry via. TKO
Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin
Man, what a tough fight to have to choose. I don’t really want to see either guy lose. I mean c’mon, who wants to see long-time favourites and icons of the sport end their career on another loss. That’s what’s at stake in this fight - the loser will in all likelihood never face elite level competition again. Aside from that, this fight should be a barnburner. Both guys like to bring it and have not been in a boring fight in recent memory. Both had memorable three round wars with Wanderlei Silva and can be counted on to keep the fans out of their seats.
Much is being made of Chuck’s new physique - the “Icegut” looks jacked now! Maybe, just maybe, the onetime Light-Heavyweight kingpin and face of the sport has enough in him for one last title run. According to multiple sources, Liddell has been training like a beast for this fight, getting on a diet, increasing his cardio work rate, and rounding out his skillset by training with the likes of Eddie Bravo and Brian Epstein for BJJ. Contrast that with company man Rich Franklin, who’s excitement and enthusiasm level for this fight reminded me of Eeyore from Winnie the Poo and I think Chuck takes this by surprise TKO.
Chuck Liddell via. TKO
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