UFC 103: A Night of Strange Stoppages

UFC 103 was an attempt at a comeback for many former contenders. One contender, Vitor Belfort moved forward and looks to be in line for a shot at Anderson Silva’s UFC belt. Mirko Cro Cop, and Frank Trigg weren’t so fortunate. It seems certain that their title contention days are over. Right now though, the outcomes are overshadowed by what was a night of strange stoppages.

The main event fight between Vitor Belfort and Rich Franklin seemed to be over almost before it began. The two fighters started tentatively, as they were both wary of the abilities of the other. When they finally engaged, Rich Franklin was stunned by a jab, and then knocked off balance by a straight right that clipped the back of his head.

Belfort landed some solid shots to render Franklin defenseless while Franklin tried to regain his footing. The fight was clearly over, and referee Yves Lavigne stepped in right on time. However, it was still a strange knockout, because there was no definitive shot that spelled the end to Franklin’s night. It was an awkward looking knockout, but that’s sometimes the way things work out.

Vitor Belfort’s return to the UFC makes him a fresh face, and probably be the most marketable contender for Anderson Silva’s middleweight title.

I just wish the fight lasted long enough to showcase all of Vitor’s abilities. He showed that he’s capable of blitzing and finishing his opponents quickly, but it will be interesting to see what happens to him if he isn’t able to end the fight early.

Vitor has struggled most when his opponents have been able to drag him into the later rounds. Until he gets there again opposite a formidable opponent, questions about Vitor will remain. However, his abilities to end things quickly will be enough to still provide some intrigue against Silva.

Things could definitely be worse, though, as Mirko Cro Cop can attest. He was thoroughly beaten in his fight opposite Junior Dos Santos, who will climb higher up the heavyweight rankings.

Cro Cop was rarely first to the punch against Dos Santos, and was overwhelmed in the third and final round. The end to this one was strange as well, as Dos Santos began celebrating shortly after breaking off from a clinch. Mirko had quit, as he couldn’t see after being hit in the eye.

The anti-climactic end to this one was unfortunate, but Dos Santos still had put on an impresive showing, and deserved the victory. He now owns victories over two former top five heavyweights in Mirko Cro Cop, and Fabricio Werdum. The future looks bright for this kid. He’s beaten a great Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter in Werdum, and now a dangerous striker in Cro Cop. Ahead of him is a murderers’ row of wrestlers: Cain Velasquez, Shane Carwin, and Brock Lesnar.

Cro Cop was dejected following the loss, and stated that he no longer feels that he has the hunger to compete in MMA. Despite these comments, it’s still too early to announce Mirko’s retirement. After some time for reflection he may want another chance to end his fighting career with a victory.

Frank Trigg finds himself in a similar position after being defeated by Josh Koscheck. Trigg was unhappy about the stoppage, which he though was early. Initially, Joe Rogan thought that Trigg was completely unconscious, but upon replay, it appeared that Trigg was still trying to make his way back to his feet. He wasn’t close though, and was taking powerful shots from Koscheck.

Martin Kampmann protested the stoppage in his loss to Paul Daley, in a rare instance of a referee ending the fight while both fighters are standing.

This kind of stoppage is more familiar to boxing, as MMA fights tend to move to the ground when a fighter is in trouble on the feet. In this case, Kampmann was unable to do anything but stay on his feet.

This ending will still feel controversial for many MMA fans who are looking for consistent refereeing. Yet this ending is one of those unusual cases where a fighter continues to stand despite no longer being aware of the situation. If you watch the replay you’ll hear Joe Rogan state that Kampmann is out on his feet, and an instant later, you’ll see Yves Lavigne step in to stop the fight.

Clearly Rogan and Lavigne came to the same conclusion, while instant replays have done nothing but make the situation more ambiguous.

Despite these strange finishes, I think that in the end, the results will be remembered as being more important than the awkward way the fights all seemed to end. Sometimes one strange event seems to set the tone for the rest of the night. This was one of those cases. However, one thing that is consistent in MMA are results. Belfort, Daley, Dos Santos, and Koscheck all move forward in the rankings, while Franklin, Kampmann, Cro Cop, and Trigg all take a step back, and life goes on.

Tags: Anderson Silva, Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, Fabricio Werdum, Josh Koscheck, Junior Dos Santos, Martin Kampmann, Mirko Cro Cop, Paul Daley, Rich Franklin, Shane Carwin, UFC, Vitor Belfort