After an extended dry spell, UFC 123 has compelled me to weigh in on some of the organization's top fighters and the state of MMA in general.
What Happened
The co-main event, Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida vs. Quentin "Rampage" Jackson, predictably went the distance in a competitive if cautious fight featuring two former champions looking to rebound. Machida, an elusive and defensive fighter well-known for his confounding combination of sumo and karate, employed a more conservative strategy than usual against a fighter whom, in all fairness, he may not match up very well against. Machida's abrupt countering style - charging in head first - got him in big trouble in May when Brazilian chute box veteran Mauricio "Shogun" Rua saw it coming and timed a big overhand to knock out The Dragon in his first title defense. Jackson, arguably the division's stand-up fighter, had little trouble finding his range but played a smart fight and took the proper angles to land the occasional shot and keep Machida back-pedaling. Machida, meanwhile, showed flashes of brilliance with a 3rd-round flurry and big take-down, but it was too little, too late in the eyes of the judges, who awarded a split-decision victory to the more aggressive Jackson.
What I Think It Means
The fight game continues to evolve. Machida's defensive, unorthodox style confused enough fighters for enough fights to become the champion, but nonetheless proved too static to weather a single title defense against a fighter with a more dynamic approach to fighting. People have solved Machida's strategy; Shogun exposed his greatest weaknesses and exploited them - not once, but twice. Rampage Jackson, employing both patience and an advantage in the striking game, demonstrated once more that "fighting to win" trumps "fighting not to lose" every time. As dominant as George St. Pierre is at welterweight, the sport will inevitably evolve beyond his increasingly conservative, wrestling-oriented style of fighting.
What Else Happened
BJ Penn, whom Freddie Roach called the best boxer in MMA, finally did something with those dangerous hands of his and knocked out Matt Hughes at welterweight. What I assumed was a nostalgic retirement-party rubber match for the two former champions turned out instead to be a rebirth of "The Prodigy" Penn at 170lbs after being driven from the UFC's lightweight division by Frankie Edgar.
George "Who?" Sotiropoulos, a Greek Australian TUF alumnus, continues to make his case to the UFC's apparently deaf ears for a spot in 155-pound title contention. After a disappointing fluke knockout against the show's eventual runner-up, Sotiropoulos has been born again hard. Since TUF, Sotiropoulos has torn through the division like wet toilet paper, destroying Roman Mitichyan, George Roop, the hard-punching Jason Dent, Joe Stevenson, and Kurt Pellegrino to amass a 5-0 record entering Saturday's fight against the prodigious young Joe Lauzon. Lauzon, who criticized Sotiropoulos' style as "safe," opened the first round aggressively with some success landing shots before being controlled against the cage by Sotiropoulos. The second round really showed marked contrast in the two fighters' level of preparation, as Lauzon sucked wind while Sotiropoulos picked up speed and changed levels. Once the fight went to the ground, it was only a matter of time and the dangerous Sotiropoulos outworked Lauzon to secure a kimura arm lock and tap in round two.
What I Think It Means
Regarding Penn - who knows. BJ Penn is an odd cat, an eccentric guy. When his head is in it, he's arguably the most well-rounded fighter and skilled fighter on the planet. He entered the arena mumbling to himself and abruptly tried to flee the cage after knocking out Matt Hughes in 21 seconds. Penn is an enigma and will likely stay that way. Dana White has announced Penn will next face Jon Fitch at welterweight. Fitch, a taller 170-pounder, provides possibly the best example of what some fans call "lay-and-pray," a one-dimensional fighting style which relies on success take downs to secure the decision victory. White's decision could be viewed as retaliatory or punitive, as Fitch has repeatedly demanded a shot at the title while simultaneously refusing to face his training partner and fellow contender Josh Koscheck. Whatever his reasoning, if nothing else the stylistic match-up is an exciting one, as Penn's diverse and skilled game have proven to be an advantage against nearly all fighters. This is the fight the fans want to see; the division's most boring fighter vs. the division's most enigmatic, talented and arguably dangerous fighter.
Regarding Sotiropoulos - I don't even know where to start. This guy is just great...his pre- and post-fight interviews demonstrate maturity, respect for his opponents and his employer, and in general just a pretty balanced outlook on life in general. With his lanky old-man physique and knee braces, he's not much to look at, but it stands in perfect contrast to a fighting style defined by superior conditioning, diligent training and cast-iron determination. George Sotiropoulos does not have Frankie Edgar's speed or Gray Maynard's strength or Nate Diaz' confidence, but he apparently he doesn't need them. He wins by working harder AND smarter. Why the UFC has rewarded his efforts by matching him laterally against Dennis Siver, cut from the UFC in 2008 only to be re-signed last year - is a mystery. I don't think anyone, after watching Sotiropoulos submit Joe Lauzon, would have visualized Siver standing between Sotiropoulos and the lightweight title shot, but it's a moot point. It doesn't matter what I think, it matters what the UFC brass thinks, and the last person in the world who is going to complain about it is George Sotiropoulos. Look for big things from George in 2011.
