Topic: UFC 173
Official UFC 173 Discussion Thread
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05.24.2014 | 1:54 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 325 Points | Tied for 1060th
Prelims kick off on UFC Fight Pass around 630pm ET followed by Prelims on FS1 at 8pm and the PPV main card at 10pm.
Quite a good card, even if the headliner looks mildly underwhelming on paper.
Enjoy!
"When a game cannot be won, change the game."
- Saturday 05.24.2014 at 10:00 PM ET
- U.S. Broadcast: Pay Per View | Prelims: Fox Sports 1
- Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Ownership: Zuffa, LLC
- Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
- Enclosure: Cage
- TV Announcers: Mike Goldberg, Joe Rogan
- Ring Announcer: Bruce Buffer
- Post-Fight Interviews: Joe Rogan
- Ticket Revenue (live gate): $1,700,000
- Attendance: 11,036
- PPV Buys / Buyrate: 215,000 | TV Ratings: 697,000 avg. viewers (FS1 prelims)
- MMA Bouts: 12
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Promotion Links:
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Event Links:
| Bout | Info | |
|---|---|---|
| T.J. Dillashaw defeats Renan Barão via KO/TKO, Head Kick and Punches | 2:26 Round 5 of 5, 22:26 Total Bout Page | |
| Daniel Cormier defeats Dan Henderson via Submission, Rear Naked Choke | 3:53 Round 3 of 3, 13:53 Total Bout Page | |
| Robbie Lawler defeats Jake Ellenberger via KO/TKO, Knee and Punches | 3:06 Round 3 of 3, 13:06 Total Bout Page | |
| Takeya Mizugaki defeats Francisco Rivera Jr. via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| James Krause defeats Jamie Varner via KO/TKO, Ankle Injury | 5:00 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Michael Chiesa defeats Francisco Trinaldo via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Tony Ferguson defeats Katsunori Kikuno via KO/TKO, Punch | 4:06 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Chris Holdsworth defeats Chico Camus via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Mitch Clarke defeats Al Iaquinta via Submission, D'arce Choke | 0:57 Round 2 of 3, 5:57 Total Bout Page | |
| Vinc Pichel defeats Anthony Njokuani via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Sam Sicilia defeats Aaron Phillips via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Jingliang Li defeats David Michaud via Decision, Split | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page |
Responses Page 19
05.25.2014 | 1:48 AM ET
Predictions: 7 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 390 Points | Tied for 628th
Some thoughts on Barao:
First, this was not a fluke. Barao fought like he has in previous fights and got dominated from bell to bell for 4+ rounds.
Second, listening to one's corner is typically a good idea. When Pederneiras was telling him to take Dillashaw down, he should've at least attempted this. Standing up wasn't working at all and he needed to do something to take the fight to a place where Dillashaw couldn't pick him apart from range. We know Barao's got skills on the ground, he shouldn't have been so enthralled with proving to everyone that he could out strike Dillashaw.
Third, it seems to me that Barao has fallen in love with his hooks (which is bad for him, because when he throws them he opens his stance and drops his hands) as of late. If I remember correctly, he wasn't really moving in with his jab (one of his best strikes) and rarely followed his combinations with leg kicks. Sometimes it might be best to go back to what got you where you are in the first place. He's been more willing to throw hooks without the rest of his weapons in his last 3 fights now, which is a real bad habit when you consistently fail to defend properly.
"Surrender??!! You think this letter on my head stands for France?" - Captain America
05.25.2014 | 2:55 AM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 340 Points | Tied for 960th
By the way, he wasn't listening to his corner because he probably couldn't think straight at that point. The dude was barely alive by round 3.
* Edited at 05.25.2014, 2:57 AM ET *
"Let's just say if we fought again I wouldn't need to keep my hands up." - Luke Rockhold on Michael Bisping's punching power
05.25.2014 | 3:13 AM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 340 Points | Tied for 960th
"Let's just say if we fought again I wouldn't need to keep my hands up." - Luke Rockhold on Michael Bisping's punching power
05.25.2014 | 4:48 AM ET
Predictions: 1 of 3 Winners, 0 Perfect, 50 Points | Tied for 1498th
"I really feel like I'm the most dangerous guy out there" BJ Penn........... UFC on Fox 2 event winner :)
05.25.2014 | 7:39 AM ET
Predictions: 5 of 12 Winners, 0 Perfect, 250 Points | Tied for 1328th
"UFC 151 NEVER FORGET"
05.25.2014 | 9:45 AM ET
Predictions: 7 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 405 Points | Tied for 532nd
and then this gem from the 5th rd: "Dillashaw dodges a series of punches like a damn white Anderson Silva."
"Grammar. The difference between knowing your **** and knowing you're ****."
05.25.2014 | 11:47 AM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 3 Perfect, 400 Points | Tied for 616th
@zarog Barao avoided leg kicks because he didn't want Dillashaw to take him down, which is reasonable. The major problem with this fight was that Dillashaw was dictating where the fight was happening. Barao should have been more aggressive and by making Dillashaw back up he'd be able to punctuate all of his combinations with leg kicks. In that scenario, Dillashaw wouldn't have been able to shoot for a double leg ('cause he'd be moving backwards) and if he did, Barao would have been able to easily stuff him.
In retrospect, I think that would have been the key to Barao's victory but I'd be lying if I didn't see Barao winning the fight from a rear naked choke after a quick scramble following some takedown attempt by Dillashaw. If there's one thing Barao is a beast at, it's his lightning-fast grappling.
@Idrownfish Dafuqq, none of those fights beat Serra/GSP oddswise.
Dude, Serra/GSP oddswise (from what I've seen) was like +1000 for Serra, whereas Dillashaw, Brooks and Eduardo were at +600.
"الله أكبرl"
05.25.2014 | 11:53 AM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 355 Points | Tied for 886th
"Hay lohh you Mike, ay lov you Mike. Hyou say somesing like di fo me, and naw I say you ... I LOV YOU! See you som. Boy." -- Yoel Romero, UFC 205
05.25.2014 | 12:08 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 3 Perfect, 400 Points | Tied for 616th
"الله أكبرl"
05.25.2014 | 12:16 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 355 Points | Tied for 886th
* Edited at 05.25.2014, 12:16 PM ET *
"Hay lohh you Mike, ay lov you Mike. Hyou say somesing like di fo me, and naw I say you ... I LOV YOU! See you som. Boy." -- Yoel Romero, UFC 205
05.25.2014 | 12:17 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 355 Points | Tied for 886th
* Edited at 05.25.2014, 12:18 PM ET *
"Hay lohh you Mike, ay lov you Mike. Hyou say somesing like di fo me, and naw I say you ... I LOV YOU! See you som. Boy." -- Yoel Romero, UFC 205
05.25.2014 | 12:41 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 390 Points | Tied for 628th
"For no particular reason beat up everyone"
05.25.2014 | 12:54 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 375 Points | Tied for 753rd
I think that if Dillashaw had gotten the stoppage in the first round, a lot of people would just say (perhaps unfairly) that this was just a Serra/GSP situation where Barao got caught and is still the better fighter, but since Dillashaw went on to dominate Barao for several rounds after that, it seems like most people are instead convinced that Dillashaw established himself as a significantly better fighter.
Well, that logic has some superficial appeal, but it seems to implicitly assume that Barao was able to recover from that punch and continue fighting like he normally does. Well, to my eyes, Renan Barao did not look remotely like himself after the first round. So, props to Dillashaw for landing such a damaging punch that took so much out of Barao and led to him winning the fight, but I'm not convinced he deserves all the extra credit for continuing to style on Barao for another four rounds or so.
I'm not necessarily saying I'd pick Barao in a rematch (nor do I think an instant rematch is warranted). But to the extent that people are really getting hyped up about Dillashaw or down on Barao based on the period of the fight between when Barao was dropped in the first and ultimately finished in the fifth, I have to respectfully disagree. I just don't think that portion of the fight was a very reliable barometer of either man.
"Fungahhh!"
05.25.2014 | 1:02 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 355 Points | Tied for 886th
"Maybe that initial punch Dillashaw dropped.Barao with led to Dillashaws performances in each.round following and that Barao never recovered from it "
There's quite a few things I can argue but it's a logical opinion and theory.
"If I have a goal, then it is to escape from this literalism. I'll never achieve it; in the same way that I'll never manage to describe what really dwells within my character, although I keep on trying."
05.25.2014 | 1:08 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 405 Points | Tied for 532nd
"Grammar. The difference between knowing your **** and knowing you're ****."
05.25.2014 | 1:08 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 340 Points | Tied for 960th
"Let's just say if we fought again I wouldn't need to keep my hands up." - Luke Rockhold on Michael Bisping's punching power
05.25.2014 | 1:42 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 355 Points | Tied for 886th
I agree with you that the punch had an impact, both physically and even more so mentally, it made Barao lose confidence and hesitate, but isn't that part of being the better fighter on the night? Isn't part of what makes Barao so good the fact that other fighters hesitate once they "feel" him or because they know what he's capable of?
Since the fight did actually last almost 5 rounds, you can factor in anything you want, but the better fighter had enough time to recover and if he didn't (physically or mentally), he wasn't the better fighter (since conditioning and the ability to recover from both physical and mental blocks are parameters in gauging who the better fighter is - at least on the night, I'm not declaring TJ as the p4p #1 just yet, I'll let Dana do that next time TJ's headlining a card).
"Hay lohh you Mike, ay lov you Mike. Hyou say somesing like di fo me, and naw I say you ... I LOV YOU! See you som. Boy." -- Yoel Romero, UFC 205
05.25.2014 | 2:28 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 12 Winners, 3 Perfect, 465 Points | Tied for 214th
"We are all human, it's time to prove it."
05.25.2014 | 2:38 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 12 Winners, 1 Perfect, 355 Points | Tied for 886th
"Hay lohh you Mike, ay lov you Mike. Hyou say somesing like di fo me, and naw I say you ... I LOV YOU! See you som. Boy." -- Yoel Romero, UFC 205
05.25.2014 | 2:40 PM ET
Predictions: 8 of 12 Winners, 3 Perfect, 475 Points | Tied for 157th
If the fight ended in the first like it almost did, a lot of us would be saying "can TJ do that again". IMO it's a lot harder to beat someone for 5 rounds than it is to hit em with a single shot.