Bleacher Report - Articles by Racan Alhoch

Was Anderson Silva's Win or Chuck Liddell's Loss More Disappointing?

Racan Alhoch — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:10:15 -0400

UFC 97, one would be hard-pressed to find another event that kept the audience on the edge of their seat in such a way. There were a few common questions the fans wanted answered.

Will Anderson Silva make MMA history by achieving his ninth consecutive win? Can this relatively unknown fighter Thales Laites really stand up to "The Spider"? Will Mauricio "Shogun" Rua be the one to end the career of MMA legend Chuck "the iceman" liddell?

These questions were answered last night in what might have been the most disappointing UFC event to date.

In Round 1 of the Liddell-Rua fight, Chuck came out looking as good as someone with such an unorthodox fighting style could. It was obvious that Rua had worked on his conditioning since his horrendous performance against Mark Coleman.

With 32 seconds left in the first round, Rua caught "the Iceman" with a well-placed left hook that dropped Liddell to the canvas instantly. Shogun then dropped to his knees and unleashed a bombardment of punishing hammer fists and punches.

At 4:28 of the first round the referee decided that Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell was not intelligently defending himself, thus ending the bout. As a matter of fact, he wasn't defending himself at all.

I think it is safe to say that most long-time MMA fans were disappointed to see "The Iceman" fall. It was a slow and embarrassing fall from grace. It started with his loss to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

Ironic that his seven-fight win streak started after a loss to Rampage and ended with a loss to Rampage.

UFC President Dana White has said:

“You're never going to see Chuck Liddell on the canvas again. At the end of the day, I care about these guys. I don't want to see anybody stick around too long.”

Chuck Liddell's response was a reluctant since he seemed to semi-agree.

"Yeah, that's probably safe to say, but I'm not gonna make any decisions until I go home and talk to everybody, talk to all my people, my friends."

As much as it hurts this writer to admit, any good friend would tell Chuck that he has had a great run but, unfortunately for him and MMA fans alike, its over.

The next thing he can look foward too would be his inevitable induction into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Even more disappointing than Chuck Liddell's possible retirement was the anticlimactic main event between Anderson "The Spider" Silva and Thales Leites.

It seemed like a 25-minute sparring session between training partners. Anderson was obviously working on his offense while Thales was practicing his ingenious fetal position defense. It was an "exciting" blizzard of thigh punches and knee kicks.

Thales was circling the octagon for the majority of the fight. When he felt like actually engaging Anderson, he would try to take the fight to the ground to no avail.

For a reason unknown to us all, he felt the need to continually slide to the ground in the guard position. The problem was, he wasn't guarding anything, it was just him laying on the ground.

It grew tiresome to Silva and the referee. Silva would either walk away and let Thales get off the ground or the referee would instantaneously step in and give Leites room to get up.

Lets not forget to mention how angry the audience became. On more than one occasion they started shouting "GSP! GSP! GSP!" in reference to the Canadian-born Undisputed welterweight champion. They were in Canada after all and while watching such a boring fight, this came as no surprise.

The most exciting part of the fight was sadly not when Anderson punched Thales in the thigh, but when the audience started chanting "Bull(synonym for feces)!".

If there was any strategy at all in Thales' actions I would assume he was trying to semi-mimic Silva's upset loss to Ryo Chonan via flying scissor heel hook. If this was his strategy, he failed miserably.

We can't put all the blame on Thales alone, Silva showed us very little of his monstrous fighting capability.

He spent most of the match trying to psyche-out Leites by moving his hands around very quickly and occasionally exchanging a few hits including a soon to be famous thigh punch and kicks to the knee.

All in all, the main event was boring and the co-main event was disappointing and saddening at the same time.

It is obvious to everyone that Anderson Silva could have done a lot more to take out Thales Leites. As sad as it is to admit, everyone saw the end of Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell career approaching.

Silva's fight was supposed to be amazing, at least that was the way it was marketed and the way the fans expected it to be.

Everyone was looking forward to watching Silva dominate another opponent and be a part of UFC and MMA history. The latter has happened, what happened to the rest?

The jury has spoken and the verdict is out, Anderson "The Spider" Silva's win was significantly more disappointing than the fall from grace of Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell.

(I would like to dedicate this article to the long, extremely successful career of Chuck Liddell. Unfortunately, he will most likely retire. Although his exciting fights will be sorely missed, the time has come for him to hang up his gloves. I think I speak for all MMA fans when I say we wish him the best of luck. Maybe not in the octagon but I am sure this is not the last time we will see his face; he is a legend after all.)

Rashad Evans: Untouchable?

Racan Alhoch — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:12:01 -0400

There are hundreds of fighters in the UFC, but there are only a select few, elite, that can and have gone undefeated for as long as Rashad "Sugar" Evans. With an immaculate 18-0-1 record, Rashad may very well be the most wanted man in the UFC, even more so then the monster, Anderson Silva.

Why, you ask? Its plain and simple, nobody expected "Sugar" to do this well and get this far.

We all remember him as the young arrogant "show-boater" from The Ultimate fighter 4. Now, almost four years later he is the Undisputed Light Heavyweight champion and has taken down such legends as Chuck Liddel and took Tito Ortiz to a draw.

The sad news is, this writer believe Evans' time is running out and he will not go undefeated much longer. Don't get me wrong, Rashad is young and has a very long career ahead of him but there is too much talent floating around in the UFC for "Sugar" to stay untouchable too much longer.

For all you die hard Evans fans or Racan Alhoch disbelievers, I have compiled a list. This list is of fighters that can beat Rashad "Sugar" Evans for sure, fighters that have the ability to beat him and fighters that are in different weight divisions but seem to have more talent than Evans, just to add insult to injury.

Fighters that can beat Rashad "Sugar" Evans for sure:

Anderson "The Spider" Silva

I don't think I need to explain myself nor do I feel the need to remind you who this man is. If you are clueless as to who Anderson Silva is then do yourself a favor, go to your nearest MMA gym, since they seem to be sprouting up everywhere, and ask the first person you see to sock you in the face.

Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida

One of Rashad's great advantages is his elusiveness in the octagon. My friend, "The Dragon" and his unique fighting style (deeply rooted in Karate) is just as elusive if not more elusive than "Sugar" himself.

Add Machida's great knock-out power and conditioning, you may just have the perfect recipe to bring Evans down.

Dan "Hendo" Henderson

Evans has a very solid collegiate wrestling background on top of his impressive talent as a striker. That will fail to scare Mr. Henderson.

"Hendo" is an extremely talented athlete. His knockout power is unstoppable, his conditioning is impeccable, his wrestling is impregnable and he wants to eat your babies, praise be to Allah—Mike Tyson circa 2000.

Michael "The Count" Bisping

I have saved the most controversial for last. There is no doubt in this writer's mind that Bisping can defeat Evans.

I remember the fight between Bisping and Evans at UFC 78 very vividly. Michael "The Count" Bisping got robbed the night of Nov. 17, 2007.

This writer had never been so sure of a fight that had gone to the judges, it was obvious that Bisping won. It was so obvious that one can almost cringe at the thought of Evans winning that fight. Just like an honorable athlete should, Bisping never complained or made the situation into a big fuss.

Fighters that have the talent to defeat Rashad Evans:

Forrest Griffin

Rashad and Forrest fought very recently. Watching the fight, it is easy to see that Griffin has the talent to beat Evans its just a matter of using the correct strategy. Griffin is a very well rounded fighter with great grappling skills and the heart of a lion, if only he played his cards right that night.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Quinton is one of the most talented fighters in the UFC. If he was to put together a great pre-fight training camp "Rampage" could easily defeat Rashad Evans. You can't tell me you wouldn't love to see Jackson execute his trademark body slam on Rashad.

Fighter(s) that show more potential and talent than Evans:

Jon Jones

He may be a bit of an unknown in the light heavyweight division but his talents are apparent. He is such a dynamic and unorthodox fighter that it almost boggles the mind.

His athletic background is very similar to that of Rashad's.

Johnson can hit you from any angle and position, he has great conditioning, speed, skill and strength. Anthony is still a very young fighter which means he is very rough around the edges.

If he keeps his focus on fighting and not partying he can, in a few years, be one of the the greatest fighters in the UFC.

Many people may not agree with these choices but I am steadfast in my opinions. Rashad "Sugar" Evans is no doubt a great fighter that will leave a mark in the MMA world forever but he is certainly not "untouchable" and this will be seen at UFC 98: Evans VS Machida.

Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson: Clash of the Titans

Racan Alhoch — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:30:00 -0500

Many MMA fans such as myself can hardly wait until Jan. 17 when two of the world's greatest fighters will square off in the octagon: Rich "Ace" Franklin and Dan "Hendo" Henderson. People are wondering which of the two former middleweight champions will solidify his place as a light-heavyweight fighter.

First, this writer must admit that he is slightly biased in this debate because Rich Franklin is his favorite fighter. It must also be admitted that Dan Henderson is truly one of the best fighters in the world and not somebody that Mr. Franklin should take lightly.

Rich Franklin was once thought to be invincible in the Ultimate Fighting Championships. He began his professional MMA career with a 12-fight win streak before losing to Lyoto Machida at 1:03 of the second round in Kobe, Japan. Continuing his career with another win streak consisting of eight fights, it was not until Rich met Anderson "The Spider" Silva that he truly knew what a loss felt like.

As much as it pains this writer to say, Anderson Silva absolutely destroyed Rich Franklin in the fight on Oct. 14, 2006. Mr. Franklin was unable to do anything to Anderson besides absorb most of the beatdown with his face thanks to The Spider's unbreakable clinch. Needless to say, Mr. Silva won that fight via TKO at 2:59 in the first round.

The next two fights seemed to be an uphill battle for Ace but of course he came out on top and was ready for his rematch with the monster we know as Anderson Silva.This time around Rich made it to round two only to be once again TKO-ed 1:07 into the round.

Once again Rich bounced back with two wins against two very formidable foes including his friend and teammate Matt Hammil. This brings us to the fight against Hendo.

Dan Henderson is a very skilled, world-class wrestler. He began his mixed martial arts career in 1997 (three full years before Rich Franklin) and went on to win many tournaments including UFC 17. Much like Franklin, he started his career with a nine-fight win streak before falling to Wanderlei Silva on Dec. 9, 2000.

It was an extremely good fight and a hard fought battle by Henderson, but unfortunately Hendo lost via unanimous decision. From there he went on to face some of the world's best fighters and a lot of the time he prevailed. He was even very impressive when he was pitted against Anderson Silva.

This was until he made the fatal mistake of giving Anderson his back.

Both fighters are well-rounded, battle-hardened, and thoroughly seasoned veterans, so making a prediction for this fight could be hard for anyone.

While Franklin is a very deliberate fighter with a strategy every time, Dan seems more the type to feel his opponent out and make it up as he goes along. Although it does require a lot of talent for a fighter to make it up as he goes along, it seems Rich's way of approaching a fight is better.

In no way should it be said that Rich Franklin is a better fighter than Dan Henderson, but one must realize that he is a more efficient fighter. This is made evident by observing the two men's fighting records.

Rich Franklin has 25 wins and three losses.

Dan Henderson has 24 wins and seven losses.

It is obvious that Franklin's deliberate strategies are more efficient than Henderson's "go with the flow" deal.

This is going to be a great fight and it is a very hard fight to call. This writer's guess is that if the fight goes to decision it is obvious that Franklin's strategy will earn him more points than Henderson, hence winning him the match. But if the fight is one giant sluggfest, then Henderson might take the win right from underneath Franklin with his raw power and superior wrestling.

It seems to be up in the air as of right now.

Whether Dan "Hendo" Henderson wins or Rich "Ace" Franklin prevails, the fans can be sure of one thing: This is going to be one hell of a fight.

UFC 82: Andseron Silva Still Undefeated

Racan Alhoch — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:30:28 -0500

One of the most anticipated fights of the year; Dan Henderson vs. Anderson Silva. Dan Henderson is a Pride FC champion and Anderson Silva a UFC Champion, many asked the question; who would come out on top? Well on March 1, 2008 that questioned was answered by Anderson Silva.

Silva is most known for his muay thai ability and his devastating clinch but tonight he reminded the world about his BJJ black belt. In the beginning of the first round Henderson and Silva exchanged and few punches and kicks but the action didn't really being until Henderson took Silva down with a bodylock. A few hammer punches by Henderson did'nt seem to do much damage so they stayed on the ground and Silva rode out the last few minutes of Round 1.

In round two Silva connected with a few hard kicks and knees, when the fight was taken to the ground Silva unleashed a bombardment of punches until Henderson, in desperation, made a move that set him up for a rear naked choke. Silva won the match by submission in 4:52 of Round 2.

When the two fighters first came out it seemed Henderson had most of the crowed on his side. Silva received mixed reactions but many fans gave him a standing ovation.

Dan Henderson is a two-time high school state champ and Olympic wrestler from California. He began training in mixed martial arts in 1997. He tore through most of his competition Pride FC before fighting in the UFC. Anderson Silva, a muay thai fighter from Brazil also blazed through a trail of previous competitors before making his transition into the UFC. He first proved himself as a worthy competitor by knocking out Chris Leben on Ultimate Fight Night 5 on June 28, 2006. Anderson also beat the former middle weight champion Rich "Ace" Franklin twice further proving just how dangerous and unstoppable he is. After winning the match against Dan Henderson, Silva said that he respected Dan Henderson and his abilities but the real champion that Silva has ever faced is Rich Franklin. Silva has yet to be defeated in the UFC.

Other Events:

Mark Coleman the so called "Godfather of ground and pound" became the fifth inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Heavyweights

Herring defeated Chieck Kongo Via Split Decision

Round 1 (29-28 Herring) Round 2 (29-28 Kongo) Round 3 (29-28) Herring

Middleweights

Chris Leben defeated Alessio Sakara Via TKO (3:16 of Round 1)

Middleweights

Yoshin Okami defeated Evan Tanner Via Knockout (knee) (3:00 of Round 2)

Welterweights

Jon Fitch defeated Chris Wilson via Unanimous decision

Heavyweights

Andrei Arlovski defeated Jake O'Brien via TKO (4:17 of Round 2)

Comments: It was a cheap trick how the UFC tried to keep Andrei Arlovski out of the public eye during the last fight of his UFC contract. He was put on a undercard fight that was not televised.

Welterweights

Luigi Fiorvante defeated Luke Cummo via Unanimous Decision

Welterweights

Josh Koscheck defeated Dustin Hazlett via TKO (1:24 of Round 2)

Welterweights

Diego Sanchez defeated Jason Bielkheden via Punches from the mount

(4:43 or Round 1)

Lightweights

Jorge Gurgel defeated John Halverson via Unanimous Decision

Andrei Arlovski, Where Art Thou?

Racan Alhoch — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:05:18 -0500

Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski seems to be fading from the MMA scene.

He has had four fights since April 15, 2006. These four fights include two back to back losses to Tim Sylvia on April 15 and July 8, 2006.

He beat Mario Cruz by Technical Knock Out and Fabricio Werdum by unanimous decision, leaving him with a mediocre 2-2 record after his last four fights.

What has happened to Arlovski? Is this the end?

Well, think again, Pitbull fans—he has confirmed on his website that he is back on his way to regaining the heavyweight championship. He is set to fight at UFC 82 against the undefeated Jake "Irish" O'Brien in a fight that will most likely not be broadcast.

O'Brien is a three-time state champ wrestler with an aggressive technique and powerful striking capabilities—but is he a match for Arlovski? I think not. Arlovski is a seasoned warrior with the scars and titles to prove it. If I was to loosely make a prediction to the fight, I would say referee stoppage in the first or second round.

For those of you who doubt the power of the Pitbull, here is some background. Arlovski became a feared Sambo warrior in his hometown of Minsk, Belarus. He was picked on by bullies when he was young, so he started weight lifting at 14 and training in martial arts at 18.

After enrolling in the police academy, he took advantage of the required sambo classes thus leading him to competitive fighting. He became the international sambo master, winning titles such as the World Youth Championship and the Sambo World Cup. Eventually he branched off to other forms of martial arts.

After almost a year-long hiatus, this fight comes as good news to Arlovski fans. Finally, we will get the dose of the powerful, menacing and shaggy haired Arlovski that we have been craving for so long—but unless you will be at the event itself you will probably have to watch the fight on the internet after it happens.

Nonetheless, it seems to me that the fight will hold your attention for however long it takes—and it will be a nice warm welcome back for the ever-fierce Andrei Arlovski.