UFC on Fuel 6 Results: What Went Right for Cung Le?
UFC Macao ended with a boom tonight, as veteran underdog Cung Le landed a perfectly executed counter over hand right to the button of Rich Franklin at 2:17 of the first round.
It was a quick and decisive win for the 40-year-old fighter/actor, and as many predicted, the shorter the fight, the better it would be for Le, and it didn't even last a half a round.
So what went right for Le in the two-minute tussle? (What didn't go right?) Here are a couple of specific points that led to his victory.
It clearly looked like Franklin was cool to stick and move, use the leg kicks and get himself warmed up and into the fight as time went on in the first round. In the process, he got lazy. He repeated and telegraphed that same intro combo a few times. Le read this right away, and he took full advantage.
Once Le was able to read, recognize and make the decision to attack the Franklin approach, he chose his overhand right as the perfect counter weapon. The only question from there was if he would be able to land it and hurt Franklin in the process. Many times, you only get one crack at that big overhand counter, so you hope it does maximum damage in the process. You may only get that chance a few more times on the night at all.
Not only was Le able to execute the counter well and land it on Franklin's head, but he was so tuned in and deadly accurate with it that he immediately shut Franklin's lights out and sent him free falling face down to the canvas.
What went right for Le? In that moment, everything. He was able to read, counter and execute with perfect efficiency, all in a span of a few seconds, busting the China crowd into a frenzy and gaining a historic victory in the process.
Lucky punch, my ass.
Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and guest blogger for Sportsnet.ca UFC.
Catch him on Facebook and Twitter @wakafightermma.
