@MichaelCoughlin
As has become tradition – because by making something a tradition I relieve myself of constant reinvention and can instead rely upon your vague memories of something good in the past – we present our fifteen time award winning HOW DID WE GET HERE series, where we highlight all of the free videos and such for the gys fighting this Saturday. You get to watch the available UFC 191 preview video while we provide a bit of context.
First up: The first fight between Mighty Mouse and John Dodson. It was then, and likely will be on Saturday, the fastest, most well-rounded dislay of technique at the flyweight level. And all of each man’s inherent advantages, as discusssed on FIVE STAR RADIO, are on display: Johnson’s ability to transition between techniques, to abandon something that isn’t working before anyone realizes it, and Dodson’s ridiculous power. The major difference between now and then is Johnson has gotten better while Dodson has gotten injured. Nonetheless, a repeat of this fight is more likely than not. Which is a good thing.
He may have shocked everyone when he thrashed Renan Barao with ease. Twice. But before he’d eased into himself as a well-rounded MMArtist, TJ Dillashaw was simply a finalist on The Ultimate Fighter. His opponent that night – at 135 lbs mindyou – was Mr. Dodson. The fight isn’t long but it again highlights Dodson’s specialty: the abilit to do cool flips. Oh, and to hit really hard.
Speaking of being able to hit hard, poor Darrell Montague learned that the hard way. Credit “The Mongoose” for fighting with one of the weirder nicknames in MMA, and for initially surviving a barage of violent bricks being slammed into his skull. But that initial survival only prolonged the inevitable: Dodson crushes a man with a punch.
Tim Sylvia losing will alwasys be fun. Frank Mir breaking the fat loser’s arm in seconds to secure the UFC Heavyweight Championship was confusing at first, as no one quite knew what happened. But the replay may it clear: Mir breaks bones. While a normal armbar applies pressure against the elbow joint, Mir decided to go ahead and snap Sylvia’s forearm instead. Gruesome and a reminder of what happens if Mir catches you and you don’t tap.
After seeing his career spiral out of control, fall into a sad funk, it would have been easy to write off Mir. His … disinterested in training looking physique didn’t help his cause. Then he promptly did what he does best: tap a man with ease.
Ronda may be protecting Browne’s career at the moment, but no one was there to protect him when Andrei Arlovski knocked him out in the first round of one of 2015’s best fights. Everything that defines The Pitbull is here to see: great boxing, speed, footwork, power, and a chin that can crack at any time.
Jake O’Brien was a solid wrestler but that’s all he was. Arlovski put in a workman like performance. (code for: eh)
In many ways, it’s ridiculous that Paige VanZant fought Tecia Torres before she could even drink. It wasn’t a win but it definitely showed glimpses of the raw talent and athleticism PVZ has cultivated since.
And that’s that. They all fight on Saturday at UFC 191. Obviously we’ll have full coverage all day, every day, until the sun burns out. Peruse the site, see what ticklets your fancy, buy a feather duster, use it when no one is looking. We don’t mind.
