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Sep
7
UFC 88: Breakthrough Final Review
September 7, 2008 |
UFC 88: “Breakthrough” was held at The Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA. This was the first UFC event ever held in Georgia. It had a phenomenal fight card with big names such as Dan Henderson, Nate Marquardt, Rich Franklin, and Chuck Liddell. This card did not disappoint the fans and it most certainly lived up to its expectations. The card had a co-main event featuring two light heavyweight bouts. The first fight featured Rich Franklin taking on Matt “The Hammer” Hamill. The second match was between Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and “Sugar” Rashad Evans. Without further ado, let’s get to the action.
The first fight of the night was a welterweight bout between TUF cast member Matt Brown and South Korean Dong Hyun Kim. Kim controlled the first round by taking Brown’s back early and often. He put a lot of pressure on Brown, but Brown was able to weather the storm. The second round started and Brown came out very aggressive. It was clear to see that Kim was extremely tired and wasted most of his energy in the first round. Brown was able to dictate the pace and kept the fight standing but could not put Kim away. The third round began the same way the second round did with Brown coming out trying to push the pace. However, Kim was able to score a couple of takedowns. The round ended with Kim landing elbows and cutting the cheek of Brown. When it was all said and done, Dong Hyun Kim was able to pull out the victory via split decision.
The next fight was a middleweight match between Nate “The Great” Marquardt and Martin “Hitman” Kampmann. This fight did not last long at all. Marquardt was able to land a head kick with in the first minute of the fight. Kampmann was stunned and tried to scramble away, but Marquardt kept the pressure on Kampmann was able to score the knockout win in 1:22 of the very first round.
Next up was another middleweight fight between Brazilian Top Team fighter Rousimar Palhares and former Pride 185lb. and 205lb. champion Dan Henderson. The first round began with both men a little hesitant. Palhares tried to take the fight to ground but was unsuccessful. Henderson was able to land some good punches and was able to knock down Palhares. The round ended with Palhares finally scoring the takedown, but eventually running out of time. The second round started and both men stuck to their game plans. Palhares was able to pick up Henderson and slam him to the mat. Palhares sunk in two tight heel hooks, but Henderson escaped successfully on both occasions. Henderson was getting the better the stand up and we went to a final round. The third round was relatively uneventful. Henderson was able to land a big shot on Palhares in the final seconds and ended the fight with some good ground and pound. Henderson’s superior striking and ability to scramble out of tough positions were the difference makers in this fight. Henderson won by unanimous decision.
The next bout was a light heavyweight bout between Michael Patt and Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch. This fight was all standup. Boetsch was able to put together some really good combinations. Boetsch caught Patt right on the chin and knocked him down. He jumped on Patt and pounded him out in 2:03 of the first round.
The next fight was the first of a co-main event. It featured TUF alum Matt “The Hammer” Hamill and former middleweight champion Rich “Ace” Franklin. Franklin was able to put together great combinations and pick Hamill apart. Hamill was able to score a takedown in the first round, but Franklin was able scramble out of danger. The second round began and Franklin started right where he left off. He was landing many leg and body kicks that were taking their toll on Hamill. Hamill couldn’t seem to muster up any type of offense against Franklin in this fight. The third round started and Franklin once again started to physically dissect Hamill. Franklin landed a brutal kick to the body that dropped Hamill and ended the fight at 39 seconds of the third round.
The main event of the night was a light heavyweight bout between “Sugar” Rashad Evans and former champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell. Chuck was heavily favored in this fight. The fight began and both men were willing to trade. Evans was very elusive and used the stick and move technique, but Chuck was still able to catch him with some good shots. The first round ended with neither man ahead of the other. The second round began the same way as the first round did with Evans bobbing and weaving and Chuck looking for the one punch knockout. Then all of a sudden, Rashad throws a huge overhand right that knocks Chuck out cold and stopping the fight at 1:51 of the second round.
Overall, this was a great night of fights. All of the bouts were full of action and worth watching. I believe however, that the main event leaves MMA fans with a few questions. The first question is does this win put Rashad Evans next in line for a title shot? At this point I can’t think of anyone who deserves a shot more than Evans, especially with such a devastating finish like tonight. The next question is what is next for Chuck Liddell? Right now I don’t see him getting another title fight anytime soon after tonight. The other problem is that he is 38 years old. Time is definitely against Liddell and I don’t think he wants to become a gate keeper to the title. Is it time for him to retire, or is there still more fight left in Chuck Liddell? Only time will tell.
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