Forgot Log-in or  Password? |  Help  Not a member, Register Now!

Todd Martin

Todd Martin's MMA Blog  

Name: Todd Martin
Gender: M
Member Since: May 13, 2008
Email: Private
Favorite Teams  
 
Posted on: January 31, 2009 11:09 pm
  •  
 

Five Split Decisions Already

That certainly seems like some sort of record.

Category: Mixed Martial Arts
Posted on: January 31, 2009 10:47 pm
Edited on: January 31, 2009 11:08 pm
 

Karo Parisyan vs. Don Hyun Kim (sic)

Frank Mir is in Dong Hyun Kim's corner.

Round 1. Karo lands a nice punch and closes the distance. Kim looks for a trip takedown and is able to get top position. That's interesting because Karo is usually very tough to takedown at the beginning of a fight. Kim gets Karo's back. He works for an RNC but can't get it. He then fires some punches and moves for an armbar but Karo gets out of that. Karo then falls into a triangle but he gets out of that too. Very exciting round. Karo looks for a takedown but Kim blocks and takes Karo down. Kim grabs his back and as one hook. Karo gets back up. They trade at the end. I'll give it to Kim, 10-8. It's close, though. May be 10-9. This is going to be tough for Karo, who typically fades as fights go on. Kim looked great.

Round 2. Kim scores a head kick. Karo shoots in for a takedown but Kim blocks. Karo with a judo trip. He has a kimura and they scramble around for position. Karo had the kimura cranked pretty well but Kim escaped. Karo with a beautiful judo throw and has side control. Kim stands back up, however. Karo goes for another judo throw but it is blocked. They trade standing as the round winds down. Kim lands a knee to the body and Karo lands a few punches. 10-9 Karo.

Round 3. Kim with a trip takedown. Karo with an upkick, which since Kim had the legs down was a foul. The referee stopped it for a moment and then the action resumed. They clinch, and Karo lands a nice knee to the body. Karo goes for the takedown but Kim defends. They clinch and each man looks for the takedown. This, if ever there has been a stalemate, is a stalemate. Neither man can gain dominant position, but they fight on back and forth. We're going to decision #7 on the night, as the crowd boos. I've got the final round 10-10, so that's 29-28 Kim on my scorecard.

29-28, 28-29, 29-28 Parisyan. Crowd does not like this decision at all.

Category: Mixed Martial Arts
Posted on: January 31, 2009 10:07 pm
Edited on: January 31, 2009 10:38 pm
 

Nate Diaz vs. Clay Guida

Round 1. Diaz lands a nice straight left. Guida moves in for a clinch but they separate. Diaz is using his jab nicely. Guida comes in with a knee to the body. Diaz is getting the better of the standup by far, utilizing his reach. Guida comes in for a takedown. Diaz blocks, and they separate. Diaz goes for a takedown but Guida blocks and follows through to take top position. He has mount for a moment but ends up in Diaz's guard. Diaz stands up and Guida leaps on his back momentarily. Guida has him in the dreaded full nelson, and continues to punch and pressure Diaz. Diaz looks for a kimura. Guida picks Diaz up and slams him. Diaz works his guard, looking for a triangle, but can't get it. Diaz stands up and Guida gets his back. Guida lands a knee as the round comes to an end. Guida 10-9.

Round 2. Diaz with a judo throw but can't get Guida all the way down. Diaz has the advantage striking from a distance but again they clinch. Diaz is looking to take Guida down. Guida defends and goes for the takedown himself, but Diaz blocks. Guida continues to pressure but is having trouble holding Diaz down. Diaz with a judo throw but Guida holds onto his back and they're in a unique position on the ground. Guida works into top position but Diaz is looking for a kimura. Diaz with another judo throw but ends up on bottom at the end of the round. Diaz looks for an armbar as the round ends. 10-9 Diaz, but it's really close. Diaz poses at the end.

Round 3. Diaz with some jabs, as Guida throws leg kicks. Diaz's reach makes a huge difference in the boxing. Diaz clinches, and I'm not sure why. They break, and Diaz goes back to work with the jabs. Diaz now playing with Guida, ala Nick Diaz. He's picking him apart with punches. It's a barrage. They clinch, and it's back to what happened in the second round with both men fighting for position. Diaz looks for a kimura. Guida with a takedown, but Diaz gets back up. Guida grabs Diaz's back but slips out at the end and Diaz fires down a hard punch. Diaz 10-9. Diaz 29-28. This will be a very interesting fight to score. To me, I give credit to the guy who is looking to finish the fight more than the guy holding on, and to me Diaz was the guy looking to finish the fight standing and on the ground.

29-28, 28-29, 29-28 Guida.

Category: Mixed Martial Arts
Posted on: January 31, 2009 10:02 pm
 

Crowd Reactions

There is a huge pro-BJ group and a huge pro-GSP group, and they are in a contest to outdo each other. GSP crowd has the numbers so they're generally winning but if BJ does better in the fight he may bring in the undecideds.

Category: Mixed Martial Arts
Posted on: January 31, 2009 9:31 pm
Edited on: January 31, 2009 9:55 pm
 

Akihiro Gono vs. Jon Fitch

Gono and his corners have a planned dance routine. In drag. They're wearing dresses and wigs. Crowd reacts with THUNDEROUS applause.

Round 1. Fitch charges in for the takedown. Gono defends well, and avoids. They're in the clinch, and Fitch lands a few knees. Gono lands some kicks, and Fitch comes in with more knees. Fitch shoots in and Gono catches him with a hard punch. Gono again blocks the takedown, but Fitch keeps fighting and finally gets it to the ground. Fitch gets Gono's back, but he only has one hook in. Fitch lands some punches, with Gono covering up. 10-9 Fitch.

Round 2. Fitch with some kicks and looks for the takedown. He gets it. Ftch some tentative ground and pound. Fitch gets Gono's back with a minute left in the round. Fitch transitions to an armbar at the end of the round but can't get it. 10-9 Fitch.

Round 3. Fitch moves in with strikes aggressively. Gono looks tired from Fitch's constant pressure. They end up back standing in the clinch, and Gono spins for a leg lock. He can't get it. Gono does gain top position and throws some punches. Fitch gets up and Gono throws a high kick. Gono with a superman punch and crazy spinning kick. Both men really look tired. I'll give it charitably to Gono. 29-28 Fitch.

Well, this wasn't the greatest undercard you're ever going to see. 30-27, 30-26, 30-27 Fitch.

Category: Mixed Martial Arts
Posted on: January 31, 2009 9:05 pm
Edited on: January 31, 2009 9:28 pm
 

Manny Gamburyan vs. Thiago Tavares

Round 1. Tavares looks a lot more fluid in the standup. Tavares scores the takedown. He lands some hard punches and hammerfists. Gamburyan looks for a kimura. He has it pretty well applied but Tavares spins out. Gamburyan gets back to his feet and lands a nice judo throw but Tavares follows through and looks for the takedown. Tavares lifts up Gamburyan and slams him. He then works some more ground and pound late in the round. Gamburyan gets back up at the end. 10-9 Tavares.

Round 2. Gamburyan with a series of kicks. Tavares is pacing him down, and shoots for a takedown. Gamburyan looks for a kimura and uses that to gain top position. Gamburyan with some ground and pound. Gamburyan rolls back for a heel hook but can't get it and moves back into Tavares' guard. Gamburyan with ground and pound but the referee stands them back up. Tavares connects with a nice right hook and goes for the takedown but Gamburyan blocks. 10-9 Gamburyan.

Round 3. Tavares shoots in. Gamburyan blocks. Gaumburyan shoots and Tavares blocks. Tavares with a punch and then shoots in again. Gamburyan again blocks. Tavares with a combination that sends Gamburyan backwards. Gamburyan with a nice right. Tavares connects with a punch that drops Gamburyan temporarily but Gamburyan gets up and mugs. That was a serious shot, though. Gamburyan answers with a right hook. Tavares with a kick to the body. Gamburyan with a series of punches. He moves in for a takedown but eats a hard knee. Gamburyan shoots in for a takedown but can't get it. 10-9 Tavares. 29-28 Tavares.

Unanimous 29-28 decision for Tavares.

Category: Mixed Martial Arts
Posted on: January 31, 2009 8:39 pm
Edited on: January 31, 2009 9:02 pm
 

Chris Wilson vs. John Howard

Round 1. Wilson looks for a takedown but doesn't get it. Wilson moves in with strikes but Howard answers with powerful hooks. Howard with a pair of hard leg kicks. They clinch, and go into the cage. They scramble, and Howard aggressively moves in with punches. Wilson lands a nice leg kick and Howard's knee buckles. As Howard is getting up, Wilson goes for a guillotine choke. Howard appears to be fine, though. Wilson uses it to gain top position on Howard and throws down some punches. Howard gets up, reverses and takes top position. Howard doesn't do anything and the ref stands it up. Howard scores another takedown at the end of the round. Close round, but I give it to Wilson 10-9. Loud chants for GSP at the end of the round. Then BJ Penn, but that isn't as loud. Now we've got the two sides trying to outchant each other.

Round 2. Howard lands a nice leg kick and then moves in with punches including one that connects solidly. Wilson answers with a flurry of his own, but Howard takes him down. They get back up. Howard scores another takedown. Again he can't do anything and Wilson gets back up. This is actually fitting the pattern of the previous fight, although I think Howard and Wilson look better standing than Wellisch and O'Brien. Howard swings for the fences but Wilson takes him down. Wilson with some light ground and pound. Howard looks for a heel hook but Wilson avoids. Howard gains top position and looks for a guillotine at the end of the round. 10-9 Howard.

Round 3. They wrestle, and Howard quickly grabs Wilson's back. Very nice, swift transition by Howard. Howard lands some hard punches to the head and then looks for the RNC. Referee Herb Dean is looking very closely, but Wilson gets out. Howard keeps the pressure on and Wilson is just covering up and defending. Finally, Wilson gets out of the predicament. They roll, and trade heel hook attempts with 50 seconds left. Howard scores a takedown in the closing seconds. Good final round. 10-9 Howard, 29-28 Howard.

29-28, 28-29, 29-28 Howard. The night of the split decisions!

Category: Mixed Martial Arts
Posted on: January 31, 2009 8:13 pm
Edited on: January 31, 2009 8:36 pm
 

Jake O' Brien vs. Christian Wellisch

Round 1. Wellisch is looking for the takedown early. O'Brien stuns him with a punch and continues with a flurry of more punches. O'Brien then secures the takedown. O'Brien does little there and stands back up. O'Brien lands a hard straight left. They go back to the ground with O'Brien on top. O'Brien does nothing. Referee Yves Lavigne stands them up. Wellisch is able to land a few punches. O'Brien takes him down but doesn't secure positioning and they go back up. O'Brien takes him down again at the end of the round. 10-9 O'Brien. Another boring round. I just don't get why O'Brien is so inactive when he scores a takedown.

Round 2. Wellisch lands some leg kicks. Wellisch gets off with some punches as well. Neither man is landing much but O'Brien is doing a little better. O'Brien goes for a takedown but Wellisch blocks. O'Brien tries again and gets the takedown. Wellisch stands up. Wellisch continues to get the better blows. O'Brien scores a takedown. He doesn't do much and Wellisch gets back up. Wellisch pushes the action standing at the end. 10-9 Wellisch.

Round 3. Wellisch lands a nice kick to the body. O'Brien with a takedown. He does nothing. Wellisch gets back up. Wellisch is bleeding from the mouth but he pushes with standup. O'Brien takes him down but he gets up. Wellisch keeps moving forward but his standup isn't very good. Neither is O'Brien's. Wellisch continues to push the pace. O'Brien with another takedown attempt but Wellisch avoids. O'Brien with a takedown. Again, he does absolutely nothing. Again Wellisch gets up. Again O'Brien goes for a takedown and Wellisch blocks at the end of round 3. 10-9 Wellisch. 29-28 Wellisch.

29-28, 28-29, 29-28 Jake O'Brien.

Category: Mixed Martial Arts
 
 
About Todd Martin's MMA Blog
Live results, analysis and opinion of major MMA events.
RSS - Todd Martin's MMA Blog Subscribe to this blog
Recent Blog Entries
Todd Martin's MMA Blog
CBSSports.com Blogs
Todd Martin's MMA Blog's Tags
  • No Tags
Todd Martin's Favorites

No Favorites

 
 
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of CBS Sports or CBSSports.com