UFC 109: Relentless

1) Matt Serra v. Frank Trigg- 2
2) Demian Maia v. Dan Miller- 4
3) Phil Davis v. Brian Stann- 4
4) Mike Swick v. Paulo Thiago- 6
5) Nate Marquardt v. Chael Sonnen- 7
6) Randy Couture v. Mark Coleman- 6
7) Rolles Gracie v. Joey Beltran- 4

Our first fight was quick and painless, Trigg showing he absolutely doesn't have what it takes to fight in the UFC, Serra looked marginally spry and his handwork was good, not sure where he goes from here.

This was a hard nosed war, Maia pushed the pace all 3 rounds (which i gave to him) not only with improved standup and great combos but unsuccessfully with takedown attempts. Miller showed his newly earned BJJ black belt was not just a gimme and stuffed most attempts by Maia, but left him with little else to offer offensively. Some really dead periods in this fight as well.

Davis looked great against the solid Stann, living up to his "Mr. Wonderful" persona, let's hope he doesn't get that one tiny bicep like Orndorff, just put down the steroids and he should be fine. He showed lots of great wrestling skill and look forward to more from him.

Man, these guys were going full tilt boogie (inside joke) with haymakers and jabs, Swick looked good early with good poise while still throwing hands, but Thiago has some strange KO power where the punch doesn't look that bad, but it hurts guys, crazy D'arce choke out of nowhere and it solidifies him in this division as the new most dangerous dude with Thiago as part of his name.

2010's first fight of the year candidate was a shocking one, Chael Sonnen, outspoken as he is, came from virtual obscurity to fight in WEC for what should have been a title shot then outclassing Okami to shutting down perennial top contender Nate the Great in a hell of a war. Sonnen's wrestling looked to be in it's own class here as Marquardt was quite untested on the ground. He had a style very similar to Guida's but not as frenetic. I give Nate some credit though, he threw a nasty elbow which opened Sonnen up like a movie squib and caught him in a decent choke all from the bottom, so Middleweight division is shaping up with a new lion in the jungle.

Nobody does it better....nobody, yes Curt Henning fits that line, but so does "Captain America," Randy Couture, allow some room for my mark-dom here. Sure he was up against damaged Mark Coleman who didn't look to have his complete focus on the fight after the first few shots rung his bell, but Randy did exactly what he always does, bullies guys up against the cage and works them over. Surprising choke finish from a guy who isn't real adept at submissions, regardless of the outcome, this fight still had a big aura around it from the entrances to the punch exchanges up till the end. And loved Coleman bitching out Tito in his post fight interview.

The heir apparent to the Gracie throne looked like an amateur here. Beltran, a scrappy Mexican American fighter, just blew this kid out of the water as I used to do to my brother in Battleship. Gracie was so dazed and confused by the 2nd round he was flopping around the cage like a hippie on some bad acid slipping on a banana peel in mud. Royce should hold his head low.....wait is he dead yet? oh sorry, my condolences to the Gracie family. No, my mistake, still alive, I just Googled it, yes hang your head low Royce.