UFC on Fox 13

The UFC on Fox 13, held in Phoenix, Arizona, was a real christmas gift for all the fans who love heavyweight fights. The event was headlined by a bout between Junior Dos Santos and Stipe Miocić, preluded by confrontations between Matt Mitrione with Gabriel Gonzaga and Alistair Overeem with Stefan Struve. 

(fot. combatbear.com)

For Alistair Overeem the fight with his co-national was a chance to retaliate for two embarrassing losses against Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva and Ben Rothwell. In both fights Overeem was dominating but both of them ended knocked-out. If he didn't want to fall out of the top 10 of the division he had to win. And he did. Fighting against taller, and having a reach advantage, Struve, Alistair didn't want a kick-boxing match. He was trying to clinch, use his wrestling skills taking Struve down and strike him on the ground. Long limbs of Struve didn't help him to defend himself. Overeem knocked him out in the very first round. 

The main event of the evening gave us a response for the question in what form the former UFC heavyweight champion, Junior Dos Santos, is. Three battles against Cain Velasquez - and the punches that the current heavyweight champions has landed - have left an imprint on Dos Santos' game. The Brazilian won with Stipe Miocić by the unanimous decision, but - after what we've seen in the Octagon - it's doubtful that he could be given a forth bout against Velasquez.

UFC 180: WERDUM BEATS HUNT

The main event of the UFC 180 was a great show. We could see a bout for an interim heavyweight title between the most skilfull grappler in the division, three times brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, Fabricio Werdum and a world class kick-boxer, very underrated by the MMA commentators because of lacking in ground game, Mark Hunt. 

Werdum with the belt (fot. foxsports.com)

Werdum had a huge reach advantage. However it was Hunt to controll the 1st round. In fact he knocked Werdum down two times and worked suprisingly good on the ground after taking the opponent down. Despite the reach advantage Werdum didn't deliver any significant punch. Hunt was stepping in and out very wisely. He knocked Werdum down also in the 2nd round. Although "The Super Samoan" did not incorporate to his game any kicks. It meant that he was forced to come very close in order to deliver a punch. That was a chance for Werdum. "Vai Cavallo" caught his opponent in the 2nd round with a flying knee when Hunt was ducking under. After delivering a clean knee to the chin, the Brazilian finished him with a massive "ground and pound". The referee gave Hunt all the time he could to recover, but "The Super Samoan" was not able to defend himself. The fight was over. Fabricio Werdum became the interim heavyweight champions and he's supposed to face Cain Velasquez by the end of the next year. Also in Mexico City.