· UFC 127: What We Learned

“UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch” is in the books after the promotion’s recent event Down Under. The Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia played host to a night of bouts in which the cageside judges played a crucial role. But before we go any further we have to ask our favorite post-event question: What did we learn?

Australian Delivers Quick Choke For His Countrymen

The Aussie crowd certainly wanted strong showings from their fighters at UFC 127. On the first televised bout of the main card, Kyle Noke did not disappoint them.

Noke wasted no time disposing of Chris Camozzi. In a clinch he secured double underhooks and took Camozzi down, landing in mount. He threw some shots as Camozzi bucked beneath him, but ultimately Noke transitioned to Camozzi’s back and sunk in a fight-ending rear naked choke. Camozzi was forced to tap out at only the 1:35 mark of round one.

The Australian middleweight has quietly amassed a three-fight UFC win streak, and has won five bouts in a row overall. It’s hard not to imagine that he enjoyed this conquest the most, having earned “Submission of the Night” honors—and also for having his hand raised at the UFC’s second foray into his homeland.

Little-Known Ebersole Stuns Lytle In Sydney

Filling in for an injured Carlos Condit, Brian Ebersole may have made his UFC debut Saturday night, but the under-the-radar veteran sported a 46-14-1 record when he stepped into the Octagon to face favorite Chris Lytle. Fifteen minutes later he was 47-14-1.

An American based in Australia, he made the most of his opportunity, earning a unanimous decision over Lytle with scores of 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 from the judges. He also entertained the crowd by beginning the bout with an unorthodox cartwheeling kick. Though completely ineffective, it let fans know early on that he had come to scrap and not just pick up a paycheck as a local replacement.

The extent of Lytle’s attack came in the form of guillotine chokes, as he attempted the submission on multiple occasions during the bout. But the crucial exchange came in the second round as Ebersole attempted a takedown that Lytle fought off, only to have Ebersole follow him across the cage and level him with a perfectly timed knee to the chin. He followed that up with a Brabo choke that Lytle escaped, but after that exchange Lytle never seemed to be the same, even though (true to form) he refused to be finished.

For Ebersole, the victory once again proves that stepping up on short notice can definitely pay off in the long run. It was easily the biggest win in a career that spans more than a decade.

Siver Squashes Aussie’s Win Streak In Front Of Australian Crowd

Dennis Siver brought Aussie upstart George Sotiropoulos’ momentum to a screeching halt at UFC 127, utilizing outstanding takedown defense and superior kickboxing to earn a unanimous decision victory with scores of 29-28, 30-28, and 30-27.

A key stretch in the first round told the tale of this bout; Siver impressively shook off a single-leg attempt, hopping up and down on one leg as Sotiropoulos desperately tried to drag the fight to the ground where he could utilize his black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. Sotiropoulos failed, and moments later he found himself on the canvas courtesy of a Siver left hook. The Aussie returned to his feet only to catch another left hook that dropped him again.

While Sotiropoulos avoided getting caught for the remainder of the fight, mixing in feints and kicks to keep Siver off-balance, he still was unable to drag Siver to the canvas. The Russian-born German shook off takedown after takedown attempt, stubbornly insisting that the fight remain on the feet for the duration of the bout, which allowed him to stay in his comfort zone and receive the judges’ nods.

Siver has now ground out three tough wins in a row inside the Octagon, with triumphs over Spencer Fisher, Andre Winner, and now Sotiropoulos. But the Aussie, after being close to consideration as a serious lightweight title contender, must now return to the gym to focus on his takedowns so he may use his world-class grappling to his advantage.

Bisping’s Illegal Knee, Antics Overshadows TKO Triumph

After being a heel early on in his UFC career, Michael Bisping had recently made strides in currying favor stateside with American fight fans. With a shift away from trash-talking and developing a well-rounded game, many believed the Brit had grown up after a devastating KO at the hands of Dan Henderson at UFC 100 in 2009.

Unfortunately after UFC 127 Bisping will certainly be viewed through villain-colored glasses again. His illegal knee to a downed Jorge Rivera and his post-fight antics overshadowed an otherwise impressive performance.

In the first round Bisping clearly clocked Rivera with a knee to the forehead while Rivera was firmly grounded on both knees. Rivera took time to recover and was allowed to continue, but it’s impossible to know how the illegal blow affected him for the remainder of the bout. In a testament to his fortitude, he somehow survived to fight a second frame.

In the second round it looked like Rivera might pull off a stunner, landing a right hand that sent the Brit stumbling to the canvas. But his chances were short-lived, as Bisping was only dazed and soon after was unloading on a covered-up Rivera, who had dropped to one knee against the fence. Referee Marc Goddard had no choice but to halt the bout at the 1:54 mark of the round, giving Bisping his third consecutive victory inside the Octagon.

Post-fight Bisping taunted his vanquished foe’s corner and stood in front of the downed Rivera only to be pushed away by Goddard, all while running his mouth. Before we jump all over Bisping for his lack of class, it’s important to note Rivera and his Ranger Up crew’s unrelenting Youtube assault on Bisping. Though creative and humorous, after UFC 127 it certainly looks ill-advised and foolish. His time might have been better spent practicing takedown defense or making sure his cardio was on par with Bisping’s.

That’s why Bisping’s reversion to form was such a shame—it overshadowed another solid performance. But instead, the day after we’re left talking about illegal blows and a lack of sportsmanship, which does nothing to alter the American sentiment that he is merely the UFC’s British meal ticket, a fighter who’s been protected from facing best-in-class middleweights.

Penn And Fitch Fight To Rare Draw In Main Event

B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch were allotted 15 minutes to determine the better fighter Saturday at UFC 127. But in the end there was still no clear-cut winner in the eyes of the judges. While one judge gave the nod to Fitch the other two scored it 28-28, resulting in an understandable but unrewarding majority draw.

Penn, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, threatened to finish in the first and second frames, in both cases taking Fitch’s back. Fitch fended off rear-naked choke attempts, ultimately spinning into Penn’s full guard and escaping danger. Due to Penn’s advantageous positioning and threat of submission, it could be argued that he took the first two rounds.

But the third round was all Fitch, a jiu-jitsu black belt in his own right. He landed a stiff right hand to kick off the round, and Penn pulled guard. Fitch ground down Penn against the cage for the duration of the round, blanketing the Hawaiian, who offered no real threat. Busy with fists and elbows, Fitch dominated the final five minutes and probably assumed he had won the bout—until the announcement left both fighters underwhelmed.

There was an immediate call by fans and pundits for a rematch; this may be a godsend for the UFC as current division Champion Georges St-Pierre faces Jake Shields in April at UFC 129 and afterward may have a mega-bout against Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. Though Fitch has been clamoring for another shot against St-Pierre, this is a setback in the sense that now UFC matchmakers can tether him to another bout with Penn, leaving him waiting and twisting in the wind while St-Pierre goes up a weight class.

As for Penn, it’s difficult to see what his future holds. Chased out of the lightweight division by Champion Frankie Edgar, and too small to contend at welterweight, the UFC is running out of match-ups that will hold his attention—which should make his camp nervous. We’ve seen what happens when an unfocused Penn enters the Octagon. But when Penn is focused he is one of the best, and he should be lauded for his numerous bouts against larger fighters. But right now the talented fighter looks like a man without a true home.