UFC 133 Recap

Sam’s Recap:

Alright so, 133 was a decent card from top to bottom but not for me or my brother’s picks. I went 6 for 12 and he went 7 for 12 and that really sucks but there were a few surprises on the card.

Although I did expect Gustafsson to win (and finish) Hamill, I had no idea that it would be such a one-sided beating leading up to the stoppage and also for him to basically knock him out. I was very impressed with him.

Now lets talk about the phenomenal young athlete in Rory MacDonald. I thought leading into the fight that Pyle’s experience and tenacity would be able give him the close decision win but boy was I wrong. The hungry young beast destroyed the equally hungry veteran in devastating fashion in a first round TKO. Rory was the favorite going into the fight but he showed all the people that he is ready for the top fighters in the world. I will no longer ever count out MacDonald.

How about Costa Philippou? He looked really good against Jorge Rivera who I believed to be able to knock him out early on in the fight but he held his own almost even TKOing him in the second round, he looked really good. The omoplata that he had could have finished Rivera but Philippou clearly had no idea how to finish it. Props to Philippou on proving a lot of people wrong.

I was embarrassed and disgusted by Hallman’s attire much like Dana White’s reaction. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to seeing Ebersole’s “Hairrow” again but, Hallman blew him out of the water. I was happy that I actually got this fight right and also how Ebersole got done quick and early so those “shorts” were off TV.

Vitor looked fast, technical, and powerful. He was just flat out amazing against Akiyama. I had a strong feeling before the fight that Vitor was going to be able to finish early but I was hoping that Akiyama would have been a little bit more of a challenge but his chin was no match for speed and power of Vitor. I was a little weirded out how no one really said all that much about the powerful back of the head shots when he was out. I don’t care if he was already out. It is still a fight and they are illegal and someone should do something. I am not saying like take the win away but that he should be fined because the same thing happened in the Rick Franklin fight. Knocked him out and then landed a few huge back of the head shots. But it doesn’t seem like anything is going to happen so oh well.

Oh boy was I happy with the main event! Rashad looked amazing, a new and improved version of the Rashad that fought 14 months ago. Tito is my least favorite fighter and always will as long as I am alive so seeing him crumble into pieces and punched in the face so many times was amazing! Congrats to Rashad and we hope to see the Jones feud end.