At the end, it's all about respect
(Las Vegas, NV., August 21, 2016) – With UFC 202’s fight card on paper, fans, experts and fighters were certain that this card would live up to its hype. Even though there were no title shots on the line, UFC 202 was expected to be the biggest fight card of the summer. After Conor McGregor lifted his hands in the air, the card was solidified as just that, the best fight card of the summer, and of the year.
With UFC 202 now over, there were plenty of ramifications for the fight card everyone is looking forward to, UFC 205, at Madison Square Garden, on November 12. For now we take a look at UFC 202’s main card as we move closer to New York’s historic day.
The main card started off right on time at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, as Tim Means took on Sabah Homasi. Means came in angry, and sure fought like it, stopping Homasi via TKO at the 2:56 mark of round two. Throughout the entire fight, it wasn’t even close, Means battered Homasi in every way possible. Homasi, who is a well-respected fighter, took as much of a beating as he could until referee Herb Dean finally called it. Means, who was coming off a suspension now has the momentum he needs to prove worthy of jumping through the welterweight division.
Next up was Mike Perry, making his UFC debut against a dangerous opponent in Hyun Gyu Lim. With both fighters being fierce strikers, fans were expecting an early end to this one and that’s exactly what they got. However, not in the way they thought. In the biggest upset of the night, Perry shocked everyone as he kept coming in with huge overhands, looking to end the fight. Lim did not adjust at all and was finished in round one at the 3:38 mark in brutal fashion. Lim, who is just 31, and has plenty of experience picked a bad spot to have his MMA IQ be questioned. Perry, got the big win, but fans are still wondering what Lim was thinking as Perry was a one trick man, using the same overhand every time.
The next three fights were the big ones, with household names radiating throughout. It started with an unbelievable matchup pinning Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone against Rick Story.
Cerrone, who moved up to the welterweight division at the beginning of the year had looked incredible finishing his last two opponents at his new weight. Story, who had never been knocked out was his biggest test to date at 170, and it was “Cowboy” who once again proved to be a runaway train in his new division. Cerrone landed a four-piece combination early in round two including a kick to the liver that wobbled Story and ended up with the TKO, earning him yet another win in the UFC. The question now is whether he keeps fighting in the welterweight division or goes back down to lightweight as he called out newly crowned lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez for the title at Madison Square Garden.
In the co-main event, we all hope you didn’t blink, because it was over in 13 seconds as Anthony “Rumble” Johnson defeated Glover Teixeira via KO in round one. Rumble, who is one of the most terrifying fighters with his nasty knock out power did not waste any time as he landed a huge right to the face of Teixeira and cemented his spot for a title shot against Daniel Cormier in the light heavyweight division. The only question will be when that will take place. Perhaps, at Madison Square Garden, on November 12?
The main event had been the talk of the MMA world for five months after Nate Diaz shocked the planet after he submitted Conor McGregor back at UFC 196. After a $300,000 training camp, a press conference that featured a lot of vulgar words and plenty of water bottle tossing, fans were finally strapped in to the fight of the year. With nothing on the line in terms of a title shot, just bragging rights, the buzz was felt as soon as McGregor took his walk to the Octagon.
This fight was more of McGregor’s legacy after losing to Diaz back in early March, which took a little burst out of his bubble after just completing a devastating knock out against the best pound-for-pound featherweight fighter in Jose Aldo in December.
What we learned is to never doubt a champion as McGregor fought the way we thought he was going to at UFC 196. He easily took the first round, won a close second round, and weathered a storm of punches from Diaz in the third. Midway through the third round, it had looked like Conor was gassed out once again, replicating what had happened after a great start in their previous fight. McGregor managed to get his second wind and win the fourth round and ultimately avenged his loss with a majority decision win over Diaz. With his mojo back, after completing one of the most exciting fights in recent memory, he called out Diaz for a third fight, but on his terms, at the lightweight division.
From beginning to end, the hype lived up to its billing. While no championship belts were given out this card, the best of year, UFC 202 will play a major role in what fans see at the first ever UFC fight card in New York.
MMA Long Island Magazine is published by MMA New York Media Corporation. For more information please visit www.mmalongislandmagazine.com or call (516) 318-2418.
Photo credit: complex.com/ mmajunkie.com
###
