[smoogy]

I'm sure that everyone knew about UFC 70, and most of you knew about Cage Rage 21, but there was a third, smaller show happening in California called No Limits Proving Grounds MMA (or something like that) that was streaming on the same website as CR21. I checked out part of the main card and it was some solid IFL-level action, with a ring and knees on the ground. Anyway, since I'm sure many of you missed some of the non UFC highlights today I thought I'd fill y'all in.

Fight of the Night:

"Cyborg" Evangellista vs. James Zikic

Simply an incredible spectacle, much like a Griffin vs. Bonnar type affair where both guys dish out and take a lot of heavy damage. In the first round, Cyborg was teeing off on Zikic a few times and looking like he might get a KO, and between those instances Cyborg was raining down constant hard leg kicks to both sides of Zikic's front (left) leg. In the second round though, Cyborg appeared gassed, and early on Zikic was standing there picking his shots. Cyborg fought back a couple times and scored more brutal leg kicks but mostly seemed to be searching for his second wind in this round, while Zikic tried to pace his shots. The third round was noticeably slower as both fighters were totally exhausted, however Zikic continued to throw precise shots that were taking the fight out of Cyborg. He ate a few more leg kicks and by the end it was amazing he could even stand but he walked away with the Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28).


Honorable Mention:

Terry Etim vs. Donald Grice

Is that really his name? Anyway, this was a great back and forth fight where Etim absorbed some punishment on the bottom and against the cage but managed to get back to standing and then choke Grice to the brink of unconciousness not once, but twice.

Michael Bisping vs. Elvis Sinosic

A very impressive display by Bisping, who has shown a serious mean streak in the cage in his last couple of fights. Sinosic hung in there for a surprising amount of time and almost appeared like he was going to turn the tide, but he was lucky that the stoppage came when it did.


Knockout of the Night

Abdul Mohammed vs. Ross Pointon

You're scoffing, right? Well, it might not have been the highest profile KO of the night, but it was still slightly more spectacular in my opinion. Abdul sees Pointon coming and and unleashes a lightning quick spinning back elbow that connects around the high forearm flush on Pointon's chin and sends him crashing down. It made Carter vs. Serra look like child's play.


Honorable Mention:

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirko CroCop

Just thinking about this one makes me throw up a bit in my mouth. The most brutal head kick in UFC history and possibly even MMA history, and the JIU JITSTU GUY is the one who throws it? I still don't even know if I have absorbed the full impact of that kick, it was earth shattering.

Bao Quach vs. Rex Payne

This was in the No Limits show, Quach was rapidly picking Payne apart in the first round and when the fight moved to the corner Quach threw a picture perfect counter right hand that floored Payne. This was a massive shot that words can't describe.


No submission of the night because other than Etim vs. Grice I didn't see any. Anybody else want to weigh in here?