UFC 88 ‘Breakthrough’ – the first UFC event in Atlanta – was headlined by a lightheavyweight bout between the former champion Chuck Liddell and the Ultimate Fighter Season 2 winner Rashad Evans. The winner of this bout was virtually guaranteed the first shot at UFC’s new LHW champion, Forrest Griffin. The other major bouts on this card were Rich Franklin’s debut at 205 lbs against Matt Hamill, and Dan Henderson attempting to score his first UFC win in over a decade against the Brazilian submission specialist Rousimar Palhares.
The first televised match of the night was supposed to be a welterweight bout between Karo Parisyan and Yoshiyuki Yoshida, however Parisyan pulled out of the fight with a back injury the day of the weight-ins, and so another 170 lbs bout was moved up to lead the televised card:
Matt Brown vs Dong Hyung Kim (170 lbs)
Round 1: Kim aggressively pursues a takedown, and when unable to get the takedown he takes Brown’s back standing and threatens a rear naked choke. Brown is able to stay out of Kim’s submissions and lands some strikes, but spends most of the round with Kim on his back. Round 10-9 Kim.
Round 2: Brown successfully sprawls out of Kim’s takedown attempts and punishes Kim with strikes, or ends up on top and works ground-and-pound and submission attempts of his own. Kim has a solid right hand but is clearly losing the standup battle. Round 10-9 Brown
Round 3: Action slows down a lot in this round as both fighters are tired. Kim is having better luck with takedowns this time, though he is not able to score any damage from the top. In the last minute of the round, Kim lands several elbows that open a deep cut under Brown’s eye, giving the very close round and fight to Kim. Round 10-9 Kim
Two of the judges score the fight 29-28 Kim, the third 29-28 Brown, giving Kim the split decision. The fans boo in disagreement; commentator Joe Rogan also does not agree with the decision.
The aftermath: Both fighters put on a spirited performance and will return to the Octagon to attempt climbing the tall ladder of the welterweight division.
Fight grade: 4/5
Nate Marquardt vs Martin Kampmann (185 lbs)
The fighters take some time to find their range, then trade strikes and Marquardt buckles Kampmann’s knees with a head kick. Kampmann recovers and goes into survival mode as Marquardt smells blood and relentlessly assaults Martin with punches and knees. Kampmann covers up with his back to the fence, then falls after an uppercut followed by a body shot find their target, and the referee steps in to give Marquardt the TKO victory at shortly over a minute into Round 1.
The aftermath: This was Marquardt most impressive performance in the UFC to date. He should face Dan Henderson next for the opportunity of a rematch with the champion Anderson Silva. Kampmann suffers a disappointing loss that shatters any hope of being in the title picture, and the first loss on his UFC record.
Fight grade: 5/5
Dan Henderson vs Rousimar Palhares (185 lbs)
In a classic striker vs. grappler matchup, Henderson successfully utilized his wrestling and boxing to sprawl and brawl his way to a unanimous decision victory against Rousimar Palhares. Rousimar was unable to take Henderson down with an exception of a powerful slam in the second round, followed by a very close heel hook attempt that Henderson managed to escape. Palhares used unorthodox kicks to overcome Henderson’s reach advantage and keep Dan at bay, but was rocked and dropped several times, and did not offer much of a thread on his feet.
The aftermath: If the winners of the two above-mentioned bouts are to face off for the next title shot, so should the losers – Palhares vs. Kampmann is almost certain to be an exciting matchup.
Fight grade: 4/5
Tim Boetsch vs Mike Patt (205 lbs)
UFC newcomer Mike Patt accepted this fight on a very short notice when Boetsch’s original opponent James Lee pulled out of the scheduled bout with an injury. Boetsch outstruck Patt and blocked his takedown attempts, knocking Patt out with a right hand followed by strikes on the ground at two minutes into the first round.
The aftermath: Though Patt didn’t put up much of a fight, he will probably get another opportunity on a UFC undercard for stepping in on short notice. Boetsch has an impressive performance and should be matched up with the winner of the upcoming bout between Houston Alexander and Eric Schaefer.
Fight grade: 3/5
Rich Franklin vs Matt Hamill (205 lbs)
In a surprisingly slow-paced fight, Franklin methodically picks Hamill apart with leg and body kicks. Hamill does not attempt many takedowns, instead trying to clinch with Franklin and throw uppercuts; Franklin successfully stays out of the clinch while punishing Hamill with kicks. Franklin has a nasty cut on his eyelid by the end of the first round, and the fight is paused in the second to check the cut, but it is does not seem to impair Franklin’s vision and the bout is allowed to continue. In the third round, Franklin drops Hamill with a body kick. Franklin swarms Hamill and the bout is stopped, giving Rich a TKO victory.
The aftermath: Franklin shows that he can hold his own at 205 lbs, and seems intent on staying in the lightheavyweight division. His next bout should be a big step up in competition from Hamill – perhaps the winner of the upcoming Sokodjou-Louis Arthur Cane matchup. Hamill looked slow and lacked a gameplan, but as an MMA newcomer with a record of only 4-2 there is still plenty of room and time for him to improve.
Fight grade: 2.5/5
Chuck Liddell vs Rashad Evans (205 lbs)
Round 1: A very slow round, with very low output from both fighters. Evans seems intimidated. Liddell is advancing and Evans is backpedaling, but neither one throws many strikes or attempts any takedowns. Liddell has a bleeding mouse under his eye by the end of the round, but lands more and is the aggressor, winning the uneventful stanza.
Round 2: Liddell once again is stalking Evans and is finally able to back him up against the fence, but Evans is landing jabs and left hooks and looks more confident than in the first round. Liddell throws an uppercut; Evans beats him to the punch with a huge overhand right that sends Liddell flat on his face, out cold! Liddell is out for quite some time before finally coming to.
Fight grade: 5/5 for the knockout, 2/5 for Round 1
The aftermath: With a huge knockout victory, Evans earns himself a title shot. He came out of this fight mostly unscathed, so he should be able to face Forrest Griffin on the year-end event, or early in 2009. Liddell did not look good at all, and is clearly near the end of his career. I suspect he will fight again, at least once more. If Randy Couture loses his heavyweight title to Brock Lesnar, Liddell – Couture 4 at HW would be a great ‘retirement bout’ for both legends.
Jason Lambert vs Jason MacDonald (185 lbs)
After losing three of his last four bouts at 205 lbs, Lambert made his middleweight debut in a preliminary fight that was broadcast after the main event. Lambert was on his back for most of this fight, and had a very tight guillotine on MacDonald twice in the first round, but could not finish. In the second, MacDonald was able to pass Lambert’s guard, then took Lambert’s back and forced a tapout with a rear naked choke.
The aftermath: Terrific performance by MacDonald, only a month after he himself succumbed to a rear naked choke in an exciting bout with Demian Maia. MacDonald should next face someone like Thales Leites. Lambert did not fare any better at 185 than he did at 205, and with three consecutive losses this may very well have been his last UFC outing for a while.
Fight grade: 4/5
A solidly enterntaining event, punctuated with a very brutal and shocking knockout, UFC 88 really delivered.