The first Ultimate Fighting Championship event held in Canada, UFC 83 was headlined by the long-awaited rematch between the current welterweight champion Matt Serra and the interim champion Georges St. Pierre. The card also featured six middleweight bouts (though only three of them were televised), and two Ultimate Fighter tournament winners making a debut at a new weight class: Mac Danzig at 155 lbs, and Michael Bisping at 185.
Mark Bocek vs Mac Danzig
Bocek surprised Danzig in the first round, getting a takedown and working from Danzig’s guard and half-guard from most of the round. Danzig reversed position towards the end, but it was not enough to win the round.
Danzig dropped Bocek with a knee to the chin early in the second. Danzig dominated the round both on the ground and standing, damaging Bocek with elbows and punches and taking his back at one point.
Bocek looked tired and had many small cuts on his face as the third round began. Danzig continued his assault and opened up a gashing cut over Bocek’s left eye. Referee Yves Lavigne stopped the action to check the cut, but allowed the bout to continue. Danzig got a takedown, mounted and took Bocek’s back, forcing a tapout with a rear naked choke.
The aftermath: Danzig makes a successful lightweight debut, grinding out a win against a game opponent. Bocek drops to 1-2 in UFC; he may be too small to compete on this level at 155 lbs.
Fight grade: 3/5
Michael Bisping vs Charles McCarthy
Bisping backed McCarthy up against the fence with punches, then overwhelmed him with knees from clinch. McCarthy used his forearms to deflect most strikes, and taunted Bisping as Bisping backed away. Bisping unloaded with punches and was taken down; McCarthy went for an armbar and Bisping looked to be in trouble but managed to escape and get back to his feet. Bisping again unloaded with knees against the fence; McCarthy was still covering up but one of the knees found its target and he crumbled. McCarthy survived the round but was not able to get up, giving Bisping a TKO win at the end of the first.
The aftermath: Like Danzig, Bisping also makes a successful debut at his new weight class. Given the lack of depth at 185, he will find plenty of opportunity in his new home. McCarthy needs to work on his striking; at this time he does not look like a UFC-level fighter. One of the knees appears to have damaged McCarthy’s forearm.
Fight grade: 3.5/5
Nate Quarry vs Kaleb Starnes
Quarry came out strong with body shots and leg kicks. As soon as Starnes was tagged a few times, he consistently avoided Quarry, running around the Octagon for most of the three rounds. The only offense Starnes had was a solid punch in the middle of the second round that knocked Quarry off-balance. For the rest of the fight, Quarry keept landing leg kicks and few punches, but spent most of his energy chasing after Starnes. Towards the end of the third round, Quarry mocked Starnes by jogging towards him, then covering up his face with one hand and swinging wildly with the other. Starnes flipped him the bird, but still did not attack as the fans booed mercilessly. Quarry won one of the most lopsided decisions I’ve ever seen, with the scores of 30-27, 30-26, and 30-24.
The aftermath: Starnes’ refusal to engage made this a completely unwatchable bout. I see no possible reason for UFC to ever bring Starnes back. Quarry looked good – too bad he didn’t get to fight. Would love to see him face Bisping next – here is someone who will not run away.
Fight grade: 0/5
Rich Franklin vs Travis Lutter
Lutter worked hard to bring the fight to the ground, and scored an early takedown. Lutter worked from Franklin’s half-guard for a while, then passed into mount and secured a very tight looking armbar, but Franklin twisted and turned and amazingly escaped, ending up on top. Franklin stood up and Lutter tried for another takedown but did not complete as the round drew to a close.
Lutter looked very tired in the second, and Franklin was now easily stuffing his takedowns. Lutter finally got a single leg takedown and went for a heelhook, but Franklin quickly escaped back to his feet. Lutter was dropping his hands and eating punches, knees and kicks. Lutter was no longer defending himself and the referee stopped the bout, giving Franklin a TKO win.
The aftermath: Franklin is stuck in a bad spot in the middleweight division, as the #2 who just can’t beat the #1 but can likely dispose of most other contenders. It would be most logical to next pit him against someone who also has a recent loss to Anderson Silva: Dan Henderson or Nathan Marquardt. Lutter once again shows that he is very dangerous for the first four minutes of a bout. He will need to do something about his gas tank if he is ever to become a top contender.
Fight grade: 3/5
George St. Pierre vs Matt Serra
St. Pierre immediately went for a takedown, and succeeded. From then on it looked a lot like St. Pierre vs. Sean Sherk or Matt Hughes (II), with Georges owerpowering a smaller opponent with wrestling, and devastating ground and pound. Serra escaped but was taken down again and was not able to come up with anything off his back.
In the second, Serra looked tired and bruised. Serra was eating jabs, then was taken down and turtled up on all fours. St. Pierre blasted Serra with knees to the ribs, Serra was not offering any defense and so the fight was stopped. Georges St. Pierre extracted revenge and regained the real title in his hometown.
The aftermath: St. Pierre’s victory restored order to the turbulent welterweight division. Jon Fitch will now get his well deserved title shot, and it will be interesting to see St. Pierre take on another huge wrestler, instead of someone he towers over. Serra will most likely fight Matt Hughes in the long awaited ‘grudge match’.
Fight grade: 3/5
Jonathan Goulet vs Kuniyoshi Hironaka
Goulet was getting the best of Hironaka on the feet in a rather uneventful first round. Goulet secured a takedown but Hironaka escaped. Hironaka dropped Goulet with a jab with ten seconds left in the round; Hironaka followed him to the ground but Goulet was saved by the bell.
In the second, Goulet returned the favor and dropped Hironaka with a punch. Hironaka recovered but was dropped again by a combo, and knocked out.
The aftermath: A fun but mostly inconsequential fight between two welterweights who are going nowhere fast in a very deep division.
Fight grade: 4/5
While UFC’s Canadian debut was a success as far as ticket sales went, from the quality of the bouts standpoint the event fell flat. This may have something to do with stacking the card with Canadian fighters rather than trying to make the best matchups regardless of the fighters’ nationality. On the positive note, Canadian crowd seemed much more enthusiastic and positive than fans in the US or UK.
Color commentator Joe Rogan was absent from this broadcast, replaced by lightweight contender Kenny Florian. The lack of Rogan’s energy also somewhat brought down this event. St. Pierre’s one-sided destruction of Serra was anticlimactic, and we did not get to see the Demian Maia choke out Ed Herman, or Jason MacDonald pound out Joe Doerksen. Instead, we got the Quarry-Starnes ‘marathon’ of a bout.
UFC is certain to come back to Canada soon; let’s hope that their next outing is a bit more enterntaining.