Most impressive performance last night?

I'm going Hathaway. Battered Diego(who needs to face facts that he is not a ww, I don't care how tough he thinks the cut is) around the cage last night. A tall guy who uses a jab in MMA? almost unheard of. Excellent size, good cardio, and showed good grit in weathering Diego's attacks late in the fight. Fighting against a chin like Diego's could be disheartening for a young guy but he powered through it.

And what was with Diego's corner? Jab Jab Jab? I think they were wishing they were coaching the brit.

No doubt about it, that win by Hathaway was statement to the rest of the division that he is for real.

Hathaway is the obvious choice but I will go with Rashad. That was a huge win for him and now he has a shot to regain the title.

timthebim wrote:

Hathaway is the obvious choice but I will go with Rashad. That was a huge win for him and now he has a shot to regain the title.

dude rashad didnt even do anything lol.

yeah shad may get a title shot off of the win, but he was not the most impressive.

I'd say so too. Diego has been in and out of top tens in both weight divisions and Hathaway dominated him.

Brilz? Did good, but he did lose the fight in a close decision.

Russow? Nice knockout but it was only made possible by absorbing punishment few fighters on the UFC's roster could by getting absolutely tooled by Duffee for two rounds.

Snake? Nice KO but he was nearly stopped himself.

Kim? Did well against Sadollah after the lay off but that win isn't nearly as impressive as besting Diego like Hathaway did.

Rashad? Now here you could make a case, but Rashad's chin late in the fight was yet again a question. I need to see a replay, and if it indeed was a knee from when Rampage stormed in that hurt him then it isn't as bad, but it almost looked like a phantom grazing blow that had Rashad hurt.

Rashad won and thats what he gets paid to do. U are not going to be exciting every time u fight but he did what he had to do and dominated the whole fight except for about 30 seconds and now gets his title shot. Pretty impressive to me.

You're right I shouldn't overlook Brilz, loss or not he put on a performance I was not in the least expecting. He almost choked out a Nog? That was a shocking minute.

Nog may have looked like junk, and Brilz didn't win, but the opponent was more impressive then hathaway's.

Still if Im looking forward, I think Hathaway showed more to make me think he has a legitimate future.

Hathaway dominated a skilled fighter for 15 mintues.

Rashad had Rampage rocked with the first punch and I think if Quinton hadn't gotten so far away from him another couple of punches were going to land as well and maybe make it a quick night.

But I'm going with Hathaway he fought Diego who wanted to come back from the beating with Penn and make a statement in the WW division, and Hathaway rose to the occasion at 22 and whooped Diego's ass

Hathaway was still the bigger man by far and Diego moved up to 170 and u could tell he wasnt the same fighter.

timthebim wrote:

Rashad won and thats what he gets paid to do. U are not going to be exciting every time u fight but he did what he had to do and dominated the whole fight except for about 30 seconds and now gets his title shot. Pretty impressive to me.

sure, winning is what it's all about, but in a thread titled "most impressive", Im looking deeper then just W's and L's. I thought Shad came off as pretty stagnant, we knew he was a high level fighter coming in, but did he do anything last night that made me thought he can once again hold the belt? No. The opposite actually. I think Rua will pummel him.

Good point Tim. That Diego was probably outside of Staph-Infection-Zombie-Action-Super Diego the worst one that has ever stepped into the cage. Diego looked like a dwarf.

Rashad dominated Rampage in a way no one ever has before in the UFC, is half Rampage's size, and had Page in more trouble than anyone ever has either, including Forrest.

He beat Rampage and he didnt do anything to make u think he could win the belt back?? No 1 was really picking Rashad either so with how much was on the line and Rashad dominating I thought he was most impressive.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Good point Tim. That Diego was probably outside of Staph-Infection-Zombie-Action-Super Diego the worst one that has ever stepped into the cage. Diego looked like a dwarf.

Rashad dominated Rampage in a way no one ever has before in the UFC, is half Rampage's size, and had Page in more trouble than anyone ever has either, including Forrest.

He had rampage out on his feet 20 seconds in.

If the measure of "impressive" is showing something to make one think either could beat Shogun, then neither fighter had even a small chance to be impressive.

Neither Rashad nor Rampage could have done anything to make me think they could handle Rua unless they displayed entirely new skills we've never seen before. Expectations are a little high here I think.

No one has ever out-classed Rampage in the UFC like that, and we're talking fights with TUF winner Forrest, Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson and Chuck Liddell, a bunch of all time greats.

I knew coming in and I believe more than ever that Rashad has the best chance but not a great one to upset Rua.

With Rashads speed he could give Shogun trouble I believe but Im still not sure he has the chin to stand in there with shogun.

timthebim wrote:

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Good point Tim. That Diego was probably outside of Staph-Infection-Zombie-Action-Super Diego the worst one that has ever stepped into the cage. Diego looked like a dwarf.

Rashad dominated Rampage in a way no one ever has before in the UFC, is half Rampage's size, and had Page in more trouble than anyone ever has either, including Forrest.

He had rampage out on his feet 20 seconds in.

that punch didnt do shit to him rampage was off balance.

Rewatch the fight Josh LOL.

Hathaway provided a wow factor. As did Brilz. Evans, imo, did not.

timthebim wrote:

Rewatch the fight Josh LOL.

I didn't think Page was seriously hurt there. I don't think Shad did either.

timthebim wrote:

Rewatch the fight Josh LOL.

i think you need to tim his footing was off that punch did not effect him at all.

He was off balance because his chin got hammered by a huge punch. Rashad dominated Rampage. What more do you want?

This is devolving into a situation where Rashad is not being given credit from some because he didn't wade into stupid slugfests.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

He was off balance because his chin got hammered by a huge punch. Rashad dominated Rampage. What more do you want?

This is devolving into a situation where Rashad is not being given credit from some because he didn't wade into stupid slugfests.

lol that was a baby punch wolf.

You're sounding like a lunatic Josh. Rampage wasn't effected? Why did he fly across the octagon?

Rashad has dominated Rampage from the beginning of this feud.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

You're sounding like a lunatic Josh. Rampage wasn't effected? Why did he fly across the octagon?

Rashad has dominated Rampage from the beginning of this feud.

calm down wolf dont get your panties in a bunch just cause i dont agree with you.