|
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Taneo: The invincible Russian
By Paul J. Taneo
Free-for-all
If Ricardo Arona’s honesty were as straight as his punches, it would be easier to believe his claim that an inadvertent headbang on the canvas had cost him the Pride middleweight championship to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, eating up a little over a quarter of the first quarter.
Then again, brevity is beauty.
The tightly-wound Brazilian said that in the early part of the first round of the curt Grand Prix final, he went for a single-leg takedown but crashed his head on the ground. Whatever did happen, what was clear was that the normally quick and strong Arona lost in a battle of speed and power.
Shogun’s first significant attack was a jumping-spinning kick that didn’t find its target. What Shogun couldn’t successfully do in the air he did on the ground: An omoplata or shoulder lock submission hold.
Arona, the jiujitsu expert that he is, wriggled out of the hold but that only served as his journey from the frying pan into the fire as Shogun kept his attack with knees and stomps that did some damage, Arona appearing to be somewhat dazed.
The two went at it again with strikes. Arona fell on the canvas near the corner, landing on his right knee, covering his head with his left arm as Shogun poised to hit him with fist blows. Arona rolled on to his back protecting his body with his legs as Shogun did a jumping stomp. As Arona stayed on the floor supine, Shogun fell on him with punches as Arona got him in a mestiza guard. Shogun suddenly stood up and again attempted a jumping stomp but this time Arona fended him off with his left leg, pushing him off.
Shogun lost his balance and he staggered towards the ring post. He regained his stance and another fistfight ensued with the Chute Boxe stylist getting the better of the exchange. He almost got Arona’s neck trapped with both hands that was followed by a right knee to the head but Arona smartly pulled away.
Then another punch-up followed but Shogun scored on a takedown and controlled his opponent from the side, this time near the center of the ring.
Choosing not to maintain the position, he got up and stomped Arona, grazing his face. Shogun then dropped on Arona with a hammer fist, hitting his chin. That one definitely hurt Arona, seemingly making him lose consciousness. A couple of hammer strikes more finished off Arona for the night as the referee rushed in to push Shogun away for the KO victory by Shogun.
All it took was 2:54 minutes; not even half the allotted 10 minutes of the Pride first round and five minutes each for last two remaining. Chalk one up for Rudimar Federigo’s trainee.
When Shogun’s older brother Murilo “Ninja” first fought in Pride on September 2001, he made a good impression with a TKO (Strikes) win. He racked up five victories in 10 fights and was never a serious contender in the middleweight ranks, a disappointment, not living up to his potential, which was great.
The Rua clan and Chute Boxe need not fret. Ninja’s little bro is now the biggest boy in the 205-division middleweight/light-heavyweight block with a fearsome 12-1-0 record (11, say that again, 11 by KO). In Pride, only Shogun’s teammate, Wanderlei Silva, has the biggest chance of taking away the belt. The way Silva cheered on Shogun during the Arona match, it seems he is in no hurry to do that. He has found his successor. He could be content watching a carbon copy of himself mowing down the opposition in the next few years.
Considering Silva’s intense competitive spirit though, Pride may find a Chute Boxe championship signed up. Either way, this can only be good for Pride FC in particular and MMA in general.
THE BIGGER BOYS. The other big fight last Sunday was Fedor Emelianenko’s defense of his Pride heavyweight title against Mirko “CroCop” Filipovic. This was one match-up that had MMA fans drooling in anticipation. In the heavyweight division, there was no fight left to generate as much excitement as Fedor-CroCop. Both are heavyhitters who have battered the opposition.
Those who have been found wanting had all fallen at the hands and fists of these Eastern Europeans.
Fedor came into the match with a deep tan and a fearsome 22-1-0 record, six by KO and nine by submission. While CroCop was 16-3-2, 12 by KO, two by submission. Fireworks were expected. And there were lots.
Fedor initiated contact with a Manny-Pacquiao type of lunging punch that CroCop evaded ala Erik Morales. CroCop came back with a strike of his own, a low kick that Fedor fended off with his leg. After a few more trade-ins like this, CroCop fell on his back and Fedor willingly went inside his guard.
The referee then ordered a break in the proceedings to check on Fedor’s face which bled quite profusely. When Fedor fought Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Noguiera for the second time in August of last year, the fight was declared a No Contest after Fedor suffered an accidental headbutt that cut him. The Saitama Super Arena fell in a hush as the fans feared a repeat of Emelianenko-Noguiera II. Luckily the ring doctor declared Fedor fit continue.
BACK TO BACK. All three rounds of 20 minutes in all was basically the same: striking give-and-takes, takedowns by Fedor, CroCop on his back with the guard, Fedor either looking to pass or pummeling on CroCop, CroCop managing to strike back while on his back and unwilling or unable to try submission holds. Fedor did not even but once had the roles reversed, he was always the one on top.
Stamina was a factor in the fight. Near the end of the second round, CroCop looked tanked. At times, he was even unable to keep his arms up. As powerful both fighters are, no knockdowns or KOs were scored, although both did stun each other to some extent, at one point Fedor falling through the second top rope.
This one went to the judges. Fedor earned a unanimous-decision victory. Although, he had a left black eye, a large bandage on the right side of his head but still had his belt. CroCop, on the other side of the dressing room, looked none the worse for wear except for some reddening on his face and nape, but he was a beaten fighter, having been on the wrong side of Fedor’s heavy hitting.
Next: the supporting bouts.
P.S. I would like to thank my Internet sponsors, not for giving me material support in the making of this and previous columns on the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride FC, rather for all materials I acknowledge to have gathered. These past few years, I have become an expert culler, taking data from varied sources in print, picture and video form, making sense of the sensory overflow and putting the mishmash down in more or less consumable structure.
P.P.S. Sherdog.com, mmafighting.com, boxinginsider.com, bjj.org and whoever I have intentionally left out, consider this your inhouse ad.
P.P.P.S. Wowow cable channel, where are you when we need you most?
(paulotaneo@yahoo.com)
(September 4, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
