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Sunday, March 19, 2006
Taneo: The UFC middleweight king
By Free-for-all
Paul J. Taneo
In a continuation of our flashback series, it’s the 58th edition of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which had the Rich Franklin-David “Crow” Loiseau bout as the main event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Franklin has been cementing a tough reputation in the middleweight ranks of the UFC ever since his shocking demolition in 2:40 of Round 1 of middleweight veteran Evan Tanner in UFC 42 in 2003. He bagged another big name with a TKO win over Ken Shamrock in UFC-Ultimate Finale last year before a rematch with Tanner in UFC 53. It took Franklin longer to dispatch of Tanner that time but the result was still the same – TKO (doctor stoppage) in 3:25 of Round 4.
A heavy hitter with the impatient attitude of an assassin on his way to Catholic confession, Tanner looks like he has a stranglehold of the middleweight ranks. Sure, we thought the same way of Rodrigo “Minotauro” Noguiera, but Minotauro is basically a grappler who looks for the submission first before a knockout, which is always a risky enterprise especially against somebody who could take you out with one strike.
Franklin, on the other hand, will go for a knockout as soon as possible to prevent a war of attrition on the ground. “This won’t go the distance,” Franklin would say.
Early this month, though, in defense of his title, Franklin was stretched the whole length of the five-round match against Loiseau in a tournament matching American and Canadian fighters. It isn’t an indication that Franklin has lost his KO powers, Loiseau is just more durable than most fighters Franklin had taken on, but Franklin was just as dominating.
The first round was largely uneventful with Loiseau kicking at Franklin repeatedly until his aggressiveness opened him up for a counter kick that slammed into his body in the middle of the round.
In the second round, Loiseau wasn’t as reckless and kept moving back while getting punished in the body and being downed twice. On the ground, Franklin always took the opportunity to take Loiseau’s back, control him and pummel him with his free hand.
Although Franklin had taken down Loiseau in the third round, Loiseau got points in the scorecard when it was Franklin’s turn to get countered after a kick.
Loiseau got in a pretty left hook that staggered Franklin. But that didn’t deter Franklin who still managed to win Round 3.
In Round 4, Loiseau’s mouse above the right eye had increased in size, while the one in the left, not as prominent, was just as red and also had blood seeping out of the cut. It didn’t help matters that Franklin supplexed Loiseau.
The only way for the Canadian Loiseau to steal the fight was to knock out the American in Round 5 as he again peppered Franklin with kicks that found their mark but did not seem to hurt the champion. Again Loiseau’s aggressiveness made him vulnerable to Franklin’s takedown. Even when Loiseau did get his licks in, smashing elbows into Franklin, the American masterfully defended.
Then it was all over and for the judges to decide the winner – Jeff Mullen and Dalby Shirley scored it a similar 50-42 for Franklin, while Nelson Hamilton had it 50-43, still for Franklin.
BROKEN HAND. Interviewed, the southpaw Franklin revealed that his left hand was broken as early as the second period and he also had problems with his injured foot. It is a wonder of human endurance and courage that Franklin kept on delivering power shots at Loiseau for three rounds more after his hand was broken.
Franklin’s injury and the state of Loiseau eyes necessitated that both be taken to Las Vegas’ Valley Hospital Medical Center, where they stayed into the night for checkups and treatment.
The complete results: Tom Murphy defeated Icho Larenas by TKO (strikes) in 1:59 of Round 3; Jason Lambert over Rob MacDonald, submission (kimura) 1:54 R1; Sam Stout over Spencer Fisher, split decision R3; Mark Hominick over Yves Edwards, submission (triangle armbar) 1:52 R2; Nathan Marquardt over Joe Doerksen, unanimous decision R3; Georges St. Pierre over B.J. Penn, SD R3; Mike Swick over Steve Vigneault, submission (guillotine choke) 2:09 R1; Rich Franklin over David Loiseau, UD R5.
(paulotaneo@yahoo.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 19, 2006 issue)
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