CHAPTER 223: Reviewing WEC 36

" I knew in my mind that jabbing and boxing were winning me the fight, but I got off track and got involved and got caught with some good shots. You can't expect not to get hit when you are fighting top flight opponents but that's why I have been champion so long. " - Joe Calzaghe

Just reviewing some of the fights from WEC 36.

Jens Pulver vs Leonard Garcia

I think that Pulver just got hit hard by Garcia’s combos. He got dazed and further more he didn’t protect his head/put his hands up enough as he got hit by Garcia.
Pulver is now on a rough patch.

My fight rating: 3 stars out of 5


David Avellan vs Aaron Simpson

The quickest fight I’ve seen from the fights of this event. Simpson’s punch connected very spot on Avellon’s chin, and that seemed a very powerful and crunching blow.
The speed of the fight as well as the power of the knockout adds to my fight rating.

My fight rating: 3 ½ stars out of 5


Paolo Filho vs Chael Sonnen

Terribly disappointing and boring fight (and most justly all due to Filho’s performance).

The question is, why Filho why?
Obviously what’s ever the deal with Filho’s performance is due to whatever personal problems he’s facing (he didn’t make weight for the fight anyway).
But that was just a terrible fight.
Filho’s engagement it seems is to lay on the floor and capture Sonnen in a ground game/BJJ battle. Standup wise, he just didn’t answer against Sonnen in any necessary/strong/counterproductive manner.
Sonnen on the other hand was obviously the one engaging through out the fight (though he did not want any part of Filho’s ground schemes) as evident as he always made the Brazilian in standing up and resume the fight as a striking contest.

In the end, Filho’s gets a lost for the first time in his career, although this was not a great way at all in having a blotch of a loss on his record. Seems like he’s on the similar path that Gomi’s going through. Unimpressive performances just waiting for an eventual defeat.

My fight rating: 1 ½ stars out of 5


Urijah Faber vs Mike Brown

Faber just got caught! But he was classy in defeat though (big props).
I believe that the fight was intense and cagey at the same time throughout.

Perhaps there was a little element of luck on Brown’s part (as that crucial point of the fight where both fighters connected, but on Brown’s favor), nonetheless it was his hand that hit Faber, and that is what matters.

It seemed suspense when Brown barraged down the ground and pound on Faber soon as the California Kid fell to the ground as the ref kept letting the fight on, but it was soon enough.

This fight shows that in any fight (as well as throughout the fights in this event), no matter whether you’re somebody on the top or below, anyone can get caught (by a knockout).

My fight rating: 3 stars out of 5