MMA Access: A Look Back At UFC 141
BEHIND THE SCENES MMA ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS
04/10/2012
A Retrospective Look at UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem
By: Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester
It is important to revisit older events. Sometimes just to see how much the landscape of a fighter’s career has changed in two or three months. Recently released on DVD, UFC 141 – Lesnar vs. Overeem is a great event to take a look back on. Featuring the former UFC Heavyweight champion taking on international superstar Alistair Overeem, the event was billed to be a battle between two monsters. The battle ended up having one man realize he would fare better in entertainment wrestling rather than inside the Octagon with fighters looking to tear someone apart. However, the event was mired by more than just revelations and ‘I-told-you-so’s’, but because of a gloomy shadow called UFC on Xbox Live, this event nearly suffered a fatal end much like one of the fighters in the main event.
The UFC Fight Card:
Main Card:
Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem
Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone
Jon Fitch vs. Johny Hendricks
Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Alexander Gustafsson
Nam Phan vs. Jimy Hettes
Preliminary Card:
Ross Pearson vs. Junior Assuncao
Anthony Njokuani vs. Danny Castillo
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Sean Pierson
Jacob Volkmann vs. Efrain Escudero
Manny Gamburyan vs. Diego Nunes
The Controversy:
December 30, 2011 was one of those nights that surely everyone was telling their friends that Brock Lesnar was going to fight Alistair Overeem, and that UFC would be free on Xbox Live if you received a ticket. The event was full of upsets, surprises, and more – a typical night for mixed martial arts enthusiasts. However, the major pitfall for UFC 141 was the UFC on Xbox Live debacle. This hiccup ruined December 30th for a lot of UFC fans, and likely brought a lot of fans into New Year’s Eve anger and resentment over their favorite brand of MMA.
Originally UFC on Xbox Live twitter account only handed out a thousand or so tickets perhaps two weeks before the event took place. But the demand for more tickets became so incessant due to fans crying foul over the time of day in which they released the tickets. Most people were at work and unable to get to a computer or their Xbox to enter the code. With UFC on Xbox Live promising to hand out more tickets on the day of the event, fans was excited about getting their opportunity. When the day came, all seemed fine as fans got their tickets, and once they accessed their Xbox Live accounts and it showed that the event was purchased, it’s without a doubt everyone’s nights were planned out. Beers were purchases, friends and family was called out. The night was going to be spectacular. But nope – it wasn’t.
Hours before came on, UFC on Xbox Live twitter account warned everyone of connection issues. People could not sign in to the UFC Xbox app, and if they did get in, they were only kicked out minutes later. During prelims, the same thing was occurring. Twitter erupted and every curse in the book was being thrown at Xbox for this mistake. 30 minutes before the event, UFC on Xbox Live twitter account told its readers to possibly find a new place to watch the fight, as the connection issues may not be resolved before the end of the night.
The Review Then:
To say that the UFC on Xbox Live may have ruined this event in some people’s eyes would be an understatement. There are fans who are still disappointed in how that night took place. Much of the event was unable to be seen. Only two and a half fights was shown clearly without interruption: the Matyushenko vs. Gustaffson bout, Jon Fitch vs. Johny Hendricks, and partial bit of the Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone fight. The main event was not seen my many; if any.
In any case, the fighters performed even if Xbox Live couldn’t. In the main event, Brock Lesnar had a long but quick night. A lot of people doubted whether Overeem would be able to stuff the takedown and if he had fought people of Lesnar’s caliber. However, Overeem showed that it was the other way around. Lesnar hadn’t fought anyone of his caliber, and Overeem showed it in the very first round. After Lesnar’s initial takedown was stuffed, many new this wouldn’t last that long. A couple of liver shots later, and Lesnar plummeted to the cage’s mat, and the fight was stopped by TKO. Lesnar said that he would retire from the sport afterwards. He deserved a good send-off and it was a great way to go out for a man who came into the UFC with only one professional fight, and who had go on to be the UFC Heavyweight champion, beating the likes of: Heath Herring, Randy Couture, Frank Mir, and Shane Carwin. Lesnar deserved the fans respect.
In the co-main event, two fighters who claim to always bring it, seemed to sort of miss the mark. Although Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone fight won Fight of the Night, it left a lot to be desired. Donald Cerrone had been on a tear, and Nate Diaz was returning to Lightweight from a lackluster round of performances at Welterweight. You would have thought it was Cerrone who was so unused to fighting at Lightweight. He was tired and exhausted from the very first round, and never seemed to be in the fight. Cerrone had already fought four times in that same year, and that fight marked his fifth. So give the man where credit is due, it could have been worse. However, Nate Diaz threw everything he had at Cerrone, in what would turn out to be a little disappointing bout.
The surprise of the night came from the Jon Fitch vs. Johny Hendricks fight. Surely, everyone thought that Fitch would come out and grind Hendricks to decision. But that would not be fate. Hendricks separated Fitch from consciousness in just 12 seconds of the first round. Hendricks had knocked out the #2 ranked Welterweight in the world. It was a big night for Johny Hendricks, and everyone was ready to see what was next for the surging welterweight.
Alexander Gustafsson made a claim on December 30th as the guy to look out for in 2012. His opponent Vladimir Matyushenko is not slouch anywhere in the Octagon and a proven veteran. But at UFC 141, Gustafsson proved that he is a Light-Heavyweight that will have a bright future in this sport. Vladimir Matyushenko had not been that outclassed since he fought Jon Jones back at UFC Live in 2010. Gustafsson was precise and crisp in his striking, and Matyushenko seemed weary from the very beginning; likely thinking back on the length advantage he had in the Jones fight much like he had against Gustafsson in this fight. Gustafsson would finish him in first round, and cement his rise in the Light-Heavyweight ranks.
Jimy Hettes came into this fight as a rather unknown, but came out as a guy everyone would know. He literally beat down on Nam Phan for three one-sided rounds. It was a great fight for Hettes, but a terrible fight for Phan.
The prelims offered some decent fights. One such fight was Manny Gamburyan’s fight against Diego Nunes – a very close fight to call. Jacob Volkmann showcased his workmanlike performance and proved that he will be dangerous at Lightweight. However, he should no longer be allowed to tell jokes. Ever! Efrain Escudero proved once again that he is talented, but still needs a lot of work, as he was outclassed by Volkmann.
The Review Now:
In hindsight, this card was a lot better than he appeared to be. The negativity of the UFC on Xbox Live might have determined how many would see this card during its initial viewing. However, now, the card stands as the event that showcased a bright future for some of its winners.
Alistair Overeem looked great in this first round whooping of Brock Lesnar. What’s so ironic about it now is that, Overeem famously said that he would send Brock Lesnar back to the WWE. As of last week’s Monday Night Raw (April 2, 2012), he did just that, as Brock Lesnar returned to wrestling entertainment to F5 (Lesnar’s signature move) John Cena. Talk about what several months will do. Not even half a year has passed, and Lesnar is back in the WWE, fighting and looking rather skinny compared to the 265 pound frame he usually stepped into the Octagon with. In any case, Overeem did what he promised, and he’s only a little more than a month away from challenging tough Brazilian powerhouse and UFC Heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos (*Depending on Overeem’s hearing with the NSAC on April 24th after he failed a pre-fight drug test).
Simply put, Donald Cerrone should not have taken the Diaz fight. The payoff (money wise) may have been great, but now he’ll have to climb himself back up. He was likely a fight a way, perhaps winning that fight would have cemented his claim to UFC Lightweight gold. But he was not in fighting shape to take on tough Nate Diaz. The fight would have been tough regardless, because Diaz is no joke anywhere in the cage. Particularly with his jabs, because Cerrone has a bad habit of letting his hands down, something he showed in the fight with Diaz and against Rob McCullough back in the WEC. Nate Diaz is doing well since the fight. Soon he’ll be taking on Jim Miller in what could be a title eliminator match-up.
Jon Fitch had a terrible night, but this happens to everyone in mixed martial arts. Johny Hendricks scored a ton in popularity and in-stock as he skyrocketed through the welterweight ranks with his knockout of Fitch. However, he’ll soon have to take on Fitch’s ex-AKA teammate in Josh Koscheck, who had an abundance of power in his boxing as well. This is the kind of the fight that can possibly put him in title contention.
Alexander Gustafsson did a great job taking out Vladimir Matyushenko. Matyushenko appears to have a hard time catching up to tall and lengthy fighters such as Gustafsson and LHW champion Jon ‘Bones’ Jones. It might not have been the most exciting match from either man, but it showed a lot about each fighter. Gustafsson will have to do a lot more in his upcoming fight against Thiago Silva. But it could work in his favor as Silva likes to headhunt his prey. Gustafsson would do well to chop him down with his length to score a victory in that fight. A win over Silva should put him in range to be a legitimate contender.
Nam Phan has been on the opposite end of a couple of 10-8 rounds in his career, and that’s a problem if you want to stay on any kind of winning streak. Hopefully, Phan can correct this in his next fight as he has had a problem with wrestlers such as Mike Brown and Jimy Hettes.
As A Result:
UFC 141 was a mixture of good and bad. Poor and unforgiveable mistakes by UFC on Xbox Live nearly ruined the event the first time around. However, on DVD the event is worth having in any mixed martial arts collection as there were surprising knockouts, prospects claiming glory, and fighters being sent back to fake wrestle. All-in-all UFC 141 was a good event worth watching despite its original pitfalls.
Follow Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester on Twitter @sLapDatSuCka
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