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Bench Warmer
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira outpointed Randy Couture in the UFC 102 main event Saturday at the Rose Garden Arena.
It was a dominating performance for the Brazilian heavyweight, who dropped Couture and looked close to submitting him with a D'Arce choke in the first round.
Though Nogueira controlled the majority of the match, Couture had his moments. The future Hall of Famers engaged in multiple wide-open exchanges with both fighters landing heavy ***** in the center of the cage and along the fence.
Nogueira showed his legendary ground skills as well, sweeping Couture and ending up in mount in the second period. However, he could not finish an arm triangle, and Couture eventually made it back to his feet with about a minute left in the round. Nogueira, as he did repeatedly throughout the fight, again shut down Couture's offense and landed the better shots standing.
Despite leading two rounds to zero, Nogueira did not pack it in for the third. With a desperate Couture looking for a finish, he weathered the flurries tossed his way and delivered another big shot that sent Couture back to the mat. Nogueira swarmed, but he could not navigate Couture's defense to land a fight-ending ****.
Couture, trying to scrap his way back into the fight, wriggled free and made it up to his knees. By then blood was trickling from a cut outside his right eye. Nogueira sank one hook and began working on a rear-naked choke, but Couture fought him off and swept into top position with just more than a minute left in the fight.
Nogueira held on, attempting to stall the final minute of the match. He kept Couture close by clinching his arms around him and denying him the space he needed to strike. Couture did snake his way loose, but it was too late. He connected with a few elbows and punches in the bout's final seconds, but they were not enough to sway the judges in his favor. The scorecards were unanimous for Nogueira: 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
"I had a staph infection," Nogueira explained when asked by UFC commentator Joe Rogan about what had happened in his loss to Frank Mir. "I was in the hospital for one week before the fight against Frank Mir, then I had my … meniscus torn out. So I had a lot of injuries -- my neck, my knee, everything -- but now I am here. I want to be at the top of the UFC. I want a title belt. If you guys give me a chance to fight against Lesnar, it would be my pleasure." In defeat, Couture fell to 16-10.
"I'm obviously disappointed to lose, but you've got to love this sport," he said after a gutsy effort. "I tell you what, these guys come out here and every single fight tonight, they put it on the line. That's what I love about it. You never know what's going to happen."
The former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion also complimented Nogueira while giving no hint to retirement.
"What keeps me going is guys like Nogueira, interesting fights," Couture said. "Everybody is questioning him at this point. I'll tell you what I felt in here: He's definitely firing on all cylinders. He was very tough tonight."
It was a dominating performance for the Brazilian heavyweight, who dropped Couture and looked close to submitting him with a D'Arce choke in the first round.
Though Nogueira controlled the majority of the match, Couture had his moments. The future Hall of Famers engaged in multiple wide-open exchanges with both fighters landing heavy ***** in the center of the cage and along the fence.
Nogueira showed his legendary ground skills as well, sweeping Couture and ending up in mount in the second period. However, he could not finish an arm triangle, and Couture eventually made it back to his feet with about a minute left in the round. Nogueira, as he did repeatedly throughout the fight, again shut down Couture's offense and landed the better shots standing.
Despite leading two rounds to zero, Nogueira did not pack it in for the third. With a desperate Couture looking for a finish, he weathered the flurries tossed his way and delivered another big shot that sent Couture back to the mat. Nogueira swarmed, but he could not navigate Couture's defense to land a fight-ending ****.
Couture, trying to scrap his way back into the fight, wriggled free and made it up to his knees. By then blood was trickling from a cut outside his right eye. Nogueira sank one hook and began working on a rear-naked choke, but Couture fought him off and swept into top position with just more than a minute left in the fight.
Nogueira held on, attempting to stall the final minute of the match. He kept Couture close by clinching his arms around him and denying him the space he needed to strike. Couture did snake his way loose, but it was too late. He connected with a few elbows and punches in the bout's final seconds, but they were not enough to sway the judges in his favor. The scorecards were unanimous for Nogueira: 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
"I had a staph infection," Nogueira explained when asked by UFC commentator Joe Rogan about what had happened in his loss to Frank Mir. "I was in the hospital for one week before the fight against Frank Mir, then I had my … meniscus torn out. So I had a lot of injuries -- my neck, my knee, everything -- but now I am here. I want to be at the top of the UFC. I want a title belt. If you guys give me a chance to fight against Lesnar, it would be my pleasure." In defeat, Couture fell to 16-10.
"I'm obviously disappointed to lose, but you've got to love this sport," he said after a gutsy effort. "I tell you what, these guys come out here and every single fight tonight, they put it on the line. That's what I love about it. You never know what's going to happen."
The former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion also complimented Nogueira while giving no hint to retirement.
"What keeps me going is guys like Nogueira, interesting fights," Couture said. "Everybody is questioning him at this point. I'll tell you what I felt in here: He's definitely firing on all cylinders. He was very tough tonight."
