Couture and Sonnen Win Convincingly at UFC 109
Couture and Sonnen Win Convincingly at UFC 109By Edward Pollard |
Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman Randy Couture, 46, made defeating Mark Coleman, 45, look relatively easy. The difference between the two long-standing fan favorites became apparent in the first round. Couture showed better skill and durability, while Coleman was unsteady on his feet and unable to dodge incoming blows. Couture’s reflexes were faster and his attack crisper than his highly decorated opponent. Peppering Coleman with crisp shots from almost every angle, it was only a matter of time before a fight-finishing move, and Couture achieved it with a rear-naked choke after one minute nine seconds of the second round. It’s really hard to say what this means for Coleman (16-10-0). Because he defeated Stephan Bonnar in July 2009 and this is only his third loss in six fights (reaching back to October 2005), but he has lost two of his last three encounters, which means his hopes of another title shot are practically dried up. Despite the win, Couture (18-10-0) doesn’t look much better statistically, winning against younger, less experienced fighters but falling short in the race for another title. Records and title shots aside, his remarkable form at his advanced age continues to amaze fans and confound the competition.
Matt Lindland protégé Chael Sonnen shocked detractors and naysayers who gave him little hope of surviving his battle against Greg Jackson-honed Nate Marquardt. The deciding factor had little to do with Marquardt’s desire to win or his physical gifts or even his mental game. It all came down to the simple fact that the Wyoming native and three-time middleweight King of Pancrase was completely unable to defend against the NCAA All-American, two-time Greco-Roman wrestling champion and U.S. Olympic team alternate from Oregon. Marquardt delivered a second-round elbow strike from his back that left a deep cut on Sonnen’s right eyebrow. The resulting bloodbath could have meant a doctor stoppage, but the blood flow wasn’t obstructing Sonnen’s vision, so it was plugged with goop between rounds and the fight continued. Several times, Marquardt attempted to pull a win from his losing battle, but Sonnen was able to either escape or beat the clock. After three rounds, he had clearly been in charge and was awarded a unanimous decision. The win secured him a title shot against either reigning middleweight titleholder Anderson Silva or his challenger Vitor Belfort, who are scheduled to meet at UFC 112 in April 2010. Sonnen made waves at the post-event press conference by stating that he preferred his chances against Silva.
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