2007 was definitely a year to remember in mma. With many ups and downs, it will definitely be a year to remember.
Who can forget that “The Croation Sensation” received a dose of its own medicine with a kick to the head from Gabriel Gonzaga that would send most people into a permanent sleep state? Or how about the werewolf Quinton Jackson dethroning one of the best strikers in mixed martial arts with a brutal right hook to the head? There were many defining moments of mma in 2007, but one thing came to mind when I thought of the best way to describe this year in mma. It was the year of surprises.
2007 had some of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history. It is often said that “anything can happen” in mma. But for Forrest Griffin to subdue Shogun Rua was nothing. It was more than anything. Randy “The Natural” Couture defeating the 6’8 “giant was more than anything. These fights were everything to the winners and turned them into superstars overnight in the crazy world of mma.
I wanted to end the year by talking about some of the biggest surprises of all time. Things that most hardcore mma fans never thought would happen. These struggles were proof that anyone can win if they believe in themselves and have the perseverance and will to succeed in life. In the world of mixed martial arts really “anything can and will happen”.
Upset # 1 Defeat Nick Diaz. Takanori gomi – I’ve never been more excited at the end of a fight than after Nick Diaz subdued Takanori Gomi with a Silver Gogo in Pride 33 Second Coming. Not only is this one of the biggest upsets of 2007, it’s my favorite fight of all time. Speaking of exciting, I was jumping up and down at the end of this one.
This fight was a total takedown, prolonging the war. At one point, Nick Diaz was bouncing Gomi’s head off the ropes with his punches like a punching bag. Diaz was buffeted at first, but he weathered the storm and made it a signature Nick Diaz fight that eventually hit Gomi with a Gogo Silver early in the second round. Diaz won the fight, but you couldn’t tell by looking at him. His face was a bloody mess, an indication of how hard Gomi hit, considering he took so much more than he gave.
This was truly a fight for all ages and one that I will never forget. Unfortunately, Diaz’s victory was nullified and the fight was deemed no contest.
Upset # 2 Randy Couture def. Tim sylvia – Anything is possible when you think of the name Randy Couture. He is one of the best mma fighters of all time and is already a legend of the sport. They all thought it was over. He had hung up his gloves after his second loss to “The Iceman” and many thought that was it.
But that wasn’t the end of Couture. He was still a commentator and he was still hungry for more. Couture was not impressed with the heavyweight competition and felt he could still compete at the highest level.
So he did the impossible and the then 43-year-old fought Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight belt at UFC 68. It was one of the biggest upsets of all time. The wrestler hit the striker in a 5-round all-out war that left viewers completely in awe. Randy completely took Sylvia out of her world and dominated the stand up for 25 minutes. He even dropped the giant within seconds of the first round with a bent right hand that astonished and shocked “The Maniac.”
This fight was a real battle and is considered, in my book, one of the biggest upsets of 2007.
Annoying # 3 Quinton Jackson def. Chuck liddell – Many thought Chuck was unstoppable. Many thought it couldn’t be done. I was wondering myself, is anyone going to be this damn guy? He was so confident with wins at the highest level of competition including Tito, Jeremy Horn, Sobral, Belfort, Mezger, Randleman and Couture twice.
It seemed that no one could break “The Ice” or even last a round with it. His counterattack with the power to end fights coupled with his superior takedown defense allowed him to take down his opponents with sniper precision. Who could stop the unstoppable? Was anyone ready for work?
In May 2007 we found out. It was not the first time that Liddell and Rampage had entered the cage. In their first fight, Rampage stopped Liddell in a dominant fashion and ended the fight with a TKO. Now was the time for Chuck to redeem himself. Would his loss to Quinton play a role in his second fight? Well, Rampage was there that night anyway. He came out swinging and with improved hitting skills. All it took was a small mistake and it was all over. Rampage caught Chuck on the chin with a quick right hook that dropped Liddell. Then he went to kill, the fight was over. Chuck sat up quickly, glassy-eyed trying to figure out where he was. It can happen to anyone and tonight it happened to “The Iceman.”
This was truly one of the biggest surprises of 2007.
Upset # 4 Forrest Griffin def. Mauricio Rua – Obviously I saved the best for last. This disorder takes the cake by a mile. I could see Diaz on Gomi and Rampage on Liddell but Griffin on Shogun. Give me a break. I didn’t think in a billion years that Forrest Griffin could beat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua de Pride. That fight completely surprised me.
On the other hand, he was nothing like the Shogun I know and have seen so many times in all the old Pride FC events. It was not aggressive at all and looked like a fish out of water. Something definitely happens when Pride fighters come to fight in the UFC. I can’t pinpoint what it is exactly, but it’s not the level of competition. I think it has to do with the pressure to succeed in America and, of course, the rules and the Octagon.
On the other hand, he took nothing from Forrest Griffin as he fought with all his heart and undoubtedly defeated the former Chutes Box star. Shogun was considered the best in the world by many at the time of this fight, making him one of the biggest upsets of all time. To top it off, Forrest strangled Mauricio with a naked butt choke in a dominant manner. Forrest finally believed he had what it took to fight with the best of the best. That’s what gave him the ability to win this fight and continue as one of the best light heavyweight fighters in the world.
Without a doubt, I rate this as the biggest surprise of the year. This fight was really amazing.
2007 was a crazy year in mma and it’s not even over. With two more of the most important billboards of the year to come, 2007 is shaping up to be one of the most important sporting years in history.