UFC Fight Night Play By Play – Gray Maynard Vs. Nate Diaz
Not only does this show go head to head with Monday Night Raw starring Mike Tyson, but this only comes one day after WEC 46 and the return of Urijah Faber. I can’t imagine this show will feature an insane pop like at the show last night, but at least the main even should be good.
1. Amir Sadollah vs. Brad Blackburn
Quick turn around for Sadollah since fighting Phil Baroni just a couple of months ago.
Both guys were pretty active. Blackburn was mostly throwing punches, but Sadollah incorporated kicks. Sadollah rocked him near the end of the round and Blackburn went crazy legs on him. Rather than following it up with more punches and probably knocking him down, Sadollah kept him up and then for whatever reason, decided to take him down, allowing him to get his marbles back. I have no idea why he did that. Blackburn lasted the round.
Blackburn pressed the action a bit more, but he was still eating leg kicks. Blackburn had a much better round, but he was taking more punishment than Sadollah was.
Sadollah had him again out on his feet. And again, for whatever reason, he took him down and allowed him to rest. Maybe Sadollah had himself via decision. If he did, he won.
Winner: Amir Sadollah by way of unanimous decision
2. Tom Lawlor vs. Aaron Simpson
Lawlor nearly obliterated Simpson in this round. It was definitely a 10-8 round. Lawlor had him reeling and then just like Sadollah he decided to take him down! Just kidding, he didn’t. He actually kept on him and it looked like Simpson was going to go. But Lawlor was either worried of eating the Scott Smith hail mary shot or he got tired and Simpson was allowed to live.
The second round was bit closer, but Lawlor still got the best of it. I’m not sure what’s keeping Simpson up. Lawlor also had a couple of guillotine attempts. Simpson is a gamer.
Simpson clearly won the third round. He was using his wrestling and Lawlor was just tuckered out. They ended with a great trade and Lawlor used his hands to tell Simpson, “Come on!” and then when Simpson came forward he backed away as if to say, “Hey, I was just kidding.”
This was a really good fight.
Winner: Aaron Simpson by way of unanimous decision
Ok, so you know when I said the first round should’ve been 10-8? Well, none of the other judges thought so.
3. Efrain Escudero vs. Evan Dunham
Escudero looked awesome in round one. He threw a knee that wobbled Dunham and followed through with punches. He had Dunham on the run and put him on the floor. And then, like the other two fights, he couldn’t finish him. The round ended with both guys in a scramble on the bottom.
Much like the second fight, the guy who was getting his block knocked off, turned it around. It was Dunham who had Escudero on the ground and was giving out punishment.
Evan Dunham is a man’s man much like Steven Regal. He had Escudero locked in a triangle with an arm bar and when Escudero didn’t tap, he used his legs to torque it more and Escudero had to tap. He was in that thing for a long time.
Winner: Evan Duhman by way of 3rd round submission
4. Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard
Diaz just frustrated Maynard. Maynard so much wanted to knock him out with his right hand. Nate was also frustrating him. Maynard was calling him out and show boating a little which might mean that Diaz was in his head. I think they butted heads at one point which caused Maynard to cut. Both guys just tried to measure each other and threw a lot of punches, but nothing of note truly landed.
Maynard doesn’t respect Diaz’s power and is just trying to get him inside so that he can throw his right hand. These guys are just posturing and raising their hands like they’re really doing anything to each other. Maynard is winning the round, but it’s not like a major ass-kicking.
Diaz won this round. I think most judges probably gave Maynard the first round, but I thought it was close. Nate played patty cake boxing with Maynard, though Maynard did get him down late in the round. Whatever it was, it was pretty boring.
Winner: Gray Maynard by way of unanimous decision
If there was anything you learned from this fight it’s either that Diaz can mess with anyone’s style, or that Maynard vs. B.J. Penn isn’t going to be interesting at all.
