New Level

What most impressed me about UFC 50 was the new level of "Sophistication" which MMA has reached in the United States, but what most disappointed me was the absolute lack of sophistication, which many Atlantic City fans displayed between booing, brawling, and brews. With a night full of canned, cancelled or changed cards, as well as only one fight, thank god, going to the judges, three out of seven matches ended with sudden submission moves. Although the show was short and sweet, it was explosive and each and every fighter was very highly skilled. While protesters still rallied outside, it was fresh blood, rather than brawling dinosaurs that battled it in the octagon with a 9,000 plus turn out at the Trump Boardwalk Hall.

Not even the Jiu-jitsu genius of Charruto Verrisimo could over- come the skill and will of Frank Trigg.

Arm Bar

The most exciting arm bar of the evening was executed lightning quick by Matt Hughes who has once again conquered the UFC Welter Weight belt. The young Canadian Kyokushin kid, Georges St. Pierre had confidence, skill and power, and appeared more than ready to keep the wrestler from his trophy. Although, St. Pierre had a reply for everything that Hughes gave him, he committed a fatal mistake not securing Matt's leg right before the side control, pounding, and beautifully set up arm bar. Evan Tanner and Rich Franklin also set up their own finishes with great technique. When it happened to the formerly undefeated Canadian, I don’t think anyone was expecting it. And in this case, Hughes capitalized on an error from a talented but overly eager rookie.

Welterweight

This seems to be the only belt disputed anymore, since Randy Couture sealed his to his body and the seriously skilled heavyweight champ Frank Mir suffered a serious fracture in a motorcycle accident. At this point it is difficult to even speculate about the Lightweights or Middleweights. I think Evan Tanner followed the precedent of team mate Matt Lindland when he inquired about a shot at the 185 title after quickly overwhelming a tough Robbie Lawler who stepped up a weight class, but was abruptly out skilled. Tanner has proven himself over and over, so why doesn't he deserve a shot at the belt since getting slammed down head first by Tito Ortiz? Tanner may have changed his hairstyle more than any UFC man yet, but he hasn't lost his head or skills. Ever since Bustamante left for Pride, we haven't had anyone take control of the Middleweight category, which is sort of what happened when Lil' Evil Jens Pulver hit the higher roads. Should it be Tanner versus Dave Terrel, Franklin versus Lindland, there is plenty of talent in this weight class for a solid eight man tournament.

Was it faith or was it skill or was it luck, you decide.

The Anti-Hughes

Another super impressive win was Frank Trigg's, who is the first man to take out the jiu jitsu genius, Charruto Verrisimo in MMA. It was persistence, pure will, and a tough interior which Trigg turned into victory, and now the stage is set for yet another welter weight championship fight with the UFC Clydesdale Matt Hughes. I was especially impressed, because Trigg displayed an exceeding amount of skill and heart to defeat the highly technical Verrisimo, whom many believe controlled Matt Hughes in their prior encounter. Although Matt found Christ, I think he saw the real light and went back to the drawing board after the Verrisimo encounter. It is Hughes' own hard sacrifice and training with the talented Jeremy Horn, which left a dynamic Georges St. Pierre extremely disappointed after one round out of a possible five.

Counter grappler

Short, intense, explosive fights seemed to be the pattern for the entire night, and even the opener between Marvin Eastman, which looked more like a mating ritual during the first round, resulted with the single strike nailing the chin of the least likely man to get struck, the striker.

Although Marvin was initiating, the audience had already started complaining after Eastman was perhaps too careful and timid imposing his game for five minutes, and the supposed grappler, Travis Lutter, was very weary of shooting in at those particular knees. The Carlos Machado fighter proved that he had the reach advantage at 33 seconds into round two with a superbly placed over hand right hook, after Marvin initiated with a right kick dropping his guard. Although it seemed to only graze the chin, Eastman was out cold and his head bounced hard off the canvass when he fell backwards. It was unfortunate for Marvin, since he was at least coming forward and looking for opportunities and openings. Fortunately for Lutter, it was Marvin who gave up the opening and he nailed it.

In the hardest battle of the night, Rich Franklin proved that a late bloomer can kick some serious MMA ass.

Back In the USSA

In the second preliminary, Ivan Salaverry was like a wrecking crew against Tony Fryklund, who took the fight on two weeks notice. Catching the Miletich man with a left high kick as he was already heading south from a right, Salaverry wasted no time mounting the wounded horse's back. Inside a triangle around the waist, and what seemed like a troubled back, Fryklund called it quits at only 1:36 of the first round. Tony seemed to be in a lot of pain, as the Matt Hume/Maurice Smith fighter celebrated his victory, back from Japan, which rhymes with man.

Axe Swing

The most gruesome and damaging battle was undoubtedly the swing bout, which included the return of Rich Franklin, who fought the awesome Lyoto Michado in Japan almost a year ago, getting KO'd. On this particular occasion he had to overcome the working man from Milford, MA, Jorge Rivera. Rivera drew animosity from the audience by dawning a Red Sox outfit, but in this case it was Franklin who took the role of the comeback underdog. After a hard hitting 14 minute and 28 second battle, Franklin set up a desperate yet beautiful arm bar on a Rivera who had exerted everything, and who seemed to be a bit ahead going into the third round. After enduring a knee to the family jewels, and extreme swelling under the left eye cheek bone area (Reminiscent of Rickson Gracie's eye fracture when he fought Funaki) Franklin had to overcome his own lack of fuel and took it to the ground, the one area were Rivera would be vulnerable. It was interesting to see a hardcore striking duel between two very well rounded MMA fighters, but in the end it all came down to stamina, and a slightly greater desire by Franklin to define the finish.

The once popupular and almighty Tito, couldnt finish an unknown rookie from Canada, who will now be known.

Canada

Although only one out of three Canadians was victorious on this particular night, they were all great, well rounded fighters with superb skills, but it was the man who took Tito Ortiz on only two weeks notice due to Guy Mezger's unfortunate situation who got mad dep. The much younger Canadian defended very well from the guard, avoiding almost all of Tito's ground n pound strategy. Unfortunately, for the first time in UFC history, Big John decided to let the ground game linger, while there was no really worthy reward or effect imposed by Ortiz. On their feet though, it was another story as the shorter, lighter and stockier Cote had lightning quick inside jabs, which turned Tito's face pure red, even his blonde hair was blushing. Cote was able to stagger Tito, but unfortunately spent too much time under Ortiz' wrestling game, stacked by the fence, yet defending very effectively, neutralizing most of the attack. If elbows and the cage did not exist, this fight would have been diametrically different. Even Ortiz admitted at the press conference, that the young Buck from Canada was tough like all Canadians.

Rap

The main event turned out to be OK instead of a KO affair, but it was also beyond Zuffa's control that so many fighters suffered injuries or other assorted reasons for not participating. The build up to Mezger's exit was very disappointing, but Cote was worth the show. Too bad, I heard Tito wouldn't do the same deal to take on Mezger's fellow Lions Den man, Tra Telligman, and then to boot, the Telligman John Marsh card got scrapped all together. It was short and sweet, and seven was the lucky number, and even as some of the crowd booed Tito at the end of the show, I was pleasantly surprised at the powerful punch that quickly submitted and satisfied MMA fan's everywhere.