The mixed martial arts world has seen its fair share of action throughout 2012. So many memorable fights and moments stand out in each of the 12 months that have passed. As we look back at this year in the sport, we at MMA Ratings are picking out particular moments from every month that stand out amongst them all. These are some of the highlights that came from March 2012.
Fight of the Month: Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall, UFC on FX 2
The most controversial bout of the month, as well as the best fight of the month, took place at UFC on FX 2 when flyweights Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall went toe-to-toe for 15 minutes in a bout that won “Fight of the Night.” After a very close back-and-forth bout, Johnson was revealed by ring announcer Bruce Buffer to be the winner via majority decision.
But it was all for naught.
After the bout, UFC president Dana White said there was a scoring error, and that the fight was actually scored a draw and should have gone to a fourth, sudden-death round to decide the winner. Unfortunately, though, the error was discovered well after the fight was over, and the two were forced to rematch at UFC on FX 3, where Johnson went on to take a unanimous decision victory, this time cementing his name as the winner with no doubt in anyone’s mind.
Their first fight at UFC on FX 2 was terrific, however, and if McCall can get by Joseph Benavidez at UFC 156, it’s possible that we can see the trilogy bout between Johnson and McCall down the road, assuming Johnson defends his UFC flyweight title against John Dodson at UFC on FOX 6. And if a third match does indeed take place, you can expect both men to do everything they can to ensure there’s no more controversy.
Knockout of the Month: Pat Curran vs. Joe Warren, Bellator 60
The “Knockout of the Night” was an easy pick. At Bellator 60, Bellator World Featherweight Champion Joe Warren put his belt on the line against the up-and-coming Pat Curran. After a close first two rounds – Warren arguably won them both – Curran found his openings in the third and absolutely started to unload on Warren while the champion was pinned against the fence, finishing him with one of the most brutal TKOs of the year, one that had many worried for Warren’s health and safety.
While the referee during the bout was ripped for stopping the fight too late (and he did stop it too late), we have to give props to both Warren for his toughness and heart, and Curran for his sheer brutality, as it was quite the knockout. It was the fight that put Curran on the map, and now most consider him one of the top three featherweights in the world. He’s in Bellator for now, but don’t be surprised to see this young stud in the UFC down the road.
Submission of the Month: Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate, Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey
There are no other contenders besides Ronda Rousey vs. MieshaTate for the “Submission of the Month” for March. After months of trash talk, Rousey and Tate finally squared off on March 3 in Columbus, Ohio, and we saw a true changing of the guard in women’s mixed martial arts, as Rousey was able to submit Tate with her signature armbar in the first round of their fight. The submission looked so gruesome that many thought Rousey had snapped Tate’s arm. It turned out that Tate tore some ligaments, but she lived to fight on. Rousey, on the other hand, became a major star for this fight.
Rousey is the meanest woman on the planet, and she will now ply her trade in the UFC. But there’s no doubt this was her breakout performance. Whereas the women that Rousey was submitting before were solid but not great, Tate was by far the toughest competition she had faced, and the brutal armbar victory, after so much talk between the two leading up to the fight, cemented her place as the top female fighter in the sport. Not only is Rousey the winner of “Submission of the Month,” she’s also, in my opinion, the “Fighter of the Month” for March, if not the “Fighter of the Year” for 2012.
Upset of the Month: Kazuo Misaki vs. Paul Daley, Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey
Coming in as a sizeable underdog to vaunted striker Paul Daley, not many people gave PRIDE FC veteran Kazuo Misaki much of a chance when the two squared off in early March at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey. After all, it was only Misaki’s second fight on American soil in his career, and he was only 3-3 in his previous six bouts. Daley, meanwhile, was coming off two straight wins, and had a “Fight of the Year” contender with Nick Diaz not long beforehand, so considering that Misaki had been knocked out twice in his last four fights, and that Daley was one of the heaviest hitters in the sport, most assumed that Misaki would be waking up with a doctor’s flashlight being waved in his face.
But that didn’t happen, as Misaki was able to frustrate Daley and outpoint him en route to a unanimous decision win. It was a huge win for Misaki and proved that he’s been one of the most underrated welterweights ever. Daley, on the other hand, showed what everyone knew already, that he was overrated. After the bout, Daley was released by Strikeforce, and signed with Bellator not long after, while Misaki, shockingly, retired from the sport of MMA. Sure, he’s 36-years old, but the Daley win was huge, and the fact he retired came as a surprise to many. But we all know MMA retirements seldom last, so don’t be surprised if Misaki fights again.
All in all, March 2012 was a solid month of MMA action, but a lack of a big-time UFC pay-per-view hurt it a bit. Still, there were some memorable matchups and on the whole, it was a lot of fun.
What do you think the Fight of the Month was? Be sure to rate these fights and others, so that your favorite fight can be considered for the 2012 Fans’ Choice award.
