2013 was an exciting year in the world of mixed martial arts. There were countless memorable moments and fights in the last 12 months. Looking 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.
With only two events occurring across all of the major mixed martial arts promotions in North America, the month of May could be considered “quiet” by most standards. Still, there was enough action to pick out strong points in this year’s review of the sport.
Fight of the Month: Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway, UFC 160
Dennis Bermudez and Max Holloway are two of the most dynamic strikers in the featherweight division, and that was on showcase at UFC 160. Both competitors exchanged combinations in a fight that was deemed a split decision that was awarded to Bermudez.
Looking at the statistics from the bout, both competitors were very close on their strike totals. Bermudez landed 78 of 231 while Holloway scored on 79 of 197. The biggest difference was that Bermudez took Holloway down four times and passed his guard three. That dominance on the ground was enough to give “The Menace” the victory and keep his run through the featherweight division alive.
• Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway: Dennis Bermudez def. Max Holloway via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28).
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Knockout of the Month: Vitor Belfort Spin Kicks Luke Rockhold
Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold, UFC on FX 8
As mentioned before, “The Phenom” went on an impressive run of knockouts in 2013 that has helped him become the top contender in the middleweight division. Luke Rockhold found himself on the end of one of those highlight reel batterings when they met at UFC on FX 8. At the 2:32 point in the first round, Belfort would land a spinning heel kick that would drop the former Strikeforce champion and bring his string of victories to a halt at 9 straight.
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| GIF courtesy of @ZProphet_MMA |
This was one of the more devastating knockouts of the year and will be considered amongst the best of the year, as well as for Belfort’s career as a whole.
• Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold: Vitor Belfort def. Luke Rockhold via knockout (strikes) at 2:32 of Round 1.
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Submission of the Month: Ronaldo Souza Makes Presence Known
Ronaldo Souza vs. Chris Camozzi, UFC on FX 8
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza was one of the most interesting prospects that the UFC could have brought over after Zuffa’s purchase of Strikeforce. Since stepping into the Octagon, he’s yet to disappoint. Chris Camozzi was the first to feel his abilities, at UFC on FX 8. Camozzi took this bout on short notice, and was a major underdog going into the contest. Souza would need less than one round to put away his opponent that night. Sinking in an arm-triangle choke to get the tap at 3:37, “Jacare” put the division on notice that he is a definite wild card at 185 pounds.
• Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Chris Camozzi: Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza def. Chris Camozzi via technical submission (arm-triangle choke) at 1:37 of Round 1.
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Story of the Month: John Cholish’s Fighter Pay Comments
The conversation around fighter pay was held multiple times this year, but after UFC on FX 8, John Cholish made some interesting statements. After losing his bout against Gleison Tibau, Cholish walked away from the sport at a time when he was still enough of a competitor to be employed by one of the major promotions in the sport. He even went as far to display a picture of his check on social media to show how much fighters make at his level and how much they actually have to pay to be a professional fighter.
His actions would prompt multiple responses from UFC President Dana White, while Cholish would appear on multiple MMA news broadcasts to discuss the situation. The debate around fighter pay is far from over, and will probably never be “handled,” but seeing Cholish stand up for the athlete’s side in such a manner was quite interesting.
The month of May didn’t have many cards to fill the void for MMA fans, but the events that were held created action-packed moments that were worth watching from start to finish.
Do you agree with these choices for May 2013? Rate these fights and others, and be sure to make your voice heard, so that your favorite fights can be considered for the 2013 Fans’ Choice Awards.
