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 MMARatings.net are picking out particular moments from every month that stand out amongst them all.
August was another interesting month of MMA action. The Ultimate Fighting Championship held four cards during the course of the month, while the World Series of Fighting and Bellator also presented cards. Fight fans had more than enough to consume, and these are some of the high points of action in August:
Fight of the Month: Jose Aldo slays the “Korean Zombie”
Jose Aldo vs. Chang Sung Jung, UFC 163
Chang Sung Jung wasn’t expected to defeat Jose Aldo when they met at UFC 164, but it was well known that he had a fighting style that would take the fight to the champion. Not only did he do that, but he did so in a way that made his legend even larger.
Jung was the aggressor for much of the contest, but didn’t have any answer for Aldo’s counterstriking and his ability to score takedowns when needed. Jung continued to press the action, even after a sudden shoulder injury that would have stopped most fighters in their tracks. Unfortunately, fighting the current champion with one arm isn’t the smartest of strategies, as he was left open for the finishing blows that Aldo would land in the fourth round.
“The Korean Zombie” lived up to his name when he was finally given the title shot that he earned. Even though he pushed the action against the champion to create an exciting bout, he was unable to defeat Aldo, just like 22 other fighters.
• Jose Aldo vs. Chan Sung Jung (UFC Featherweight Championship): Jose Aldo def. Chan Sung Jung via TKO (strikes) at 2:00 of Round 4.
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Knockout of the Month: Chad Mendes Pummels Clay Guida
Chad Mendes vs. Clay Guida, UFC 164
Chad Mendes has become a dynamo in the featherweight division, so much so that he is considered one of the best athletes without a title on the UFC’s roster. When he was placed in a matchup against Clay Guida at UFC 164, he was the immediate favorite in the contest. The way he would finish Guida was stunning, as he became the first person to finish “The Carpenter” via any form of knockout.
Thirty seconds into the third round, Mendes would land a combination that would put Guida out of action. Pressing Clay against the cage, he would throw a left hook followed by a right that snapped his opponent’s head back and forth. Guida fell into the seated position and was wide open for followup shots, as it was clear that this fight was over, even before Yves Lavigne stepped in to call the bout.
• Chad Mendes vs. Clay Guida: Chad Mendes def. Clay Guida TKO (punches) 0:30 of Round 3.
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Submission of the Month: Anthony Pettis Submits Benson Henderson
Anthony Pettis vs. Benson Henderson, UFC 164
The rematch between Anthony Pettis and Benson Henderson was one of the most anticipated fights that the UFC could have created. The world had seen the highlight of Pettis landing the famed “Showtime Kick” multiple times, so the UFC had built-in promotion for the main event when it was finally booked. Pettis had earned his way to a shot at Henderson’s lightweight championship and he was looking to take his second title away from “Smooth.” He would do so, but the way he did it was captivating in its own right.
Pettis needed just one round to catch Henderson in a very tight armbar, forcing Henderson to submit for just the second time in his career. It may have been anticlimactic how the tapout was coerced, but Pettis did so in almost effortless fashion. His growth as a fighter was on display at that event, and the lightweight division now has a champion with the potential to hold the title for an extended period of time.
• Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis (UFC Lightweight Championship: Anthony Pettis def. Benson Henderson via verbal submission (armbar) at 4:31 of Round 1.
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Upset of the Month: Sonnen Submits “Shogun”
Chael Sonnen vs. Mauricio Rua, UFC Fight Night 26
When his career is over, Chael Sonnen may be best known for reinventing the way that MMA athletes promote themselves into big fights. He’s done so multiple times in his life, and this main event wasn’t any different. Hrading into the fight, he was expected to lose, although there were some experts that saw him winning the contest by grinding Mauricio Rua into exhaustion. Instead, Sonnen would pull guard on the former Pride star and UFC champion and submit him with a guillotine choke in the first round of their contest.
While neither fighter may be considered a top challenger in the light heavyweight division, this was still a very surprising win for Sonnen, and an even more telling defeat for Rua. While he would be able to rebound before the year was out, many observers were ready for Rua to bring his fighting career to a close due to his submission loss to Chael Sonnen.
• Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Chael Sonnen: Chael Sonnen def. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua via submission (guillotine choke) at 4:47 of Round 1.
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August was one of the months in the year that saw the most mixed martial arts action. Nearly every week there was some form of contest going on within the UFC, which gave us a number of fights to choose from. After what has been a very exciting fourth quarter of 2013, much of the anticipation for it goes back even further, to the month of August.
Do you agree with these choices for August 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.
