The month of February was packed with a lot of mixed martial arts action. Bellator MMA and World Series of Fighting held one event each, and the UFC held three cards, all in the shortest month of the year. So even though the number of days were few, there were many interesting points to take away from the second month of 2014.
Knockout of the Month: Abel Trujillo and Jamie Varner Brawl Violently for Two Rounds
Jamie Varner and Abel Trujillo were charged with kicking off the main card of UFC 169. The event was crawling along, as every preceding fight ended in decision. And as fans and media members alike took to social media to complain, Varner and Trujillo would bring the viewing public the lone stoppage of the night.
From the very start of the fight it seemed as if Varner and Trujillo had made a secret pact to put on the fight of the night. They came out swinging, and Varner used his wrestling to secure strong positions in the first round. Both fighters were showing visible wear as the second round started. Varner had Trujillo hurt against the cage, but the Blackzilian competitor found a way to get off the cage. Then it happened.
Trujillo landed a massive counter hook that seemed to explode against Varner’s face. The former WEC champion went down in a heap and an exhausted Abel Trujillo had his hand raised in victory. This knockout wasn’t a technical masterpiece, but the sheer violence behind it was enough to earn honors as the best knockout in February.
• Jamie Varner vs. Abel Trujillo: Abel Trujillo def. Jamie Varner via knockout (punch)at 2:32 of Round 2.
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Fight of the Month: Ronda Rousey Baptizes Sara McMann
The UFC finally had its opportunity to tout itself as a “real sport” to the mainstream with the main event of UFC 170 featuring two Olympic medalists battling for a title belt. Beyond that, two women were headlining the card. Rousey had been dominating the division, but McMann seemed to be the biggest challenge she would have to date. However, The Rowdy One would prove them all wrong.
Ninety-six seconds would pass before Rousey stood with her hands up in victory. In that short period a few things became clear that would make a rematch between these two very captivating.
First, Rousey was not able to toss McMann as easily as she had done all of her former challengers. At the same time, McMann was not able to use her Olympic-caliber wrestling to score a much needed takedown. Their high level judo and wrestling chops seemed to cancel each other out. Second, Rousey leaned on her ever-improving striking, which opened up a completely new facet to her MMA game. Third, the controversy behind the fast stoppage should provide a solid story foundation for a second meeting.
Ronda Rousey vs. Sara McMann was not a back and forth bout as many anticipated, but it still constituted an intriguing first chapter in what will hopefully be a worthwhile rivalry in the women’s bantamweight division.
• Ronda Rousey vs. Sara McMann (UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship): Champ Ronda Rousey def. Sara McMann via TKO (strikes) at 1:06 of Round 1.
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Fans’ Choice for Fight of the Month: Jamie Varner vs. Abel Trujillo, UFC 169
Submission of the Month: A Lack of Submissions Proves a Valuable Point
In the month of February something very peculiar occurred. Across the three major promotions in the sport (UFC, Bellator, and WSOF) there were 58 fights held, and within those 58 fights, there were only two submission victories. Brandt Dewsbery submitted Mark Drummond at WSOF Canada, and Daniel Weichel defeated Scott Cleve in the same manner at Bellator 110. While these four men do not have much of a following within the sport, this interesting tidbit of information furthers the idea that submission finishes are becoming harder to obtain within MMA. As the sport continues to move away from embracing grapplers who use their strength in positioning to earn their victories, the dearth of submissions in the month of February stands out as a reason that high level submission skills should be praised.
Controversial Moment of the Month: Renan Barão stops Urijah Faber
Bad finishes and decisionmaking by judges are commonplace within the sport of MMA. However, that doesn’t make them any easier to stomach when they occur. At UFC 169, fight fans were given the opportunity to watch Urijah Faber challenge for the bantamweight title again when he opposed Renan Barão. The finish would raise questions that still have not been answered.
Barão stunned Faber and dropped him early in the round. After dropping Faber again, the Brazilian champion pounced on his opponent and landed multiple shots to the side of Faber’s head and his hand. As Barão looked towards the ref for a stoppage, Faber kept his hands in place to protect the side of his head. Still, Herb Dean called the bout before it could get out of the first round. Fans would boo and question how Faber could have better protected himself, and the next few days were filled with conversation around the point, but even with those talks between fans and experts, a clear cut answer has not been discovered.
As the year closes, both Faber and Barão may be close to additional shots at the belt due to circumstances beyond their control. But their second meeting in the Octagon created the most controversial moment in the month of February.
• Renan Barão vs. Urijah Faber (UFC Bantamweight Championship)Renan Barao def. Urijah Faber via TKO (punches) at 3:34 of Round 1.
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Mixed martial arts does not have an off-season. So even though February had only 28 days to pass, the sport didn’t slow down at all, as it was one of the most action packed months of 2014 and it delivered in multiple ways.
Do you agree with these choices for February 2014? Rate these fights and others, and be sure to make your voice heard!
How can you call Rousey's quick finish of McMann even a good fight let alone FOTM? Isn't competiiveness necessary for a good fight?