2014 was an eventful year in the world of mixed martial arts. There were quite a few 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.
Fight of the Month: Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler, UFC 171
My pick for Fight of the Month was the five-round war at UFC 171 between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler, a fight that is on the shortlist for 2014 Fight of the Year. The two top welterweight contenders duked it out for 25 minutes for the vacant UFC welterweight title back on March 15 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, ultimately setting a record for most significant strikes landed in a UFC title fight.
The two fighters traded strikes for nearly the entire time, with only a short part of the bout taking place on the ground when Hendricks was able to land key takedowns to steal rounds on the judges’ cards. At the end of the five rounds, Hendricks was the man who got his hand raised, but it was such a close, competitive fight that Lawler’s stock also rose in what turned out to be UFC 171’s Fight of the Night.
The two welterweights eventually rematched at UFC 181, with Lawler this time defeating Hendricks by split decision to take the bout, but that fight was close too, and now, because we don’t know who the better fighter is, even after 50 minutes of them trading leather in the cage, the two will meet in a trilogy fight sometime next year to decide once and for all who the better man is.
• Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler (UFC Welterweight Championship): Johny Hendricks def. Robbie Lawler via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47 48-47).
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Knockout of the Month: Dong Hyun Kim vs. John Hathaway, TUF China Finale
My pick for Knockout of the Month goes to Dong Hyun Kim for his spinning back elbow KO on John Hathaway at the TUF China Finale, which took place March 1 at CotaiArena in Macau, China. The knockout was the first of its kind in UFC history, and the fact it came from such an unexpected source made it even more memorable.
This was actually a very competitive fight up until the knockout, as Hathaway was doing well with his wrestling and hanging with Kim on the feet. But in the fourth round of the fight, Kim out of nowhere unleashed a spinning elbow that hit Hathaway right in the head and dropped him. It was absolutely vicious, not to mention surprising just because the man who threw it, Kim, isn’t really known for knocking opponents out. But he did this night, and when it’s all said and done, it will likely remain the highlight of Kim’s career.
• Dong Hyun Kim vs. John Hathaway: Dong Hyun Kim def. John Hathaway via knockout (elbow) at 1:02 of Round 3.
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Submission of the Month: Pat Curran vs. Daniel Straus, Bellator 112
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| GIF courtesy of ZProphetMMA |
My pick for Submission of the Month was Pat Curran’s fifth-round rear-naked choke on Daniel Straus at Bellator 112, which took place March 14 at The Horseshoe in Hammond, Indiana. It was the trilogy fight between the two fighters, and it was a fight that was destined to be close if it hit the judges’ scorecards, but Curran made sure that wasn’t the case, as he was able to take advantage of a gassed-out Straus and submit him with just 14 seconds left in the fight, the latest stoppage ever in Bellator history.
The fact it took place in the pair’s trilogy fight is the key to why this was such an important submission, but the fact most observers had Straus winning the fight is even more key, because this fight was only 14 seconds away from hitting the cards. However, Curran wouldn’t let the judges decided the fate of the title he wanted, and instead he decided to dig deep and find the energy to get the finish. It was a fantastic finish, one of the best of the year, and it might be the best moment on Curran’s stacked resume.
• Daniel Straus vs. Pat Curran (FW Championship): Pat Curran def. Daniel Straus via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:46 of Round 5.
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Comeback of the Month: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, UFC Fight Night 38
My pick for Comeback of the Month goes to Dan Henderson for his brutal, one-punch knockout on Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC Fight Night 38. The event took place March 23 at Ginasio Nelio Dias in Natal, Brazil, and overall it was a record-setting event, as eight underdogs came through on the night. None, though, were as big as Henderson’s upset of Shogun, if only because of how the fight played out.
Henderson was coming into the fight off of three-straight losses while Shogun had just knocked out James Te Huna in devastating fashion. Most thought Shogun would dominate Henderson despite the fact Hendo beat him in the pair’s first fight at UFC 139, and for the first two rounds, that’s exactly what happened, as Shogun was able to knock down Hendo twice and nearly finish him in violent fashion.
Somehow, though, Henderson survived the onslaught, and in the third round he showed why he is so dangerous, as he landed a huge right hand on Shogun during a clinch break that shattered Shogun’s nose and forced the referee to step in. Considering he was getting absolutely destroyed before the finish, this was one of the most incredible moments of Henderson’s storied career to date, and an easy pick for Comeback of the Month.
• Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua: Dan Henderson def. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua via TKO (punches) at 1:31 of Round 3.
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Do you agree with these choices for March 2014? Rate these fights and others, and be sure to make your voice heard!
