With one more day left to reflect on the world of mixed martial arts action from this past year, MMA Ratings continues on its journey to review the top moments of 2014. October had a number of profound moments for fight fans across the globe. These instances stand out as the best that the 31 days of October had to give the MMA world:
Fight of the Month: Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes 2
The rematch between Aldo and Mendes at UFC 179 was one of the most anticipated fights of the year. Their initial date at August 2nd in the main event of UFC 176 in Los Angeles was canceled due to an injury that sidelined the champion. The bout was moved back to Brazil, much to the chagrin of the challenger, but that did not stop him from bringing his A game into the Octagon that night.
Both competitors had their moments in this twenty-five-minute affair. Mendes dropped the first bomb when he tagged Aldo in the first round, dropping him to the canvas. Aldo would respond in the second as he had the Team Alpha Male fighter hurt, but continued to punish him after the bell. From that point forward Aldo continued to pull away by just enough to take a decision. At the end of the night, Brazilian fans still had their lone UFC champion, and Mendes had gained their respect.
Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes 2 was one of the best fights of 2014, and is certainly the top pick from October.
• Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes (UFC Featherweight Championship): Jose Aldo def. Chad Mendes via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46).
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Submission of the Month: Olivier Aubin-Mercier with the Inverted Triangle Kimura
Not to be outdone by Luke Rockhold earlier in the year, Olivier Aubin-Mercier showed the MMA world that he can also hit the inverted triangle kimura. He used this move to put out Jake Lindsey at UFC Fight Night 54 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. While it may have flown under the radar due to neither of these men carrying big names into the Octagon, it was certainly a spectacular finish that deserves the accolade as the best submission in the month of October.
• Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Jake Lindsey: Olivier Aubin-Mercier def Jake Lindsey via submission (inverted triangle) at 3:22 of Round 3.
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Knockout of the Month: Daniel Straus punishes Justin Wilcox
Former Bellator featherweight champion Daniel Straus looked like a man on a mission at Bellator 127. He lost his belt to Pat Curran in the waning moments of their fight and it seemed like he intended to take his anger out on “The Silverback.” Wilcox didn’t have much to oppose the pressure that Straus brought into the cage, as he was finished in under one minute. While the month of October did not have many knockouts, this one stood out as an example of the pure punishment that can occur within the cage.
• Daniel Straus vs. Justin Wilcox: Daniel Straus def. Justin Wilcox via KO (punches) at 0:50 of Round 1.
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Upset of the Month: Rick Story defeats Gunnar Nelson
Rick Story is an individual who has had his ups and downs throughout his MMA career. After defeating Johny Hendricks, he was expected to make a run in the welterweight division, but was defeated by Charlie Brenneman on a day’s notice. He’s struggled to work his way back up, but the big win he picked up over Gunnar Nelson at UFC Fight Night 53 should provide him with some momentum.
Heading into the fight, Nelson was an undefeated competitor that brought a lot of hype into the Octagon. However, that would not help him, as Story did enough to take a split decision win after twenty-five minutes of action in Stockholm, Sweden. While this defeat may not set Nelson back too far in his developing career, it will go a long way towards saving Story’s UFC run. Rick Story defeating Gunnar Nelson is the biggest upset that occurred in October.
• Gunnar Nelson vs. Rick Story: Rick Story def. Gunnar Nelson via split decision (47-48, 49-46, 50-44).
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October didn’t feature a number of big name fights, but it delivered in more ways than one. Chad Mendes and Jose Aldo gave one of the best performances of the year, while other competitors stood out for different reasons. Each of these moments deserve attention when mixed martial arts fans look back at 2014.
Do you agree with these choices for October 2014? Rate these fights and others, and be sure to make your voice heard!
