The Fallout of Knockout: Inside UFC 76’s Upsets

The real spelling of disarray: light heavyweight. After crowning an uncontested king in Quinton Jackson, two weeks later Keith Jardine and Forrest Griffin sent unofficial number one contenders Chuck Liddell and “Shogun” Rua into a downward spiral, taking the division down with them. What does the UFC do now? By Danny Acosta

The old adage probably written by one of the greatest thinkers of his time, but made famous by Ric Flair, “To be the man, you have to beat the man!” aptly describes UFC 76. Upset performances—and that is almost a vacuous term in 2007 and in a sport as versatile as mixed martial arts—by The Ultimate Fighter products Forrest Griffin and Keith Jardine in the co-main events proved perception is nothing; reality is everything.

Reality is a foul mistress for Chuck Liddell and Mauricio Rua, who were perceived as the two best fighters not wearing unified gold before decisive losses on Saturday night. “Shogun” even had the luxury as being nominated the 205-pound king because he defeated Quinton Jackson in brutal fashion. But both elite light heavyweights delivered
lackluster performances. At least, that is how their overwhelming opponents made them look.

A Greg Jackson Submission Fighter, Jardine beat the former champion at his own game. Leg kicks stung the power hitter. He had all the rhythm of a haggard VCR, but this disabled the mohawk-avenger’s range. More importantly, it kept Liddell guessing—something Liddell’s all-punch game plan failed to accomplish.

The former bounty hunter’s chin withstood the knockout artists punching attack. Jardine’s power even surpassed Liddell during the three round bout. He sent the Kempo fighter to the floor en route to a decisive split decision win.

The outcome of the fight should not be so shocking (aside from the fact it ended in decision). It is easy to say that in retrospect, but once Liddell stared at Big John McCarthy instead of Jardine during the pre-fight instructions, it was apparent hard times were ahead.

While Liddell has been battling top competition for nearly a decade, he has also become comfortable in his training, game plan, and newfound rock star status.

“The Iceman” is one of the very few fighters in the upper-echelon of the fight game that does not train with other top-tier talents. When a fighter is the best in his camp, where does his talent evolve? Liddell’s game plan is unquestionable effective, but it is not a secret—that makes it penetrable. Add that into his dependence on the big punch, lack of combinations, and absent legs during the fight and the striker is disarmed. Lastly, the Southern Californian went on record as saying he did not party leading up to this fight. That is the right attitude, however, alcohol consumption and extended nights have long-term effects on the body. Liddell is thirty-seven.

Jardine, on the other hand, has been on a steady diet of better competition all the way to his biggest win-to-date. Top-tier training partners and Greg Jackson’s diverse mind prepared the Montana-native properly, coming off a knockout loss of his own.

The reason he lost to Houston Alexander? He wanted to fight Chuck Liddell instead. Well, there are also Alexander’s fists to take the blame.

Both Jardine and Liddell were coming off knockout losses. The difference is Jardine wanted to be there in the Octagon with Liddell; Liddell wanted to be in the cage with the champion. Wanderlei Silva dangling over his head did not help either.

Fickle fans want to send Liddell packing. He is not done. The stacked weight-class just presents new challenges for a veteran, who has built a career on a willingness to fight. He just needs to remember what him successful: fear, and the combination of strikes that made it possible.

“The Dean of Mean” picks up the most important win of his career. With his imposing frame, his chopping stand-up style, and his supernatural demeanor, he should pick-up a new nickname: “The Devil’s Bodyguard.”

In the co-main event of the night, Forrest Griffin out-hustled, out-struck, and out-grappled Mauricio Rua. A younger, sharper version of “The Axe Murderer,” Rua was expected to ravage the former police officer in a street-style beat down.

Outside of the infallible Randy Couture, no one gave Griffin a chance against.

“The Natural” cornered Griffin. This translates to a solid game plan and the first bad omen for “Shogun.” Ron Frazier, Griffin’s boxing coach, was the next sign of trouble for the Brazilian. The 2005 205-pound Pride tournament champion has struggled with boxers before in Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Griffin stayed out of the clinch, employing angles and damaging the Chute Boxe standout with his boxing.

Griffin’s size caused trouble for the aggressive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, who tired himself brining the fight to the mat. The Ultimate Fighter winner’s size also allowed him to stand back up with ease. The Georgian’s heart—always considered to be his best asset—aligned with solid cardio was the deciding factor against the seemingly absent Rua.

But why was one of the most violent fighters in mixed martial arts docile?

“Shogun” was under the pressure of debuting in the UFC, while Griffin has long enjoyed the feel and fans of the cage. Furthermore, his brother and training partner (who he did not prepare for with for this fight) just suffered a devastating knockout loss, dropping his title in the process. Another long-time training partner, Wanderlei Silva, was not there to prepare him either.

Simply put, Griffin came to fight. “Shogun” did not. Rua constantly turtled and Griffin punished him for it, attempting to end the fight. With twenty seconds left and looking at the clock in dominant position, Griffin could have awaited a sure decision. Instead, he secured a rear-naked choke and definitively proved his worth.

At twenty-five-years-old, Rua is not going anywhere. It is only the third loss of his career. His UFC homecoming will have to wait, but do not be surprised if he garners the position of king.

Forrest Griffin has been one of MMA’s most popular fighters since helping to launch the sport in North America in 2005. With newfound credibility and a better view of Quinton Jackson’s title, the twenty-eight-year old has carved himself into a UFC cornerstone.

There were no knockouts at the event titled “Knockout.” However, Griffin and Jardine have left a concussive impression on the world of mixed martial arts. Liddell and Rua still have that power too.