UFC Fight Night 32 Through our Eyes
UFC Fight Night 32 was an up and down night for Brazilian fans, as locals rose and fell against the invading fighters. Yet the big star of the night shone the brightest as Belfort starched GOAT fighter Dan Henderson in another highlight reel KO. That wasn’t the only interesting moment of the night, as we had two brilliant performances from prospects as well that need discussing. Let’s talk shop.
Ryan LaFlare: LaFlare came out of nowhere against Alloway in his UFC debut and impressed the hell out of me with his fluid grappling style and smart striking style. We had more of the same on display tonight, as he used his high-paced and physical style to devastate Ponzinbbio on a technical level. LaFlare has some of the best MMA wrestling I’ve seen in a long time, operating in a similar manner to Ben Askren; Sticking to opponents after initial contact and not giving them space to escape. Every takedown had a follow-up shot planted, and his hands were quick to snatch at ankles and wrists to break down Ponzinbbio’s posts as they were set, with a smooth top game rounding out his work. His striking could use a bit of fine tuning defensively, but I loved his use of sharp mid and low kicks that seemed to cut to the bone, and his fists have plenty of power on the end of his long limbs. He’s in a ruthless division, but I like LaFlare to go far here in the future.
Brandon Thatch: Coming off a brutally efficient beating over Justin Edwards in his debut, this fight with Paulo Thiago was going to answer a few questions as to Thatch’s upside at the elite level. A ruthless karateka, Thatch’s hammering punches and knees were all she wrote in one short round against Thiago, but this wasn’t the most important aspect of the fight in terms of his future. The key came about a minute in, when Thiago established a full bodylock on Thatch, driving him into the cage while hunting for that essential takedown. Despite the fact Thiago had a perfect grip, hand and shoulder placement, and no space anywhere in the lock, Thatch was able to halt the takedown with little more than a stiff core and a bit of head manipulation. This is a big deal considering Thiago’s power compared to most Welterweights, and the fact Thatch could stifle a technically sound maneuver like that should put several wrestlers on notice at Welterweight.
Vitor Belfort: Another Belfort fight, and another effortless KO puts him one step closer to the title shot of his choice. Yet, every time another body crashes to the mat, we’re plagued by the reminder of his unchecked steroid usage. It’s a sad state of affairs that the UFC is more concerned with its growth in Brazil and need of local stars, than with keeping clearly dirty fighters out of the sport or forcing them to get clean. Make no mistake, if Belfort is treated to the same scrutiny as Alistair Overeem, he’ll have the exact same meltdown once he’s forced to play by the rules. Belfort’s not a refocused man, he’s a drug-fueled berserker and a black eye for the sport once it’s made official again.
Complete UFC Fight Night 32 Results:
Vitor Belfort defeated Dan Henderson by 1st rd. KO (1:17) [KOTN]
Cezar Ferreira defeated Daniel Sarafian by Split Decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-28)
Rafael Cavalcante defeated Igor Pokrajac by 1st rd Submission due to Strikes (1:18)
Brandon Thatch defeated Paulo Thiago by 1st rd. Submission due to Strikes (2:10)
Ryan LaFlare defeated Santiago Ponzinibbio by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jeremy Stephens defeated Rony Jason by 1st rd. KO (0:40)
Sam Sicilia defeated Godofredo Pepey by 1st rd. TKO (1:42)
Omari Akhmedov defeated Thiago Perpetuo by 1st rd. KO (3:31) [FOTN]
Thiago Tavares defeated Justin Salas by 1st rd. Rear-Naked Choke Submission (2:39)
Adriano Martins defeated Daron Cruickshank by 2nd rd. Armbar Submission (2:49) [SOTN]
Dustin Ortiz defeated Jose Maria by 3rd rd. TKO (3:19)
About the Author (Author Profile)
I'm a 20+ year veteran of martial arts and a fan of MMA since UFC 1, when my world was thrown on its head by the budding sport. I'm obsessive in the pursuit of martial abilities and have competed across the country in everything from Vale Tudo to archery to Scottish broadsword. Once my body broke down, I picked up a pen and went in the direction of writing. I specialize in betting advice, predictions, and I'm a walking encyclopedia of MMA trivia. I own a cafe in Exeter, NH called Hammersmith Sandwich Company and write out of my office between customers.Subscribe
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