I have honestly been watching it from day one. I preferred the no holds barred origins but still appreciate what it has evolved into.
I saw Shamrock in his 'prime' at ultimate 9 versus Dan Severn. We drove all the way to Detroit to watch them both dance in circles. Garbage. Thankfully my man Don Frye fought on the card and provided us plenty of entertainment as well as signing a drunk fan's redskins t-shirt.
I'll never like Shamrock but he had been making a strong showing lately... gave Tito a good fight, and knocked kemo out pretty good. Still, Franklin is a beast and one of the first true hybrid fighters that doesn't have a particular style as much as being a practitioner of all MMA. If he can smoke Shamrock at 205, at 185, he's going to be tough to beat.
It was a good pop for UFC... I'm sure their PPV this weekend between Lidell and Couture will be their most purchased ever.
Promises to be a pretty decent fight too. Although Hughes/Trigg might be a better fight.
I wish they'd shown the undercards with all of the other fighters from the TV show, it would have been even better... here are the results from the
UFC website.
Light Heavyweight Bout (205 lbs.)
Sam Hoger (5-0-0) from Davenport, Iowa, won a unanimous decision after three rounds over Bobby Southworth (8-4-0) from Santa Cruz, Ca., with a a well-rounded attack standing and on the ground.
Middleweight Bout (185 lbs.)
Chris Leben (17-1-0) from Portland, Ore., won a TKO over Jason Thacker (4-2-0) from Whonnock, British Columbia, at the 1:35 mark of the first round. The fight was a grudge match holdover from the TV show when Leben ridiculed Thacker in the second episode. Thacker landed a hard right at the outset, but Leben recovered and went to a ground and pound attack for the win.
Middleweight Bout (185 lbs.)
Josh Koscheck (5-0-0) from Buffalo, NY, defeated Chris Sanford (5-1-0) from San Francisco, Ca., by escaping a strong leg lock and landing elbow strikes and punches to win a TKO at the 4:21 mark of the first round.
Middleweight Bout (185 lbs.)
Nate Quarry (12-1-0) from Gresham, Ore., who never fought on the show due an ankle injury sustained in training, defeated Lodune Sincaid (15-3-0) from N. Hollywood, Ca., by TKO at the 3:17 mark of the first round.
Light Heavyweight Bout (205 lbs.)
Mike Swick (7-1-0) from San Jose, Ca., knocked out Alex Schoenauer (10-1-0) from Las Vegas, Nev., in 20 seconds of the first round by landing four powerful strikes at the start of the fight.
Welterweight Bout (170 lbs.)
Alex Karalexis (5-0-0) from Las Vegas, Nev., knocked out Josh Rafferty (7-4-0) from Cincinnati, Ohio, with a powerful right hand strike at the 1:40 mark of the first round.
Sean Taylor was one of a kind, may he rest in peace.