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In a night with a number of surprising outcomes, what was the most shocking thing to take place at UFC 156?
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
No offense to the Giant Invisible Voice who keeps asking the questions (I think it might be the boss), but the questions should really read, "Not including Antonio Silva's unbelievable, awe-inspiring, shocking KO of Alistair Overeem, what was the most shocking thing to take place at UFC 156?" Because as it stands now, anyone who is shocked by a world class MMA Boxer defeating a middleweight who refuses to cut, or a world-class grappler out-grappling a good college wrestler, or a bunch of mid-level Strikeforce fighters beating a bunch of mid-level UFC fighters (really? We're going to be shocked, SHOCKED!, that Jacob Volkmann lost a fight?) just doesn't have nay sense of perspective.
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Alistair Overeem being knocked out by Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva was the most shocking thing. Overeem tried to clown him, and got knocked out for doing so. That really, really made Overeem look bad considering that Overeem was talking so much trash before the fight.
YANNI KYRIACOS, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Shock
/SHäk/
Noun
1) A sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience
2) A group of twelve sheaves of grain placed upright and supporting each other to allow the grain to dry and ripen
Assuming Jamie is referencing the more commonly understood definition of the two, I'm going to go ahead and suppose that after Bigfoot knocked Overeem senseless he didn’t go back to his day job working on the farm while collecting good dreams that he later distributes to children (The BFG was my fave Roald Dahl book).
I have a strong recommendation to make; google image Overeem at the weigh-ins for UFC 141, and compare that to 156. The difference is stark. Combine this with the fact that Bigfoot has criminally underrated hands (just poor head movement), reasonable power, and was clearly being overlooked in the lead up to the fight, I don’t think anybody should have been upset or surprised by the experience or event. Or for that matter, noticed a group of twelve sheaves of grain placed upright in the middle of the cage.
Similarly, consider Rashad Evans' whimper of a lead in to the event. The entire MMA community was in furor hypothesizing Anderson’s next matchup, while the front runner couldn’t have been less committal (more non-committal?) or ambiguous in his language.
The biggest surprise for me was Anthony Pettis. Less than two weeks after being guaranteed what he so long coveted, an about face has occurred, dismissing the perceived risk in waiting for a title shot, while welcoming the risk of the unknown. He is not Frankie Edgar, who had lost twice consecutively to the Champion, and been battered by more powerful strikers. In my opinion, whilst it sets up one of the more dynamic matchups in recent memory, this is the wrong move - better the devil you know.
TONY BECERRA, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Without a doubt the most shocking thing to take place at UFC 156 was Alister Overeem getting knocked out in the third round. Talk about waking up a sleeping giant! Bigfoot Silva came into that fight with no fear and enough confidence in his hands to go toe to toe with Alister. Rich Donnelly said it best "there are two types of people in the world, people that are humble and people that are about to be," and Alister Overeem experienced the latter part of that statement Saturday night.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I think the most shocking thing to come out of UFC 156 was that Alistair Overeem forgot at this level anyone can be beaten at any time. Insert any number of huge upsets; GSP vs. Serra, Randy Couture defeats Tim Sylvia, Keith Jardine defeating Chuck Liddell etc. If MMA has taught us anything it is that if you do not keep your hands up you can be beaten. If Overeem wants to come back he will need to stop all of the crap and start training again. For whatever reason maybe the Blackzilian camp is not the best place for him.
DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR
Watching Kim Winslow walk around the Octagon on my TV, in High Definition, was really shocking. To be honest it was absolutely terrifying and I'm still having nightmares about it. Apart from that, now Alistair Overeem is fighting clean, was it such a major upset that he lost to Bigfoot?
Paul Sass also proved a while ago that Jacob Volkmann isn't that good, so him losing to Bobby Green wasn't the biggest upset of all time. I guess I'd have to say the Rashad Evans loss, I really didn't see that one coming. But seeing as Lil Nog is Brazilian, and they always win, was that such as upset too?
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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