Roundtables
UFC 163 Roundtables: Hansen, Hobaugh, Hyden, and Penick Rate and review "Aldo vs. Korean Zombie" event
Aug 4, 2013 - 7:05:33 PM UFC 163 Roundtables: Hansen, Hobaugh, Hyden, and Penick Rate and review "Aldo vs. Korean Zombie" event

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RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST: (2.0)

Since this was a two-fight card, I'm using the top two fights to formulate this score. There were certainly moments on the undercard and prelims that I enjoyed, but, whatever.

This was the worst big-fight bad-decision since Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar 2. And even in that fight you could make the case for Henderson winning. Davis got away with murder, which admittedly only makes him the eightth worse person to graduate from Penn State. Dana White, "Wow!!! I had Machida winning all three rounds but that's what happens when u leave it up to the judges!" Considering that there might be nothing White wants less than a Machida title shot to happen, the lack of outrage on his part is notable.

The UFC app said that Davis landed 68 strikes and was 6/8 on takedowns, yet FightMetric stats had Machida winning 30-27, and counted Davis as completing only 2 of 10 takedowns Either the person doing the stats for the UFC app is a damn idiot, or those numbers were tweaked to support the UFC's preferred outcome. Davis now holds wins over #1 Lyoto Machida, #2 Alexander Gustafsson, and #5 Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. That demands a title shot over Glover Teixeira or Daniel Cormier, yet somehow, despite this being what the UFC wanted, I don't see it happening. I feel for Machida who has been screwed yet again.

The main event... The less said the better. I can take bad fights, but it stings extra when it's a fight with such a high level of anticipation. I really needed this to be a barn burner because the fight leading into the main event left such a caustic taste in my mouth. I'm sure I'll have much more to say about it on The MMA Torch Tuesday Night Livecast.

As to the rest of the card... in retrospect I'm not surprised by Thales Leites' manhandling of Tom Watson, I don't care how many Open Championships he's won, changing sports at 60-some years old is too much to ask. Back to the links, Tom.

I have no idea what to make of Mutante over Santos because I will freely admit I know nothing of (this) Thiago Santos. The last time I saw Mutante fight I was in a bowling alley in Chicago, well on my way to getting 42 sheets to the wind. That said, he certainly seemed to have talent and skills, so I'm excited to see him fight and I certainly will be sober for the next one.

John Lineker would be destroyed if he ever fought Mighty Mouse. He can want all the title shots he wants, but until he makes 125, and defeats a top-five guy at that weight, I don't care what he wants. Demetrious Johnson vs. Joesph Benavidez II needs to be next for the flyweight title.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR: (6.0)

The undercard was worth watching and had some very exciting moments. Ian McCall looked good and finally got a victory after two straight loses. The main card was not a great card. Many of the undercard fights were better than the PPV.

It was good to see Thales Leites back in the Octagon after a four year absence. He looked good and used his grappling to win a blood soaked decision victory over Tom Watson.

Phil Davis vs. Lyoto Machida was a much closer and exciting fight than I had anticipated. Machida won the fight, but the judges gave the unanimous decision to Davis. This was a horrible decision and is one of the worst decisions that I have ever seen. Davis will now move up and one step closer to fighting for a title. Machida will now be forced to win at least two more before he will be considered for a title shot.

Jose Aldo vs. Chan Sung Jung went pretty much the most had thought it would, with Aldo retaining his title. It was a good fight until the Zombies shoulder popped out of its socket. Aldo is a great champ and I do not see anyone fighting today at 145 who has a realistic shot at beating him. The Korean Zombie will need two or three more wins over top competition before he will get another title shot.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR: (4.5)

The show probably wasn't actually as bad as my score might indicate, but that decision giving Phil Davis the sham win over Lyoto Machida, and Chan Sung Jung injuring himself leading to his loss to Jose Aldo, has just left an incredibly bad taste in my mouth. How do the judges give Davis that win? There's no way in hell that he deserved that decision. This also throws the light heavyweight title picture into total flux now. You can't give Davis a title shot after this fight. And Sung Jung hurting himself just took the air out of the evening for me. Yeah, Aldo was likely heading towards victory but you never know, and it just sucks to have a title fight end that way.


JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: (5.5)

It was a slightly above average card, and a mostly entertaining night of fights. However, they had little consequence to them outside of the top two fights, and those two bouts were unfortunately not up to what came before it.

It really is terrible for "The Korean Zombie" that the fight ended the way it did, with him in pain and his shoulder out of the socket while Jose Aldo separated. However, it gave us a glimpse into just how brutal the 145 lb. kingpin can be.

Aldo demolished Jung as soon as the shoulder was popped out, and even going so far as to attack the just injured shoulder. It all ultimately led to Aldo extending his unbeaten streak, and it was brutal to see in that final frame.

As for Phil Davis-Lyoto Machida, it's full on proof that the judging system just doesn't work. It just doesn't. Machida had a case for all three rounds, and Davis just doesn't. That disconnect has left many disheartened, and there doesn't seem to be any real efforts coming anytime soon to work on it.

The rest of the night brought some fun action, but that happens often with mismatches and ultimately doesn't need a ton.


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