With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMAjunkie takes a look back at February’s best fights. Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, as well as the winner of MMAjunkie’s “Fight of the Month” award for February 2014. At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
THE NOMINEES
Abel Trujillo vs. Jamie Varner at UFC 169
Lightweight sluggers Abel Trujillo (12-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and Jamie Varner (21-9-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC) went to war in the UFC 169 main card opener in a bout that produced one of the best knockouts and overall fights of the month.
Neither fighter displayed any regard for their consciousness as they traded heavy bombs for nearly eight minute before Varner ate a huge right hand on the chin that put him out cold for the first time in his career. While both men were nearly finished with strikes in the fight, it was Trujillo who landed the spectacular fight-ending blow.
Yuri Alcantara vs. Wilson Reis at UFC Fight Night 36
What was originally viewed as an easy win for Yuri Alcantara (29-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) ultimately turned out to be a hard-fought one as Wilson Reis (17-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) pushed his fellow Brazilian to the limit for three rounds at UFC Fight Night 36.
The bantamweight affair produced some of the more exciting grappling exchanges seen inside the octagon as both men looked very sharp on the mat. Despite facing some moments of trouble in the fight, Alcantara got the dominant positions when needed and took home the narrow split-decision win.
Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi at UFC Fight Night 36
It may not have been the most high-paced and thrilling affair, but Lyoto Machida (21-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) and Gegard Mousasi (34-4-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) put on a technical masterpiece in the UFC Fight Night 36 headliner.
With both men being highly talented and technical strikers, it was thought the middleweight contender matchup would be a calculated game of chess. That’s what it turned out to be, as Machida and Mousasi tried to solve the puzzle that is each other’s game for five full rounds,
Ultimately Machida was the better man in that aspect, outstriking Mousasi for the majority of 25 minutes for an impressive decision victory.
Rory MacDonald vs. Demian Maia at UFC 170
UFC President Dana White said publicly that he anticipated Rory MacDonald (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) and Demian Maia (18-6 MMA, 12-6 UFC) to deliver the stinker fight of the UFC 170 card. In the end, though, it was the two welterweights who put on the most entertaining bout of the entire event.
While MacDonald took home the decision victory, it wasn’t without some moments of worry as he nearly gave two rounds away to the jiu-jitsu ace on positioning alone. “Ares” showed his determination to get the win, though, as he fought off Maia’s feared grappling attacks well enough to pepper the Brazilian with strikes and get the nod from the judges.
Matt Bessette vs. Diego Nunes at Bellator 110
Some fighters are cautious in the opening round of the Bellator tournament due to requirement of a quick turnaround, but featherweights Matt Bessette (13-4 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) and Diego Nunes (18-6 MMA, 0-2 BMMA) had no choice but to give it their all at Bellator 110.
Bessette and Nunes pushed each other to the limit over the course of the 15-minute affair, and while it was an extremely close fight, Bessette was awarded the win by the judges. This fight had a little bit of everything that constitutes a great battle and while the loss extended Nunes’ losing streak to three in a row, it’s was a reminder of how exciting the Brazilian is capable of being.
THE WINNER
Rory MacDonald vs. Demian Maia at UFC 170
Rory MacDonald was looking for a major rebound at UFC 170 after his loss to Robbie Lawler this past November. That win for Lawler put him in a title fight against Johny Hendricks after MacDonald teammate Georges St-Pierre vacated the belt to take a leave from the sport.
Now, after defeating Demian Maia in a “Fight of the Night” performance, MacDonald may be in a position to fight the winner of that bout, which headlines UFC 171 next month in Dallas.
“I was very happy with how I fought,” MacDonald told MMAjunkie. “I felt like I didn’t overthink everything like my last couple fights. I just went in there and let the training show. I just shut my mind off and I fought. I felt good. I’d still like to rewatch the fight, but everyone seems to be happy with it.”
Where he might not be happy upon rewatching it is in the first round. Maia took him down early and force MacDonald to work off his back. But MacDonald weathered the early storm against the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
And in the second and third rounds, when Maia again wanted to get the fight to the floor, MacDonald continually shrugged off the takedown attempts. Maia got just one more big one in the third, but couldn’t do much with it, and MacDonald worked his way back to the feet – where he continued to beat the Brazilian up in the standup department on his way to a trio of 29-28 scores.
“I stayed calm,” MacDonald said. “I knew Demian’s takedown was very strong and he’s a strong jiu-jitsu fighter. But I stayed relaxed and I waited for my opportunity to escape and get back to my feet. I knew if I got up to my feet again, defended the takedown, that takes effort on his part. I knew I’d wear him out that way. He’s a super tough guy. I hit him with a lot of good shots, and he stayed on his feet.”
MacDonald said it was only Maia’s toughness that kept him from getting a finish.
“I was definitely trying to finish him and keep the punches and kicks coming,” he said. “But he was taking everything I had and constantly shooting for my legs. But I was definitely in there for the kill. It just didn’t come through.”
