Rear-View Mirror: UFC 110

There are often landmark performances that answer many questions while fully authenticating a fighter's status as truly deserving of the hype. Anyone that not only defeats Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, but finishes him decisively inside of the first round is no joke and is not to be underestimated.

Ladies and gentleman--Cain Velasquez is for real.  Perhaps the most amazing part of his leap directly into the mix of the world's best heavyweight was that he decimated Nogueira in an area of mixed martial arts that he is not known to excel in:  he waltzed out of his corner last night and engaged Big Nog with a frightening bounce in his step and air of complete confidence that was palpably unnerving, and proceeded to unleash a stockpile of picture-perfect kickboxing combinations that were executed as smooth and fluently as a lightweight.  I'm never one to jump to drastic conclusions, but what we saw from Cain Velasquez last night equated to some of the most formidable and impressive stand-up abilities in the heavyweight division.

Three and four-punch combinations, low kicks, high kicks, lightning-fast reaction times, excellent head movement, and crafty footwork were all on full display last night in Cain Velasquez' thorough destruction of the legend Nogueira.  I've noticed how uniquely comfortable Velasquez seemed in the limited times we've all seen him attack on the feet in the past, but I never expected him to march through one of the most resilient fighters in the game like he did last night.  His power was shocking, and I immediately imagined how exhilarating a bout versus Junior Dos Santos, another quickly rising heavyweight contender, would unfold.

Although he was much more patient, composed, and hesitant throughout the bulk of the fight, we did see shades of "The Axe Murderer" of old in the final seconds of the co-main event, which also produced the same result that most of Wanderlei Silva's past opponents suffered.  Silva sealed the deal on a close fight by shedding his hesitation and initiating a final, fearless charge of sweeping hooks that backed Bisping against the fence and eventually introduced him to the canvas just before the bell sounded. 

This was a respectable performance by the brash Brit, as Bisping wasn't scared to exchange, showed an intelligent gameplan with well-timed takedowns, and once again showed a highly polished boxing arsenal with great defense, and smart footwork, all punctuated with crisp uppercuts and 1-2's.  His personality continues to be a "love him or hate him" affair, as the crowd booed during his entrance and as he took the mic in the post-fight interview, but cheers resounded after his classy and respectful comments to Joe Rogan.  He's made excellent strides on the UFC's big stage thus far, and he will continue to grow and advance as a fighter, while Silva keeps his head above the water-level with a much needed victory.

Another fighter made a commanding leap over the line separating the unproven up-and-comers and the legit contenders when George Sotiropoulos ran a Jiu-Jitsu clinic on former title-challenger Joe Stevenson.  Making the most of his spindly limbs both standing and grounded, the hometown Australian picked Stevenson apart in standing exchanges and owned every grappling sequence with a level of black-belt expertise not often seen in the UFC.  Sotiropoulos earned a strong decision win that will propel him into the lightweight spotlight, while "Joe Daddy" once again faces a setback in his checkered career since The Ultimate Fighter. 

The final newcomer to make a statement of his worth versus an established staple in the weight class was another TUF-product in Ryan Bader, who clipped Keith Jardine with a short punch from close range, then capitalized on a wobbled Keith Jardine with a flying knee-right hook combination that missed the mark, but followed with a jackhammer left hand that crumpled Jardine into submission.  Like Cain Velasquez, another wrestling-based fighter passes his first big test with flying colors without even using his core competency.

Mirko CroCop emerged with a familiar air of cold composure that was eerily reminiscent of the man who was once known as the most feared striker in the game, and took full advantage of the lesser quality of Anthony Perosh, who replaced an ill Ben Rothwell, by connecting with a sharp elbow from inside Perosh's guard that the medical staff assessed as too dangerous to allow continuance.  Although CroCop desperately needs to get back on the right track, the win was bittersweet as Perosh was clearly over-matched and fighting a losing battle.

In the spirited preliminary fight that closed the pay-per-view, Kryzysztof Soszynski caught a break by being awarded the win via TKO after an accidental head-butt opened up a gaping wound on Stephan Bonnar in the final frame.  Because of the event's location, the unified rules of MMA that would normally govern an international event were not at play, so no "instant replay" was available to review whether or not the blow in question was caused by a legal technique, so although Bonnar is free to contest the outcome, the Team Quest 205'er notches another win on his belt.

Chris Lytle increased his pace and aggressiveness versus Brian Foster on the undercard, and deftly rolled for a fight-ending leglock that clinched another first-round success for the Indiana firefighter.  The highly acclaimed Goran Reljic returned to the octagon after a long layoff but couldn't overcome the wrestling prowess and tenacity of C.B. Dollaway, as Bader's training partner will also return back to Arizona one critical win deeper.

Finally, James Te Huna caught Igor Pokrajac for a TKO win in the 3rd round to kick off his UFC career in proper fashion.