Just my opinion here and I know that 99% will disagree with me, but I disagree with the majority of what people are saying. Next to Big Frankie, I am the biggest Couture fan, but that isn't going to cloud my judgement/opinion of what happened.
The fight was stopped because Vitor cut Randy. He threw a punch, it 'barely' connected but it caused damage to Randy to halt the bout. Isn't that what any fighter is hoping for? A few more inches to the left, he would have caught Randy right in the eye, perhaps the same eye socket that was operated upon, causing a knockout. A little lower, he would broke Randy's nose or a little lower, he could have hit Randy flush in the chin??? Perhaps, even still, a full connection may not even have phased Randy, but bottom line, he cut him.
In my honest opinion, this is the fight game and Vitor did nothing wrong. He timed his strike, threw it, and cut Randy!!! What's the difference if he hit him BANG ON or just barely??? Damage was done, and the fight was stopped.
Now, if at the beginning, when they came out of their corner, Randy rolled over his own ankle, breaking it or something, I can then see, why there should be a 'fluke' rematch or something. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see the rematch, but Vitor did nothing wrong here.
He won, fair and square!!!
Showdown Joe is correct.
However, it was an unsatisfying fight, I don't doubt, for all involved, COuture, Belfort, the fans, and the promotor. A fight that quick seems to need the spectacle of a "Belfort Blitz" or Cro Cop head kick or something impactful.
Sort of like diet food. You know it's food, but you also know it just ain't filling.
Joe, I think you're trolling but you can't fool me.
I don't think that anyone is disagreeing that Vitor is the winner here and legitimatly so based on the rules.
However, no fighter wants a win that way IMHO. A lot of guys would rather win with no questions asked.
I don't think you're saying he intended to cut Randy and finish him that way, but the difference is simply that it leaves questions.
This is worse than a decision that leaves both fighters feeling that they won. Neither has the sense of satisfaction that comes with the win.
Kind of like the time that I caught you with my sister and you leaped out the window into that dumptruck of squid to make your getaway before I could get you.
Sure I had the satisfaction of knowing you probably smelled like squid for a week and had to get rid of your thousand dollar Armani suit because it was ruined but it just wasn't the same you you know?
By the way, stay away from my sister damn you!
Unsatisfying for sure. I was hoping for a war.
What the %$#@!!!???
Unsatisfying? Why you son of a %$#@^!!!!
Oh, you mean the whole Randy/Vitor thing. I thought you were still talking about my sister.
Yeah, it leaves a bad impression and neither fighter wanted it to go that way. It sets up a nice rubber match though with a big pay day for both and a good conclusion. I disagree with all these people wanting to change the outcome of the match by changing the rules AFTER the fight. If they thought this would be a problem then it needed changing BEFORE the fight. This is how the sport evolves though. As issues come up they change the rules to suit the sport if they need to. Kinda like boxing went to 12 rounds from 15.
STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER JOE! I'M NOT KIDDING!
**shaking my fist**
I agree with Joe.
Showdown,
I think most people agree, including myself, but it was a bad glove that caused the cut. Other fighters are lucky this has not happened before.
This is from FCF:
He's Okay:
Couture Checks in With FCF
By Loretta Hunt
From Las Vegas this afternoon, recently unseated light-heavyweight champion Randy Couture called into FCF to let everyone know that he's okay. In a slightly somber tone, Couture says his injury last night at UFC 46 was caused by a seam on the outside of the commission issued gloves that grazed his left eye. (Couture says he didn't feel any impact from the actual punch). The damage required three stitches to his lower eyelid and five to his upper lid. Couture says there was also some retinal abrasion, as well as some irregularity with his pupil dilation that he was given eye drops for. Patched up and back in his Mandalay Bay hotel room, Couture says he has been resting with his wife and family members.
On the positive side, Couture was told all his optical maladies are expected to heal completely and with his stitches out in a few days, "the Natural" hopes to be back to training in less than two weeks. According to Couture, Zuffa has already started discussing the inevitable rematch with newly crowned champion Vitor Belfort and he let the promotion know that he'll be ready to fight again as early as April (although he realistically anticipates a June date at the earliest.)
FCF wishes Couture, as well as the other injured UFC 46 participants, the speediest of recoveries
I dont think there is any question that there wouldnt be near the whining if this happened in the 3rd round as opposed to the first 30 seconds........but shit happens and thats about all that can be said......
JKDBJJVancouver,
Thanks for the info.
Randy and Vitor were all class Saturday night!
Vitor is the winner. Brazil owns the light middle weights.
shitty way to loose a title but shit happens
People always say anthing can happen...
Saturday night it did.
Sure vitor won within the rules, nut to say it is a hollow victory is the understatement of the year. Vit or knows this, couture knows this, everyone that saw the "fight" knows this.
With an outcome like that there should be a rematch as soon as possible to determine who really is the best fighter because that fight didn't answer any questions. I would say the same thing if that little kick couture threw would have dislocated Vitor's knee right off the bat.
THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE PUNCH DIDN'T EVEN LAND.... THE ONLY THING THAT LANDED WAS THE SEAM OF THE GLOVE WHICH IS WHAT MADE THE CUT. TECHNICALY ITS A WIN BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT EITHER FIGHTER.
Showdown gloves wouldn't have cut Randy.
=)
**shameless plug for Showdown**
THE GLOVES SHOULD PREVENT FIGHTER INJURY RATHER THAN CAUSING IT.