UFC 132 Recap: Cruz in control, Wanderlei falls, and the return of Tito Ortiz
Cruz vs. Faber II:
If you are a hardcore combat sports fan, yesterday was your day. On the other side of the world in Germany, the boxing match between Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye was one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in recent memory. However, the bout didn’t live up to any of its hype leaving many fight fans disappointed. UFC 132 in Las Vegas on the other hand provided Mixed Martial Arts fans with plenty of action and the highest profile Bantamweight title fight in the sport’s history. Dominick Cruz defended his title against one of the sport’s most popular stars Urijah Faber. A rematch from the WEC that was four years in the making and it didn’t disappoint.
Cruz using his signature footwork and unorthodox brand of boxing was able to dominate The California Kid for majority of the fight. Not only was Cruz able to outstrike his rival, but he was even able to outwrestle him as well. Faber did have a few of his own moments in the fight, even dropping Dominik numerous times, but it just wasn’t enough. At the end of the night the belt is still around Cruz’s waist and its back to the drawing board in California for Urijah Faber.
Questions after seeing Cruz vs. Faber II:
-Is there anyone in the Bantamweight division that can beat Dominick Cruz at the moment?
-What does Urijah Faber have to do to get himself back into the title picture?
-How does anyone train to fight Dominick Cruz?
Wanderlei vs. Leben
The fight between The Axe Murderer and The Crippler has been a year in the making and it ended very quickly. In signature Wanderlei Silva fashion, he threw a flurry of punches that looked to have rocked Chris Leben. When Wandy thought he had his man down and out, he locked him up in a Muay Thai clinch gone terribly wrong. Leben while in this clinch, used some nasty dirty boxing, and dropped the legend to the canvas in only twenty seven seconds!
Questions after seeing Wanderlei vs. Leben:
-Should Wanderlei Silva consider retirement?
-How many more wins does Chris Leben need to earn himself a title shot?
-If Wanderlei doesn’t retire, who does have to face before he rides off into the sunset?
Notes and more questions from UFC 132:
-Without taking away from Dennis Siver’s performance against Matt Wiman, but did he really do enough to win that fight?
-Ryan Bader was supposed to be the heavy favorite against Tito Ortiz, but is The Huntington Beach Bad Boy truly back? Is he truly a legit threat in the Light Heavyweight division?
-Where does Ryan Bader go from here?
-Is it safe to say that Carlos Condit should be next in line against the winner of GSP / Diaz?
-Dong-Hyun Kim is no slouch and should be back to form, if not better from the first legitimate loss of his career.
Lowkick.com UFC 132 main card awards:
Fight of the Night – Even though Dominick Cruz was dominating for most of his fight with Uriah Faber, it was an awesome clash of styles that provided us with five rounds fast paced action.
Performance of the Night – Dominick Cruz was able to pick apart his rival Urijah Faber and even beat Faber in his own game. He truly is a much different fighter today.
Finish of the Night – Chris Leben earns finish of the night for his devastating and relentless dirty boxing displayed against Wanderlei Silva.
Disappointment of the Night – Wanderlei Silva looked good last year against Michael Bisping, but he let himself go too soon against a man as dangerous as Chris Leben.
Photo: Scott Hirano
