UFC on Versus 4 Recap: Comeback KO-ngo and Brenneman’s Story

Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry:

This fight was originally supposed to be the co-main event of the evening but was promoted to the main event. Many fans were expecting a K-1 kickboxing match but with MMA gloves and that was exactly what happened. There were moments when you thought the fight was going to end and Pat Barry would have his hand raised in victory, but it turned into one of the greatest comebacks in MMA history. When Cheick Kongo seemed to be down and out after being rocked by Barry, he comes back with a well-timed Hail Mary uppercut that sent “HD” to the canvas. I expect this highlight to be talked about for years to come; you’ll most likely see it in many sports shows, and Youtube highlight reels.

Questions & thoughts after seeing Cheik Kongo vs. Pat Barry:

-How does Cheick Kongo vs. Shane Carwin sound to you?

-Personally, I think Pat should roll around with more accomplished grapplers to add another weapon to his arsenal. He can’t rely solely on his striking or else he won’t have a job in the UFC much longer with another loss. If he loves to strike it out so much, he should really consider going back to pure stand up.

Charlie Brenneman vs. Rick Story:

There was a brief moment when fans and critics thought the sky was falling when Nate Marquardt had to pull out of the main event for UFC on Versus 4. One of the sports’ most talented middleweights was supposed to make his welterweight debut against Rick Story. But due to failing his pre-fight medical for a currently undisclosed reason he had to pull out of the fight. To replace Nate the Great the promotion chose Charlie Brenneman, a name relatively unknown to casual fans. Rick “The Horror” Story was now the heavy favorite going into this bout and riding the momentum of a six fight winning streak.

This last minute bout was supposed to be a speed bump in the career of Rick Story, but Brenneman took full advantage of a fight he wasn’t supposed to win. Brenneman was able to use his wrestling background, take the fight to the ground and control Rick Story for majority of the bout. For nearly the whole fight it was all Charlie Brenneman putting on a wrestling clinic. There were moments when Rick Story had Charlie in a few dangerous positions submission wise, but at the end of the night Brenneman controlled his way to unanimous decision victory.

Questions after seeing Charlie Brenneman vs. Rick Story:

-Is it too early to say Charlie Brenneman is a forced to be reckoned with in the welterweight division?

-Who does Rick Story have to fight to get back on track in the title picture?

-To truly legitimize his position in the welterweight rankings who should Brenneman be tested against?

More notes & questions from UFC on Versus 4:

-Why was John Howard trying to out grapple Matt Brown?

-Matt Mitrione seems to get better and better with every fight. Maybe he should test himself against a ground wizard like John Olav Einemo and go from there.

-Is it just me or was the refereeing from this event some of the worst ever seen in recent memory?

Lowkick.com UFC on Versus 4 Main Card Awards:

Fight of the Night – I’d give the honors to Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo. It was a back and forth affair that ended quickly in dramatic fashion that had the fans on their feet the whole time.

Performance of the Night – Charlie Brenneman put on the performance of his career being a last minute replacement, beating Rick Story, and doing it in his hometown.

Finish of the Night – Without question, fans won’t be forgetting anytime soon Cheick Kongo’s Hail Mary uppercut.           

Disapointment of the Night – Rick Story didn’t look good as he did in his previous bouts and now his six fight win streak has come to an end.

Notable mention – Nik Lentz vs. Charles Oliveira for their back and forth battle on the Facebook portion of the card.

Photo: The Fight Nerd