David Branch on tapping to strikes at UFC-Pittsburgh: 'I didn't just give up'

[La Paix]

PITTSBURGH – David Branch insists his loss to Luke Rockholdin the UFC Fight Night 116 won’t prevent him from his ultimately goal of becoming middleweight champion.

In the most high-profile fight of his career, Branch (21-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) suffered a second-round stoppage loss to Rockhold (16-3, 6-2 UFC) in the headlining bout of the FS1-televised card at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. It was his first defeat in more than five years, and one that he admits showed he has more to do before contending with the absolute elite of his weight class.

“I’m right there,” Branch told MMAjunkie after his loss. “I’ve just got more work to do. I’m not going to stop now. It’s taken me too long. I will be back. I will return. I came to the UFC to be the champion and I’m not going to let anything deter me. I’ve had these falls before. I know how to deal with these things. I’ve come back from adversity before and I’m going to do it again.


David Branch on tapping to strikes at UFC-Pittsburgh: 'I didn't just give up'

 

[Clappin'Daddys]

Easy to knock in a guy for tapping when we are on the outside looking in

 

[Mix6APlix]

Good for him, and I wish him the best. I thought the ref might stop it when he was teeing off on Luke in the 1st.

But war Rockhard in the trilogy with the discount.

 

[SongExotic2]

It was a tko anyway

 

[jason73]

Branch is too small to be champ

 

[SongExotic2]

Branch is too small to be champ

Well


he's lost too many fights in the last 24 hours too

 

[1031]

he's lost too many fights in the last 24 hours too

True wit.

 

[dacofty]

PITTSBURGH – David Branch insists his loss to Luke Rockholdin the UFC Fight Night 116 won’t prevent him from his ultimately goal of becoming middleweight champion.

In the most high-profile fight of his career, Branch (21-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) suffered a second-round stoppage loss to Rockhold (16-3, 6-2 UFC) in the headlining bout of the FS1-televised card at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. It was his first defeat in more than five years, and one that he admits showed he has more to do before contending with the absolute elite of his weight class.

“I’m right there,” Branch told MMAjunkie after his loss. “I’ve just got more work to do. I’m not going to stop now. It’s taken me too long. I will be back. I will return. I came to the UFC to be the champion and I’m not going to let anything deter me. I’ve had these falls before. I know how to deal with these things. I’ve come back from adversity before and I’m going to do it again.


David Branch on tapping to strikes at UFC-Pittsburgh: 'I didn't just give up'

LMAO come on, this guy doesnt even belong in the UFC

 

[dacofty]

It was a tko anyway

Big John stated it was a tap due to strikes and not a TKO

 

[member 3289]

"I didn't just give up."

Well, yeah, you kinda did.

 

[Joemacka]

Must train with GSP.

 

[SongExotic2]

Big John stated it was a tap due to strikes and not a TKO

Fortunately the official record states it was a tko

 

[Ted Williams' head]

Easy to knock in a guy for tapping when we are on the outside looking in

Yeah but fighters aren't judged against fans, they're judged against their peers, and tapping to strikes is a cardinal sin in high level MMA. Weidman took that same beating multiplied by 50 and never tapped. AND HE'S STILL OUR BOY.

 

[Sheepdog]

Yeah but fighters aren't judged against fans, they're judged against their peers, and tapping to strikes is a cardinal sin in high level MMA. Weidman took that same beating multiplied by 50 and never tapped. AND HE'S STILL OUR BOY.

And he's been slurring his words and has looked like shit ever since.

 

[Ted Williams' head]

And he's been slurring his words and has looked like shit ever since.

He's still our boy

 

[RedDragonUK]

Protect yourself at all times.

Live to fight another day.

He's a black belt and he couldn't escape the position, he was done.

 

[Sheepdog]

He's still our boy

You can't call people of half Irish/half-German descent that talk like low-class Italians and who some people think are Jews 'boy'. It's plainly racist.