We've all seen this one. Here's my recap:
Matt surprises Fedor right after the bell with a punch that opens up a big cut over his eyebrow. They lock up near the ropes and Lindland has great underhooks. Fedor is leaning his arm on the top rope while fighting off the TD. His cut is leaking badly. The ref is telling Fedor to take his arm off the rope, but Fedor either doesn't hear him/understand him or ignores him.
Matt lifts Fedor off his feet several times while Fedor squirms for balance. Matt gets what looks like optimum position for a slam but Fedor twists his body while leaning his arm on the rope and this stops the throw. Fedor's foot touches the ground momentarily and he immediately counters with a beautiful uchi-mata, landing on top as Lindland hits the canvas. From there he overwhelms Matt with a chain of submission attempts, finally hitting an armbar.
This poll really isn't about this fight, per se, but about a larger issue regarding fouls in fights that end up as finishes. But I think this fight is one of the best examples of what I'm talking about. What I'm saying is that sometimes a fight with a finish is still one we're dissatisfied with because the fouls altered the course of the fight in favor of the eventual victor, who wasn't penalized for the fouls.
Matt surprises Fedor right after the bell with a punch that opens up a big cut over his eyebrow. They lock up near the ropes and Lindland has great underhooks. Fedor is leaning his arm on the top rope while fighting off the TD. His cut is leaking badly. The ref is telling Fedor to take his arm off the rope, but Fedor either doesn't hear him/understand him or ignores him.
Matt lifts Fedor off his feet several times while Fedor squirms for balance. Matt gets what looks like optimum position for a slam but Fedor twists his body while leaning his arm on the rope and this stops the throw. Fedor's foot touches the ground momentarily and he immediately counters with a beautiful uchi-mata, landing on top as Lindland hits the canvas. From there he overwhelms Matt with a chain of submission attempts, finally hitting an armbar.
This poll really isn't about this fight, per se, but about a larger issue regarding fouls in fights that end up as finishes. But I think this fight is one of the best examples of what I'm talking about. What I'm saying is that sometimes a fight with a finish is still one we're dissatisfied with because the fouls altered the course of the fight in favor of the eventual victor, who wasn't penalized for the fouls.