MMA Fighting - WSOF: Arlovski vs. Cole Resultshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52789/mma_minimal_navy..jpg2012-11-04T00:26:07-04:00http://www.mmafighting.com/rss/stream/33614112012-11-04T00:26:07-04:002012-11-04T00:26:07-04:00Arlovski TKO's Cole in WSOF main event
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<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
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<p>Though he's still just 33 years old, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129236/andrei-arlovski">Andrei Arlovski</a> has heard the calls from critics to retire for years. He's spent the recent past trying to show he's still a relevant fighter on the world's heavyweight stage, and in his highest-profile fight since his <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/strikeforce">Strikeforce</a> release, Arlovski delivered the quick finish he needed, earning a TKO win over <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/128883/devin-cole">Devin Cole</a> at 2:37 of round one.</p>
<p>The finish came after the two reset following a clinch against the fence. Cole tried an inside leg kick and Arlovski came over the top with an overhand right that clipped Cole behind the ear.</p>
<p>That sent the big man to the mat, and Arlovski followed with a series of hammerfists until ref Steve Mazzagatti called a halt to the action.</p>
<p>The victory was the third in his last four fights. The other bout was a no contest against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/130175/tim-sylvia">Tim Sylvia</a> due to an illegal strike.</p>
<p>Arlovski's win came in the main event of The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/wsof">World Series of Fighting's</a> debut event, which took place at PH Live in Las Vegas.</p>
<p>It was the former UFC champ's 18th career win against nine losses and a no contest.</p>
<p>Cole, who was fighting for the first time in nearly a year, had a two-fight losing streak snapped, falling to 20-10-1.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/11/4/3597436/wsof-results-andrei-arlovski-kos-devin-coleMike Chiappetta2012-11-03T23:56:52-04:002012-11-03T23:56:52-04:00Anthony Johnson earns spectacular KO in WSOF debut
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<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
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<p>One moment <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129280/anthony-johnson">Anthony Johnson</a> was in danger, the next he was celebrating victory. That's the kind of knockout power he has, and he used it to destroy <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129541/d-j-linderman">D.J. Linderman</a> in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/wsof">World Series of Fighting</a> co-main event.</p>
<p>The end came in a blink. During a flurry, Johnson covered his eye, suggesting he had suffered an illegal poke. He backed up, but referee Herb Dean said he did not see it and allowed the fight to continue. Linderman rushed in, hoping to take advantage of the situation. Instead, he threw one punch and missed, and Johnson countered with a short but thunderous right hand that had Linderman unconscious before he hit the floor.</p>
<p>Linderman fell face first to the mat for the spectacular knockout.</p>
<p>The finish came at 3:58 of the first round. It was the first time Linderman has ever been KO'd.</p>
<p>"He kept talking about power and all that because he came down from heavyweight, but I just showed him what a 170-pounder could do," said Johnson, whose left eye was reddened after the fight, suggesting he had indeed been poked there.</p>
<p>Johnson had relied on a kick-heavy offense in the opening two minutes of the fight, then switched tracks by taking Linderman down before finishing him with his hands.</p>
<p>It was the fourth straight win since being released from the UFC for the powerful striker, who improved to 14-4.</p>
<p>The win snapped a three-fight win streak for Linderman, who fell to 14-4.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/11/3/3597382/wsof-results-anthony-johnson-earns-spectacular-ko-over-d-j-lindermanMike Chiappetta2012-11-03T23:34:54-04:002012-11-03T23:34:54-04:00Marlon Moraes upsets Miguel Torres
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122471/miguel-torres">Miguel Torres</a>' road to bantamweight elite status hit another speed bump at Saturday night's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/wsof">World Series of Fighting</a>. Once the division's best, Torres backward slide continued with a loss to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/148332/marlon-moraes">Marlon Moraes</a>.</p>
<p>The judges scored it a split-decision for Moraes, scoring it 30-27, 29-28, 28-29, but in all reality it wasn't quite that close, and the score for Torres was questionable at best.</p>
<p>Moraes was faster, more accurate, more powerful, and simply better. In a fight that was almost exclusively standup, Moraes landed the harder blows and bloodied Torres during the three-round encounter. He also scored the fight's only takedown and had the best sequence.</p>
<p>Moraes opened with a blistering first minute, starching Torres with an uppercut that rocked the former WEC champ, then following with a flurry against the fence. Torres, sensing trouble, dropped low for a heel hook, and the attack left Moraes on the defensive, allowing Torres some recovery time.</p>
<p>Torres looked better in the second, but failed in several attempts to get the fight to the ground, where he was expected to have a sizable advantage. Moraes was measured in his striking and found his target repeatedly, leading Torres to his fifth loss in his last eight fights.</p>
<p>Afterward, WSOF said Moraes would next face <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/163952/tyson-nam">Tyson Nam</a> at a future date.</p>
<p>Torres' record now stands at 40-6, while Moraes is 9-4 with 1 draw.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/11/3/3597268/wsof-results-marlon-moraes-upsets-miguel-torres-in-split-decisionMike Chiappetta2012-11-03T22:55:58-04:002012-11-03T22:55:58-04:00Spong demolishes Bartlett in MMA debut
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<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
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<p>After a career made in the kickboxing ring, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/124815/tyrone-spong">Tyrone Spong</a> finally transitioned to mixed martial arts with impressive credentials, big hype and limitless potential.</p>
<p>His first time out was nothing more than target practice. Spong landed at will against journeyman veteran <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/172649/travis-bartlett">Travis Bartlett</a> before closing him out with a walkaway knockout off a right cross at 3:15 of the first round.</p>
<p>"I've been competing on the highest level for a long time," he said afterward. "I can deal with the pressure"</p>
<p>Spong barely got touched in the fight, which led off the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/wsof">World Series of Fighting</a> main card. He knocked Bartlett down in the fight's opening seconds with a vicious head kick, but let him up and continued with his precision strikes. Within two minutes, he had Barlett bleeding from over his left ear. The he attacked with body shots.</p>
<p>Finally, with Bartlett backed against the cage, Spong stepped in with a short right that landed flush and put Bartlett down.</p>
<p>Ironically, Spong, who is used to the kickboxing rules that allow a downed fighter a standing-eight count, walked away, forgetting he could try to finish on the ground. It didn't matter as Bartlett wasn't getting up, and ref Steve Mazzagatti stopped it.</p>
<p>"I have to get used to finishing the guy," he admitted with a smile.</p>
<p>Bartlett hadn't fought in over two years, and after getting his debut under his belt, Spong will likely draw a more relevant opponent his next time out.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/11/3/3597162/wsof-results-tyrone-spong-demolishes-travis-bartlett-in-winning-mmaMike Chiappetta2012-11-03T13:08:38-04:002012-11-03T13:08:38-04:00WSOF 1 predictions
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<figcaption>Devin Cole faces off with Andrei Arlovski | Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
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<p>The latest promotion in the world of mixed martial arts at the sub-UFC level to capture the MMA fanbase's imagination launches their inaugural show this evening. And while there's no long-term television deal or any guarantee they put on a series of shows, there is hope and belief among many this promotion could survive to service MMA fighters and the sport itself by staging international-class MMA fights beyond the Zuffa universe.</p>
<p>Perhaps most importantly, tonight's show features intriguing figures whose career trajectories have garnered interest. Kickboxing great Tyrone Spong makes his first attempt at becoming a MMA fighter while UFC veterans Anthony Johnson and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122471/miguel-torres">Miguel Torres</a> look to earn strong victories over reasonably challenging regional MMA fighters, all in the hope of returning to the big show.</p>
<p>Can Johnson and Torres do it? What does Spong really have to offer in MMA? And can former UFC heavyweight champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129236/andrei-arlovski">Andrei Arlovski</a> finally get a post-UFC win streak going? I answer these questions and more with predictions for tonight's event.</p>
<p><b>What</b>: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/wsof">World Series of Fighting</a> 1 (WSOF)</p>
<p><b>When</b>: The six-fight preliminary card airs live and free on <a href="http://www.sherdog.com/events/WSOF-1-Arlovski-vs-Cole-24535">Sherdog.com</a> beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET. The five-fight main card airs live on NBC Sports at 10:30 p.m. ET.</p>
<p><b>Where</b>: Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, Nevada</p>
<p><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/2269/wsof-i-andrei-arlovski-vs-devin-cole">Andrei Arlovski vs. Devin Cole</a></b></p>
<p>Call me crazy, but I worry this bout has the makings of an upset. Cole is no world-beater, but he is extremely tough, very experienced and knows to turn a bout into a wrestling match if need be. Cardio as well as ring rust could be an issue, but Arlovski just fights with such autopilot inertia these days when a bout isn't at kickboxing range. If I'm reading too much into his four-fight losing skid in <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/strikeforce">Strikeforce</a>, so be it, but I'm betting Cole turns this into an ugly affair by sticking to Arlovski. He'll constantly pressure him forcing him into pummeling exchanges, wrestling leg and hip attacks or top control. If the fight stays standing, Arlovski should cruise, but I think it's naive to assume Cole is going to let the former UFC heavyweight champion comfortably rest there. Arlovski's takedown is historically very good, but he's also only faced takedown threats a handful of times (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129542/ricco-rodriguez">Ricco Rodriguez</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/137654/jake-o-brien">Jake O'Brien</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122502/antonio-silva">Antonio Silva</a>, etc.). Cole can win this thing.</p>
<p><b>Pick</b>: Cole</p>
<p><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129280/anthony-johnson">Anthony Johnson</a> vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/129541/d-j-linderman">D.J. Linderman</a></b></p>
<p>Here's another bout where the matchmaking at WSOF deserves some credit. They're setting up UFC vets to win, but not by feeding them stiffs. Linderman doesn't have the athletic or technical ability of Johnson, but he's a) very experienced, b) physically durable, c) accustomed to heavy punchers as a former heavyweight and d) isn't simply a flailing brawler. Where I think things will go wrong for him is in Johnson's speed and combination striking. Ultimately I don't see how Linderman has any answers for that, although Johnson may take a round or two to truly uncork on him. Either way, Johnson should walk away the winner.</p>
<p><b>Pick</b>: Johnson</p>
<p><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/2191/wsof-i-marlon-moraes-vs-miguel-torres">Miguel Torres vs. Marlon Moraes</a></b></p>
<p>This is actually a reasonable tune-up fight for Torres. In other words, Torres - if he's on his game - simply has too many tools for Moraes, but is going to have to work to bring them to life over a competitor who is not half bad. This is Torres' fight to lose, but Moraes is capable of making that happen. He's hung in there with very good fighters and defeated talent regional-level opposition along the way. Yes, Torres is a league above that, but in a game like MMA where controlling for all the variables can be difficult, the one-time WEC champ will need to be ready.</p>
<p><b>Pick</b>: Torres</p>
<p><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight/2192/wsof-i-gregor-gracie-vs-tyson-steele">Gregor Gracie vs. Tyson Steele</a></b></p>
<p>This is an interesting bout and one where the oddsmakers are lunchin'. It's true that Steele's best strength is Gracie's best strength and because Gracie is the far more decorated grappler, therefore Gracie deserves to be the favorite. All that is fine, but Gracie isn't exactly tearing it up in MMA over respected, known competition. Steele has largely faced other Canadian regional fighters. In any case, the difference in MMA ability is not as dramatic as they're making it out out to be. I like Gracie to win, but if there's an upset here, do not be the least bit surprised.</p>
<p><b>Pick</b>: Gracie</p>
<p><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/124815/tyrone-spong">Tyrone Spong</a> vs. Travis Barlett</b></p>
<p>WSOF has rightfully served up Spong a brawler for the kickboxing great's first foray into MMA. And so long as Barlett does what he's typically accustomed to doing, Spong should have his way. Still, I would caution everyone to manage their expectations about Spong. Even in brawling MMA contexts, things come into play that call upon MMA experience or acumen. And frankly, we know very little to nothing about Spong in that regard.</p>
<p><b>Pick</b>: Spong</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2012/11/3/3595102/mma-wsof-world-series-of-fighting-1-predictions-newsLuke Thomas