SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
April - 2015
29
Youngs’ List
5. T.J. Dillashaw vs. Renan Barão – UFC 173
1. Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman I- UFC 162
4. Cain Velasquez vs. Juinor dos Santos II – UFC 155
3. Andeson Silva vs. Rich Franklin – UFC 64
I was cageside for this one so I can speak from per-
sonal experience how one-sided T.J. Dillashaw’s
beatdown over then champion Renan Barão truly
was. UFC commentator Joe Rogan called it the
perfect performance and after re-watching this
contest, it’s hard to argue with him.
Dillashaw set the tone early as he landed a mas-
sive overhand right early in the first round send-
ing the champion crashing to the canvas, almost
ending the fight right there. What came next was
four more rounds of Dillashaw stalking realing
Barão before ending the contest with headkick
followed by a flurry late in the final frame, ce-
menting himself as the UFC’s 135-pound cham-
pion and earning a spot amongst the biggest un-
derdog winers in combat sports history.
It may not have been the most shocking or the
most one sided, but the impact that this fight
had on the entire mixed martial art’s landscape
was significant. In the first round Weidman took
down the champ, transitioned and attempted
a submission. At that moment, it was apparent
that Weidman had what it took to be a cham-
pion. On the feet he was connecting, but not
enough to stop Silva from clowning around and
taunting him. At least until Weidman knocked
him out, mid taunt, in the second round. Silva
was clowning around, but he had done that to
a lot of fighters, and no one could stop him.
Weidman stopped Silva and put an end to the
glory days of Anderson Silva’s career.
Cain wanted something more than just the belt.
He wanted vengeance for his previous loss and
boy did he ever achieve this. For 25 straight min-
utes, the AKA product hit then champion Ju-
nior dos Santos with everything but the kitchen
sink. While he could have finished the contest
on more than one occasion with a simple rear-
naked choke, Cain never relented as he landed
blow after to blow to the the bloody face of
Dos Santos. Only the closing bell would save
Dos Santos as fans witnessed arguably the most
lopsided title change to end in a decision.
Not much to say here that Blane hasn’t already
stated. For some reason Franklin was the favor-
ite heading into this one. Maybe it was the fact
Silva only had one fight under the UFC banner,
maybe it was because Franlklin entered this
contest riding an eight-fight win streak, which
two straight succesful. defenses of UFC middle-
weight title. However, Franklin would look one
stepped behind from the very first second of the
bout. As the rest of the world witnessed Silva
plant knee after knee to the already broken
nose of the champion, one could only shutter as
the Franklin eventually succumbed the pound-
for-pound great.
