After being defeated by Brock “Lightening” Lesnar at UFC 91, Randy Couture said that there is nothing that he would have done differently and his game plan worked very well, but he “got caught.” That’s what a fighter says when he takes one on the chin and gets knocked out.
Any fighter can get knocked out because a shot to the chin sends a shock wave into your brain that pushes your “off” button. You can juice your muscles up as big as you want, but you can’t juice up your chin. And sometimes a lesser fighter can knock out a better opponent by throwing lots of punches with one getting lucky and landing just right.
But Couture didn’t get hit on the chin. Lesnar hit him on the side of the head, a strike that requires more power for a KO than a shot to the chin. Also, Lesnar’s previous two UFC opponents, Frank Mir and Heath Hearing both saw stars after Lesnar right hands.
Lesnar did not get lucky.
Lesnar’s right hand is powerful, but it is also fast as lightening. It’s like having bricks shot out of a cannon coming at you. It’s going to be a problem for a lot of fighters.
I would also say that Lesnar out-wrestled Couture, if not by much. And Lesnar had better stamina. It was a clean and decisive victory any way you slice it.
Couture wasn’t doing too bad but was simply overpowered by Lesnar. On tele they said it was a shot to the temple. Instead, as you said Matt, it was just a hit at the side of Couture’s head. Couture’s game plan to wear Lesnar out was actually working pretty well. Until Lesnar got some wiggle room to hit hard. Lesnar is simply an amazing athlete. What a powerhouse! Quick and strong! This is the combination that makes a great fighter. Who can possibly beat this guy?
Couture got too confident after round 1 so he gave Lesnar too much room. Confidence kills if your opponent is swift. Like in trading – and the markets are swift these days…
Lesnar almost knocked Randy out in the first round too with that elbow. Randy’s legs were definitely wobbling but he managed to recover.
Maybe Fedor could beat Lesnar. Here is Fedor beating Tim Sylvia in 34 seconds.
Fedor is such a beast.