UFC 70: Fight Report

The steady acceleration of Ultimate Fighting Championship’s popularity in the UK continued apace as UFC 70: Nations Collide came to the Manchester MEN arena – the first UK UFC event in several years, and the homeland debut of Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping.

The heavyweight bout was considered a forgone conclusion. Certainly no one expected Mirko Cro Cop, the formidable fighter with arguably the strongest striking power in the business, to fall victim to his own trademark high leg kick. But that’s exactly what happened when underdog Gabriel Gonzaga stepped up to challenge the Croatian mean machine for a shot at the heavyweight title.

Circling Cro Cop with confidence, Gonzaga went toe-to-toe with his opponent where others cower in defence. Moving in with some clean and quick combos, he ended the fight at 4 minutes and 51 seconds in the first round with a powerful high kick to Cro Cop’s head – exactly the sort of move spectators were waiting for Cro Cop to finish things off with for his ‘inevitable’ victory. Dropping to the mat like that ever-veritable bag of potatoes, the Croatian favourite was out for the count, unconscious on the mat with his leg bent back something nasty.

“I’m disappointed,” said Cro Cop after the event before making a swift exit. “I will have to look at the fight and see the mistakes I made.” Gonzaga was to-the-point about his unexpected victory, telling fans “I had the opportunity and I took it.”

In the other main attraction of the evening, the UK’s own Michael Bisping went head-to-head with Elvis Sinosic for a light heavyweight bout that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Eager to get stuck in (he had to be recalled from the ringside to be checked in after prematurely leaping up to face his opponent), Bisping didn’t hold back on doling out the punches, bringing Sinosic down to the mat and laying into him with both fists much to the rapturous delight of his fans. Sinosic emerged for the second round with redoubled effort, connecting with a knee to the head and then attempting a kimura lock. Unfortunately for the Australian, Bisping turned things around and broke his opponent’s guard, raining down punches upon Sinosic until the referee brought an end to the fight at 1:40 in the second round.

“He took a lot of punishment,” Bisping said after his win. The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner’s record now stands at a formidable 14-0. “They were one of the best crowds I’ve ever seen. I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be like that,” he said of the support from his home crowd.

Head to the official UFC 70: Nations Collide site for more info, including biographies, interviews and the fight card.