A few Belts were Handed out at WSOF 8
Despite several injuries and set-backs to the WSOF 8 card, the final product was competitive in spots and brutally one-sided in others, making for a fun night all around. Tonight’s WSOF 8 was also a historic moment for the relatively new MMA promotion as they handed out their first two championship belts.
Hands were raised and faces were planted on the canvas, with two fighters making definitive statements tonight.
Anthony Johnson: Put into a position with his kidneys that has forced several fighters to hang up the gloves, Johnson went for an impossible task: competing three weight classes above his preferred weight. Oddly, in this dire situation, Johnson has seemed to find the balance between physicality and flow. With a striking style based on sharp front leg attacks and fleet-footed movements, Johnson can also root his punches like few others, scoring murderous KO blows on stiff competitors. With this fight being the last on his WSOF contract, it’ll be interesting to see if the bad blood of his failed weight cuts has been washed away by the merit of these performances, and if UFC comes knocking.
Justin Gaethje: This young man caught the eye of a good friend of mine and sharp sports bettor before his debut in the WSOF. I wrote him off on his style and lack of fundamentals, having a game that would be impossible to replicate against anyone with a semblance of talent. After turning JZ Cavalcante’s head into a canoe in his debut with the organization, I was on my way to becoming a fan. His gritty performance and display of lethality against Cobb had me sold. Gaethje is the real deal.
Gaethje strikes me as a superior version of Jon Jones, having the same natural wrestling talent and sense of balance, the same athletic nature to allow him to try and succeed at the most random attack patterns, yet he has something Jones doesn’t have: Crippling power. Gaethje has developed one of the stiffest inside leg kicks I’ve ever seen outside of heavyweight muay thai, and has a surety on his strikes that is rare in a relatively novice striker.
Laugh at me all you want, but Gaethje has all the pieces to be the greatest fighter of his generation, and I’m looking forward to seeing how he fairs as the competition gets stiffer and stiffer for the strap.
Complete WSOF 8 Results:
Main Card
Lightweight Title fight: Justin Gaethje defeated Richard Patishnock by 1st rd. TKO (1:09)
Anthony Johnson defeated Mike Kyle by 1st rd. KO (2:03)
Women’s Strawweight title Jessica Aguilar defeated Alida Gray by 1st rd. Side Choke Submission (2:45)
Cody Bollinger defeated Tyson Nam by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Luis Palomino defeated Jorge Patino by 2nd rd. KO (4:20)
Preliminary Card
Tyler Stinson defeated Valdir Araujo by 3rd rd. KO knockout (2:23)
Derrick Mehmen defeated Scott Barrett by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Alexis Vila defeated Sidemar Honorio by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Freddy Assuncao defeated Brenson Hansen by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Anderson Melo defeated Jose Caceres by Heel Hook Submission (1:10)
Category: Featured, MMA, Results, World Series of Fighting
About the Author (Author Profile)
I'm a 20+ year veteran of martial arts and a fan of MMA since UFC 1, when my world was thrown on its head by the budding sport. I'm obsessive in the pursuit of martial abilities and have competed across the country in everything from Vale Tudo to archery to Scottish broadsword. Once my body broke down, I picked up a pen and went in the direction of writing. I specialize in betting advice, predictions, and I'm a walking encyclopedia of MMA trivia. I own a cafe in Exeter, NH called Hammersmith Sandwich Company and write out of my office between customers.Subscribe
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