Ultimate Fighting Championship III – The American Dream!
– So we’re back to an 8-man tournament again after the failed experiment that was the 16-man tournament of UFC 2. One minor rule change, as Big John now has the power to stop matches.
– Live from Charlotte, NC.
– Your hosts are Brian Kilmeade, Jim Brown and Ben Perry.
Open Weight tournament quarter-finals:
Emmanuel Yarbrough (Sumo) v. Keith Hackney (Kenpo Karate)
Yarbrough is a 600 pound freak, which probably didn’t help the disreputable image of the UFC to begin with. Hackney puts him down with a high kick, but Yabrough tries fighting from the mat, then actually shoves Hackney through the cage. That works I guess. Hackney goes for the leg and then just pounds away on the head to bring him down, hammering until Big John stops it at 2:03. Dude, learn a chokehold, you’ll break your fists that way.
Christophe Leininger (Judo) v. Ken Shamrock (Shootfighting)
Leininger shoots in and pulls guard, as obviously people are paying attention to the Gracies already. Leininger fights from the bottom and things stall out, but Leininger goes for a triangle and fails miserably, allowing Shamrock to gain position on top. He throws strikes and Leininger taps out at 4:49 of a pretty dull fight.
Roland Payne (Muay Thai) v. Harold Howard (Karate)
Howard is reppin’ for Canada. Howard shoots in and gets taken down, but uses a suplex to take Payne over and it turns into a giant slugfest. Payne goes down via a vicious right and Big John calls it at 1:49, before any damage can be done. That was shaping up to be a hell of a fight before the fast KO.
Royce Gracie (Jiu-Jitsu) v. Kimo (Tae Kwon Do)
This should really have been further along in the draw. And of course, Kimo is NOT dead. Kimo really should have been a wrestler, since he had the name, the look, the personality, and probably even a finisher name (Kimo-Therapy). Gracie tries the standup and Kimo holds him off, as the shitty-ass Octagon breaks again. Royce just can’t take him down, and finally Kimo lets him go down and ends up on top. Huh. They trade top position, with Kimo doing surprisingly well from the bottom, and Royce goes to the guard. Gracie wants the triangle and Kimo keeps fighting it off, with only the top-knot keeping him in trouble. If Kimo was bald he might have won it by now. Kimo actually breaks out of the guard and takes Gracie down again, but he outmaneuvers himself and gets caught in the armbar at 4:40. Great fight! This made the Top 100 on Spike and it’s well earned, as Kimo came closer than anyone to figuring out Gracie. Royce is showing multiple injuries, though, with an ankle problem and a neck problem.
Open Weight tournament semi-finals:
Ken Shamrock v. Felix Lee Mitchell
Hackney obviously broke his hand on Yarbrough’s head and he’s done, so Mitchell gets Shamrock. Lucky him. Shamrock, like a UFC version of Randy Savage, has opted to change to a different color of tights for this round. Ken tries for the takedown, and then just opts for a rear chokehold instead when he can’t get Mitchell down. That goes nowhere as they hug it out on the fence and the crowd’s turning on this one already. Finally Shamrock gets him down and chokes him out at 4:34. And wouldn’t you know, he’s hurt as well.
Harold Howard v. Royce Gracie
Sadly, it never happens, as Team Gracie throws in the towel because of Royce’s previous injuries, and Howard advances to the finals. This gives us another awesome Kimo moment, as he and Joe Son then run down to the ring and celebrate for eliminating Gracie. And yet the WWF wanted SHAMROCK?
Open Weight tournament finals:
Steve Jennum v. Harold Howard
So unfortunately after a tournament that seemed to be promising a Gracie v. Shamrock rematch, we get this instead. Howard is REALLY keyed up and he goes for a guillotine right away, but Jennum sweeps him and gets him to the ground to relieve the pressure. Howard throws stuff that goes nowhere, and Jennum moves in and takes him down, then pounds him for the win at 1:30. Jennum becomes the only alternate to win the tournament, and the first person other than Royce to win it. Thankfully after this, they put in a system where alternates had to win a fight before they could be put into the tournament.
Another wild and crazy early UFC show, with Kimo in particular making a name for himself at the expense of Royce Gracie. And you could see them getting closer to putting the "professional" in "professional fighters" with every show. Another good one to check out, ridiculous finish aside.
