Fabricio Werdum vs. Brandon Vera

[( o Y o )]

Werdum via ref stoppage round 1

Stoppage was early considering how much time was left in the round, and considering it was the same ref that let Kimbo get pounded on for 3 minutes, but you can say Vera wasn't trying to improve position I guess.

Interesting to see how little trouble Werdum had getting Vera down, and just how much Vera was clinching. I blamed most of that on Sylvia last time, but...

[Grant Ellis]

Like I said, even though Vera is good he can cause Vera to feel like a white belt if he gets him on his back.

Good showing by Werdum, he looked decent in some of the early exchanges too... Vera tagged him a few times, and got out of some bad spots, but it is hard to complain about the stoppage aside from Werdum not hurting Vera and not much time remaining.

If time didn't run out though I imagine Werdum could keep Vera trapped there forever.

[Titan]

It's the same "problem" with having to intelligently defend yourself. The top guy doesn't have to do damage at all for a fight to be stopped, so you ask yourself against what the bottom guy is supposed to defend. In addition, the pressure from a referee yelling at you to defend yourself doesn't make it easier to try get out of the situation. (Note: all the above does not apply to Kimbo.)

I bet on Werdum, so I'm not unhappy about the result, but I think Vera in all honesty should've been given a bit more time to get out of the position. I mean, Vera had his hands there and moving his head, and while that does look desperate and bad, it's how you try to avoid the punches. It's not like you start punching up from the bottom to show the referee you're in the game. I think the fight would've ended in that position either way, but I'm not too much of a fan of referees that break the fight so quickly when that's happening. I don't think he'd gotten out, but it's not like he was caught in a crucifix taking 25 unanswered elbows to his unprotected head. :-)

[Toffa]

The first time I watched it I thought the stoppage was ok because Vera wasn't trying to escape he was more just lying on his side. Seeing the replay though, Werdum wasn't landing anywhere near enough effective punches to cause the fight to be stopped.

[K-1 Extremist]

Dan Mergliotta.. or however you spell it, is quickly becoming the new king of questionable stoppages.

[Lord Gaul]

I have no problem with this stoppage either. I love Brandon, but he went crazy when he got put into the mount. He gave of a OH MY GOD he is on top of me feel. Even if he was fine thats what I was thinking.

I think my favorite thing about the fight is whats the difference between a BJJ black belt and a world class BJJ fighter. It is kind of like the difference between a boxing title holder and a Kelly Pavlik like killer.

[Bangalter]

Good stoppage, Werdum should have been the favorite.

[Paxlie]

Bad stoppage. Werdum was game though. Don't see how Vera would have got him without a lucky KO shot.

Still I would have liked that it at least made the second round.

[Sampo]

Dissapointing stoppage for sure. Vera wasn't hurt... yet.

[likma]

I liked Werdum's takedowns, and IMO stoppage was bit early, but not really big deal.

[Chewbaca Joe]

As much as I hate Nate the Great, when he was mounted by Leites he immediately started working to improve position.

Had Vera done anything like that the fight wouldn't have been stopped. But instead he laid flat on his back and put his hands over his face in the universal language of "I have no idea what to do here".

[seese]

Vera was bad enough to deserve a loss.

[Soulrise]

I'd like to see a rematch.

[Hinch]

It could have gone on for 10 or more seconds, but I couldn't see anything being done by Vera to show it would have been a poor stoppage.

Eventually, all the uncomfortable squirming and wriggling in the world can't be deemed intelligent defence. Especially when mounted by a Mundial champion.

[heckyl]

i dont like the stoppage. but i also didnt think werdum was gonna have the takedowns to get him down. he did. and i was impressed. he showed improved takedowns and if he keeps to work on them, hes going to get alot more people to the floor in his bigger fights.