UFC on Versus 4: Results and Analysis

By Siri Karri

Ironically, even though the past two pay-per view cards had bigger stars and stacked line-ups, I can safely say that UFC on Versus 4 was better than all of them . . . and it was free. We had a major upset, a couple good decisions, and two sledgehammer knockouts.

The  little guys proved that big paychecks don’t necessarily mean better fights.

Now let’s see what we learned from the main card.

1) Matt Mitrione needs a step up in competition

Matt Mitrione proved what we have already known about him; he’s a surprisingly agile big man with heavy hands and a magnetic personality. Christian Morecraft was just one more victim on a list that includes Kimbo Slice, Joey Beltran and Tim Hague. Impressed by that list?

Good, neither am I.

Mitrione is not at fault here; he has taken every opponent put in front of him and done what he does best. What really puzzles me is the UFC brass; I understand giving a green fighter one or two fights to prove himself in the octagon . . . but 5? There’s no progression in his quality of opponents; each is a less athletic, less talented fighter for Mitrione to beat on. Unless the UFC intends to keep Matt as a sideshow, I don’t understand why they aren’t grooming him against better competition.

I understand THIS fight; Jon Olav Einemo, Dave Herman, Stefan Struve, and Travis Browne had previously fought while Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo were already matched up as tonight’s main event. Conversely, he’s not ready for the elite heavyweights of the division, so Morecraft makes sense. But there’s simply no excuse for it getting to the point where, when Matt had gone 4-0 in the UFC, he would have no alternative other than Morecraft.

With all the aforementioned fighters freed up, it’s time the UFC gives Mitrione the opponent he deserves.

2) Rick Story isn’t an elite welterweight

While everyone else was busy lauding Rick Story for his victory over Thiago Alves at UFC 130, I tried my best to pull everyone back into reality. While I was no doubt impressed with Story’s gritty upset (I predicted a 1st round knockout), I pointed out several worrying things to his salivating fan base.
First, Alves had stuffed takedowns from Josh Koscheck (a far better wrestler than Story) and manhandled him on the feet. This means that it’s very likely that Alves was either caught off guard or underestimated Story. Rick Story simply lay against Alves against the cage long enough to take a decision; he was completely outclassed in all other areas of the fight.

So it only makes sense that when Charlie Brenneman came in with murder in his eyes, Rick Story was the one to fold. Brenneman repeatedly took down Story while avoiding Story’s rudimentary submission attempts. No offense to Brenneman, but his victory didn’t signify his talent as much as it derailed Story’s hype and proving that the “Horror” Story still has a lot of work to do.

3) Pat Barry loses fight, wins moral victory

To sum up the main event, Pat Barry dropped Cheick Kongo twice with vicious hooks and then got knocked out by a counter right hook and lost the fight. This all happened within 30 seconds, and I remember my heart deflating as one of my favorite heavyweights lay on the floor in a crumpled heap. But all is not lost.

This is just an opinion, but I’m pleased with Barry. Perhaps after watching Shane Carwin punch himself out against Brock Lesnar after flooring him, fighters seem more reluctant to pull the trigger against hurt opponents. Junior Dos Santos, after nearly finishing Carwin in the 1st round, happily jabbed his way to victory. Georges St. Pierre toyed with an outclassed Jake Shields and Josh Koscheck for five rounds instead of moving in for the kill when he rattled them.

Tonight, Pat Barry proved WHY fighters do that; they don’t want to lose. The risk of being countered and losing the fight is ever present and Barry’s loss will become the quintessential example of this. But at least the fight got finished. At least, for the first time in a couple of months, the main event was worth watching. At least when Pat Barry went swarming in on Cheick Kongo instead of backing off, he made fans talk about the main event for all the right reasons.

So Pat, get better soon. I’m damn proud of you.