Ben Rothwell Disgusted With UFC 104 Ref Steve Mazzagatti: “The Real Fight Was Just Getting Started”

Former IFL heavyweight fighter Ben Rothwell made his UFC debut against Cain Velasquez as part of the UFC 104 co-main event.  Although Velasquez was the dominant fighter throughout the fight, Rothwell believes that referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the fight a bit too soon.  He goes on to state that the punches thrown by the Mexican-American fighter “didn’t hurt and definitely weren’t doing any damage” during the second round stoppage.

From Ben Rothwell:

“So what, (Velasquez) was punching me, big deal, isn’t that what happens in a fight? The reality of the situation is that I was using the cage to get to my feet and which I basically did and then for some reason Steve [Mazzagatti] decides to step in. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. I mean if the punches had some force behind them I could understand it but those were like soft jabs that didn’t hurt at all, it was like he was just hitting me to stay busy rather than damage me. That’s is why I wasn’t covering up – the punches didn’t hurt and definitely weren’t doing any damage, at least not enough to slow me down, but then he [Steve Mazzagatti] calls the fight? Please, my grandmother hits harder that that. Maybe it looked bad to those at home and to those who have never trained but I had worked back into standing position and was ready to fire back some of my own, so how bad could the punches have really been? Come on, if you would have seen me the next day you’d have hardly thought I was in a fight – I woke up the next day with barely a scratch on my face. Look at some fights I have had in my career, I’ve been in plenty of worse positions and managed to turn the fight around and win. You know Shogun wasn’t the only one robbed that night. So what If I lost the first round by a small margin, all that meant is there were still two rounds up for grabs, my shoulders were just loosening up at the beginning of the second round – the real fight was just getting started. Look, I don’t want to make this sound like I’m taking anything away from Cain, he’s a great fighter, probably one of the best in the heavy weight division at the moment. I just feel like I’ve been working my entire career to get this shot in the UFC, only to have it taken away from me by an incompetent referee. Losing is one thing but to have such a big opportunity taken from you? I’m disgusted.”

Mauricio Shogun Blames UFC 104 Loss On Judges, Not Lyoto Machida

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua shares his thoughts on his controversial decision loss to Lyoto Machida at UFC 104:

“You just have to look at my face and his (Lyoto). I didn’t suffer one kick, only some knees but he has a rib broken neither get to walk and his mouth is stitched. They made some fighting analysis and I landed the double of hits. Will the judges say they didn’t see that? They will speak anything to justify the result. I feel pissed for my score (18-4), I prize a lot for it and I don’t consider this loss. I didn’t meet Lyoto after the fight but he’s a man I respect so much. He’s blameless, it’s judges’ culprit. Only them say the fight that way. I don’t blame Machida at all.”

ESPNs MMA Live Video Discusses UFC 104, Brock Lesnar Illness, Marcus Jones and More

Brazilian MMA Pros Share Their Thoughts On ‘Machida vs. Shogun’ At UFC 104

The controversial main event fight between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Shogun at UFC 104 is the hottest topic these days.  Sherdog.com was able to gather up some thoughts and opinions from some of the most important Brazilian pros in the sport of mixed martial arts.

Here’s what some of the Brazilian MMA pros had to say about the ‘Machida vs. Shogun’ bout:

Demian Maia: “It was a pretty even fight. They could have decided for a draw. The same way the judges call attention when the fighters like to fight on the ground too much, I think they should do the same to the fighter who walks backwards. People say that to take the belt from the champion, the fighter has to be clearly superior. In that case, they should have decided a draw, so Lyoto could keep the belt.”

Sergio Cunha (Brett Rogers’ trainer): “In my opinion, Shogun lost the first and second and won the third, fourth and fifth round. He looked for the win all the time and scored more points, so he clearly deserved to win.”

Luiz Alves (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s muay Thai trainer): “I think the judges were not there. Shogun was much more aggressive, mainly in the first three rounds, so I think he should have won.”

Wanderlei Silva: “I couldn’t believe they gave the win to Lyoto. Besides being more aggressive, Shogun was more effective. UFC should review their judgment system. There isn’t anything worse to a fighter than training hard and losing a fight like that. The championship belt should be with Shogun now.”

Royce Gracie: “It would be a pleasure to talk about that because I’m a big fan of Machida and I like his strategic way of fighting, but I could not see the fight yet. I’m here in Oklahoma doing a series of seminars for the police.”

Marcus “Conan” Silveira: “Concerning a points score, Shogun won, but I don’t think he was efficient enough to be the new UFC champion. In the level that the sport is today, to rob the champion’s belt you have to be clearly superior. In other words, make him tap or knock him out.”

Vitor Belfort: “I don’t like that idea that to beat the champion you have to be way superior. To beat the champion, you only have to win. It doesn’t matter how, just a victory, even when the level of the fighters is very high today. I think Shogun hit more and deserved to win.”

Anderson Silva: “I already said that Shogun did a great fight and I applaud him for the amazing fight he did, but in my opinion the leg kicks were not enough to decide the fight. Lyoto was more efficient, and in my opinion he won every round.”

Josuel Distak (Anderson Silva’s trainer): “In my opinion, I think it was a draw. I think Lyoto won the first and second round and started to lose after half of the third round. Shogun won the fourth and fifth round, so I think the draw would be fair. But the big winners were the fans because I’m sure the rematch will be an unforgettable battle.”

Bebeo Duarte (former Brazilian Top Team trainer): “The draw would be more fair. Shogun was a great surprise; he fought like in Pride times. On the other hand, Lyoto disappointed the fans a little bit. But if you forget about that feeling and just think about the fight, Lyoto was superior in the first two rounds. The third was pretty equal and Shogun won the fourth and fifth, so I believe the draw would be best in this case.”

Antonio Silva: “I was cheering for Lyoto Machida, even when I want to see a rematch between him and my training partner Thiago Silva. But I couldn’t understand what the judges were looking at to give the win to Lyoto. I’m sure Shogun won that fight.”

UFC 104 Judge Cecil Peoples Gives His Reasons For Picking Machida Over Shogun

The UFC 104 main event fight between Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua was perhaps one of the most controversial MMA decisions in 2009.  Although Machida earned the razor-thin decision to his favor, many fight fans continue to believe that Rua was indeed the true winner that night.

Cecil Peoples was one of three judges that scored the UFC 104 main event and this is what he had to say about the fight:

“The fans and all the naysayers, I don’t worry about. I don’t back down because it’s not popular. My thing is, Rua did hit him more. But Machida hit him harder, especially in the early rounds. I’m really perplexed about how you give (Rua) [Round 1], because Shogun was kicking (Machida) a lot in the legs, but every time he kicked him in the legs, he got hit in the face. Shogun would put his hand up, and Machida would go right through, sweat’s flying off (Rua’s) face. Shogun kicked (Machida) in the belly –- that’s how he got the red mark. But you gotta remember, Machida is stepping back, so when he gets kicked, he’s getting brushed. But he counters Shogun with a hard kick to the belly. Which one counts more for the exchange? I give it to the (second one), because it was harder. It wasn’t brushed. Machida was controlling that round because he was dominant in not getting beat up in that round. He was the general in that first round. I give the fight to Machida in a very, very close fight. Now you’re pissed off because it’s my fault that you lost your money. No, it’s not. It’s Machida’s fault. If you don’t like it, you can go to hell.”

UFC 104 Post-Fight Interview: Anthony Johnson Talks Win Over Yoshiyuki Yoshida

Medical Suspensions and Injuries For UFC 104: Barry Out 6 Months, Machida Out 60 Days

The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) released the following medical suspensions following Saturday night’s UFC 104 event in Los Angeles:

• Lyoto Machida suspended for 60 days for a left upper lip laceration
• Ben Rothwell suspended for 45 days for TKO and 60 days for right eyebrow lacertaion
• Spencer Fish suspended for 45 days for hard bout and 60 days for right eye laceration
• Yoshiyuki Yoshida suspended 45 days for knockout
• Eric Schafer suspended for 60 days or cleared by physician for right side nose laceration
• Pat Barry suspended 180 days or cleared by physician for possible fracture of left wrist
• Antoni Hardonk suspended for 45 days for knockout
• Rob Kimmons suspended for 45 days for knockout and 60 days for laceration on the left side of the forehead

Lyoto Machida On UFC 104 Victory: “I Won Four Rounds and Shogun Took The Last One”

Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida reflects on his recent UFC 104 unanimous decision victory over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.  Machida went home, pressed the mute button on his television in order to avoid biased commentary, and replayed the UFC 104 main event fight.  The Karate Master believes that he won the first four rounds while Rua only took the fifth and final round.

Thoughts from the UFC 205-pound champion Lyoto Machida:

“I thought it was a very even and tough fight…I had the opportunity to see the fight again and I thought I won four rounds and Shogun took the last one. Some people say he won the fourth and fifth round, but for sure I won at least the first three rounds. The American commentators were pretty much biased. If you see the fight without audio, you will probably see a different fight…Shogun was a great opponent and had a nice strategy. He deserves all my respect as a fighter, but I was superior. I had three or four chances to finish the fight, and he never put me in danger. I didn’t get (dazed) at any moment of the fight, but I put him in danger three or four times. He kicked my legs a couple of times, but he wouldn’t knock me out with that…My leg started to hurt in the fifth round, and I was very upset that I couldn’t knock him out as I had planned…I had two chances where I felt him really (dazed), but I lost it and I get really upset when I leave the decision in the judges’ hands…Anyone who has a mouth can talk. I respect his opinion and I’m ready to fight Shogun or any other challenger UFC decides, but I would like to say that this fight was not judged by myself, my father or Anderson Silva…This fight was judged by professionals, so I’m pretty much comfortable with the result…It’s time to celebrate the win and relax from the hard training routine…After that I will check what happened to my hand (it’s hurt), if it needs some surgery, then analyze my mistakes in this fight carefully with my family to restart my training routine. No matter who is my next opponent, I’ll give some rest to my mind and body and return 100 percent to the training to get ready for my next challenge. If it’s Shogun again, I’ll study his game and make a different strategy to please the fans with a better fight.”

Shogun Upset With UFC 104 Loss To Machida: “I’m Sure That I Won, Everybody Thinks That I Won”

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua strongly feels that he was the true winner against Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida at UFC 104.  Machida earned a unanimous decision victory over Rua in what may be one of the most controversial fights in mixed martial arts history.

From Mauricio Shogun:

“It was a tough fight, I knew that Lyoto was good, but I could put my rhythm on…I’m sure that I won, everybody thinks that I won. I talked with a lot of people here and they thought that I won, but unfortunately I think that they gave him the victory because of some interests…Everyone was surprised with what happened in the end, but what can I do?”

UFC 104 Post-Fight Interview: Pat Barry Talks Knockout Win Over Antoni Hardonk

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