Beats Filhos ass pretty bad first round, possibly had him out, I couldn't see but Sonnen kept saying "hes out hes out" Next round, more of the same, then Filho gets an arm from bottom, gets a pretty good armbar, Sonnen yells, but doesnt tap, and right before the ref asked if he wanted to submit and he told the ref clearly "no" the arm sustained no damage. This was nothing like Mir-Sylvia. So, if the ref is using the "preventing damage" excuse, he would have called it in the first when Filho was crumpled against the cage. Sonnen won almost every second of that fight and then lost on a bad call. Total robbery, if there is any justice he gets an instant rematch. According to this jagoff ref Nog lost by kneebar to Barnett, and Randleman submitted 4 times to Shogun before he actually submitted.
I dont feel like hes screwed honestly that round had about 8-9 secounds left his arm was ready to be broken if he didnt tap before it ended.
So be it, let it break then, if it does break/pop/snap, call it, but dont **** up the fight for both fighters and the fans. Chael knew he might break his arm, but he also knew he might get out of it, people have gotten out of armbars that were just as deep
Why did Sonnen even try and take the fight to the ground, when he was dominating the stand up? The ground is Fihlo's domain, but he is short and muscle bound during stand up. I don't get it. Sonnen could of stood and fought. Fihlo would of have trouble taking him down all night as Sonnen is a world class wrestler, and win by decision or KO , standing.
I agree he did get screwed. "Verbal tapout"? What the **** is that? He was clearly staring at the ref and telling him not to stop the fight. At least he was humble.
I totally didn't see a mouse in your avatar. Then I was like, "wait a second that doesn't look like a... oooooh..."
Sonnen is the biggest dumbass around. I'm glad he lost just for the biggest failure of in ring strategy I have ever seen. I can't believe that with Hendo and Lindland in his corner they would let him be so stupid. And Filho without roids = suckage.
I'm with Robson, I don't think you can nail the ref to the cross for this one. It would have been the same situation if he had stopped the fight earlier when Filho was obviously all but out at the beginning of round 1, but Sonnen just caught the unlucky break. When a ref is looking at a fighters arm being bent past 90 degrees, and his face is contorted, his eyes are closed, and he is screaming, I can't fault him for stopping the fight, no matter what he is saying. It is the referees duty to interject the action whenever he feels a fighters health is in danger. The ref did so, and while I think letting it go would have been a better call I don't see why people are in such a tizzy. Sonnen was bitching the least of anyone, probably because he realized that now he will be getting a paycheck in 2-3 months instead of spending a year rehabbing his arm all for 9 more seconds of foolish pride.
Like I said, I've seen people get out of deeper armbars, I just think you gotta let the guy keep going unless you see something happen. Not to mention Sonnen seems to scream anytime he gets a sub attempted on him. Arms heal, its not brain damage, plus it seemed like a precedent of giving the fighter the benefit of the doubt was already set in that fight, at least be consistent. But yea, Sonnen could and should have avoided the whole situation.
We learned two things from this fight: 1) Sonnen has the worst gameplans known to man. You're dominating on your feet, and you take a jiu-jistu fighter down for what exactly? 2) Fihlo is a bum without roids. His striking is terrible, and he's a lazy meatball in the cage. The only thing that saved him was his jiu-jitsu. His cardio and intensity were about as bad as his winging punches. Someone get Fihlo a shot of juice in the ass.
Hes got his thumb turned, its not improbable to think he could have gotten out. He is in perfect position to tap if he wants.
It doesn't matter if he has his thumb turned. As long as his albow is on the break and in tight its over. You don't say "aaah!" unless he already felt a pop. From there its a 100% break if Filho so desires. He was done.
