Smith Surprises in WEC 205-lb. Tourney; Rodriguez Rolls
Despite Size, Ricco Looks Good
Josh Gross Oct 15, 2005
At his zenith, Ricco
Rodriguez (Pictures) (14-3-2) was a 240-pound machine.
Few could match his combination of cardio and skill. Tonight he
entered the WEC cage a robust 288 pounds, loser of his last bout
versus Ron Waterman
(Pictures), and needless to say a far
cry from the fighter who stopped Randy Couture (Pictures) in 2002.
Facing Jimmy Ambriz (Pictures) (8-3-1) would produce few answers pertaining to Rodriguez’ future, but the first round stoppage should create some momentum for a fighter looking to perhaps rebuild a career that today has him fighting in smaller shows one weight division above from where he should be competing.
The key with facing the likes of 302-pound Ambriz is finding a way
to outlast the power, and Rodriguez had little problem doing this.
Two minutes into the fight Ambriz had effectively done all he could
— which wasn’t much — and Rodriguez began to chip away.
The difference in skill level was obvious even to the most casual fight fan. And four minutes into the fight it appeared like Rodriguez realized this as well, finally pouring it on with his hands after a kick to Ambriz’ leg and midsection landed with full force.
Rodriguez expressed a desire to rematch Waterman, a fight few fans would wish to see again.
Heavyweight Lavar Johnson (Pictures) (7-1) got one step closer to the WEC heavyweight title winning in dominating fashion versus Corey Salter (5-4), inducing a tapout to strikes 3:37 of the opening round.
The squat Salter, who was added to the card just this week, evaded Johnson’s early striking, which was sloppy and ineffective. Johnson did a poor job of dealing with Salter’s clinch, and unable to defend double under hooks the intimidating heavyweight was put to the floor.
Though Salter had mount, he could do very little and missed an opportunity to inflict damage. Johnson eventually reversed and did not miss his chance, dropping heavy punches and elbows from within the guard. Soon he moved to mount and finished the fight there, as Salter tapped his midsection to bow out of the fight.
Mike Pyle (Pictures) (8-2-1) captured the vacant WEC welterweight title, submitting Bret Bergmark (Pictures) (4-1-1) with a nifty triangle choke 3:36 of round one. With the pace slow from the outset, Pyle and Bergmark traded takedowns. Their ground work was consistent and at separate points each had the other in danger.
Bergmark forced a grimace on Pyle’s face as he popped the young fighter’s left ankle, but the soon-to-be champion worked through the pain and ended up on top.
The end came suddenly. During a scramble Pyle seemed to suck Bergmark into a triangle choke and with his long legs he locked it in tight. Bergmark, ala Levens-Oliveira, attempted to lift Pyle and slam his way out of the choke, but the new champion tucked his right arm under Bergmark’s left leg, forcing the struggling fighter back to the canvas.
Looking to avenge the only loss of his career, WEC lightweight champion Gabe Ruediger (Pictures) (9-1) stepped in against Sam Wells (7-8) in what turned out to be the fight of the night.
Ruediger had never been out of the first round before tonight’s title bout, but he needed the judges tonight to retain his belt (John Sanders 29-28; Ralph McKnight 29-28; Frank Trigg (Pictures) 30-27).
Rounds one and three were clearly the champions. He controlled Wells inside the clinch, landing virtually anything he wanted. But it was in the second round, when Ruediger decided to stand on the outside and bang with Wells, that the champion got in trouble.
Hurt after tasting several well-placed punches from the challenger, Ruediger hit the canvas. Wells unloaded a barrage that would have finished most lightweights in his class, but Ruediger gutted through the onslaught, surviving until Wells could no longer keep the hellish pace.
Somehow the champion recovered well enough to mount his own offensive. The two fighters exchanged leg-submission attempts and it was the champion who ended the middle round on top. His effort in the latter half of round two was enough to avoid a 10-8 round and ensure his effective fighting in the bookend rounds would not be wasted.
Facing Jimmy Ambriz (Pictures) (8-3-1) would produce few answers pertaining to Rodriguez’ future, but the first round stoppage should create some momentum for a fighter looking to perhaps rebuild a career that today has him fighting in smaller shows one weight division above from where he should be competing.
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The difference in skill level was obvious even to the most casual fight fan. And four minutes into the fight it appeared like Rodriguez realized this as well, finally pouring it on with his hands after a kick to Ambriz’ leg and midsection landed with full force.
Exhausted and frustrated, Ambriz ate a right-left-right-left-knee
combination to end it 4:13 of round one. “I did basically OK,”
Rodriguez said afterwards. “I wasn’t too impressed but I did what I
wanted to do. And my knee wasn’t bothering me so I’ve been dealing
with the knee a little bit. So hopefully it’ll get better from
here.”
Rodriguez expressed a desire to rematch Waterman, a fight few fans would wish to see again.
Heavyweight Lavar Johnson (Pictures) (7-1) got one step closer to the WEC heavyweight title winning in dominating fashion versus Corey Salter (5-4), inducing a tapout to strikes 3:37 of the opening round.
The squat Salter, who was added to the card just this week, evaded Johnson’s early striking, which was sloppy and ineffective. Johnson did a poor job of dealing with Salter’s clinch, and unable to defend double under hooks the intimidating heavyweight was put to the floor.
Though Salter had mount, he could do very little and missed an opportunity to inflict damage. Johnson eventually reversed and did not miss his chance, dropping heavy punches and elbows from within the guard. Soon he moved to mount and finished the fight there, as Salter tapped his midsection to bow out of the fight.
Mike Pyle (Pictures) (8-2-1) captured the vacant WEC welterweight title, submitting Bret Bergmark (Pictures) (4-1-1) with a nifty triangle choke 3:36 of round one. With the pace slow from the outset, Pyle and Bergmark traded takedowns. Their ground work was consistent and at separate points each had the other in danger.
Bergmark forced a grimace on Pyle’s face as he popped the young fighter’s left ankle, but the soon-to-be champion worked through the pain and ended up on top.
The end came suddenly. During a scramble Pyle seemed to suck Bergmark into a triangle choke and with his long legs he locked it in tight. Bergmark, ala Levens-Oliveira, attempted to lift Pyle and slam his way out of the choke, but the new champion tucked his right arm under Bergmark’s left leg, forcing the struggling fighter back to the canvas.
Looking to avenge the only loss of his career, WEC lightweight champion Gabe Ruediger (Pictures) (9-1) stepped in against Sam Wells (7-8) in what turned out to be the fight of the night.
Ruediger had never been out of the first round before tonight’s title bout, but he needed the judges tonight to retain his belt (John Sanders 29-28; Ralph McKnight 29-28; Frank Trigg (Pictures) 30-27).
Rounds one and three were clearly the champions. He controlled Wells inside the clinch, landing virtually anything he wanted. But it was in the second round, when Ruediger decided to stand on the outside and bang with Wells, that the champion got in trouble.
Hurt after tasting several well-placed punches from the challenger, Ruediger hit the canvas. Wells unloaded a barrage that would have finished most lightweights in his class, but Ruediger gutted through the onslaught, surviving until Wells could no longer keep the hellish pace.
Somehow the champion recovered well enough to mount his own offensive. The two fighters exchanged leg-submission attempts and it was the champion who ended the middle round on top. His effort in the latter half of round two was enough to avoid a 10-8 round and ensure his effective fighting in the bookend rounds would not be wasted.
