A natural winner

Couture comes out of retirement in a big way

RANDELL BALDANADO

Randy (the natural) Couture came out of retirement to challenge and defeat UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia at UFC 68: Uprising, on March 2. In doing so, Couture regained the heavyweight championship, becoming the only three-time heavyweight champion in UFC history, as well as the only five-time UFC champion, with belts in two weight classes. At 43, he has also become the oldest crowned champion in the history of the sport.

Although a fan favourite to win, many critics brushed off Couture’s wish to return to the UFC as the whim of a man in midlife crisis. These remarks were silenced after the opening seconds of the bout, when Couture threw an inside-leg-kick, overhand-right combination, nearly knocking out the larger opponent. The crowd stood up on their feet, shocked to see the goliath fall, knowing that the larger Sylvia had previously knocked out superior strikers, such as Andrei Arlovski and Tra Telligman. Couture continued to dominate the opening round on the ground, holding Sylvia in a rear-naked chokehold until the bell sounded.

Couture’s wrestling and takedown skills dominated round two, as Sylvia was unable to answer to Couture’s superior groundwork. Couture out-manoeuvered the larger fighter as a fisherman does a beached whale: it was not a display of power, but one of control.

Couture continued to dominate the fight in round three, silencing any opinions that his opening overhand hook was a “fluke.” Couture set the pace of the round by landing stiff jabs, overhand rights, and three-punch combinations on Sylvia’s skull, as well as dodging and slipping most of the punches Sylvia attempted to counter with. Couture’s feints and head movements kept Sylvia off balance; as he admitted in a post-fight interview, “[Couture] kept me guessing the whole time.” Although Sylvia had the weight and reach advantage, he looked like the smaller fighter, being out-jabbed, out-punched, and out-boxed by an older, swifter opponent.

It was no surprise by the fourth and fifth rounds that Couture won the bout by unanimous decision. He continued his performance in the final rounds without tiring, firing flurries of lefts and rights in the centre of the octagon and then shooting in on Sylvia, almost taking him down to the canvas at will. After referee John McCarthy raised Couture’s arm in victory, Couture commented that it was “not bad for an old man.” At 43, two years older than Bernard Hopkins was when he retired from the world of boxing, Randy Couture has managed to change the way fans look at aging veterans, and forced many fighters to reevaluate what it means to be in one’s “prime.”

Couture’s next challenger will be the winner of the Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic versus Gabriel Gonzaga bout in Manchester, England on April 21. Couture told the press that a potential fight with Pride FC veteran Cro Cop was a deciding factor to return to the world of mixed martial arts and to challenge Tim Sylvia. Cro Cop’s previous knockout victories against Eddie Sanchez, Wanderlei Silva, Mark Coleman, and Igor Vovchanchyn don’t deter him. Couture admitted that, at 43, he’ll usually be considered the underdog, but feels confident that he can continue to fight well and win.





Volume 94 Issue 23	The Official University of Manitoba Students' Newspaper Website	March 07, 2007

Home About Us Advertise Contact Staff Current Issue PDF Employment Letters to the Editor Meet the Staff Online Archives Personals Volunteer	Font Size Respond Email Print-Friendly A natural winner Couture comes out of retirement in a big way RANDELL BALDANADO Randy (the natural) Couture came out of retirement to challenge and defeat UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia at UFC 68: Uprising, on March 2. In doing so, Couture regained the heavyweight championship, becoming the only three-time heavyweight champion in UFC history, as well as the only five-time UFC champion, with belts in two weight classes. At 43, he has also become the oldest crowned champion in the history of the sport. Although a fan favourite to win, many critics brushed off Couture’s wish to return to the UFC as the whim of a man in midlife crisis. These remarks were silenced after the opening seconds of the bout, when Couture threw an inside-leg-kick, overhand-right combination, nearly knocking out the larger opponent. The crowd stood up on their feet, shocked to see the goliath fall, knowing that the larger Sylvia had previously knocked out superior strikers, such as Andrei Arlovski and Tra Telligman. Couture continued to dominate the opening round on the ground, holding Sylvia in a rear-naked chokehold until the bell sounded. Couture’s wrestling and takedown skills dominated round two, as Sylvia was unable to answer to Couture’s superior groundwork. Couture out-manoeuvered the larger fighter as a fisherman does a beached whale: it was not a display of power, but one of control. Couture continued to dominate the fight in round three, silencing any opinions that his opening overhand hook was a “fluke.” Couture set the pace of the round by landing stiff jabs, overhand rights, and three-punch combinations on Sylvia’s skull, as well as dodging and slipping most of the punches Sylvia attempted to counter with. Couture’s feints and head movements kept Sylvia off balance; as he admitted in a post-fight interview, “[Couture] kept me guessing the whole time.” Although Sylvia had the weight and reach advantage, he looked like the smaller fighter, being out-jabbed, out-punched, and out-boxed by an older, swifter opponent. It was no surprise by the fourth and fifth rounds that Couture won the bout by unanimous decision. He continued his performance in the final rounds without tiring, firing flurries of lefts and rights in the centre of the octagon and then shooting in on Sylvia, almost taking him down to the canvas at will. After referee John McCarthy raised Couture’s arm in victory, Couture commented that it was “not bad for an old man.” At 43, two years older than Bernard Hopkins was when he retired from the world of boxing, Randy Couture has managed to change the way fans look at aging veterans, and forced many fighters to reevaluate what it means to be in one’s “prime.” Couture’s next challenger will be the winner of the Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic versus Gabriel Gonzaga bout in Manchester, England on April 21. Couture told the press that a potential fight with Pride FC veteran Cro Cop was a deciding factor to return to the world of mixed martial arts and to challenge Tim Sylvia. Cro Cop’s previous knockout victories against Eddie Sanchez, Wanderlei Silva, Mark Coleman, and Igor Vovchanchyn don’t deter him. Couture admitted that, at 43, he’ll usually be considered the underdog, but feels confident that he can continue to fight well and win.


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