5 MMA fights that were reminiscent of ECW's brutality
Mixed Martial Arts has often been derided as a sport that is as cruel as it is uncompromising. The bloodshed, the cauliflower ears and the extremely brutal displays of power (not vulgar, sorry Pantera) make MMA one of the toughest combat sports in the history of people beating each other for money. Not many people would agree but mixed martial arts is pretty similar to ECW’s hardcore oeuvre in some respects: the high-risk factor, the blood, the extent to which crazy people go in order to put up a great show amongst numerous others. Yes, ECW was choreographed but you can’t possibly choreograph people being put through burning tables, enduring barbed-wire hits etc without entailing a risk!
Here are 5 MMA matches that take us back to ECW’s “hardcore” style:
#5 Cain Velasquez vs Antonio Silva
Within the confines of a demonic steel cage structure, two of the greatest fighters in the heavyweight division fought to settle their differences. It wasn’t going to be an easy fight for either and what ensued was a mat smeared with blood. Cain Velasquez, by virtue of his average of landing the most significant strikes in the UFC, took the battle to Antonio Silva in a gruesome battle that became the highlight of UFC 146.
The match started and both men took the fight to the ground in the first few seconds, leading to one of the most brutal ground and pound displays ever, in the history of the UFC heavyweight division. Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva tried his best to maintain his defense but all of his efforts went awry in front of Velasquez’s speed and striking ability. A lethal elbow to the face of Bigfoot caused a huge gash which prompted a lot of blood to gush out.
In just three minutes and thirty-six seconds, Cain Velasquez’s hard-hitting reduced Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva to a hapless, bloodied pile, lying on the ground. Velasquez had just lost his title to Junior dos Santos and this was probably all of the pent up frustration that was showing! The match-up was short yet not withholding on the ‘bloodshed’ quotient. It was reminiscent of a hardcore ECW match, albeit with real fighting as opposed to sports entertainment. Phew, it pains to even write about the fight!