Couture makes a statement

[sccr06]

I am curious to see if anyone will say that Pedro should be the champ over Randy now. It looked pretty obvious to all concerned that Randy beat the crap out of Rizzo. I am really impressed with Couture. 38 and he's out there laying the smack down on a guy 11 years his junior. Pretty cool.

Rizzo is a good fighter but he needs to be more aggressive if he wants to win any decisions. Counterpunching is fine but not attacking at all, well, that just gives the judge an excuse to drop points from your score.

I don't think the UFC will hear from Rizzo for a while after that beating.

[Rob B]

Did you see the fight, all I heard was a ref stoppage from punches. Was it standing or in the mount? Did you think it was a proper stoppage or was big John quick on the draw again.

[Tank rules]

It was stopped from punches in the mount.
Couture wanted nothing to do with Rizzo standing and would just throw a few counters and go for a clinch.

[sccr06]

I think it was a good stoppage. Couture opened a cut on his nose in rnd 1 but then opened a big cut under the eye in round 2. He worked that cut bad in round 3 and that's why Big John stopped it. Rizzo was not mounting any kind of defense. Randy was riding his guard high and laying into him when McCarthy stopped it. Rizzo was just laying there on his back absorbing punishment.
The fact that he only threw about 3 kicks during the whole fight was testament to his lack of offense, not to mention his crappy defense on his back. I think McCarthy made the right decision.

[Twisted up]

Couture stacked Rizzo from within Rizzo's guard and beat the MONKEY out of him!

It's like Randy said to himself, enough of this bs, this one ain't gonna go to a decision! He took command after a shot in that 3rd round.

Congrats the the STILL heavyweight champion Couture!

[mister_rogers]

I think Tank rules is totally wrong. Rizzo actially threw fewer kicks that Couture did!!

Couture totally dominated the standup.

Rizzo had a horrible strategy and very little to even score a point.

this is from

http://www.ufcfightnews.com/news/UFC34results.html

Randy Couture TKO 3 Pedro Rizzo

The bout didn’t explode from the start, as many thought it would have. Instead, the two heavyweights sized each other up for much of the first half of the opening round.

Rizzo, known for his thunderous leg kicks, oddly was reluctant to launch any until Couture planted 3 of his own.

After said kicks, the two tied up and Couture, Everett, WA, tried to ram Rizzo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, into the fence. Pedro held his ground until Randy grabbed onto Rizzo’s hips, scooped him up and slammed him hard onto the mat. Couture landed in Rizzo’s guard against the fence, but not much action resulted from either fighter. “The Natural” eventually landed some solid left hands and elbows at the end of the round, leaving a slight gash on the bridge of “The Rock’s” nose.

The second round started off just the same as the first, except Rizzo finally realized to start launching some of his patented kicks. An extremely hard, slapping kick to Couture’s leg prompted him to throw an off-target right cross, latch onto Pedro’s body and systematically run him down onto the mat again. Couture was once again in Rizzo’s guard. After a few more elbows, Rizzo’s nose began to bleed much more freely. Still, not much action took place and Couture hammered down three thunderous elbows to Rizzo’s face.

Pedro’s face became a crimson puddle and referee “Big” John McCarthy halted the action to have Rizzo’s cuts examined. Ringside physician Margarette Goodman deemed the cuts non-threatening and the fight continued.

Back on their feet and where Rizzo obviously belongs and usually dominates, for some reason Pedro was unwilling to trade punches or kicks with Couture.

Early in the third round, Couture tried to take Rizzo down, but Rizzo was able to defend against it and stay on his feet. For the next minute or so, the two circled around, sizing each other up as if it was the first round.

Only a few jabs from either fighter was attempted and the crowd grew restless.

Then as Rizzo was backing away, Couture landed a hard overhand right that slightly wobbled Rizzo.

Couture immediately jumped on Rizzo and ran him into the fence and down into a half guard.

From there, Couture wailed away with a barrage of right hands, prompting McCarthy to jump in the stop the fight at 1:38 of round three.

Rizzo complained, though his face was an absolute bloody mess.

Couture defends his title yet again and remains unbeaten in the UFC at 7-0 (7-2 MMA), while Rizzo falls to 6-3 in the UFC (10-3 MMA).

[Bond]

Coutoure is hands down one of the most intelligent guys in MMA. Listen to his interviews. Every thought is presented with insight, and his appoach to training and the sport in general is as logical as it can be. He is a college grad and teaches/taught in GreshamOregon. I have nothing but respect for the man.
He will no doubt go down in history as one of the best competitors ever to enter the Octagon. His record to date speaks for itself.