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The Epic Tragedy

 


Yes, Khamzat Chimaev won the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 319, and yes, he's an extremely worthy champion.


My heart fought me like a caged lion on this take.


From before the opening bell, the battle felt like a titan facing a demon. Dricus looked like Paul Bunyan, preternaturally calm, ready to embark upon his greatest challenge.


Khamzat's grin made him look like Lucifer himself.


Watching Dricus Du Plessis struggle through the first round trapped for the better part of five minutes in a devastating crucifix, getting his head punched in over and over again, I felt bad for him, and also felt the superior fighter would wear him out come the second round.


Watching more of the same in the second round, I felt Dricus had been admirably tough, hold out under such intense physical and mental exertion that not more than one ten-thousandth of a percent of men have the heart to do. How could he possibly last under the superior , bone-grinding grappling of the monster on top of him.


The third round came. Immediate take down, body trapped and bearing 185 pounds of fierce opponent , endless head punches. Five minutes of that must have felt like five hours. 


Dricus got up again at the end of the round... ready to keep fighting.


I'll be damned if that didn't just rouse my spirits.


This had to be one of the greatest displays of toughness and resiliency in the history of sport. A man standing tall in the face of an impossible beating from an impossible demon in the form of a man. 


“Get him Dricus!!”


Round four came. I wanted Khamzat to go toe to toe with Dricus, who had withstood his best wrestling over and over again. He's earned the right to battle you on his feet.


Instead of fighting like the savage devil he appeared to be at the beginning, Khamzat instead opted to fight like a ring general. He took DDP down again with cold, relentless precision.


So it went for the last two rounds. Dricus battled on bravely, even got on top of his opponent for a few brief, fleeting moments.


Then it went back to the take down, beat down refrain. 


I admit, I was pretty damned angry by the end of the fight. Dricus deserved better, he withstood more in that cage than anyone ever has any right to expect of a man. He made a monumental stand, and the man who smiled like a demon never gave him a chance to earn his payoff.


Thank God for the power of reflection.


Last night's contest earned a spot in my pantheon of the greatest fights that every one hated to watch. It was 25 minutes of fantastic grappling and flawless execution by an undefeated maestro of the octagon. He faced a worthy champion in his prime, and he strategically closed off every avenue of victory for him.


The champion, for his part, never surrendered in a seemingly hopeless situation, and even looked ready to go for round six.


This was an epic battle. I hope, over time, you'll be able to appreciate it in this light.


How do you feel about last night's fight? Want me to talk more UFC? Hit me up at therealarmageddonrex@gmail.com with comments. 


Thanks for reading, and keep your eyes to the skies!


Paul Andrea AKA ArmageddonRex

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