UFC 121: Gabriel Gonzaga loses another big fight
If Gabriel Gonzaga is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, why does he never try to use it in the cage during a fight?
Tough question, but it's the question that needs an answer, especially after he got picked apart on his feet by Brendan Schaub at UFC 121 in Anaheim on Saturday? Schaub, a former football player and the 2007 Golden Gloves champion in Colorado, dominated Gonzaga en route to the unanimous decision. All three judges scored it 30-27.
"That was our game plan to get him mixed up and pick him apart," Schaub said.
Schaub, a Season 10 finalist on "The Ultimate Fighter," landed the bigger and more effective strikes throughout the first round, ending it with a knockdown. Gonzaga tried a takedown once in the first round but Schaub stuffed it, and Gonzaga quickly released. He never tried again to get a takedown.
In the second round, Gonzaga (11-6, 7-5 UFC) landed a few early leg kicks but stopped doing such after Schaub (7-1, 3-1) tagged him multiple times in the face with punches.
Gonzaga flashed one sign of the promise that people say he has. In the final 10 seconds of the bout, after a toe-to-toe exchange, Schaub shot in for a takedown. Why, we don't know, but whatever. Gonzaga sprawled, spun around Schaub quickly and went for a rear naked choke but the final bell sounded.
Watch the UFC 121 post-fight live video stream at 1:15 a.m. EDT
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