UFC 34: “High Voltage” Shocks the World

Part V

*originally published in the Nov ’01 issue of Full Contact Fighter*

Heavyweights Ricco Rodriguez and Pete “El Duro” Williams were up next. Rodriguez, a Team Punishment member, was looking to prove himself against top competition, and Pete Williams, the infamous Lion’s Den member whose claim to fame was his knockout of Mark Coleman, fit the bill. In Rodriguez’ corner: Ortiz and Baroni. In Williams’ corner: UFC legend Ken Shamrock. As the fighters squared off, it was clear whoever was able to impose his game on the other would be the winner. Rodriguez, the accomplished Brazilian Jiu-jitsu grappler, would want the fight on the ground. Williams, though skilled on the ground, would want it on their feet. With his superior conditioning and aggressiveness, Rodriguez would earn the win.

Unable to get off a strike, Williams found himself on his back early on. Rodriguez, after taking him down, worked the ground-and-pound strategy, utilizing the fence. A kneebar attempt by Rodriguez spared Williams further punishment, and gave El Duro an opening to stand up. Instead of disengaging, Williams came back down into his opponent’s guard, where he was reversed. The round ended with Rodriguez dominant.

For the second round, Rodriguez showed more of his aggressiveness, getting another takedown and achieving sidemount. More ground and pound prompted Williams to turn over, and the Team Punishment heavyweight took backmount, hooking his feet inside Williams’ thighs for complete control. A flurry of punches to the sides of Pete Williams’ head forced the referee to call a halt to the match. The winner: Ricco Rodriguez, at four minutes and two seconds of the second round. Pleased with himself and his performance, Rodriguez called out his critics on the Internet – having won convincingly against one of the best.

The final match of the night was set to begin, and for all that had transpired in the Octagon in the previous two hours, it was eagerly awaited.

Entering to a song specifically made for him, Pedro Rizzo was a man on a mission. This was his third chance at the heavyweight title. Though highly skilled, a loss here would throw him back into the mix of fighters still trying to earn their first shot at the belt. Would Rizzo be the next to wear the heavyweight crown? For Rizzo, tonight was it.

With flames and explosions, Couture entered with fanfare befitting a champion. Over the sound system the Jimi Hendrix-version of the “Star-spangled Banner” blared. Pausing with a hand over his heart, the world-class wrestler was the American hero, as the crowd to chanted “USA! USA!”

Couture had trained with former champ and opponent Maurice Smith to combat Rizzo’s strong kickboxing skills. Would it be enough?

The contest was underway to see who had learned the most from their last bout. Both men were extremely tentative, circling one another and refusing to make the first mistake. The crowd responded with boos, which Couture seemed to take as a cue for the takedown. Scooping up Rizzo and spilling the Brazilian on his back, the wrestler worked from within the other man’s guard – a turn of events almost identical to their first round together at UFC 31. Unlike their last fight, Couture restrained himself from unleashing a flurry and gassing. The round ended in this fashion, with the champ standing over the challenger, landing the occasional punch through Rizzo’s defenses. Under his left eye, Rizzo was cut.

The second round started with the same tentativeness, until Couture began to show off what he had learned while training: his kicks. Of their limited exchanges, the man who had once was once just a wrestler was now getting the better of the kickboxer. Then, like in the round prior, Rizzo was taken down, with Couture raining more strikes from within the Brazilian’s ineffectual guard. It was now obvious that of the two Rizzo’s known to show up in a fight – the aggressive one and the passive one – the passive one was lying on his back on the Octagon floor. Bleeding profusely, Rizzo was losing. Big John stopped the action to have the challenger’s cut looked at, and the round ended.

The next round brought more hesitation between the fighters, prompting the referee to call for action. A kick from Couture was answered with a solid low kick from Rizzo; his first for the night. But the champ was unfazed. He secured the double underhooks, then the takedown. Back in Rizzo’s guard, victory was within Couture’s grasp. A strong flurry, more blood from Rizzo’s cut, and at one minute and thirty-eight seconds of the third round, the fight was over. Big John called the match. Randy Couture had held on to his belt. He was still the best heavyweight fighter in the world.

After the fight, the champ thanked Zuffa, his opponent, and the fans. He had won, but the real winners were all those who had attended, all those who had tuned in at home, all those who had wanted action and excitement. They got it. “High Voltage” was everything Zuffa could have hoped for.