Slippery Marquardt TKOs Palhares in headliner
Just when it looked like Rousimar Palhares would pull off one of his signature heel-hook victories, Nate Marquardt slipped free…
Just when it looked like Rousimar Palhares would pull off one of his signature heel-hook victories, Nate Marquardt slipped free his leg and quickly turned the tables for a first-round TKO victory.
But the fight, which headlined Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 22 event, initially came with some controversy.
Once Marquardt pulled his leg free, Palhares looked at his hand and signaled to officials and seemingly complained that his fighter was greased. Marquardt capitalized on the opening and pounded Palhares with a quick barrage of punches.
The stunning finish came at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, and aired on Spike TV prior to the debut episode of “The Ultimate Fighter 12.”
The ending, though, wasn’t due to any illegal substances. UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan immediately announced that Marquardt had passed an inspection from the ringside physician and the referee.
So why was he slippery?
“I came out really warm because I wanted a good sweat,” said Marquardt, who saw teammate Georges St-Pierre deal with greasing allegations from opponent B.J. Penn in 2009. “I wanted to be slippery.”
Palhares’ mental lapse undoubtedly cost him the fight. While he looked to the officials to protest, Marquardt unloaded the fight-ending barrage of punches. Unable to fight back due to the mounting blows, Palhares could only cover up and wait for the ref’s stoppage, which came at the 3:28 mark.
“I just saw an opportunity and jumped on it,” Marquardt said. “I went for it.”