In the second bout of the UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem preliminary card, Jacob Volkmann used his elite wrestling skills to control Efrain Escudero enough to pick up a unanimous decision victory. The first two rounds were all Volkmann, with Escudero putting himself in bad positions by going for guillotines and Volkmann taking advantage, grinding away for long periods of time. Even when the referee stood them up, Volkmann took it right back down and continued his domination.
The third round looked to be more of the same for the first half of the stanza, but Escudero capitalized on a Volkmann mistake and locked on a choke that looked tight. He adjusted in a few times, but it wasn't enough to put Volkmann to sleep, and Jacob escaped with a 29-28 win on all three scorecards. Volkmann improves to 5-0 as a lightweight and has to be seen as a threat in the division. Escudero picks up the loss in his return to the company and is probably wondering about his future right about now.
What was the high spot of this fight?
Escudero's chokes. Volkmann is boring but effective, and nothing he did for the first two rounds was highlight-worthy. Escudero caught him in the third though, and it looked for all the world that Volkmann had no choice but to tap. Somehow he powered out though, and went on to win.
Where do these guys go from here?
Volkmann's a weirdo, and that might hold him back from a higher-profile position. But the truth is that he's 5-0 as a lightweight, and that's not easy to do in the UFC. Does he get a quality contender next? We'll see. I'm leaning towards a Mark Bocek-type fighter first though.
Escudero is in a precarious position. He was brought back as a late replacement, and while he showed a lot in the third round of the bout, the first two rounds were anything but impressive. Personally, I feel that he's a lot better than some lightweights on the roster and deserves another shot. Will he get it? Only time will tell.
Watch it now, later or never?
Later. Or at least just watch the third. Volkmann does what he does well, but he's not gonna win any brownie points from Dana White for it. Escudero made it interesting at least, and that was, by far, the best part of the fight.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 141 in the full entry
0 recs | 16 comments
Watch it later? What are you? An Obama supporter?
/Volkmannized
IRodC - January 1, 2012
Secret Service here, I'm lookin' for a man named Volkmann..
Tairy Hesticles - January 1, 2012
I had to turn the volume off during the 'glassectomy'
portion of the promo. Too awkward.
LikeTheWhiskey - January 1, 2012
Volkman vs. Cole Miller or Mac Danzig would work for me.
Mac Danzig would piece him up, and Cole would choke him out.
Snatchl - January 1, 2012
I think Volkmann's style will hold him back
much more than his failed attempts at political humor. Agree or disagree with his viewpoints, dude can’t deliver a line to save his life.
duck - January 1, 2012
i think he just needs to stop trying to be chael only chael gets away with crazy post interviews
Mac Marley - January 1, 2012
Tim Burke has a FETISH with Volkman's Politics. LOL.
Tim Burke just can’t stop his “weirdo” comments about Volkman and his conservative (anti obama) political beliefs. LOL.
I personally think Volkman STINKS as a fighter and hope he gets cut from the UFC due to “inducing sleepiness” among fans. I also thought his Obama joke was unfunny and ill timed. I also think he’s too conservative for my liking.
But I’m not a rabid political activist such as Mr. Burke, so I guess I don’t get his constant haterade for all things conservative.
I’ll admit that I don’t believe in Mr. Burke’s liberal philosophy of giving everybody a free lunch because, as we’ve seen in Europe, that place is falling apart with unsustainable debt levels which are being fueled by lazy union workers, unfunded pension benefits and health care costs which cannot be paid without borrowing more money.
Plus, as we’ve seen with Canada’s own health care system, it’s nothing more than “bread lines” (e.g. it’s “free” precisely because it provides flimsy benefits coupled with months/years of waiting for expensive treatments). It’s great for everyday stuff like pre-natal care, the flu or the sniffles, but how many people in the US are going bankrupt paying for those things? None.
If you have cancer in Canada and need an MRI, good luck waiting in line for months just for your MRI to be approved and administered, by which time your cancer has had more time to spread all over your body (and if you get your actual chemo treatments approved before you die then you’re probably well connected to government officials). :-)
Chill Tim, just a bit of sarcasm above.
Volkman stinks as a fighter and should be FED to a top 10 fighter and then given his walking papers after he gets KTFO.
Happy New Year! :-)
Who_Has_Crushed_More_Cans_Than_Fedor - January 1, 2012
Dude, pretty much everyone thinks he’s a weirdo.. you’re reading waaaay too much politics into it.
Horselover Fat - January 1, 2012
" It’s great for everyday stuff like pre-natal care, the flu or the sniffles, but how many people in the US are going bankrupt paying for those things? None."
With our higher infant mortality rate and lower life expectancy, I’m guessing they’re not going bankrupt from those and other maladies because they’re choosing to die from them instead.
When we’re talking about healthcare for cancer, yes the US survival rates look better. But why are we spending 2x as much on health care for only slightly better results? Our system is good but improvements can be made.
The post-fight interview is a horrible place to get off any serious critique of our medical system.
V C - January 1, 2012
Tim didn't mention politics, Volkmann's comments or the post-fight interview at all
Cunny - January 1, 2012
not even later if you saw any of volkmann fight
its just volkmann being volkmann
DK_Monster - January 1, 2012
If you didn’t see this one.. do yourself a favor and don’t ever do it.
Horselover Fat - January 1, 2012
The awkward moment when
you are Jacob Volkmann
NEW-HAMPSHIRE - January 1, 2012
A Life of Awkward and Boring People to Tears: The Jacob Volkmann story
Horselover Fat - January 1, 2012
Before ducking for cover
Let me just say that for some, inexplicable reason I actually enjoy watching Volkmann’s fights.
His political views are ridiculous and his attempts at comedy are ill-advised, but I’d like to see him do well. He obviously needs to get better everywhere or he’ll get KTFO’d by the upper echelons of the division, but a Bocek fight sounds great.
wonderfulspam - January 1, 2012
Vokmann is a talented fighter and despite my distaste for his personality, political views and terrible sense of humor he deserves a step up in competition. Id like to see him fight Bocek, Stephens, Mac Danzig or Clay Guida.
ProfessorBLove - January 1, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Bloody Elbow to post a comment.