The main event of this played out pretty much the way I thought it would.
I felt this fight was Shogun's fight to win or lose, and for the better part of 3 rounds, he did just that.
But, I also felt that you could never count Hendo out. He's tough as nails, and doesn't know how to give up (and he has a jaw made of granite.) I felt the "H-Bomb" was going to be the wild card, and indeed it was!
I had honestly picked Shogun to take this by decision (I missed being on the prediction show, so I'll post it here.) I saw it coming down to a question of conditioning, and I saw Hendo fading as the fight went longer (It hurts my heart to say that, I'm a HUGE Hendo fan, and have been for a long time! - we went to the same high school, and wrestled under the same coach - I graduated before he started, though.) but I have to call it like I foresaw it.
I will admit to jumping up and shouting when that H bomb landed! I knew it was over. I did see the hammer strikes that landed on the back of the head, but I don't think it was an outright dirty act on Hendo's part. If memory serves, those punches landed as Hendo looked up at the referee as if to say "Are you going to stop this, or do you want me to hurt him some more?"
I still think Hendo's in the twilight of his career (especially now, with the TRT ban,) but it was damned nice to see one of my heroes come out on top! Oh, and Shogun's nose looked NASTY after the fight. That H-bomb did some DAMAGE!
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