Sober Reflections: UFC 201

As many of you know, watching UFC events live is appointment viewing in my household. Not only do I take notes for my podcast, but I also pass the time by live tweeting my reactions to the fights (as well as some of the news I come to find out by watching the post-fight pressers).

Essentially, I pay attention to all the small stuff so you don't have to.

I happened to collect a series of my live-time reactions to yesterday's UFC 201 main card (conducted on the Early Late Night twitter account, as my podcast co-host handled the duties on the official podcast handle).

I also included a few thoughts I had for the implications of tonight's event after it was all said and done.

Here are a few for your reading pleasure.

Did Joe Rogan's one year renewal also come with provision that allows him to be on more weed when he's commentating?#UFC201
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

.@phillipskevin1 also subscribes to the mentality of "stay ready so you'll always be ready." Except exchange "ready" with "high."#UFC201
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

"We're both Mexican, so we both like to bang it out."

In case you wonder why Mexicans have so many kids.#UFC201 @VerbalTapCast
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

You better believe if I was walking out to the octagon w/ mariachi music there would be a full band & my dad accompanying us singing #UFC201
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

Goldberg never gets the credit he deserves. He does make me feel like Im watching this fight at a bar with a dude who won't stop narrating.
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

It wasn't a true Mexican brawl until they exhausted themselves out with tons of punching. #UFC201 @VerbalTapCast
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

I love the crowd turning on the guys who exhausted themselves out trying to get the knock out. Hilarious. #UFC201
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

Also, the post-fight interview with Perez inspired this meme.

Et tu, @reymysterio_619? Having said that, we CANNOT WAIT to see #cmpunk in action at #ufc203. #ufc201 #wwebjj

See this Instagram photo by @verbaltapcast * 144 likes

Jake Ellenberger hit Matt Brown so hard, I'm pretty sure he can't have kids anymore.#UFC201 #JakeEllenberger
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

This just in: Matt Brown's nickname has gone from "The Immortal" to "Eh, He's Been Through Some Things."#UFC201 @VerbalTapCast
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

Sounds like Namajunas has the most fabulous corner in the business, "I am LOVING what you're doin get in there gurl" #UFC201 @VerbalTapCast
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

Sometimes you can tell Goldberg is sitting on the edge of the seat, counting down the seconds before he can yell “and they go the distance!”
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

Polish fighter vs. Polish fighter.

Good luck promoting that one #UFC. #UFC201 @VerbalTapCast
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

Strange, I never said anything about them being women.

Plz direct all female polish rage tweets to @phillipskevin1. https://t.co/Z0F0ODMyrw
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

Honest question: Are there any #UFC PPV commercials that don’t feature at least one @JoeRogan/Andrew Dice Clay “ohhhhhhhhs” in it?#UFC201
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

You know how 1 human year =’s 7 dog years?

Well, Robbie Lawler is 34 in human years and 4291 years old in fighter years.#UFC201
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

“That’s the weirdest stat I’ve ever heard in my life.”

LOL Year-to-Year contract Joe Rogan don’t give a fuck.#UFC201
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

In Robbie Lawler’s defense, he’s been hit so many times he’s not quite sure what a knock out punch really feels like. #UFC201
— Raf Esparza (@EarlyLateNight) July 31, 2016

After the event was finished, I handled the post-fight duties on the Verbal Tap Podcast twitter.

The post-press fight conference was mainly uneventful, but there were two notable things that came out of the whole affair.

Both of them had to do with new UFC Welterweight champ, Tyrone Woodley.

Woodley just called out Diaz right after he gets off his suspension.#ufc201
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

Woodley said he felt pressure to not be the only fox analyst to come up short.#UFC201
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

Once it all calmed down and I had enough time to collect my thoughts, I tweeted out a series of takeaways I had from the results of UFC 201.

I love the Woodley v. Diaz fight. If the UFC is serious about finding ways to ride the wave of support the bros are getting make this happen
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

I also wasnt initially rooting for Woodley to come out the victor tonight but Im intrigued what possibilities this opens up for the division
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

This team of champs on #UFConFOX is more entertaining than I thought it would be. Id like to try and start a conspiracy theory about it tho.
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

Nonetheless, Woodley calling for a money fight (Diaz/GSP) & calling it A MONEY FIGHT suggests the guy realizes he should make the most of it
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

Lawler, ever the company man, said in the presser tonight that he’ll take some time with the family & fight whoever they put in front of him
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

1 question I had was, what does this mean for Rory MacDonald? Does he want to stick around & take on Woodley? Or does he make his Bellator $
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

And if you hear Woodley calling out GSP and Diaz what are you thinking if you’re Carlos Condit and Demian Maia?#UFC201
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

The jiu-jitsu nerd in me would love to see how Woodley’s athleticism goes up against Maia, but the Condit rematch HAS to appeal to Condit.
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

I thought Kowaloieqicz (i swear they didn’t type out the full thing on the PPV) vs. Namajunas gave a solid, if not very evenly matched clash
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

I also predict Karolina Kowaloieqicz vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk will be the most misspelled fight in UFC history.#UFC201
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

*I know this because I just misspelled it right there.

Fun story: after his last fight, Jake Ellenberger got cut. Ellenberger begged Dana for the fight & basically HAD to win. That kick was magic
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

I do wonder what this begins to mean for The Immortal. That liver kick looked brutal & I wonder if previous ankle & back injury =’s bad news
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

Erik Perez and Francisco Rivera put on a great scrap. Some called it a FOTY contender, I would not. Great showing by the gents tho.
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

Seriously… I’ll wait.
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

...
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

The Krylov headkick, although looking relatively easy, is beautiful for it’s control and freakish effectiveness.

That was killer KO.
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

Also, the @beatdown155 KO was significant not only for the magnificent right hands, but also for the ridiculous heel hook escape. #UFC201
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016

Anyway, them my takeaways from tonight.

If you guys want to throw your summary of #UFC201 in 3 words in a response, we might read on air.
— Verbal Tap Podcast (@VerbalTapCast) July 31, 2016