Matt Brown recovers from early scare to defeat Tim Means, snap losing streak
LAS VEGAS — When welterweights Matt Brown and Tim Means were booked to headline the preliminary portion of UFC 189, more than a few fans had it marked down as an early candidate for Fight of the Night.
We aren’t exactly sure if fighters can earn that honor in just one round but if anyone deserves it after such a brief outing, these 170-pound veterans certainly made a strong case on Saturday night.
After some wild flurries, dueling head kicks and elbows, Brown submitted Means with a slick guillotine choke at 4:44 of the first round.
Initially, it looked as if Means was going to pull the upset when he slid a sneaky hook around Brown’s guard seconds into the fight. Brown was visibly hurt but recovered quickly. Head kicks were traded and hooks were landed.
The best exchange from Means was a crushing lead elbow. It was a devastating strike that drew an immediate reaction from the crowd inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Unfortunately for Means, it also apparently woke Brown up.
“That elbow he threw to my face loosened me up,” Brown said post-fight. “I figured that if I didn’t loosen up he was going to, so I knew it was time.”
Time it was, as Brown, visibly aggravated by Means’ success, decided to press forward.
Brown retaliated with an elbow of his own. Means was put on wobbly legs during the exchange and almost immediately shot for a desperate takedown.
That carelessness would end up spelling the end for the 31-year-old.
“I felt like I was getting the better of the exchanges,” Means admitted after the fight. “I shot a lazy takedown and didn’t use enough head pressure to finish it. I thought about sitting to my side, but he locked the choke in pretty quickly.”
The win ended Brown’s two-fight losing streak and subsequently ended Means’ winning streak at four.
Surprisingly, Brown was not satisfied with the victory.
“I think I could have done a lot better,” Brown said. “I was really tight coming into the fight, I think it was because I was coming off two straight losses. Much respect to Tim Means, I’ve never fought someone who has come at me like he did.”
He continued, “I’m never really happy with my performances; first, for me to be happy with it, it has to be for a belt. Second, there is no happiness in the fight. I live a happy life and my happiness is in the journey to the Octagon. I had a great camp, I learned a lot during it and for me that’s where the happiness lies.”
Difficult to please, and never satisfied: the signs of a true champion. If “The Immortal” is hanging his hat on future UFC gold, an attitude like that will certainly help curb any complacency that may come along the way.
