Review for UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira

If UFC 100 was the 'main event' pay-per-view of 2009, then UFC 102 Couture vs. Nogueira could certainly be described as the 'co-main event.'

Indeed, any time UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture steps into the octagon you can guarantee that a little piece of history is going to be made. But when 'The Natural' steps into the octagon with Pride legend Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro'  Nogueira then you can guarantee a huge slice of history is going to be made.

Not satisfied with two legends going toe-to-toe? How about a guaranteed slugfest in the co-main event, Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva. Again both men are coming off losses and looking to re-establish themselves in the light heavyweight division.

Also on the card is Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia. This match-up is incredibly interesting as it pits an exciting, well rounded veteran, Marquardt, against one of the most skilled submission grappler's in the UFC, Maia.

Bolstered by a strong undercard, this pay-per-view proved to be one of the best of the year.

Video

Presented in fullscreen 4:3 PAL and looks especially good on a HD set. As with most UFC productions the lighting and camerawork is great, you won't miss a punch, or kick.

Audio

Audio is presented in 2.0 Dolby Digital. All the noise from the octagon sounds great, you can hear the fighters as they go at it inside the cage. Commentary comes in English only.

Extras

The second disc of the set includes all the extras. In here we have The UFC 102 Countdown Show, Behind the scenes and the Weigh-in Show.

The Countdown show is pretty standard stuff now, but don't let that put you off. This does a great job of hyping the pay-per-view, especially the main event, which needs little hype. It is also of good use to those who are casual viewers or are just embarking on their MMA journey, as it gives a little background and build up that can flesh out the event a little.

The Weigh-ins are always interesting viewing, especially if viewed before the event itself. It provides a nice build up, and is always worth watching just for 'The Stare Down' which can get a little heated.

However by far the best of the extras is the behind the scenes show, which is really interesting viewing. With two of the main fighters on the card being BJJ experts, 'Minotauro' Nogueira and Demian Maia, the show follows them and their opponents and focuses on the ways they will use/combat the ground game. It is a really entertaining viewing for any MMA fan and will also help a casual viewer learn a little more about the ground game.

Conclusion

Forget Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida, Couture vs. Nogueira was fight of the year, hands down. If you haven't seen it, I don't want to spoil it. But let me tell you, this is worth the £17.99 alone. It is a back and forth war, in which there is no real loser. If you are indeed just starting out in your MMA DVD collection, this is an essential. You NEED to see this fight.

Also, if you like knock-outs, then this DVD is for you. There are four, big KO's to watch out for in this event, including one in seven seconds, a UFC record.

The prelims are all especially strong, and there is a mix of great fights on there. With name fighters like Gabriel Gonzaga and Ed Herman, plus up and comers like Todd Duffee and Evan Dunham, the prelims are very interesting indeed.

I'd also say there wasn't a bad fight on the main card. Some of the fights mightn't last very long, but all certainly live up to their billing.

All this plus some interesting extras make this one of the most exciting events of the year and a snip at £17.99. A must for any MMA DVD collection.