The co-main event of the UFC on Fox 8: "Johnson vs. Moraga" network television show from the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, featured Canadian wunderkind Rory MacDonald putting his top welterweight ranking on the line against fellow 170-pound beast Jake Ellenberger. The two came into this evening with visions of a title shot dancing in their heads but an impressive performance was likely needed.
The boo birds were out in force at the start of the third, the crowd well aware they were likely heading for another five minutes of sitting on their hands. The two fighters in the cage started slow, but that had more to do with Ellenberger's near complete failure to find his way inside.
You can't hit what you can't reach and all that.
MacDonald stayed patient, ignoring the live audience and working the game plan he came in with. For each strike Ellenberger came in with, he hit air and likely found himself fending off a jab for his trouble.
With two minutes to go, even the announcers were calling for "The Juggernaut" to just go crazy and leave it all in the cage. It's not like he was winning anyway.
He didn't take the advice he didn't hear, though he did finally earn a takedown with one minute left. He couldn't do anything with it, though, and that was that.
Yowzers.
For more on MacDonald vs. Ellenberger click here, and for complete UFC on Fox 8 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here.