Struve is known for being the tallest fighter in the UFC and heroically refusing to use it to his advantage. He takes an unbelievable amount of punishment in a sport where a few inches of reach or a few extra pounds can mean a serious advantage. He usually ends up bloody and is either building-crublingly knocked out, or almost gets knocked out, but manages to comes back in spectacular fashion.
Pat Barry started out as a kickboxer in the US and Japan, and though he's been an MMA fighter for years now, is as good at wrestling and ground fighting as, say... a dead person. His last fight was one of the most miraculous comebacks in UFC history, though he was on the wrong end. He had Chieck Kongo, another larger opponent, wobbling around after two nasty punches, only to be knocked out on a Hail Mary uppercut.
Saturday night's fight ended as spectacularly anyone could have hoped:
Struve (bottom) uses his far superior grappling skills to maneuver into a triangle choke, using his extra long legs to cut off the blood flow to Barry's head. Barry, like a true badass, lifts the near-seven footer into a goddamn powerbomb and slams him down like Vader breaking a jobber's back. Struve manages to soften the impact with his arm and lock the submission hold in even further to get the win.
Hats off to Barry and Struve! You are two nice men almost die for our entertainment!
