EVERETT, Wash. – It was the kind of fight that raised eyebrows as well as questions almost as soon as it was announced, one that pit brother against brother in a professional MMA bout.
But at WSOF 32 on Saturday, the two Fodor brothers ignored their family ties for the sake of their careers. As is so often the case in household scraps everywhere, it was the oldest who came out on top.
Caros Fodor (11-5), 32, defeated his adopted brother Ben Fodor (6-2-1), 28, via unanimous decision after three grueling, emotionally charged rounds inside XFINITY Arena in Everett, Wash. In a fight that matched the technical expertise of the oldest against the raw physical ability of the youngest, technique won – even if it had to survive a few scary moments along the way.
“It was the weirdest fight I’ve ever had,” the elder Fodor told MMAjunkie after the win. “Just like I thought it would be.”
The fight was of particular local interest here, thanks to “Phoenix Jones,” the Seattle-based superhero alter-ego of the younger Fodor brother. As Jones, Ben Fodor is something of a local celebrity, and the crowd was firmly on his side from the moment he stepped into the cage, despite the fact that, at a weigh-in that got suddenly physical a day earlier, he came in six pounds heavy for the 162-pound catchweight bout.
But as soon as the fight started, it became apparent that Ben Fodor would struggle with his older brother’s superior technique, particularly in the ground game. After punching his way into the clinch in the opening minute of the fight, Caros Fodor nabbed the first of many takedowns and then went to work with a slow, grinding mix of punches and elbows from inside his younger brother’s guard.
Overmatched though he may have been, Ben wasn’t about to go quietly. Again and again, he battled back to his feet after being taken down, only to let loose with a wild punch or kick that ultimately enabled Caros to haul him back to the floor again.
Standing in his corner before the final round, clearly down on the scorecards, Ben let out a scream as he tried to hype himself up for a late comeback. He got his best opportunity minutes later, after a Caros takedown attempt resulted in a scramble that landed Ben on top in full mount.
Caros soon extricated himself, though he had to take several punches and elbows in the process, with one of them opening a cut on his head. Soon he worked back to his feet before again halting his younger brother’s momentum with a takedown.
With the final seconds ticking away, a visibly upset Ben Fodor flailed his limbs wildly from his back, attempting to do whatever damage he could from a relatively powerless position (via Twitter).
It wasn’t a difficult call for the judges, all three of whom scored the bout 30-26 for Caros Fodor. All hope for in-cage reconciliation between the brothers, both of whom said they had been locked in something of a feud since the fight was signed, was quickly dashed.
The two mostly ignored each other as the decision was read, with Caros turning and walking out of the cage the moment it became clear there would be no post-fight interview for the NBCSN broadcast (via Twitter):
“I have no desire to talk to him right now,” Caros Fodor said backstage after the bout. “I’m sure he feels the same about me.”
For complete coverage of WSOF 32, check out the MMA Events section of the site.
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