WMMA - Championship Fighting

[AlexB]

Fiction merges with reality in the new UFC - I've taken the latest Tap or Snap real world mod and merged it with the game's default Cornellverse, with all fighters DoBs upped to make it 2008 compatible.

I've assigned the top 32 fighters in each of the UFC five weight classes to the UFC, and will run a strict pyramid system to work out the champion of champions. Each round with be drawn randomly, with no regard to fans' anticipation or whether the fighters have fought multiple times before - it will be the FA Cup of WMMA.

If a fighter loses 3 in a row, he's out, regardless of who he is. Intial streaks will be taken into consideration, so if a fighter starts on a losing streak and loses the first WMMA fight, he's out straight away.

When a fighter is released, or retires, I'll simply get the highest ranked fighter to take his place using a little loophole in the game.

I'll run a single weight PPV every three weeks, so in WMMA's 48 week year each fighter will fight at least 3 times a year barring injuries.

As the PPVs can only host 12 fights, and I need 16 slots, I'll also run Ultimate Fight Night every 3 weeks - this gives the opportunity for 10 extra fights, so I'll also run a developmental roster of very inexperienced fighters to fill the other 6 slots, as the game often doesn't do a good job of picking up these guys.

Similar rules apply for the rookies - random draw, three and done. I'll also bring in Junior Championships at each weight class for this section, but as the number don't work out perfectly there will a #1 contender's match and a title fight, but the others will fight randomly and whoever is in the best form gets to fight the #1 contender's match.

If a rookie gets more experience and wouldn't crack the top 32, he'll be released, even if he's the title holder.

That's the plan anyhoo - I'm confident on the seniors side that it'll work as described, but there may be some flexibility on the juniors as I've not tried this aspect before.

[AlexB]

Initial Heavyweight Roster

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><COLGROUP><COL width=256><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Aleksander Emilianenko
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Alistair Overeem
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Andrei Orlovski
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Ben Rothwell
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Brock Lesnar
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Cheick Kongo
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Fabricio Werdum
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Fedor Emilianenko
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Gabriel Gonzaga
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Garry McSweegan
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Grzegorz Boniek
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Gunnar Nilsson
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Harry Milne
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Hassan Fezzik
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Hiro Arai
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>James Foster
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jeff Carlton
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Josh Barnett
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Junior dos Santos
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Kunimichi Kikuchi
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Lefter Oktay
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Mirko Filipovic
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Randy Couture
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Rick Stanley
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Robun Yamazaki
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Sergei Kharitanov
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Stafford Alois
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Stratos Papaioannou
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Tim Boyer
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Tim Sylvia
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Tony McCall
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[AlexB]

Initial Light Heavweight Roster

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><COLGROUP><COL width=256><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Aleksei Chekhovv
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Anthony LeToussier
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Atshushi Nakajima
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Bambang Sriyanto
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Chuck Lilddell
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Dan Henderson
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Forrest Griffin
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Inejiro Chiba
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>JJ Reid
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Keith Jardine
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Lenny McFadden
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Leon Banks
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Luis Arthur Cane
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Lyoto Machida
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Mauricio Rua
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Mike Watson
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Mike Whitehead
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Nicolai Mickiewicz
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Quinton Jackson
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Rashad Evans
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Renato Sobral
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Ricardo Arona
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Rich Franklin
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Rob Baines
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Roberto Aldez
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Tadamasa Yamada
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Thiago Silva
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Tito Ortiz (injured)
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Vladimir Matyushenko
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Wanderlei Silva
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Zvonimir Asanovic
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[AlexB]

Initial Middleweight Roster

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><COLGROUP><COL width=256><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Anderson Silva
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Andrew Rush
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Benji Radach
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Bixente Fontaine
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Carl Ratcliffe
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Dan Halvorsen
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Davis Spyrou
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Denis Kang
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Dokuohtei Kuroki
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Fernando Amaro
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Frank Trigg
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Gegard Mousasi
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Greg Atteveld
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Haranobu Oshiro
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jason Miller
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jerezo
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jorge Hormazabal
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jorge Santiago
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Kazuo Misaki
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Maarten de Vries
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Mal Phe Roby
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Martin Kampmann
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Matt Lindland
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Matthew Dean
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Nate Marquardt
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Patrick Cote (injured)
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Paulo Filho
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Robbie Lawler
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Stuart Strange
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Thales Leites
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Tucker Plumm
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Yoshihiro Akiyama
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Yushin Okami
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[AlexB]

Initial Welterweight Roster

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><COLGROUP><COL width=256><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Alan Kendall
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Alberto Basora
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Bakin Sakamoto
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Carlos Condit
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Claudio Palacios
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Diego Sanchez
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Dominyakas Jankovic
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Doug Hansen
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Fumiaki Hayashi
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Gabriel Gallego
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Geoff Cahill
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>GSP
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Hayato Sakurai
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Heikichi Shimizu
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Ichisake Miyagi
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Ikku Funaki
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jack Humphreys
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jake Shields
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Joe Hinchcliffe
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jon Fitch
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Josh Koscheck
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Julio Regueiro
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Kafu Bunya
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Karo Parisyan
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Lukas Mellberg
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Matt Hughes
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Matt Serra
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Mike Swick
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Nick Thompson
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Noach Van Der Capellen
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Simon Vine
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Thiago Alves
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[AlexB]

Initial Lightweight Roster

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><COLGROUP><COL width=256><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>BJ Penn
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Caol Uno
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Carlos de Guia
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Charles Stiles
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Clay Guida
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Eddie Alvarez
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Edson Edmilson
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Frank Edgar
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Gesias Calvacante
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Gilbert Melendez
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Go Yamamoto
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jackson Gray
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jason Dalglish
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Joachim Hansen
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Joe Stevenson
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Jonathan Huang
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Josh Thomson
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Kenny Florian
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Mario de Souza
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Mitsuhiro Ishida
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Nate Diaz
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Paulo Roberto Bezerra
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Ricardo Fernandes
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Rodolphe Gygax
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Roger Huerta
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Sean Morrison
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Sean Sherk
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Shinya Aoki
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Takanori Gomi
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Tatsuya Kawajiri
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Tyson Griffin
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=15>Vitor Ribeiro
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[AlexB]

Initial Pound for Pound Rankings

1. Fedor (HW)
2. Hassan Fezzik (HW)
3. Anderson Silva (MW)
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria (HW)
5. Georges St Pierre (WW)
6. Miguel Torres (Bantamweight, WEC)
7. Forrest Griffin (LHW)
8. Rampage Jackson (LHW)
9. BJ Penn (LW)
10. James Foster (HW)

[AlexB]

The draw for the first Middleweight shows has been made - UFC 1 (I've restarted the numbering system) will feature Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami for the title.

The intial MW rankings are:

1. Anderson Silva, age 33, Brazil, 23-4
2. Yushin Okami, 27, Japan, 21-4
3. Robbie Lawler, 26, USA, 18-4
4. Gegard Mousasi, 23, Armenia, 24-2-1
5. Thales Leites, 27, Brazil, 14-1
6. Frank Trigg, 36, USA, 18-6
7. Nate Marquardt, 29, USA, 27-8-2
8. Kazuo Misaki, 32, Japan, 21-8-2
9. Yoshihiro Akiyama, 33, Japan, 12-1
10. Fernando Amaro, 30, Spain, 15-3

The first round will not necessarily follow the rankings, as in order to get to the top of the new UFC you have to win. So the levels for the initial draw for the first event were based on ranking and winning streaks. The fights drawn out are:

Title - Anderson Silva, 23-4 (1) v. Yushin Okami, 21-4 (2)

#1 Contenders Match - Gegard Mousasi, 24-2-1 (4) v. Thales Leites, 14-1 (5)

Frank Trigg, 18-6 (6) v. Fernando Amaro, 15-3 (10)
Kazuo Misaki, 21-8-2 (8) v. Jorge Santiago, 20-7

Denis Kang, 31-10-1 v. Robbie Lawler, 18-4 (3)
Maarten de Vries, 13-4 v. Andrew Rush, 12-0
Mal Phe Roby, 9-2 v. Yoshihiro Akiyama, 12-1 (9)
Nate Marquardt, 27-8-2 (7) v. Matt Lindland, 21-5

Davis Spyrou, 11-4 v. Greg Atteveld, 15-10
Bixente Fontaine, 9-3 v. Matthew Dean, 10-2
Stuart Strange , 8-3 v. Martin Kampmann, 13-2
Tucker Plumm, 13-7 v. Benji Radach, 19-4
Haranobu Oshiro, 9-2-1 v. Carl Ratcliffe, 8-3
Dokhuotei Kuroki, 13-8 v. Jerezo, 21-8
Jason Miller, 23-6 v. Paulo Filho, 16-1
Dan Halvorsen, 22-11-2 v. Jorge Hermazabal, 12-5

Of the senior middleweights, only Greg Atteveld is on a losing streak: he is the only fighter with his roster position on the line

[AlexB]

The junior fights have also been drawn:

Jr Title - Bristol Marunde, 25, USA, 9-6 v. Nick Klein, 23, USA, 3-0

Jr Contender - Nick Catone, 27, USA, 5-0 v. Amir Sadollah, 28, USA, 1-0

Tyler Lass, 0-0 v. Adam White, 0-0
Cale Yarbrough, 0-1 v. Cooper Richardson, 0-0
Rob Yundt, 6-2 v. Samuel Russo, 0-0
Brandon Sene, 2-1 v. Tuck Durdell, 0-0

Of the juniors, only Rob Yundt is at risk - if he loses to Russo it will be loss #3 and he is gone.

[AlexB]

Just before UFC 1, a bombshell - Chuck Liddell announces his retirement after his next fight, or in 3 months latest. The LHWs were planned for UFC 3, which will now see the Iceman's last ever fight.

[AlexB]

The day has arrived - UFC 1 is about to start. Let's take a look at Blurcat's predictions for the fights:

UFC Middleweight Title
Anderson Silva, 23-4 (1) v. Yushin Okami, 21-4 (2) (Blurcat - Spider by KO)

#1 Contenders Match
Gegard Mousasi, 24-2-1 (4) v. Thales Leites, 14-1 (5) (Blurcat - Thales Leites by submission)

Frank Trigg, 18-6 (6) v. Fernando Amaro, 15-3 (10) (Blurcat - Amaro by TKO)
Kazuo Misaki, 21-8-2 (8) v. Jorge Santiago, 20-7 (Blurcat - Santiago by TKO)

Denis Kang, 31-10-1 v. Robbie Lawler, 18-4 (3) (Blurcat - Lawler by KO)
Maarten de Vries, 13-4 v. Andrew Rush, 12-0 (Blurcat - Rush by KO)
Mal Phe Roby, 9-2 v. Yoshihiro Akiyama, 12-1 (9) (Blurcat - Akiyama by TKO)
Nate Marquardt, 27-8-2 (7) v. Matt Lindland, 21-5 (Blurcat - Marquardt by submission)

Davis Spyrou, 11-4 v. Greg Atteveld, 15-10 (Blurcat - Atteveld by TKO)
Bixente Fontaine, 9-3 v. Matthew Dean, 10-2 (Blurcat - Dean via submission)
Stuart Strange , 8-3 v. Martin Kampmann, 13-2 (Blurcat - Strange by TKO)
Tucker Plumm, 13-7 v. Benji Radach, 19-4 (Blurcat - Plumm via split decision)

[AlexB]

Mal Phe Roby, 31, Sumatra (9-2) v. Yoshihiro Akiyama, 33, Osaka, Japan (12-1)
Blurcat - Akiyama by TKO

Rounds 1 and 2 are very similar, with Roby dominating on the ground. R3 is a reversal, with Akiyama getting two takedowns and trying to finish the fight...

But he was unable to do so, and all three judges score it 29-28 Mal Phe Roby


Davis Spyrou, 25, London (11-4) v. Greg Atteveld, 33, Springfield, Missouri (15-10)
Blurcat - Atteveld by TKO

The American is on a losing streak, and if he loses to the Greek Londoner, he will be back on the streets...

Round 1
Tentative long range jabs from both fighters. Atteveld with a low sweeping kick, but it was telegraphed. Spyrou comes in quick but misses a kick. Atteveld with a straight right, another, but then walks right into a solid punch. That certainly connected, the crowd could clearly hear it. Atteveld backs up quickly, almost on instinct; his hands are down by his side, and he looks glassy eyed and unsteady on his feet. The referee quickly steps in and ends the fight, stopping Spyrou from following up. It'll go down as a TKO for The Spartan. As Spyrou celebrates, the doctor is quickly in to check on Atteveld. From the looks of things, he may have been dealt a concussion with that punch to the jaw, as he doesn't look like he knows where he is. The official time of the TKO is 0:18 of round 1.

And he's gone - KOd and lost his job in one night.


Tucker Plumm, 29, London (13-7) v. Benji Radach, 29, Castle Rock, Washington (19-4)
Blurcat - Plumm via split decision

Although almost completely unknown in the US, Quiet Riot is an ex-BCF Lightweight champion so cannot be taken lightly by Radach.

The first round is a stand-up battle, that Plumm just edges, and R2 is the same in Razor's favour, so it should all rest on the final round...

Round 3
The fighters come together right in the center. Radach throws out a jab, but Plumm bobs out of the way and uses a right hand to glance a blow off the side of the ribs in response. Plumm works an angle and storms in suddenly with three crisp jabs and a looping overhand punch, Radach covered up quickly but at least one of the jabs hit home. Plumm is making Radach look sluggish in comparison, such is the speed and crispness with which he is delivering strikes. Radach hits a low kick before back-pedalling to avoid a clubbing blow. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. They meet in the center to exchange a flurry of strikes that gets the crowd on their feet. Plumm got slightly the better of it, he definitely snuck through a right hand that rocked Radach slightly. Radach initiates a clinch, and the action grinds to a halt. Radach looks out of ideas, he is being repeatedly lured into these exchange of strikes, but Plumm is clearly winning them. Radach needs to find some way to deal with them. Not much time left in this round. The referee separates them. Plumm tries a speculative high kick, but Radach saw it coming and was well out of range by the time it came. Radach tries to work an angle, but Plumm is having none of it and fires off a straight right hand to keep him from stepping in. Comfortable round for Plumm, he will probably be disappointed not to have done more damage given his dominance of the striking in this round. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Plumm. Tucker Plumm wins, with a score of 29-28 from two judges, 30-27 from the other.

[AlexB]

Nate Marquardt, 29, Denver, 27-8-2 (7) v. Matt Lindland, 38, Eagle Creek, Oregon (21-5)
Blurcat - Marquardt by submission

Two tame opening rounds both see The Law get the takedown over his higher ranked and younger opponent, but in truth he never looked like finishing the fight. Nevertheless, Nate The Great probably needs a stoppage in the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> to win the fight...

Round 3
Right hand from Marquardt was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Lindland. Marquardt follows up by coming in close, but Lindland is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Lindland throws a right hand, narrowly missing. Marquardt almost seems to be inviting him on to throw punches, he could be trying to lure him into over-committing. Lindland throws a jab that connects, albeit without much power, but it causes Marquardt to back up quickly, back toward the cage. Lindland comes in quickly, throwing looping punches, but gets reckless and Marquardt grabs the opportunity by nailing a big right cross! Lindland collapses in a heap, his left leg buckling underneath him in at an awkward angle. Marquardt has knocked him out cold with a killer punch. The official time is 1:59.


Stuart Strange, 26, Durham, North Carolina, 8-3 v. Martin Kampmann, 26, Las Vegas, 13-2
Blurcat - Strange by TKO

Strange dominates the first, and the second could be scored either way – maybe Kampmann edged it. Again, the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> round is going to be decisive...

No drama or controversy this time: Strange spends most of the round on top, and gets the unanimous decision – 29-28 twice and 30-27 from the third judge. A good solid win for Superstar over The Hitman.


#1 Contender's Match
Gegard Mousasi, 23, Armenia, 24-2-1 (4) v. Thales Leites, 27, Rio de Janeiro, 14-1 (5)
Blurcat - Thales Leites by submission

Leites wins the first round, although it's far from a classic, but the fact that he outsrtuck Mousasi and took him down is causing the Armenian's corner some concern...

Round 2
Mousasi hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Leites to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Mousasi hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Leites tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Mousasi having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Leites. Mousasi leads with a right hand, then delivers a brutal uppercut, Leites had to step back quickly to avoid getting caught. He winds up back against the cage, and Mousasi doesn't relent, moving in fast to unload with a series of jabs. Leites got some of his own in, but the upper hand is definitely with Mousasi. Vicious right hand! Out of nowhere, it caught Leites flush in the face, and he slumps down against the cage. Mousasi follows up with more punches, and the referee dives in to break it up. It's all over. Leites wasn't knocked out, but that one punch was a beauty, and it stopped him getting any sort of defence together to stop the following punches. The official time is 3:46.

Gegard Mousasi will fight for the Middleweight title against the winner of Silva & Okami!

[AlexB]

Denis Kang, 31, Vancouver, 31-10-1 v. Robbie Lawler, 26, Granite City, Illinois, 18-4 (3)
Blurcat - Lawler by KO

Kang easily wins the 1<SUP>st</SUP> round by taking Lawler down twice, and getting the side mount, but too late in the round to end the fight. Only one takedown in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>, but Kang is well on top again...

Round 3
Slow start to the round, Kang is circling while Lawler seems content to just throw the occasional looping punch to cause him to back up. Kang steps in and fires off two jabs, neither connecting, then has to almost throw himself to one side to avoid a devastating looking punch! Lawler was clearly looking for the highlight reel K.O. punch, had that connected there is no way that Kang was getting back up. There's a warning to Kang, he must now know, if he didn't already, that Lawler has knock out intentions tonight. Kang throws a right hand, then backs up sharply, clearly not loving the idea of getting too close. Lawler still looks calm, throwing the occasional jab or two to keep Kang off balance. Kang comes in fast and low and takes Lawler down to the mat by the legs. Nicely done. He keeps hold of one leg, and applies a leglock. That was all in one motion, Lawler got taken by surprise. Kang sits back and wrenches in the hold, and that looks painful. Lawler is holding on. He tries to twist free, but it's on tight. Lawler gives in and taps out. The official time of the leglock submission is 4:13 of round 3.

Dennis Kang moves one step away from the #1 contenders match witjh a very impressive performance over an anything but Ruthless Robbie Lawler,


Kazuo Misaki, 32, Chiba, Japan, 21-8-2 (8) v. Jorge Santiago, 28, Fort Lauderdale, 20-7
Blurcat - Santiago by TKO

Santiago is the only man outside the top 10 to be just two fights away from a title shot – despite this he was still favoured pre-fight: can he advance to the #1 contenders match past the #8 ranked Grabaka Hitman?

Round 1
Misaki leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Santiago deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Santiago uses a knee to the ribs before backing Misaki up against the cage. Right hand from Misaki connects though, that was well timed. Santiago breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Misaki was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Santiago sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Misaki fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Santiago makes Misaki back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Santiago throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Misaki lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Santiago by surprise, putting him down! Misaki follows up and starts raining down right hands. Santiago covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Misaki off, the match is over. The official time is 4:59.

It's Kazuo Misaki who will fight either Frank Trigg or Fernando Amaro in the next title shot match after stopping Santiago just one second before the bell!


Bixente Fontaine, 26, Paris, 9-3 v.Matthew Dean, 26, San Jose, 10-2
Blurcat - Dean via submission

Fontaine has been dictating the terms of the fight to the The Anarchist, who gave up the GAMMA Lightweight title to join the new UFC, comprehensively outstriking Dean for the first two rounds. The American looks to have no answer going into the third...

Round 3
Good start from Dean, taking Fontaine down almost immediately! Fontaine scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Dean will be disappointed with that. Fontaine comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Dean to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Fontaine felt that one for sure. He stalks Dean, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Dean keeps out of the way. Fontaine tries a kick, but Dean catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Dean gets Fontaine down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Dean throws some punches, then tries to pass. Fontaine doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Dean easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Dean followed by a pass attempt, with Fontaine blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. The 3rd round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Dean by 10-9. Bixente Fontaine wins the match, getting a score of 29-28 from all three judges.

Something of a surprise, but the second European winner of the evening.

[AlexB]

Maarten de Vries, 28, Amsterdam, 13-4 v. Andrew Rush, 26, Derbyshire, England, 12-0
Blurcat - Rush by KO

The Dmon From Derbyshire vacated the BCF Middleweight title to put his undefeated record up against a higher calibre of opponent – will he get his just rewards and make it hattrick of English wins on the night, following David Spyrou and Tucker Plumm? However, The Executioner, a popular, but wild ex-GAMMA champion is a difficult first opponent.

A great 1<SUP>st</SUP> round for the fans, but not for Andrew Rush - as de Vries comprehensively outstruck him...

Round 2
An exchange of jabs doesn't go anywhere. Rush fakes a kick, then darts in to score with a straight left before backing out fast to avoid a left-right combination from De Vries. They clinch, and De Vries winds up backed against the cage. A couple of minor blows get exchanged, but it's turned into a bit of a stalemate. Rush tries to push De Vries back, but can't. The referee waits a while, then separates them and gets them to resume. There's a short period with not a lot happening. De Vries and Rush come in close and exchange strikes. Down goes De Vries! Replays show that Rush hit a vicious uppercut during that exchange, although it appears that he actually just went for broke and simply swung for the fences as hard as he could. It doesn't change the fact that De Vries has been knocked out though. Rush wins via 2nd round knock out with the official time being 3:25.

Rule Britannia! 3-0, what an excellent night for the BCF alumni!


Frank Trigg, 36, Las Vegas, 18-6 (6) v. Fernando Amaro, 30, Madrid, 15-3 (10)

The winner of this match will face Gegard Mousasi at UFC 6 for a title shot – will it be the veteran American, or will European success continue? Amaro is an ex-GAMMA champion, so although Twinkle Toes is unlikely to ever have heard of the Spaniard (him being a fictional character of course ;) ), he cannot take him lightly.

Round 1
Trigg doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Amaro easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Amaro throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Trigg misses with a straight right. Amaro hits a standing kick, and Trigg is rocked, stumbling backwards and falling to the floor. Amaro leaps into action and fires off a barrage of right hands. The referee dives in and protects Trigg, bringing the fight to an end. The kick didn't knock Trigg out, but it left him stunned, and that was all that Amaro needed to finish the job. Amaro wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 1:36.


After a great undercard for England & Europe, now it's time for the Main Event – the UFC Middleweight Championship fight between defending champion Anderson Silva, 33, Curitiba, Brazil, 23-4 (1) and Yushin Okami, 27, Kanagawa, Japan, 21-4 (2)

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> round is a bit disjointed, but Spider clearly wins the stand-up battle – Okami has a nasty swelling just above his left eye

Okami tries to press in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>, but just ends up getting counter punched – in the end he stays back and gets picked off from range instead: Silva wins the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>

Round 3
Slow start to the round. We're nearly a minute in before Okami throws the first meaningful punch, trying to squeeze a fizzing jab through to Silva's jaw, but it is parried. Silva steps in, but has to quickly side-step to avoid a straight right. Okami moves in to throw some body punches but gets clipped with a big right hand. It was partially blocked, it would have been a potential knock out if that had hit home on the chin, Silva put a lot of weight behind it. Okami hits a nice jab, then clinches. Silva hits a knee, takes a punch to the ribs, then breaks free. Okami hits a low kick to the leg. Silva bursts forward and scores with a big right hand to the body, then a left hook. Okami goes down! Good shot from Silva! He tries to follow up and pound on Okami, but Okami is up really quickly and covers up to block the two jabs that come in. Silva, sensing that Okami is rattled, starts coming forward with more urgency. Okami ends up backed up against the cage. Silva gets within range, fakes a left, then lunges in with a huge right hand. It is partially parried by Okami, who wisely clinches up tightly to get some time to recover. The power that Silva has in his hands is really posing Okami some problems. The clinch drags on, with Silva unable to break free, and the round ends like that. End of round 3. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Silva.

The 3<SUP>rd</SUP> round seems to have taken the fight out of the Japanese challenger – he can't get near the champ without being beaten down, and by standing back he has no chance of turning the fight around. Silva wins a quiet 4<SUP>th</SUP> round.

5<SUP>th</SUP> round is more of the same, and it's apparent Anderson Silva is a class above his opponent. All three judges score the fight 50-45, and the Brazilian retains his UFC Middleweight Title.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night goes to Nate Marquardt v. Matt Lindland, and Marquardt also gets KO of the night. The Submission of the Night award goes to Denis Kang.

Greg Atteveld was indeed concussed earlier in the evening, and is given a 15 week medical suspension. That means four months until he can apply for work with a new company.

Thales Leites also suffered a concussion, but should be able to fight in the next MW event after his 12 week suspension

In additional to the standard 30 day suspension, Maarten de Vries picked up a knee injury, but it's not too serious, and he should be OK to train in 3-4 weeks.

[AlexB]

The day after UFC 1, we recieve word that Bambang Sriyanto has ricked his neck in training, and is likely to be out for 2 months. The LHWs are going to be UFC 3, so he will miss out.

Caol Uno anounces that he will change to Welterweight - I agree if I can find a fighter in the WW division of similar standard to move down. Diego Sanchez is happy to move down, so Uno and Sanchez trade places.

Uno was not top 10 ranked in either division, but Sanchez was rnaked at 5 in the WWs, now is only 10 - one behind the man he beat in the initial TUF finale, Kenny Florian.

[AlexB]

It's UFN time, for the last four senior MW fights and the development MW's.

Dan Halvorsen, 22-11-2 v. Jorge Hormazabal, 12-5 (Blurcat - Halvorsen by TKO)
Haranobu Oshiro, 9-2-1 v. Carl Ratcliffe, 8-3 (Blurcat - Ratcliffe by TKO)
Jason Miller, 23-6 v. Paolo Filho, 16-1 (Blurcat - Filho by TKO)
Dokuohtei Kuroki, 13-8 v. Jerezo, 21-8 (Blurcat - Kuroki by TKO)

Jr MW Title
Bristol Marunde, 9-6 v. Nick Klein, 3-0 (Blurcat - Marunde by TKO)

JR MW #1 Contenders Match
Nick Catone, 5-0 v. Amir Sadollah, 1-0 (Blurcat - Sadollah by TKO)

Tyler Lass, 0-0 v. Adam White, 0-0 (Blurcat - White by KO)
Cale Yarbrough, 0-1 v. Cooper Richardson, 0-0 (Blurcat - Richardson by TKO)
Brandon Sene, 2-1 v. Tuck Durdell, 0-0 (Blurcat - Durdell by TKO)
Rob Yundt, 6-2 v. Samuel Russo, 0-0 (Blurcat - Russo by KO)

The only man in danger of getting the can is Rob Yundt (and on the sly I hope he loses as I think I cocked the choices up for the young MWs, and want to change ASAP!)

[AlexB]

Rob Yundt, 28, Wasilla, Alaska, 6-2 v. Samuel Russo, 21, Hunstville, Ontario, 0-0
Blurcat - Russo by KO

A poor 1<SUP>st</SUP> round sees Yundt cause swelling over Russo's eye, and he nicks it. But in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> The Animal seems to have overcome his nerves and batters Yundt with kicks and body punches. This one will go to the third and final round...

And it's Russo who carries on the momentum to win 29-28 on all 3 cards. Rob Yundt – you're outta here!


Brandon Sene, 27, Tampa, 2-1 v. Tuck Durdell, 18, Snow Lake, Manitoba, 0-0
Blurcat - Durdell by TKO

'The Everlasting' Durdell's aggression and striking mean that he should have won both the 1<SUP>st</SUP> two rounds, but he never really looked liked finishing the fight – maybe he will regret this in the third?

But no, a drab third round sees Tuck get the decision, 30-27 twice and 29-28 once and can go back to his floating house with his head held high, even though he didn't manage to put Sweet Dreams to sleep.


Cale Yarbrough, 22, Marietta, Georgia, 0-1 v. Cooper Richardson, 24, Chicago, 0-0
Blurcat - Richardson by TKO

A round apiece after two, Yarbrough dominating the first, and Super Cooper answering well in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>, and opening a cut over Cale's eye. This one is up for grabs...

And it's Richardson who takes it – winning by TKO stoppage after 1:35. Yarbrough must win next time out or he's gone the way of the Yundt


Jr Middleweight Title
Bristol Marunde, 25, Seattle, 9-6 v. Nick Klein, 24, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, 3-0
Blurcat - Marunde by TKO

Although it lasted until 1:16 in the 5<SUP>th</SUP>, this was a very one sided fight, with the more experienced Bristol Marunde taking the inaugural Junior UFC title, winning in some style with a huge KO, albeit after a fairly boring four and half rounds before the eye-catching punch.

[AlexB]

Tyler Lass, 21, San Diego, 0-0 v. Adam White, 21, Los Angeles, 0-0
Blurcat - White by KO

Two of the hottest prospects in the MW development section drew each other: this should be interesting.

In fact the 1<SUP>st</SUP> round was anything but: nothing happened and it could have gone either way

The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> is more like it – both fighters land good shots, before White takes Lass down and just batters him, forcing the stoppage after 4:06. An as advertised G&P win for Hollywood over Thunder & Lightning


Jr Middleweight #1 Contenders Match
Nick Catone, 27, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, 5-0 v. Amir Sadollah, 28, Richmond, Virginia, 1-0
Blurcat - Sadollah by TKO

Sadollah is well on top in the first, opening up a cut on Catone. The second starts slowly, but ends with a bang – Sadollah KO's Catone for the win: he will take on Bristol for the new belt.


And back to the seniors to round off the show...

Dokouhtei Kuroki, 35, Osaka, 13-8 v. Jerezo, 23, Brasilia, 21-8
Blurcat - Kuroki by TKO

Jerezo, who left the ALPHA middleweight vacant to move to the USA, simply manhandles The Warrior, another ex-ALPHA champion, in round 1 – that could even be a 10-8. The second is a similar pattern, and this looks like a mismatch. Kuroki needs something out of the ordinary to turn this one around...

And he doesn't get it – a one sided unanimous 30-27 decision for Jerezo. Very impressive UFC debut.

[AlexB]

Jason Miller, 28, Las Vegas, 23-6 v. Paolo Filho, 30, Rio de Janeiro, 16-1
Blurcat - Filho by TKO

Filho is all over Mayhem in the first – he gets two takedowns and it look ominous for Miller...

Round 2
Mayhem misses an uppercut and is off balance, which allows Filho to get the takedown. Side mount. Filho is looking for an armbar, but Mayhem is defending it well. Mayhem gets a nice elbow in, that caught Filho by surprise. Filho fires off several elbows to the ribs, and Mayhem is left gasping for air. Those were hard, there's a big red patch where they hit. Filho takes the left arm, Mayhem couldn't defend it any longer. The armbar is applied, there's no way out. Filho wins by tap out. Official time of the armbar submission is 0:47 of the second round.


Haranobu Oshiro, 25, Hiroshima, 9-2-1 v. Carl Ratcliffe, 25, Athens, Georgia, 8-3
Blurcat - Ratcliffe by TKO

The first is all Oshiro, ending up with a takedown and forcing Ratcliffe to defend submission after submission, and despite Mr Awesome getting the takedown, Oshiro scarmbles to gain the top position and wins the second as well. Can Ratcliffe do anything to stem the flow of this fight?

Simply put: no. Ratcliffe just can't stop the Japanese fighter taking the fight to the ground, and when it is there he is clearly second best. Two jusges score it 30-27, the third 29-28, all in favour of Haranobu Oshiro


Dan Halvorsen, 36, Chicago, 22-11-2 v. Jorge Hormazabal, 28, Santiago, Chile, 12-5
Blurcat - Halvorsen by TKO

The aging Perfectionist is an ex GAMMA champion, but will have his work cut out against the Chilean, who himself successfully defending his ALPHA title twice before losing to Jerezo, who looked so impressive earlier.

Round 1
Halvorsen leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Hormazabal deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Hormazabal uses a knee to the ribs before backing Halvorsen up against the cage. Right hand from Halvorsen connects though, that was well timed. Hormazabal breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Halvorsen was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Hormazabal sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Halvorsen fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They clinch. Hormazabal fires off a couple of right hands to the ribs, then ducks down and secures a leg. Halvorsen hops up and down, but can't prevent Hormazabal from simply pushing forward and taking them to the ground. Halvorsen uses his free leg to wrap up a half guard, and manages to secure that to full guard pretty swiftly. Hormazabal stands, and uses his arms to push Halvorsen's guard apart. Leaning down between the legs, he starts throwing vicious punches. Halvorsen tries to bring his legs back in to pull guard again, while simultaneously covering up, but he is having trouble; Hormazabal is using his body to keep the legs from coming in. More punches rain down, and Halvorsen is starting to get really pounded. A big shot lands hard on the nose, then a left hand crunches into his cheek. The referee has seen enough and pulls Hormazabal away, signalling the end of this match. Official time of the TKO is 4:38 of the first round.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night: Paulo Filho v. Jason Miller, and Filho gets Submission of the Night as well. KO of the Night goes to Bristol Marunde

Cale Yarbrough has a 13 week suspension handed to him after his KO defeat, and despite his victory, Adam White picks up a knock which will keep him from training for 5 weeks.

UFN was bittersweet for Bristol Marunde – the win took him from being an inexperienced fighter to experienced, and he is nowhere near good enough to get into the 32 man roster, so despite being the first winner of a Junior belt, he is released.

To summarise the first round of MW fights:

Title - Anderson Silva (1) beat Yushin Okami (2) by unanimous decision (prediction: Silva)

#1 Contenders Match - Gegard Mousasi (4) beat Thales Leites (5) by TKO after 3:46 of R2 (prediction: Leites)

Fernando Amaro (10) beat Frank Trigg (6) by TKO after 1:36 of R1 (prediction: Amaro)
Kazuo Misaki (8) beat Jorge Santiago by TKO after 4:59 of R1 (prediction: Santiago)

Denis Kang beat Robbie Lawler (3) by submission after 4:13 of R3 (prediction: Lawler)
Andrew Rush beat Maarten de Vries by KO after 3:25 of R2 (prediction: Rush)
Mal Phe Roby beat Yoshihiro Akiyama (9) by unanimous decision (prediction: Akiyama)
Nate Marquardt (7) beat Matt Lindland by KO after 1:59 of R3 (prediction: Marquardt)

Davis Spyrou beat Greg Atteveld by TKO after 0:18 of R1 (prediction: Atteveld)
Bixente Fontaine beat Matthew Dean by unanimous decision (prediction: Dean)
Stuart Strange beat Martin Kampmann by unanimous decision (prediction: Strange)
Tucker Plumm beat Benji Radach by unanimous decision (prediction: Plumm)
Haranobu Oshiro beat Carl Ratcliffe by unanimous decision (prediction: Ratcliffe)
Jerezo beat Dokhuotei Kuroki by unanimous decision (prediction: Kuroki)
Paulo Filho beat Jason Miller by submission after 0:47 of R2 (prediction: Filho)
Jorge Hermazabal beat Dan Halvorsen by TKO after 4:38 of R1 (prediction: Halvorsen)

These results have readjusted the rankings:

1. Anderson Silva, 33, Brazil 24-4 (-)
2. Gegard Mousasi, 23, Armenia, 25-2-1 (+2)
3. Nate Marquardt, 29, USA, 28-8-2 (+4)
4. Kazuo Misaki, 32, Japan, 22-8-2 (+4)
5. Fernando Amaro, 30, Spain, 16-3 (+5)
6. Denis Kang, 31, Canada, 32-10-1 (NR)
7. Paulo Filho, 30, Brazil, 17-1 (NR)
8. Yushin Okami, 27, Japan, 21-5 (-7)
9. Jerezo, 23, Brazil, 22-8 (NR)
10. Andrew Rush, 26, England, 13-0 (NR)

[AlexB]

It's time for the lightweights - and UFC 2 will feature the top LW fighters in the world, again in Las Vegas. The intial LW rankings are as follows:

1. BJ Penn, 30, USA, 13-4-1
2. Eddie Alvarez, USA, 25, 15-1
3. Shinya Aoki, 25, Japan, 18-3
4. Gesias Calvacante, 25, Brazil, 14-2-1
5. Sean Morrison, 28, USA, 12-3
6. Joachim Hansen, 29, Norway, 19-7-1
7. Go Yamamoto, 30, Japan, 13-1
8. Sean Sherk, 35, USA, 33-3-1
9. Kenny Florian, 32, USA, 11-3
10. Diego Sanchez, 27, USA, 19-2

Let's see what's in store for fans tonight:

UFC Lightweight Championship
BJ Penn, 13-4-1 (1) v. Eddie Alvarez, 15-1 (2) (Blurcat – Penn by decision)

#1 Contenders Match
Sean Morrison, 12-3 (5) v. Go Yamamoto, 13-1 (7) (Blurcat – Morrison by TKO)

Diego Sanchez, 19-2 (10) v. Josh Thomson, 16-2 (Blurcat – Thomson by split decision)
Kenny Florian, 11-3 (9) v. Joachim Hansen, 19-7-1 (6) (Blurcat – Florian by submission)

Sean Sherk, 33-3-1 (8) v. Mario de Souza, 12-6 (Blurcat – Sherk by TKO)
Shinya Aoki, 18-3 (3) v. Carlos da Guia, 5-0 (Blurcat – da Guia by TKO)
Mitsuhiro Ishida, 17-4-1 v. Jason Dalglish, 9-2 (Blurcat – Dalglish by decision)
Paulo Roberto Bezzera, 9-1 v. Nate Diaz, 10-2 (Blurcat – Bezzera by TKO)

Frank Edgar, 9-1 v. Clay Guida, 24-9 (Blurcat – Guida by TKO)
Vitor Ribeiro, 19-2 v. Takanori Gomi, 29-4 (Blurcat – Gomi by KO)
Roger Huerta, 20-2-1 v. Joe Stevenson, 29-9 (Blurcat – Stevenson by split decision)
Gilbert Melendez, 14-2 v. Ricardo Fernandes, 15-7 (Blurcat – Melendez by TKO)

[PilotMan]

Good stuff. I have played this game a lot, and have never considered combining the databases. It should be interesting to see how it all plays out.

[AlexB]

Thanks - nice to know someone else has looked at this.

[AlexB]

Mitsuhiro Ishida, Tsukaba, Japan 17-4-1 v. Jason Dalglish, Edinburgh 9-2
Blurcat – Dalglish by decision

Much like Andrew Rush at MW, Jason has left the relative comfort of BCF and sought out the best competition out there. Can 'The Miniature Killer' be as successful against Ishida, and begin run at replacing his BCF LW title with the UFC version?

Round 1 suggests yes he can – he gets the takedown and dishes out some G&P to win the round. Round 2 is also all Dalglish, but he seems to be keen to show off his skills on his US debut, as this time he invites 'The Endless Warrior' into a stand up war, and wins easily. An impressive performance thus far.

Round 3 is more stand up action, but less exciting. Dalglish wins 30-27 on two cards and 29-28ont the third. BCF are representing in the UFC!


Vitor Ribeiro, Rio de Janeiro 19-2 v. Takanori Gomi, Tokyo 29-4
Blurcat – Gomi by KO

Like Dalglish, Gomi is an ex-champion, having held the PRIDE belt when the organisation went under. Will The Fireball Kid start a charge in the new UFC?

Round 1
Gomi doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Shaolin easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Shaolin throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Gomi comes in hard and fast, throwing a scorching right hand, but it's a long way wide and Shaolin is able to clinch up. Gomi hits a knee to the ribs, then a second. He goes to the well once too often though, as the third knee gets caught, and Shaolin uses it for leverage to complete a takedown, ending up in Gomi's guard. Shaolin manages to push the guard apart, and leans over Gomi, trapping one leg underneath his body. Bad position for Gomi to be in, and Shaolin now starts throwing big lefts and rights. Gomi tries to deflect them away but quite a few are hitting home. Gomi tries to bring his free leg in to add some leverage, but Shaolin swats it aside and gets the full mount. More punches start raining down, and Gomi is left just covering up to try and weather the storm. It's no use though, as the barrage of punches without answer convince the referee to call a halt to the action. The official time is 1:28.


Gilbert Melendez, Santa Ana, California 14-2 v. Ricardo Fernandes, Fortaleza, Brazil 15-7
Blurcat – Melendez by TKO

The pattern in round 1 is Melendez attacking, but doing so poorly, and Fernandes picking him off on the counter. Round 2 is pretty boring in all honesty, but it is clear that Fernandes is winning the fight going into the final round...

Round 3
Tentative start to the round, the fighters are circling. Fernandes throws out a couple of range-finding jabs, but they aren't anything that will trouble Melendez. Kick to the thigh from Melendez, but it lacked power. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. Fernandes throws a right hand, narrowly missing. Melendez almost seems to be inviting him on to throw punches, he could be trying to lure him into over-committing. Fernandes throws a jab that connects, albeit without much power, but it causes Melendez to back up quickly, back toward the cage. Fernandes comes in quickly, throwing looping punches, but gets reckless and Melendez grabs the opportunity by nailing a big right cross! Fernandes collapses in a heap, his left leg buckling underneath him in at an awkward angle. Melendez has knocked him out cold with a killer punch. The official time of the knock out is 1:36 of round 3.

From out of nowhere El Nino picks up the W, but he'll need to improve at the next level. An early contender for KO of the night.

[AlexB]

Sean Sherk, Anoka, Minnesota 33-3-1 (8) v. Mario de Souza, Rio de Janeiro 12-6
Blurcat – Sherk by TKO

1<SUP>st</SUP> round could have gone either way, but round 2 was definitely The Muscle Shark's – he got a takedown and a couple of good shots in as well. With the 1<SUP>st</SUP> being 50:50, Sherk can't think he's done enough to have won, but at the same time de Souza must think he still has a chance – should make for a great final round...

Round 3
The round starts slowly, with both fighters circling, tentatively throwing out the occasional jab. Sherk is the first to make a positive move, stepping in to throw a right hand, although he probably wishes that he hadn't, as de Souza picks him off with a crisp jab to the cheek. Sherk throws a wild punch as a counter, but de Souza ducks and backs off out of range. They meet again in the center for an exchange of punches. Sherk gets a clubbing blow to the side of the head in, but takes a hard shot to the stomach in return. The early pattern seems to be that Sherk is looking for big punches, de Souza is happy to avoid them and use quick counter punches instead. They clinch up, and Sherk manages to back de Souza up against the cage. Sherk takes a half step backward and throws a big right hand to the head, but de Souza ducks under at the last second, scores with a pair of punches to the gut, then darts out of trouble before Sherk can unload. Sherk may need to think about changing tactics, de Souza is looking far sharper in these striking battles, and is beginning to control the pace and tempo of the round. Sherk fakes a right hand, then shoots out a low kick, catching de Souza on the thigh. de Souza presses forward for the first time, getting in close and using a couple of jabs to the body. Sherk gets a nice left hook in, glancing off the gloves, and then clinches up. Time ticks away and the round ends just a few seconds after the referee separates them. The 3rd round ends. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to de Souza. The three judges all give the match as 29-28 to Mario de Souza.

A big win for Mario de Souza, knocking off one of the top ten and making an immediate mark in the UFC.


Frank Edgar, Tom's River, New Jersey 9-1 v. Clay Guida, Johnsburg, Illinois 24-9
Blurcat – Guida by TKO

R1 is slooooowwwww. The Carpenter may have snuck it, but you wouldn't argue too hard if the judges had given it to Edgar. The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> is much more clear cut however, and Guida will definitely be remembering Frankie from this performance – he was dominated by The Answer's stand up. But regardless, we're into the 3<SUP>rd</SUP>...

Round 3
Guida works an angle and comes in from the side of Edgar, getting two good jabs in before a ragged left misses by quite a margin. Edgar hits a low kick to back Guida against the cage, then works the body with a series of short punches. Guida fights out and the action returns to the center. They clinch. Edgar gets in a nice knee, but a second attempt sees him swept to the ground. Edgar landed hard with Guida right on top of him, it looks like he got winded. Guida hits three big punches to the face, and Edgar is rocked. Guida gets an arm, locks in a kimura, and Edgar has no alternative but to tap out. Guida wins via kimura submission at 2:22 of the third round.


Shinya Aoki, Tokyo 18-3 (3) v. Carlos de Guia, Sao Paulo 5-0
Blurcat – de Guia by TKO

Just a great fight – and we going to bring it to you in it's entirity...

Round 1
A fizzing right hand from da Guia opens the round; it didn't find its intended target of Aoki's chin, but it did land hard on the left shoulder instead. Aoki fights back with a jab, but takes a hard shot to the body after leaning in too far. da Guia pins him to the cage with a quick burst, and unloads with lefts and rights. Aoki looks for a moment like he may be about to get overwhelmed, especially after a right hand appears to hit flush on the chin, but he recovers well and works his way back to the center. da Guia is looking the more confident of the two by far. He smells blood, and comes in looking for a big right hand, only to walk right into a takedown. Aoki had to time that perfectly, and did. da Guia doesn't pull guard, instead scrambling, ending up onto his knees, with Aoki taking his back! Aoki tries to go for a choke, but da Guia bucks and twists, scrambling back to his feet and backing off. A big right hand and a high kick prevent Aoki from following too closely. After that frenetic minute of action, things die down, with the fighters circling. da Guia scores with two leg kicks, Aoki hits a tasty right hand to the body, but otherwise nothing much happens for the next couple of exchanges. Indeed, the clock runs down and the round ends without further noteworthy events. The 1st round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to da Guia by 10-9.

Round 2
Aoki scores with a low kick to the outside of the knee, then backs off. Those will take their toll. da Guia responds with a right hand that hits gloves, a left hook to the body that stings Aoki, then throws a spectacular head kick that connects! Aoki was backing off after those two punches and didn't see it coming, he goes sailing backward, his body entirely limp. da Guia has knocked Aoki out cold with one brutally powerful kick. da Guia wins via knock out at 0:50 of the second round.

After Robbie Lawler last time, maybe #3 is not the ranking to have in the new UFC. De Guia is one of the most promising young fighters in the LW division, but....wow, just wow: what a debut.

[AlexB]

Paulo Roberto Bezzera, Salvador, Brazil 9-1 v. Nate Diaz, Stockton, California 10-2
Blurcat – Bezzera by TKO

Round 1
Bezerra hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Diaz to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Bezerra hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Diaz tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with The Serpent having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Diaz. Diaz leans forward and throws a looping right hand. Bezerra throws a wild head kick at the same moment, and it smashes into his jaw; Diaz goes down, slumped to the canvas. The referee covers him up, signalling that the match is over by knock out. Bezerra wins via knock out at 3:50 of the first round.

Now that is why the fans come to watch MMA! Three fantastic KO's tonight – what a night!


Roger Huerta, Minneapolis 20-2-1 v. Joe Stevenson, Las Vegas 29-9
Blurcat – Stevenson by split decision

This is a tough draw for both fighters in this preliminary level fight: both have been title contenders in the very recent past.

The Matador nearly knocks out Stevenson a couple of times in the 1<SUP>st</SUP> round, and Stevenson does well to make it back to his stool. The second follows a similar pattern, as Huerta is all over Stevenson with his strikes, and it appears Joe Daddy has no answer...

Round 3
Stevenson is quickest out, and comes at Huerta with a series of jabs and straight punches. Huerta covered up well, and I don't think anything got through. Huerta hits a body shot, but it didn't connect solidly. They get in close, and it's Stevenson who takes it to the ground. Huerta pulls guard. There's a lull, as Stevenson tries to pass, and Huerta defends it. Punches get thrown every so often, but it's really a stalemate at the moment. Huerta almost gets a guillotine, but it's blocked and almost leads to a kimura for Stevenson, but that too goes nowhere. The referee stands them up, but the time is almost over. The round ends. Blurcat.com gives that one to Stevenson by 10-9. All three judges give a score of 29-28 to Roger Huerta.


Diego Sanchez, San Diego 19-2 (10) v. Josh Thomson, San Jose
Blurcat – Thomson by split decision

Will Nightmare's decision to drop down a weight class pay dividends? A win over Josh Thomson will put him in the #1 contender's match...

An action packed 1<SUP>st</SUP> that Diego will get the nod for, taking The Punk down, wobbling him with a huge right hook, and nearly getting an armbar finish. Diego also takes the second, tripping Thomson and spending the majority of the round in the top position. Will the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> be any different?

Round 3
Sanchez starts the round like a house on fire, hitting three quick jabs and a vicious right hook. Thomson covered up well, but at least one of the jabs got through and landed above the left eye. Thomson backs up to buy some time, but Sanchez keeps coming and lands a right hand to the body. Thomson scores with a jab in return, then goes with a kick to the waist. Sanchez catches the leg though and quickly rushes forward with a takedown. Thomson pulls guard. Sanchez almost gets caught in a surprise armbar, leaving his arm in for far too long after a punch. Thomson tries to twist it while wrapping his legs around it, but Sanchez pulls free, and it allows him an opportunity to get side control due to Thomson's legs being out of position. He lies across Thomson's chest. Thomson has locked up Sanchez's right shoulder well, it's preventing him from doing much. Sanchez drives a knee into the ribs, but can't generate much force. Sanchez tries to spin around and get into north and south position, but Thomson blocks it by tenaciously holding onto the right arm. Sanchez uses his legs to break Thomson's arms apart and trap the right one. It's a semi-crucifix position, Thomson is quite exposed. Fortunately for him then time expires before Sanchez can turn it into a better attacking opportunity. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Sanchez. All three judges give a score of 30-27 in favour of Diego Sanchez.

A good fight, and an impressive debut for Nightmare – Diego v. KenFlo II maybe?

[AlexB]

Kenny Florian, Boston 11-3 (9) v. Joachim Hansen, Oslo 19-7-1 (6)
Blurcat – Florian by submission

If Florian is to get a rematch against Diego, he has to take out a higher ranked opponent in the Scandanavian. But Kenny has looked so impressive in his last 2-3 fights that this would not be a huge surprise.

In the 1<SUP>st</SUP> Florian dominates by striking. KenFlo gets the takedown in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>, and wins the round from the top position. Can Hellboy completely change the fight in the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> and final round?

Round 3
The two fighters circle. Hansen flicks out a couple of jabs, then an unconventinal looping right hand. Florian easily side-steps it, but trips and falls to the ground! He is up quickly, before Hansen could get in. Replays confirm that it was purely a stumble, the punch was well wide of the mark. Florian moves in, ducks under a big right hand, and gets two crisp jabs in before getting smothered into a clinch. One of those jabs landed hard, Hansen is a little rattled. They struggle in the clinch, both throwing small punches to the back and ribs. The referee separates them. Hansen forces Florian back up against the cage, and starts throwing jabs. He looks to be keeping Florian in position, waiting to unload a big punch. Hansen does, lunging in with a huge right cross, but Florian saw it coming and goes underneath it, scoring with a right hand to the gut on the way past. Hansen turns and tries to follow up immediately, but gets tagged with a wicked left hook that drops him to one knee. Hansen is up quickly, causing Florian, who was about to dive in, to back off. Replays show that the punch connected, but Hansen was already going downward to duck the punch, so it wasn't as powerful as first thought. Hansen throws a high kick, but it doesn't do anything but cause Florian to step back. The time expires without anything further of note happening. End of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Florian by 10-9. All three judges give a score of 30-27 to Kenny Florian.

A good fight, although Florian will be disappointed the fight had to go to the judges' cards. We get to see Florian v. Sanchez II for the right to a title shot!


#1 Contenders Match
Sean Morrison, Louisville, Kentucky 12-3 (5) v. Go Yamamoto, Osaki, 13-1 (7)
Blurcat – Morrison by TKO

Morrison is basically a young Matt Hughes, while Yamamoto is a highly talented young fighter. Both gave up their titles to join the UFC: Morrison was long time GAMMA champion, while Yamamoto was ALPHA champ - great things are expected from this fight...

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> round is dominated by Go's kicking, and Morrison seemingly has no answer. In the second the American is back on form – stinging Yamamoto with a big right, taking him down and nearly getting a decisive armbar. The third round is where it's at...

Round 3
Yamamoto starts tentatively, and scores with a few sharp leg kicks. A straight left connects, and Morrison is forced backward to avoid an uppercut. Good start from Yamamoto. Morrison tries to come inside, but eats a kick to the thigh. They clinch briefly, but it goes nowhere. Looping right hand from Morrison, but it only caught Yamamoto on the shoulder. Another kick connects from Yamamoto, and that sets up a nice combination to the body. The accuracy of his kicks has been excellent so far, and is keeping Morrison from doing very much. Morrison throws out a few jabs, nothing too dangerous though, Yamamoto easily avoided them. Right hand from Morrison, that one definitely registered, but I don't think it had much power behind it. The time ticks away without anything further of interest happening. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Yamamoto. The official scores are: 29-28 (twice), 30-27 for Go Yamamoto.

How on earth one judge had it 30-27 is beyond me, but the 29-28 scoreline was spot on: Go Yamamoto has both the coolest name in the UFC and a title shot.


But now it's the fight that everyone has been waiting for...

UFC Lightweight Championship
BJ Penn, Hilo, Hawaii 13-4-1 (1) v. Eddie Alvarez, Philadelphia 15-1 (2)
Blurcat – Penn by decision

1<SUP>st</SUP> round is a little slow, but The Prodigy wins it via superior striking, and Alvarez sits down with a huge mouse over his eyebrow

Round 2
An exchange of jabs doesn't go anywhere. Alvarez fakes a kick, then darts in to score with a straight left before backing out fast to avoid a left-right combination from Penn. They clinch, and Penn winds up backed against the cage. A couple of minor blows get exchanged, but it's turned into a bit of a stalemate. Alvarez tries to push Penn back, but can't. The referee waits a while, then separates them and gets them to resume. Alvarez is backed up against the cage, but manages to clinch with Penn to prevent him throwing any punches. They struggle. Alvarez twists and throws all of his weight into an uppercut...and it catches Penn by surprise. It lands right on the nose, and Penn goes down hard. Alvarez, who looks as surprised that that hit as anybody, follows up by half-mounting Penn and throwing punches to the face. The referee waits to see if Penn can recover to defend himself , but has to pull Alvarez off and end the match when he can't. Official time of the TKO is 3:36 of the second round. Eddie Alvarez is the new UFC Lightweight champion.

No-one saw that coming! An amazing upset – Eddie Alvarez is the undisputed Lightweight champion of the world!

[AlexB]

Fight of the night was given to BJ Penn & Eddie Alvarez, so Carlos de Guia has to make do with the KO bonus, and Clay Guida gets the Submission of the Night.

Go Yamamoto hurt his foot through kicking Sean Morrison so much in rounds 1&3, and is out for about 2 months. He should be back in plenty of time to face the new Champ.

Other than this, the standard 30 day suspensions were dished out to the three KO victims: Ricardo Fernandes, Shinya Aoki and Nate Diaz

[AlexB]

One week after UFC 2, we have the LW Ultimate Fight Night -

Edson Emlison, 14-6 v. Gesias Calvacante, 14-2-1 (4) (Blurcat: Calvacante via KO)
Jackson Gray, 9-3 v. Tyson Griffin, 12-2 (Blurcat: Griffin via TKO)
Tatsuya Kawajiri, 22-5-2 v. Charles Stiles, 8-1-1 (Blurcat: Kawajiri via split decision)
Jonathan Huang, 9-3 v. Rodolphe Gygax, 16-7 (Blurcat: Huang via submission)

UFC Jr Lightweight Title
Gray Maynard, 6-0 v. Luke Hilton, 4-1 (Blurcat: Hilton via TKO)

#1 Jr Contender Match
Joseph Duarte, 4-0 v. Nicholas Bretton, 2-0

Stefan Champion, 2-0 v. Bae Yoon, 0-1 (Blurcat: Champion via submission)
Kyle Winterburn, 0-1 v. Joseph Stanley, 0-0 (Blurcat: Stanley via submission)
Corey Hill, 2-1 v. Dale Hartt, 5-1 (Blurcat: Hartt via TKO)
Pat Troy, 0-0 v. Erik Owings, 3-2 (Blurcat: Troy via TKO)

The only fighter with his career on the line is Rodolphe Gygax.

The juniors are a much more exciting crop than the MWs, and while all have their weaknesses being so inexperienced, Nicholas Bretton, Stefan Champion and Joseph Stanley all look good prospects.

[AlexB]

The action gets underway with:

Pat 'Blue Boy' Troy, 20, New Orleans, 0-0 v. Erik Owings, 28, New York, 3-2
(Blurcat: Troy via TKO)

Troy wins the first by being far quicker than Owings, nipping in and out before the older man get hold of him. The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> is more of the same, and if Owings is going to pull this one out, he's got to get a grip on the Blue Boy.

He does indeed manage to do so, and gets Troy down, but can't finish and the debutant wins 29-28 on two cards, and somewhat surprisingly 30-27 on the other. Owings has now dropped two in a row, and is on a knife edge.


Corey Hill, 30, Brooksville, Florida, 2-1 v. Dale Hartt, 29, Bangor, Maine, 5-1
(Blurcat: Hartt via TKO)

A poor 1<SUP>st</SUP> round, the only action of note a great shot by Hill that causes a huge swelling on Hartt's eyebrow. The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> is even worse, and is tough to score. Will the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> be any improvement?

I guess so, as Hill works a takedown and starts unloading on Hartt, getting the stoppage just two seconds before the end of the fight. Not great stuff, but at least there was a finish.


Kyle Winterburn, 20, Chandler, Arizona, 0-1 v. Joseph 'AK-47' Stanley, 19, St Paul, Minnesota, 0-0
(Blurcat: Stanley via submission)

A much better start to this bout, as AK-47 reverses Winterburn's takedown attempt and then tries submission after submission, but without success. Stanley's reputed to have a dodgy chin, but takes a good shot in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> before again taking his opponent down and, although being less dominant than in the first, wins the round.

The 3<SUP>rd</SUP> was very scrappy, and was all on the feet, and Stanley gets the decision 30-27 from two judges and 29-28 from the other. A debut victory for the highly touted young fighter, and Winterburn must win next time out to keep his place on the developmental roster.


'Stealth Ninja' Stefan Champion, 22, Lincoln, Nebraska, 2-0 v. Bae Yoon, 22, South Korea, 0-1
(Blurcat: Champion via submission)

The Stealth Ninja unluckily lost a spot to Nicholas Bretton in the #1 contenders match on a coin toss, so will be anxious to prove a point tonight.

But in the 1<SUP>st</SUP> it's the Korean who gets two takedowns to win the round. The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> is all stand-up, and the Stealth Ninja lands the best shots to even the score. It will all go the final round...

Which Champion wins by virtue of an excellent kicking game: all three judges score the fight 29-28. Like Kyle Winterburn, if Bae Yoon loses next time, it's bye bye Bae Yoon (come on :D)

[AlexB]

After the four development fights, we move on to the seniors and the top two rookie contests.

Jonathan Huang, 26, Thailand, 9-3 v. Rodolphe 'G-Force' Gygax, 31, St Gallen, Switzerland, 16-9
(Blurcat: Huang via submission)

If G-Force loses, he will be out of the UFC after just one fight. Unfortunately he is a pure striker, with no ground game at all, and he faces a submission specialist with a strong chin. Will the ex-BCF contingent suffer their 1<SUP>st</SUP> defeat in the UFC?

Round 1
Huang hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Gygax to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Huang hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Gygax tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Huang having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Gygax. Gygax gets Huang backed up against the cage and throws a flurry of jabs, but doesn't do any real damage. Huang tries to get back to the center, but almost invites the takedown attempt, which promptly comes. Gygax drives him down with a waist-high tackle...but gets caught! The takedown left his head exposed and Huang applied a guillotine on the way down. Gygax is caught, that is on really tight. There's the tap out, Gygax was clearly unable to breathe with a forearm crushing his wind-pipe. The official time is 3:25.

So facing a win or bust fight, a man with zero ground skills tries to take a submission specialist down? I don't think we're going to miss Gygax too much!


Tatsuya 'The Crusher' Kawajiri, 30, Ibaraki, Japan, 22-5-2 v. 'Rogue' Charles Stiles, 25, Sao Paulo, 8-1-1
(Blurcat: Kawajiri via split decision)

The Crusher starts the 1<SUP>st</SUP> with a takedown, but Stiles reverses and spends the rest of the round on top. In the second it's Rogue that gets a double leg takedown, and again dominates from then on in. It looks like the Brazilian simply has too much for the Japanese fighter...

And so it proves – Kawajiri gets the takedown again, and this time maintains control. But he does practially nothing from there, and Stiles gets the decision 29-28 on all three judge's cards. Not the most exciting fight in the world however.


Jackson 'Pocket Rocket' Gray, 26, Velleja, California, 9-3 v. Tyson Griffin, 24, Las Vegas, 12-2
(Blurcat: Griffin via TKO)

Vicious ground & pound from the Pocket Rocket in the first sees Griffin battered and bruised at the end of the 1<SUP>st</SUP>. The second is a carbon copy, and I can't see how Tyson Griffin can turn this one around...

And he can't – the third is very much a damp squib, and Gray gets the decision 29-28 unanimously. After losing to Sean Sherk the last time out, Tyson Griffin must win next time out, or he will be a relatively high profile casualty of the new system.

[AlexB]

Jr #1 Contenders Match
'The Hybrid' Joseph Duarte, 24, San Diego, 4-0 v. Nicholas 'The Blonde Bomber' Bretton, 22, Mont-Laurier, Quebec, 2-0

Can The Blonde Bomber take advantage of winning the coin toss for the opportunity to face Duarte? It's an interesting match up, as it's a classic striker v. submission specialist, with the slightly more experienced striker Duarte given the edge by the fans pre-fight.

A tentative first round could go either way, and an only slightly better 2<SUP>nd</SUP> sees Duarte mark up the Canadian's face with a couple of stinging punches.

Round 3
The two fighters meet in the center with an exchange of jabs, but neither gets anything but gloves or air. They go right into a clinch, with only a few seconds of the match gone. Duarte gets a knee to the ribs in, but it wasn't particularly hard. They break. Bretton moves in close and hits a left hook to the body. Duarte steps back, and suddenly fires off a roundhouse kick. Bretton didn't see it coming, and it lands right behind his ear. Bretton is down, knocked out cold, and the referee is quick to step in and stop Duarte from inflicting any more damage. Official time of the knock out is 1:21 of the third.

6 minutes of nothing, and then bang! The Hybrid will face the winner of the next fight for the junior title, and could well have earned himself a tidy bonus for the KO of the night.


Jr Lightweight Title Bout
Gray 'The Bully' Maynard, 29, Las Vegas, 6-0 v. ' The Hillbilly Hammer' Luke Hilton, 22, Birmingham, Alabama, 4-1
(Blurcat: Hilton via TKO)

The Bully, well... bullies Hilton in the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, getting two takedowns and almost ending the fight with a kimura, which looked like would have worked if there were another 10 seconds or so in the round. A very one sided opener...

Round 2
Hilton makes Maynard back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Hilton throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Maynard lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Hilton by surprise, putting him down! Maynard follows up and starts raining down right hands. Hilton covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Maynard off, the match is over. Maynard wins via 2nd round TKO with the official time being 1:25. Gray Maynard is the new UFC Junior Lightweight champion.


And now we come to the maaaiiiinn event...

Edson Edmilson, 32, Sao Paulo, 14-6 v. Gesias 'JZ' Calvacante, 25, Rio de Janeiro, 14-2-1 (4)
(Blurcat: Calvacante via KO)

In losing his last match, Calvacante finds himself at the lowest senior LW level, despite being regarded behind only Penn, Alvarez and Aoki in the rankings. With both Penn and Aoki losing last week – it could be argued that Calvacante is the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> best LW in the world, but will not get a title shot unless he wins four fights on the bounce. JZ must think that I don't like him. To make his paranoia even worse, he has one of the tougher draws at this level, facing an ex-ALPHA champion, albeit one who has lost to both Carlos de Guia and Ricardo Fernandes in the last two years...

An excellent opener sees JZ get a flash knockdown, but even though he comfortbaly won the round, both fighters landed shots. The second is less exciting as Edmilson is less of a threat, and when he sits down, the corner have to work on a couple of large swellings. He needs something special to change the course of this fight...

Round 3
JZ steps back, and Edmilson comes after him , sensing an opening. JZ suddenly puts the brakes on and swings for the fences, driving a right hand to the chin. Edmilson couldn't get out of the way in time and takes it full force. He goes down like a puppet with his strings cut, he is out cold. JZ goes to follow up to be sure, but the referee cuts him off, calling a halt to the match. Official time of the knock out is 1:29 of the third.

Wow – something special did happen, but not for Edmilson. Calvacante puts a marker down for the rest of the division. Great end to the night.

[AlexB]

Gesias Calvacante gets both KO of the Night and fight of the night for the match with Edson Edmilson, and Submission of the Night goes to Jonathan Huang for his guillotine choke.

Huang somehow managed to pick up a knee injury, but it's relatively minor and will only keep him out of the gym for about 6 weeks.

Gray Maynard will also be out for a similar length of time with a foot injury, while Edson Edmilson and Nicholas Bretton both have 30 days medical suspensions applied after their KO defeats.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Interesting idea that I'm curious to see how it plays out. To this point how do you feel the stock fictional guys & the real-life modded fighters mesh in terms of ratings? Balanced? Unbalanced? Close but ...?

[AlexB]

It's a bit early still tbh: I am updating as I go - I've not run any cards you haven't seen. My initial impressions are that the non-stars of the default Cornellverse are stronger than I thought they would be (see the early success of the BCF fighters) but they might have just got good match ups. Having said that the rankings are still dominated by 'real' fighters.

I think it will take a year of game time, which will be 3 fights each, to see where the balance might be.

Edit to add: Looking at the two updated sets of rankings, definitely going to take some time shake out: people are moving up or down 5/6 places after one fight.

[AlexB]

LW summary:

LW Title - Eddie Alvarez (2) beat BJ Penn (1) by TKO after 3:36 of R2 (Blurcat: Penn)

#1 Contenders Match - Go Yamamoto (7) beat Sean Morrison (5) by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Morrison)

Diego Sanchez (10) beat v. Josh Thomson by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Thomson)
Kenny Florian (9) beat Joachim Hansen (6) by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Florian)

Mario de Souza beat Sean Sherk (8) by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Sherk)
Carlos de Guia beat Shinya Aoki (3) by KO after 0:50 of R2 (Blurcat: de Guia)
Jason Dalglish beat Mitsuhiro Ishida by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Dalglish)
Paulo Roberto Bezzera beat Nate Diaz by KO after 3:50 of R1 (Blurcat: Bezzera)

Clay Guida beat Frank Edgar by submission after 2:22 of R3 (Blurcat: Guida)
Vitor Ribeiro beat Takanori Gomi by TKO after 1:28 of R1 (Blurcat: Gomi)
Roger Huerta beat Joe Stevenson by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Stevenson)
Gilbert Melendez beat Ricardo Fernandes by KO after 1:36 of R3 (Blurcat: Melendez)
Gesias Calvacante (4) beat Edson Emilson by KO after 1:29 of R3 (Blurcat: Calvacante)
Jackson Gray beat Tyson Griffin, 12-2 by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Griffin)
Charles Stiles beat Tatsuya Kawajiri by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Kawajiri)
Jonathan Huang beat Rodolphe Gygax by submission after 3:25 of R1 (Blurcat: Huang)

The new rankings after these fights are released -

1. Eddie Alvarez, USA, 25, 16-1 (+1)
2. Go Yamamoto, 30, Japan, 14-1 (+5)
3. Kenny Florian, 32, USA, 12-3 (+6)
4. Diego Sanchez, 27, USA, 20-2 (+6)
5. Gesias Calvacante, 25, Brazil, 15-2-1 (-1)
6. Vitor Ribeiro, 29, Brazil, 20-2 (NE)
7. Gilbert Melendez, 26, USA, 15-2 (NE)
8. Roger Huerta, 25, USA, 21-2-1 (NE)
9. BJ Penn, 30, USA, 13-5-1 (-8)
10. Carlos da Guia, 24, Brazil, 6-0 (NE)

[AlexB]

Highlights from the world of WMMA outside the new UFC. Many of the other companies have signed those released by the creation of the new UFC...

Kendall Grove beat Alan Belcher by TKO after just 0:31 of the 1st round for the Adrenaline MW title

Stephan Bonnar beat Christopher Sharp in a cracking non-title fight on the most recent Affliction card, winning by KO in 3:21 of the 4rd round

Yeijiri Yamamoto (no relation to Go) beat Piotr Dabowski by KO 3:58 into the 2nd to win the ALPHA Welterweight belt

Korieko Anzai won the BCF Middleweight title, beating Hans Peter Schneider by unanimous decision, but in truth it was a poor match

Ex TUF contestant Ross 'The Gladiator' Pointon is a World Champion! He KO's Sidney Silva to take the Cage Rage World Welterweight title. The match was however absymal, and did MMA in general no favours. To make it worse, Ross is not even in Cage rages top 10 welterweights! On the same card, Ross Mason took on and won by submission in the 3rd over Che Mills for the British Welterweight belt, and Noah Thomas won a unanimous decision over Robbie Olivier for the British Featherweight title in two more poor bouts. However the main event was better, and saw Vitor Belfort KO Tom Watson for the CR World MIddleweight title

Tha vacant GAMMA HW title was won by Raul Hughes, who knocked Thomas Smith out in the 2nd after 8 and half frenetic minutes of good MMA action

Amazingly, Cage Rage didn't have the worst card of the month - despite there being two title fights, TKO 35 was just horrible. Martin Grandmont KO'd Fabio Holonda for the TKO Lightweight title, and Hatsu Hioki stopped Stephane Vigneault in the 1st at Featherweight.

Despite arguably suffering the least, UFC's sister promotion WEC put on two low calibre shows - Miguel Torres retained his WEC Bantamweight title by stopping Brian Bowles in the 1st, in what should have been a good fight, but didn't really work. And Jamie Varner forced Danny Castillo to tap in the 2nd to keep his Lightweight belt.

[AlexB]

UFC 3 is here, and it's time for the LHWs.

The intial rankings are as follows:

1. Forrest Griffin, 29, USA, 16-4
2. Quinton Jackson, 30, USA, 28-7
3. Lyota Machida, 30, Brazil, 13-0
4. Tadamasa Yamada, 27, Japan, 13-1
5. Rashad Evans, 29, USA, 12-0-1
6. Chuck Liddell, 39, USA, 21-6
7. Roberto Aldez, 31, Brazil, 19-3
8. Wanderlei Silva, 32, Brazil, 32-8-1
9. Keith Jardine, 33, USA, 14-4-1
10. Thiago Silva, 28, Brazil, 13-0


The UFC 3 card looks good:

UFC LHW Title
Forrest Griffin, 16-4 (1) v. Lyota Machida, 13-0 (3) (Blurcat - Machida by TKO)

#1 Contenders Match
Tadamasa Yamada, 13-1 (4) v. Rashad Evans, 12-0-1 (5) (Blurcat - Yamada by submission)

Roberto Aldez, 19-3 (7) v. Thiago Silva, 13-0 (10) (Blurcat - Aldez by TKO)
Luis Arthur Cane, 9-1 v. Vladimir Matyushenko, 21-3 (Blurcat - Cane by KO)

Zvonimir Asanovic, 10-1 v. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, 15-3 (Blurcat - Asanovic by KO)
Renato Sobral, 30-7 v. Anthony LeToussier, 13-5 (Blurcat - Le Toussier by KO)
Keith Jardine, 14-4-1 (9) v. Aleksei Chekhov, 8-2 (Blurcat - Jardine by KO)
Leon Banks, 11-3 v. Wanderlei Silva, 32-8-1 (8) (Blurcat - Wanderlei by TKO)

Ricky Heath, 10-3 v. Rob Baines, 10-2 (Blurcat - Heath by submission)
Atshushi Nakajima, 15-12 v. JJ Reid, 12-0 (Blurcat - Reid by decision)
Dan Henderson, 23-7 v. Nicolai Mickiewicz 9-1 (Blurcat - Henderson by submission)
Quinton Jackson, 28-7 (2) v. Mauricio Rua, 16-3 (Blurcat - Rampage by TKO)

Ricky Heath was the late addition to the roster to cover the injury to Bambang Sriyanto. As usual, the remaining four matches in the preliminary round will be on UFN next week.

[AlexB]

Ricky 'Hollywood' Heath, 27, Fresno, California, 10-3 v. Rob Baines, 29, Norwich, England, 10-2
(Blurcat - Heath by submission)

This may not be the best ever opening fight: neither is noted for their particularly existing performances, and both are similar styles. There is the potential that they could cancel each other out, but on the flip side Hollywood will be keen to put on a show as a late replacement, while Baines will not want to lose out to a fighter that failed to make the original cut.

Round 1
Two jabs from the left hand of Heath set up a hard waist-high kick, but Baines steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Heath moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Baines uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Heath finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Baines is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Heath and Baines clash in an exchange of punches. Baines scores with a nice body shot, but a right hand tags him just above the eye, and he is dropped to a sitting position, temporarily stunned. Heath dives in from the side, blasting him with a further punch that puts Baines on his back. Heath is firing off punches while kneeling across Baines's upper body in a half-mount, and there's not a lot Baines can do about it. He needs to get out of there, or at least pull guard, but can do neither as he can't get his hips free. Heath rains down the punches even faster, and Baines is just getting pounded into oblivion; even though he managed to block three quarters of the shots coming in, that's still five or six good shots that have gotten through. Those five or six shots are enough for the referee at any rate, as he calls an end to the match, obviously feeling that Baines was getting overwhelmed by that barrage. Heath wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 2:52.


'Iron Man' Atshushi Nakajima, 35, Nagoya, Japan, 15-12 v. 'The Amazing' JJ Reid, 26, val D'Or, Quebec, 12-0
(Blurcat - Reid by decision)

The Canadian is a submission specialist, and Nakajima has tapped many times before – a foregone conclusion?

As thought, Iron Man clearly wants to keep this standing, but is comprehensively outstruck by JJ in the 1<SUP>st</SUP> round. The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> sees Reid takes Nakajima down, but as surprising as Reid's striking ability in the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, the Japanese fighter demonstrates excellent ground defence in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>. Nevertheless he's 2 down going into the 3<SUP>rd</SUP>...

And he's three down by the end of it. Nothing really happened, and The Amazing JJ Reid, despite being anything but, wins 30-27 on all three cards.


'The Dean of Mean' Keith Jardine, 33, Albuquerque, 14-4-1 (9) v. Aleksei 'Fists of Death' Chekhov, 25, Moscow, 8-2
(Blurcat - Jardine by KO)

A classic USA v. Russia clash, which Jardine should win with his much more rounded skills.

But he'll have to do so after losing the 1<SUP>st</SUP> round: Chekhov won a tactical stand up battle.

Round 2
Chekhov works an angle and comes in from the side of Jardine, getting two good jabs in before a ragged left misses by quite a margin. Jardine hits a low kick to back Chekhov against the cage, then works the body with a series of short punches. Chekhov fights out and the action returns to the center. Chekhov gets Jardine backed up against the cage and throws a flurry of jabs, but doesn't do any real damage. Jardine tries to get back to the center, but almost invites the takedown attempt, which promptly comes. Chekhov drives him down with a waist-high tackle...but gets caught! The takedown left his head exposed and Jardine applied a guillotine on the way down. Chekhov is caught, that is on really tight. There's the tap out, Chekhov was clearly unable to breathe with a forearm crushing his wind-pipe. Official time of the guillotine choke submission is 2:20 of the second round.

[AlexB]

'Dangerous' Dan Henderson, 38, Apple Valley, California, 23-7 v. 'Scourge of Europe' Nicolai Mickiewicz, 26, Minsk, Belarus, 9-1
(Blurcat - Henderson by submission)

The ex-two-weight PRIDE champion comes up against a tough opponent who looks very evenly matched up with Henderson. Both fighters are generally excisting, and this could be a fight of the night contender.

And the 1<SUP>st</SUP> round lives up to the billing, Mickiewicz winning through a great kicking game. But Henderson comes back in a relatively dour 2<SUP>nd</SUP> round to even up the fight going into the last...

Round 3
Slow start to the round, nearly a minute has gone by without anything but a few jabs finding gloves. Henderson comes in, looking for a grapple it seems, but takes a powerful kick just above the left hip. Mickiewicz really put some venom into that strike. Henderson backs off, clearly stung. Mickiewicz is the one advancing now, using a left hand jab to lead. He steps forward and fires off a big kick, aimed at the head. Henderson ducks and moves out of range, but that was clearly intended to be a match-ender, Mickiewicz was going for the knock out. It's pretty clear that he thinks that kicks are going to do the job in this round, and it has to be said that Henderson is looking to have a hard time countering them. On top of that, the threat of the kicks is keeping Henderson from getting in too close. Mickiewicz stalks Henderson, throwing the occasional high right hand, perhaps range-finding. Henderson is circling, seeking an opening of some kind. He moves in from the left and is quick enough to get into the clinch without taking any shots. Mickiewicz hits a knee, but takes one right back. The kicks aren't a danger from this position, that's for sure. Mickiewicz squirms free, but foolishly lost his concentration for a second and took a hard right hand above the eye in the process. Silly mistake. Henderson comes in, looking more confident now, and gets in a couple of right hands and a lovely hook to the body. Mickiewicz tags him with a jab though, and then hits another fearsome kick to the same spot above the left hip. And another! Henderson backs off, and a huge red mark has appeared in that spot. Mickiewicz advances and throws another head kick, but it is mostly blocked by the hands of Henderson. The round is drawing to a close, and those kicks have certainly proved massively effective for Mickiewicz. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Mickiewicz. The judges scores are unanimous, and give a score of 29-27 to Nicolai Mickiewicz.

While there was little doubt Mickiewicz won, the scoreline was eyebrow-raising: the judges all saw one round as a 10-8. It didn't affect the outcome though, so hopefully that will be the only anomaly this evening.


'Babalu' Renato Sobral, 33, Rio de Janeiro, 30-7 v. Anthony 'Live Wire' LeToussier, 29, Senneterre, Quebec, 13-5
(Blurcat - Le Toussier by KO)

Back in the UFC, Babalu has to try and get this fight to the ground, otherwise the up-and-coming Canadian may add another big name to his highlight knock out reel.

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> is very tight – Le Toussier got a couple of really heavyshots in that rocked Sobral, but Babalu got the takedown at the end. The second was quiet, but the Candian clearly got the better of it, so Sobral has it all to do in the third...

And fails. Another quiet round, and Le Toussier get the decision 29-27 and 30-26 twice. Again a 10-8 in there somewhere – the judges are seeing something the rest of us aren't for sure.


'Bahna' Luis Arthur Cane, 27, Sao Paulo, 9-1 v. Vladimir 'The Janitor' Matyushenko, 35, Retchisa, Belarus 21-3
(Blurcat - Cane by KO)

This is the epitomy of striker v. grappler: the young big punching Brazilian with no ground game taking on a veteran high quality wrestler with a suspect chin... Matyushenko held the IFL LHW in 2007 before it shut down.

Round 1
They get in close, and end up grappling against the cage, Cane is in the dominant position. Matyushenko gets in a couple of stinging shots to the side of the ribs. Cane steps to the side slightly and gets free enough to unleash a massive punch to the side of the head, but Matyushenko partially blocked it. The fist missed, but replays show that the elbow caught Matyushenko right above him eye. Matyushenko grapples Cane in closer to stop another strike. The referee separates them though, he has seen something. Looks like he wants a look at Matyushenko. As the grapple is broken, it's instantly clear where that elbow connected, there's an ugly looking gash and blood is really starting to flow quite heavily. That's a really deep cut. The doctor is brought in. This could be all over, as the blood is going right into the left eye of Matyushenko. The referee consults the doctor....and this match is over. Matyushenko has been deemed unable to continue, that really ugly looking cut is going to make it impossible for him to continue. Cane will walk out with the win.The official time is 0:39.

A disappointing end to what could have been a great fight. But it's Bahna who advances to the Title Shot Eliminator

[AlexB]

'The Croatian Sensation' Zvonimir Asanovic, 26, Zagreb, 10-1 v. 'Minotoro' Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, 32, Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil, 15-3
(Blurcat - Asanovic by KO)

Asonovic was the GAMMA LHW title holder before the realignment of the UFC, winning the belt by knocking out Roberto Aldez and make one further successful defence. Think Chuck Liddell and you're not too far away. He takes on Minotoro in another intriguing grappler v. striker match up

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> is all Asanovic, as he tests Minotoro's chin a couple of times in particular. Both fighters change tack in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>, with Nogueira angling to get a takedown, which allows Asanovic to unload his arsenal of body kicks. Another round (presumably 10-9 but who knows tonight?) to the Croatian, and it's tough to see a way back for Minotoro.

Round 3
Asanovic and Nogueira circle to start. Nogueira throws a couple of looping punches, neither hitting, while Asanovic sits back, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Nogueira comes in closer, looking to unload with a right hand; that misses, and it allows Asanovic to slip a nice jab in, catching Nogueira just underneath the right eye. Asanovic comes in and scores with a straight left, then bounces a right hand off the body. Nogueira misses with a right cross, then backs off. Asanovic stalks him, forcing Nogueira back up against the cage. Asanovic doesn't rush in, instead standing back and throwing the occasional punch. Nogueira throws a big left hand in response, but it misses by quite a margin. Asanovic pounces, hitting lefts and rights. Nogueira covers up from the first two punches, then clinches up to prevent any more coming in. They're up against the cage, Asanovic in the dominant position. They remain that way as the time ticks down. Asanovic throws the occasional knee, but can't really do much with his arms tied up like that. The referee finally tells them to break, and they return to the center. That clinch ate up a lot of time though. Nogueira comes in hard and fast, bobbing and weaving, and throws a couple of big shots. Asanovic parries them with his gloves and scores with a well-executed counter punch, hitting just above the eye. They come in close again, throwing punches, but wind up clinched again. The time expires with them like that, and that round will definitely go down in Asanovic's favour. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Asanovic. The official scores are: 30-27 from all three judges for Zvonimir Asanovic.

No question marks over the scorecards this time – Asanovic moves on in the bracket with Jardine and LeToussier. Who will make up the fourth: Banks or Wanderlei?


Leon 'The Streetfighter' Banks, 26, Boston, 11-3 v. Wanderlei 'The Axe Murderer' Silva, 32, Las Vegas, 32-8-1 (8)
(Blurcat - Wanderlei by TKO)

Banks is an excellent wrestler with a great chin, and could cause some problems for Wanderlei....

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> sees Banks take down The Axe Murderer twice, get side control and almost finish the fight with a kimura – that could be a 10-8! In the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> Wanderlei wobbles Banks with the very first punch, dominates from then on and staggers him again near the end of the round: this is going to be an interesting last round – it could be level at 18-18!

Round 3
Wanderlei starts tentatively, and scores with a few sharp leg kicks. A straight left connects, and Banks is forced backward to avoid an uppercut. Good start from Wanderlei. Banks tries to come inside, but eats a kick to the thigh. They clinch briefly, but it goes nowhere. Looping right hand from Banks, but it only caught Wanderlei on the shoulder. Another kick connects from Wanderlei, and that sets up a nice combination to the body. The accuracy of his kicks has been excellent so far, and is keeping Banks from doing very much. Banks tries to back Wanderlei up against the cage wall, but it comes to nothing. Right hand from Banks, that one definitely registered, but I don't think it had much power behind it. The time ticks away without anything further of interest happening. End of round 3. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Wanderlei. The official scores are: 29-27 (twice), 30-26 for Wanderlei Silva.


Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, 30, Nashville, 28-7 (2) v. Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua, 27, Curitiba, Brazil, 16-3
(Blurcat - Rampage by TKO)

While Rampage may feel he has been handed a harsh draw in Shogun, his skill set matches up perfectly against Rua. To add a bit of spice, these are the only two fighter tonight on a loss, and whoever loses this one will have to win next time out or get canned.

Round 1
Right hand from Shogun was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Rampage. Shogun follows up by coming in close, but Rampage is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Shogun hits a low kick, then moves in for a jab. Rampage saw it coming and unloads with an enormous punch to the jaw. Shogun goes down immediately, he has been knocked clean out by the power of Rampage. The official time is 1:54.

Well that was fairly definitive: Rampage is back!

[AlexB]

Roberto 'The Sniper' Aldez, 31, Rio de Janeiro, 19-3 (7) v. Thiago Silva, 28, Sao Paulo, 13-0 (10)
(Blurcat - Aldez by TKO)

The ex-GAMMA champion is a tough opponent for the 10<SUP>th</SUP> ranked Silva, and this is reflected in the fact that although he's not ranked as highly, the line is on The Sniper.

Round 1
An exchange of jabs doesn't go anywhere. Silva fakes a kick, then darts in to score with a straight left before backing out fast to avoid a left-right combination from Aldez. They clinch, and Aldez winds up backed against the cage. A couple of minor blows get exchanged, but it's turned into a bit of a stalemate. Silva tries to push Aldez back, but can't. The referee waits a while, then separates them and gets them to resume. Aldez moves in close and hits a left hook to the body. Silva steps back, and suddenly fires off a roundhouse kick. Aldez didn't see it coming, and it lands right behind his ear. Aldez is down, knocked out cold, and the referee is quick to step in and stop Silva from inflicting any more damage. Silva wins via first round knock out at 3:31.

We have stepped up a notch – an excellent victory for Thiago Silva to advance to the elimnator against Luis Arthur Cane - and he keeps his unbeaten record: can Rashad Evans follow suit?


#1 Contenders Match
'The Dragon' Tadamasa Yamada, 27, Osaka, 13-1 (4) v. 'Sugar' Rashad Evans, 29, Lansing, Michigan, 12-0-1 (5)
(Blurcat - Yamada by submission)

What do you get for sparking out The Iceman? A tough, tough fight against the ex-ALPHA champ in a title fight eliminator - in all honesty it's tough to see how Evans can win, but you could have said the same for many of his previous fights, and he remains undefeated to this point.

The first is tentative from both fighters, with The Dragon probably just edging it. The second is anything but, with the crowd on their feet at times with the Japanese fighter's stand-up display, and Evans needs to pull an iron out of the fire here...

Round 3
Slow start; nearly a full minute of circling, occasional fakes, and long-range jabs. Neither fighter is creating much. Yamada works an angle, but takes a low kick to the shin when he advances. They clinch, and end up with Evans backed up against the cage. Yamada gets a couple of right hands to the body, but his attempts at knee strikes are deflected by Evans, who uses his legs well to defend. Yamada pulls free and takes a step back, then powers in a right hand. Evans gets out the way, ducks under a second right hand, and backs up to the center. Yamada follows, and we're back to circling. Uninspiring action so far, they've both been fairly devoid of inspiration. Yamada hits a couple of right hands, both hitting gloves, then a left hand to the body that connected. That was the best shot of the round so far. Evans tags him with a flicked jab to the cheek, but it had virtually no power on it. Evans leans in to a looping left, but it puts him off balance and it's only at the last second that he gets his chin out of the way of a vicious right cross that comes back. If that had hit, we may have had a knock out. Time runs out with them standing, circling again. End of round 3. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Yamada. All three judges give a score of 30-27 in favour of Tadamasa Yamada.

It's the first time a Rashad Evans fight played out in the octagon as it did on paper, and if Machida can beat Forrest, we could have a Double Dragon revival (that's how we're gonna market it if it happens! Billy & Jimmy Lee back to back!)


But let's not get ahead of ourselves...

UFC LHW Title
Forrest Griffin, 29, Las Vegas, 16-4 (1) v. 'The Dragon' Lyota Machida, 13-0 (3)
(Blurcat - Machida by TKO)

The title fight is as it should be: a tough call. The difference may be Forrest's wrestling, this is the only area where one has an obvious advantage over the other.

Round 1
Machida pushes Griffin up against the cage in a clinch. Machida throws a knee, then a couple of short punches to the side of the head. Griffin pushes him away and steps in to score with an uppercut. Machida took it flush on the chin and is rocked! Another right hand drops Machida against the cage, and Griffin follows up by unloading with a barrage of punches. The referee gets in and pulls Griffin away, he wins the match by TKO. The official time is 1:51. Forrest Griffin retains the UFC Light Heavyweight title.

Wow! While I thought Griffin may prevail, I did not see that coming. Damn Forrest, ruining my marketing plans. We'll have to go with a Dragonslayer theme now instead!

[AlexB]

Some of the early fights may have lacked a bit of lustre, but what a final third! Submission of the Night goes to Keith Jardine, while Fight of the Night is Wanderlei Silva v. Leon Banks. KO of the Night has a lot of competition, but we give it to Thiago Silva for his roundhouse kick, although Rampage can feel a little hard done by.

Bad news after the event: the win over Banks came at a cost – Wanderlei Silva blew his knee halfway through the 3<SUP>rd</SUP>, which probably explains the slightly less frenetic final minute, and is likely to be out for around 6 months.

It was a heavy night for injuries: Luis Arthur Cane has somehow picked up a pelvic injury, and will be out for a month or two; Anthony LeToussier nicked his shoulder up, and won;t train for about 6 weeks; and the cut will keep Vladimir Matyushenko out of training for a month.

Shogun gets the standard 28 days medical suspension, while Roberto Aldez is given a 38 day embargo, reflecting the more brutal nature of his sudden end.

[AlexB]

It's time for the LHW UFN, which will will see the last ever Chuck Liddell fight against former TUF contestant Mike Whitehead. The full card is as follows:

Rich Franklin, 24-3 v. Inejiro Chiba, 20-4 (Blurcat: Chiba via KO)
Lenny McFadden, 9-4 v. Mike Watson, 2-0 (Blurcat: Watson via decision)
Mike Whitehead, 23-6 v. Chuck Liddell, 21-6 (6) (Blurcat: Liddell via KO)
Ricardo Arona, 13-5 v. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, 5-3 (Blurcat: Arona via submission)

There were not a whole host of decent rookie LHWs, so the developmental roster actually includes a couple of half decent fighters who still meet the criteria.

Jr LHW Title
Jon Jones, 6-0 v. Rafael Cavalcante, 7-1 (Blurcat: Cavalcante via TKO)

Title Shot Elimination Match
Jorge Oliveira, 3-2-1 v. Nate Carey, 3-1 (Blurcat: Oliveira via TKO)

Andre Gusmao, 5-1 v. Tomasz Drwal, 14-2 (Blurcat: Gusmao via KO)
Jamal Patterson, 4-2 v. Marc Howard, 0-0 (Blurcat: Patterson via submission)
Kyle Kingsbury, 7-1 v. Matt Hamill, 4-2 (Blurcat: Hamill via TKO)
Alfred Freebush, 0-0 v. Conor Houghton, 1-0 (Blurcat: Freebush via submission)

[AlexB]

Alfred 'The Fridge' Freebush, 18, Fresno, 0-0 v. 'The Irish Warrior' Conor Houghton, 24, Antrim, Northern Ireland, 1-0
(Blurcat: Freebush via submission)

The Fridge could be a star, but he is only 18 and will need time to develop. Houghton is a very young, very inexperienced and less powerful version of The Iceman, but I think he is overmatched here.

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> is a bit of a stalemate, but Freebush should get the nod given his pressing. An excellent 2<SUP>nd </SUP>round sees the Irishman get a takedown, but then get swept and spending the rest of the round defending. Freebush 2 up going into the last...

And he wins a unanimous 30-27 decision after dominating the 3<SUP>rd</SUP> after another takedown.


Jr LHW Title Shot Elimination Match
Jorge 'Van Damme' Oliveira, 29, Rio de Janeiro, 3-2-1 v. Nate Carey, 33, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 3-1
(Blurcat: Oliveira via TKO)

Could go either way, and the hype is pretty low for this match up – whoever wins will not match up well against either Jones or Cavalcante.

Carey gets the takedown to win the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, but in truth didn't really do a lot from the top position. The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> is mostly stand-up, and Oliveira gets a flash knockdown to even up the cards...

The third is a repeat of the opener, and Carey wins 29-28 on two cards, and somehow 30-27 on the third???


Jamal 'The Suit' Patterson, 34, Hoboken, NJ, 4-2 v. Marc Howard, 22, Toronto, 0-0
(Blurcat: Patterson via submission)

A tough debut for Howard: The Suit has a granite chin and is excellent on the ground. Patterson is a strong favourite here, but can the rookie take The Suit to the (dry) cleaners?

Howard starts promisingly and gets a takedown, but Patterson get up, returns the favour and then forces the rookie to defend position and submissions for the rest of the round. The second sees Howard pressing The Suit again, getting a takedown but momentum sees Patterson roll through and end up on top, from which point we're seeing a carbon copy of the 1<SUP>st</SUP>.

Two takedowns in the third see Patterson winning on all three cards, but again there is one judge that gives it 29-28 – did we book the same guys as last week?


Andre Gusmao, 31, Goiania, Brazil, 5-1 v. Tomasz 'Travolta' Drwal, Krakow, Poland, 14-2
(Blurcat: Gusmao via KO)

Despite having a 14-2 record, the Pole is a big underdog against Gusmao. Unlike Blurcat, I see it being won on the ground and not by KO.

Round 1
Drwal gets caught with a solid right hand out of nowhere, and is rocked. Gusmao follows up with another one, and Drwal looks in trouble all of a sudden. He is backed up against the cage and Gusmao is unloading. The punches are raining down, Drwal is covering up. The referee has seen enough and stops the fight, clearly feeling that Drwal was unable to defend himself intelligently. Gusmao wins. Gusmao wins via first round TKO at 52 seconds.

Short and sweet!

[AlexB]

Kyle Kingsbury, 26, San Jose, 7-1 v. Matt 'The Hammer' Hamill, 32, Loveland, Ohio, 4-2
(Blurcat: Hamill via TKO)

Two ex-TUF fighters take on each other in what should be a win for Hamill: Kingsbury is a decent stand-up fighter, but is not a strong wrester and has no ground game, which does not bode well.

Round 1
They clinch. Kingsbury gets in a nice knee, but a second attempt sees him swept to the ground. Kingsbury landed hard with Hamill right on top of him, it looks like he got winded. Hamill hits three big punches to the face, and Kingsbury is rocked. Hamill gets an arm, locks in a kimura, and Kingsbury has no alternative but to tap out. The official time is 0:51.

Shorter and sweeter.


Jr LHW Title
Jon Jones, 22, Endicott, NY, 6-0 v. Rafael 'Feijao' Cavalcante, 28, Rio de Janeiro, 7-1
(Blurcat: Cavalcante via TKO)

Feijao is one of those fighters who is a little more developed than the ideal development talent, and should have too much for Jones tonight. It's not a dead cert as Jones has a good chin, but if he were to win it would be a surprise.

Round 1
Jones doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Feijao easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Feijao throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Feijao is bobbing and weaving, trying to find an angle of attack. Jabs and an occasional low kick from Jones are making that hard though. A crisp right hand from Feijao stings the gloves of Jones, and he follows up with a kick that crashed into the ribs. That really connected, great strike. Feijao looks to be growing in confidence, and comes in again, using the right hand lead once more. Jones was ready though, and fires off a high kick. It connects with the side of the jaw, Feijao did not see that one coming! He staggers and falls to the floor, totally unbalanced. Jones is right in there; hammer fist to the side of the head, and another! There's a third. Feijao is in big trouble. Vicious punch. The referee leaps in, that is all she wrote! That kick caught Feijao out, and from there onwards there was only going to be one outcome. The official time of the TKO is 1:26 of round 1. Jon Jones is the new UFC Junior Light Heavyweight champion.

Well we have our surprise! Three fights in a row that gave explosive action. And The iceman is up next!


Mike Whitehead, 37, Salt Lake City, 23-6 v. 'The Iceman' Chuck Liddell, 39, San Luis Obispo, California, 21-6 (6)
(Blurcat: Liddell via KO)

The end of an era lost in the mist of a TV show, courtesy of a comprehensive loss and unexciting draw against Whitehead. Whitehead is likely to be back regardless, so it would be fitting for ex-UFC LHW champ to end with a KO...

The first two rounds are exactly as you'd imagine this fight: Whitehead trying to get the fight to the ground, and Liddell catching him on the way, and sprawling successfully until the very last few seconds of the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>. I would probably have Liddell in the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, and the second about equal. Lets pick up the action live for Chuck's final round of MMA...

Round 3
Liddell drives Whitehead up against the cage and sweeps him for an astonishingly easy takedown. Liddell seems to be feeling it, he starts raining down punches! A big shot catches Whitehead right in the mouth, followed closely by one above the right eye. This could all be over very soon, Whitehead is getting creamed. Liddell fires off another big punch, this time grazing the ear...but Whitehead suddenly snaps his guard shut, catching an overconfident Liddell in a triangle choke! It looks like Whitehead lured him into that one. Liddell tries to fight it, but he is caught and looks like he is fading fast. Whitehead squeezes even harder. Liddell taps out! It's over. Whitehead wins via 3rd round triangle choke submission with the official time being 0:48.

Wow! A huge win for Whitehead, but a strange and sad end to a great career.

[AlexB]

Rich 'Ace' Franklin, 34, Cincinnati, 24-3 v. Inejiro Chiba, 34, Sakai, Japan, 20-4
(Blurcat: Chiba via KO)

The two veteran ex-champs match up well: Franklin, an ex-UFC middleweight champ, is pretty well rounded, while Chiba, who succesfully defended the ALPHA LHW belt 4 times 2006-7, is better on his feet but worse on the ground than the American. Maybe Franklin being on a winning streak will give him the edge over Chiba, who lost last time out.

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> is a tactical stand up fight that Chiba probably edges. The second is more of the same, and Ace is two rounds down...

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Chiba forces Franklin back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Chiba is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Franklin clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Franklin gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Chiba seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Franklin who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Chiba had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Chiba throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Franklin steps in and fires off one of his own, but Chiba bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Franklin turns and swings, just as Chiba also unloads...and it's Chiba who connects first! Franklin's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Chiba follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Franklin. The referee doesn't even wait for Chiba to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Franklin is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! Official time of the TKO is 3:41 of the third.

Well, smoke me a kipper, Franklin will not be back for breakfast!


'Lethal' Lenny McFadden, 26, Falkirk, Scotland, 9-4 v. 'The Calgary Assassin' Mike Watson, 22, Calgary, 2-0
(Blurcat: Watson via decision)

This is a tough one to pick: both are still learning, Watson is much more rounded that the Scot, but is seen as being vulnerable to wrestlers like McFadden...

The Scot looks stronger than the very inexperienced Canadian, and basically bullies Watson to the floor before dishing out some occasionally vicious G&P in the 1<SUP>st</SUP>. The second sees a takedown apiece, but while McFadden gets back to his feet, Watson does not. However, at the very end, after suffering some more ground and pound, he manages to sink in a triangle and armbar which Lethal only just gets out of. A tough second to score...

The final round sees Watson prevent any takedown, but at the expense of any offense himself. A strange choice of tactics, and McFadden wins 29-28 twice and 30-27 on the third.


'The Brazilian Tiger' Ricardo Arona, 30, Rio de Janeiro, 13-5 v. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, 24, Temecio, California, 5-3
(Blurcat: Arona via submission)

Both fighters are coming off a defeat, which adds to the pressure that both will undoubtedly be feeling ahead of this fight: the strength of each is a huge weakness of the other. Will Sokoudjou be able to keep the fight standing where he will be confident of KO'ing the Brazilian Tiger, or will Arona get the takedown that will surely lead to the win?

The first two rounds see Arona end up on top in each, but Sokoudjou looks to have improved his ground game, as he doesn't really get into any major danger. However, at the same time is clearly losing going into the last...

Round 3
Sokoudjou starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Arona. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Arona goes for a single leg and puts Sokoudjou on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Arona from getting on top. Sokoudjou definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Arona hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Sokoudjou again. This time Sokoudjou isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Arona will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Sokoudjou defends. Arona tries to slip past to get side control, but Sokoudjou just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Arona has the side. Two big elbows land, and Sokoudjou seems in trouble. Arona goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. The third round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Arona. All three judges give a score of 30-27 in favour of Ricardo Arona.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night was a close call, but goes to Franklin v. Chiba, while Mike Whitehead gets Submission of the Night for his triangle choke on The Iceman.

Injury Update: Inejiro Chiba damaged his thigh in defeating Franklin, and will out for a couple of months

[AlexB]

LHW Summary

UFC LHW Title
Forrest Griffin (1) beat Lyota Machida (3) by TKO in 1:51 of R1 (Blurcat - Machida by TKO)

#1 Contenders Match
Tadamasa Yamada (4) beat Rashad Evans (5) by unanimous decision (Blurcat - Yamada by submission)

Thiago Silva (10) beat Roberto Aldez (7) by KO in 3:31 of R1 (Blurcat - Aldez by TKO)
Luis Arthur Cane beat Vladimir Matyushenko bystoppage in 0:39 of R1 (Blurcat - Cane by KO)

Zvonimir Asanovic beat Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by unanimous decision (Blurcat - Asanovic by KO)
Anthony LeToussier beat Renato Sobral by unanimous decision (Blurcat - Le Toussier by KO)
Keith Jardine (9) beat Aleksei Chekhov by sumbission in 2:20 of R2 (Blurcat - Jardine by KO)
Wanderlei Silva (8) beat Leon Banks by unanimous decision (Blurcat - Wanderlei by TKO)

Ricky Heath beat Rob Baines by TKO in 2:52 of R1 (Blurcat - Heath by submission)
JJ Reid beat Atshushi Nakajima by unanimous decision (Blurcat - Reid by decision)
Nicolai Mickiewicz beat Dan Henderson by unanimous decision (Blurcat - Henderson by submission)
Quinton Jackson (2) beat Mauricio Rua by KO in 1:54 of R1 (Blurcat - Rampage by TKO)
Inejiro Chiba beat Rich Franklin by TKO in 3:41 of R3 (Blurcat: Chiba via KO)
Lenny McFadden beat Mike Watson by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Watson via decision)
Mike Whitehead beat Chuck Liddell (6) by submission in 0:48 of R3 (Blurcat: Liddell via KO)
Ricardo Arona beat Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Arona via submission)

The new LHW rankings have been released to take into account these fights:

1. Forrest Griffin, 29, USA, 17-4 (-)
2. Tadamasa Yamada, 27, Japan, 14-1 (+2)
3. Quinton Jackson, 30, USA, 29-7 (-1)
4. Wanderlei Silva, 32, Brazil, 33-8-1 (+4)
5. Thiago Silva, 28, Brazil, 14-0 (+5)
6. Inejiro Chiba, 34, Japan, 21-4 (NE)
7. Luis Arthur Cane, 27, Brazil, 10-1 (NE)
8. Anthony LeToussier, 29, Canada, 14-5 (NE)
9. Keith Jardine, 33, USA, 14-4-1 (-)
10. Mike Whitehead, 27, USA, 24-6 (NE)

[AlexB]

And so it's on to the Welterweights. Intial rankings:

1. GSP, 27, Canada, 17-2
2. Thiago Alves, 25, Brazil, 16-3
3. Jon Fitch, 30, USA, 17-3
4. Josh Koscheck, 31, USA, 11-3
5. Jake Shields, 30, USA, 22-4-1
6. Matt Hughes, 35, USA, 42-7
7. Matt Serra, 34, USA, 9-5
8. Karo Parisyan, 26, Armenia, 18-5
9. Carlos Condit, 24, USA, 23-4
10. Jack Humphreys, 27, USA, 12-2

This is a wide open division - of the top 10, six fighters lost their last matches, so Carlos Condit finds himself in the Title Eliminator.

If Matt Hughes loses, he must leave the new UFC. So did he get a nice draw? Well, no, not really... he will face the #10 ranked Jack Humphreys on UFN.

[AlexB]

Here's the UFC 4 card:

UFC Welterweight Title
Georges St Pierre, 17-2 (1) v. Thiago Alves, 16-3 (2) (Blurcat: GSP by decision)

Title Shot Eliminator
Jake Shields, 22-4-1 (5) v. Carlos Condit, 23-4 (9) (Blurcat: Shields by decision)

Heikichi Shimizu, 3-0 v. Nick Thompson, 36-10-1 (Blurcat: Shimizu by TKO)
Alberto Basora, 8-2 v. Fumiaki Hayashi, 13-4 (Blurcat: Hayashi by submission)

Lukas Mellberg, 10-0 v. Alan Kendall, 10-2 (Blurcat: Mellberg by submission)
Mike Swick, 12-2 v. Kafu Bunya, 10-3 (Blurcat: Swick by submission)
Hayato Sakurai, 33-8-2 v. Doug Hansen, 14-3 (Blurcat: Sakurai by TKO)
Julio Regueiro, 9-0-1 v. Gabriel Gallego, 12-0 (Blurcat: Regueira by submission)

Simon Vine, 7-3 v. Noach van der Capellen, 10-3 (Blurcat: van der Capellen by TKO)
Caol Uno, 25-11-4 v. Joe Hinchcliffe, 12-4 (Blurcat: Uno by TKO)
Matt Serra, 9-5 (7) v. Bakin Sakamoto, 12-5 (Blurcat: Serra by TKO)
Ichisake Miyagi, 14-6 v. Dominykas Janokovic, 8-4 (Blurcat: Miyagi by TKO)

[AlexB]

'Hell Boy' Simon Vine, 26, Temagami, Ontario, 7-3 v. 'Super Animal' Noach van der Capellen, 27, Rotterdam, 10-3
(Blurcat: van der Capellen by TKO)

Both are on a loss, so will not want to put themselves at jeopardy next time out. In fact, all of the lower bracket bar Cahill & Palacios (who fight on UFN) lost last time, so there will be at least six guys teetering on the edge in the next round of WW action

Super Animal dominates the first through his stand-up, and the second, while tighter, can in no way be scored to Vine...

And the third is more of the same – Vine is simply outgunned, and loses 30-27 on all cards.


'The Devil in Blue' Ichisake Miyagi, 31, Nagoya, 14-6 v. Dominykas 'Slamkovic' Janokovic, 26, Varna, Bulgaria, 8-4
(Blurcat: Miyagi by TKO)

Miyaki is an ex-ALPHA champ, while Slamkovic is a solid, well rounded fighter. Nevertheless you have to favour The Devil in Blue.

What a round! The Bulgarian drops Miyagi, and almost forces the stoppage. Miyagi isn't fully recovered come the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> round, and the ex-BCF fighter forces the pace again, and we could be in for a shock here...

Round 3
A touch of gloves to start the round, and we're underway. Jankovic lets rip with a vicious straight right almost immediately, but it's easily avoided. Miyagi sneaks a jab through the guard and catches Jankovic on the left cheek, but the follow up right hook only finds gloves. They get close to each other and end up in a clinch, from which Miyagi manages to get the better position, pushing Jankovic up against the cage. Right hand to the ribs from Miyagi. Jankovic hits a couple of knees to the side. There's a struggle for supremacy going on, it's difficult to see who is winning it. Miyagi tries a knee of his own, but that is the opportunity that Jankovic was waiting for and he sweeps the standing leg to take Miyagi down to the ground, in side control. Excellent takedown. Miyagi covers up to defend against a pair of back-hand blows, and even manages to sneak a knee strike in. Jankovic hits a big elbow to the ribs, Miyagi definitely felt that. Jankovic drives a knee to the near side, then attempts to float-over into a mount. Miyagi brought his legs in though, and manages to pull guard. Jankovic will be disappointed with that. He tries to get a big punch in, but Miyagi defends it well and gets a hold of both arms. The fight grinds to a halt, with Jankovic unable to generate any attacks, and Miyagi unwilling to give up a good defensive position. The referee stands them up. Jankovic will likely be very angry that he didn't make more of that takedown. They exchange half-hearted jabs as the round draws to an end. The round is over. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Jankovic. The judges scores are unanimous, and give a score of 30-27 to Dominykas Jankovic.

By far the biggest win of Jankovic's career – he dominated the Japanese fighter in all aspects.


Matt 'The Terror' Serra, 34, East Meadow, NY, 9-5 (7) v. Bakin Sakamoto, 28, Yokohama, 12-5
(Blurcat: Serra by TKO)

This should be an interesting fight between two excellent submission fighters. I see this going the distance.

Serra wins a technical striking battle in the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, but Sakamoto gets a takedown and controls the fight from the top position to level the score. It's anyone's fight going into the last...

Round 3
Serra starts fast, immediately going on the attack with jabs and straight rights. Sakamoto covers up from the initial burst, then starts throwing some raking rights and lefts. Serra bobs and weaves out of harm's way, countering by flicking off jabs whenever possible, peppering Sakamoto with strikes. None of them are likely to knock Sakamoto down, but they will add up over time. Sakamoto moves in and tries to back Serra up against the cage, but he is too quick, and won't allow himself to get caught. Sakamoto is having a real problem with Serra's movement, which is allowing him to dart in and out almost at will, hitting quick jabs and avoiding any counters. There's another example, as Serra scores with a sharp left hand to the chest, and is gone before the big right hand of Sakamoto hits. Sakamoto looks frustrated, and switches tactics, no longer looking for the big punches but trying to stop Serra getting in close by using low kicks and long, raking punches. Serra is kept from doing any further damage, but Sakamoto isn't generating any offence either. Serra comes in from an angle, takes a right hand, but scores with a flurry of his own. Sakamoto tries to hit a low kick, but misses. Time is running down, Serra is going to take this round on points, he has been able to dominate it thanks to his superior movement. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Serra. Matt Serra wins, with a score of 29-28 from two judges, 30-27 from the other.

[AlexB]

'The Ice Cold Swede' Lukas Mellberg, 25, Stockholm, 10-0 v. Alan 'Flash' Kendall, 27, Green bay, 10-2
(Blurcat: Mellberg by submission)

Another one of those striker/grappler matches – Kendall has the power, the Swede the guile, but Mellberg does have a very large chin which will give the American plenty to aim at.

Flash knocks Mellberg to the canvas in the first, and the Swede goes into survival mode for the rest of the round. The second could be 10-8 to Kendall – he dominates with kicks and strikes...

Round 3
Kendall starts fast, unleashing a bomb of a right hand, but Mellberg avoids it without too much trouble. Kendall isn't disheartened though, swinging two more huge punches, with Mellberg getting out the way each time, but being forced all over the place. Kendall finally backs off a little, breathing hard. That was quite a frantic start. Mellberg opts to use that, and comes in to throw some jabs. Kendall is backed up against the cage, covering up. Mellberg clinches. They struggle, and the fight enters a lull. Kendall hits a knee strike to the hip. Mellberg slips one leg behind Kendall and uses that as leverage for a big trip. Kendall landed hard, with Mellberg on top. They're in half guard. It's to Kendall's advantage that they're right next to the cage, that is blocking Mellberg from attacking the left hand side of the body. Kendall is forced into action to defend a kimura attempt. Mellberg tries to step over to mount, but Kendall keeps his legs in position and ends up almost rolled into a ball. Mellberg fires some stiff punches to the back, then one to the face. He reaches through and tries to secure an armbar, but has to be careful as he is in danger of getting picked off with a counter armbar too. Kendall doesn't appear to be trying that though, instead trying to shift his weight so that he can get back up. Mellberg isn't allowing it though, and gets a couple more punches in before settling back into half guard. Kendall ties him up in a snug clinch. The action halts, and time expires before Mellberg can get free. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores 10-9 Mellberg. The three judges all give the match as 29-28 to Alan Kendall.


'Uno Shoten' Caol Uno, 33, Kanagawa, Japan, 25-11-4 v. Joe 'The Hitman' Hinchcliffe, 29, Phoenix, 12-4
(Blurcat: Uno by TKO)

Striker v. grappler part II – however Hinchcliffe is much less rounded that Kendall before him, and unless he gets a big shot in early, it's tough to see him winning.

Uno gets a takedown in each of the first two rounds, but, worryingly for The Hitman, he also wins the stand up battle: Uno rattles Hinchcliffe a couple of times. Maybe it is a mismatch?

It looks that way: Uno wins at a canter, unanimously 30-27.


Hayato 'Mach' Sakurai, 33, Tokyo, 33-8-2 v. Doug 'The Nightmare' Hansen, 28, Falkirk, Scotland, 14-3
(Blurcat: Sakurai by TKO)

The Scot is far from a can, but looks overmatched against Sakurai here.

As expected Sakurai wins the first, but Hansen gets two takedowns in the second to at least even the score...

But the third is all Mach, and Sakurai wins 29-28 for twice judge, and amazingly 30-27 on the third.

[AlexB]

Mike 'Quick' Swick, 29, San Jose, 12-2 v. 'White Hope' Kafu Bunya, 27, Fukuoka, Japan, 10-3
(Blurcat: Swick by submission)

Both fighters have similar offensive skills, but Bunya struggles to defends against submission attempts and is a bit chinny: this is likely to depend on whether Bunya can press the action – if he takes a backward step it could be all over.

Round 1
Bunya hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Swick to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Bunya hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Swick tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Bunya having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Swick. Bunya leads with a right hand, then delivers a brutal uppercut, Swick had to step back quickly to avoid getting caught. He winds up back against the cage, and Bunya doesn't relent, moving in fast to unload with a series of jabs. Swick got some of his own in, but the upper hand is definitely with Bunya. Vicious right hand! Out of nowhere, it caught Swick flush in the face, and he slumps down against the cage. Bunya follows up with more punches, and the referee dives in to break it up. It's all over. Swick wasn't knocked out, but that one punch was a beauty, and it stopped him getting any sort of defence together to stop the following punches. Official time of the TKO is 3:55 of the first round.

Well, I guess Bunya got his game plan right – no backward step!


Heikichi Shimizu, 31, Sakai, Japan, 3-0 v. Nick 'The Goat' Thompson, 27, Minneapolis, 36-10-1
(Blurcat: Shimizu by TKO)

Shimizu is a legendary (and imaginary) world class judo player, and has arguably the best takedown ability in MMA. This does play well into The Goat's strengths, but with a title eliminator match for the winner, nothing is guaranteed...

Round 1
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Shimizu that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. Thompson narrowly misses a right cross. Thompson ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Shimizu, although no damage has actually been done yet. Thompson fires off three straight jabs, none of which connect. Shimizu is forced up with his back against the cage though. He clearly doesn't like the thought of being trapped there for any length of time though, as he quickly comes forward with a barrage of wild punches. Thompson bobs and weaves to avoid them, but is literally bundled over in the process. There wasn't really any punch that put him down, it was simply the fact that Shimizu was advancing at a faster rate than he could back-pedal! Shimizu follows up with Thompson down on his back. Shimizu presses the advantage and starts wailing away, although most of the punches aren't landing very well. A few are though, and Thompson can't do much more than cover up. An elbow finds its way through, and looked like it landed on the bridge of the nose. Big right hand from Shimizu, who is expending a lot of energy on this attack. Thompson tries to grab a guillotine, but can't get it. Left hand, connects, from Shimizu. That landed hard on the chin, and that convinces the referee to get in and stop the match. A controversial decision. Shimizu wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 2:52.


Alberto Basora, 25, Barcelona, 8-2 v. 'The Lightning Kid' Fumiaki Hayashi, 28, Sakai, Japan, 13-4
(Blurcat: Hayashi by submission)

Neither fighter has a particularly great stand-up game, but while both can take down their opponents, Basora has not mastered the art of offence yet, and if he were to get taken down himself, he struggles to defend his opponents' submissions. Therefore the ex-ALPHA champ is heavily favoured to move on to the eliminator.

Basora is rocked from a high kick I the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, and although he (just about) recovers, Hayashi wins the round. The Lightning Kid controls the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> with more striking, and Hayashi looks to be in control...

Round 3
A touch of gloves to start the round, and we're underway. Hayashi lets rip with a vicious straight right almost immediately, but it's easily avoided. Basora sneaks a jab through the guard and catches Hayashi on the left cheek, but the follow up right hook only finds gloves. They get close to each other and end up in a clinch, from which Basora manages to get the better position, pushing Hayashi up against the cage. Right hand to the ribs from Basora. Hayashi hits a couple of knees to the side. There's a struggle for supremacy going on, it's difficult to see who is winning it. Basora tries a knee of his own, but that is the opportunity that Hayashi was waiting for and he sweeps the standing leg to take Basora down to the ground, in side control. Excellent takedown. Basora covers up to defend against a pair of back-hand blows, and even manages to sneak a knee strike in. Hayashi hits a big elbow to the ribs, Basora definitely felt that. Hayashi drives a knee to the near side, then attempts to float-over into a mount. Basora brought his legs in though, and manages to pull guard. Hayashi will be disappointed with that. He tries to get a big punch in, but Basora defends it well and gets a hold of both arms. The fight grinds to a halt, with Hayashi unable to generate any attacks, and Basora unwilling to give up a good defensive position. The referee stands them up. Hayashi will likely be very angry that he didn't make more of that takedown. They exchange half-hearted jabs as the round draws to an end. End of the round. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Hayashi. The official scores are in; two judges give 30-26, the other 29-27, all for Fumiaki Hayashi.

[AlexB]

Title Shot Eliminator
Jake Shields, 30, San Francisco, 22-4-1 (5) v. 'The Natural Born Killer' Carlos Condit, 24, Alberquerque, 23-4 (9)
(Blurcat: Shields by decision)

These two are almost identikit copies of each other – neither being very effective on their feet, but both possessing excellent skills offensively and defensively on the mat. It's a toss up for me...

A fairly poor round, but Condit probably edges the 1<SUP>st</SUP> through aggression. The following round is slightly better, and the NBK is likely two rounds up...

This fight just didn't work, and Condit edges another, winning 30-27 on all cards


'Spanish Silk' Julio Regueiro, 25, Madrid, 9-0-1 v. 'Mad Dog' Gabriel Gallego, 26. Buenos Aries, Argentina, 12-0
(Blurcat: Regueira by submission)

Regueiro signed off with GAMMA by beating the previously invincible Jack Humphreys for the title, and looks to be the business. He comes up against the unbeaten Argentinian, who vacated the ALPHA title to join the UFC. Two undefeated champions square off, and, such are the rankings, the match is not even the title shot eliminator!

Tough to call the first – both fighters had their moments. The second is very tentative, and again very tight...

Round 3
Regueiro moves in close and hits a left hook to the body. Gallego steps back, and suddenly fires off a roundhouse kick. Regueiro didn't see it coming, and it lands right behind his ear. Regueiro is down, knocked out cold, and the referee is quick to step in and stop Gallego from inflicting any more damage. Gallego wins via knock out at 0:56 of the third round.


UFC Welterweight Title
Georges 'Rush' St Pierre, 27, St Isidore, Quebec, 17-2 (1) v. Thiago 'Pitbull' Alves, Coconut Creek, Florida, 16-3 (2)
(Blurcat: GSP by decision)

The common consensus is that GSP is unbeatable – I disagree: Alves has a chance in this, which I honestly see this as a 50:50 fight...

Two takedowns in the opener see GSP get the nod. Alves really forces the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>, but the Canadian gets the takedown about halfway through and wins the round from there...

Round 3
GSP hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Alves to back up against the cage, where they clinch. GSP hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Alves tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with GSP having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Alves. They come together, both throwing punches. GSP gets a nice clean shot in, and Alves stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. GSP is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. The official time is 4:42. Georges St. Pierre successfully retains the UFC Welterweight title.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night goes to Gallego v. Regueiro, and that also sees KO of the night for the Argentinian Gabriel Gallego.

Matt Serra picked up an eye injury that will keep him out for a couple of months, while Sakurai's kicks broke Doug Hansen's rib which will put him on the sidelines for 6 weeks. Albert Basora is out for a similar time following his domination by Hayashi – his leg took the brunt of the damage.

It was a night of contrasts for the Basora family – on the same night Albert's brother Luis won the now vacant GAMMA Welterweight title by beating David Allen by decision.

It turns out Mike Swick suffered a concussion, and he ends up with a medical suspension of 15 weeks that could endanger his position in UFC 9.

[AlexB]

More news from around the WMMA universe:

KJ Noons stopped Spencer Fisher in the 1st round to win the Adrenaline Lightweight title

Yeijiro Yamamoto and Juro Fukuwaza each won unanimous decisions to retain their ALPHA Welterweight and Middleweight titles respectively

Neil Grove won a TKO victory over Tengiz Tedoradze to win the Cage Rage British Heavyweight belt

Masakatsu Funaki KO'd Taiei Kin to win the DREAM Middleweight crown

As mentioned above, Luis Basora won the now vacant GAMMA Welterweight title by beating David Allen by decision.

Satoru Kitaoka gained a unanimous decision over Kiuma Kunioku to gain the Sengoku Lightweight title

In the latest Strikeforce show, Cung Le tapped out to Frank Shamrock in the Middleweight Title bout

WEC failed to impress again, where Brock Larsson forced the stoppage against Luis Sapo to take the Wetlerweight belt, while Mike Thomas Brown took just 28 seconds to KO Jose Aldo and retain his Featherweight crown

[AlexB]

Ultimate Fight Night starts with the rookies, and ends with five of the top ten welterweights who are trying to rebound after losses.


'Rude Boy' Troy Mandaloniz, 29, Las Vegas, 3-1 v. Paul Georgieff, 26, Madison, Wisconsin, 5-2
(Blurcat: Mandaloniz via KO)

Our opener sees a man at risk: if Georgieff loses he is out of the development roster. Mandaloniz is a childhood pal of BJ Penn, but has little of The Prodigy's talent. Even so, he should have enough to consign Georgieff to the scrapheap...

After the 1<SUP>st</SUP> round that went as billed, Georgieff finds a counter striking game to even the fight score going into the last...

And does enough to get the decision 29-28 on two cards, and 30-27 on the other. Georgieff keeps his job!


Andre Galvao, 26, Sao Jose, Brazil, 1-0 v. Gregor Gracie, 23, New York, 2-1
(Blurcat: Galvao via submission)

Although Gracie has the pedigree name, Galvao looks to be the superior jiu jitsu fighter, and we could see the ignomy of a Gracie tapping out...

The first two rounds see a Gracie dominating by tecnhical striking, and doing everything possible to keep the fight from going to the ground! The 3<SUP>rd</SUP> finally sees Galvao get the takedown, but he doesn't have enough time to work anything – Gracie wins 29-28 twice and 30-27


Matt 'No Regard' Arroyo, 26, Tampa, 3-0 v. 'The Farm Boy' Eli Harris, 20, Boise, Idaho, 0-0
(Blurcat: Harris via KO)

Arroyo is a limited fighter, but it so happens that his area of relative strength is the rookies main weakness. The question is will he get a chance to try a submission before Harris finishes the fight?

A great 1<SUP>st</SUP> sees Harris win the striking battle as expected and show excellent takedown defence until the very end of the round: a tough one to score. The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> and 3<SUP>rd</SUP> are much more clear cut, and Harris gets his first win with a unanimous 30-27 decision.


Dan Cramer, 23, Connecticut, 0-0 v. Sinali Shomen, 19, Nagoya, Japan, 2-1
(Blurcat: Shomen via submission)

Cramer is a striker, pure and simple, while Shomen has decent jiu-jitsu skills, and this could be the difference in the fight...

Shomen dominates the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, and probably just edges a drab 2<SUP>nd</SUP>. The 3<SUP>rd</SUP> is more like the opener, and the Japanese fighter wins on all three cards: 29-28 on one, and 30-27 twice.

[AlexB]

Jr Welterweight Title Eliminator
'Dangerous' Darin Blood, 25, Kailua, Hawaii, 2-0 v. Brandon Wolff, 33, Honolulu, 7-2
(Blurcat: Blood via TKO)

This all Hawaiian clash should see the younger man prevail through his far superior ground game...

The 1<SUP>st</SUP> starts tentatively, with Blood beginning to get going by the end. The 2<SUP>nd</SUP> sees a large swelling appear over Wolff's eye following a number of Blood punches, and Dangerous should be two up going into the last...

Round 3
Wolff leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Blood deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Blood uses a knee to the ribs before backing Wolff up against the cage. Right hand from Wolff connects though, that was well timed. Blood breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Wolff was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Blood sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Wolff fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Wolff gets Blood backed up against the cage and throws a flurry of jabs, but doesn't do any real damage. Blood tries to get back to the center, but almost invites the takedown attempt, which promptly comes. Wolff drives him down with a waist-high tackle...but gets caught! The takedown left his head exposed and Blood applied a guillotine on the way down. Wolff is caught, that is on really tight. There's the tap out, Wolff was clearly unable to breathe with a forearm crushing his wind-pipe. Blood wins via 3rd round guillotine choke submission with the official time being 3:31.


Jr Welterweight Title Bout
'The X Factor' Xie Ming, 26, Pearl River, China, 3-0 v. 'Latino Wild Cat' Agustin Gonzalez, 22, La Paz, Mexico, 3-0
(Blurcat: Gonzalez via split decision)

Ming is an excellent kickboxer, but very poor on the ground, while Gonzalez is a good wrestler with an excellent chin. The bookies have the fight even, I give the edge to the Latino Wild Cat...

My pick gets two takedowns to take the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, and both rocks Ming and gets another takedown in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>.

Round 3
Gonzalez fires off a high kick, but it's more spectacular than dangerous. Ming throws a tight jab, leading to a low kick. Gonzalez defends it well, then storms in quickly and hits a quick one-two combination. Ming goes for a counter-punch, but Gonzalez gets in a big third shot before backing out of range. That last shot landed quite hard, and it looks to have opened up a cut above the left eye. Not sure the referee has noticed yet, he's on the wrong side of Ming to see it. They come together again. Ming throws a nice left to the body, then narrowly missed with a right. Gonzalez hits two punches to the gloves, bobs and weaves, then fires off a nice straight right, not missing by much. The referee stops them there and calls for the time to be stopped. Ming may have problems here; that earlier punch definitely opened up a cut, and blood has started flowing quite heavily during that last exchange of strikes, even though none of Gonzalez's strikes landed in that area. The referee brings Ming back to the corner and gets the doctor to look at it. It looks deep. Ming's corner might have problems doing a great deal with that, it's a really ugly looking wound, and is spitting out blood at an alarming rate. The doctor shakes his head and the referee gives the signal, Gonzalez is going to take home the victory because Ming cannot continue with that cut sending a lot of blood down into his eye. Official time of the medical stoppage is 0:17 of the third round. Agustín Gonzalez is now the UFC Junior Welterweight champion.

A disappointing end, but Gonzalez was winning comfortably. Now we're back to the seniors:


'The Fist of Justice' Ikku Funaki, 25, Sendai, Japan, 5-3 v. Jon Fitch, 31, San Jose, 17-3 (3)
(Blurcat: Fitch via KO)

Fitch should be favourite here, but Funaki is a dangerous opponent who has very heavy, but slow hands. If Fitch can avoid the big loopy punches he should be OK...

The first is very tight, and I wouldn't want to pick a winner. Fitch clearly wins the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> however from the clinch and through striking...

Round 3
Two jabs from the left hand of Funaki set up a hard waist-high kick, but Fitch steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Funaki moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Fitch uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Funaki finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Fitch is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Fitch has wound up next to the cage, and Funaki comes in with a right hand lead, transitioning into a three punch combination. Fitch covered up well, taking very little damage. Funaki steps back to prepare for a second wave of attack, but a thunderous head kick from Fitch catches him on the back-foot! Funaki is down and dazed. Fitch mounts and starts firing off rights and lefts. Funaki has one arm up to block them, but that's more out of instinct than anything, and it's almost totally ineffective. Some bombs are connecting, and the referee pulls Fitch off, putting an end to the match. Fitch wins via TKO at 2:54 of the third round.

[AlexB]

Claudio Palacios, 27, Lima, Peru, 10-2-1 v. Josh 'Kos' Koscheck, 31, Fresno, California, 11-3 (4)
(Blurcat: Koscheck via submission)

The most punchable man in MMA fights a tricky opponent in the Peruvian – however Kos will be keen to get back on track after his loss to Thiago Alves (as Fight for the Troops never happened in this universe)

The first is a surprise, as Palacios takes Koscheck down not once, but twice, dishes out some brutal elbows from the guard, and very nearly sinks in a kimura at the end of the round. It appears Koscheck may haven been taking this fight a little lightly?

Round 2
Palacios throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Koscheck defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. They come together in the center and exchange strikes. Palacios gets the better of it, and throws a wild right hand with evil intentions. Koscheck saw it coming, and ducks under it, allowing him the perfect position to hit Palacios with a takedown and put them on the ground. Koscheck passes guard without too much trouble, and cracks Palacios with a hard punch to the cheek. Palacios tries to scramble into a better position without dropping his guard against another punch, but can't, and Koscheck maneuvers so that he has one knee planted on Palacios's chest, keeping him from rolling. Koscheck quickly secures the left arm and transitions into a tight arm bar. Palacios has no way out, he taps. Official time of the armbar submission is 1:44 of the second round.


Karo 'The Heat' Parisyan, 26, North Hollywood, 18-5 (8) v. Geoff 'Die Hard' Cahill, 36, French River, Ontario, 21-13
(Blurcat: Parisyan via submission)

Parisyan wins the first at least 10-9 through superior striking, and the second goes The Heat's way via his kicking. Cahill looks to have no answer...

Round 3
Cahill starts brightly by throwing some looping punches. Defended well by Parisyan. They circle, throwing tentative jabs. Parisyan goes for a single leg and puts Cahill on the floor, but he is up very quickly, preventing Parisyan from getting on top. Cahill definitely seems to want to keep this standing. Parisyan hits a nice jab, avoids a counter left hook, then comes in low and takes down Cahill again. This time Cahill isn't able to get up, and has to pull guard. Times ticking away though, Parisyan will have to hurry to finish. He goes for an armbar, but Cahill defends. Parisyan tries to slip past to get side control, but Cahill just about manages to keep guard. A second attempt works though, and Parisyan has the side. Two big elbows land, and Cahill seems in trouble. Parisyan goes for the kimura, but can't quite get it. The time expires before he can try again, and the referee separates them. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Parisyan. Karo Parisyan wins, with a score of 30-27 from two judges, 29-28 from the other.


Matt Hughes, 35, Hillsboro, Illinois, 42-7 (6) v. 'The Show Stopper' Jack Humphreys, 27, Mobile, Alabama, 12-2 (10)
(Blurcat: Humphreys via KO)

Hughes needs the win to keep his roster spot, and draws one of the most difficult opponents in the lowest section. It could be tough: as well as being an excellent striker, Humphreys is a good wrestler, and might be able to negate Hughes strength and take advantage of an obvious edge in the stand-up. Before losing to Julio Regueiro six months ago, Humphreys was the reigning GAMMA champ, and after four successful defences was beginning to be considered as unbeatable as Hughes was before he lost to Penn in the first of his two UFC title reigns...

The first two rounds show the problems that Hughes faces: he can't get close enough to Humphreys to get a hold of him, and The Show Stopper is making a monkey of the older man through his much better strikes...

Round 3
Hughes starts strongly, immediately rushing in for a takedown. Humphreys got taken by surprise a little, but wrestles his way free of the grapple and pulls to safety. Humphreys doesn't hang around for a second attempt, he uses a looping left to set himself up to come in close and score with a series of strikes, two or three nice body shots included. Hughes covers up, throwing the occasional jab as a counter. Humphreys goes for a vicious uppercut, but gets pulled into a clinch. Hughes goes for a takedown via a trip, but Humphreys defends it. Another trip attempt, another failure. Hughes pushes Humphreys up against the cage and tries to wrestle him to the ground, but Humphreys keeps his balance and sprawls to stop it. Humphreys gets in a hard right hand to the side of the face, taking advantage of the fact that Hughes was leaning in too far. Humphreys reverses so that Hughes is against the cage. They remain clinched, with nothing more than minor strikes being thrown, for a long time. The referee finally breaks them apart and gets them back to the center. Humphreys throws a kick, waist-high, but Hughes avoids it. That could have been used for a takedown attempt if Hughes had been quicker and caught it. Humphreys hits two or three punches in a row, stinging the gloves of Hughes. The round draws to a close. It'll be interesting to see where the judges go with this, as Humphreys clearly got the better strikes in throughout the round, but Hughes did probably show more aggression by virtue of his almost constant attempts to get the takedown. The round is over. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Humphreys. The official scores are: 30-27 (twice), 29-28 for Jack Humphreys.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night? Jon Fitch v. Ikku Funaki. Darin Blood gets the nod over Jos Koscheck to win Submission of the Night for his guillotine choke of Brandon Wolff.

Xie Ming is given a 28 day suspension to allow his awful cut to heal

[AlexB]

Welterweight Summary

UFC Welterweight Title
Georges St Pierre (1) beat Thiago Alves (2) by TKO in 4:42 of R3 (Blurcat: GSP by decision)

Title Shot Eliminator
Carlos Condit (9) beat Jake Shields (5) by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Shields by decision)

Heikichi Shimizu beat Nick Thompson by TKO in 2:52 of R1 (Blurcat: Shimizu by TKO)
Fumiaki Hayashi beat Alberto Basora by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Hayashi by submission)

Alan Kendall beat Lukas Mellberg by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Mellberg by submission)
Kafu Bunya beat Mike Swick by TKO in 3:55 of R1 (Blurcat: Swick by submission)
Hayato Sakurai beat Doug Hansen by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Sakurai by TKO)
Gabriel Gallego beat Julio Regueiro by KO in 0:56 of R3 (Blurcat: Regueira by submission)

Noach van der Capellen beat Simon Vine by unanimous decision (Blurcat: van der Capellen by TKO)
Caol Uno beat Joe Hinchcliffe by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Uno by TKO)
Matt Serra (7) beat Bakin Sakamoto by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Serra by TKO)
Dominykas Janokovic beat Ichisake Miyagi by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Miyagi by TKO)
Jon Fitch (3) beat Ikku Funaki by TKO in 2:54 of R3 (Blurcat: Fitch via KO)
Jack Humphreys (10) beat Matt Hughes (6) by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Humphreys via KO)
Karo Parisyan (8) beat Geoff Cahill by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Parisyan via submission)
Josh Koscheck (4) beat Claudio Palacios by submission in 1:44 of R2 (Blurcat: Koscheck via submission)

New Rankings -

1. GSP, 27, Canada, 18-2 (-)
2. Jon Fitch, 30, USA, 18-3 (+1)
3. Carlos Condit, 24, USA, 24-4 (+6)
4. Josh Koscheck, 31, USA, 12-3 (-)
5. Matt Serra, 34, USA, 10-5 (+2)
6. Jack Humphreys, 27, USA, 13-2 (+4)
7. Karo Parisyan, 26, Armenia, 18-5 (+1)
8. Caol Uno, 33, Japan, 26-11-4 (NE)
9. Hayato Sakurai, 33, Japan, 34-8-2 (NE)
10. Fumiaki Hayashi, 28, Japan, 14-4 (NE)

[AlexB]

Blurcat.com opened up it's Hall of Fame, and the inaugural members have been announced as The Iceman Chuck Liddell and Royce Gracie.

Liddell finished with four losses in his last five fights, including a submission loss to Mike Whitehead in the new UFC. However he finished with an impressive 21-7 record, and made four defences of the Light Heavyweight belt 2005-2007.

Royce Gracie was the winner of three of the first four UFC tournaments, and revolutionised martial arts fighting. He finished with a 14-3-3 record.

[AlexB]

Finally it's the HW's, and this is where the new UFC should shine - of the top 32 fighters, only six were previously with the UFC. Far from being a weak division, this is the strength, and Fedor may not even be the best fighter! He does sit at the top of the rankings right now, but is not the favourite for his fight against Hassan Fezzik...

1. Fedor Emelianenko, 32, Russia, 28-1
2. Hassan Fezzik, 33, Turkey, 25-0
3. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, 32, Brazil, 31-4-1
4. James Foster, 29, USA, 16-2
5. Andrei Arlovski, 30, Belarus, 14-5
6. Josh Barnett, 31, USA, 26-5
7. Tim Sylvia, 32, USA, 24-5
8. Kunimichi Kikuchi, 31, Japan, 20-2
9. Randy Couture, 45, USA, 16-9
10. Rick Stanley, 34, USA, 20-7-3


UFC Heavyweight Title Match
Fedor Emelianenko, 28-1 (1) v. Hassan Fezzik, 25-0 (2) (Blurcat: Fezzik via TKO)

UFC Heavyweight Title Match Eliminator
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, 31-4-1 (3) v. Andrei Arlovski, 14-5 (5) (Blurcat: Minotauro via submission)

Brock Lesnar, 3-1 v. Josh Barnett, 26-5 (6) (Blurcat: Lesnar via KO)
Gunnar Nilsson, 18-3 v. Kunimichi Kikuchi, 20-2 (8) (Blurcat: Kikuchi via TKO)

Alistair Overeem, 29-11 v. Jeff Carlton, 16-3 (Blurcat:Overeem via KO)
Gabriel Gonzaga, 10-3 v. Harry Milne, 20-6 (Blurcat: Gonzaga via TKO)
Hiro Arai, 17-3 v. Lefter Oktay, 6-0 (Blurcat: Oktay via TKO)
Stratos Papaoiannou, 20-4 v. Garry McSweegan, 12-2 (Blurcat: Papaoiannou via TKO)

Mirko Filipovic, 23-6-2 v. Tim Sylvia, 24-5 (7) (Blurcat: Cro Cop via KO)
Aleksander Emelianenko, 13-3 v. Grzegorz Boniek, 13-4 (Blurcat: Boniek via KO)
Sergei Kharitonov, 16-3 v. Cheick Kongo, 12-4-1 (Blurcat: Kharitonov via TKO)
Stafford Alois, 18-7 v. Tony McCall, 20-4 (Blurcat: McCall via KO)
Randy Couture, 16-9 (9) v. Rick Stanley, 20-7-3 (10) (Blurcat: Stanley via KO)
James Foster, 16-2 (4) v. Ben Rothwell, 33-6 (Blurcat: Foster via KO)
Robun Yamazaki, 17-6 v. Junior dos Santos, 7-1 (Blurcat: dos Santos via KO)
Fabrizio Werdum, 11-4-1 v. Tim Boyer, 16-3-2 (Blurcat: Boyer via TKO)

[AlexB]

And so we get underway with UFC 5:

Sergei Kharitonov, 28, Plesetek, Russia, 16-3 v. Cheick Kongo, 33, Paris, France, 12-4-1
(Blurcat: Kharitonov via TKO)

Kharitonov has a good all round game, and as long as he can get inside without taking too much damage, should get the win.

Not much happens in the opener, but the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> sees the Russian get a takedown and try to pound Kongo through the mat. The fight's still up for grabs, as who knows how the 1<SUP>st</SUP> was scored?

But by the end of the 3<SUP>rd</SUP>, it's clear Kharitanov won the fight – in a carbon copy of the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>, he gets the takedown and batters Kongo. Kharitonov wins 30-27 twice and 29-28 on the third card.


'The Grim Reaper' Aleksander Emelianenko, 27, Stary Oskol, Russia 13-3 v. 'Polish Power' Grzegorz Boniek, 30, Warsaw, Poland, 13-4
(Blurcat: Boniek via KO)

Both fighters are relatively equally matched Sambo exponents: however Fedor's younger brother is 35lbs heavier and maybe this could prove to be the difference...

Round 1
Right hand from Boniek was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Emelianenko. Boniek follows up by coming in close, but Emelianenko is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Boniek clinches with Emelianenko. A quick trip sends Emelianenko falling backward, pulling guard to take Boniek down with him. Boniek drops a bomb of a right hand, smashing into the hands of Emelianenko and forcing them back into his face. Another right hand finds its way through, landing right above the eye, stunning Emelianenko. With his opponent's wits scrambled, Boniek moves from the guard into a mount with ease, and starts unloading with rights and lefts. Emelianenko tries to cover up, but is getting decimated, and the referee is forced to come in and pull Boniek off, signalling the win. Boniek wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 1:42.

I guess not! Will this have any effect on Fedor later tonight?


'The Brixton Butcher' Stafford Alois, 32, London, 18-7 v. Tony ' The Spider' McCall, 31, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 20-4
(Blurcat: McCall via KO)

The Cockney is a striker with a weak ground game, McCall is a wrestler with poor stand-up and a weak chin. Whoever steers the fight to their strength should pick up the W. I would be amazed it if did finish with a McCall KO tbh.

The first goes to the American, who gets a takedown but fails to finish. The second follows a similar pattern: Alois attacks, McCall clinches, gets the takedown, but fails to look like ending the contest. Nevertheless Alois needs a stoppage in the third to win...

Round 3
Tentative start to the round, the fighters are circling. Alois throws out a couple of range-finding jabs, but they aren't anything that will trouble McCall. Kick to the thigh from McCall, but it lacked power. Alois tries to back McCall up against the cage wall, but it comes to nothing. They come together, both throwing punches. Alois gets a nice clean shot in, and McCall stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Alois is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Official time of the TKO is 1:22 of the third round.

The crowd are not happy with that decision – they feel that McCall should have been given more time as he was clearly winning before the knockdown. Regardless, the Brixton Butcher advances.

[AlexB]

Stratos Papaoiannou, 33, Athens, Greece, 20-4 v. Garry McSweegan, 27, Edinburgh, 12-2
(Blurcat: Papaoiannou via TKO)

Another striker v. wrestler – the difference here is that the Greek can take a punch, so this time I agree with the Blurcat prediction.

Papaoiannou dominates the first, even being the better striker before taking the Scot down and dishing out some vicious G&P. The second should go to McSweegan: he gets the better of the stand-up this time, and avoids being taken down. The 3<SUP>rd</SUP> should decide the fight...

And it does – Papaoiannou gets another takedown, and while he does not dominate in the same manner as the opener, he does enough to win 29-28 on all three cards.


Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic, 34, Vinkovci, Croatia, 23-6-2 v. Tim 'The Maine-iac' Sylvia, 32, Ellsworth, Maine, 24-5 (7)
(Blurcat: Cro Cop via KO)

There is little difference between these two kickboxers, and it should be a cracking fight.

The first is an exciting demonstration of punches and kicks, that Cro Cop just edges.

Round 2
They touch gloves to begin. Sylvia throws out a looping right hand, setting up a mid-level kick. The punch found gloves, the kick found nothing but thin air as Mirko Cro Cop had stepped back in time. They meet in the center, exchanging a series of blows, and Sylvia gets the better of it, scoring with a crisp jab that causes Mirko Cro Cop to back up quickly. Sensing a chance, Sylvia follows and forces him up against the cage with some jabs. Mirko Cro Cop covers up, as two hard strikes find the gloves from Sylvia. A right hand misses, and that is the chance Mirko Cro Cop needs to quickly get out of trouble and back to the center. Great start to the round from Sylvia. For a second it looked like Mirko Cro Cop was about to go for a takedown, but nothing came from it. Mirko Cro Cop tries to work an angle, then steps in...and gets creamed with a high head kick! Sylvia landed it right to the ear of all places, and Mirko Cro Cop's legs give way, sending him crashing to the floor. The referee immediately covers him up, he is clearly out cold. Sylvia gets the win via K.O. Sylvia wins via 2nd round knock out with the official time being 2:37.

What a finish! Sylvia gets back on track with a devastating display of kicking power.


Gabriel 'Napao' Gonzaga, 29, Rio de Janeiro, 10-3 v. 'The Bulldog' Harry Milne, 33, Bolton, England, 20-6
(Blurcat: Gonzaga via TKO)

This might be a war of attrition – neither fighter is particularly exciting, and it may be that Napao's superior jiu-jitsu skills win the day

Round 1
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Gonzaga forces Milne back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Gonzaga is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Milne clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Milne gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Gonzaga seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Milne who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Gonzaga had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Gonzaga throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Milne steps in and fires off one of his own, but Gonzaga bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Milne turns and swings, just as Gonzaga also unloads...and it's Gonzaga who connects first! Milne's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Gonzaga follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Milne. The referee doesn't even wait for Gonzaga to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Milne is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! Official time of the TKO is 3:21 of the first round.

So much for a boring fight! We have competition for KO of the night right there.

[AlexB]

'Demolition Man' Alistair Overeem, 28, Utrecht, Netherlands, 29-11 v. Jeff 'The Rock' Carlton, 31, Shreveport, Louisiana, 16-3
(Blurcat:Overeem via KO)

Carlton, an ex-GAMMA champ, is a very good well rounded fighter, but probably has less talent than the Dutchman. If Overeem turns up, he is favourite – the issue with him is whether he has prepared properly.

The opener is a big let down after the previous two fights: Carlton wins the round via a takedown, but that's pretty much all that happens. The second could be a 10-8 to Overeem though: he gets a knockdown, batters the American before getting side-control and into the crucifix position just before the bell. Much better stuff...

And Overeem continues in this guise, using a standard takedown rather than striking to get the fight to the floor, to win the third, and he gets the decision 29-28 from all three judges.


Hiro Arai, 32, Kawasaki, Japan, 17-3 v. Lefter 'The Beast' Oktay, 30, Istanbul, Turkey, 6-0
(Blurcat: Oktay via TKO)

Hassan Fezzik's protege has it all, except experience. This is the only advantage Arai has, and it will likely not be enough.

Excellent striking sees Oktay take the first, and while the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> is less dynamic, again The Beast's striking gives him the edge. Going into the third, and Arai has yet to mount any sort of offensive threat...

Round 3
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Oktay forces Arai back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Oktay is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Arai clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Arai gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Oktay seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Arai who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Oktay had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Oktay hits two body shots, then comes in low under an attempted right cross and uses a single leg to take Arai down. Nicely done. Arai pulls guard. Oktay breaks the guard and stands up, leaving Arai on his back. Arai tries to keep Oktay back with some up-kicks, Oktay has to be careful not to get caught with them, they have power. Oktay fakes a dive, pushes the legs to one side, and gets side control. Arai tries to turn into it so that he can pull guard, but Oktay isn't allowing it, and traps both arms, creating a crucifix position. Oktay starts throwing punches to the face, Arai having no arms free to block them. Big shot from Oktay, that caught Arai on the chin as he momentarily lifted his head while trying to struggle free. Arai is out like a light. The referee jumps in, this is over. Oktay wins via 3rd round knock out with the official time being 3:19.

Impressive stuff from Oktay, and will this give a further psychological edge to Fezzik later tonight?


'Swedish Superman' Gunnar Nilsson, 32, Gothenburg, 18-3 v. 'Unstoppable K' Kunimichi Kikuchi, 31, Sendai, Japan, 20-2 (8)
(Blurcat: Kikuchi via TKO)

Nilsson has previously held the GAMMA HW title, while Kikuchi once held the APLHA version for over two years. The key is who gets the dominant position – if Nilsson gets on top he should win, if it's the other way round the Japanese fighter has a slight edge.

Round 1
Right hand from Nilsson was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Kikuchi. Nilsson follows up by coming in close, but Kikuchi is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Kikuchi throws a nice combination of punches, and although none of them find anything but gloves, it does force Nilsson backward against the cage. Kikuchi follows in and scores with a superb jab. Nilsson felt that. Kikuchi tries a venomous kick to the thigh, but Nilsson saw it coming; he catches the leg just below the knee, steps in, and puts Kikuchi down to the canvas with a trip, done with a violent snap. Kikuchi pulled guard though, stopping Nilsson from getting around and into side control. Kikuchi struggles to contain Nilsson, who passes to half guard without too much trouble. A few hard shots get thrown, and Kikuchi does well to defend them, deflecting them off his gloves. Nilsson is trying to get his leg free so that he can get into side control. Kikuchi throws a couple of punches from his back, but they do very little damage. Nilsson half-stands, and throws a couple of big punches with a lot of force behind them. One is blocked, but the other hits home just below the left eye. Kikuchi tries to cover up, while Nilsson manages to get his leg free and get into a mount. Kikuchi is in big trouble. He tries to roll his hips and shift Nilsson's weight, but it's not working. Nilsson fires off a couple of punches, then drops an absolute bomb of a right hand, landing flush on the chin! Kikuchi is out, just for a second, but the referee has already pulled Nilsson off. Sharp-eyed refereeing there. This match is over by knock out. Nilsson wins via knock out at 1:49 of the first round.

Another fantastic display of ground and pound, and now we're into the fight I have been waiting for...

[AlexB]

UFC Heavyweight Title Match
'The Last Emperor' Fedor Emelianenko, 32, Stary Oskol, Russia, 28-1 (1) v. 'The Big Bad' Hassan Fezzik, 33, Istanbul, Turkey, 25-0 (2)
(Blurcat: Fezzik via TKO)

The fact that Fezzik is given the edge tells you all you need to know: the two best pound for pound fighters in the world square off for the new UFC title. Although the Turk is a slight favourite, this is a razor thin edge, and we could be in for a classic.

The opener is a tentative round, as each fighter tries to see if they can work an opening. Fedor probably does just enough to get the edge...

Round 2
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Fedor that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. Fezzik looks to be working an angle. Fezzik ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Fedor, although no damage has actually been done yet. Fezzik leaps forward and puts all of his power behind a 'Superman' punch, catching Fedor completely by surprise! It smashes into his chin, and Fedor goes down, knocked out. Fezzik wins with a punch that owed as much to luck as skill, but a win is what it has resulted in, and that's the important thing. The official time is 2:16. Hassan Fezzik is now the UFC Heavyweight champion.

Wow! From out of nowhere. I believe we have our KO of the night! Not a good night for Mama Emelianenko...


Brock Lesnar, 31, Webster, South Dakota, 3-1 v. 'The Babyface Assassin' Josh Barnett, 31, Seattle, 26-5 (6)
(Blurcat: Lesnar via KO)

Will Barnett's experience overcome Lesnar's raw power, or will he be able to pull a submission from out of nowhere? If the answer to either of these questions is no, the ex-WWE superstar will win.

The crowd are going wild after seeing Fedor get KO'd, and this continues after Barnett takes Lesnar down in the first round... twice! The second is fairly tame, but sees another Barnett takedown, and Brock can't get anything going – he hasn't landed any strikes, and has failed with takedown attempts in each round. Are we in for a second shock in a row?

Round 3
Barnett works an angle and comes in from the side of Lesnar, getting two good jabs in before a ragged left misses by quite a margin. Lesnar hits a low kick to back Barnett against the cage, then works the body with a series of short punches. Barnett fights out and the action returns to the center. Lesnar backs Barnett up against the cage in a clinch. There's a struggle, and Lesnar pops his right arm free and gets in two brutal elbows to the side of the head before Barnett can re-tie the arm back up. Those were really crunching blows, the second one in particular rocked Barnett. Lesnar gets his arm free again, and delivers another two vicious blows. Barnett doesn't go down, but may well be out on his feet. The referee seems to think so, as he covers Barnett up, stopping any further punishment. Those deadly elbows have won the match for Lesnar. Official time of the TKO is 2:09 of the third round.

Out and out power, and we will see Lesnar v. Nilsson in the #1 challenger fight next time out.


UFC Heavyweight Title Match Eliminator
Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueria, 32, Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil, 31-4-1 (3) v. Andrei Arlovski, 30, Minsk, Belarus, 14-5 (5)
(Blurcat: Minotauro via submission)

Another fight in which who can impose his style on the other will likely get the victory and move on to face Hassan Fezzik?

Minotauro wins the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, although only after yet another surprise – Arlovski takes Nogueira down, but momentum takes the Brazilian to the top position, from where he dominates. The second is more Minotauro, as he gets a traditional takedown before once again dominating. It's been noted that the fight is following a very similar pattern to the latter two rounds of the Overeem/Carlton fight – what will happen in the third?

Round 3
Good start from Minotauro, taking Arlovski down almost immediately! Arlovski scrambles though, and gets back to his feet without taking any damage at all. Minotauro will be disappointed with that. Arlovski comes in and throws two big right hands, but neither connects, and they put him off balance, allowing Minotauro to score with a nice right hook to the side of the head, crunching into the top of the ear. Arlovski felt that one for sure. He stalks Minotauro, trying to back him up against the cage. It doesn't work though, Minotauro keeps out of the way. Arlovski tries a kick, but Minotauro catches the foot and uses it for a trip. Minotauro gets Arlovski down for the second time, and this time is right on top of him in guard position. Minotauro throws some punches, then tries to pass. Arlovski doesn't allow it, and tries to grab an armbar in response. Minotauro easily stops that, and throws some more punches. That becomes the pattern, as the fight falls into a predictable pattern; punches from Minotauro followed by a pass attempt, with Arlovski blocking the pass and throwing the occasional punch in response. The round ends like that, just as the referee was about to stand them back up. End of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Minotauro. The official scores are: 30-27 from all three judges for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Next up, at UFC 10, we see Minotauro v. Fezzik for the belt.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night goes to Fedor v. Hassan Fezzik, who also gets the KO of the night.

There is a high injury aftermath from the event:

Tim Sylvia blew his knee out in that final kick, and is out for 6 months, which will create a gap in the tournament tree.

Kinumichi Kikichu receives a 28 day medical suspension after his KO loss, but also has hurt his back which will mean he is out for 9 weeks anyway.

Sergei Kharitanov has picked up a stomach injury, and will be out of the gym for 5 weeks

Standard 28 day medical suspensions are also handed out to Fedor, Hiro Arai, and Mirko Filipovic

[AlexB]

It's Ultimate Fight Night time again, with a less than stellar rookie card, but a very good headliner!


Esteban Andres, 19, Mexico City, 0-0 v. Darrell 'Mongoose' Gorman, 21, St Louis, 0-0
(Blurcat: Andres via TKO)

Other than Cain Velasquez, Andres is probably the top prospect in the junior heavyweight division – he has a decent stand-up game and good wrestling skills. He makes his pro debut against another debutant who has a weakness against wrestlers...

The first is all about the stand-up, and the Mexican proves to have the edge. More striking 'action' in the second, during which Andres opens up Gorman and wins again.

Round 3
A thunderous kick connects from Andres, catching Gorman hard across the chest. He staggers back up against the cage, looking stunned. Andres follows in and scores with several punches. Gorman tries to cover up, but falls down and becomes overwhelmed with more punches. The referee has seen enough and jumps in to stop the match. Official time of the TKO is 1:40 of the third round.


'The Colonel' Noah Musch, 32, Stuttgart, Germany, 0-0 v. 'The Fridge' Jack Punk, 21, Seattle, 0-0
(Blurcat: Punk via KO)

Punk has all the talent in the world, but suffers physically – his conditioning is poor, and he is reuted to get cut and KO'd a lot in the gym. However, his other skills have won him a chance in the UFC developmental roster, and he faces another rookie in the German. Musch looks to be outclassed everywhere, but he has a reasonable striking game which could give him a chance.

Punk gets a takedown, but only ever gets to side control for a short period – nevertheless he wins the 1<SUP>st</SUP>. The German tries to take Punk down in the 2<SUP>nd</SUP>, but the American reverses and dishes out some G&P to take the 2<SUP>nd</SUP> as well. The 3<SUP>rd</SUP> is pretty tame stand-up as Punk tries to avoid getting hit – he wins 30-27 on two cards, 29-28 n the other.


Eli 'Nightmare' Joslin, 29, Mariposa, California, 2-0 v. Carl Seumanutafa, 29, Sunnydale, California, 4-1
(Blurcat: Seumanutafa via KO)

The TUF2 contestant that cried off before actually fighting takes on a man who should have too much for him.

Seumanutafa takes the first two rounds via his superior ground game, and wins the third through his striking. He wins 30-27 on all three cards.


Derek 'Smash-Mouth' South, 23, Gotham City, New Jersey, 1-0 v. Neil 'Old School' Wain, 33, Doncaster, England, 4-1
(Blurcat: South via decision)

'Old School' is a good nickname for Wain – he is a 'rush straight ahead and try and knock the other guy out before he gets knocked out' style of fighter. Even though South has only had one fight, he looks well rounded enough to overcome the Englishman's basic style.

A barrage of huge kicks sees South stagger Wain a couple of times, and he takes the opener. The second is slow, but South should have done enough to take that as well. The third is more stand-up, and all three judges give the fight 30-27 to South.

[AlexB]

UFC Junior Heavyweight Title Eliminator
Sean O'Haire, 35, Atlanta, 3-2 v. Pat ' Get Hype' Barry, 29, New Orleans, 3-0
(Blurcat: O'Haire via KO)

In all honesty the fact that this is a junior heavyweight eliminator shows that there are no decent young HW's on winning streaks – both are pretty poor and are likely to lose next time out to whoever holds the belt...

Barry might have been watching the previous fight – he scores big with kicks to takes the first two rounds. O'Haire does
step it up in the third, but doesn't get anywhere close to finishing the fight, and all three cards come back 29-28 Barry.


UFC Junior Heavyweight Title
Cain Velasquez, 26, Yuma, Arizona, 4-0 v. 'The Crusher' Mugur Boc, 27, Tighina, Moldova, 2-0
(Blurcat: Boc via decision)

Both fighters have very similar strengths and weaknesses, and it's difficult to pick a winner: often in these cases you'd go with the man who gets top position, but both struggle to maintain a grounded opponent – it's a pick 'em.

Velasquez takes the first and leaves a huge mouse over Boc's eye.

Round 2
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Velasquez forces Boc back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Velasquez is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Boc clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Boc gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Velasquez seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Boc who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Velasquez had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Velasquez is stalking Boc, who has wound up with his back against the cage. Boc throws a right hand out, but Velasquez ducks under it and fires off a beautiful counter punch that catches Boc flush on the chin. Boc is down! Velasquez doesn't hesitate and dives in, raining down punches onto a dazed and defenceless Boc; four or five strikes connect before the referee hauls Velasquez off, giving him the win. The official time is 3:40. Cain Velasquez is the new UFC Junior Heavyweight champion.


Robun Yamazaki, 31, Kitakyushu, Japan, 17-6 v. Junior 'Cigano' dos Santos, 25, Salvador, Brazil, 7-1
(Blurcat: dos Santos via KO)

Two strikers with terrible ground games meet in a fight that will likely see the difference being Yamazaki's inability to take punches himself

dos Santos wins the 1<SUP>st</SUP>, primarily through work-rate rather than effectiveness. He adds quality to quantity to take the second as well, and Yamazaki needs a major turnaround in the third...

And he doesn't get it: more superior striking gives dos Santos the win from all three judges, 30-27.

[AlexB]

Fabrizio 'Vai Cavalo' Werdum, 32, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 11-4-1 v. Tim 'The Tower of Power' Boyer, 30, Toronto, 16-3-2
(Blurcat: Boyer via TKO)

Boyer looks to be a tough opponent for Werdum: he defends submissions well and has an excellent stand-up game. And Werdum will likely not be able to take advantage of Boyer's dodgy chin with his own weak striking.

Werdum seems determined to show the pre-fight predictions to be wrong, and dominates the first through two takedowns and a couple of very nearly successful submission attempts.

Round 2
A brief exchange of jabs only serves to get them into a clinch, right next to the cage. The referee positions himself to watch for illegal punches. Werdum turns his hips and suddenly turns sharply, taking the legs out from under Boyer. They smash into the ground at speed, but that doesn't stop Boyer pulling guard, preventing Werdum from gaining side control, which was what he was aiming for. Werdum fires off a few punches, forcing Boyer to cover up. Werdum works his way onto the right-hand side of the body, Boyer unable to do much to stop him. Boyer tries to scrabble out of trouble, but finds his right arm is trapped under the body of Werdum, who is quick to turn that situation into an armbar attempt. Boyer desperately tries to turn them both over to alleviate the pressure, but there is no way he can move Werdum from that position, he has no leverage at all. Werdum cinches in the armbar and Boyer has to tap out. Werdum wins via 2nd round armbar submission with the official time being 0:42.


'The King of Ground and Pound' James Foster, 29, Aurora, Illinois, 16-2 (4) v. 'North Star' Ben Rothwell, 27, Kensosha, Wisconsin, 33-6
(Blurcat: Foster via KO)

Foster is an ex-GAMMA champ, who, despite being ranked #4, finds himself in the bottom tier due to a loss against the new UFC champ Hassan Fezzik. He faces Rothwell, who may find it difficult to get past Foster's wrestling skills.

The fight goes to plan in the 1<SUP>st</SUP>: Foster gets the takedown and dominates. In the second Rothwell is knocked down! But he survives comfortably, but is clearly two rounds down...

Round 3
Rothwell may have realised that he left the gas on back at home, as he starts the round as if he needs to get this fight finished quickly, throwing two giant-sized right hand bombs and a vicious uppercut within the first thirty seconds. Foster dealt with them well though, avoiding the first two and parrying the uppercut away. Foster fakes a takedown, causing Rothwell to back up, ready to sprawl. Rothwell stalks Foster, forcing him back toward the cage. Rothwell moves in, looking to throw another big shot, but Foster springs forward and connects with a great punch, crunching his fist into the cheek. Rothwell goes down! Foster tries to pounce and pound his way to victory, but Rothwell has enough awareness to ensnare Foster in the guard position as he dives in. Foster tries to work free from the guard, but can't. Rothwell reaches up to try and bring Foster down into a clinch, but the attempt gets swatted away. Foster fires off a couple of punches, leaning forward to get some leverage, and Rothwell is forced to cover up. Foster switches and starts firing off some rapid-fire shots to the chest, Rothwell deals with it by pulling the guard tighter and punching upward. Foster looks like he is happy to sit there and throw punches at his leisure, with no real effort to pass guard. Rothwell occasionally tries to roll his hips to get free, but it may be that he has realised that this round is beyond saving, and is just making sure that he doesn't put himself into a position to be knocked out or submitted by trying to escape. Indeed, time ticks away with nothing breaking the pattern of occasional strikes and defensive positioning. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Foster by 10-9. The official scores are: 30-27 from all three judges for James Foster.


Randy 'The Natural' Couture, 45, Everett, Washington, 16-9 (9) v. 'The Pit Bull' Rick Stanley, 34, Philadelphia, 20-7-3 (10)
(Blurcat: Stanley via KO)

Can Captain America return after his loss to Lesnar? He faces a formidable foe, a knock out specialist who also has a decent ground game. However, Stanley can be shaken, and he only ever one punch away from both victory and defeat...

Round 1
The two fighters circle. A series of looping punches from Stanley forces Couture back up against the cage, and he has to cover up to withstand the three strikes that follow. No real damage caused, but Stanley is aggressively chasing this match. A hook finds the body and Couture clinches. They almost lose their balance as they jockey for position, Couture gets in a couple of knees when they regain their footing. Stanley seems to be trying to break the clinch, it's Couture who is holding it tight, perhaps hoping to calm the energetic start that Stanley had. The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. Stanley hits two jabs, then a high kick. It glances off Couture's shoulder, catching him on the top of the head. He stumbles backward, ending up against the cage. Stanley charges in and starts unloading, and after several crunching punches have landed the referee has no choice but to jump in and bring the match to the end. Official time of the TKO is 3:45 of the first.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night honours go to Cain Velasquez v. Mugur Boc, and Submission of the Night to Fabricio Werdum.

Mugur Boc suffered not only a defeat, but also a major pelvic injury – he will miss at least six months. Other than this however, there were no notable injuries.

[AlexB]

Heavyweight Summary:

UFC Heavyweight Title Match
Hassan Fezzik (2) beat Fedor Emelianenko (1) by KO in 2:16 of R2 (Blurcat: Fezzik via TKO)

UFC Heavyweight Title Match Eliminator
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria (3) beat Andrei Arlovski (5) by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Minotauro via submission)

Brock Lesnar beat Josh Barnett (6) by TKO in 2:09 of R3 (Blurcat: Lesnar via KO)
Gunnar Nilsson beat Kunimichi Kikuchi (8) by KO in 1:49 of R1(Blurcat: Kikuchi via TKO)

Alistair Overeem beat Jeff Carlton by unanimous decision (Blurcat:Overeem via KO)
Gabriel Gonzaga beat Harry Milne by TKO in 3:21 of R1 (Blurcat: Gonzaga via TKO)
Lefter Oktay beat Hiro Arai by KO in 3:19 of R3 (Blurcat: Oktay via TKO)
Stratos Papaoiannou beat Garry McSweegan by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Papaoiannou via TKO)

Tim Sylvia (7) beat Mirko Filipovic by KO in 2:37 of R2 (Blurcat: Cro Cop via KO)
Grzegorz Boniek beat Aleksander Emelianenko by TKO in 1:42 of R1 (Blurcat: Boniek via KO)
Sergei Kharitonov beat Cheick Kongo by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Kharitonov via TKO)
Stafford Alois beat Tony McCall by TKO in 1:22 of R3 (Blurcat: McCall via KO)
Rick Stanley (10) beat Randy Couture (9) by TKO in 3:45 of R1 (Blurcat: Stanley via KO)
James Foster (4) beat Ben Rothwell by unanimous decision (Blurcat: Foster via KO)
Junior dos Santos beat Robun Yamazaki by unanimous decision (Blurcat: dos Santos via KO)
Fabrizio Werdum beat Tim Boyer by submission in 0:42 of R2 (Blurcat: Boyer via TKO)

New rankings:

1. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, 32, Brazil, 32-4-1 (+2)
2. Hassan Fezzik, 33, Turkey, 26-0 (-)
3. James Foster, 29, USA, 17-2 (+1)
4. Brock Lesnar, 31, USA, 4-1 (NE)
5. Rick Stanley, 34, USA, 21-7-3 (+5)
6. Gunnar Nilsson, 32, Sweden, 19-3 (NE)
7. Alistair Overeem, 28, Netherlands, 30-11 (NE)
8. Tim Sylvia, 32, USA, 25-5 (-1)
9. Lefter Oktay, 30, Turkey, 7-0 (NE)
10. Stratos Papaoiannou, 33, Greece, 21-4 (NE)

[AlexB]

After a full round of UFC events, updated Pound for Pound Rankings

1. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, 32, Brazil, 32-4-1, HW (+4)
2. Hassan Fezzik, 33, Turkey, 26-0, HW (-)
3. Miguel Torres, 28, USA, 35-1, Bantamweight, WEC (+3)
4. Anderson Silva, 33, Brazil, 24-4, MW (-1)
5. Eddie Alvarez, 25, USA, 16-1, LW (NE)
6. Georges St Pierre, 27, Canada, 18-2, WW (-1)
7. Forrest Griffin, 29, USA, 17-4, LHW (-)
8. James Foster, 29, USA, 17-2, HW (+2)
9. Tadamasa Yamada, 27, Japan, 14-1, LHW (NE)
10. Rampage Jackson, 30, USA, 29-7, LHW (-2)

Hassan Fezzik has to be upset! He KO's the previous #1 guy, but sees Nogueria leapfrog everyone to the top spot - this adds even more spice to the UFC 10 HW title fight between the two.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[AlexB]

Other news from around the World of Mixed Martial Arts in March 2009:

Korekiyo Anzai defeated Dennis Gallagher by 4th round submission to claim the BCF Middleweight title, while Brandon Sugar won over William Powell by decision to take the BCF Lightweight belt in an excruciatingly dull match.

Cage Rage also put on a show: Casey Olsen stopped Poppies Martinez in the 2nd for the Cage Rage World Lightweight belt; Stephane Dube forced Phillipe Nover to tap in their British Lightweight title fight; and Zeig Galesic KO'd Vitor Belfort in the 4th to win the Cage Rage World Middleweight championship.

Raul Hughes pressed his claim for entry into the UFC by stopping Steve Mason in the 3rd round to retain the GAMMA Heavyweight belt.

In an eminently fogettable fight in a non-descript event, Todd Gouwenberg won both a unanimous decision victory and the Sengoku Middleweight title.

In another poor show, Gan McGee also got a unanimous decision over Bobby Hoffman in retaining the Strikeforce Heavyweight title.

[PilotMan]

Still reading your shows. I am surprised at how balanced the two databases seem at this point. Gygax was always a pain in my shows. He would lose when he should have won, then on the verge of being kicked out, he would upset someone who should have rolled, and then charge back toward the top, only to get beaten before getting a whole lot of momentum. You are better off without him.

[AlexB]

Cool - nice to know someone's reading! Things should begin to pan out over the next couple of rounds.

[AlexB]

UFC 6 is up next, and the middleweights are back. A reminder of the rankings after UFC 1.

1. Anderson Silva, 33, Brazil 24-4 (-)
2. Gegard Mousasi, 23, Armenia, 25-2-1 (+2)
3. Nate Marquardt, 29, USA, 28-8-2 (+4)
4. Kazuo Misaki, 32, Japan, 22-8-2 (+4)
5. Fernando Amaro, 30, Spain, 16-3 (+5)
6. Denis Kang, 31, Canada, 32-10-1 (NE)
7. Paulo Filho, 30, Brazil, 17-1 (NE)
8. Yushin Okami, 27, Japan, 21-5 (-7)
9. Jerezo, 23, Brazil, 22-8 (NE)
10. Andrew Rush, 26, England, 13-0 (NE)

After his loss to Davis Spyrou, Greg Atteveld was released, and unfortunately Frank Trigg has not recovered from his injury in time. So we've brought in the next two ranked MWs - Michael Bisping and Nissen Osterneck.

This time out, of the seniors, only Martin Kampmann is at risk of the can if he loses, but he did not get a good draw... Cale Yarbrough's spot on the development roster is also on the line.

UFC Middleweight Title
Anderson Silva, 24-4 (1) v. Gegard Mousasi, 25-2-1 (2) (Blurcat: Silva via decision)

Title Eliminator
Fernando Amaro, 16-3 (5) v. Kazuo Misaki, 22-8-2 (4) (Blurcat: Amaro via TKO)

Mal Phe Roby, 10-2 v. Denis Kang, 32-10-1 (6) (Blurcat: Kang via TKO)
Andrew Rush, 13-0 (10) v. Nate Marquardt, 28-8-2 (3) (Blurcat: Rush via KO)

Haranobu Oshiro, 10-2-1 v. Paolo Filho, 17-1 (7) (Blurcat: Filho via TKO)
Davis Spyrou, 12-4 v. Jorge Hermazabal, 13-5 (Blurcat: Spyrou via TKO)
Bixente Fontaine, 10-3 v. Stuart Strange, 9-3 (Blurcat: Strange via TKO)
Jerezo, 22-8 (9) v. Tucker Plumm, 14-7 (Blurcat: Plumm via TKO)

Martin Kampmann, 13-3 v. Yushin Okami, 21-5 (8) (Blurcat: Okami via TKO)
Matthew Dean, 10-3 v. Yoshihiro Akiyama, 12-2 (Blurcat: Dean via submission)
Matt Lindland, 21-6 v. Maarten de Vries, 13-5 (Blurcat: de Vries via KO)
Robbie Lawler, 18-5 v. Carl Ratcliffe, 8-4 (Blurcat: Lawler via KO)
Michael Bisping, 18-1 v. Jason Miller, 23-7 (Blurcat: Bisping via TKO)
Benji Radach, 19-5 v. Thales Leites, 14-2 (Blurcat: Leites via TKO)
Nissen Osterneck, 6-1 v. Jorge Santiago, 20-8 (Blurcat: Santiago via KO)
Dokouhtei Kuroki, 13-9 v. Dan Halvorsen, 22-12-2 (Blurcat: Halvorsen via TKO)

[AlexB]

'The Hitman' Martin Kampmann, 26, Aarhus, Denmark, 13-3 v. Yushin Okami, 27, Kanagawa, Japan, 21-5 (8)
(Blurcat: Okami via TKO)
Kampmann: 12.08 UFC1 lost to Stuart Strange decision

Okami: 12.08 UFC1 (2) lost to Anderson Silva (1) decision
This is an intriguing matchup – Okami looking to rebuild after his loss to Anderson Silva, while Kampmann must win to keep his job...

The 1st sees Okami look dangerous with stand-up, before getting a takedown from when he cements the round. The Hitman starts the 2nd with more vigour, but again gets taken down and suffers from Okami's G&P. If the Dane is to keep his job, he needs a remarkable turnaround...

Kampmann does improve, getting some good shots in that cause sweeling above Okami's eye, but it's not enough to end the fight, and Okami wins 29-28 on all three cards. The Hitman is outta here!


Haranobu Oshiro, 25, Hiroshima, 10-2-1 v. Paolo Filho, 30, Rio de Janeiro, 17-1 (7)
(Blurcat: Filho via TKO)
Oshiro: 12.08 UFN beat Carl Ratcliffe decision

Filho: Belts Held: WEC MW: 2007-8, 1 defence, vacated
12.08 UFN beat Jason Miller submission R2
Although both fighters won last time out, there is little buzz about this fight. However it could be decent – neither has a particularly good stand-up game, and match up well on the ground.

Not much happens in either of the first two rounds: the fight does not go to ground once, and it's probably even going into the last...

Round 3
The two fighters circle. Filho flicks out a couple of jabs, then an unconventinal looping right hand. Oshiro easily side-steps it, but trips and falls to the ground! He is up quickly, before Filho could get in. Replays confirm that it was purely a stumble, the punch was well wide of the mark. Oshiro moves in, ducks under a big right hand, and gets two crisp jabs in before getting smothered into a clinch. One of those jabs landed hard, Filho is a little rattled. They struggle in the clinch, both throwing small punches to the back and ribs. The referee separates them. Filho forces Oshiro back up against the cage, and starts throwing jabs. He looks to be keeping Oshiro in position, waiting to unload a big punch. Filho does, lunging in with a huge right cross, but Oshiro saw it coming and goes underneath it, scoring with a right hand to the gut on the way past. Filho turns and tries to follow up immediately, but gets tagged with a wicked left hook that drops him to one knee. Filho is up quickly, causing Oshiro, who was about to dive in, to back off. Replays show that the punch connected, but Filho was already going downward to duck the punch, so it wasn't as powerful as first thought. Filho throws a high kick, but it doesn't do anything but cause Oshiro to step back. The time expires without anything further of note happening. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com gives that one to Oshiro by 10-9. The official scores are in; two judges give 29-28, the other 30-27, all for Haranobu Oshiro.

Something of a surprise, both in the result and the fact that this turned out to be a stand-up fight.


'The Anarchist' Matthew Dean, 26, San Jose, 10-3 v. Yoshihiro Akiyama, 33, Osaka, 12-2
(Blurcat: Dean via submission)
Dean: Belts Held: ALHPA MW: 2008, 1 defence, vacated
12.08 UFC1 lost to Bixente Fontaine decision

Akiyama: 12.08 UFC1 (9) lost to Mal Phe Roby decision
Another two fighters with not great stand-up, but dean has a big advantage on the ground.

Round 1
Akiyama hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Dean to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Akiyama hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Dean tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Akiyama having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Dean. They come together, both throwing punches. Akiyama gets a nice clean shot in, and Dean stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Akiyama is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Official time of the TKO is 3:28 of the first.

Akiyama reasserts himself over a dangerous opponent, and the ex-ALPHA champ must win next time out.

[AlexB]

'The Spartan' Davis Spyrou, 26, London, 12-4 v. Jorge Hermazabal, 28, Santiago, Chile, 13-5
(Blurcat: Spyrou via TKO)
Spyrou: 12.08 UFC1 beat Greg Atteveld TKO R1

Hermazabal: Belts Held: ALPHA MW: 2006-8, 3 defences
12.08 UFN beat Dan Halvorsen TKO R1
Both fighters finished their previous bouts quickly, and they match up pretty closely – this is a tough fight to call.

The Chilean wins the first via his speed and counter-punching, and the 2nd follows a similar pattern. Can Spyrou find a way to steal this fight?

Round 3
A touch of gloves to start the round, and we're underway. Spyrou lets rip with a vicious straight right almost immediately, but it's easily avoided. Hormazabal sneaks a jab through the guard and catches Spyrou on the left cheek, but the follow up right hook only finds gloves. They get close to each other and end up in a clinch, from which Hormazabal manages to get the better position, pushing Spyrou up against the cage. Right hand to the ribs from Hormazabal. Spyrou hits a couple of knees to the side. There's a struggle for supremacy going on, it's difficult to see who is winning it. Hormazabal tries a knee of his own, but that is the opportunity that Spyrou was waiting for and he sweeps the standing leg to take Hormazabal down to the ground, in side control. Excellent takedown. Hormazabal covers up to defend against a pair of back-hand blows, and even manages to sneak a knee strike in. Spyrou hits a big elbow to the ribs, Hormazabal definitely felt that. Spyrou drives a knee to the near side, then attempts to float-over into a mount. Hormazabal brought his legs in though, and manages to pull guard. Spyrou will be disappointed with that. He tries to get a big punch in, but Hormazabal defends it well and gets a hold of both arms. The fight grinds to a halt, with Spyrou unable to generate any attacks, and Hormazabal unwilling to give up a good defensive position. The referee stands them up. Spyrou will likely be very angry that he didn't make more of that takedown. They exchange half-hearted jabs as the round draws to an end. The round ends. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Spyrou. The official scores are in; two judges give 29-28, the other 30-27, all for Jorge Hormazabal.


Matt 'The Law' Lindland, 38, Oregon City, 21-6 v. Maarten 'The Executioner' de Vries, 28, Amsterdam, 13-5
(Blurcat: de Vries via KO)
Lindland: 12.08 UFC1 lost to Nate Marquardt (7) KO R3

de Vries: Belts Held: GAMMA MW: 2007-8, 2 defences
12.08 UFC1 lost to Andrew Rush KO R2
Classic striker v. grappler – if the fight stays standing de Vries will win, if Lindland gets the fight to the ground he is a heavy favourite.

Round 1
Lindland leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, De Vries deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. De Vries uses a knee to the ribs before backing Lindland up against the cage. Right hand from Lindland connects though, that was well timed. De Vries breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Lindland was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from De Vries sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Lindland fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. The two fighters come together in the center. Lindland leads with a left, but De Vries easily avoids it and comes in close to throw some body shots. It all gets a bit scrappy, but it ends with De Vries falling to the ground. Replays show that Lindland did catch him with a jab, but it clearly did very little damage, De Vries had already stumbled while taking a step backward. Regardless of how it happened though, De Vries is down, and Lindland is quick to rush in to capitalise. Lindland has a good position, half-straddling the upper body of De Vries, and can pick his shots. A hard right thunders into the left cheek of De Vries, and a left hits the same spot. De Vries turns his hips, looking to try and shake Lindland loose, but gets turned over completely and gives up his back! Lindland starts punching again, driving fists into the side of De Vries's face. De Vries is trapped, and can barely cover up. A few more punches connect, one vicious one to the ear looking particularly nasty, and that's enough for the referee to pull Lindland away. Official time of the TKO is 4:24 of the first.


Jerezo, 23, Brasilia, 22-8 (9) v. 'Quiet Riot' Tucker Plumm, 29, London, 14-7
(Blurcat: Plumm via TKO)
Jerezo: Belts Held: ALPHA MW: 2008, 0 defences
12.08 UFN beat Dokhuotei Kuroki decision

Plumm: Belts Held: BCF LW: 2008, 0 defences
12.08 UFC1 beat Benji Radach decision
Much as it pains me to say, I disagre with the line here – IMO Plumm is overmatched, and he only wins if he lands a lucky punch.

Round 1
Jerezo leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Plumm deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Plumm uses a knee to the ribs before backing Jerezo up against the cage. Right hand from Jerezo connects though, that was well timed. Plumm breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Jerezo was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Plumm sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Jerezo fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Jerezo makes Plumm back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Jerezo throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Plumm lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Jerezo by surprise, putting him down! Plumm follows up and starts raining down right hands. Jerezo covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Plumm off, the match is over. Official time of the TKO is 3:31 of the first.

And there it was! Wow – the Plummster moves up another level

[AlexB]

Bixente Fontaine, 26, Paris, France, 10-3 v. 'Superstar' Stuart Strange, 26, Durham, North Carolina, 9-3
(Blurcat: Strange via TKO)
Fontaine: 12.08 UFC1 beat Matthew Dean decision

Strange: 12.08 UFC1 beat Martin Kampmann decision
Again, striker v. grappler, with the added x-factor that Strange, the grappler, has a reputation of being easy to KO...

The first sees Strange get the takedown, but fail to finish the fight. The second starts with the American immediately getting the fight to the ground, but Fontaine shows surprising defensive skills. Even so, he needs to land a big punch to get the W now...

Round 3
Slow start to this round, Fontaine is being tentative and Strange looks like he is waiting for an angle to appear. The first exchange of strikes doesn't really go anywhere. A second set falls in Fontaine's favour, as he gets a nice jab in, hitting right above the nose, and a solid shot to the body. Strange goes in for a takedown but only manages to secure one leg. Fontaine hammers down two shots to the back, but can't really do a lot else. Strange tries to push him over onto his back, but Fontaine manages to pull free and back off. Strange throws a high left handed jab then goes in for another takedown. Good sprawl from Fontaine, and he backs off. Strange doesn't get a chance to go for a third, because Fontaine takes the fight to him with a barrage of lefts and rights, forcing him back against the cage. Fontaine clinches up, only after hitting a hard shot to the stomach though. The clinch seems to go on forever, with Strange unable to get a good enough position to try a takedown, and Fontaine tied up too much to really throw any decent strikes. Eventually the time runs out and they head back to their corners. End of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Fontaine. All three judges give a score of 29-28 in favour of Stuart Strange.


'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler, 27, San Diego, 18-5 v. 'Mr Awesome' Carl Ratcliffe, 26, Athens, Georgia, 8-4
(Blurcat: Lawler via KO)
Lawler: Belts Held: ICON MW: 2005-6, 1 defence
ICON MW: 2007-8, 0 defences, vacated
EliteXC MW: 2007-8, 1 defence, vacated
12.08 UFC1 (3) lost to Denis Kang submission R3

Ratcliffe: 12.08 UFN lost to Haranobu Oshiro decision
This is a fight likely to stay on its feet – both are strikers, and Lawler will be keen to kickstart his career.

A very poor 1st: Lawler probably gets the nod just through coming forward, but really nothing happened.

Round 2
Ratcliffe doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Lawler easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Lawler throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Ratcliffe ducks a right hand, but steps forward right into a brutal left cross! Lawler put so much power on that swing that he almost floored himself. Ratcliffe goes down, stunned. Lawler dives on top and starts punching away, landing several big shots. The referee has seen enough, and pulls Lawler off, ending the match. Lawler wins via second round TKO at 1:35.


'The Demon from Derbyshire' Andrew Rush, 26, Derbyshire, England, 13-0 (10) v. Nate 'The Great' Marquardt, 29, Lander, Wyoming, 28-8-2 (3)
(Blurcat: Rush via KO)Rush: Belts Held: BCF MW: 2008, 1 defence, vacated
12.08 UFC1 beat Maarten de Vries KO R2

Marquardt: 12.08 UFC1 (7) beat Matt Lindland KO R3
Again, I have to be semi-traitorous and go against the Brit here: Marquardt has too much for me against Rush, and I think he will win it on the ground. Hopefully I will be as right/wrong as I was with Tucker Plumm...

Unfortunately the first round suggests I'm not, as Nate The Great gets two takedowns and clearly has an edge. Two more takedowns in the second, and it does look like Rush's ground deficiencies are being ruthlessly exploited...

Round 3
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Rush that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. About thirty seconds pass without any contact, and the crowd become a little restless. Marquardt ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Rush, although no damage has actually been done yet. A brief exchange of jabs only serves to get them into a clinch, right next to the cage. The referee positions himself to watch for illegal punches. Marquardt turns his hips and suddenly turns sharply, taking the legs out from under Rush. They smash into the ground at speed, but that doesn't stop Rush pulling guard, preventing Marquardt from gaining side control, which was what he was aiming for. Marquardt passes guard without too much trouble, and cracks Rush with a hard punch to the cheek. Rush tries to scramble into a better position without dropping his guard against another punch, but can't, and Marquardt maneuvers so that he has one knee planted on Rush's chest, keeping him from rolling. Marquardt quickly secures the left arm and transitions into a tight arm bar. Rush has no way out, he taps. Official time of the armbar submission is 2:45 of the third round.

A first defeat for the sheep-shagger (oh, how quickly I turn!), and Marquardt further enhances his reputation

[AlexB]

Mal Phe Roby, 31, Sumatra, 10-2 v. Denis Kang, 31, Saint Pierre & Michelon, 32-10-1 (6)
(Blurcat: Kang via TKO)Roby: 12.08 UFC1 beat Yoshihiro Akiyama (9) decision

Kang: 12.08 UFC1 beat Robbie Lawler (3) submission R3
Kang knocked off the number 3 ranked fighter Robbie Lawler last time out, and I see him taking care of business again here: although he is a submission fighter, the difference here will be his stand up.

Kang wins the first via a takedown and couple of submission attempts.

Round 2
Roby leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Kang deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Kang uses a knee to the ribs before backing Roby up against the cage. Right hand from Roby connects though, that was well timed. Kang breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Roby was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Kang sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Roby fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They come together, both throwing punches. Kang gets a nice clean shot in, and Roby stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Kang is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Official time of the TKO is 4:54 of the second round.

I'm beginning to look like a genius with my predictions for this event (all genuinely written beforehand) – the counter-argument would be my comments for the previous 10!


Title Eliminator
Fernando Amaro, 31, Madrid, 16-3 (5) v. 'Grabaka Hitman' Kazuo Misaki, 32, Chiba, Japan, 22-8-2 (4)
(Blurcat: Amaro via TKO)Amaro: Belts Held: GAMMA MW: 2006-7, 2 defences
12.08 UFC1 (10) beat Frank Trigg (6) TKO R1

Misaki: 12.08 UFC1 (8) beat Jorge Santiago TKO R1
Another well-matched contest: my money's staying in my wallet on this one!

Amaro gets two takedowns in the 1st, but the referee stands them up both times – nevertheless the Spaniard should have won the round.

Round 2
Right hand from Amaro was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Misaki. Amaro follows up by coming in close, but Misaki is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. They exchange punches. Amaro hits a nice jab just above the left eye, but takes a hard punch to the cheek at the same time. Amaro momentarily loses his footing and drops his hands, that shot having really rung his bell. Misaki shoots off another right hand to capitalise, and this time it's the killer blow, Amaro falls back and crash-lands on the floor, he was out cold from the instant that punch hit. A knock out victory for Misaki. The official time of the knock out is 1:38 of round 2.


UFC Middleweight Title
Anderson 'The Spider' Silva, 33, Curitaba, Brazil, 24-4 (1) v. Gegard 'Yerevan' Mousasi, 23, Yerevan, Armenia, 25-2-1 (2)
(Blurcat: Silva via decision)Silva: Belts Held: UFC MW: 2006-present, 5 defences
12.08 UFC1 (1) beat Yushin OKami (2) decision

Mousasi: Belts Held: DREAM MW: 2008, 0 defences, vacated
12.08 UFC1 (4) beat Thales Leites (5) TKO R2
On the face of it, Mousasi's only chance is to get a takedown and control Silva from the top position. If it goes any other way, the Brazilian wins – however, there is always the chance...

Round 1
Mousasi leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Silva deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Silva uses a knee to the ribs before backing Mousasi up against the cage. Right hand from Mousasi connects though, that was well timed. Silva breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Mousasi was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Silva sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Mousasi fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Mousasi hits a stinging right hand, Silva felt it too. Mousasi moves in to follow up, but Silva anticipated it well and scores with a massive kick. Mousasi is stunned, and stumbles to the ground. Silva is on top of him almost right away, and fires off a series of punches. Mousasi covers up, barely, but a lot of shots are getting through. The referee decides that enough is enough, and pulls Silva off, it's a TKO victory. The official time of the TKO is 3:26 of round 1. Anderson Silva successfully retains the UFC Middleweight title.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night honours go to Davis Spyrou v. Jorge Hermazabal, KO of the Night to Kazuo Misaki and Submission of the Night to Nate Marqardt.

Despite the win, Robbie Lawler picked up a pec injury, but he should only be out for 5-6 weeks. Andrew Rush hurt his knee, and is out for a similar length of time.

[AlexB]

And so onto Ultimate Fight to round off the second round of middleweight action...

'The Everlasting' Tuck Durdell, 18, Snow Lake, Manitoba, 1-0 v. Brandon 'Sweet Dreams' Sene, 27, Bozeman, Montana, 2-2
Blurcat: Durdell via TKO
Durdell: 12.08 UFN beat Brandon Sene decision

Sene: 12.08 UFN lost to Tuck Durdell decision
Such is the system that this is a possibility, and Sene and Durdell draw each other for a second consecutive time. There's no reason to think that the result will any different this time around.

Dudell gets Sene down in the first, gets half mount and tries a couple of submissions. Although Sene initiates a takedown in the second, Durdell rolls through to end in top position, from where it's a carbon copy of the first. Sweet Dreams is struggling again in this rematch: the third is no different, and sees some pretty tepid stand-up. Once again Durdell wins a decision, this time getting 30-27 from all three judges.


Cale Yarbrough, 22, Marietta, Georgia, 0-2 v. Nick Catone, 28, Lawrenceville, NJ, 5-1
Blurcat: Catone via KO
Yarbrough: 12.08 UFN lost to Cooper Richardson TKO R3

Catone: 12.08 UFN lost to Amir Sadollah TKO R2
Neither fighter is likely to graduate from the developmental squad, but Catone probably has the edge: if that is the result Yarbrough will be released.

But the at-risk Yarbrough dominates the 1st via superior stand-up. This time he continues his dominance, and rocks Catone in the 2nd. Like the opener, the final round is pretty poor, and Yarbrough saves his skin, winning 29-28 (twice) and 30-27.


'Super Cooper' Cooper Richardson, 25, Chicago, 1-0 v. 'Alley Cat' Leroy Thompson, 18, Myrtle Beach, California, 0-0
Blurcat: Thompson via TKORichardson: 12.08 UFN beat Cale Yarbrough TKO R3
Thompson is young, but is showing promise. He makes his debut tonight against the only fighter to walk out to ABBA...

The rookie bullies Super Cooper in the first, while the second is much tamer, and pretty even. The third shows the difference in the respective levels of the fighters – Thompson can afford to showboat in winning his first pro fight 30-27 on all three cards


'Thunder & Lightning' Tyler Lass, 21, San Diego, 0-1 v. Nick Klein, 24, Sun Prairie, 3-1
Blurcat: Lass via decision
Lass: 12.08 UFN lost to Adam white TKO R2

Klein: 12.08 UFN lost to Bristol Marunde KO R5
Despite losing out last time, Lass is considered to be a prospect. His last opponent was Adam White, who is potentially one of the future stars of the division – Klein is not and I think Lass will even up his record.

Not much happens in the opener, but in the 2nd Lass looks like he is trying to kick Klein literally out of the cage. As he had so much success with this tactic, Lass repeats the trick in the 3rd, and Klein will likely be limping for some time – Lass goes to 1-1, winning 30-27 in the eyes of all three judges.

[AlexB]

Jr MW Title Shot Eliminator
Samuel 'The Animal' Russo, 22, Huntsville, Ontario, 1-0 v. Adam 'Hollywood' White, 21, Los Angeles, 1-0
Blurcat: White via decision
Russo: 12.08 UFN beat Rob Yundt decision

White: 12.08 UFN beat Tyler Lass TKO R2
As above I have high hopes for 'Hollywood' White, and he should advance to a title shot as he appears to be superior to Russo in every department.

Russo actually takes white down in the first, but like Tuck Durdell earlier, White rolls through to get on top – this is bad news for The Animal, as White dishes out some vicious ground & pound. The second is much closer however, and could be scored either way.

Round 3
Russo starts off by throwing two excellent low kicks to the leading leg of White. Those will accumulate fast and give White some problems moving. Russo switches it up and throws a big right hand, missing. White, who has been overwhelmed for the first thirty seconds of this round, steps in and throws a bomb of a right hand...and it connects! Russo goes down from the first strike that White has thrown since the round began! White doesn't dive in, instead taking his time. Russo recovered well from the punch, and remains seated on the floor, ready to defend. White throws a pair of kicks to the legs, then gets in closer, looking for a way to get past the guard. Another kick to the legs precedes him trying to swiftly get past the legs, but it is to no avail as Russo is able to pull guard, just, that was close. Russo has the guard held very high. White throws a big right hand, but almost puts himself right into a triangle as a result, and he is forced to fight free. Russo throws a punch and it lands right above the nose. White throws four massive punches as a response, threatening to try and knock Russo right through the canvas, Russo is forced to simply cover up and try to survive. White is controlling the round from this position, although it has to be said that he hasn't yet truly looked like he can stop the match from here. Russo moves to butterfly guard and then tries to scramble back up, but White stops that by throwing another set of big punches, forcing Russo to go back to the full guard. The round ends with them still like that, with White having totally controlled the round from the guard. The third round is over. Blurcat.com gives that one to White by 10-9. Adam White wins the match, getting a score of 30-27 from all three judges.

Another dominating performance from Adam 'Hollywood' White.


'The Warrior' Dokouhtei Kuroki, 36, Osaka, 13-9 v. Dan 'The Perfectionist' Halvorsen, 36, Chicago, 22-12-2
Blurcat: Halvorsen via TKO
Kuroki: Belts Held: ALPHA MW: 2006, 1 defence
12.08 UFN lost to Jerezo decision

Halvorsen: Belts Held: GAMMA MW: 2005-6, 1 defence
12.08 UFN lost to Jorge Hermazabal TKO R1
Two veteran wrestlers, both ex-champs and both looking to rebound after opening losses. Halvorsen looks to have the edge.

Somewhat surprisingly, the first is a striking battle, and Halvorsen wins it, leaving the Japanese fighter with some nasty swelling around his eyes. The second sees Halvorsen dominate Kuroki, again all while standing, and surely The Warrior has to try taking this fight to ground to win?

Round 3
Two jabs from the left hand of Halvorsen set up a hard waist-high kick, but Kuroki steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Halvorsen moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Kuroki uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Halvorsen finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Kuroki is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Halvorsen forces Kuroki back against the cage and comes in close to try and unload. Kuroki pushes him away with a shove, palm across the face, and Halvorsen loses his balance and is dumped onto the ground. Kuroki leaps into action to follow up. Kuroki is firing off punches while kneeling across Halvorsen's upper body in a half-mount, and there's not a lot Halvorsen can do about it. He needs to get out of there, or at least pull guard, but can do neither as he can't get his hips free. Kuroki rains down the punches even faster, and Halvorsen is just getting pounded into oblivion; even though he managed to block three quarters of the shots coming in, that's still five or six good shots that have gotten through. Those five or six shots are enough for the referee at any rate, as he calls an end to the match, obviously feeling that Halvorsen was getting overwhelmed by that barrage. Kuroki wins via third round TKO at 2:10.


Nissen Osterneck, 28, Hawaii, 6-1 v. Jorge Santiago, 28, Rio de Janeiro, 20-8
Blurcat: Santiago via KO
Osterneck: 3.09 WEC39 beat Rob Kimmons submission R2

Santiago: 12.08 UFC1 lost to Kazuo Misaki (8) TKO R1
Osterneck is making his UFC debut tonight, and looks to have a tough match-up: Santiago has better jui-jitsu and better striking. The Hawaiian's only chance appears to be to land a strike that exposes Santiago's dodgy punch resistance.

Santiago wins the opening round through his striking, and also the second: Osterneck is struggling to get anything going at all here...

Round 3
Right hand from Osterneck was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Santiago. Osterneck follows up by coming in close, but Santiago is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Osterneck comes in hard and fast, throwing a scorching right hand, but it's a long way wide and Santiago is able to clinch up. Osterneck hits a knee to the ribs, then a second. He goes to the well once too often though, as the third knee gets caught, and Santiago uses it for leverage to complete a takedown, ending up in Osterneck's guard. Santiago moves from the guard and gets side control. He is trying for the mount, but Osterneck is defending it. There's a small lull as Santiago continues to try and get the mount. There it is, Osterneck finally couldn't stop it. Santiago starts firing off punches, and Osterneck has nowhere to go. A big elbow gets through. A right hand lands on the nose of Osterneck. The referee is watching intently, I don't think he's going to let this go much longer unless Osterneck can come up with some answers. Santiago hits another big elbow. And another. The referee leaps in, it's over! The official time is 1:30.

[AlexB]

UFC Jr MW Title Fight
Amir Sadollah, 28, Brooklyn, NY, 2-0 v. 'Made in Germany' Ralph Kohl, 25, Hamburg, 4-1
Blurcat: Kohl via TKO
Sadollah: 12.08 UFN beat Nick Catone TKO R2

Kohl: no recent form
The line is for the German, but I see Sadollah taking the vacant belt: he has more of a ground game, and while he can take a punch, Kohl has been wobbled in all of his fights.

However, Kohl wins the first by preventing Sadollah from getting too close. However, the TUF winner gets Kohl to thr ground twice in the 2nd, and shows the German's deficiencies on the floor – he can't quite get the finish though.

Round 3
Kohl kicks Sadollah in the ribs, but Sadollah was ready, catches the foot, and uses it to trip Kohl down. Into a guard. Sadollah throws a couple of shots, but Kohl defends it well. Sadollah gets through the guard and has side control. That was well executed, but Kohl could have done better, he gave up his side too easily. It goes from bad to worse for Kohl, a wild punch is easily blocked by Sadollah, who uses it to take his back. Kohl is in real trouble now. Sadollah fires of a series of punches, and Kohl has no answer. Sadollah stretches Kohl out, and secures the rear naked choke. He doesn't get it fully at first, but then does. Kohl taps. Official time of the rear naked choke submission is 0:47 of the third round. Amir Sadollah is now the UFC Junior Middleweight champion.

Sadollah wins the belt, but I do not see him being able to hold on to it against White next time out.


Benji 'Razor' Radach, 29, Castle Rock, Washington, 19-5 v. Thales Leites, 27, Rio de Janeiro, 14-2
Blurcat: Leites via TKO
Radach: 12.08 UFC1 lost to Tucker Plumm decision

Leites: 12.08 UFC1 (5) lost to Gegard Mousasi (4) TKO R2
The Brazilian lost in the initial eliminator, and will want to get immediately back on track. While he should win, Radach does score well in wrestling, which can cause Leites some problems.

Round 1
Radach throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Leites defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Leites throws a combination but gets smothered into a clinch. They back up against the cage. Radach hits a wicked uppercut, taking Leites completely by surprise, then starts wailing away with lefts and rights. Leites can only cover up against the ferocious attack, but that doesn't stop a couple of big shots landing. More shots rain down, and Leites is getting obliterated, he can't throw any counter punches as he can't move his hands down without getting hit again, and he can't get past Radach to safety either. The referee finally sees enough and covers Leites up. Radach wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 1:44.

Wow – that was unexpected: Thales Leites must win next time out or he's gone, just two fights after going into the title eliminator!


Michael 'The Count' Bisping, 30, Clitheroe, England, 18-1 v. Jason 'Mayhem' Miller, 28, Las Vegas, 23-7
Blurcat: Bisping via TKO
Bisping: Belts Held: C.Rage LHW: 2004, 1 defence
4.09 TKO37 beat Jorge Rivera decision

Miller: Belts Held: ICON MW: 2006, 0 defences
12.08 UFN lost to Paulo Filho submission R2
Bisping was not happy about missing out on the initial roster, and will want to prove a point in tonight's headline event. However, Miller is another well rounded fighter, and it could be a tough outing for The Count, despite being favoured by the oddsmakers.

Scrappy first round – Bisping may have just edged it. There may have been some tiredness in there, as Bisping fought for TKO earlier this month? If there was, he shook it off as he just dominates round 2 with his striking. If he can hold it together for another round, he will win comfortably...

Round 3
The two fighters meet in the center with an exchange of jabs, but neither gets anything but gloves or air. They go right into a clinch, with only a few seconds of the match gone. Bisping gets a knee to the ribs in, but it wasn't particularly hard. They break. Mayhem misses with a right hand, and leaves himself open to a left hook. Mayhem goes down, although replays confirm that it was a stumble, Bisping was a few inches away from connecting with that left. Bisping tries to quickly mount Mayhem to capitalise, but doesn't get there in time, Mayhem is already half way back up. They enagage in a fairly ragged scramble for supremacy and Mayhem slips out and gets his back! Bisping turtles up, and takes a few heavy shots to the ribs. Mayhem gets his legs around Bisping and uses them to roll him over. Exposed, Bisping tries to turn so that he is on top, but Mayhem has already rammed one arm around his throat and has a tight choke-hold applied. Bisping is in big trouble, and obviously can't see a way out as he taps out pretty quickly. Official time of the rear choke submission is 1:32 of the third round.

[AlexB]

Fight of the night goes to Bisping v. Miller, while Jason Miller also gets Submission of the Night: his technique and opponent were more skilled than Amir Sadollah's. Fans have voted the Bisping/Miller fight the best yet in the new UFC, so it was a good long-term decision to put it on TV.

Injury update: Jorge Santiago picked up a Shoulder strain, and will not be training for around a month, while Cale Yarbough revealed he put both his career and body on the line tonight: he will also be out for a round a month with a pelvic injury he picked up a couple of days before the fight.

[AlexB]

Middleweight R2 summary:

UFC Middleweight Title
Anderson Silva (1) beat Gegard Mousasi (2) by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Silva via decision)

Title Eliminator
Kazuo Misaki (4) beat Fernando Amaro (5) by KO R2 (Blurcat: Amaro via TKO)

Denis Kang (6) beat Mal Phe Roby by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Kang via TKO)
Nate Marquardt (3) beat Andrew Rush (10) by submission R3 (Blurcat: Rush via KO)

Haranobu Oshiro beat Paolo Filho (7) by decision (Blurcat: Filho via TKO)
Jorge Hermazabal beat Davis Spyrou by decision (Blurcat: Spyrou via TKO)
Stuart Strange beat Bixente Fontaine by decision (Blurcat: Strange via TKO)
Tucker Plumm beat Jerezo (9) by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Plumm via TKO)

Yushin Okami (8) beat Martin Kampmann by decision (Blurcat: Okami via TKO)
Yoshihiro Akiyama beat Matthew Dean by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Dean via submission)
Matt Lindland beat Maarten de Vries by TKO R1 (Blurcat: de Vries via KO)
Robbie Lawler beat Carl Ratcliffe by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Lawler via KO)
Jason Miller beat Michael Bisping by submission R3 (Blurcat: Bisping via TKO)
Benji Radach beat Thales Leites by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Leites via TKO)
Jorge Santiago beat Nissen Osterneck by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Santiago via KO)
Dokouhtei Kuroki beat Dan Halvorsen by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Halvorsen via TKO)

Martin Kampmann suffered his third defeat in a row, and he gets the boot. Everyone else survived, but next time out there are five senior fighters who must win, and three juniors:

Maarten de Vries
Matthew Dean
Carl Ratcliffe
Thales Leites
Dan Halvorsen
Brandon Sene
Nick Klein
Nick CatoneThis is where the new format adds a lot of extra spice: de Vries and Dean both wore championship belts last year, and Halvorsen was a champ 2005-6!

As usual, the new rankings are updated immediately:

1. Anderson Silva, 33, Brazil 25-4 (-)
2. Kazuo Misaki, 32, Japan, 23-8-2 (+2)
3. Nate Marquardt, 29, USA, 29-8-2 (-)
4. Denis Kang, 31, Canada, 33-10-1 (+2)
5. Yushin Okami, 27, Japan, 22-5 (+3)
6. Tucker Plumm, 29, England, 15-7 (NE)
7. Gegard Mousasi, 23, Armenia, 25-3-1 (-5)
8. Haranobu Oshiro, 25, Japan, 11-2-1 (NE)
9. Stuart Strange, 26, Brazil, 10-3 (NE)
10. Jorge Hermazabal, 28, Chile, 14-5 (NE)

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[AlexB]

The usual monthly round-up of WMMA news - in April 2009...

Rory Markham captured the Adrenaline Welterweight Title by stopping Chris Wilson in the second round

Affliction has a new Light Heavyweight champ: Petey Mack won a split decision over Jerry Bogdanovich. If the fight were more exciting people may be calling for a rematch, but it was not the best...

Buddy Garner won a non-controversial unanimous decision over Neil Napier to win the GAMMA Middleweight belt.

Although most feds put on shows, there was a dearth of title fights or exciting fights: the best of the month was in WEC, where Miguel Torres stooped Manny Tapia in the opening round to retain his Bantamweight title.

[AlexB]

The lightweight draw has been made, and while the top four are in the top two fights, there is a chance for an unexpected contender below... (Fighters in red at risk of getting sacked)

UFC Lightweight Championship
Eddie Alvarez, 16-1 (1) v. Go Yamamoto, 14-1 (2) (Blurcat: Alvarez by split decision)

UFC Lightweight Title Shot Eliminator
Kenny Florian, 12-3 (3) v. Diego Sanchez, 20-2 (4) (Blurcat: Sanchez by TKO)

Jason Dalglish, 10-2 v. Mario de Souza, 13-6 (Blurcat: Dalglish by TKO)
Paolo Roberto Bezzera, 10-1 v. Carlos da Guia, 6-0 (10) (Blurcat: da Guia by TKO)

Roger Huerta, 21-2-1 (8) v. Jackson Gray, 10-3 (Blurcat: Huerta by TKO)
Jonathan Huang, 10-3 v. Vitor Ribeiro, 20-2 (6) (Blurcat: Ribeiro by submission)
Clay Guida, 25-9 v. Charles Stiles, 9-1-1 (Blurcat: Stiles by submission)
Gesias Calvacante, 15-2-1 (5) v. Gilbert Melendez, 15-2 (7) (Blurcat: Calvacante by KO)

Tatsuya Kawajiri, 22-6-2 v. Joe Stevenson, 29-10 (Blurcat: Kawajiri by TKO)
Sean Morrison, 12-4 v. Mitsuhiro Ishida, 17-5-1 (Blurcat: Morrison by decision)
Edson Edmilson, 14-7 v. Frankie Edgar, 9-2 (Blurcat: Edmilson by submission)
Josh Thomson, 16-3 v. Ricardo Fernandes, 15-8 (Blurcat: Thomson by submission)
Sean Sherk, 33-4-1 v. Joachim Hansen, 19-8-1 (Blurcat: Hansen by KO)
BJ Penn, 13-5-1 (9) v. Giovani Silva, 22-9 (Blurcat: Penn by decision)
Tankanori Gomi, 29-5 v. Tyson Griffin, 12-3 (Blurcat: Gomi by KO)
Nate Diaz, 10-3 v. Shinya Aoki, 18-4 (Blurcat: Diaz by split decision)

UFC Jr LW Title Bout
Gray Maynard, 7-0 v. Joseph Duarte, 5-0 (Blurcat: Maynard by TKO)

UFC Jr LW Eliminator
Stefan Champion, 3-0 v. Pat Troy, 1-0 (Blurcat: Champion by decision)

Bae Yoon, 0-2 v. Nicholas Bretton, 2-1 (Blurcat: Bretton by submission)
Kyle Winterburn, 0-2 v. Erik Owings, 3-3 (Blurcat: Winterburn by TKO)
Luke Hilton, 4-2 v. Corey Hill, 3-1 (Blurcat: Hilton by decision)
Dale Hartt, 5-2 v. Joseph Stanley, 1-0 (Blurcat: Stanley by submission)

Giovani Silva is a veteran Brazilian from GAMMA, signed to replace Rodolphe Gygax, who was canned after failing to break his losing streak last time out - he gets a nice intriduction to the new MMA order: a fight against a BJ Penn on the rebound!

[JonInMiddleGA]

FWIW, I'm reading along. And so far I think I like the 3-and-out format as it should serve to keep the roster & matchups fresh.

[AlexB]

Thanks - nice to know there's at least two people reading! As from the third round of each weight onwards, there will always be a few fighters on two losses, so there will be quite a good turnaround on the roster.

[AlexB]

And so onto the UFC 7 opener...

Josh 'The Punk' Thomson, 30, San Jose, 16-3 v. Ricardo Fernandes, 30, Fortaleza, Brazil, 15-8
(Blurcat: Thomson by submission)
Thomson: Belts Held: Strikeforce LW: 2008, 0 defences, vacated
1.09 UFC2 lost to Diego Sanchez (10) decision

Fernandes: Belts Held: ALHPA LW: 2006-8, 4 defences
1.09 UFC2 lost to Gilbert Melendez KO R3
Two ex-champs face off after a defeat, and Thomson looks to be favourite given his superior wrestling.

The first goes to form, seeing a Thomson takedown and submission attempts. Fernandes is down again in the second... but this time he is stunned by a sharp straight right hand to the cheek. Thomson moves in for the kill, but the Brazilian regains his composure and defends well against more submissions. Nevertheless it's at least 20-18...

Both fighters stay on their fight for the final five minutes, but it's Thomson that's on top again, opening up Fernandes with some accurate strikes. Thomson wins 30-37 twice and, bizarrely, 29-28 once.


Edson Edmilson, 32, Sao Paulo, 14-7 v. Frankie 'The Answer' Edgar, 27, Toms River, NJ, 9-2
(Blurcat: Edmilson by submission)
Edmilson: Belts Held: ALPHA LW: 2005-6, 2 defences
1.09 UFN lost to G. Calvacante (4) KO R3

Edgar: 1.09 UFC2 lost to Clay Guida submission R3
Edmilson must win tonight, and he is 7 inches taller than his opponent - this may be the telling factor as they look well matched otherwise.

Edgar gets the takedown in the first, but the ground battle from there is pretty even. The Answer repeats the trick in the second, and Edmilson must stop the fight in the next five minutes or we have lost another ex-champ...

But Edgar repels anything the Brazilian throws at him, and wins on 30-27 on all three cards. Edson Edmilson is no longer in the UFC.


Tatsuya 'The Crusher' Kawajiri, 30, Inashiki, Japan, 22-6-2 v. Joe 'Daddy' Stevenson, 27, Torrance, California, 29-10
(Blurcat: Kawajiri by TKO)
Kawajiri: 1.09 UFN lost to Charles Stiles decision

Stevenson: 1.09 UFC2 lost to Roger Huerta decision
Another match of two very even fighters - neither is great on their feet, both good wrestlers and both good on the ground. This should be a close fight, and has evey chance of seeing the final bell.

An intriguing ground based first, and Stevenson wins via two takedowns, although Kawajiri looked dangerous from his back. Joe Daddy scores an excellent takedown in the second, and looks much more dominant in winning the second...

Round 3
They clinch. Kawajiri gets in a nice knee, but a second attempt sees him swept to the ground. Kawajiri landed hard with Stevenson right on top of him, it looks like he got winded. Stevenson hits three big punches to the face, and Kawajiri is rocked. Stevenson gets an arm, locks in a kimura, and Kawajiri has no alternative but to tap out. Official time of the kimura submission is 0:47 of the third round.

An excellent display from Stevenson as he gets back on track.

[AlexB]

Jonathan Huang, 26, Thailand, 10-3 v. Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro, 30, Rio de Janeiro, 20-2 (6)
(Blurcat: Ribeiro by submission)
Huang: 1.09 UFN beat Rodolphe Gygax submission R1

Ribeiro: 1.09 UFC2 beat Takanori Gomi TKO R1
This looks like another ground battle, but Shaolin looks to be a strong favourite - he has fantastic takedown ability, while Huang struggles to stop being taken to the mat. Both fighters looked good last time out, although Huang, as an unknown, still has something to prove as his opponent is now no longer on the roster.

The fight starts off almost identically to the opening round of the previous fight, and sees Ribeiro on top. The second is much tamer, and tough to score, but the Thai probably edged it.

The third is all about the stand-up, and Huang's Muay Thai background sees him dominate - according to all three judges, he wins 29-28. Now maybe people will take notice.


'The Man With No Nickname' Sean Morrison, 29, Louisville, Kentucky, 12-4 v. 'The Endless Warrior' Mitsuhiro Ishida, 30, Tsukuba, Japan, 17-5-1
(Blurcat: Morrison by decision)
Morrison: Belts Held: GAMMA LW: 2007-8, 5 defences, vacated
1.09 UFC2 (5) lost to Go Yamamoto (7) decision

Ishida: 1.09 UFC2 lost to Jason Dalglish decision
The Endless Warrior may be so called as his fights seem to go on forever - he is a superb wrestler, defends well against submissions, but has little to no offence. Morrison should win if he can keep the fight standing - which goes against his usual strengths...

Ishida tries to press in the first, but Morrison shows his far superior striking through counter-punching, darting in an out, and generally making Ishida look like a monkey. And the American looks very impressive the 2nd, landing one lovely shot that caused Ishida to shoot: Morrison rode the attempt, got a takedown of his own and dished out some brutal ground & pound. This is the fighter we expected to see last time...

Once again Morrison dominates the third, and gets a unanimous 30-27 verdict.


'El Matador' Roger Huerta, 25, Los Angeles, 21-2-1 (8) v. Jackson 'Pocket Rocket' Gray, 27, Vallejo, California, 10-3
(Blurcat: Huerta by TKO)
Huerta: 1.09 UFC2 beat Joe Stevenson decision

Gray: 1.09 UFN beat Tyson Griffin decision
If Huerta can get the wrestler to the floor, he should win at a canter. However, Gray could spring a surprise if he can stay on his feet - but even then he is only a 50:50 shot.

The first is exactly as billed, Huerta gets the takedown, dishes out some G&P, gets the mount and only just fails to secure the finish. Could have been a 10-8 round. Huerta puts Gray down in the second with an absolutely crushing leg kick, and proceeds to ground and pound again. This is pure domination, and very impressive to watch...

Huerta takes the safe route in the final round, stays on his feet, out of danger and wins 30-27 on all cards.

[AlexB]

'JZ' Gesias Calvacante, 25, Rio de Janeiro, 15-2-1 (5) v. 'El Nino' Gilbert Melendez, 26, Villalba, Puerto Rico, 15-2 (7)
(Blurcat: Calvacante by KO)
Calvacante: 1.09 UFN (4) beat Edson Edmilson KO R3

Melendez: Belts Held: Strikeforce LW: 2004, vacated
WEC LW: 2006-8, 1 defence
1.09 UFC2 beat Ricardo Fernandes KO R3
Melendez has his work cut out tonight - if he stays standing he is in trouble, but he may struggle to get JZ down to the ground. Even if he does get Calvacante down, he will find it difficult to impose himseld on the Brazilan.

Huge kicks win the first for JZ, while his fists secure the second round. Unless there is a major turnaround, the fight will again go as predicted... The third sees a change, but only in the way JZ wins the round - this times he boxes his way to the points. Although one judge sees gives the score 29-28, the other two sees the fight for what it was: 30-27 Calvacante.


'The Carpenter' Clay Guida, 27, Round Lake, Illinois, 25-9 v. Charles 'Rogue' Stiles, 25, Sao Paolo, 9-1-1
(Blurcat: Stiles by submission)
Guida: Belts Held: Strikeforce LW: 2006, 0 defences
1.09 UFC2 beat Frank Edgar sumbission R3

Stiles: 1.09 UFN beat Tatsuya Kawajiri decision
This is a fascinating fight - Guida could well get Stiles down, but if he does he may put himself in danger. The worry is that the fight turns into a striking battle between two fighters with relatively average stand-up.

Guida marches out and beckons Stiles on to him, and then demonstrates why: he thinks he can spark him out! The aggression wins him the first, but in the second it's the Brazilian that presses - all this achieves is to allow Guida to counter-punch perfectly to go two rounds up. This is a much better striking battle than we thought, but surely Stiles has to try and get the fight to ground...

It's actually Guida that takes Stiles down, although he does little from the position, he wins 30-27 thrice.


'The Miniature Killer' Jason Dalglish, 27, Edinburgh, 10-2 v. Mario de Souza, 30, Rio de Janeiro, 13-6
(Blurcat: Dalglish by TKO)
Dalglish: Belts Held: BCF LW: 2008, 0 defences, vacated
1.09 UFC2 beat Mitsuhiro Ishida decision

de Souza: 1.09 UFC2 beat Sean Sherk (8) decision
This is another tough fight to call - both will be pleased to avoided Bezzera and da Guia. Dalglish is a better stand-up fighter than de Souza, and this may be difference. However, last time out the Brazilan beat Sean Sherk, who is of very similar style to the Scot...

Much superior striking sees the Scot take the first, and also the second, in which he also causes huge welt about de Souza's eye. Can the Brazilian turn this one around, or will Britain get it's first man into the eliminator fight?...

Round 3
Slow start to the round. We're nearly a minute in before de Souza throws the first meaningful punch, trying to squeeze a fizzing jab through to Dalglish's jaw, but it is parried. Dalglish steps in, but has to quickly side-step to avoid a straight right. de Souza moves in to throw some body punches but gets clipped with a big right hand. It was partially blocked, it would have been a potential knock out if that had hit home on the chin, Dalglish put a lot of weight behind it. de Souza hits a nice jab, then clinches. Dalglish hits a knee, takes a punch to the ribs, then breaks free. de Souza hits a low kick to the leg. Dalglish bursts forward and scores with a big right hand to the body, then a left hook. de Souza goes down! Good shot from Dalglish! He tries to follow up and pound on de Souza, but de Souza is up really quickly and covers up to block the two jabs that come in. Dalglish, sensing that de Souza is rattled, starts coming forward with more urgency. de Souza ends up backed up against the cage. Dalglish gets within range, fakes a left, then lunges in with a huge right hand. It is partially parried by de Souza, who wisely clinches up tightly to get some time to recover. The power that Dalglish has in his hands is really posing de Souza some problems. The clinch drags on, with Dalglish unable to break free, and the round ends like that. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com scores it 10-9 for Dalglish. The official scores are: 30-27 from all three judges for Jason Dalglish.

A good fight, and Dalglish is really raising some eyebrows with his two fights thus far.

[AlexB]

'The Serpent' Paolo Roberto Bezzera, 25, Salvador, Brazil, 10-1 v. Carlos da Guia, 24, Sao Paulo, 6-0 (10)
(Blurcat: da Guia by TKO)
Bezzera: 1.09 UFC2 beat Nate Diaz KO R1

da Guia: 1.09 UFC2 beat Shinya Aoki (3) KO R2
Two tough young fighters face off in yet another pick 'em fight. da Guia is the current darling after knocking off the #3 ranked Aoki, but in truth this could go either way.

Surprisingly the first is a bit of a damp squib: da Guia is more aggressive and will probably get the nod. The second is better, but not by much - however da Guia is certainly the winner of the second. Will the fight explode into action in the third?

Round 3
Bezerra throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but da Guia defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Bezerra pushes da Guia up against the cage in a clinch. Bezerra throws a knee, then a couple of short punches to the side of the head. da Guia pushes him away and steps in to score with an uppercut. Bezerra took it flush on the chin and is rocked! Another right hand drops Bezerra against the cage, and da Guia follows up by unloading with a barrage of punches. The referee gets in and pulls da Guia away, he wins the match by TKO. Official time of the TKO is 1:33 of the third round.

Yes it will, and we will see Jason Dalglish take on Carlos da Guia for a shot at the Lightweight belt at UFC 12.


UFC Lightweight Title Shot Eliminator
Kenny 'KenFlo' Florian, 32, Westwood, Massachusetts, 12-3 (3) v. 'Nightmare' Diego Sanchez, 27, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 20-2 (4)
(Blurcat: Sanchez by TKO)
Florian: 1.09 UFC2 (9) beat Joachim Hansen (6) decision

Sanchez: 1.09 UFC2 (10) beat Josh Thomson decision
This is becoming a bit repetitive, but this is another very evenly matched fight. The only area where there is an obvious difference is the clinch: if the fight stays close and standing, Florian may be able to use his elbows and better dirty boxing skills to sneak a win.

Round 1
Dull first sixty seconds to the round, as neither fighter looks willing to commit much to attack. They're both looking for angles to come in from, but they're constantly countering each other. A crisp jab from Florian that almost found its way through the guard is the sole highlight as we reach the minute mark. Sanchez looks to be working an angle. Sanchez ducks out of the way of a punch, then back steps quickly, just in time to avoid the uppercut that was coming. Better from Florian, although no damage has actually been done yet. Florian misses with a straight right. Sanchez hits a standing kick, and Florian is rocked, stumbling backwards and falling to the floor. Sanchez leaps into action and fires off a barrage of right hands. The referee dives in and protects Florian, bringing the fight to an end. The kick didn't knock Florian out, but it left him stunned, and that was all that Sanchez needed to finish the job. Official time of the TKO is 2:42 of the first.

Diego takes out Florian for the second time, this time at KenFlo's own weight, and he will advance to the title fight next time out. His decision to drop down another weight to replace Caol Uno is looking like paying dividends.


UFC Lightweight Championship
Eddie Alvarez, 25, Kensington,. Philadelphia, 16-1 (1) v. Go Yamamoto, 31, Osaka, Japan, 14-1 (2)
(Blurcat: Alvarez by split decision)
Alvarez: Belts Held: UFC LW: 2009-present, 0 defences
1.09 UFC2 (2) beat BJ Penn (1) TKO R2

Yamamoto: Belts Held: ALPHA LW: 2008, 1 defence, vacated
1.09 UFC2 (7) beat Sean Morrison (5) decision
The two top Lightweights face off for the belt in - yes, you've guessed it - another extremely difficult macth to call. I'm going for Yamamota as he tends to be a little calmer, making fewer mistakes. Against that, Alvarez beat BJ Penn last time out. Even the bookies can't really split them: whoever heard of someone being favourite to win by split decision???

Round 1
Alvarez throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Yamamoto defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Yamamoto misses with a right hand, and leaves himself open to a left hook. Yamamoto goes down, although replays confirm that it was a stumble, Alvarez was a few inches away from connecting with that left. Alvarez tries to quickly mount Yamamoto to capitalise, but doesn't get there in time, Yamamoto is already half way back up. They enagage in a fairly ragged scramble for supremacy and Yamamoto slips out and gets his back! Yamamoto gets one arm in and snakes it around the throat of Alvarez, squeezing his wind-pipe shut. Alvarez tries to pull the arm free, but can't, and so rolls over in a last-ditch effort to break free. It is to no avail though, as that allows Yamamoto to get a body-scissors in too. With no alternatives left, Alvarez taps out. Official time of the rear choke submission is 1:27 of the first round. Go Yamamoto wins the UFC Lightweight title.

Very impressive - along with Sean Morrison's own performance earlier this puts Morrison's loss to Yamamoto in perspective. Go Yamamato indeed!

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night goes to Kawajiri v. Stevenson, while Go Yamamoto win the Submisson of the Night.

A tough card for injuries: Kenny Florian will miss five weeks with a rib injury, while Jason Dalglish will miss six with an ankle injury.

Now we know the reason Gesias Calvacante changed from kicking to punching after dominating the first: he threw so many kicks out there he tore his groin, and will be out for around two months.

Clay Guida hurt his foot, and will be out for four weeks, and Vitor Ribeiro is out for nine weeks with an ankle. Frankie Edgar has a nicked shoulder, and will miss 5-6 weeks of training.

Despite the number of injuries, none will keep anyone out of the next event - the only casualty is Edson Edmilson, who it turns out couldn't stop an injured Frankie Edgar in the third, so you can have little sympathy.

[AlexB]

It's time for the Lightweight UFN...

Kyle 'The Freak' Winterburn, 20, Chandler, Arizona, 0-2 v. Erik Owings, 29, Covington, Kentucky, 3-3
(Blurcat: Winterburn by TKO)
Winterburn: 1.09 UFN lost to Joseph Stanley decision

Owings: 1.09 UFN lost to Pat Troy decision
An intriguing opener in as much as whoever loses is gone. Both fighters will see this a decent draw: neither is particularly strong and winning this will give them the possibility of three more fights.

Encouragingly both fighters seem to be rising to the challenge rather than worrying about the loss, and an excellent first round sees Owings knock Winterburn down and score some other good strikes. The second is again all about the stand-up, and this time it's The Freak who scores the knock down. An excellent opening bout is going into the third with everything on the line for both fighters...

And this time it seems to show: the third sees much less offense from both, but Winterburn is the more effective and picks up his first W and sends Owings packing.


Bae Yoon, 22, South Korea, 0-2 v. 'The Blonde Bomber' Nicholas Bretton, 22, Mont-Laurier, Quebec, 2-1
(Blurcat: Bretton by submission)
Yoon: 1.09 UFN lost to Stefan Champion decision

Bretton: 1.09 UFN lost to Joseph Duarte KO R3
The second fight could see a second fighter on his way out, an in all honesty probably will. Yoon probably wont get knocked out, but Bretton has a good future in the sport and should prove to be far too skilled for the Korean.

Bretton abolutely dominates the first after shooting with a double leg takedown, and also the second after some good strikes and a single leg takedown. Two takedowns in the last seal the deal, and the scores are in: 30-27 twice and the blind judge scores it 29-28, but all for The Blonde Bomber. As we said before, bye bye Bae Yoon!


Dale Hartt, 29, Bangor, Maine, 5-2 v. Joseph 'AK-47' Stanley, 19, St Paul, Minnesota, 1-0
(Blurcat: Stanley by submission)
Hartt: 1.09 UFN lost to Corey Hill TKO R3

Stanley: 1.09 UFC2 beat Kyle Winterburn decision
On paper this should be another AK-47 victory: he is far more skilled than Hartt. However, his chin is a worry - he will need to make sure he does not lose concentration.

Hartt suffers a flash knock down in the first, and get schooled in the second with far superior boxing. Can he land that lucky strike to steal the fight? No - Stanley seems to be aware that he could throw away the first two rounds if he were to be caught, resulting in a tepd round. Stanley wins 30-27 twice and 29-28 once: no arguments with the last round going either way this time.


'The Hillbilly Hammer' Luke Hilton, 22, Birmingham, Alabama, 4-2 v. Corey Hill, 30, Brooksville, Florida, 3-1
(Blurcat: Hilton by decision)
Hilton: 1.09 UFN lost to Gray Maynard TKO R2

Hill: 1.09 UFN beat Dale Hartt TKO R3
The veteran Hill looks to be overmatched against the inaugural Jr LW title challenger: The Hillbilly Hammer should win at a canter.

However in the first Hill scores a clumsy knockdown, but then grounds and pounds the Alabaman into next week. The second is pretty eve: Hilton may have done enough to level the fight... But to no avail - Corey Hill gets a takedown in the third and does enough to win 29-28 on all three cards - he will likely be in the Jr title eliminator next time out against another, even younger fighter: Joespeh Stanley.

[AlexB]

UFC Jr LW Eliminator
Stefan 'Stealth Ninja' Champion, 22, Lincoln, Nebraska, 3-0 v. Pat 'Blue Boy' Troy, 20, New Orleans, 1-0
(Blurcat: Champion by decision)
Champion: 1.09 UFN beat Bae Yoon decision

Troy: 1.09 UFN beat Erik Owings decision
Both fighters have the chance to be good solid fighters if they train on, but neither is anywhere near there yet. If Troy can avoid Champions deadly knees, his superior ground game could see him spring a minor surprise here. However, both of their victories last time out have lost some of their shine as their opponents have just been told they have to go to Russia... Moscow!

Round 1
Champion throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Troy defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. They circle. Troy tries to work inside, but leaves himself open and gets taken down. Guard. Champion hits a few tentative punches, but doesn't have anything on them. Troy manages to turn the tables and ends up in the guard, Champion let his dominant position slip too easily. Troy rains down punches, but Champion defends them well. Troy gets out of the guard and into side control. Big elbow to the face. Champion caught that flush. Another big elbow, followed by a third. Champion is looking groggy. Troy hits a fourth huge elbow, and the referee has seen enough, the match is over. Champion might have some complaints about that, but the elbows were clearly connecting, and he didn't manage to do anything to stop any of them. The official time of the TKO is 1:33 of round 1.


'The Fireball Kid' Tankanori Gomi, 30, Kanagawa, Japan, 29-5 v. Tyson Griffin, 25, Sacramento, California, 12-3
(Blurcat: Gomi by KO)
Gomi: Belts Held: PRIDE LW: 2005-closed, 1 defence
1.09 UFC2 lost to Vitor Ribeiro TKO R1

Griffin: 1.09 UFN lost to Jackson Gray decision
Tyson Griffin must win to stay in, and comes up against a poor match up for him: Gomi is a great stand-up fighter who has a decent wrestling game. If the Griffin can get close enough to grapple he could win: if not he will be looking for a new job.

Round 1
Gomi leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Griffin deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Griffin uses a knee to the ribs before backing Gomi up against the cage. Right hand from Gomi connects though, that was well timed. Griffin breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Gomi was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Griffin sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Gomi fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They are circling, then come in close. Both fighters are tentatively looking for the chance to strike. Griffin is the first to go for it, throwing a three-punch combination. Gomi covered up well, taking very little damage. Griffin goes to throw a bomb, but gets clipped with a right hand before it can connect. He felt that. Gomi steps in and throws a bomb of his own, and it crunches into the side of the cheek of Griffin, who goes down! Replays show the shock wave passing through his entire body as that powerful punch connected. What a strike! Gomi wins this by a brutally clean knock out. Official time of the knock out is 3:29 of the first.

This has been a night of heavy casualties: another man down as Tyson Griffin loses his roster spot. I think we have the KO of the Night!


Nate Diaz, 23, Stockton, California, 10-3 v. Shinya 'Tobikan Judan' Aoki, 25, Tokyo, 18-4
(Blurcat: Diaz by split decision)
Diaz: 1.09 UFC2 lost to Paolo Roberto Bezzera KO R1

Aoki: 1.09 UFC2 (3) lost to Carlos da Guia KO R2
Despite being ranked at #3 last time out, Aoki is not a clear favourite with the bookmakers: the fighters do appear to be well-matched, and it is tough to pick a winner - whoever gets the first takedown in each round is likely to win it.

After the previous two fights, the opening round is something of a disappointment, but Diaz wins through quantity, if not quality. Aoki levels the fight in the 2nd by taking Diaz down, and the split decision prediction refelct the fight - this could still go either way.

But it's Nate Diaz who takes the fight, winning with technical striking this time, and gets three 29-28 decisions to advance. Aoki must win next time or go from the #3 rank to unemployed in three fights.

[AlexB]

UFC Jr LW Title Bout
Gray 'The Bully' Maynard, 29, Las Vegas, 7-0 v. 'The Hybrid' Joseph Duarte, 25, Hagatna, Guam, 5-0
(Blurcat: Maynard by TKO)
Maynard: Belts Held: UFC Jr LW: 2009-present, 0 defences
1.09 UFN beat Luke Hilton TKO R2

Duarte: 1.09 UFN beat Nicholas Bretton KO R3
Can The Bully dominate again? On paper it looks like he could - both have heavy strikes and good chins, and while Duarte has the better submission skills, it's tough to see when he will get the chance to use them as he really struggles against wrestlers... Maynard's strength.

Nothing really happened in a dull opening round, I'd personally score it 0-0...

Round 2
Tentative start to the round, the fighters are circling. Maynard throws out a couple of range-finding jabs, but they aren't anything that will trouble Duarte. Kick to the thigh from Duarte, but it lacked power. Maynard tries to back Duarte up against the cage wall, but it comes to nothing. Maynard seems to be growing in confidence over the past thirty seconds. He has just come up with four good separate straight rights, although I don't think any of them did too much damage. He moves in for another, but takes a wicked kick from Duarte. Maynard looks wobbly, and his hands drop. Duarte sees it, and comes in with a solid right hand that drops Maynard to the mat. Duarte follows up with more punches, and the referee has to get in there and stop it, Maynard was not defending himself properly. I think it's the kick that did the most damage, it seemed to scramble his brains. Official time of the TKO is 1:53 of the second round. Joseph Duarte is the new UFC Junior Lightweight champion.

Something of a surprise, but The Hybrid is the Jr Champ, and will defend against Pat Troy.


Sean 'The Muscle Shark' Sherk, 35, St Francis, Minnesota, 33-4-1 v. Joachim 'Hellboy' Hansen, 29, Oslo, Norway, 19-8-1
(Blurcat: Hanson by KO)
Sherk: Belts Held: UFC LW: 2006-7, 1 defence
1.09 UFC2 (8) lost to Mario de Souza decision

Hansen: Belts Held: DREAM LW: 2008, 0 defences, vacated
1.09 UFC2 (6) lost to Kenny Florian (9) decision
Both fighters were top 10 ranked before their previous losses, and it's a tough fight to call. Sherk is the better athlete, but Hansen has less milage.

Sherk takes the opener via a takedown and ground & pound, and repeats the trick in the second. The Norwegian seems to have no answer to Sherk's takedowns: as soon as Hellboy tries any offense he ends up on his back...

Round 3
Sherk starts the round by throwing some low kicks. Hansen checks them, then comes in and clearly wants to trade punches. Sherk doesn't seem too bothered by that, and they enter into the first exchange of punches of the round. Difficult to say who came out on top, neither of them did a great deal of damage, most of the shots hit the opponent's gloves. Sherk cleverly head-fakes, allowing him the time and angle that he needed to catch Hansen with a beauty of a right hook. Hansen stumbles backward, but doesn't go down. Sherk presses the advantage by following in with a kick, then a right hand. Hansen clinches. They remain clinched for a while. Hansen scores with a nice knee, it appeared to catch Sherk in the gut. Sherk uses a single leg trip and takes the fight to the ground. Sherk gets to side control upon impact, and immediately goes for an armbar. Hansen reacts quickly, but is in real danger. Sherk has his left arm straightened out, fortunately Hansen has managed to roll and get a good position that is stopping Sherk from getting the leverage needed to apply an armlock. Sherk tries to step over and fully apply it, but Hansen breaks free and gets him to back off with a couple of up-kicks. Sherk steps back and motions for him to stand up. They go back to circling in the center. Hansen hits a nice right hand, but takes one back too. The time runs down; Sherk will probably get that round on points, he hit the best punch of the round, and got the only takedown, plus was the one who was working toward a submission. The third round is over. Blurcat.com has it down as 10-9 Sherk. The official scores are: 30-27 (twice), 29-28 for Sean Sherk.

Another blind judge by the looks of it! Hansen joins Aoki as a fighter in the initial top 10 now at risk. They will be hoping to avoid each other in the draw.


'The Prodigy' BJ Penn, 30, Kailua, Hawaii, 13-5-1 (9) v. 'Brazilian Whirlwind' Giovani Silva, 34, Brasilia, 22-9
(Blurcat: Penn by decision)
Penn: Belts Held: UFC WW: 2004, 0 defences
UFC LW: 2008, 1 defence
1.09 UFC2 (1) lost to Eddie ALvarez (2) TKO R2

Silva: 2.09 GAMMA beat Duane Weatherley decision
1.09 GAMMA beat Marcus Speed TKO R1
Talking of draws... welcome to the UFC! Silva makes his debut against the shock loser in the initial LW Title fight - The Prodigy must win this time out surely? Silva struggles on both ends of takedowns and gets rattled easily - not a good mix against Penn.

Round 1
Penn hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Silva to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Penn hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Silva tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Penn having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Silva. They come together, both throwing punches. Silva gets a nice clean shot in, and Penn stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Silva is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Official time of the TKO is 3:20 of the first round.

HOLY SHIT! We said welcome to UFC - Silva seems to have announced his arrival! Wow!!! Take a back seat Shinya Aoki - BJ Penn could go from champ to chump in the same time!!!

[AlexB]

It will be no consolation to Erik Owings, but his bout with Kyle Winterburn wins Fight of the Night. Unsurprisingly Takanori Gomi gets the KO of the Night bonus.

For the first time we have no injuries after an event: Tyson Griffin has a 28 day suspension, but he will be spending them asupported by the local clinic and not the UFC medical team.

[AlexB]

UFC 7 LW Summary

UFC Lightweight Championship
Go Yamamoto (2) beat Eddie Alvarez (1) by submission R1 (Blurcat: Alvarez by split decision)

UFC Lightweight Title Shot Eliminator
Diego Sanchez (4) beat Kenny Florian (3) by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Sanchez by TKO)

Jason Dalglish beat Mario de Souza by decision (Blurcat: Dalglish by TKO)
Carlos da Guia (10) beat Paolo Roberto Bezzera by TKO R3 (Blurcat: da Guia by TKO)

Roger Huerta (8) beat Jackson Gray by decision (Blurcat: Huerta by TKO)
Jonathan Huang beat Vitor Ribeiro (6) by decision (Blurcat: Ribeiro by submission)
Clay Guida beat Charles Stiles by decision (Blurcat: Stiles by submission)
Gesias Calvacante (5) beat Gilbert Melendez (7) by decision (Blurcat: Calvacante by KO)

Joe Stevenson beat Tatsuya Kawajiri by submission R3 (Blurcat: Kawajiri by TKO)
Sean Morrison beat Mitsuhiro Ishida by decision (Blurcat: Morrison by decision)
Frankie Edgar beat Edson Edmilson by decision (Blurcat: Edmilson by submission)
Josh Thomson beat Ricardo Fernandes by decision (Blurcat: Thomson by submission)
Sean Sherk beat Joachim Hansen by decision (Blurcat: Hansen by KO)
Giovani Silva shocked the world against BJ Penn (9) by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Penn by decision)
Tankanori Gomi beat Tyson Griffin by KO R1 (Blurcat: Gomi by KO)
Nate Diaz beat Shinya Aoki by decision (Blurcat: Diaz by split decision)

UFC Jr LW Title Bout
Joseph Duarte beat Gray Maynard by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Maynard by TKO)

UFC Jr LW Eliminator
Pat Troy beat Stefan Champion by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Champion by decision)

Nicholas Bretton beat Bae Yoon by decision (Blurcat: Bretton by submission)
Kyle Winterburn beat Erik Owings by decision (Blurcat: Winterburn by TKO)
Corey Hill beat Luke Hilton by decision (Blurcat: Hilton by decision)
Joseph Stanley beat Dale Hartt by decision (Blurcat: Stanley by submission)

It's bad news for anyone in red still on the right hand side - it was their 3rd loss in a row and they get the boot.

New rankings are released immediately after UFN as usual:

1. Diego Sanchez, 27, USA, 21-2 (+3)
2. Go Yamamoto, 31, Japan, 15-1 (-)
3. Gesias Calvacante, 25, Brazil, 16-2-1 (+2)
4. Roger Huerta, 25, USA, 22-2-1 (+4)
5. Giovani Silva, 34, Brazil, 23-9 (NE)
6. Eddie Alvarez, USA, 25, 16-2 (-5)
7. Carlos da Guia, 24, Brazil, 7-0 (+3)
8. Clay Guida, 27, USA, 26-9 (NE)
9. Jason Dalglish, 27, Scotland, 11-2 (NE)
10. Sean Morrison, 29, USA, 13-4 (RE)

For the second time in a row, the new champ, having previously been ranked #2 and beating the #1 get leapfrogged! Go figure...

[AlexB]

Monthy WMMA round up for May:

Marcus Davis KO'd Jonathan Goulet to take the vacant Affliction Welterweight title

In a controversial fight, James Zikic won a split decision over Bryan van den Hauwe to claim the GAMMA Light Heavyweight Title

Sengoku has a new Lightweight Cahmption - Rodrigo Damm won a unanimous decision victory over Staoru Kitaoka to take the belt.

In an absolutely horrible fight to watch, TJ Grant won the TKO Welterweight crown with another split decision over Koji Oishi

And that's pretty much it - another quiet month.

[AlexB]

A couple of days before UFC 8, and big, but not unexpected, news breaks - Randy Couture is set to retire. He will fight at UFC 10, but will call it a day regardless of the result. After losses the last two times out, against Brock Lesnar and Rick Stanley, The Natural was on the edge anyhow, and so will be desperate to leave on a high, to leave on his own terms...

[AlexB]

It's LHW time again: a reminder of the rankings following UFC3, and the draw for the forthcoming cards

1. Forrest Griffin 29 USA 17-4 (-)
2. Tadamasa Yamada 27 Japan 14-1 (+2)
3. Quinton Jackson 30 USA 29-7 (-1)
4. Wanderlei Silva 32 Brazil 33-8-1 (+4)
5. Thiago Silva 28 Brazil 14-0 (+5)
6. Inejiro Chiba 34 Japan 21-4 (NE)
7. Luis Arthur Cane 27 Brazil 10-1 (NE)
8. Anthony LeToussier 29 Canada 14-5 (NE)
9. Keith Jardine 33 USA 14-4-1 (-)
10. Mike Whitehead 27 USA 24-6 (NE)

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Forrest Griffin, 17-4 (1) v. Tadamasa Yamada, 14-1 (2) (Blurcat: Yamada by submission)

Light Heavyweight Championship Eliminator
Thiago Silva, 14-0 (5) v. Luis Arthur Cane, 10-1 (7) (Blurcat: Silva by KO)

Zvonimir Asanovic, 11-1 v. Anthony LeToussier, 14-5 (8) (Blurcat: Asanovic by KO)
Keith Jardine, 15-4-1 (9) v. Mike Whitehead, 24-6 (10) (Blurcat: Jardine by TKO)

Ricardo Arona, 14-5 v. Quinton Jackson, 29-7 (3) (Blurcat: Jackson by KO)
Lenny McFadden, 10-4 v. Nicolai Mickiewicz, 10-1 (Blurcat: Mickiewicz by TKO)
Inejiro Chiba, 21-4 (6) v. JJ Reid, 13-0 (Blurcat: Reid by submission)
Souleymane Ya Konan, 11-1 v. Ricky Heath, 11-3 (Blurcat: Heath by decision)

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, 5-4 v. Renato Sobral, 30-8 (Blurcat: Sokoudjou by split decision)
Mike Watson, 2-1 v. Lyoto Machida, 13-1 (Blurcat: Watson by decision)
Rob Baines, 10-3 v. Atshushi Nakajima, 15-13 (Blurcat: Baines by submission)
Roberto Aldez, 19-4 v. Dan Henderson, 23-8 (Blurcat: Aldez by TKO)
Rich Franklin, 24-4 v. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, 15-4 (Blurcat: Nogueira by submission)
Rashad Evans, 12-1-1 v. Leon Banks, 11-4 (Blurcat: Banks by TKO)
Vladimir Matyushenko, 21-4 v. Bambang Sriyanto, 10-5-2 (Blurcat: Sriyanto by TKO)
Mauricio Rua, 16-4 v. Aleksei Chekhov, 8-3 (Blurcat: Rua by KO)


UFC Jr LHW Championship
Jon Jones, 7-0 v. Nate Carey, 4-1 (Blurcat: Jones by TKO)

Jr LHW Eliminator
Andre Gusmao, 6-1 v. Matt Hamill, 5-2 (Blurcat: Gusmao by TKO)

Marc Howard, 0-1 v. Tomasz Drwal, 14-3 (Blurcat: Drwal by TKO)
Rafael Cavalcante, 7-2 v. Jamal Patterson, 5-2 (Blurcat: Patterson by submission)
Conor Houghton, 1-1 v. Jorge Oliveira, 3-3-1 (Blurcat: Oliveira by submission)
Alfred Freebush, 1-0 v. Kyle Kingsbury, 7-2 (Blurcat: Freebush via submission)


The #4 ranked Wanderlei Silva is still injured from his victory over Leon Banks at UFC3, and wont be back for a couple more months yet. The Axe Murderer would have fought Keith Jardine, so Mike Whitehead gets the free pass up as the highest ranked fighter on a winning streak from the level below.

Bambang Sriyanto was injured for UFC 3 so he comes back to the fill the roster hole from Wanderlei missing, and we have brought in Souleymane Ya Konan to replace the retired Chuck Liddell. Ya Konan finds himself immmediately at the second level to fill the hole left by Whitehead, as the only fighter from below on a winning streak.

[AlexB]

The main event of Forrest Griffin defending his belt against Tadamasa Yamada has really caputured the imagination - it is the most anticipated fight of the new UFC yet. No fighters on the PPV card are in danger of getting fired this time out.


Rob Baines, 29, Norwich, 10-3 v. 'Iron Man' Atshushi Nakajima, 35, Nagoya, 15-13
Blurcat: Baines by submission
Baines: 2.09 UFC3 lost to Ricky Heath TKO R1

Nakajima: 2.09 UFC3 lost to JJ Reid decision
Neither fighter has strong stand-up, but Baines has the better submission skills, and even if the Japanese judo exponent gets the takedown, the Norwich fighter is a danger from his back.

Baines takes the first through an excellent quick takedown, but fails to capitalise. The second sees some handbags before the Englishman again gets a takedown, but Nakajima defends surprisingly well. Will there be a turnaround in the last, or will the fight go as predicted?

Round 3
Baines throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Nakajima defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Baines pushes Nakajima back against the cage, and is able to use that as a set up to taking Nakajima down the mat, landing in side control. Nakajima tries to scramble into a better position, but Baines grabs an arm and tries to lock a hold in. Nakajima bucks him over, and manages to wind up on top, but Baines still has the arm, and now has his legs wrapped around it. Nakajima hits a flurry of left hands to the back and thighs of Baines, who is almost upside down now. It's no good though, as Nakajima cannot get his arm free, and as soon as Baines starts to sink the hold in fully, there's no choice but to tap out. Baines wins via armbar submission at 1:53 of the third round.


'The Calgary Assassin' Mike Watson, 22, Calgary, 2-1 v. 'The Dragon' Lyoto Machida, 31, Belem, Brazil, 13-1
Blurcat: Watson by decision
Watson: 2.09 UFN lost to Lenny McFadden decision

Machida: 2.09 UFC3 (3) lost to Forrest Griffin (1) TKO R1
Skills-wise, the fighters match up well, so you have to look at the experience factor: Watson is a talent for sure, but Machida will likely have too much nous for the young Canadian.

But The Calgary Assassin seems determined to prove me wrong by taking the fight to Machida and landing a couple of good shots in the first. He definitely wins the round.

Round 2
Machida misses with a straight right. Watson hits a standing kick, and Machida is rocked, stumbling backwards and falling to the floor. Watson leaps into action and fires off a barrage of right hands. The referee dives in and protects Machida, bringing the fight to an end. The kick didn't knock Machida out, but it left him stunned, and that was all that Watson needed to finish the job. The official time is 1:44

A big win for Watson, and Machida has tumbled from title fight to having to win to stay in.


Rich 'Ace' Franklin, 34, Cincinnati, 24-4 v. Antonio 'Minotoro' Rogerio Nogueira, 32, Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil, 15-4
Blurcat: Nogueira by submission
Franklin: Belts Held: UFC MW: 2005-6, 2 defences
2.09 UFC3 lost to Inejiro Chiba TKO R3

Nogueira: 2.09 UFC3 lost to Zvonimir Asanovic decision
The first striker v. jiu-jitsu fight tonight: such is Nogueira's dominance on the ground that Franklin will be desperate to keep it standing, where he does have an excellent chance of winning the fight.

Another advantage Franklin obviously holds is in the kicking game, and he uses this to take the opening round. The second sees Minotoro try for the takedown twice, by Franklin defends well and unleashes a couple of nice flurries to go two rounds up. Whoever has started weel has won the first two fights - will the third follow the pattern?

Yes it does - Nogueira is unable to change the pattern of the fight, and Franklin clearly wins all three rounds by virtue of better striking. All three judges agree, and he gets a 30-27 score from each.

[AlexB]

Inejiro Chiba, 34, Sakai, Japan, 21-4 (6) v. 'The Amazing' JJ Reid, 26, Val-d'Or, Quebec, 13-0
Blurcat: Reid by submission
Chiba: Belts Held: ALHPA LHW: 2006-7, 5 defences
2.09 UFC3 beat Rich Franklin TKO R3

Reid: 2.09 UFC3 beat Atsushi Nakajima decision
This could be another feather in the cap for one of the rising LHW stars: Chiba is aging, and although he has good stand-up, he is exceptionally vulnerable to Reid's strength: jiu-jitsu. If The Amazing JJ gets another win, he will surely crack the top 10.

The fight is very nearly over in the first, as the Canadian gets two takedowns, dishes out some good G&P and nearly sinks in two submission holds. Two more takedowns in the second, and although Chiba was in nowhere near as much danger this time, you could make a case for at least 20-17 thus far...

Round 3
Right hand from Chiba was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Reid. Chiba follows up by coming in close, but Reid is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. They clinch. Chiba gets in a nice knee, but a second attempt sees him swept to the ground. Chiba landed hard with Reid right on top of him, it looks like he got winded. Reid hits three big punches to the face, and Chiba is rocked. Reid gets an arm, locks in a kimura, and Chiba has no alternative but to tap out. Reid wins via 3rd round kimura submission with the official time being 1:49.

A very very impressive outing for Reid: he keeps his undefeated record, and moves another rung up the ladder.


'The Dean of Mean' Keith Jardine, 33, Butte, Montana, 15-4-1 (9) v. Mike Whitehead, 27, Medford, Oregon, 24-6 (10)
Blurcat: Jardine by TKO
Jardine: 2.09 UFC3 (9) beat Aleksei Chekhov submission R1

Whitehead: 2.09 UFN beat Chuck Liddell (6) submission R3
Can Whitehead take advantage of his free pass to within one fight of the eliminator? Both fighters got submission wins last time out, Whitehead notably sending The Iceman into retirement, but Jardine looks to have too much here.

Jardine takes the first, defending Whitehead's takedown attempts relatively easily and winning the striking battle. The second sees Jardine position himself so Whitehead can't get close enough to try for the shoot, and he really can't compete with the Dean of Mean's stand-up. Whitehead really needs to do something to change the direction of the fight: he is going to lose without really getting in any offence as things stand...

Round 3
Jardine scores with a kick to the outside of the thigh, but it didn't have a great deal of power on it. Whitehead returns fire with a jab, and then tries for a takedown. Jardine doesn't pull guard, but instead tries to spin out of it and get back to his feet, but it proves to be a mistake as he isn't able to get free and only ends up giving his back to Whitehead! Jardine turtles up, and takes a few heavy shots to the ribs. Whitehead gets his legs around Jardine and uses them to roll him over. Exposed, Jardine tries to turn so that he is on top, but Whitehead has already rammed one arm around his throat and has a tight choke-hold applied. Jardine is in big trouble, and obviously can't see a way out as he taps out pretty quickly. Whitehead wins via 3rd round rear choke submission with the official time being 0:56.

Whitehead obviously did realise this, and what a turnaround! He progresses to the title eliminator against either Asanovic or LeToussier, and does take maximum advantage of his promotion up the levels.


'Lethal' Lenny McFadden, 26, Falkirk, Scotland, 10-4 v. 'The Scourge of Europe' Nicolai Mickiewicz, 26, Minsk, Belarus, 10-1
Blurcat: Mickiewicz by TKO
McFadden: 2.09 UFN beat Mike Watson decision

Mickiewicz: 2.09 UFC3 beat Dan Henderson decision
Two wrestlers go at it in a fight that is tough to call. It looks as if it is likely to go the cards, with Mickiewicz probably having the edge over the Scot.

He will have to win both of the last two if the fight does go the distance though, as McFadden gets the takedown and brutalises the Belarussian with some nasty ground and pound. A mistake from the Scot leaves him wide open in the second, and Mickiewicz takes advantage, opening up a cut over the eyebrow and continuing to win the round of stand-up. It looks like it's even going into the last...

And it's the Scot that gets the takedown to take the fight, winning 29-28 on two cards and 30-27 on the other.

[AlexB]

Roberto 'The Sniper' Aldez, 31, Rio de Janeiro, 19-4 v. 'Dangerous' Dan Henderson, 38, Downey, California, 23-8
Blurcat: Aldez by TKO
Aldez: Belts Held: GAMMA LHW: 2006-7, 4 defences
2.09 UFC3 (7) lost to Thiago Silva (10) KO R1

Henderson: Belts Held: PRIDE WW: 2005-closed, 0 defences
PRIDE MW: 2007-closed, 1 defence
2.09 UFC3 lost to Nicolai Mickiewicz decision
Two ex-champs meet following defeats last time out, and this has all the makings of a classic - Aldez is an exceptionally dangerous stand-up fighter, while Hendo will be trying to get the fight to the ground with his wrestling, from where he has a big advantage. The worry for Aldez is that he was KO'd last time out: will Henderson take heart and a few more risks than normal to swing for the fences?

It is immediately apparent that Aldez has done his homework, as clever movement and position negates the majority of Hendo's attacks, and The Sniper lives up to his nickname, darting in and out to win by crisp counter punching. But in the second Henderson floors the Spaniard, before dominating on the ground - another fight with everything to play for going into the last...

Aldez gets a trip takedown, but stands off - this proves to be his downfall as Henderson gets back up, takes Aldez down in return, and wins the final round from the top position. Henderson wins 29-28 on all three cards.


'Sugar' Rashad Evans, 29, Niagara Falls, New York, 12-1-1 v. 'The Street Fighter' Leon Banks, 27, Boston, Massachusetts, 11-4
Blurcat: Banks by TKO
Evans: 02.09 UFC3 (5) lost to Tadamasa Yamada (4) decision

Banks: 2.09 UFC3 lost to Wanderlei Silva (8) decision
The two fighters are almost carbon copies of each other, being extremely well rounded and versatile. The danger is that this will turn into a stalemate - it is anyone's fight to win.

The first is anything but a stalemate, Banks has his moments before Evans takes him down, and although Evans wins the round, Banks was active from his back. The second round, however, was like watching paint dry, and I couldn't tell you how to score that one.

The third was much better again, and Rashad Evans gets the sweep takedown - he wins 30-27 on all three cards.


'The Brazilian Tiger' Ricardo Arona, 30, Niteroi, Brazil, 14-5 v. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, 30, Memphis, Tennessee, 29-7 (3)
Blurcat: Jackson by KO
Arona: 2.09 UFN beat Sokoudjou decision

Jackson: Belts Held: UFC LHW: 2007-8, 1 defence
2.09 UFC3 (2) beat Mauricio Rua KO R1
A great match up here for Rampage: he should be able to withstand Arona's ground attack, and The Brazilian Tiger is more like a shark - if you punch him in the nose he will back off. Jackson should win and progress one step closer to a title shot.

Round 1
Arona pushes Rampage up against the cage in a clinch. Arona throws a knee, then a couple of short punches to the side of the head. Rampage pushes him away and steps in to score with an uppercut. Arona took it flush on the chin and is rocked! Another right hand drops Arona against the cage, and Rampage follows up by unloading with a barrage of punches. The referee gets in and pulls Rampage away, he wins the match by TKO. The official time is 1:23.

[AlexB]

Light Heavyweight Championship Eliminator
Thiago Silva, 28, Sao Paulo, 14-0 (5) v. Luis 'Bahna' Arthur Cane, 27, Sao Paulo, 10-1 (7)
Blurcat: Silva by KO
Silva: 2.09 UFC3 (10) beat Roberto Aldez (7) KO R1

Cane: 2.09 UFC3 beat Vladimir Matyushenko stoppage R1
Two Brazilian Muay Thai fighters meet for a shot at the belt, and the difference is likely to be jiu-jitsu! The undefeated Silva is a much more rounded fighter: in a kickboxing fight it would be a close contest, but I see Thiago taking the fight to the ground and dominating from there.

A cracking opener sees no attempt from Silva to take the fight to the ground, and he suffers from it: Cane wins the first round war on points. Another good round sees the score evened up: Silva scores a flash knockdown and lands a couple of good kicks...

Round 3
Silva leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Cane deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Cane uses a knee to the ribs before backing Silva up against the cage. Right hand from Silva connects though, that was well timed. Cane breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Silva was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Cane sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Silva fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They come together in the center and exchange strikes. Cane gets the better of it, and throws a wild right hand with evil intentions. Silva saw it coming, and ducks under it, allowing him the perfect position to hit Cane with a takedown and put them on the ground. Silva gets past the guard, but only just, one leg is trapped by Cane. A couple of right hands by Silva leave ugly red marks where they hit the unprotected stomach of Cane. Silva gets both legs free and transitions higher up the body, putting Cane in huge trouble. Silva manages to get a forearm firmly across the throat of Cane and he pushes down. Cane, with no way of getting out, has no alternative but to tap out. The official time of the choke submission is 3:12 of round 3.

Finally he works out how to get the big man down, and it pays off. 15-0, and a world title shot at UFC13 against Griffin or Yamada. Neither will look forward to the fight against a man who has won by clean KO and submission already in the new UFC.


'The Croatian Sensation' Zvonimir Asanovic, 26, Zagreb, 11-1 v. Anthony 'LiveWire' LeToussier, 29, Senneterre, Quebec, 14-5 (8)
Blurcat: Asanovic by KO
Asanovic: Belts Held: GAMMA LHW: 2007-8, 1 defence, Vacated
2.09 UFC3 beat Minotoro Nogueira decision

LeToussier: 2.09 UFC3 beat Renato Sobral decision
The line is for the Croatian, as LeToussier does struggle against wrestlers - however while I still make Asanovic the favourite, this is far from as clear cut as is being made out in the betting.

The Croatian wins the first, which is another stand-up battle: however LeToussier did have his moments as well. More superior striking sees Asanovic go two rounds up - LeToussier needs something special to make it a Canadian ahttrick tonight...

Round 3
Right hand from Asanovic was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of LeToussier. Asanovic follows up by coming in close, but LeToussier is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. LeToussier with a low kick, but without much power. He comes in close and hits a nice body shot, then an elbow to the face. The impact staggers Asanovic back, taking him out of range of an uppercut, leaving LeToussier slightly off balance. Asanovic hits a kick as he staggers and it lands dead on the jaw. LeToussier drops like a ton of bricks, he is out cold. That single moment of lost balance was all the opportunity Asanovic needed. The official time is 1:26.

Wow - nice finish and you've got to admire LeToussier for going for it. Nevertheless it's Asanovic v. Whitehead next time out for the chance to fight for the LHW belt at UFC 18.


UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Forrest Griffin, 29, Columbus, Ohio, 17-4 (1) v. 'The Dragon' Tadamasa Yamada, 27, Osaka, 14-1 (2)
Blurcat: Yamada by submission
Griffin: Belts Held: UFC LHW: 2008-present, 1 defence
2.09 UFC3 (1) beat Lyota Machida (3) TKO R1

Yamada: Belts Held: ALPHA LHW: 2007-8, 1 defence, vacated
2.09 UFC3 (4) beat Rashad Evans (5) decision
There will be few fights more anticipated than this one: America's darling takes on the pride of Japan - this is truly a worldwide event in MMA terms. Forrest has already slain one Dragon, but unfortunately for him Yamada is a different beast altogether, and looks to be a clear favourite. The undoubted #1 and #2 meet, and there could be a changing of the guard...

After the build-up the first round is an anti-climax: not much happens, and it is tough to score. The second sees a little more action, but the two are cancelling each other out. If anything Yamada is more aggressive, and may have been given the edge thus far for this reason.

Round 3
Yamada throws a ragged jab, missing by a mile as Griffin simply ducks under and unloads a vicious hook from below. It catches Yamada square on the jaw, and he goes down! Griffin mounts and starts firing off punches, rapid-fire. The referee waits to see if Yamada can recover, decides that he can't, and pulls Griffin off. The match is over. Official time of the TKO is 0:39 of the third. Forrest Griffin successfully retains the UFC Light Heavyweight title.

The nickname has to stick now - Forrest Griffin is The Dragonslayer! Once again he finds a way to win. Unbelievable.

[AlexB]

Fight of the Night honours go to Thiago Silva v. Luis Arthur Cane, while Mike Whitehead is awarded Submission of the Night over bothThiago Silva or Rob Baines as he turned the fight around against an opponent who has some degree of ground skills. Whitehead's opponent next time out, Zvonimir Asanovic, gets the KO of the Night for his sickening headkick to Anthony LeToussier.

On the injury front Lyota Machida will miss a month with a rib injury inflicted by Mike Watson, while Leon Banks is facing a race against time to be fit for UFC 13: he is slated to be out for 4 months with a damaged elbow.

Other than the standard 28 suspension handed to Anthony LeToussier, there were no other injuries of note

[AlexB]

UFN - LHW style.

Tomasz Drwal and Kyle Kingsbury are both fighting for their development roster spots tonight, while Shogun Rua and Sokoudjou find themselves in the same boat, but for a main roster position.

Slight change to the format: other than the title and eliminator fights, there will be no extended write-ups for the developmental roster, as a precursor to this sections expansion next time out.


Alfred 'The Fridge' Freebush, 19, Fresno, California, 1-0 v. Kyle Kingsbury, 27, Santa Clara, California, 7-2
Blurcat: Freebush by submission
Freebush: 2.09 UFN beat Conor Houghton decision

Kingsbury: 2.09 UFN lost to Matt Hamill submission R1
Round 2
Tentative start to the round, the fighters are circling. Freebush throws out a couple of range-finding jabs, but they aren't anything that will trouble Kingsbury. Kick to the thigh from Kingsbury, but it lacked power. Kingsbury looks to be working an angle. Freebush suddenly seizes on a wayward uppercut from Kingsbury and thunders in with a takedown. Kingsbury landed hard, but had the presence of mind to pull guard before Freebush could get a better position. Freebush passes guard without too much trouble, and cracks Kingsbury with a hard punch to the cheek. Kingsbury tries to scramble into a better position without dropping his guard against another punch, but can't, and Freebush maneuvers so that he has one knee planted on Kingsbury's chest, keeping him from rolling. Freebush quickly secures the left arm and transitions into a tight arm bar. Kingsbury has no way out, he taps. The official time of the armbar submission is 1:22 of round 2.

And Kyle Kingsbury leaves the UFC for a second time...


Marc Howard, 22, Toronto, 0-1 v. Tomasz 'Travolta' Drwal, 28, Krakow, Poland, 14-3
Blurcat: Drwal by TKO
Howard: 2.09 UFN lost to Jamal Patterson decision

Drwal: 2.09 UFN lost to Andre Gusmao TKO R1
Round 3
Howard hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Drwal to back up against the cage, where they clinch. Howard hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Drwal tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with Howard having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Drwal. Drwal misses an uppercut and is off balance, which allows Howard to get the takedown. Side mount. Howard is looking for an armbar, but Drwal is defending it well. Drwal gets a nice elbow in, that caught Howard by surprise. Howard fires off several elbows to the ribs, and Drwal is left gasping for air. Those were hard, there's a big red patch where they hit. Howard takes the left arm, Drwal couldn't defend it any longer. The armbar is applied, there's no way out. Howard wins by tap out. The official time is 4:55.

Second fight, second fighter on their way out.


'The Irish Warrior' Conor Houghton, 25, Antrim, Northern Ireland, 1-1 v. Jorge 'Van Damme' Oliveira, 29, Rio de Janeiro, 3-3-1
Blurcat: Oliveira by submission
Houghton: 2.09 UFN lost to Alfred Freebush decision

Oliveira: 2.09 UFN lost to Nate Carey decision
Round 3
The official scores are in; two judges give 30-27, the other 29-28, all for Conor Houghton.


Rafael 'Feijao' Cavalcante, 29, Rio de Janeiro, 7-2 v. Jamal 'The Suit' Patterson, 35, Hoboken, New Jersey, 5-2
Blurcat: Patterson by submission
Cavalcante: 2.09 UFN lost to Jon Jones TKO R1

Patterson: 2.09 UFN beat Marc Howard decision
Jamal Patterson wins, with a score of 30-27 from two judges, 29-28 from the other.

[AlexB]

Vladimir 'The Janitor' Matyushenko, 35, Recyca, Belarus, 21-4 v. Bambang Sriyanto, 29, Sumatra, 10-5-2
Blurcat: Sriyanto by TKO
Matyushenko: Belts Held: IFL LHW: 2007-closed, 1 defence
2.09 UFC3 lost to Luis Arthur Cane stoppage R1

Sriyanto: 2.09 injured
Sriyanto is an excellent boxer with a poor ground game; the veteran Matyushenko is an excellent wrestler with poor stand up and a glass jaw. Toss a coin and see which way it lands - this is wide open.

The first round sees Sriyanto control via his kicking, but Matyushenko did surprisingly get a couple of good shots in. The Janitor tries for a takedown in the second, but Bambang defends well and unleashes flurries of punches that will get the judges' attention. if Matyushenko can't get Sriyanto down, he is in real trouble...

And so it proves - the third is fought out on foot as well and the Indonesian gets the decision 30-27 from two judges, but one judge saw Matyushenko winning a round.


Jr LHW Eliminator
Andre Gusmao, 32, Goiania, Brazil, 6-1 v. Matt 'The Hammer' Hamill, 32, Loveland, Ohio, 5-2
Blurcat: Gusmao by TKO
Gusmao: 2.09 UFN beat Tomsz Drwal TKO R1

Hamill: 2.09 UFN beat Kyle Kingsbury submission R1
Although Gusmao is favoured, his main vulnerability is to wrestlers which will encourage The Hammer. Whoever ends up on top will likely win the fight, and if it stays standing, Hamill's ever-improving stand up should be superior.

Shows what I know - Gusmao wins the first by surprisingly good and powerful strikes. The second is more even, but the Brazilian wins again - Hamill has to get close and try for the takedown otherwise he will lose his title shot...

Unfortunately he can't get close, and the rounds plays out in the same manner qs the second. Gusmao wins 30-27 on all three cards, and will progress to the junior title fight.


'The African Assassin' Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, 25, Hom'la, Cameroon, 5-4 v. Renato 'Babalu' Sobral, 33, Rio de Janeiro, 30-8
Blurcat: Sokoudjou by split decision
Sokoudjou: 2.09 UFN lost to Ricardo Arona decision

Sobral: 2.09 UFC3 lost to Anthony LeToussier decision
I'm going to go against the odds here: I think Sobral has too a well rounded game and too much experience for Sokoudjou here tonight, and I can see Sokoudjou going home. The African Assassin's power always means he is one strike away from a win, but the longer the fight goes on, the better for Babalu.

Sobral gets the takedown in the first, and while he never looked like ending the contest, he will have won the round. Amazingly Sokoudjou gets the takedown in the second, but Babalu sweeps and ends up on top. Again, no real danger, but he controls the round and is undoubtedly two up going into the last. Could Sokoudjou be getting cut?

Round 3
Sokoudjou's straight right hand punch finds its mark early, tagging Sobral below the right eye, leaving a mark. Sobral throws a couple of strikes in return, but can't find a way past the gloves. Sokoudjou keeps Sobral off balance by switching between looping punches, low kicks, and plenty of jabs. Sobral can't work an angle under the barrage, and backs off. Sokoudjou tries to press the advantage, but Sobral is quick to clinch up. Sobral goes for a trip but Sokoudjou kicks it away. Sobral drops down and tries for a single leg, but Sokoudjou bends down and blocks it. There's an awkward moment as neither can do a great deal. Sobral eventually releases the leg and gets back into the clinch. Sokoudjou hits a knee, and they part. Sobral throws a nice kick. Sokoudjou gets in close enough to hit a kick to the body, then darts back out of range. He repeats the trick, this time replacing the kick with a hard right hand. It appears that he is using 'hit and run' tactics, and Sobral isn't coping with it yet. Sokoudjou goes for it again, and this time almost gets taken down as Sobral times it well and shoots in. Sokoudjou sprawls to block the first attempt, then scrabbles free on the second push, getting out from the side. Sobral was very close then. Sokoudjou keeps Sobral back, throwing kicks. The action unfortunately peters out, with Sobral unable to get in close enough to go for a takedown, Sokoudjou unwilling to risk the takedown by coming in and throwing strikes. The time eventually runs out on the round. That's the end of the round. Blurcat.com sees it 10-9 to Sokoudjou. All three judges give a score of 29-28 to Renato Sobral.

Yes he is: while Sokoudjou may be back, 5-5 just doesn't cut it in the new UFC...

[AlexB]

UFC Jr LHW Championship
Jon 'Bones' Jones, 22, Endicott, New York, 7-0 v. Nate Carey, 33, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 4-1
Blurcat: Jones by TKO
Jones: Belts Held: UFC Jr LHW: 2009-present, 0 defences
2.09 UFN beat Rafael Cavalcante TKO R1

Carey: 2.09 UFN beat Jorge Oliveira decision
In my opinion Jones sprang a suprise last time out by beat Cavalcante, but he is a heavy favourite here againt Carey: I see this as a convincing first defence.

Round 1
Right hand from Carey was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Jones. Carey follows up by coming in close, but Jones is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Carey fires off three straight jabs, none of which connect. Jones is forced up with his back against the cage though. He clearly doesn't like the thought of being trapped there for any length of time though, as he quickly comes forward with a barrage of wild punches. Carey bobs and weaves to avoid them, but is literally bundled over in the process. There wasn't really any punch that put him down, it was simply the fact that Jones was advancing at a faster rate than he could back-pedal! Jones follows up with Carey down on his back. Jones gets side control, and Carey has to cover up immediately to deflect two scathing right hands. Jones is looking to get a crucifix, which Carey is fighting while simultaneously trying to roll his hips to either pull guard to get back up. Neither happens, as Jones lets him roll, but cleverly stays with him, taking his back as a result. Carey turtles up, but not before taking a brutal punch just below the left ear. The crowd certainly reacted to that shot. Jones, clearly sensing it's time to kill this match off, starts throwing bombs from either side, smashing into the side of Carey's face. Carey tries to cover up, but it's futile; the referee pulls Jones off to save Carey from any further punishment. Official time of the TKO is 1:21 of the first round. Jon Jones retains the UFC Junior Light Heavyweight title.


'The African Dream' Souleymane Ya Konan, 29, Abdijan, Cote D'Ivoire, 11-1 v. Ricky 'Hollywood' Heath, 27, Fresno, California, 11-3
Blurcat: Heath by decision
Ya Konan: 4.09 ALPHA beat Washichi Kobayashi decision

Heath: 2.09 UFC3 beat Rob Baines TKO R1
The new boy at LHW has a tough task ahead of him in his UFC debut - Ricky Heath has the edge in just about every area, and while Ya Konan is no slouch, Heath may simply be too much for him this time.

Heath takes the first through his superior technical striking, and follows up by winning the second through both strikes and a takedown. So far, Ya Konan is being outclassed as thought...

And nothing happens in the third to change the course of the fight: Heath wins a unanimous 30-27.


Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua, 27, Curitiba, Brazil, 16-4 v. Aleksei 'Fists of Death' Chekhov, 26, Moscow, 8-3
Blurcat: Rua via KO
Rua: 2.09 UFC3 lost to Quinton Jackson (2) KO R1

Chekhov: 2.09 UFC3 lost to Keith Jardine (9) submission R2
This could be a classic... if the fight stays standing. If it goes to the ground, Shogun is likely to win without too much fuss.

Shogun gets the takedown, but can't finish: nevertheless he wins the first. Similarly, he bullrushes Chekhov for another takedown in the second, and takes the round from there. His roster spot is looking good so far...

And Rua is obviously aware of this, as he does nothing in the third to put himself in danger, but still wins 30-27 all round to stay in the UFC.

[AlexB]

There were no injuries at all tonight.

Marc Howard gets a nice bonus for Submission of the Night. Fight of the Night goes to Sokoudjou and Babalu.

[AlexB]

LHW Summary

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Forrest Griffin, 17-4 (1) beat Tadamasa Yamada, 14-1 (2) by TKO in R3 (Blurcat: Yamada by submission)

Light Heavyweight Championship Eliminator
Thiago Silva, 14-0 (5) beat Luis Arthur Cane, 10-1 (7) by submission in R3 (Blurcat: Silva by KO)

Zvonimir Asanovic, 11-1 beat Anthony LeToussier, 14-5 (8) by KO in R3 (Blurcat: Asanovic by KO)
Mike Whitehead, 24-6 (10) beat Keith Jardine, 15-4-1 (9) by submission in R3 (Blurcat: Jardine by TKO)

Quinton Jackson, 29-7 (3) beat Ricardo Arona, 14-5 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Jackson by KO)
Lenny McFadden, 10-4 beat Nicolai Mickiewicz, 10-1 by decision (Blurcat: Mickiewicz by TKO)
JJ Reid, 13-0 beat Inejiro Chiba, 21-4 (6) by submission in R3 (Blurcat: Reid by submission)
Ricky Heath, 11-3 beat Souleymane Ya Konan, 11-1 by decision (Blurcat: Heath by decision)

Renato Sobral, 30-8 beat Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, 5-4 by decision (Blurcat: Sokoudjou by split decision)
Mike Watson, 2-1 beat Lyoto Machida, 13-1 by TKO in R2(Blurcat: Watson by decision)
Rob Baines, 10-3 beat Atshushi Nakajima, 15-13 by submission in R3 (Blurcat: Baines by submission)
Dan Henderson, 23-8 beat Roberto Aldez, 19-4 by decision (Blurcat: Aldez by TKO)
Rich Franklin, 24-4 beat Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, 15-4 by decision (Blurcat: Nogueira by submission)
Rashad Evans, 12-1-1 beat Leon Banks, 11-4 by decision (Blurcat: Banks by TKO)
Bambang Sriyanto, 10-5-2 beat Vladimir Matyushenko, 21-4 by decision (Blurcat: Sriyanto by TKO)
Mauricio Rua, 16-4 beat Aleksei Chekhov, 8-3 by decision (Blurcat: Rua by KO)


UFC Jr LHW Championship
Jon Jones, 7-0 beat Nate Carey, 4-1 by TKO in R1 (Blurcat: Jones by TKO)

Jr LHW Eliminator
Andre Gusmao, 6-1 beat Matt Hamill, 5-2 by decision (Blurcat: Gusmao by TKO)

Marc Howard, 0-1 beat Tomasz Drwal, 14-3 by submission in R3 (Blurcat: Drwal by TKO)
Jamal Patterson, 5-2 beat Rafael Cavalcante, 7-2 by decision (Blurcat: Patterson by submission)
Conor Houghton, 1-1 beat Jorge Oliveira, 3-3-1 by decision (Blurcat: Oliveira by submission)
Alfred Freebush, 1-0 beat Kyle Kingsbury, 7-2 by submission in R2 (Blurcat: Freebush via submission)

Once again, those fighters in red still on the right hand side are three and out: their contracts have been terminated with immediate effect.

As usual the rankings are updated immediately:

1. Forrest Griffin 29 USA 18-4 (-)
2. Quinton Jackson 30 USA 30-7 (+1)
3. Thiago Silva 28 Brazil 15-0 (+2)
4. Wanderlei Silva 32 Brazil 33-8-1 (-)
5. Mike Whitehead 27 USA 25-6 (+5)
6. Zvonimir Asanovic 26 Croatia 12-1 (NE)
7. Tadamasa Yamada 27 Japan 14-2 (-5)
8. JJ Reid 26 Canada 14-0 (NE)
9. Ricky Heath 27 USA 12-3 (NE)
10. Rashad Evans 29 USA 13-1-1 (RE)

[AlexB]

June Monthly WMMA round-up

Scott Lightly took the Adrenaline LHW title, TKO'ing Mike Ciesnolovicz in the second round

The ALPHA LW belt was awarded to Chojiro Goto after he stopped Terratep Nutnum at the very end of the opening round

Another LW belt changed hands: this time it was in DREAM, where Artur Oumakhanov won a unanimous decision victory over Daisuke Nakamura

A split decision was all Dong Hyun Kim needed to claim the RAW Comabt WW championship as he defeated Dan Hornbuckle.

Rashad Evans' brother Lance was unsuccessful in his bid to win the TKO HW championship, losing another split decision to Tom Murphy

Finally, Mike Thomas Brown succesfully defended his WEC FW belt, stopping Josh Grispi after just 39 seconds.

[AlexB]

As July breaks, we at the UFC announce an expansion of the developmental side.

There's still a lot of young and inexperienced fighters not signed to any org, and without any fights they will have no chance of progressing. So we will expand the junior roster from 12 to 32,and run it on the same basis as the senior pyramid.

Only unsigned fighters will be considered: we are not suggesting we have the best young fighters, but are giving them a platform.

To cope with the extra 10 fights, we have commissioned a new TV Show, PenUltimate Fight Night, which will be shown on medium and small TV channels and will cover the bottom eight fights in the developmental bracket and two fights from next level.

[AlexB]

Middleweight Carl Ratcliffe, who has lost his last two fights, has decided to drop down to 170 in an attempt to keep his roster spot. He does so just after the Welterweight draws are made, so will not fight now until UFC 14 in December. A very cunning way of keeping a roster spot for at least three extra months!

[AlexB]

The welterweights make their return, and for the first time we will see a full developmental pyramid. First, the senior rankings, which have been adjusted slightly since the last WW events for some reason, and the full draws.

1. Georges St Pierre 28 Canada 18-2 (-)
2. Jon Fitch 31 USA 18-3 (-)
3. Carlos Condit 25 USA 24-4 (-)
4. Matt Serra 35 USA 10-5 (+1)
5. Jack Humphreys 28 USA 13-2 (+1)
6. Josh Koscheck 31 USA 12-3 (-2)
7. Karo Parisyan 26 Armenia 18-5 (-)
8. Caol Uno 34 Japan 26-11-4 (-)
9. Fumiaki Hayashi 29 Japan 14-4 (+1)
10. Hayato Sakurai 33 Japan 34-8-2 (-1)

UFC Welterweight Championship
Georges St. Pierre, 18-2 (1) v. Carlos Condit, 24-4 (3) (Blurcat: GSP via decision)

UFC Welterweight Title Shot Eliminator
Heikichi Shimizu, 4-0 v. Fumiyaki Hayashi, 14-4 (9) (Blurcat: Hayashi via decision)

Hayato Sakurai, 34-8-2 (10) v. Kafu Bunya, 11-3 (Blurcat: Sakurai via decision)
Gabriel Gallego, 13-0 v. Alan Kendall, 11-2 (Blurcat: Gallego via decision)

Josh Koscheck, 12-3 (6) v. Karo Parisyan, 19-5 (7) (Blurcat: Parisyan via TKO)
Jack Humphreys, 13-2 (5) v. Caol Uno, 26-11-4 (8) (Blurcat: Humphreys via KO)
Jon Fitch, 18-3 (2) v. Matt Serra, 10-5 (4) (Blurcat: Fitch via TKO)
Noach van der Capellen, 11-3 v. Dominykas Jankovic, 9-4 (Blurcat: Jankovic via TKO)

Ichisake Miyagi, 14-7 v. Alberto Basora, 8-3 (Blurcat: Miyagi via submission)
Bakin Sakamoto, 12-6 v. Claudio Palacios, 10-3-1 (Blurcat: Sakamoto via submission)
Nick Thompson, 36-11-1 v. Doug Hansen, 14-4 (Blurcat: Hansen via submission)
Geoff Cahill, 21-14 v. Thiago Alves, 16-4 (Blurcat: Alves via decision)
Simon Vine, 7-4 v. Lukas Mellberg, 10-1 (Blurcat: Mellberg via submission)
Mike Swick, 12-3 v. Joe Hinchcliffe, 12-5 (Blurcat: Swick via submission)
Jake Shields, 22-5-1 v. Ikku Funaki, 5-4 (Blurcat: Shields via split decision)
Julio Regueiro, 9-1-1 v. Marcus Davis, 17-4 (Blurcat: Regueiro via decision)

[AlexB]

Jake Shields, 30, Mount Ranch, California, 22-5-1 v. 'The Fist Of Justice' Ikku Funaki, 25, Sendai, Japan, 5-4
Blurcat: Shields via split decision
Shields: Belts Held: Elite XC WW: 2008-vacated, 0 defences
3.09 UFC4 (5) lost to Carlos Condit (9) decision

Funaki: 3.09 UFN lost to Jon Fitch (3) TKO R3
Round 1
They get in close, and end up grappling against the cage, Funaki is in the dominant position. Shields gets in a couple of stinging shots to the side of the ribs. Funaki steps to the side slightly and gets free enough to unleash a massive punch to the side of the head, but Shields partially blocked it. The fist missed, but replays show that the elbow caught Shields right above him eye. Shields grapples Funaki in closer to stop another strike. The referee separates them though, he has seen something. Looks like he wants a look at Shields. As the grapple is broken, it's instantly clear where that elbow connected, there's an ugly looking gash and blood is really starting to flow quite heavily. That's a really deep cut. The doctor is brought in. This could be all over, as the blood is going right into the left eye of Shields. The referee consults the doctor....and this match is over. Shields has been deemed unable to continue, that really ugly looking cut is going to make it impossible for him to continue. Funaki will walk out with the win. Funaki wins via 1st round medical stoppage with the official time being 0:45.

What a way to keep your roster spot, but I'm sure Ikku won't be arguing!

'Hell Boy' Simon Vine, 27, Temagami, Ontario, 7-4 v. 'The Ice Cold Swede' Lukas Mellberg, 26, Stockholm, 10-1
Blurcat: Mellberg via submission
Vine: 3.09 UFC4 lost to Noach van der Capellen decision

Mellberg: 3.09 UFC4 lost to Alan Kendall decision
The Ice Cold Swede takes the first through aggressive striking, but Vine doesn't show a lot in a fight he must win. The second is similarly stale, and Mellberg probably edges it again, although at the very end Vine catches him in the groin: will this alter the course of the fight?

Not really: both tried for the takedown - Mellberg got it and wins 30-27 on all three cards. Simon Vine is the first welterweight casualty.


Mike 'Quick' Swick, 30, Houston, Texas, 12-3 v. Joe 'The Hitman' Hinchcliffe, 29, Phoenix, 12-5
Blurcat: Swick via submission
Swick: 3.09 UFC4 lost to Kafu Bunya TKO R1

Hinchcliffe: 3.09 UFC4 lost to Caol Uno decision
Not a lot happens in the first - Swick may have done just enough to get the verdict. The second sees The Hitman look plain clumsy, and it allows Swick to pick him off at will, causing bad marking around the eyes. It's very one sided thus far, and unless hincliffe wants to avoid following Vine through the exit door, he must come up with something...

Round 3
Swick comes in fast and low and takes Hinchcliffe down to the mat by the legs. Nicely done. He keeps hold of one leg, and applies a leglock. That was all in one motion, Hinchcliffe got taken by surprise. Swick sits back and wrenches in the hold, and that looks painful. Hinchcliffe is holding on. He tries to twist free, but it's on tight. Hinchcliffe gives in and taps out. The official time is 0:52.

And a leglock finish shows the differnece in class: if you get beat by a leglock you deserve the can.


'Spanish Silk' Julio Regueiro, 26, Madrid, 9-1-1 v. 'The Irish Hand Grenade' Marcus Davis, 35, Houlton, Maine, 17-4
Blurcat: Regueiro via decision
Regueiro: Belts Held: GAMMA WW: 2008, 0 defences, vacated
3.09 UFC4 lost to Gabriel Gallego KO R3

Davis: Belts Held: Affliction WW: 2009, vacated, 0 defences
5.09 Affl. beat Jonathan Goulet KO R1
1.09 Affl. beat Brett Cooper KO R1
Regueiro probably sneaks a scrappy first round...

Round 2
Davis leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Regueiro deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Regueiro uses a knee to the ribs before backing Davis up against the cage. Right hand from Davis connects though, that was well timed. Regueiro breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Davis was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Regueiro sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Davis fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Regueiro throws a couple of scorching jabs; neither hit, but it forces Davis to back pedal all the way back to the cage. Regueiro follows in and throws a stinging kick to the ribs. Davis tries to catch it, but couldn't. Davis throws a right hand to try and catch Regueiro coming in, but it's wide of the mark. Regueiro throws a head kick, and it's a beauty, landing flush to the cheek. It was delivered with enormous power, and Davis drops to the floor immediately, he is out cold. The referee stops Regueiro from following up, it's all over. Regueiro wins via 2nd round knock out with the official time being 4:17.

[AlexB]

Bakin Sakamoto, 28, Yokohama, Japan, 12-6 v. Claudio Palacios, 28, Lima, Peru, 10-3-1
Blurcat: Sakamato via submission
Sakamoto: 3.09 UFC4 lost to Matt Serra (7) decision

Palacios: 3.09 UFN lost to Josh Koscheck (4) submission R2
In a fight he must win to keep his roster spot, Sakamoto gets the takedown in the first as expected, and dominates without threatening to end the fight. Similar fare in the second, and Palacios needs to find a fight-changing punch in the last.

Unfortunately it just isn't there, and Sakamoto wins 30-27 from two judges, and 29-28 from the third.


Nick 'The Goat' Thompson, 28, Newport News, Virginia, 36-11-1 v. 'The Nightmare' Doug Hansen, 28, Falkirk, Scotland, 14-4
Blurcat: Hansen via submission
Thompson: 3.09 UFC4 lost to Heikichi Shimizu TKO R1

Hansen: 3.09 UFC4 lost to Hayato Sakurai decision
Some relatively average stand-up in the first, and it's the Scot who has slightly the better of it. The Goat tries to take the fight to Hansen in the second, but spends the entire five minutes being picked off on the counter. In the third Hansen clearly feels confident, and dominates the striking, putting on a bit of a show for the crowd. He wins a unanimous 30-27 verdict.


'The Devil In Blue' Ichisake Miyagi, 31, Nagoya, Japan, 14-7 v. Alberto Basora, 25, Barcelona, 8-3
Blurcat: Miyagi via submission
Miyagi: Belts Held: ALPHA WW: 2005-6, 1 defence
3.09 UFC4 lost to Dominykas Jankovic decision

Basora: 3.09 UFC4 lost to Fumiyaki Hayashi decision
The ex-ALPHA champ is on the precipice tonight, and needs to prove the bookies right in order to stay in the UFC. He starts off well, getting the takedown and delivering some effective ground and pound that marks up the Spaniard's body. Basora tries his own takedown in the second, but Miyagi defends well and gets a trip in of his own: he can;t quite get the subsequent armbar attempt to stick, but clearly wins the round. Can Basora turn the fight around in the last?

No! Miyagi gets another takedown, and realising he is no danger of losing from the top position is content to do enough not to get stood back up - he wins 30-27 twice and 29-28 once.


Noach 'Super Animal' van der Capellen, 27, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 11-3 v. Dominykas 'Slamkovic' Jankovic, 26, Varna, Bulgaria, 9-4
Blurcat: Jankovic via TKO
v.d. Capellen: 3.09 UFC4 beat Simon Vine decision

Jankovic: 3.09 UFC4 beat Ichisake Miyagi decision
Slamkovic shoots in early and gets the double-leg takedown, and spends the rest of the round bullying the Dutchman. At the start of the second Jankovic hits a huge kick that sends van der Capellen down in a heap!!! But amazingly Super Animal recovers his senses quickly, and in the face of a barrage of hammerfists somehow manages to pull guard, and even tries a triangle as the Bularian gets too aggressive! It fails, but what heart! All that actually does is bring on more vicious ground and pound, but van der Capellen even tries to get back up! He is getting pounded here, but you can't fault his effort. You almost want him to get the stoppage in the last, as he must be 20-17 down...

Unfortunately the second round seems to have taken too much out of van der Capellen, and Jankovic dominates again. We clearly have Tommy as a judge again, as one judges scores the fight 29-28 Jankovic, but the other two generously keep in 30-27. A very very impressive performance from Slamkovic.

[AlexB]

Geoff 'Die Hard' Cahill, 36, French River, Ontario, 21-14 v. Thiago 'Pitbull' Alves, 25, Fortaleza, Brazil, 16-4
Blurcat: Alves via decision
Cahill: 3.09 UFN lost to Karo Parisyan (8) decision

Alves: 3.09 UFC4 (2) lost to GSP (1) TKO R3
Alves seems keen to make amends for his title match defeat, and shoots immediately for a takedown... but Cahill sprawls and manages to flip The Pitbull for a takedown of his own. Die Hard does get to side mount briefly, and is likely to win the round, but Alves defended very well from his back. The score is evened in the second through Alves' superior stand-up, and it's up for grabs going into the last...

In the third, Alves flicks out a couple of jabs, trying to work an angle. He steps in to throw a body shot but gets caught with a left hook. Alves stumbles backwards, falling on his ass, stunned. Cahill charges in and throws a knock out powered right hand, but Alves parries it and brings his legs around Cahill's waist to pull guard.

From there Cahill continues to control, and gets a 29-28 score from all judges in something of an upset.


UFC Welterweight Title Shot Eliminator
Heikichi Shimizu, 32, Sakai, Japan, 4-0 v. 'The Lightning Kid' Fumiyaki Hayashi, 29, Sakai, Japan, 14-4 (9)
Blurcat: Hayashi via submission
Shimizu: 3.09 UFC4 beat Nick Thompson TKO R1

Hayashi: Belts Held: ALPHA WW: 2006-7, 3 defences
3.09 UFC4 beat Alberto Basora decision
The eliminator has not captured the imagination, largely as both fighters are really only well known in Asia, but also due to the vagaries of most of the original top 10 having lost last time out before the new UFC, the rankings do not reflect the eliminator status.

Hayashi wins the opener through much betters stand-up, but the second is tough to score: Shimizu reverses the trend and is generally the better striker, but Hayashi lands the best shot by far. However it was scored, Shimizu is not winning, and must find something to change the course of the action...

And he does, and clearly wins the round by taking the fight to the floor. Unfortunately all three judges gave the second to Hayashi, and The Lightning Kid gets three 29-28 decisions.


Hayato 'Mach' Sakurai, 33, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, 34-8-2 (10) v. 'White Hope' Kafu Bunya, 27, Fukuoka, Japan, 11-3
Blurcat: Sakurai via decision
Sakurai: 3.09 UFC4 beat Doug Hansen decision

Bunya: 3.09 UFC4 beat Mike Swick TKO R1
The first is all about the stand-up, and while it starts even, Sakurai gradually gets the upper hand. The second is much more difficult to score - maybe Sakurai edged it. Bunya certainly needs to do something to turn this one around...

Round 3
Bunya hits two jabs, then a high kick. It glances off Sakurai's shoulder, catching him on the top of the head. He stumbles backward, ending up against the cage. Bunya charges in and starts unloading, and after several crunching punches have landed the referee has no choice but to jump in and bring the match to the end. Bunya wins via third round TKO at 1:26.

That'll work.


'The Show Stopper' Jack Humphreys, 28, Mobile, Alabama, 13-2 (5) v. 'Uno Shoten' Caol Uno, 34, Kanagawa, 26-11-4 (8)
Blurcat: Humphreys via KO
Humphries: Belts Held: GAMMA WW: 2006-8, 5 defences
3.09 UFN (10) beat Matt Hughes (6) decision

Uno: 3.09 UFC4 beat Joe Hinchcliffe decision
Humphreys takes the first through his striking, and it looks like Uno is struggling with the increased size of a quality welterweight. The worry seems to be an undercurrent throughout the second, and The Show Stopper wins the second by frightening Uno into defensive mode. He tries to be more aggregssive in the last round, but is simply outgunned, and more dominant striking sees two 30-27 decisions for Humphreys and 29-28 from Tommy.

[AlexB]

Josh 'Kos' Koscheck, 31, Waynesbury, Pennsylvania, 12-3 (6) v. Karo 'The Heat' Parisyan, 26, Yerevan, Armenia, 19-5 (7)
Blurcat: Parisyan via TKO
Koscheck: 3.09 UFN (4) beat Claudio Palacios submission R2

Parisyan: Belts Held: WEC WW: 2004, vacated, 0 defences
3.09 UFN (8) beat Geoff Cahill decision
Round 1
Koscheck leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Parisyan deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Parisyan uses a knee to the ribs before backing Koscheck up against the cage. Right hand from Koscheck connects though, that was well timed. Parisyan breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Koscheck was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Parisyan sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Koscheck fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Parisyan pushes Koscheck up against the cage in a clinch. Parisyan throws a knee, then a couple of short punches to the side of the head. Koscheck pushes him away and steps in to score with an uppercut. Parisyan took it flush on the chin and is rocked! Another right hand drops Parisyan against the cage, and Koscheck follows up by unloading with a barrage of punches. The referee gets in and pulls Koscheck away, he wins the match by TKO. Koscheck wins via first round TKO at 4:32.


Jon Fitch, 31, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 18-3 (2) v. Matt 'The Terror' Serra, 35, East Meadow, New York, 10-5 (4)
Blurcat: Fitch via TKO
Fitch: 3.09 UFN (3) beat Ikku Funaki TKO R3

Serra: Belts Held: UFC WW: 2007-8, 0 defences
3.09 UFC4 (7) beat Bakin Sakamoto decision
Fitch manages to pick up and slam Serra at the very opening of the fight, and dominates from there, leaving Serra's torso red and bruised from some sickening ground and pound. It took longer in the second, but we saw a bigger and better slam from Fitch, and more ground and pound that marked Serra's eyes. However The Terror managed to stand back up, and he can take heart that he's still in the fight. Can he take advantage though?

The simple answer is no - Fitch is just too good a grappler, and gets another takedown, and three 30-27 scores. Even Tommy got this one right.


'Mad Dog' Gabriel Gallego, 27, Buenos Aries, 13-0 v. 'Flash' Alan Kendall, 27, Green Bay, 11-2
Blurcat: Gallego via decision
Gallego: Belts Held: ALPHA WW: 2007-8, 3 defences
3.09 UFC4 beat Julio Regueiro KO R3

Kendall: 3.09 UFC4 beat Lukas Mellberg decision
Round 1
Jab from Gallego, then another, and a third. Kendall weaved out of the way of all three, although the second glanced off the shoulder slightly. Gallego moves back to avoid the counter uppercut. Kendall comes from the left with a high punch, then goes for the body. Gallego blocks, ducks a straight right, then unleashes an enormous kick. Kendall ducks at the last possible moment, avoiding it by a split-second! That was an evil-looking kick, if that had hit it was good night for Kendall, that had 'knock out' written all over it. Kendall will be on the look out for a repeat of that, there is no way he can afford to take a head kick with that much power without taking a defeat. Gallego throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Kendall steps in and fires off one of his own, but Gallego bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Kendall turns and swings, just as Gallego also unloads...and it's Gallego who connects first! Kendall's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Gallego follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Kendall. The referee doesn't even wait for Gallego to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Kendall is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! Gallego wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 3:54.


UFC Welterweight Championship
Georges 'Rush' St. Pierre, 28, St Isidore, Quebec, 18-2 (1) v. 'The Natural Born Killer' Carlos Condit, 25, Albuquerque, 24-4 (3)
Blurcat: GSP via decision
St. Pierre: Belts Held: TKO WW: 2002-vacated, 2 defences
UFC WW: 2006-7, 0 defences
UFC WW: 2008-present, 2 defences
3.09 UFC4 (1) beat Thiago Alves (2) TKO R3

Condit: Belts Held: WEC WW: 2007-8, 3 defences, vacated
3.09 UFC4 (9) beat Jake Shields (5) decision
The first is very much a feeeling out round, and as such is very tough to score. The second is largely a stalemate as well, although GSP does mount a sustained attack towards the end which will probably give him the nod. A very cagey first two rounds...

Round 3
GSP hits some tentative punches, then comes in fast and forces Condit to back up against the cage, where they clinch. GSP hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Condit tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with GSP having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Condit. Condit hits a solid left, then a right. GSP felt both of them, and backs off a little. Condit charges right in to follow up though, and unleashes a powerful right hook, and GSP took it flush on the chin! Condit doesn't even bother following up on that, because GSP was out cold from the instant that that hit. Incredible punch. Condit wins via third round knock out at 3:50. Carlos Condit is now the UFC Welterweight champion.

[AlexB]

Injury update: Ikku Funaki, Matt Serra, Gabriel Gallego and Hayato Sakurai all picked up knocks that will keep them out of the gym short term, but they will be back in plenty of time for UFC14. Jake shields will need time off for his cut to heal, but again he is in no danger of missing the next event.

Doug Hansen's stomach injury is of greater concern: he is estimated to be out for near enough five months, and may have to sit the next event out.

[AlexB]

And so to the developmental squad:

UFC Jr Welterweight Championship
Agustin Gonzalez, 24-0 v. v. Yoshiyuki Yoshida, 10-2 (Blurcat: Gonzalez via TKO)

Junior Welterweight Title Shot Eliminator
Darin Blood, 3-0 v. John Hathaway, 9-0 (Blurcat: Blood via submission)

Christopher Hulme, 2-0 v. Rowan Cunningham, 6-2 (Blurcat: Cunningham via submission)
Sinali Shomen, 3-1 v. Joe Scarola, 4-1 (Blurcat: Shomen via TKO)

Eli Harris, 1-0 v. Eric Bradley, 2-1 (Blurcat: Harris via KO)
Gregor Gracie, 3-1 v. Rodrigo Ruas, 4-5-1 (Blurcat: Gracie via submission)
Pirmin Zubriggen, 1-2 v. Matthew Riddle, 1-0 (Blurcat: Zubriggen via TKO)
Paul Georgieff, 6-2 v. Blake Bowman, 1-0 (Blurcat: Georgieff via TKO)
Dorian Price, 7-3 v. Dan Barrera, 0-1 (Blurcat: Barrera via submission)
Anthony Waldeburger, 8-4 v. Mike Dolce, 3-5 (Blurcat: Dolce via TKO)
Robert Huey, 0-0 v. Jared Rollins, 6-4 (Blurcat: Heuy via TKO)
John Kolosci, 8-5 v. Matt Arroyo, 3-3 (Blurcat: Arroyo via submission)
Vincent Chase, 0-0 v. Andre Galvao, 1-1 (Blurcat: Galvao via submission)
Billy Miles, 2-2 v. Troy Mandaloniz, 3-2 (Blurcat: Mandaloniz via TKO)
Xie Ming, 3-1 v. Brandon Wolff, 7-3 (Blurcat: Ming by TKO)
Dan Cramer, 0-1 v. Marlon Matias, 5-3 (Blurcat: Matias via TKO)

[AlexB]

Robert 'The Executioner' Huey, 21, Lands End, England, 0-0 v. Jared 'J-Roc' Rollins, 32, Long Beach, California, 6-4
Blurcat: Huey via TKO
Robert Huey wins, with a score of 30-27 from two judges, 29-28 from the other. Jared Rollins' term with the UFC development roster is brief.


Paul Georgieff, 26, Madison, Wisconsin, 6-2 v. Blake Bowman, 28, Carrollton, Georgia, 1-0
Blurcat: Georgieff via TKO
Georgieff: 3.09 UFN beat Troy Mandaloniz decision
Blake Bowman wins the match, getting a score of 30-27 from all three judges.


Billy Miles, 31, Lincoln, California, 2-2 v. Troy 'Rude Boy' Mandaloniz, 29, Hilo, Hawaii, 3-2
Blurcat: Mandaloniz via TKO
Mandaloniz: 3.09 UFN lost to Paul Georgieff decision
Going into the third round, it's a round apiece. We join the fight in the middle of the last round...

...Rude Boy clinches up, and they wind up against the cage. Miles tries to throw a knee, but Rude Boy sweeps his standing leg and is on top on the ground. Rude Boy gets past the guard, but only just, one leg is trapped by Miles. A couple of right hands by Rude Boy leave ugly red marks where they hit the unprotected stomach of Miles. Rude Boy gets both legs free and transitions higher up the body, putting Miles in huge trouble. Rude Boy manages to get a forearm firmly across the throat of Miles and he pushes down. Miles, with no way of getting out, has no alternative but to tap out. Rude Boy wins via third round choke submission at 3:34.
Billy Miles is the second developmental casualty of the night.


Dorian Price, 31, Baltimore, 7-3 v. Dan Barrera, 28, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 0-1
Blurcat: Barrera via submission
The fight is stopped after 2:40 of the second, but Price, who needed a win to stay in, was dominating anyhow.


Anthony 'TJ' Waldeburger, 20, Temple, Texas, 8-4 v. Mike 'Skull-Cracker' Dolce, 33, Gresham, Oregon, 3-5
Blurcat: Dolce via TKO
All three judges give a score of 30-26 in favour of Anthony Waldburger, and despite being favoured to win the fight, Dolce is both outclassed and canned.


Dan Cramer, 23, Bethel, Connecticut, 0-1 v. Marlon Matias, 26, Curitiba, Brazil, 5-3
Blurcat: Matias via TKO
Cramer: 3.09 UFN lost to Sinali Shomen decision
The three judges all give the match as 29-28 to Dan Cramer, and the junior roster is taking a hammering - Marlon Matias is out as well!


'The X Factor' Xie Ming, 27, Pearl River, China, 3-1 v. Brandon Wolff, 34, Honolulu, 7-3
Blurcat: Ming via TKO
Ming: 3.09 UFN lost to Agustin Gonzalez stoppage

Wolff: 3.09 UFN lost to Darin Blood submission R3
Round 1
Wolff works an angle and comes in from the side of Ming, getting two good jabs in before a ragged left misses by quite a margin. Ming hits a low kick to back Wolff against the cage, then works the body with a series of short punches. Wolff fights out and the action returns to the center. Ming throws a stinging jab, landing just above the left eye. Wolff steps in and fires off one of his own, but Ming bobs out of the way and scores with a pair of solid shots to the body. Wolff turns and swings, just as Ming also unloads...and it's Ming who connects first! Wolff's hands drop and he is on rubbery legs. Ming follows up with a beauty of a right hand, and that drops Wolff. The referee doesn't even wait for Ming to dive in to finish, he's seen enough, Wolff is clearly on Dream Street. This bout is over! Official time of the TKO is 2:55 of the first round.


Pirmin Zubriggen, 23, Zurich, Switzerland, 1-2 v. Matthew Riddle, 23, Lehighton, Pennsylvania, 1-0
Blurcat: Zubriggen via TKO
Riddle: 3.09 injured
Round 1
Riddle doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Zubriggen easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Zubriggen throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Riddle scores with a jab, then another, then comes in fast with a takedown. Zubriggen scrambles and after an extended period of struggling manages to get himself into north and south position, on top of Riddle. Zubriggen hits a hard right to the chest, then turns and gets a full mount. Riddle is really struggling, and can barely get his arms up to cover up from the strikes that Zubriggen is now raining down. A quick transition and Zubriggen has an arm and applies an americana. Riddle has no choice, there's the tap out. Official time of the americana submission is 1:26 of the first.

[AlexB]

Vincent Chase, 18, Bangor, Maine, 0-0 v. Andre Galvao, 26, Sao Jose, Brazil, 1-1
Blurcat: Galvao via submission
Galvao: 3.09 UFN lost to Gregor Gracie decision
Andre Galvao wins, with a score of 29-28 from two judges, 30-27 from the other.


John Kolosci, 34, Portage, Indiana, 8-5 v. Matt 'No Regard' Arroyo, 26, Tampa, Florida, 3-3
Blurcat: Arroyo via submission
Arroyo: 3.09 UFN lost to Eli Harris decision
We're guaranteed another departee here: it's win and stay in, or third strike and out in one fight...
The official scores are: 30-27 from all three judges for Matt Arroyo.

Gregor Gracie, 23, Brazil, 3-1 v. Rodrigo Ruas, 27, Rio de Janeiro, 4-5-1
Blurcat: Gracie via submission
Gracie: 3.09 UFN beat Andre Galvao decision
All three judges give a score of 30-27 in favour of Gregor Gracie.


'The Farm Boy' Eli Harris, 20, Boise, Idaho, 1-0 v. Eric 'Lion Heart' Bradley, 27, Los Angeles, 2-1
Blurcat: Harris via KO
Harris: 3.09 UFN beat Matt Arroyo decision
All three judges give a score of 30-27 in favour of Eli Harris.

[AlexB]

'The Freak' Christopher Hulme, 29, Sunnydale, California, 2-0 v. Rowan Cunningham, 33, Port Williams, Nova Scotia, 6-2
Blurcat: Cunningham via submission
We join the fight halfway through round three, following two rounds where Cunningham has been well on top through his attacking jiu-jitsu...

...Off-balance, Cunningham is ripe for a takedown, and Hulme obliges, thundering him down to the ground. Hulme is looking dangerous. He fires off a couple of punches, and one gets through. A third is attempted, but that gives Cunningham the opportunity he needed, and Hulme gets swept, ending up underneath in side control. Cunningham fires off three punches of his own, two connecting solidly above the eye. Cunningham moves up into a dominant position, totally controlling the head and left arm of Hulme, and looking for a kimura. Hulme is trying to stop it, but he is in a really poor position and cannot get any sort of leverage. Cunningham sinks it in, and Hulme has to tap out. Cunningham wins via 3rd round kimura submission with the official time being 4:14.


Sinali 'Sho Sho' Shomen, 19, Nagoya, Japan, 3-1 v. Joe Scarola, 30, East Meadow, New York, 4-1
Blurcat: Shomen via TKO
Shomen: 3.09 UFN beat Dan Cramer decision
The official scores are: 30-26 (twice), 29-27 for Sinali Shomen.


UFC Jr Welterweight Championship
Agustin 'The Latino Wildcat' Gonzalez, 22, La Paz, Mexico, 4-0 v. v. Yoshiyuki 'Zenko' Yoshida, 35, Tokyo, 10-2
Blurcat: Gonzalez via TKO
Gonzalez: Belts Held: UFC Jr WW: 2009-present, 0 defences
3.09 UFN beat Xie Ming stoppage R3
The first two rounds are scrappy, but the champ has the edge: lets join the fight at the start of the third:
Round 3
Yoshida doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Gonzalez easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Gonzalez throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Yoshida tries an ill-advised head kick, but Gonzalez ducks and comes straight underneath it. Grabbing the leg, he lifts Yoshida up and then violently plants him into the ground with a slam. Gonzalez dives in, but gets pulled into guard. Yoshida struggles to contain Gonzalez, who passes to half guard without too much trouble. A few hard shots get thrown, and Yoshida does well to defend them, deflecting them off his gloves. Gonzalez is trying to get his leg free so that he can get into side control. Yoshida throws a couple of punches from his back, but they do very little damage. Gonzalez half-stands, and throws a couple of big punches with a lot of force behind them. One is blocked, but the other hits home just below the left eye. Yoshida tries to cover up, while Gonzalez manages to get his leg free and get into a mount. Yoshida is in big trouble. He tries to roll his hips and shift Gonzalez's weight, but it's not working. Gonzalez fires off a couple of punches, then drops an absolute bomb of a right hand, landing flush on the chin! Yoshida is out, just for a second, but the referee has already pulled Gonzalez off. Sharp-eyed refereeing there. This match is over by knock out. Official time of the knock out is 1:27 of the third round. Agustín Gonzalez is still the UFC Junior Welterweight champion.


Junior Welterweight Title Shot Eliminator
'Dangerous' Darin Blood, 25, Kailua, Hawaii, 3-0 v. John 'The Hitman' Hathaway, 29, Brighton, England, 9-0
Blurcat: Blood via submission
Blood: 3.09 UFN beat Brandon Wolff submission R3
All three judges give a score of 30-27 to Darin Blood.

[AlexB]

WW summary

UFC Welterweight Championship
Carlos Condit, 24-4 (3) beat Georges St. Pierre, 18-2 (1) by KO R3 (Blurcat: GSP via decision)

UFC Welterweight Title Shot Eliminator
Fumiyaki Hayashi, 14-4 (9) beat Heikichi Shimizu, 4-0 by decision (Blurcat: Hayashi via decision)

Kafu Bunya, 11-3 beat Hayato Sakurai, 34-8-2 (10) by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Sakurai via decision)
Gabriel Gallego, 13-0 beat Alan Kendall, 11-2 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Gallego via decision)

Josh Koscheck, 12-3 (6) beat Karo Parisyan, 19-5 (7) by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Parisyan via TKO)
Jack Humphreys, 13-2 (5) beat Caol Uno, 26-11-4 (8) by decision (Blurcat: Humphreys via KO)
Jon Fitch, 18-3 (2) beat Matt Serra, 10-5 (4) by decision (Blurcat: Fitch via TKO)
Dominykas Jankovic, 9-4 beat Noach van der Capellen, 11-3 by decision (Blurcat: Jankovic via TKO)

Ichisake Miyagi, 14-7 beat Alberto Basora, 8-3 by decision (Blurcat: Miyagi via submission)
Bakin Sakamoto, 12-6 beat Claudio Palacios, 10-3-1 by decision (Blurcat: Sakamoto via submission)
Doug Hansen, 14-4 beat Nick Thompson, 36-11-1 by decision (Blurcat: Hansen via submission)
Geoff Cahill, 21-14 beat Thiago Alves, 16-4 by decision (Blurcat: Alves via decision)
Lukas Mellberg, 10-1 beat Simon Vine, 7-4 by decision (Blurcat: Mellberg via submission)
Mike Swick, 12-3 beat Joe Hinchcliffe, 12-5 by submission R3 (Blurcat: Swick via submission)
Ikku Funaki, 5-4 beat Jake Shields, 22-5-1 by stoppage (Blurcat: Shields via split decision)
Julio Regueiro, 9-1-1 beat Marcus Davis, 17-4 by KO R2 (Blurcat: Regueiro via decision)

[AlexB]

And the Jr WW results:

UFC Jr Welterweight Championship
Agustin Gonzalez, 4-0 beat Yoshiyuki Yoshida, 10-2 by KO R3 (Blurcat: Gonzalez via TKO)

Junior Welterweight Title Shot Eliminator
Darin Blood, 3-0 beat John Hathaway, 9-0 by decision <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->(Blurcat: Blood via submission)

Rowan Cunningham, 6-2 beat Christopher Hulme, 2-0 by submission R2 (Blurcat: Cunningham via submission)
Sinali Shomen, 3-1 beat Joe Scarola, 4-1 by decision (Blurcat: Shomen via TKO)

Eli Harris, 1-0 beat Eric Bradley, 2-1 by decision (Blurcat: Harris via KO)
Gregor Gracie, 3-1 beat Rodrigo Ruas, 4-5-1 by decision (Blurcat: Gracie via submission)
Pirmin Zubriggen, 1-2 beat Matthew Riddle, 1-0 by submission R1 (Blurcat: Zubriggen via TKO)
Blake Bowman, 1-0 beat Paul Georgieff, 6-2 by decision (Blurcat: Georgieff via TKO)
Dorian Price, 7-3 beat Dan Barrera, 0-1 by stoppage R2 (Blurcat: Barrera via submission)
Anthony Waldeburger, 8-4 beat Mike Dolce, 3-5 by decision (Blurcat: Dolce via TKO)
Robert Huey, 0-0 beat Jared Rollins, 6-4 by decision (Blurcat: Heuy via TKO)
Matt Arroyo, 3-3 beat John Kolosci, 8-5 by decision (Blurcat: Arroyo via submission)
Andre Galvao, 1-1 beat Vincent Chase, 0-0 by decision (Blurcat: Galvao via submission)
Troy Mandaloniz, 3-2 beat Billy Miles, 2-2 by decision (Blurcat: Mandaloniz via TKO)
Xie Ming, 3-1 beat Brandon Wolff, 7-3 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Ming by TKO)
Dan Cramer, 0-1 beat Marlon Matias, 5-3 by decision (Blurcat: Matias via TKO)<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[AlexB]

Updated rankings:

1. Jon Fitch 31 USA 19-3 (+1)
2. Carlos Condit 25 USA 25-4 (+1)
3. Josh Koscheck 31 USA 13-3 (+3)
4. Jack Humphreys 28 USA 14-2 (+1)
5. Fumiaki Hayashi 29 Japan 15-4 (+4)
6. Georges St Pierre 28 Canada 18-3 (-5)
7. Gabriel Gallego 27 Argentina 14-0 (NE)
8. Kafu Bunya 27 Japan 12-3 (NE)
9. Karo Parisyan 26 Armenia 19-6 (-2)
10. Matt Serra 35 USA 10-6 (-6)

[AlexB]

With the third round of the middleweights up in a couple of months, the veteran Dan Halvorsen announces that he is to retire after UFC11, win or lose.

Like Couture next time up, he is on two losses, so a third would mean the end anyway, but the ex-GAMMA champ will not want to go out that way.

[AlexB]

Speaking of the HWs, it's UFC10 - age has caused just one ranking change since UFC5...

1. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria 32 Brazil 32-4-1
2. Hassan Fezzik 33 Turkey 26-0
3. James Foster 30 USA 17-2
4. Brock Lesnar 32 USA 4-1
5. Gunnar Nilsson 32 Sweden 19-3 (+1)
6. Rick Stanley 35 USA 21-7-3 (-1)
7. Alistair Overeem 29 Netherlands 30-11
8. Tim Sylvia 33 USA 25-5
9. Lefter Oktay 30 Turkey 7-0
10. Stratos Papaoiannou 34 Greece 21-4

The draws for both sections have been made, but the fights will be spread a little over the PPV, UFN and PUFN...

UFC Heavyweight Championship
Hassan Fezzik, 26-0 (2) v. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, 32-4-1 (1) (Blurcat: Fezzik via KO)

Heavyweight Title Shot Eliminator
Brock Lesnar, 4-1 (4) v. Gunnar Nilsson, 19-3 (5) (Blurcat: Nilsson via submission)

Lefter Oktay, 7-0 (9) v. Stratos Papaoiannou, 21-4 (10) (Blurcat: Oktay via TKO)
Gabriel Gonzaga, 11-3 v. Alistair Overeem, 30-11 (7) (Blurcat: Overeem via TKO)

Rick Stanley, 21-7-3 (6) v. Grzegorz Boniek, 14-4 (Blurcat: Stanley via KO)
Sergei Kharitonov, 17-3 v. Fabrizio Werdum, 12-4-1 (Blurcat: Kharitanov via TKO)
Junior dos Santos, 8-1 v. Raul Hughes, 13-0 (Blurcat: Hughes via decision)
James Foster, 17-2 (3) v. Stafford Alois, 32, London, 19-7 (Blurcat: Foster via KO)

Jeff Carlton, 16-4 v. Harry Milne, 20-7 (Blurcat: Carlton via TKO)
Tony McCall, 20-5 v. Kunimichi Kikuchi, 20-3 (Blurcat: Kikuchi via KO)
Fedor Emelianenko, 28-2 v. Mirko Filipovic, 23-7-2 (Blurcat: Fedor via KO)
Hiro Arai, 17-4 v. Andrei Arlovski, 14-6 (Blurcat: Arai via KO)
Josh Barnett, 26-6 v. Tim Boyer, 16-4-2 (Blurcat: Boyer via TKO)
Alexsander Emelianenko, 13-4 v. Cheick Kongo, 12-5-1 (Blurcat: Emilianenko via TKO)
Robun Yamazaki, 17-7 v. Garry McSweegan, 12-3 (Blurcat: McSweegan via KO)
Ben Rothwell, 33-7 v. Randy Couture, 16-10 (Blurcat: Couture via TKO)


UFC Jr Heavyweight Championship
Cain Velasquez, 5-0 v. Pat Barry, 4-0 (Blurcat: Velasquez via decision)

Jr Heavyweight Title Shot Eliminator
Antonio Silva, 11-1 v. Shane Gilchrist, 11-2 (Blurcat: Gilchrist via KO)

Icho Larenas, 5-4 v. Derek South, 2-0 (Blurcat: South via decision)
Carl Seumanutafa, 5-1 v. Bryan Vetell, 4-3 (Blurcat: Seumanutafa via KO)

Eli Joslin, 2-1 v. Jon Murphy, 4-3 (Blurcat: Joslin via split decision)
Sean O'Haire, 3-3 v. Esteban Andres, 1-0 (Blurcat: Andres via KO)
Jack Punk, 1-0 v. Soa Palelei, 8-2 (Blurcat: Punk via KO)
Jefferson Silva, 3-2 v. George Bush, 5-1 (Blurcat: Silva via TKO)

Jesse Speed, 0-0 v. Takenao Kawate, 0-0 (Blurcat: Speed via submission)
Noah Musch, 0-1 v. Justin Vegas, 0-0 (Blurcat: Musch via KO)
Darrell Gorman, 0-1 v. Marcus Maxx, 0-0 (Blurcat: Gorman via KO)
Bo Cantrell, 10-11 v. Bill Naess, 0-0 (Blurcat: Cantrell via TKO)
Jamie Bagwell, 0-0 v. Charlie Montoya, 0-0 (Blurcat: Montoya via TKO)
Brian Wood, 0-0 v. Neil Wain, 4-2 (Blurcat: Wood via devision)
Aleksander Ivanov, 0-0 v. Jay Martinez, 0-0 (Blurcat: Ivanov via KO)
Julio Hill, 0-0 v. Analu Brash, 1-2 (Blurcat: Hill via split decision)

[AlexB]

First up it's UFN, with a couple of the bigger fights from the senior card at the top...

Jefferson 'Tanque' Silva, 31, Sao Paolo, 3-2 v. George Bush, 31, Columbus, Ohio, 5-1
Blurcat: Silva via TKO
Round 1
Tentative long range jabs from both fighters. Silva with a low sweeping kick, but it was telegraphed. Bush comes in quick but misses a kick. Silva with a straight right, another, but then walks right into a solid punch. That certainly connected, the crowd could clearly hear it. Silva backs up quickly, almost on instinct; his hands are down by his side, and he looks glassy eyed and unsteady on his feet. The referee quickly steps in and ends the fight, stopping Bush from following up. It'll go down as a TKO for Bush. As Bush celebrates, the doctor is quickly in to check on Silva. From the looks of things, he may have been dealt a concussion with that punch to the jaw, as he doesn't look like he knows where he is. Official time of the TKO is 0:37 of the first round.


Sean O'Haire, 35, Atlanta, 3-3 v. Esteban Andres, 19, Mexico City, 1-0
Blurcat: Andres via KO
O'Haire: 3.09 UFN lost to Pat Barry decision

Andres: 3.09 UFN beat Darrell Gorman TKO R3
We join the fight after a couple of unextraordinary minutes of round 1:
...Andres pushes O'Haire back against the cage, and is able to use that as a set up to taking O'Haire down the mat, landing in side control. O'Haire tries to scramble into a better position, but Andres grabs an arm and tries to lock a hold in. O'Haire bucks him over, and manages to wind up on top, but Andres still has the arm, and now has his legs wrapped around it. O'Haire hits a flurry of left hands to the back and thighs of Andres, who is almost upside down now. It's no good though, as O'Haire cannot get his arm free, and as soon as Andres starts to sink the hold in fully, there's no choice but to tap out. Andres wins via 1st round armbar submission with the official time being 2:31.


Carl Seumanutafa, 29, Sunnydale, California, 5-1 v. 'The Philosopher' Bryan Vetell, 34, New York City, 4-3
Blurcat: Seumanutafa via KO
Seumanutafa: 3.09 UFN beat Eli Joslin decision
...Vetell makes Seumanutafa back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Vetell throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Seumanutafa lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Vetell by surprise, putting him down! Seumanutafa follows up and starts raining down right hands. Vetell covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Seumanutafa off, the match is over. Official time of the TKO is 3:51 of the first.


'The Fridge' Jack Punk, 21, Seattle, 1-0 v. Soa Palelei, 29, Perth, Australia, 8-2
Blurcat: Punk via KO
Punk: 3.09 UFN beat Noah Musch decision
The official scores are: 30-27 (twice), 29-28 for Jack Punk.

[AlexB]

Eli 'Nightmare' Joslin, 30, Mariposa, California, 2-1 v. 'The Sherpa' Jon Murphy, 32, Minersville, Pennsylvania, 4-3
Blurcat: Joslin via split decision
Joslin: 3.09 UFN lost to Carl Seumanutafa decision
The official scores are: 29-28 (twice), 30-27 for Jon Murphy.


Icho Larenas, 29, Quebec City , 5-4v. Derek 'Smash-Mouth' South, 23, Gotham City, New Jersey, 2-0
Blurcat: South via decision
South: 3.09 UFN beat Neil Wain decision
Derek South wins the match, getting a score of 30-27 from all three judges.


UFC Jr Heavyweight Championship
Cain Velasquez, 27, Yuma, Arizona, 5-0 v. Pat 'Get Hype' Barry, 30, New Orleans, 4-0
Blurcat: Velasquez via decision
Velasquez: Belts Held: UFC JR HW: 2009-present, 0 defences
3.09 UFN beat Mugur Boc TKO R2

Barry: 3.09 UFN beat Sean O'Haire decision
Velasquez has the better of the opening two rounds - let's pick up the action at the beginning of the third:

Round 3
Right hand from Barry was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Velasquez. Barry follows up by coming in close, but Velasquez is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. They clinch. Velasquez fires off a couple of right hands to the ribs, then ducks down and secures a leg. Barry hops up and down, but can't prevent Velasquez from simply pushing forward and taking them to the ground. Barry uses his free leg to wrap up a half guard, and manages to secure that to full guard pretty swiftly. Velasquez tries to pass the guard. Barry is holding it quite high, which is helping. Velasquez throws a couple of loose punches, then grabs the legs and turns Barry over. Barry tries to scramble free, but Velasquez is already on top of him and has his back! Velasquez doesn't waste any time, he starts throwing bombs with both left and right fists, slamming them into the side of Barry's head. He is trying to cover up, but a lot of shots are getting through. The referee is watching closely. A vicious right hand thunders into the ear of Barry, then another to the side of the nose. That's all the referee wants to see, he pulls Velasquez off. Velasquez wins via TKO at 1:30 of the third round. Cain Velasquez retains the UFC Junior Heavyweight title.

[AlexB]

Jr Heavyweight Title Shot Eliminator
'Bigfoot' Antonio Silva, 29, Brasilia, 11-1 v. 'The Butcher' Shane Gilchrist, 26, Perth, Australia, 11-2
Blurcat: Gilchrist via KO
All three judges give a score of 30-27 in favour of Shane Gilchrist.


'The Pit Bull' Rick Stanley, 35, Philadelphia, 21-7-3 (6) v. 'Polish Power' Grzegorz Boniek, 31, Warsaw, Poland, 14-4
Blurcat: Stanley via KO
Stanley: 3.09 UFN (10) beat Randy Couture (9) TKO R1

Boniek: 3.09 UFC5 beat Aleksander Emelianenko TKO R1
The Pit Bull wins a tepid first: we'll start the action at the beginning of the second:

Round 2
They are circling, then come in close. Both fighters are tentatively looking for the chance to strike. Boniek is the first to go for it, throwing a three-punch combination. Stanley covered up well, taking very little damage. Boniek goes to throw a bomb, but gets clipped with a right hand before it can connect. He felt that. Stanley steps in and throws a bomb of his own, and it crunches into the side of the cheek of Boniek, who goes down! Replays show the shock wave passing through his entire body as that powerful punch connected. What a strike! Stanley wins this by a brutally clean knock out. Official time of the knock out is 1:19 of the second round.


Heavyweight Title Shot Eliminator
Brock Lesnar, 32, Webster, South Dakota, 4-1 (4) v. 'Swedish Superman' Gunnar Nilsson, 32, Gothenburg, 19-3 (5)
Blurcat: Nilsson via submission
Lesnar: 3.09 UFC5 beat Josh Barnett (6) TKO R3

Nilsson: Belts Held: GAMMA HW: 2006-7, 2 defences
3.09 UFC5 beat Kunimichi Kikuchi TKO R1
An excellent opener sees Brock get taken down by the experienced Swede, who then proceeds to dish out some vicious ground and pound. Lesnar nearly returns the favour in the second, buy Nilsson shows surprisingly good takedown defence, and manages to resverse momentum for a takedown of his own. Although he inflicted much less damage from the top position, Nilsson is definitely two rounds up going into the last...

And he gets another takedown to seal the deal, winning 30-27 twice, and getting 29-28 from Tommy. Gunnar Nilsson gets the title shot against either Fezzik or Big Nog.

[AlexB]

Due to an administrative error, UFN was scheduled for the same night as the main UFC 10 card, and had to be staged in the afternoon to avoid TV clashes. But after a good free card, it's time for our PPV offering.

'Wild Man' Julio Hill, 19, Susanville, California, 0-0 v. Analu Brash, 26, Maui, Hawaii, 1-2
Blurcat: Hill via split decision
In the only developmental roster matchup on the card, Analu Brash must beat the rookie Wild Man in order to stay on the rsoter for more than just the one fight. It doesn't start well as he loses the first two rounds. We join after a fairly stale first two minutes of the third and final round.

...Brash scores with a kick to the outside of the thigh, but it didn't have a great deal of power on it. Hill returns fire with a jab, and then tries for a takedown. Brash doesn't pull guard, but instead tries to spin out of it and get back to his feet, but it proves to be a mistake as he isn't able to get free and only ends up giving his back to Hill! Brash tries to fight out of it, but Hill keeps position well. Hard shot to the ribs by Hill. Can he capitalise on this great position though? He tries to apply a choke hold, but Brash defends it. However, in doing so, he leaves his left arm exposed, and Hill is able to float over and trap it inbetween his legs. Hill falls forward and pulls, forcing Brash to tap out rather than have his arm hyper-extended. The official time is 3:51.


Robun Yamazaki, 32, Kitakyushu, Japan, 17-7 v. Garry McSweegan, 27, Edinburgh, 12-3
Blurcat: McSweegan via KO
Yamakazi: Belts Held: ALPHA HW: 2004-5, 1 defence
3.09 UFN lost to Junior dos Santos decision

McSweegan: Belts Held: BCF HW: 2007-8, 2 defences, vacated
3.09 UFC5 lost to Stratos Papaoiannou decision
The first senior fight sees another man trying to save his roster spot: ex ALPHA champ Yamazaki must beat ex-BCF champ McSweegan, or he follows Brash out the door. We start the action a minute and a half into the first round

...The two fighters clinch up, ending up struggling next to the cage, with the referee watching intently to make sure there are no rules being bent during the grappling match. McSweegan gets in a cheeky right hand, but that's all the offence he can generate from the clinch before Yamazaki sweeps his legs and takes him down to the ground. McSweegan struggles to contain Yamazaki, who passes to half guard without too much trouble. A few hard shots get thrown, and McSweegan does well to defend them, deflecting them off his gloves. Yamazaki is trying to get his leg free so that he can get into side control. McSweegan throws a couple of punches from his back, but they do very little damage. Yamazaki half-stands, and throws a couple of big punches with a lot of force behind them. One is blocked, but the other hits home just below the left eye. McSweegan tries to cover up, while Yamazaki manages to get his leg free and get into a mount. McSweegan is in big trouble. He tries to roll his hips and shift Yamazaki's weight, but it's not working. Yamazaki fires off a couple of punches, then drops an absolute bomb of a right hand, landing flush on the chin! McSweegan is out, just for a second, but the referee has already pulled Yamazaki off. Sharp-eyed refereeing there. This match is over by knock out. Official time of the knock out is 3:13 of the first.


'The Grim Reaper' Alexsander Emelianenko, 27, Stary Oskol, Russia, 13-4 v. Cheick Kongo, 34, Paris, France, 12-5-1
Blurcat: Emilianenko via TKO
Emilianenko: 3.09 UFC5 lost to Grzegorz Boniek TKO R1

Kongo: 3.09 UFC5 lost to Sergei Kharitanov decision
Kongo takes the first two rounds by dominant striking, staggering Fedor's younger brother a couple of times. The Russian tries to take the fight to the Frenchman in the third, and definitely is the stronger man, but can't find the fight-ending punch, and loses 29-28 on all three cards.

[AlexB]

Tony 'The Spider' McCall, 32, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 20-5 v. 'Unstoppable K' Kunimichi Kikuchi, 31, Sendai, Japan, 20-3
Blurcat: Kikuchi via KO
McCall: 3.09 UFC5 lost to Stafford Alois TKO R3

Kikuchi: Belts Held: ALPHA HW: 2005-7, 6 defences
3.09 UFC5 lost to Gunnar Nilsson TKO R1
The first two rounds are shared, and it's all up for grabs in the last. We pick up the action two minutes into the final round:

...McCall makes Kikuchi back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. McCall throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Kikuchi lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches McCall by surprise, putting him down! Kikuchi follows up and starts raining down right hands. McCall covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Kikuchi off, the match is over. Official time of the TKO is 2:49 of the third round.


Sergei Kharitonov, 28, Plesetek, Russia, 17-3 v. Fabrizio 'Vai Cavalo' Werdum, 32, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 12-4-1
Blurcat: Kharitanov via TKO
Kharitanov: 3.09 UFC5 beat Cheick Kongo decision

Werdum: 3.09 UFN beat Tim Boyer submission
Lets start the action with a minute remaining of the opening round...

...Kharitonov fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Werdum makes Kharitonov back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Werdum throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Kharitonov lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Werdum by surprise, putting him down! Kharitonov follows up and starts raining down right hands. Werdum covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Kharitonov off, the match is over. The official time is 4:26.


Junior 'Cigano' dos Santos, 25, Salvador, Brazil, 8-1 v. 'The Demolition Expert' Raul Hughes, 32, Elgin, Illinois, 13-0
Blurcat: Hughes via decision
dos Santos: 3.09 UFN beat Robun Yamazaki decision

Hughes: Belts Held: GAMMA HW: 2008-9, 2 defenceS, vacated
3.09 GAMMA beat Steve Mason TKO R1
1.09 GAMMA beat Thomas Smith KO R2
Now it's time for the newest UFC Heavyweight to make his debut: can Junior dos Santos avoid being the 14th KO/TKO victim of The Demolition Expert? He sees the first round out safely enough, but was defintely on the wrong end of the 10-9 score. As we start the tape, we're halfway through a fairly drab second round.

...dos Santos hits a nice body shot, but takes two short punches to the side of the head in return. Hughes tries a trip, but it doesn't go anywhere. They separate, with dos Santos having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Hughes. They come together, both throwing punches. Hughes gets a nice clean shot in, and dos Santos stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Hughes is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Official time of the TKO is 3:42 of the second.

[AlexB]

'North Star' Ben Rothwell, 27, Kensosha, Wisconsin, 33-7 v. Randy 'The Natural' Couture, 46, Everett, Washington, 16-10
Blurcat: Couture via TKO
Rothwell: 3.09 UFN lost to James Foster (4) decision

Couture: Belts Held: UFC HW: 1997-8, 0 defences
UFC HW: 2000-2, 2 defences
UFC LHW: 2003-4, 0 defences
UFC LHW: 2004-5, 0 defences
UFC HW: 2007-8, 1 defence
3.09 UFN (9) lost to Rick Stanley (10) TKO R1
And now the highlight fight for many fans - The Natural's last ever MMA appearance. Can he go out on a high, or will his career fade ingloriously into retirement?

The first is classic Couture: making the fight scrappy and getting the better of it. Counter-punching is the key in the second, and it's Randy again with the upper hand. it's looking good so far for the victory everyone wants to see...

And so it proves - Randy The Natural Couture wins the third round as well and gets a 30-27 score from all three judges, and the longest standing ovation witnessed in MMA history. The end of a legendary career.


'The King of Ground and Pound' James Foster, 30, Aurora, Illinois, 17-2 (3) v. 'The Brixton Butcher' Stafford Alois, 32, London, 19-7
Blurcat: Foster via KO
Foster: Belts Held: ALPHA HW: 2007-8, 1 defence
3.09 UFN (4) beat Ben Rothwell decision

Alois: 3.09 UFC5 beat Tony McCall TKO R3
Pity these two, fighting after the retirement of Couture: maybe it will work in the Brit's favour?

Round 1
Alois scores with a kick to the outside of the thigh, but it didn't have a great deal of power on it. Foster returns fire with a jab, and then tries for a takedown. Alois doesn't pull guard, but instead tries to spin out of it and get back to his feet, but it proves to be a mistake as he isn't able to get free and only ends up giving his back to Foster! Foster gets one arm in and snakes it around the throat of Alois, squeezing his wind-pipe shut. Alois tries to pull the arm free, but can't, and so rolls over in a last-ditch effort to break free. It is to no avail though, as that allows Foster to get a body-scissors in too. With no alternatives left, Alois taps out. The official time of the rear choke submission is 0:42 of round 1.

Or maybe not.


'The Last Emperor' Fedor Emelianenko, 32, Stary Oskol, Russia, 28-2 v. Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic, 34, Vinkovci, Croatia, 23-7-2
Blurcat: Fedor via KO
Fedor: Belts Held: PRIDE HW: 2003-close, 3 defences
3.09 UFC5 (1) lost to Hassan Fezzik (2) KO R2

Filipovic: 3.09 UFC5 lost to Tim Sylvia (7) KO R2
A cagey first four minutes sees a stalemate: we pick the fight up with the two having just separated from a standing clinch.

...They separate, with Fedor having to stay sharp to avoid a scorching right hand from Mirko Cro Cop. Fedor with a jab. Mirko Cro Cop glances at the referee, not sure why. Big kick from Fedor! That was out of nowhere, and hit Mirko Cro Cop on the jaw. I don't think anyone saw that coming, least of all Mirko Cro Cop, and he has been laid out cold with one massively powerful kick. Fedor wins via 1st round knock out with the official time being 4:27.

[AlexB]

Gabriel 'Napao' Gonzaga, 30, Rio de Janeiro, 11-3 v. 'Demolition Man' Alistair Overeem, 29, Utrecht, Netherlands, 30-11 (7)
Blurcat: Overeem via TKO
Gonzaga: 3.09 UFC5 beat Harry Milne KO R1

Overeem: Belts Held: S'force HW: 2007, 0 defences
3.09 UFC5 beat Jeff Carlton decision
Napao takes Overeem down in the first and will have won the round from this. Our action starts from the bell of the second.

Round 2
Gonzaga doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Overeem easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Overeem throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Overeem makes Gonzaga back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Overeem throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Gonzaga lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Overeem by surprise, putting him down! Gonzaga follows up and starts raining down right hands. Overeem covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Gonzaga off, the match is over. Official time of the TKO is 1:34 of the second round.


Lefter 'The Beast' Oktay, 30, Istanbul, Turkey, 7-0 (9) v. Stratos Papaoiannou, 34, Athens, Greece, 21-4 (10)
Blurcat: Oktay via TKO
Oktay: 3.09 UFC5 beat Hiro Arai KO R3

Papaoiannou: 3.09 UFC5 beat Garry McSweegan decision
The first two rounds have the fans on their feet, as are the two fighters - it's all about the stand-up in this Mediterranean MMA fest, and the young Turk gets the best of both. Can the veteran Greek turn the fight around?

No - a dominant display from The Beast earns 30-27 scores from all three judges.


UFC Heavyweight Championship
'The Big Bad' Hassan Fezzik, 33, Istanbul, Turkey, 26-0 (2) v. Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueria, 32, Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil, 32-4-1 (1)
Blurcat: Fezzik via KO
Fezzik: Belts Held: ALHPA HW: 2007-8, 3 defences, vacated
UFC HW: 2009-present, 0 defences
3.09 UFC5 (2) beat Fedor Emelianenko (1) KO R2

Nogueira: Belts Held: PRIDE HW: 2001-3, 1 defence
UFC HW: 2008, 0 defences, vacated
3.09 UFC5 (3) beat Andrei Arlovski (5) decision
And so on to Lefter Oktay's mentor - will he remain undefeated like his protege? Everything in the first two rounds suggest that he will: he takes the first by strikes, the second by kicks. Minotauro was clearly frustrated after the second, and slows the fight down in the third, to the point where there's no real action of note, and it's a tough one to score - the defending champion was slightly more aggressive and will likely get the nod for that reason. Big Nog tries to push the action again in the fourth, but just can't get near enough to Fezzik to be a threat, and it's looking increasingly unlikely that he can trouble the champion...

And so it proves: Fezzik gets a unanimous decision, 50-45 from two judges, and 49-46 from thr third, who must have given the middle round to Nogueira. Fezzik will defend next time out against Gunnar Nilsson, and if he is successful, and Lefter Oktay can overcome gabriel Gonzaga, we may have a problem: the two Turks have always said that they will not fight each other, even if it costs them titles or title shots...

[AlexB]

Finally we have the PenUtimate Fight Night, for the lower level development fights and the last couple of senior bouts:

'Red Rum' Bo Cantrell, 33, Citrus Heights, California, 10-11 v. Bill 'Tarantula' Naess, 19, La Habra, California, 0-0
Blurcat: Cantrell via TKO
Bo Cantrell starts the night off fighting for his UFC junior life...

Round 1
The two fighters meet in the center with an exchange of jabs, but neither gets anything but gloves or air. They go right into a clinch, with only a few seconds of the match gone. Naess gets a knee to the ribs in, but it wasn't particularly hard. They break. The two fighters are circling. Naess comes in for a punch, but Cantrell countered well by coming in fast and low and using a good solid takedown. Cantrell is in Naess's guard. Cantrell tries to pass the guard. Naess is holding it quite high, which is helping. Cantrell throws a couple of loose punches, then grabs the legs and turns Naess over. Naess tries to scramble free, but Cantrell is already on top of him and has his back! Cantrell doesn't waste any time, he starts throwing bombs with both left and right fists, slamming them into the side of Naess's head. He is trying to cover up, but a lot of shots are getting through. The referee is watching closely. A vicious right hand thunders into the ear of Naess, then another to the side of the nose. That's all the referee wants to see, he pulls Cantrell off. Cantrell wins via first round TKO at 1:33.


Jamie Bagwell, 20, Phoenix, 0-0 v. 'Hot Stuff' Charlie Montoya, 20, Barrie, Ontario, 0-0
Blurcat: Montoya via TKO
Montoya edges an excisting first round from the two debutants. We pick up the fight halfway through the second, just after the referee separates a standing clinch.

...Montoya clinches with Bagwell. A quick trip sends Bagwell falling backward, pulling guard to take Montoya down with him. Bagwell is trying to turn. Montoya fires off a big punch, and it connects right on the point of the chin. Bagwell goes limp, he is out cold from one brutal shot, Montoya manages to get the knock out from the guard position. The referee leaps in and makes sure that Montoya doesn't throw any more bombs. Montoya wins via knock out at 3:25 of the second round.


Darrell 'Mongoose' Gorman, 21, St Louis, 0-1 v. Marcus Maxx, 19, Huntingdon Beach, California, 0-0
Blurcat: Gorman via KO
Gorman: 3.09 UFN lost to Esteban Andres TKO R3
The official scores are: 30-27 (twice), 29-28 for Darrell Gorman.


Jesse Speed, 19, Elgin, Illinois, 0-0 v. 'Ace Of Clubs' Takenao Kawate, 20, Osaka, 0-0
Blurcat: Speed via submission
Kawate dominates the opener: we'll join at the start of the second round.

Round 2
Speed doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Kawate easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Kawate throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. Speed pushes Kawate up against the cage in a clinch. Speed throws a knee, then a couple of short punches to the side of the head. Kawate pushes him away and steps in to score with an uppercut. Speed took it flush on the chin and is rocked! Another right hand drops Speed against the cage, and Kawate follows up by unloading with a barrage of punches. The referee gets in and pulls Kawate away, he wins the match by TKO. Official time of the TKO is 1:43 of the second.

[AlexB]

'The Colonel' Noah Musch, 32, Stuttgart, Germany, 0-1 v. 'The Bullfrog' Justin Vegas, 20, Las Vegas, 0-0
Blurcat: Musch via KO
Musch: 3.09 UFN lost to Jack Punk decision

Round 1
The two fighters meet in the center with an exchange of jabs, but neither gets anything but gloves or air. They go right into a clinch, with only a few seconds of the match gone. Musch gets a knee to the ribs in, but it wasn't particularly hard. They break. Vegas hits a right hand above Musch's right eye, but gets clinched up before he can do anything further. Musch forces him back against the cage. They struggle, with Vegas keeping the takedown from happening by pulling away from every trip attempt. Musch pushes Vegas into the cage, then sweeps the legs quickly. Vegas couldn't get out of the way that time, and goes down. He pulls guard. Musch manages to push the guard apart, and leans over Vegas, trapping one leg underneath his body. Bad position for Vegas to be in, and Musch now starts throwing big lefts and rights. Vegas tries to deflect them away but quite a few are hitting home. Vegas tries to bring his free leg in to add some leverage, but Musch swats it aside and gets the full mount. More punches start raining down, and Vegas is left just covering up to try and weather the storm. It's no use though, as the barrage of punches without answer convince the referee to call a halt to the action. Musch wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 1:19.


'The Macho Man' Brian Wood, 20, London, 0-0 v. Neil 'Old School' Wain, 33, Doncaster, England, 4-2
Blurcat: Wood via devision
Wain: 3.09 UFN lost to Derek South decision
Brian Wood wins, with a score of 30-27 from two judges, 29-28 from the other.

Following defeat in the battle of Britain, Neil Wain is now an ex-UFC fighter.


'The Great Bear' Aleksander Ivanov, 20, Moscow, 0-0 v. 'Out Of Control' Jay Martinez, 19, Baltimore, 0-0
Blurcat: Ivanov via KO
All three judges give a score of 30-27 in favour of Aleksander Ivanov.

[AlexB]

'The Babyface Assassin' Josh Barnett, 31, Seattle, 26-6 v. Tim 'The Tower of Power' Boyer, 31, Toronto, 16-4-2
Blurcat: Boyer via TKO
Barnett: Belts Held: UFC HW: 2002, 0 defences
3.09 UFC5 (6) lost to Brock Lesnar TKO R3

Boyer: 3.09 UFN lost to Fabricio Werdum submission
Barnett gets a trip takedown and tries a couple of submissions that Boyer defends well. Nevertheless Barnett will win the round. At the very start of the second Boyer catches Barnett with a huge right hook that staggers the Babyface Assassin: although Barnett survives, he does not look as if he has shaken off the cobwebs even when getting off his stool for the final round...

And it shows, as Boyer dominates the last, winning 29-28 twice, and 30-27 from Tommy.


Jeff 'The Rock' Carlton, 31, Shreveport, Louisiana, 16-4 v. 'The Bulldog' Harry Milne, 33, Bolton, England, 20-7
Blurcat: Carlton via TKO
Carlton: Belts Held: GAMMA HW: 2005-6, 2 defences
3.09 UFC5 lost to Alistair Overeem decision

Milne: 3.09 UFC5 lost to Gabriel Gonzaga KO R1
carlton wins the opener, defending Milne's takedown and getting one of his own.

Round 2
Milne leads with the right hand to set up a low kick, Carlton deals with it well. They clinch, but only for a few seconds before it gets broken. Both throw stiff jabs at the same time, neither connects properly. Back to the clinch. It has been a disjointed start to the round, the flow hasn't quite developed properly. Carlton uses a knee to the ribs before backing Milne up against the cage. Right hand from Milne connects though, that was well timed. Carlton breaks the clinch and backs off. That was sloppy on his part, Milne was basically gifted a free shot. Three quick jabs from Carlton sting the gloves, then a crashing hook to the body finds its mark. Good recovery. Milne fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. They come together, both throwing punches. Carlton gets a nice clean shot in, and Milne stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Carlton is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Carlton wins via TKO at 4:46 of the second round.


Hiro Arai, 33, Kawasaki, Japan, 17-4 v. 'The Pitbull' Andrei Arlovski, 30, Minsk, Belarus, 14-6
Blurcat: Arai via KO
Arai: 3.09 UFC5 lost to Lefter Oktay KO R3

Arlovsky: Belts Held: UFC HW: 2005-6, 2 defences
3.09 UFC5 (5) lost to Minotauro (3) decision
Round 1
Tentative long range jabs from both fighters. Arai with a low sweeping kick, but it was telegraphed. Arlovski comes in quick but misses a kick. Arai with a straight right, another, but then walks right into a solid punch. That certainly connected, the crowd could clearly hear it. Arai backs up quickly, almost on instinct; his hands are down by his side, and he looks glassy eyed and unsteady on his feet. The referee quickly steps in and ends the fight, stopping Arlovski from following up. It'll go down as a TKO for Arlovski. As Arlovski celebrates, the doctor is quickly in to check on Arai. From the looks of things, he may have been dealt a concussion with that punch to the jaw, as he doesn't look like he knows where he is. Arlovski wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 0:16.

[AlexB]

HW Summary

UFC Heavyweight Championship
Hassan Fezzik, 26-0 (2) beat Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, 32-4-1 (1) by decision (Blurcat: Fezzik via KO)

Heavyweight Title Shot Eliminator
Gunnar Nilsson, 19-3 (5) beat Brock Lesnar, 4-1 (4) by decision (Blurcat: Nilsson via submission)

Lefter Oktay, 7-0 (9) beat Stratos Papaoiannou, 21-4 (10) by decision (Blurcat: Oktay via TKO)
Gabriel Gonzaga, 11-3 beat Alistair Overeem, 30-11 (7) by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Overeem via TKO)

Rick Stanley, 21-7-3 (6) beat Grzegorz Boniek, 14-4 by KO R2 (Blurcat: Stanley via KO)
Sergei Kharitonov, 17-3 beat Fabrizio Werdum, 12-4-1 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Kharitanov via TKO)
Raul Hughes, 13-0 beat Junior dos Santos, 8-1 by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Hughes via decision)
James Foster, 17-2 (3) beat Stafford Alois, 32, London, 19-7 by submission R1 (Blurcat: Foster via KO)

Jeff Carlton, 16-4 beat Harry Milne, 20-7 by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Carlton via TKO)
Kunimichi Kikuchi, 20-3 beat Tony McCall, 20-5 by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Kikuchi via KO)
Fedor Emelianenko, 28-2 beat Mirko Filipovic, 23-7-2 by KO R1 (Blurcat: Fedor via KO)
Andrei Arlovski, 14-6 beat Hiro Arai, 17-4 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Arai via KO)
Tim Boyer, 16-4-2 beat Josh Barnett, 26-6 by decision (Blurcat: Boyer via TKO)
Cheick Kongo, 12-5-1 beat Alexsander Emelianenko, 13-4 by decision (Blurcat: Emilianenko via TKO)
Robun Yamazaki, 17-7 beat Garry McSweegan, 12-3 by KO R1 (Blurcat: McSweegan via KO)
Randy Couture, 16-10 beat Ben Rothwell, 33-7 by decision (Blurcat: Couture via TKO)


UFC Jr Heavyweight Championship
Cain Velasquez, 5-0 beat Pat Barry, 4-0 by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Velasquez via decision)

Jr Heavyweight Title Shot Eliminator
Shane Gilchrist, 11-2 beat Antonio Silva, 11-1 by decision (Blurcat: Gilchrist via KO)

Derek South, 2-0 beat Icho Larenas, 5-4 by decision (Blurcat: South via decision)
Carl Seumanutafa, 5-1 beat Bryan Vetell, 4-3 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Seumanutafa via KO)

Jon Murphy, 4-3 beat Eli Joslin, 2-1 by decision (Blurcat: Joslin via split decision)
Esteban Andres, 1-0 beat Sean O'Haire, 3-3 by submission R1 (Blurcat: Andres via KO)
Jack Punk, 1-0 beat Soa Palelei, 8-2 by decision (Blurcat: Punk via KO)
George Bush, 5-1 beat Jefferson Silva, 3-2 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Silva via TKO)

Takenao Kawate, 0-0 beat Jesse Speed, 0-0 by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Speed via submission)
Noah Musch, 0-1 beat Justin Vegas, 0-0 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Musch via KO)
Darrell Gorman, 0-1 beat Marcus Maxx, 0-0 by decision (Blurcat: Gorman via KO)
Bo Cantrell, 10-11 beat Bill Naess, 0-0 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Cantrell via TKO)
Charlie Montoya, 0-0 beat Jamie Bagwell, 0-0 by KO R2 (Blurcat: Montoya via TKO)
Brian Wood, 0-0 beat Neil Wain, 4-2 by decision (Blurcat: Wood via devision)
Aleksander Ivanov, 0-0 beat Jay Martinez, 0-0 by decision (Blurcat: Ivanov via KO)
Julio Hill, 0-0 beat Analu Brash, 1-2 by submission R3 (Blurcat: Hill via split decision)<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[AlexB]

As always, updated heavyweight rankings are released immediately...

1. Hassan Fezzik 33 Turkey 27-0 (+1)
2. Gunnar Nilsson 32 Sweden 20-3 (+3)
3. Rick Stanley 35 USA 22-7-3 (+3)
4. James Foster 30 USA 18-2 (-1)
5. Lefter Oktay 30 Turkey 8-0 (+4)
6. Gabriel Gonzaga 30 Brazil 12-3 (NE)
7. Tim Sylvia 33 USA 25-5 (+1)
8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria 32 Brazil 32-5-1 (-7)
9. Sergei Kharitonov 29 Russia 18-3 (NE)
10. Fedor Emilianenko 32 Russia 29-2 (RE)

There were no major injuries to report, given the five months weight cycle.

[AlexB]

After a second full cycle, we have updated pound for pound rankings as well:

1. Miguel Torres 28 Mexico 37-1 (+2) WEC
2. Hassan Fezzik 33 Turkey 27-0 (-)
3. Anderson Silva 34 Brazil 25-4 (+1)
4. Gunnar Nilsson 32 Sweden 20-3 (NE)
5. Diego Sanchez 27 USA 27-2 (NE)
6. Go Yamamoto 31 Japan 15-1 (NE)
7. Rick Stanley 35 USA 22-7-3 (NE)
8. Jon Fitch 31 USA 19-3 (NE)
9. Forrest Griffin 29 USA 18-4 (-2)
10. Carlos Condit 25 USA 25-4 (NE)

[AlexB]

There will be a slight issue next the HWs roll around - Shane Gilchrist's win caused him to go from inexperienced to experienced, and as such he no longer qualifies for the developmental roster.

However, he is regarded more highly than some of the seniors, so he will get promoted and someone will lose their roster spot. We need to find a new challenger for Cain Velasquez.

[AlexB]

Two weeks after retiring, Randy Couture is re-inducted into the WMMA Hall of Fame. He finished win a decision win over Ben Rothwell to break a losing streak, and improved his final record to 17-10.

Since the reorganisation, The Natural only fought twice, losing to Rick Stanley by TKO in the first round of UFC5.

[AlexB]

And we're back to the middleweights, as round 3 begins...

Rankings before UFC 11, which are unchanged from after UFC6:

1. Anderson Silva 34 Brazil 25-4
2. Kazuo Misaki 33 Japan 23-8-2
3. Nate Marquardt 30 USA 29-8-2
4. Denis Kang 31 Canada 33-10-1
5. Yushin Okami 28 Japan 22-5
6. Tucker Plumm 30 England 15-7
7. Gegard Mousasi 24 Armenia 25-3-1
8. Haranobu Oshiro 26 Japan 11-2-1
9. Stuart Strange 26 USA 10-3
10. Jorge Hormazabal 28 Chile 14-5

[AlexB]

The draws for the third round have been made:

UFC Middleweight Championship
Anderson Silva, 25-4 (1) V. Kazuo Misaki, 23-8-2 (2) (Blurcat: Silva by TKO)

Middleweight Championship Eliminator
Nate Marquardt, 29-8-2 (3) v. Denis Kang, 33-10-1 (4) (Blurcat: Kang by submission)

Jorge Hormazabal, 14-5 (10) v. Tucker Plumm, 15-7 (6) (Blurcat: Hormazabal by submission)
Haranobu Oshiro, 11-2-1 (8) v. Stuart Strange, 10-3 (9) (Blurcat: Strange by TKO)

Yushin Okami, 22-5 (5) v. Jason Miller, 24-7 (Blurcat: Okami by TKO)
Matt Lindland, 22-6 v. Yoshihiro Akiyama, 13-2 (Blurcat: Lindland by TKO)
Dokouhtei Kuroki, 14-9 v. Benji Radach, 20-5 (Blurcat: Radach by TKO)
Jorge Santiago, 21-8 v. Robbie Lawler, 19-5 (Blurcat: Santiago by KO)

Nissen Osterneck, 6-2 v. Jerezo, 22-9 (Blurcat: Jerezo by TKO)
Gegard Mousasi, 25-3-1 (7) v. Thales Leites, 14-3 (Blurcat: Mousasi by TKO)
Andrew Rush, 13-1 v. Matthew Dean, 10-4 (Blurcat: Rush via KO)
Bixente Fontaine, 10-4 v. Paolo Filho, 17-2 (Blurcat: Filho by submission)
Frank Trigg, 18-7 v. Patrick Cote, 13-5 (Blurcat: Cote by KO)
Fernando Amaro, 16-4 v. Maarten de Vries, 13-6 (Blurcat: Amaro by TKO)
Mal Phe Roby, 10-3 v. Michael Bisping, 18-2 (Blurcat: Bisping by TKO)
Davis Spyrou, 12-5 v. Dan Halvorsen, 22-13-2 (Blurcat: Halvorsen by TKO)



UFC Jr Middleweight Title
Amir Sadollah, 3-0 v. Karl Amoussou, 8-1-1 (Blurcat: Sadollah by submission)

Jr Middleweight Title Shot Eliminator
Antonio Schembri, 5-4 v. Gerald Harris, 7-2 (Blurcat: Harris by TKO)

Tuck Durdell, 2-0 v. Adam White, 2-0 (Blurcat: White by TKO)
Lyman Good, 7-0 v. Brent Beauparlant, 8-5 (Blurcat: Good by KO)

Cale Yarbrough, 1-2 v. Seth Kleinbeck, 8-4 (Blurcat: Kleinbeck by KO)
Yoon Young Kim, 9-3 v. Rodrigo Gracie, 6-2-1 (Blurcat: Gracie by TKO)
Tyler Lass, 1-1 v. Leroy Thompson, 1-0 (Blurcat: Lass by decision)
Rousimar Palhares, 8-2 v. Eduardo Pamplona, 6-2 (Blurcat: Palhares by submission)

Fabio Leopoldo, 5-3 v. Vytautas Wozniak, 0-0 (Blurcat: Wozniak by TKO)
Ralph Kohl, 4-2 v. Crosley Gracie, 2-2 (Blurcat: Kohl by TKO)
Thiago Lima, 0-0 v. Brandon Sene, 2-3 (Blurcat: Lima by decision)
Cooper Richardson, 1-1 v. Nick Klein, 3-2 (Blurcat: Richardson by TKO)
Nick Catone, 5-2 v. Julio Halliwell, 0-0 (Blurcat: Catone by TKO)
Matheus Araujo, 0-0 v. Erik London, 0-0 (Blurcat: London by KO)
Moronobu Yasujiro, 0-0 v. Samuel Russo, 1-1 (Blurcat: Yasujiro by KO)
Eric Dartmouth, 0-0 v. Patrick Schultz, 5-1-1 (Blurcat: Dartmouth by TKO)

[AlexB]

First up it's UFN...

'Thunder & Lightning' Tyler Lass, 21, San Diego, 1-1 v. 'Alley Cat' Leroy Thompson, 19, Myrtle Beach, California, 1-0
Blurcat: Lass by decision
Lass: 4.09 UFN beat Nick Klein decision
12.08 UFN lost to Adam white TKO R2

Thompson: 4.09 UFN beat Cooper Richardson decision
Thompson wins the first round, and is pressing the action as we join the fight early in the second.
...Thompson fires off three straight jabs, none of which connect. Lass is forced up with his back against the cage though. He clearly doesn't like the thought of being trapped there for any length of time though, as he quickly comes forward with a barrage of wild punches. Thompson bobs and weaves to avoid them, but is literally bundled over in the process. There wasn't really any punch that put him down, it was simply the fact that Lass was advancing at a faster rate than he could back-pedal! Lass follows up with Thompson down on his back. Lass is firing off punches while kneeling across Thompson's upper body in a half-mount, and there's not a lot Thompson can do about it. He needs to get out of there, or at least pull guard, but can do neither as he can't get his hips free. Lass rains down the punches even faster, and Thompson is just getting pounded into oblivion; even though he managed to block three quarters of the shots coming in, that's still five or six good shots that have gotten through. Those five or six shots are enough for the referee at any rate, as he calls an end to the match, obviously feeling that Thompson was getting overwhelmed by that barrage. Official time of the TKO is 2:12 of the second.


'Snake Eater' Yoon Young Kim, 22, Seoul, 9-3 v. Rodrigo Gracie, 34, Rio de Janeiro, 6-2-1
Blurcat: Gracie by TKO
Gracie looks the superior fighter, and goes into the last round two up. The action starts with a minute and a half remaining.
...Kim fires off a low kick again, but it's well wide. Kim gets a quick takedown, and is in guard. He is trying to get past into a side mount, but Gracie is defending it well. Kim gets slightly off balance with another attempt, and Gracie capitalises by sweeping him and getting side control. Kim takes a hard shot to the mouth. And another. Kim tries to fight back, but Gracie gets the right arm and applies an armbar for the tap out victory. The official time is 4:30.


Cale Yarbrough, 22, Marietta, Georgia, 1-2 v. Seth 'Mass Destruction' Kleinbeck, 36, Stuttgart, Arkensas, 8-4
Blurcat: Kleinbeck by KO
Yarbrough: 4.09 UFN beat Nick Catone decision
12.08 UFN lost to Cooper Richardson TKO R3
Round 1
Kleinbeck moves in quickly to begin, trapping Yarbrough against the cage. Looks like a statement of intent, Kleinbeck is going to try and out-wrestle Yarbrough. Kleinbeck works for position, and tries to get in a hard shot to the face, Yarbrough turned out of it and got free though, no damage done. Kleinbeck comes in again, looking for the grapple, but gets sent back with a succession of three crisp jabs and a speculative high kick. Yarbrough misses an uppercut and is off balance, which allows Kleinbeck to get the takedown. Side mount. Kleinbeck is looking for an armbar, but Yarbrough is defending it well. Yarbrough gets a nice elbow in, that caught Kleinbeck by surprise. Kleinbeck fires off several elbows to the ribs, and Yarbrough is left gasping for air. Those were hard, there's a big red patch where they hit. Kleinbeck takes the left arm, Yarbrough couldn't defend it any longer. The armbar is applied, there's no way out. Kleinbeck wins by tap out. Kleinbeck wins via armbar submission at 2:37 of the first round.


Lyman Good, 23, New York, 7-0 v. Brent Beauparlant, 37, Montreal, 8-
Blurcat: Good by KO
Round 1
Beauparlant works an angle and comes in from the side of Good, getting two good jabs in before a ragged left misses by quite a margin. Good hits a low kick to back Beauparlant against the cage, then works the body with a series of short punches. Beauparlant fights out and the action returns to the center. Beauparlant forces Good back against the cage, where they clinch up. Beauparlant has the better position, all the leverage is with him. He uses that to lift Good up onto his shoulder, turns...and hits a running slam that gets the crowd going crazy! Big power takedown from Beauparlant. Good pulls guard, but he has to be stunned from that. Beauparlant tries to pass the guard. Good is holding it quite high, which is helping. Beauparlant throws a couple of loose punches, then grabs the legs and turns Good over. Good tries to scramble free, but Beauparlant is already on top of him and has his back! Beauparlant doesn't waste any time, he starts throwing bombs with both left and right fists, slamming them into the side of Good's head. He is trying to cover up, but a lot of shots are getting through. The referee is watching closely. A vicious right hand thunders into the ear of Good, then another to the side of the nose. That's all the referee wants to see, he pulls Beauparlant off. Beauparlant wins via first round TKO at 2:35.

[AlexB]

Jr Middleweight Title Shot Eliminator
Antonio 'Nino' Schembri, 35, Rio de Janeiro, 5-4 v. Gerald Harris, 29, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 7-2
Blurcat: Harris by TKO
The two fighters split the opening two rounds.
Round 3
Schembri doesn't waste any time and throws two jabs to the face, but Harris easily side-steps both and circles to the left. Harris throws a head fake, then comes in fast from an angle with a looping punch, but misses and takes a glancing shot to the shoulder from a left hand counter. They clinch, although it's an ugly-looking one. Schembri forces his way to the side, still grappling for supremacy, and then manages to get all the way behind. Harris gave up his back quite easily. Schembri takes Harris down with a variation on the suplex, but Harris keeps his wits and makes sure that he is able to pull guard pretty quickly upon landing. Schembri stands, and uses his arms to push Harris's guard apart. Leaning down between the legs, he starts throwing vicious punches. Harris tries to bring his legs back in to pull guard again, while simultaneously covering up, but he is having trouble; Schembri is using his body to keep the legs from coming in. More punches rain down, and Harris is starting to get really pounded. A big shot lands hard on the nose, then a left hand crunches into his cheek. The referee has seen enough and pulls Schembri away, signalling the end of this match. Official time of the TKO is 1:33 of the third.


'The Everlasting' Tuck Durdell, 19, Snow Lake, Manitoba, 2-0 v. Adam 'Hollywood' White, 21, Los Angeles, 2-0
Blurcat: White by TKO
Durdell: 4.09 UFN beat Brandon Sene decision
12.08 UFN beat Brandon Sene decision

White: 4.09 UFN beat Samuel Russo decision
12.08 UFN beat Tyler Lass TKO R2
Adam White will get the nod in the first: and we join the action midway through the second round:
White forces Durdell back against the cage, where they clinch up. White has the better position, all the leverage is with him. He uses that to lift Durdell up onto his shoulder, turns...and hits a running slam that gets the crowd going crazy! Big power takedown from White. Durdell pulls guard, but he has to be stunned from that. White tries to pass the guard. Durdell is holding it quite high, which is helping. White throws a couple of loose punches, then grabs the legs and turns Durdell over. Durdell tries to scramble free, but White is already on top of him and has his back! White doesn't waste any time, he starts throwing bombs with both left and right fists, slamming them into the side of Durdell's head. He is trying to cover up, but a lot of shots are getting through. The referee is watching closely. A vicious right hand thunders into the ear of Durdell, then another to the side of the nose. That's all the referee wants to see, he pulls White off. The official time of the TKO is 3:42 of round 2.


Frank 'Twinkle Toes' Trigg, 37, Rochester, New York, 18-7 v. Patrick 'The Predator' Cote, 29, Rimouski, Quebec, 13-5
Blurcat: Cote by KO
Trigg: Belts Held: ICON MW: 2006-7, 0 defences
4.09 injured
12.08 UFC1 (6) lost to Fernando Amaro (10) TKO R1

Cote: Belts Held: TKO MW: 2007-8, 0 defences
TKO LHW: 2003-inactive, 2 defences
4.09 injured
12.08 injured
Both fighters have missed time through injury, and both lost last time out - this is a fight between two guys desperately short of momentum.

Trigg takes the first, the highlight being another powerful slam - the theme for the night by the looks of it. Twinkle Toes has to withstand a barrage at the start of the second round, but gets a trip takedown and again dominates. Cote is looking rusty going into the final round, and needs to find a finish...

Round 3
Trigg makes Cote back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Trigg throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Cote lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Trigg by surprise, putting him down! Cote follows up and starts raining down right hands. Trigg covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Cote off, the match is over. Cote wins via TKO at 1:52 of the third round.

[AlexB]

'The Spartan' Davis Spyrou, 26, London, 12-5 v. Dan 'The Perfectionist' Halvorsen, 37, Chicago, 22-13-2
Blurcat: Halvorsen by TKO
Spyrou: 4.09 UFC6 lost to Jorge Hormazabal decision
12.08 UFC1 beat Greg Atteveld TKO R1

Halvorsen: Belts Held: GAMMA MW: 2005-6, 1 defence
4.09 UFN lost to Dokuohtei Kuroki TKO R3
12.08 UFN lost to Jorge Hormazabal TKO R1
Both fighters have lost to the Chilean Hormazabal, who is now ranked number 10. The Cockney performed better however, but Halvorsen is retiring no matter what after this fight, so will be pumped to try and go out on a high.

Round 1
Spyrou makes Halvorsen back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Spyrou throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Halvorsen lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Spyrou by surprise, putting him down! Halvorsen follows up and starts raining down right hands. Spyrou covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Halvorsen off, the match is over. Official time of the TKO is 1:41 of the first round.


UFC Jr Middleweight Title
Amir Sadollah, 29, Brooklyn, New York, 3-0 v. Karl 'Psycho' Amoussou, 23, Paris, France, 8-1-1
Blurcat: Sadollah by submission
Sadollah: Belts Held: UFC Jr MW: 2009-present, 0 defences
4.09 UFN beat Ralph Kohl submission R3
12.08 UFN beat Nick Catone TKO R2
The defending champ wins a scrappy first round, while the second is devoid of any inspiration and is tough to call. The third is more decisive, and Sadollah's superior striking sees him get the edge again.

We start our coverage in the fourth - not much has happened thus far in the first three minutes:
The referee finally does break them up, after nearly a full minute of inactivity. They come together, both throwing punches. Amoussou gets a nice clean shot in, and Sadollah stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. Amoussou is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. Official time of the TKO is 3:20 of the fourth round. Karl Amoussou is now the UFC Junior Middleweight champion.


Mal Phe Roby, 31, Sumatra, 10-3 v. Michael 'The Count' Bisping, 30, Clitheroe, England, 18-2
Blurcat: Bisping by TKO
Roby: 4.09 UFC6 lost to Denis Kang (6) TKO R2
12.08 UFC1 beat Yoshihiro Akiyama (9) decision

Bisping: Belts Held: C.Rage LHW: 2004, 1 defence
4.09 UFN lost to Jason Miller submission R3
4.09 TKO37 beat Jorge Rivera decision
Bisping gets the takedown in the opener, and although doesn;t really threaten a finish, he will get the judges' 10. In the second it's The Count's striking that is impressive: he knocks Roby to the floor, but again gets caught up in the guard: nevertheless he is likely to be 20-18 or maybe 20-17 up going into the last...

The last round is fought all on their feet - but it's not a great end to the night by anyone's standards: Bisping wins 30-27 from all three judges.

[AlexB]

The night could be costly: Karl Amoussou has a serious head injury that will likely keep him out of the next event, and Brent Beauparlant seems to have become too advanced for the development roster, but not good enough for the senior roster. This could leave us with no Title Challenger and only one eliminator contestant. We may well have to have an interim title fight between Antonio Schembri and Adam White...

However, that decision is four months away - next up is UFC11 - Anderson Silva v. Kazuo Misaki...

[AlexB]

Gegard 'Yerevan' Mousasi, 24, Yerevan, Armenia, 25-3-1 (7) v. Thales Leites, 27, Rio de Janeiro, 14-3
Blurcat: Mousasi by TKO
Mousasi: Belts Held: DREAM MW: 2008, 0 defences, vacated
4.09 UFC6 (2) lost to Anderson Silva (1) TKO R1
12.08 UFC1 (4) beat Thales Leites (5) TKO R2

Leites: 4.09 UFN lost to Benji Radach TKO R1
12.08 UFC1 (5) lost to Gegard Mousasi (4) TKO R2
Thales Leites is up against it here in our opener - he must win after two consecutive losses, and faces one of the men who has previusly beaten him, and was the toughest draw he could possibly have got.

Round 1
Leites moves in quickly to begin, trapping Mousasi against the cage. The advantage doesn't last long though, as Mousasi uses his superior wrestling ability to turn the tables and gain the upper hand. Knee to the thigh by Mousasi, then a solid punch to the shoulder. Leites tries to get a punch in, but Mousasi uses his grappling to gain a better position and put a stop to that. Leites squirms free and away from the cage. Mousasi makes Leites back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. Mousasi throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Leites lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches Mousasi by surprise, putting him down! Leites follows up and starts raining down right hands. Mousasi covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Leites off, the match is over. Leites wins via 1st round TKO with the official time being 2:59.

An element of revenge for the Brazilian, and he both survives and puts Mousasi on the edge next time out.


'The Warrior' Dokouhtei Kuroki, 36, Osaka, 14-9 v. Benji 'Razor' Radach, 30, Castle Rock, Washington, 20-5
Blurcat: Radach by TKO
Kuroki: Belts Held: ALPHA MW: 2006, 1 defence
4.09 UFN beat Dan Halvorsen TKO R3
12.08 UFN lost to Jerezo decision

Radach: 4.09 UFN beat Thales Leites TKO R1
12.08 UFC1 lost to Tucker Plumm decision
Radach's strikinh is the key in the first, but Kuroki gets the takedown in the second, and dominates from there to even up the fight. All up for grabs in the third and final round...

And it is complete domination from The Warrior that sees him get a 29-27 decision from all three judges.


'The Demon from Derbyshire' Andrew Rush, 27, Derbyshire, England, 13-1 v. 'The Anarchist' Matthew Dean, 27, San Jose, 10-4
Blurcat: Rush via KO
Rush: Belts Held: BCF MW: 2008, 1 defence, vacated
4.09 UFC6 (10) lost to Nate Marquardt (3) submission R3
12.08 UFC1 beat Maarten de Vries KO R2

Dean: Belts Held: ALHPA MW: 2008, 1 defence, vacated
4.09 UFC6 lost to Yoshihiro Akiyama TKO R1
12.08 UFC1 lost to Bixente Fontaine decision
The Anarchist is the next man fighting for his roster spot - both men gave up their belts to join the new UFC, but it is Rush that has looked the better fighter in the two previous MW rounds.

Round 1
Right hand from Dean was thrown with power, but bounced off the gloves of Rush. Dean follows up by coming in close, but Rush is ready with a straight right hand that glances off the side of the head. Rush ducks under a right hand and clinches. Dean bounces a right hand off Rush's shoulder. They break apart, but are still very close to each other. Dean hits a kick to the thigh, but at the same moment Rush throws a huge punch with all of his weight behind it. It lands hard, crunching into Dean's jaw. It was a 'hit and hope' moment, but it worked, Dean goes down like a ton of bricks, he is out cold. Rush wins via knock out at 1:47 of the first round.

Wow! What a way to send someone packing. Andrew Rush rebounds with a bang.

[AlexB]

Matt 'The Law' Lindland, 39, Oregon City, 22-6 v. Yoshihiro Akiyama, 34, Osaka, 13-2
Blurcat: Lindland by TKO
Lindland: 4.09 UFC6 beat Maarten de Vries TKO R1
12.08 UFC1 lost to Nate Marquardt (7) KO R3

Akiyama: 4.09 UFC6 beat Matthew Dean TKO R1
12.08 UFC1 (9) lost to Mal Phe Roby decision
Quirkily, before tonight Lindland had the exact same results as Andrew Rush: a defeat to Nate Marquardt, and a victory over Maarten de Vries. Can he follow the Englishman's lead and move to 2-1 in the new UFC?

The first two rounds are not great viewing - Akiyama stifles Lindland throughout and does enough to get each round. And the third is exactly the same - I think this was the most boring fight we have had since the unification process. Akiyama 'wins' 30-27 on all three cards.


Bixente Fontaine, 26, Paris, France, 10-4 v. Paolo Filho, 31, Rio de Janeiro, 17-2
Blurcat: Filho by submission
Fontaine: 4.09 UFC6 lost to Stuart Strange decision
12.08 UFC1 beat Matthew Dean decision

Filho: Belts Held: WEC MW: 2007-8, 1 defence, Vacated
4.09 UFC6 lost to Yoshihiro Oshiro decision
12.08 UFN beat Jason Miller submission R2
Striker v. submission specialist, and it's the French striker who dictates the course of the fight in the first two rounds. Filho has to get the fight to the floor to get the W...

Filho tries and he tries again, but Fontaine sprawls superbly and often before again dominating the stand up: all three judges score the fight 30-27 in his favour.


Nissen Osterneck, 29, Hawaii, 6-2 v. Jerezo, 24, Brasilia, 22-9
Blurcat: Jerezo by TKO
Osterneck: 4.09 UFN lost to Jorge Santiago TKO R3
3.09 WEC39 beat Rob Kimmons submission R2

Jerezo: Belts Held: ALPHA MW: 2008, 0 defences
4.09 UFC6 lost to Tucker Plumm TKO R1
12.08 UFN beat Dokhuotei Kuroki decision
Counter striking wins the opening round for the Brazilian, and also the second. Just to prove his dominance, Jerezo gets the takedown in the third, and wins a unanimous 30-27 verdict.

[AlexB]

Yushin Okami, 28, Kanagawa, Japan, 22-5 (5) v. Jason 'Mayhem' Miller, 28, Las Vegas, 24-7
Blurcat: Okami by TKO
Okami: 4.09 UFC6 beat Martin Kampmann decision
12.08 UFC1 (2) lost to Anderson Silva (1) decision

Miller: Belts Held: ICON MW: 2006, 0 defences
4.09 UFN beat Michael Bisping submission R3
12.08 UFN lost to Paulo Filho submission R2
Okami takes the fight to the floor in the first, and will definitely have been given the round by the judges...

Round 2
Two jabs from the left hand of Okami set up a hard waist-high kick, but Mayhem steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Okami moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Mayhem uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Okami finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Mayhem is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Mayhem clinches with Okami. A quick trip sends Okami falling backward, pulling guard to take Mayhem down with him. Mayhem manages to push the guard apart, and leans over Okami, trapping one leg underneath his body. Bad position for Okami to be in, and Mayhem now starts throwing big lefts and rights. Okami tries to deflect them away but quite a few are hitting home. Okami tries to bring his free leg in to add some leverage, but Mayhem swats it aside and gets the full mount. More punches start raining down, and Okami is left just covering up to try and weather the storm. It's no use though, as the barrage of punches without answer convince the referee to call a halt to the action. Official time of the TKO is 2:40 of the second round.

Something of a surprise: Jason Miller beats one of the top fighters in the middleweight division.


Jorge Santiago, 28, Rio de Janeiro, 21-8 v. 'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler, 27, San Diego, 19-5
Blurcat: Santiago by KO
Santiago: 4.09 UFN beat Nissan Osterneck TKO R3
12.08 UFC1 lost to Kazuo Misaki (8) TKO R1

Lawler: Belts Held: ICON MW: 2005-6, 1 defence
ICON MW: 2007-8, 0 defences, Vacated
EliteXC MW: 2007-8, 1 defence, vacated
4.09 UFC6 beat Carl Ratcliffe TKO R2
12.08 UFC1 (3) lost to Denis Kang submission R3
Lawler is not a great ground fighter, and Santiago shows up these flaws in the first by getting two takedowns. However the second is fought entirely standing, and Ruthless Robbie evens the score. Who will impose their style on the fight in the last round?

Round 3
Lawler hits a jab. Santiago responds with a huge kick that takes out Lawler's legs, sending him crashing awkwardly to the ground. Santiago gives on top of him and fires off a barrage of punches. Lawler tries to cover up, but he is getting obliterated by the sheer number of punches coming down. The referee pulls Santiago off, it's over! The official time of the TKO is 1:45 of round 3.


Jorge Hormazabal, 28, Santiago, Chile, 14-5 (10) v. 'Quiet Riot' Tucker Plumm, 30, London, 15-7 (6)
Blurcat: Hormazabal by submission
Hormazabal: Belts Held: ALPHA MW: 2006-8, 3 defences
4.09 UFC6 beat Davis Spyrou decision
12.08 UFN beat Dan Halvorsen TKO R1

Plumm: Belts Held: BCF LW: 2008, 0 defences
4.09 UFC6 beat Jerezo (9) TKO R1
12.08 UFC1 beat Benji Radach decision
Hormazabal probably edges the opener through a little bit more aggression, although it is very tight. It's a similar story in the second, and Tucker Plumm's surprise run could be coming to an end...

Plumm does turn the fight around in the last, but not to the extent of forcing a stoppage: Hormazabal wins 29-28 on all three cards, and advances to the Title Shot eliminator, where he will meet the winner of the next bout.

[AlexB]

Haranobu Oshiro, 26, Hiroshima, 11-2-1 (8) v. 'Superstar' Stuart Strange, 26, Durham, North Carolina, 10-3 (9)
Blurcat: Strange by TKO
Oshiro: 4.09 UFC6 beat Paulo Filho decision
12.08 UFN beat Carl Ratcliffe decision

Strange: 4.09 UFC6 beat Bixente Fontaine decision
12.08 UFC1 beat Martin Kampmann decision
Two stale rounds will probably be split one each between the fighter, so we have a single round fight off for the right to face Hormazabal...

And it the Japanese fighter who gets the better of the 'Superstar', showing a much superior techincal striking game, and he also gets three 29-28 decisions.


Middlewight Championship Eliminator
Nate 'The Great' Marquardt, 30, Lander, Wyoming, 29-8-2 (3) v. Denis Kang, 31, Saint Pierre & Michelon, 33-10-1 (4)
Blurcat: Kang by submission
Marquardt: 4.09 UFC6 (3) beat Andrew Rush (10) submission R3
12.08 UFC1 (7) beat Matt Lindland KO R3

Kang: 4.09 UFC6 (6) beat Mal Phe Roby TKO R2
12.08 UFC1 beat Robbie Lawler (3) submission R3
The Canadian gets the better of the first by quickness of hand and foot, and is clearly frustrating Marquardt. Nate shoots early in the second, but not only does Kang defend the takedown attempt, but he also returns with a successful takedown of his own. Marquardt is beginning to look overmatched here...

And so it proves - Kang knows he is winning, and simply keeps Marquardt at arms length to grind out the round and a unanimous 30-27 decision. A very impressive performance from Kang, and he will get his shot at the title next time out.


UFC Middleweight Championship
Anderson 'The Spider' Silva, 34, Curitaba, Brazil, 25-4 (1) V. 'Grabaka Hitman' Kazuo Misaki, 33, Chiba, Japan, 23-8-2 (2)
Blurcat: Silva by TKO
Silva: Belts Held: UFC MW: 2006-present, 6 defences
4.09 UFC6 (1) beat Gegard Mousasi (2) TKO R1
12.08 UFC1 (1) beat Yushin OKami (2) decision

Misaki: 4.09 UFC6 (4) beat Fernando Amari (5) KO R2
12.08 UFC1 (8) beat Jorge Santiago TKO R1
Not much happens in the first round, but what does occur is from the defending champion. The second is livelier, as the challenger presses the action, but only succeeds in letting Silva demonstrate his excellent counter-punching, and Spider is two rounds up.

The third sees another change in tack from Silva, as this time he kicks Misaki almost into oblivion - all we need is a takedown in the fourth and submission in the fifth, and this will be one of the most rounded performances you will ever see.

Maybe that was too hopeful - the fourth round was very 'tactical' - Silva was the more aggressive and will probably get the decision again. Whatever the scoring there, one thing that is for sure is that the Grabaka Hitman needs a stoppage in the last round in order to rip the title away from the champion...

But unfortunately it seems that Silva is just too good, and he puts on an exhibition of technical striking and counter-striking to seal the deal. The scores come in 50-44 twice and 49-45 from the third judge, all in favour of Anderson Silva. Will Denis Kang be able to offer more of a challenge?

[AlexB]

Finally we round the middleweights off with the PenUltimate Fight Night

Thiago 'Midas' Lima, 22, Torrance, California, 0-0 v. Brandon 'Sweet Dreams' Sene, 28, Bozeman, Montana, 2-3
Blurcat: Lima by decision
Sene: 4.09 UFN lost to Tuck Durdell decision
12.08 UFN lost to Tuck Durdell decision
Round 1
Sene throws two high punches, then steps in for a hook to the body. Nice combination, but Lima defended with ease. They clinch up next to the cage, but a short struggle only ends with them separating and coming back in. Lima misses with a right hand, and leaves himself open to a left hook. Lima goes down, although replays confirm that it was a stumble, Sene was a few inches away from connecting with that left. Sene tries to quickly mount Lima to capitalise, but doesn't get there in time, Lima is already half way back up. They enagage in a fairly ragged scramble for supremacy and Lima slips out and gets his back! Sene turtles up, and takes a few heavy shots to the ribs. Lima gets his legs around Sene and uses them to roll him over. Exposed, Sene tries to turn so that he is on top, but Lima has already rammed one arm around his throat and has a tight choke-hold applied. Sene is in big trouble, and obviously can't see a way out as he taps out pretty quickly. Lima wins via first round rear choke submission at 1:23.

And we start the night off with a rookie sending Sweet Dreams off in the fight and in his UFC career...


'Made in Germany' Ralph Kohl, 25, Hamburg, 4-2 v. Crosley Gracie, 30, Rio de Janeiro, 2-2
Blurcat: Kohl by TKO
Kohl: 4.09 UFN lost to Amir Sadollah submission R3
Round 1
Two jabs from the left hand of Kohl set up a hard waist-high kick, but Gracie steps back to avoid it. Nice attempt though. Kohl moves in closer, bobbing and weaving, and looks to score with a looping right hand, but Gracie uses the gloves to parry it away, then counter-strikes with a crisp jab and a kick to the knee. Good opening to the round, both fighters are looking lively. Kohl finds himself backed up against the cage briefly, and has to scramble to safety to avoid a flurry of strikes. Gracie is working for position, and is currently looking the more composed of the two. Kohl misses an uppercut and is off balance, which allows Gracie to get the takedown. Side mount. Gracie is looking for an armbar, but Kohl is defending it well. Kohl gets a nice elbow in, that caught Gracie by surprise. Gracie fires off several elbows to the ribs, and Kohl is left gasping for air. Those were hard, there's a big red patch where they hit. Gracie takes the left arm, Kohl couldn't defend it any longer. The armbar is applied, there's no way out. Gracie wins by tap out. Gracie wins via 1st round armbar submission with the official time being 2:23.

A Gracie submission - who'd a thunk it! Crosley keeps his roster spot with a convincing victory.


Fabio Leopoldo, 32, Sao Paulo, 5-3 v. Vytautas 'Silent But Deadly' Wozniak, 19, Bettendorf, Iowa, 0-0
Blurcat: Wozniak by TKO
All three judges give a score of 30-27 to Vytautas Wozniak, and Leopoldo's American sojourn is a brief one.


Matheus Araujo, 21, Rio de Janeiro, 0-0 v. 'Daredevil' Erik London, 21, Widnes, England, 0-0
Blurcat: London by KO
London wins the first round through more aggressive striking. We join the action early in the second round.
...London comes in again, looking for the grapple, but gets sent back with a succession of three crisp jabs and a speculative high kick. London makes Araújo back up against the cage by throwing some looping punches. He comes in closer and hits a right hook to the body, getting a jab to the cheek in return. London throws another two punches, both to the body, then steps back to avoid an uppercut. Araújo lets fly with a scorching punch though, and it catches London by surprise, putting him down! Araújo follows up and starts raining down right hands. London covers up as best he can, but it's not enough as the referee pulls Araújo off, the match is over. Official time of the TKO is 2:41 of the second round.

[AlexB]

Rousimar 'Toquinho' Palhares, 29, Rio de Janeiro, 8-2 v. Eduardo Pamplona, 36, Sao Paulo, 6-2
Blurcat: Palhares by submission
After Palhares edges a tame opening round, we start our feed a minute into the second.
...Pamplona throws a right hand, narrowly missing. Toquinho almost seems to be inviting him on to throw punches, he could be trying to lure him into over-committing. Pamplona throws a jab that connects, albeit without much power, but it causes Toquinho to back up quickly, back toward the cage. Pamplona comes in quickly, throwing looping punches, but gets reckless and Toquinho grabs the opportunity by nailing a big right cross! Pamplona collapses in a heap, his left leg buckling underneath him in at an awkward angle. Toquinho has knocked him out cold with a killer punch. The official time is 1:55.


'Relentless' Eric Dartmouth, 20, Port St Lucie, Florida, 0-0 v. Patrick Schultz, 33, Wareham, Massachusetts, 5-1-1
Blurcat: Dartmouth by TKO
All three judges give a score of 30-27 to Eric Dartmouth.


Nick Catone, 28, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, 5-2 v. Julio 'The Animal' Halliwell, 20, San Jose, California, 0-0
Blurcat: Catone by TKO
Catone: 4.09 UFN lost to Cale Yarbrough decision
12.08 UFN lost to Amir Sadollah TKO R2
Julio Halliwell wins, with a score of 30-27 from two judges, 29-28 from the other, and send Nick Catone off the squad.

[AlexB]

'Super Cooper' Cooper Richardson, 25, Chicago, 1-1 v. Nick Klein, 25, Sun Prairie, 3-2
Blurcat: Richardson by TKO
Richardson: 4.09 UFN lost to Leroy Thompson decision
12.08 UFN beat Cale Yarbrough TKO R3

Klein: 4.09 UFN lost to Tyler Lass decision
12.08 UFN lost to Bristol Marunde KO R5
Richardson is clearly winning the fight going into the last - we begin early in the last, as Klein fights for his roster position.
...Klein aims high with a right hand, then storms in for the takedown. Richardson sprawls to stop it, and succeeds, but does get driven all the way back against the cage. Klein has one leg trapped, but is having trouble completing the takedown. The referee warns Richardson not to grab the cage. Klein improves his stance, and that gives him the added leverage to power Richardson to the ground. They're up against the cage though, which will work to Richardson's advantage. Klein moves from the guard and gets side control. He is trying for the mount, but Richardson is defending it. There's a small lull as Klein continues to try and get the mount. There it is, Richardson finally couldn't stop it. Klein starts firing off punches, and Richardson has nowhere to go. A big elbow gets through. A right hand lands on the nose of Richardson. The referee is watching intently, I don't think he's going to let this go much longer unless Richardson can come up with some answers. Klein hits another big elbow. And another. The referee leaps in, it's over! The official time of the TKO is 1:39 of round 3.

Fantastic heart from Nick Klein - he will stick around for a bit longer yet.


Moronobu 'Alley Cat' Yasujiro, 20 ,Aomori, Japan, 0-0 v. Samuel 'The Animal' Russo, 22, Huntsville, Ontario, 1-1
Blurcat: Yasujiro by KO
Russo: 4.09 UFN lost to Adam White decision
12.08 UFN beat Rob Yundt decision
The three judges all give the match as 30-27 to Samuel Russo.


Fernando Amaro, 31, Madrid, 16-4 v. Maarten 'The Executioner' de Vries, 29, Amsterdam, 13-6
Blurcat: Amaro by TKO
Amaro: Belts Held: GAMMA MW: 2006-7, 2 defences
4.09 UFC6 (5) lost to Kazuo Misaki (4) KO R2
12.08 UFC1 (10) beat Frank Trigg (6) TKO R1

de Vries: Belts Held: GAMMA MW: 2007-8, 2 defences
4.09 UFC6 lost to Matt Lindland TKO R1
12.08 UFC 1 lost to Andrew Rush KO R2
We finish off with former contender Fernando Amaro trying to get back on track against the disappointing Maarten de Vries. de Vries was expected to be a challenger in the new UFC, but has lost twice and if he makes it the hattrick, he will be out.

Round 1
They come together, both throwing punches. De Vries gets a nice clean shot in, and Amaro stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. De Vries is on top of him quickly, and unloads with two more big punches, both connect solidly. The referee jumps in and pulls him away before a third is thrown, this match is over by TKO. Replays show the referee may have been slightly early. The official time of the TKO is 0:40 of round 1.

That's better - more like the fighter we expected to see!

[AlexB]

UFC Middleweight Championship
Anderson Silva, 25-4 (1) beat Kazuo Misaki, 23-8-2 (2) by decision (Blurcat: Silva by TKO)

Middleweight Championship Eliminator
Denis Kang, 33-10-1 (4) beat Nate Marquardt, 29-8-2 (3) by decision (Blurcat: Kang by submission)

Jorge Hormazabal, 14-5 (10) beat Tucker Plumm, 15-7 (6) by decision (Blurcat: Hormazabal by submission)
Haranobu Oshiro, 11-2-1 (8) beat Stuart Strange, 10-3 (9) by decision (Blurcat: Strange by TKO)

Jason Miller, 24-7 beat Yushin Okami, 22-5 (5) by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Okami by TKO)
Yoshihiro Akiyama, 13-2 beat Matt Lindland, 22-6 by decision (Blurcat: Lindland by TKO)
Dokouhtei Kuroki, 14-9 beat Benji Radach, 20-5 by decision (Blurcat: Radach by TKO)
Jorge Santiago, 21-8 beat Robbie Lawler, 19-5 by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Santiago by KO)

Jerezo, 22-9 beat Nissen Osterneck, 6-2 by decision (Blurcat: Jerezo by TKO)
Thales Leites, 14-3 beat Gegard Mousasi, 25-3-1 (7) by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Mousasi by TKO)
Andrew Rush, 13-1 beat Matthew Dean, 10-4 by KO R1 (Blurcat: Rush via KO)
Bixente Fontaine, 10-4 beat Paolo Filho, 17-2 by decision (Blurcat: Filho by submission)
Patrick Cote, 13-5 beat Frank Trigg, 18-7 by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Cote by KO)
Maarten de Vries, 13-6 beat Fernando Amaro, 16-4 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Amaro by TKO)
Michael Bisping, 18-2 beat Mal Phe Roby, 10-3 by decision (Blurcat: Bisping by TKO)
Dan Halvorsen, 22-13-2 beat Davis Spyrou, 12-5 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Halvorsen by TKO)



UFC Jr Middleweight Title
Karl Amoussou, 8-1-1 beat Amir Sadollah, 3-0 TKO R4 (Blurcat: Sadollah by submission)

Jr Middleweight Title Shot Eliminator
Antonio Schembri, 5-4 beat Gerald Harris, 7-2 by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Harris by TKO)

Adam White, 2-0 beat Tuck Durdell, 2-0 by TKO R2 (Blurcat: White by TKO)
Brent Beauparlant, 8-5 beat Lyman Good, 7-0 by TKO R1 (Blurcat: Good by KO)

Seth Kleinbeck, 8-4 beat Cale Yarbrough, 1-2 by submission R1 (Blurcat: Kleinbeck by KO)
Rodrigo Gracie, 6-2-1 beat Yoon Young Kim, 9-3 by submission R3 (Blurcat: Gracie by TKO)
Tyler Lass, 1-1 beat Leroy Thompson, 1-0 by TKO R2 (Blurcat: Lass by decision)
Rousimar Palhares, 8-2 beat Eduardo Pamplona, 6-2 by KO R2 (Blurcat: Palhares by submission)

Vytautas Wozniak, 0-0 beat Fabio Leopoldo, 5-3 by decision (Blurcat: Wozniak by TKO)
Crosley Gracie, 2-2 beat Ralph Kohl, 4-2 by submission R1 (Blurcat: Kohl by TKO)
Thiago Lima, 0-0 beat Brandon Sene, 2-3 by submission R3 (Blurcat: Lima by decision)
Nick Klein, 3-2 beat Cooper Richardson, 1-1 by TKO R3 (Blurcat: Richardson by TKO)
Julio Halliwell, 0-0 beat Nick Catone, 5-2 by decision (Blurcat: Catone by TKO)
Matheus Araujo, 0-0 beat Erik London, 0-0 by TKO R2 (Blurcat: London by KO)
Samuel Russo, 1-1 beat Moronobu Yasujiro, 0-0 by decision (Blurcat: Yasujiro by KO)
Eric Dartmouth, 0-0 beat Patrick Schultz, 5-1-1 by decision (Blurcat: Dartmouth by TKO)<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[AlexB]

The updated rankings after UFC11 are as follows:

1. Anderson Silva 34 Brazil 26-4 (-)
2. Denis Kang 31 Canada 34-10-1 (+2)
3. Jorge Hormazabal 28 Chile 15-5 (+6)
4. Kazuo Misaki 33 Japan 23-9-2 (-2)
5. Haranobu Oshiro 26 Japan 12-2-1 (+3)
6. Nate Marquardt 30 USA 29-9-2 (-3)
7. Jorge Santiago 28 Brazil 22-8 (NE)
8. Patrick Cote 29 Canada 14-5 (NE)
9. Jason Miller 28 USA 25-7 (NE)
10. Yoshihiro Akiyama 34 Japan 14-2 (RE)

[AlexB]

Dan Halvorsen becomes the latest inductee into the Hall of Fame - he was the very first GAMMA middleweight champion, holding the crown November 2005-June 2006, which included one successful defence.

However this is a controversial choice for the HOF - the title was won on a split decision victory over Jerezo, and lost by unanimous decision to Fernando Amaro.

Since then Halvorsen has lost in the new UFC to rising star Jorge Hormazabal and veteran Dokuohtei Kuroki, before signing off with a victory over Davis Spyrou.

His final record was 23-13-2, but he will continue to play a role in WMMA - his Halvorsen camp is one of the best, and includes the likes of James Foster, Jack Humphreys, Jackson Gray, Lenny McFadden and Sean Morrison. Recently they pulled off something of a coup, but enticing Carlos Condit, victor over GSP, to leave Arizona Combat Sports to join Halvorsen's.

[AlexB]

Mal Phe Roby follows the lead of Carl Ratclifffe by dropping down from middleweight to welterweight after two stright losses. Clearly the Sumatran hopes that his larger natural size at welterweight will help him get the win he needs to stay on the UFC roster. Time will tell...