Junior dos Santos vs. Roy Nelson (HW)

Round 1: Nelson takes the center of the Octagon, holding his hands high.  Nelson’s advances while covering up; Dos Santos lands a body shot and Nelson shoots in for a takedown.  Dos Santos sprawls and they clinch agains the cage.  Dos Santos breaks up the clinch, landing a knee as they separate.  Dos Santos rocks Nelson with an uppercut.  Nelson goes down to his knees and looks for a single-leg takedown.  Junior backs off then blasts Nelson with another uppercut.  Nelson falls down but survives and keeps trying for takedowns.  Dos Santos patiently landing punches.  Nelson recovers and starts throwing back, landing several hooks and overhand rights towards the end of the round.  Round 10-9 dos Santos

Round 2: Dos Santos leads with a jumping knee to the body.  Nelson responds with an overhand punch that lands, then rushes in for a takedown but dos Santos blocks it.  Dos Santos keeps firing off shots; Nelson covering up and swinging back.  Nelson lands several punches that open up a cut underneath Junior’s eye.  Both fighters slowing down.  Dos Santos tries a half-hearted takedown attempt of his own but does not succeed.  Nelson keeps alternating strikes with double-leg and single-leg shots but Junior’s takedown defence is flawless.  Much closer than first round but dos Santos still outstriking Nelson by a large margin.  Round 10-9 dos Santos

Round 3: The fighters go right back to trading, though neither has much snap to their punches in the final round. Nelson’s defense blocks most of Junior’s punches but an occasional uppercut and body shots come through.  Dos Santos lands a slapping front kick to the head.  Nelson finds his target with a few big punches but Santos appears unfazed.  Dos Santos shoots for a takedown and scores; Nelson right back up.  Nelson is hanging in there, he looks very tired but is still looking for a knockout punch.  The time runs out and the fighters embrace.  Good fight and a clear-cut victory for dos Santos.  Round 10-9 dos Santos

Junior dos Santos wins a unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27, 30-27, 30-26

Aftermath: Both fighters looked good in an enterntaining fight.  Dos Santos showed great takedown defense and solid as usual striking, improving his UFC record to 6-0 and earning a title shot in process.  He will now face the winner of the upcoming title bout between Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez.

Roy Nelson’s striking and takedowns both fell short of the mark, but he demonstrated that his chin – and his heart – match the size of his belly.  He may never be in the title picture but at the very least will make a great gatekeeper. His next fight should be against Mike Russow, or a rematch with his former IFL rival Ben Rothwell.

Ranking Impact: Junior dos Santos remains #5 HW.  Roy Nelson remains #26 HW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Matt Hughes vs. Ricardo Almeida (170 lbs)

Round 1: The fighters circle and feel each other out. Almeida jabs and kicks.  Hughes not active early.  They clinch briefly with neither man getting an advantage, then break up and exchange low kicks.  They trade hands and Hughes connects with a left hook that makes Almeida stagger backwards and fall.  Hughes rushes his opponent and locks in a choke from the front headlock position.  Hughes adjusts his hold and Almeida slumps over unconscious.  Amazing win for Hughes, earning him the Submission of the Night award.

Aftermath: Can you teach an old country boy new tricks?  Apparently you can.  Fans jokingly nicknamed Matt ‘Kru Hughes’ after he finished Renzo Gracie with strikes at UFC 112.  This time, Hughes showed that his improved striking is something to be taken seriously, then finished an elite grappler with a choke that even Joe Rogan couldn’t put a name to.   With eighteen wins, Hughes solidifies his standing as the winningest fighter in the UFC and extends his current streak to three victories.  While a fourth matchup with Georges St. Pierre would be a hard sell, but if Josh Koscheck or Jon Fitch were to take the title, Hughes could quickly find himself back in contention.  For now, he will take the rest of 2010 off and wait for the title picture to clear up.

Ricardo Almeida becomes the latest Gracie affiliate to fall prey to Hughes, and finds himself out of the welterweight Top 20.  His next matchup should come against a mid-level fighter such as Chris Lytle.

Ranking Impact: Matt Hughes rises 4 spots to #5 WW.  Ricardo Almeida falls 11 spots to #21 WW.

Fight Grade: 5/5

Clay Guida vs. Rafael dos Anjos (155 lbs)

Round 1: Both fighters are quick on their feet, exchanging kicks to start the bout.  Guida lands a high kick.  Dos Anjos with a big leg kick and combinations of punches. Dos Anjos goes for a takedown but Guida defends and looks for a takedown of his own.  The action slows down in clinch.  Dos Anjos lands a knee then separates.  Back to trading strikes and dos Anjos is scoring with kicks then takes Guida down.  Guida gets back to his feet quickly.   Round 10-9 dos Anjos

Round 2: Guida attacks first.  Guida bouncing around throwing strikes but nothing serious connects.  Dos Anjos attempts a takedown.  High output from both fighters but nothing significant landing – they are mostly dancing around.  Guida gets a takedown and is working to pass guard, but gets stuck in half-guard.  They trade elbows on the ground.   Round 10-9 Guida

Round 3: Guida rushes in with a flurry of punches, using his attack to set up a big slam takedown.  Guida working for an arm triangle choke from half guard.  Dos Anjos taps though the choke doesn’t look to be locked in.  Dos Anjos complains of a broken jaw – apparently injured in the first round, and Rafael tapped out because of the pain from the injury.

Aftermath: This was a strong win for Guida, who claimed after the fight that he is refocused and headed for the title.  A fight with Takanori Gomi could be a step in the right direction.  Rafael dos Anjos’ three-win streak is snapped, knocking him down into the bottom half of the division.  He should next take on Mark Bocek.

Ranking Impact: Clay Guida rises 12 spots to #13 LW.  Rafael dos Anjos falls 17 spots to #56 LW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Stefan Struve vs. Christian Morecraft (HW)

Round 1: After an early exchange, Morecraft trips Struve from clinch and lands in side control.  Morecraft looks for an arm triangle.  Struve escapes, regains guard and attempts a triangle choke.  Morecraft avoids the hold and bombs away on Struve’s face.  Struve is taking a lot of damage but still attempting submissions from the bottom, though he keeps getting pounded.  Struve is finally able to scramble out of the bad position but gets caught in a guillotine as the round ends.  Round 10-8 Morecraft

Round 2: Struve’s bottom lip is shredded and badly swollen.  They immediately start trading punches and Struve drops Morecraft with a right.  Struve follows his opponent to the ground and lands a series of punches from the top until the referee steps in to stop the bout.  What a comeback!

Aftermath: Struve survives a beating and delivers another exciting fight, earning the Knockout of the Night award.  A good next opponent for him would be Brendan Schaub.  Christian Morecraft loses his UFC debut but did enough to earn another fight in the organization.

Ranking Impact: Stefan Struve moves up 8 spots to #36 HW.  Christian Morecraft falls 42 spots to #130 HW.

Fight Grade: 5/5

Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves (catchweight of 171.5 lbs)

Round 1: After an initial exchange, Fitch times a kick by Alves and uses it to score his first takedown.  Fitch has Thiago’s back and a single hook in.  Alves stands but Fitch follows him, still holding on to his back, and drags him back down.  Alves sweeps and is now in Fitch’s guard.  Alves not able to do anything from the top so he stands and looks to strike.  Fitch tries for another takedown, Alves defends at first but Fitch trips him to the canvas as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Fitch

Round 2: Alves looking to strike but gets taken down quickly.  He grabs a guillotine on the way down but Fitch easily defends.  Alves struggles to get up; Fitch stays on him and gets his back again, dragging Thiago down.  Slow round; Fitch has firm control of Alves but isn’t doing anything with it.  Alves sweeps and stands up; they trade strikes with nothing significant landing for either man.  Round 10-9 Fitch

Round 3: Alves knows he is down two rounds and swings with desperation.  He is having some luck with remaining on his feet and forcing Fitch to trade, but is not doing much in the standup.  Eventually Fitch gets the takedown and takes back control again. Fitch has a figure-four body lock and looks for a rear naked choke.  Thiago defends.  Fitch rolls over into mount then to the back again.  Alves sweeps and stands.  This fight is all Fitch, beginning to end.  Round 10-9 Fitch

Aftermath: Jon Fitch grinds out another win, improving to 13-1 in the UFC.  He has been promised the next title shot, though Dana White was somewhat non-commital about it after the fight.  Will Fitch fight his teammate Josh Koscheck if Josh wins the title?  It would certainly be more interesting than a Fitch – Georges St. Pierre rematch.

Thiago Alves once again failed to make contracted weight for this fight – his second such failure in the last four fights.  He would be better suited to fighting at 185 lbs – and the ideal first matchup as a middleweight would be with another fighter who struggles to make 170 lbs: Anthony Johnson.

Ranking Impact: Jon Fitch moves up 1 spot to #2 WW and debuted at #10 on the Division Dominance list.  Thiago Alves falls 2 spots to #7 WW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Champion Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen (185 lbs title bout)

Round 1: The fighters meet each other in the center of the Octagon; Sonnen kicks low and Silva catches the leg and lands a couple of punches.  Sonnen shoots for a takedown and Silva moves away.  Silva catches another leg kick and tries to throw Sonnen to the ground but Chael spins away, keeping his balance.  Sonnen throws and rocks Silva with a punch combination!  Sonnen uses the opportunity to score a takedown but Anderson is quick to get back to the feet.  Sonnen lands more punches; Silva has his hands down as if to show that he’s unfazed.   Sonnen scores another takedown and is controlling Silva on the ground, landing short punches.   Silva scrambles trying to escape, but Sonnen controls him all while scoring with light strikes.  Round 10-9 Sonnen

Round 2: Silva lands punches and a kick early but Sonnen times the next kick and earns a takedown.  Silva elbows from the bottom; Sonnen from the top.  Sonnen boxes the ears of Silva then throws a series of shoulder “humps”, bashing Silva’s head against the mat.  Silva threatens an armbar from the bottom.  Silva uses the cage to escape but Sonnen takes back control.  Silva attempts a kimura from the back then rolls for a leg lock but Sonnen frees himself of the hold.  Round 10-9 Sonnen

Round 3: Silva lands a couple of hard punches, then follows up with a spinning kick to the body.  Sonnen keeps advancing and soon Silva finds himself on his back again.  The pace slows down as Silva locks in a body triangle and stalls hoping for a re-start on the feet, but Sonnen is doing just enough with short strikes from the top to keep the referee from standing them up.  Sonnen uses his hands and forearms to cover Silva’s mouth, disrupting his breathing.  Round 10-9 Sonnen

Round 4: Sonnen charges forward right into a left hand; Silva opens up with elbows, knees and kicks.  Sonnen desperately shoots for a takedown but ends up on the bottom.  Silva looking to ground-and-pound but Sonnen sweeps and is in Silva’s guard again.  Sonnen punches from the top with renewed energy.  Silva answers with elbows from the bottom.  Again, Sonnen is able to control the majority of the round, though he has a huge cut over his left eyebrow as they separate before the final round.  Round 10-9 Sonnen

Round 5: Sonnen’s cut is taken care of between the rounds and the fight goes on.  Silva blocks Chael’s initial takedown attempt and is looking to strike, but Sonnen catches him off-balance with a punch, and Silva is down again!  Sonnen jumps into side control and looks for a choke but Silva regains guard.  Sonnen is punching from the top; looks like he has this fight in the bag when Silva throws his legs up and locks in a triangle seemingly out of nowhere.  Sonnen postures up; Silva adjusts to a triangle/armbar combination and Sonnen taps! There’s brief confusion and initial protests from Sonnen as referee Josh Rosenthal separates the fighters; the replay clearly shows Sonnen tapping out.  Anderson Silva is still the UFC middleweight champion, for an unprecedented seventh title defense.

Aftermath: An amazing comeback win for Silva after being dominated for four rounds.   This victory increases his records for most consecutive wins and consecutive title defenses in the UFC, and further cements his legacy as the top fighter in the world.  However he also looked human for the first time since winning the title.   It’s interesting to see how the loss of an aura of invincibility will play into his future fights.  Vitor Belfort has previously been promised a title shot, but there have been recent rumors of him facing Chris Leben next.  An immediate rematch with Sonnen would also not be out of question.

Chael Sonnen really backed up his ridiculous pre-fight trash talk, and came very close to winning a shut-out decision and the title.  He will likely campaign for a rematch.  If not, he could fight the winner of the upcoming bout between Michael Bisping and Yoshihiro Akiyama.

Both fighters earned a bonus for the ‘Fight of the Night’ award.  Anderson Silva also earns the ‘Submission of the Night’ bonus, sharing the honor with Matt Hughes.

Ranking Impact: Anderson Silva remains #1 MW and moves up 1 spot to #1 on the Division Dominance List. Chael Sonnen falls 1 spot to #3 MW.

Fight Grade: 5/5

With the exception of the Fitch-Alves bout, every fight on this card delivered excitement and high drama.  An amazing night of MMA.

Event Grade: 5/5

Takanori Gomi vs. Tyson Griffin (155 lbs)

Round 1: Both fighters circle, feint and jab.  Not much landing early.  They continue trading punches and Gomi catches Griffin with a left, then follows up with a right hook that drops Tyson face-first onto the canvas.  Gomi jumps on his fallen opponent and the referee quickly steps in to stop the bout.  Griffin not happy with the stoppage but it was justified.

Aftermath: After being submitted by Ken Florian in his UFC debut, former Pride FC champion Gomi showed a return to the old form, stopping Tyson Griffin for the first time in his career.  Gomi earned the Knockout of the Night bonus for his performance, and claimed in the post-fight interview that he “learned to fight like an American”.  The victory earns Gomi a return to the Top 10; however it is too soon for any talk of title contention.  For now Gomi can either fight another contender such as George Sotiropoulos, or Joe Stevenson, who was supposed to be Gomi’s original opponent for this event but was forced to withdraw with an injury.

Tyson Griffin was eager to get back into the Octagon after losing a decision to Evan Dunham at UFC 115.  Unfortunately stepping up as a short-notice replacement did not work out for him this time, and Griffin finds himself on a losing streak for the first time in his MMA career.  His next fight will be a must-win to remain in the UFC.  Sam Stout or Denis Siver would make for good ‘rebound’ opponents.

Ranking Impact: Takanori Gomi rises 7 spots to #10 LW.  Tyson Griffin falls 12 spots to #32 LW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Jake Ellenberger vs. John Howard (170 lbs)

Round 1: Both fighters come out swinging, then clinch and trade takedown attempts, but both remain standing.  They stall in clinch and the referee Herb Dean breaks them up.  Howard charges and swings for the fences.  Ellenberger grabs a clinch and takes Howard down.    Howard defends well from his guard but can’t get back to the feet, and the action slows down.  Referee stands them up and Howard once again looks to strike but gets taken down again, finishing the round on his back.   Round 10-9 Ellenberger

Round 2: Howard cracks Ellenberger with a head kick early.  Howard follows up with punches and Ellenberger is hurt but has the composure to score a takedown.  Ellenberger is now fully recovered and passes into half-guard, mashing Howard’s face with elbows and short punches.   Howard eventually is able to get up and blasts off on Ellenberger with winging hooks, but gets taken down again.  Howard’s left eye is badly swollen as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Ellenberger

Round 3: Howard knows he now needs a stoppage, and comes out with a flurry of punches, then throws a flying knee.  Ellenberger evades and Howard slows his assault.   Ellenberger scores another takedown, and this fight is as good as done.  Not much action on the ground and the ref stands them up again, then has the doctor check Howard’s eye.  The eye is shut to a bloody slit, and so the fight ends, giving Ellenberger a TKO victory.

Aftermath: Jake Ellenberger snaps Howard’s win streak, while starting one of his own.  This was a close and exciting bout and it looks like both fighters want a rematch due to the unfortunate stoppage.

Ranking Impact: Jake Ellenberger rises 8 spots to #15 WW.  John Howard falls 15 spots to #39 WW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Darren Elkins vs. Charles Oliveira (155 lbs)

Round 1: Elkins uses a strike combination to set up a double-leg takedown.  Oliveira immediately sets up a triangle/armbar from his guard.  Elkins struggles; Oliveira rolls over and lets go of the triangle, focusing on the armbar and forcing a tap.

Aftermath: Undefeated Oliveira displays slick jiu-jitsu technique in his UFC debut, earning himself a ‘Submission of the Night’ bonus and joining an exciting and highly competitive division.   He should next take on Jacob Volkmann, who dropped down to 155 lbs after going 0-2 as a welterweight and defeated Paul Kelly in an untelevised bout for his first victory inside of the Octagon.  Darren Elkins falls to 1-1 in the UFC and will likely get another rookie in his next bout.

Ranking Impact: Charles Oliveira rises 66 spots to #75 LW.  Darren Elkins falls 59 spots to #151 LW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Mark Munoz vs. Yushin Okami (185 lbs)

Round 1: A slow start to the fight, with both fighters circling and throwing sporadic strikes.  Not much lands for either.  Okami has a noticeable reach advantage.  Munoz fights for a takedown and eventually scores but Okami gets back up almost instantly.   For the remainder of the round Okami successfully defends takedown attempts while landing an occasional punch.  Boring round.  Round 10-9 Okami

Round 2: Okami advances, landing punches.  Munoz attempts a takedown and is blocked again.  Munoz swings wildly and most punches miss but one hook finds it’s target and drops Okami. Munoz jumps in to finish but Yushin recovers quickly and reverses, ending up on top of Munoz.  Munoz escapes to the feet and continues his assault.  Eventually they clinch; Munoz trying for a takedown again and Okami defends.  Munoz finally drags Okami down as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Munoz

Round 3: Okami comes out swinging.  Munoz is backed up against the fence and covering up.  Munoz with another failed takedown attempt.   Okami keeps landing punches and Munoz falls to his back.  He gets up and keeps shooting futile takedown attempts.  Okami sprawls and doles out punishment every time.   Munoz is gassed and has no answers for Okami.   Round 10-9 Okami

Yushin Okami wins a split decision with the scores of 29-28, 29-28, 28-29

Aftermath: Yushin Okami earns another win in his usual workman-like fashion.  With Alan Belcher recently pulling out of a scheduled fight with Demian Maia at UFN 22, this may be a good opportunity for Okami to step in as a replacement – assuming he hasn’t suffered any injuries in the Munoz bout and is  ready for the quick turn around.

Mark Munoz suffers his first loss as a middleweight, and needs to diversify his skill set to be competitive at this level.  A bout with Tomasz Drwal should make for an interesting matchup.

Ranking Impact: Yushin Okami remains #19 MW, Mark Munoz remains #29 MW.

Fight Grade: 2.5/5

Jon Jones vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (205 lbs)

Round 1: Matyushenko looking to strike early.  Matyushenko lands jabs and a hook.  Jones responds with a couple of leg kicks.  Jones lands a spinning back kick, then closes distance and trips Matyushenko to the ground.  Matyushenko looks for an arm lock but Jones pulls his arm free and passes guard with ease.  Jones in side control, secures a crucifix and launches rapid-fire elbows.  Matyushenko is trapped and referee Herb Dean quickly stops the fight.  No complaints from Vladimir about the stoppage – he was going nowhere fast.

Aftermath: Jon Jones has looked amazing in his last three fights against fringe light-heavyweight contenders.  It’s time to move from fringe to the elite, and Dana White promised in the post-fight press conference that Jones’ next fight will be against a Top-8 opponent.   With the champion Mauricio Rua recovering from knee surgery and the top contender Rashad Evans  seemingly content to wait for Rua’s return, the available pool of opponents for Jones includes Thiago Silva, Rich Franklin, Forrest Griffin, as well as the winners of the upcoming bouts between Quinton Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida, or Ryan Bader vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

Vladimir Matyushenko’s next opponent will likely be a mid-level UFC light-heavyweight, such as Stephan Bonnar, Krzysztof Soszynski, or Jason Brilz.

Ranking Impact: Jon Jones moves up 5 spots to #15 LHW.   Vladimir Matyushenko drops 6 spots to #34 LHW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

UFC’s second outing on Versus was not a spectacular event, but a decent appetizer for the next weekend’s Pay-Per-View.

Event Grade: 3/5

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Seth Petruzelli vs. Ricardo Romero (205 lbs)

Round 1: They quickly engage and exchange kicks.  Romero looks for a takedown.  Petruzelli defends and hurts Romero with punches.  Romero clinches to recover.  Petruzelli backs up then lands another combination but slips while throwing a kick.  Romero gets Petruzelli’s back in a scramble.  Petruzelli sweeps and pounds away from guard.  Romero with a reversal of his own and mounts Petruzelli.  Romero looking for a submission; Seth rolls out of it and stands, dropping Romero with an uppercut.  Romero holds on to Petruzelli’s leg as Seth lands some odd and sloppy ‘double axe-handle’ strikes.  Round 10-9 Petruzelli

Round 2: Romero looks for a takedown early and eats a knee on the way in.  He staggers but keeps trying for the takedown.  Petruzelli takes his back in a scramble and transitions to an armbar; Romero reverses and ends up in top guard.  Romero’s nose is leaking blood.  Petruzelli attempts a triangle and Romero uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.  Romero secures the crucifix position and looks for a kimura then turns it into a straight armbar.  Petruzelli taps out, in obvious pain.

Aftermath: Romero’s UFC debut was unspectacular but a win is a win, and he will have a chance to do better in his next Octagon outing – maybe against Krzysztof Soszynski or Jared Hamman.  Seth Petruzelli should take on Steve Cantwell or Kyle Kingsbury next.

Ranking Impact: Ricardo Romero, previously ranked at #77 HW, makes his LHW debut at #49.  Seth Petruzelli falls 38 spots to #111 LHW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Brendan Schaub vs Chris Tuchscherer (HW)

Round 1: They circle.  They trade punches and Schaub is winning the exchange.  Big right from Schaub and Tuchscherer falls.  Schaub keeps on punching until the referee pulls him off.

Aftermath: Brendan Schaub breaks into the heavyweight Top 50 with his second consecutive first-round knockout win.  Joey Beltran or Ben Rothwell would be good matchups for Schaub.  Chris Tuchscherer falls to 1-2 in the UFC, his sole win much less memorable than his losses.  Like Petruzelli, Tuchscherer may also be on the chopping block.   If he does get another chance, it will be a must-win against someone like Todd Duffee or Patrick Barry.

Ranking Impact: Brendan Schaub moves up 90 spots to #41 HW.  Chris Tuchscherer falls 18 spots to #54 HW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Gerald Harris vs Dave Branch (185 lbs)

Round 1: Not much happens early as the fighters circle.  They eventually start trading strikes, with neither man landing anything significant.  Harris lands the first notable offense, wobbling Branch with a punch; Branch clinches to recover.  Harris slams Branch with a double-leg and ends the round in Branch’s guard.  Round 10-9 Harris

Round 2: Another wild exchange and a takedown from Harris.  Harris tries to strike from guard.  Branch escapes to his feet.  Harris clinches and pushes Branch into the cage.  Branch reverses and gets taken down again.  Back to the feet and they trade punches as the second round ends. Round 10-9 Harris

Round 3: The final round is once again started with an exchange on the feet.  Branch knows he needs a finish and jumps guard, locking in a flying triangle.  Harris slams Branch, forcing him to let go.  Back to the feet and they clinch against the fence.  They stall for a bit causing the referee to separate the fighters.  Branch once again attempts a flying triangle and Harris slams him hard; Branch is out on impact.  Harris winds up for a big punch but pulls it at the last moment as he realizes his opponent is out, tapping Branch on the chest instead.

Aftermath: Capping off an uneventful fight with a spectacular slam KO, Gerald Harris continues his steady ascent.  Now at 3-0 in the UFC (all three TKO finishes), Harris should take on Kendall Grove or Chris Leben.  Dave Branch was dealt his first career loss in his UFC debut.  Some likely opponents for his sophomore outings are Goran Reljic and Rich Attonito.

Ranking Impact: Gerald Harris rises 10 spots to #31 MW.   Dave Branch falls 27 spots to #109 MW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Main Card (Pay-Per-View)

George Sotiropoulos vs Kurt Pellegrino (155 lbs)

Round 1: The fighters trade strikes and Sotiropoulos rocks Pellegrino with a hook and jumps onto his back.  Pellegrino recovers and gets back to his feet.  Sotiropoulos is beating Pellegrino up on the feet, and Kurt uses a takedown to shift the momentum.  Sotiropoulos is up quickly; they resume striking but the exchanges are more even at this point.  Pellegrino gets another takedown.  Sotiropoulos neutralizes him with rubber guard.   Round 10-9 Sotiropoulos

Round 2: Pellegrino attacks aggressively, landing punches and kicks.  Sotiropoulos grabs a kick and completes a takedown while getting punched in the head.  Sotiropoulos attacks the head and body from half-guard.  Pellegrino is trying to escape but he is stuck against the cage.  Eventually Pellegrino is up and lands a solid knee as the round ends.  Much closer than the first round but still goes to Sotiropoulos.  Round 10-9 Sotiropoulos

Round 3: They trade early.  Mostly even until Sotiropoulos hurts Pellegrino with a combination.  Kurt responds by going for a takedown.  Pellegrino lands punches from guard; Sotiropoulos responds with elbows off his back.  Sotiropoulos closes his guard then escapes to the feet.  Pellegrino leaps forward with a knee, dropping Sotiropoulos.  Pellegrino follows up with a flurry of punches; Sotiropoulos is badly hurt but saved by the bell. Round 10-9 Pellegrino

George Sotiropoulos wins a unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28

Aftermath: George Sotiropoulos narrowly escaped defeat in the third round to extend his UFC win streak to six.  He has positioned himself as one of the top contenders in the division.  With the winner of BJ Penn – Frankie Edgar title bout likely to face the winner of Ken Florian – Gray Maynard, Sotiropoulos should take on the loser of Florian-Maynard on his quest for the title.

Kurt Pellegrino claimed that he will retire from MMA if he does not win against Sotiropoulos.  It would be unfortunate if he were to follow through on his promise as he put in a great effort in the loss and remains a player in the division.  If Pellegrino defers retirement, I would like to see him take on Sean Sherk or Clay Guida.

As an aside, the 30-27 score from two of the judges is yet another drop in the overflowing bucket of bizzare, off-the-wall MMA scoring.

Ranking Impact: George Sotiropoulos rises 2 spots to #8 LW.  Kurt Pellegrino falls 13 spots to #27 LW.

Fight Grade: 3/5 1 point deduction for the 30-27 scores

Stephan Bonnar vs Krzysztof Soszynski (205 lbs)

Round 1: Bonnar leads with a kick.  Soszynski flurries, backing Bonnar up.  Soszynski fires off a series of kicks;  Bonnar catches one and tosses Soszynski to the ground.  Bonnar working from guard.  Soszynski threatens an armbar then gets back to the feet.  Bonnar clinches and scores with knees and elbows from up close.  Soszynski fires back with a flurry, and Bonnar turns his back and sprints out of range.  They engage again and trade punches and kicks.  Bonnar’s face is bloodied by the end.  Wild round.    Round 10-9 Soszynski

Round 2: Both come out swinging.  Soszynski with a big flurry that forces Bonnar to turn his back again.  Bonnar quickly recovers and fires back but gets rocked with a big punch.  Bonnar still hanging there, scoring from clinch.  Bonnar with a takedown.  Soszynski gets up and eats a huge knee.  Soszynski is down and Bonnar swarms him with punches.  He keeps swinging away until the referee stops the bout.  Both of Bonnar’s eyes are rimmed with blood, making for a scary sight as he strikes a victory pose and mean-mugs the camera.  Amazing fight.

Aftermath: After losing his last three outings, this was a must-win fight for Bonnar and he delivered above all expectations.  This was a classic fight, made of the same stuff as Bonnar vs Griffin I.  Bonnar just secured his spot on the UFC roster for at least four more fights.  His next opponent should be Jason Brilz or Ricardo Romero.

Krzysztof Soszynski gets stopped for the first time as a light-heavyweight.  He should next take on Alexander Gustaffson in what should be another classic slugfest. Bonnar and  Soszynski earned a ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus for this brawl.

Ranking Impact: Stephan Bonnar moves up 44 spots to #39 LHW.  Krzysztof Soszynski falls 11 spots to #47 LHW.

Fight Grade: 5/5

Chris Lytle vs Matt Brown (170 lbs)

Round 1: Brown as usual flies at Lytle with a kick as soon as the fight begins.  Lytle responds with punches.  They clinch and break up; Brown with a glancing head kick then trips Lytle to the ground.  Brown gets north-south position in a scramble and works an anaconda choke.  The hold looks tight but Lytle defends well and eventually escapes.  Back to trading and Lytle slips and falls down as the round is ending.  Round 10-9 Brown

Round 2: Lytle comes out swinging this time.  Brown responds with kicks.  Lytle hurts Brown in an exchange and grabs a guillotine as Brown attempts to bring the fight to the ground.  Lytle doesn’t complete the guillotine but uses it to pass into mount.  From there Lytle gets side control then locks an upside-down triangle around Brown’s head as he cranks Matt’s free arm into a straight armbar.  Brown is trapped and forced to verbally submit – a rather unusual finish.

Aftermath: For the first time in his long UFC career, Chris Lytle has won three fights in a row (with a ‘Submission of the Night’-worthy performance in two of those three, including this fight.)  Up next: John Hathaway or Dong Hyun Kim.

Matt Brown once again loses by submission after a starting the fight with a dominating performance – a repeating pattern in Brown’s fights.   His next bout will be a must-win affair against someone like Forrest Petz or Nick Osipczak.

Ranking Impact: Chris Lytle moves up 4 spots to #19 WW.  Matt Brown falls 5 spots to #73 WW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs Chris Leben (185 lbs)

Round 1: Leben throws a leg kick which Akiyama catches, tripping Leben to the ground.  Leben gets up and rushes forward with punches.  Akiyama is happy to trade with Leben.  They exchange kicks and Akiyama grazes Leben’s groin, causing a pause in action.  The fight resumes and Akiyama throws Leben to the ground.  Leben works for an armbar from the bottom.  Akiyama defends; Leben keeps trying.  Akiyama passes into side control and threatens with an arm lock of his own.   Akiyama looks for a choke but Leben escapes and gets back to the feet.  They trade then Akiyama scores another takedown.  Round 10-9 Akiyama

Round 2: Leben with a high kick, slips and falls.  Leben back up and they commence trading.  Akiyama lands a spinning back first, Leben responds with a right hand.  Both fighters hurt but neither one falls or backs down – they just keep swinging.   It’s a wild brawl until Akiyama finally scores a takedown.  Akiyama is able to control Leben on the ground for a bit;  eventually Chris gets back to his feet.  Leben attempts a guillotine.  Akiyama shrugs it off and they go back to trading punches.  Close round with crazy action.  Round 10-9 Akiyama

Round 3: Leben leads with leg and body kicks.  Similarly to the first round, Akiyama catches a kick and throws Leben down.  Leben looks for an armbar off his back; Akiyama seems close to tapping but pulls his arm out at the last moment.  Akiyama is tired and mainly resting in Leben’s guard, while Leben is active with elbows and punches off the bottom.  Leben locks in a triangle, punching and elbowing at Akiyama’s trapped head.  Eventually Akiyama falls down and a tap follows shortly, giving Leben the submission victory.

Aftermath: This was the biggest win of Chris Leben’s career, and on the heels of his TKO of Aaron Simpson at the Ultimate Fighter finale only two weeks ago it has been a good month for Leben.  To make it even better, both fighters were awarded an $75,000 ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus (a rare occasion with multiple ‘FOTN’ bonuses being awarded in the same event).   In the post-fight interview, Leben asked to face the man he stepped in to replace: Wanderlei Silva.  However Silva will not return to action any time soon, and so Leben’s next fight should be against Gerald Harris, Nate Quarry, or Kendall Grove.

Yoshihiro Akiyama, who initially balked at the last-minute opponent change, did not live up to the hype in his second UFC outing despite delivering a very enterntaining fight.  Undersized for a middleweight, Akiyama should seriously consider cutting weight and dropping down a division.

Ranking Impact: Chris Leben rises 12 spots to #13 MW.  Yoshihiro Akiyama falls 9 spots to #22 MW.

Fight Grade: 5/5

Champion Brock Lesnar vs Interim Champion Shane Carwin (HW title unification bout)

Round 1: A bit of close-range circling to start off the main event.  They engage and Carwin lands a solid punch, Lesnar feels it and immediately shoots for a takedown.  Lesnar completes the takedown but Carwin instantly reverses and gets back to the feet, landing a knee on the way up.  Carwin follows up with an uppercut that hurts Lesnar; Brock turns his back and flees with Carwin giving chase while landing more punches.  Lesnar goes down and Carwin is all over him; Lesnar is doing nothing but covering up his face with his massive forearms but some of the punches are getting through.  The ref is letting the fight go on and Lesnar is hanging in there.  Carwin lands a series of elbows that open a cut by Lesnar’s eye.  Carwin may have punched himself out as he moves into half guard and rests.  Lesnar uses the momentary break in action to get back to the feet.  They clinch and stall to finish the round – it’s a shock Lesnar survived this one.   Round 10-8 Carwin

Round 2: A crazy stare down between a bloodied Lesnar and and a determined Carwin, as both smile and wink at each other then slap hands to start the second round.  Carwin is visibly tired and Lesnar easily scores a takedown, landing in half-guard.  Lesnar throws a few short punches then jumps into mount, locks in an arm triangle choke as he moves into side control and applies pressure.  Carwin’s head turns purple and he has no choice but to tap out.  Brock Lesnar is now (once again) the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.

Aftermath: In Brock Lesnar’s return after a lengthy layoff due to health issues, he showed serious gaps in his standup but was able to weather the storm and pull off a win in a comeback worthy of a champion.  Now that the HW title is once again unified, Cain Velasquez will provide the next challenge for Lesnar, with the winner of Junior Dos Santos vs Roy Nelson looming in the distance.

Shane Carwin did what he does best – destroy his opponent in the first three minutes of the first round.  Unfortunately for Shane, Lesnar was the first of Carwin’s opponents to withstand the initial assault;  it turned out Carwin had nothing left in the tank for the second round.  Carwin is still a legit threat to any heavyweight, and may still be the biggest threat to Lesnar once he works his way back up the ladder.  In the meanwhile he should take on the loser of Dos Santos vs Nelson.

Ranking Impact: Brock Lesnar remains #1 HW and moves up 6 spots to #3 on the Division Dominance list.  Shane Carwin falls 2 spots to #6 HW.

Fight Grade: 5/5

Kendall Grove vs Goran Reljic (185 lbs)

Round 1: They circle and jab.  Both fighters miss head kicks.  Slow start to the round, mostly shadow-boxing (and kicking) from both with nothing connecting.  Reljic scores a takedown from clinch.  Reljic stands over Grove and eats a huge upkick that drops him to his butt.  Grove hops up and they resume the uneventful exchanges.  Round 10-9 Grove

Round 2: Reljic is aggressive early but Grove walks through his offense and takes him down.  Reljic uses an omoplata to sweep.  Reljic stands over Grove again, this time more aware of the upkicks, though he still eats a couple before diving into Grove’s guard.  Grove uses his long legs to control Reljic in guard, and the fight comes to a grinding stall.  Eventually referee stands them up, and they finish the round with more shadow-boxing.  Round 10-9 Reljic

Round 3: Grove hurts Reljic in an early exchange and forces Goran to shoot for a takedown.  Grove defends.  Either Grove has found his range or Reljic is tired as Grove is now getting the best of striking exchanges.  Reljic shoots again and Grove grabs a guillotine.  He lets go of the hold and jumps up with a knee to the chin.  Reljic eventually completes a takedown and passes into side control then north-south, but can’t capitalize before the round ends. Round 10-9 Grove

Kendall Grove wins a split decision with the scores of 30-27, 29-28, 28-29

Aftermath: This fight was originally slated to be televised on Spike, but was pulled after Grove badmouthed Spike TV and ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ in an interview.   Instead, it was broadcast after the main event, and was a snoozer compared to all of the PPV fights.  The consistently inconsistent Grove picks up a win and should next face John Salter or Gerald Harris.  Goran Reljic falls to 1-2 in the UFC, losing both of his fights as a middleweight after making an impressive UFC debut at 205 lbs.  He may only get one more chance to salvage his UFC career, against a mid-level middleweight such as Tom Lawlor or Dave Branch.

Ranking Impact: Kendall Grove moves up 2 spots to #45 MW.  Goran Reljic rises 1 spots to #100 MW.

Fight Grade: 2/5

After a slow start with some mediocre preliminary fights, the main card delivered beyond all expectations, with two instant classics and an incredible main event.   This makes for two great UFC events back-to-back, and makes me very excited for all the upcoming shows.

Event Grade: 5/5

The co-main-event was slated to be a bout between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Forrest Griffin – another light heavyweight fight with potential title implications.  However, Griffin was forced to pull out of the fight with a shoulder injury, and his short notice replacement Jason Brilz was not deemed suitable for a featured bout.  And so a lackadaisical middleweight matchup between Michael Bisping and Dan Miller was promoted to the co-main.  The remainder of the undercard was a motley mixture of bouts with very little divisional significance.

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Efrain Escudero vs. Dan Lauzon (155 lbs)

Round 1: The fighter circle and fire off strikes from a distance.  Lauzon with head and body kicks, both blocked.  Jabs from Escudero.  Not much contact until Escudero grabs a clinch and lands a series of knees, most of which are blocked by Lauzon.  Escudero lets up and they circle around each other with some sporadic strike exchanges.  A cut opens on Escudero’s eyebrow.  Slow round.  Round 10-9 Escudero

Round 2: A few leg kicks from Escudero, then he rushes in with punches, backing Lauzon against the fence and firing off knees from the clinch.  Lauzon absorbs the knees and remains standing and so Escudero backs off.  Lauzon with a failed takedown attempt.  Lauzon starting to gas.  Escudero continues to work the leg kicks.  Escudero grabs clinch again and lands more knees but still can’t finish.   Escudero pushes Lauzon down but doesn’t follow him to the ground.   Round 10-9 Escudero

Round 3: More leg kicks from Efrain to start the final round.  Lauzon is more aggressive but doesn’t look to have much left in the tank.  Both fighters land a few punches.  Sporadic action, Escudero dances around and switches stances as the crowd boos.  Another clinch attack from Escudero; knees land but Lauzon remains standing and they separate.  A low kick catches Lauzon’s cup and he crumbles.  A point is deducted from Escudero.  They restart and both fighters flurry in the remaining few seconds.  Round 9-9 draw

Efrain Escudero wins the unanimous decision, 29-27 on all scorecards.

Aftermath: This was not an impressive showing for either fighter.  Escudero was successful in rebounding from the first loss of his career but failed to dazzle in his performance.  He should next take on Aaron Riley, who took a unanimous decision over Joe Brammer on the undercard.

Lauzon remains winless in his three UFC bouts, and will likely be gone from the organization on the heels of back-to-back losses and his well publicized conflicts with his brother and training partners.

Ranking Impact: Efrain Escudero rises 35 spots to #103 LW.  Dan Lauzon falls out of the LW Top 250.

Fight Grade: 2/5

Luis Arthur Cane vs. Cyrille Diabate (205 lbs)

Round 1: The fighters trade early.  Cane throwing hands while Diabate responds with leg and body kicks.  Diabate keeps his hands low and pays for it, knocked down by a left hook.  Cane jumps in to finish but Diabate recovers quickly and works back to his feet.  Cane grabs a body lock and looks for a takedown.  Diabate manages to remain on his feet and they break up.  Diabate starts to land punches, picking Cane apart.  Cane eating combinations, and gets dropped with one.  Few strikes to the ground from Diabate and referee Herb Dean steps in to stop the fight.  Cane protests but he was done.

Aftermath: Once a feared and highly touted light-heavyweight contender, Luis Cane has taken a big fall, having been stopped on strikes in his past two bouts.  The continuation of Cane’s UFC career will likely be on the line in his next outing.  Jason Brilz would make for a suitable opponent as someone unlikely to knock Cane out cold for the third time in a row.

MMA and kickboxing veteran Cyrille ‘The Snake’ Diabate survives an early scare and comes out victorious in his UFC debut, landing just outside of the Top 20.  Brandon Vera would be an interesting next matchup for ‘The Snake’.

Ranking Impact: Cyrille Diabate rises 7 spots to #21 LHW.  Luis Arthur Cane falls 6 spots to #24 LHW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Dong Hyun Kim vs. Amir Sadollah (170 lbs)

Round 1: An exchange of leg kicks then Kim takes Sadollah down with a trip.  Kim looking for an arm triangle from half guard.  Eventually Sadollah regains guard.  Kim with a couple of punches from the top then passes into half guard again.   Scramble back and forth between full and half guard makes for a boring round.  Kim takes Amir’s back late in the round but doesn’t capitalize.  Round 10-9 Kim

Round 2: Sadollah whiffs a head kick and gets taken down.  He’s up soon and scores a knee from clinch but finds himself on his back again.  Kim passes into side control.  Kim wraps Amir’s arm around his own neck and holds him in this unlikely position for a while.  Eventually Amir frees his arm but gets mounted in process, defends and scrambles out without taking any damage.  Round 10-9 Kim

Round 3: Sadollah attacks with a kick-punch combo; Kim ducks under for a single-leg takedown.  Kim passes into mount; Sadollah uses the fence to work back into guard.  Sadollah with a triangle attempt.  Kim passes again but Sadollah gets back to his feet, lands a knee and gets taken down again.  Sadollah is up and both fighters look tired.  Sadollah swings desperately as the round ends.   Round 10-9 Kim

Dong Hyun Kim wins the unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27 from all three judges

Aftermath: This was a very dull bout to watch.  Dong Hyun Kim, still undefeated and now 4-0 in the UFC with 1 ‘no contest’, continues his steady rise through the welterweight division and edges into the Top 20.  He should next take on someone who will test his grappling prowess – perhaps Carlos Condit.

Amir Sadollah falls to 2-2 in the Octagon, and should next face another fighter coming off a loss such as Julio Paulino or Jesse Lennox.

Ranking Impact: Dong Hyun Kim rises 9 spots to #19 WW.  Amir Sadollah falls 17 spots to #48 WW.

Fight Grade: 2/5

Main Card (PPV)

Diego Sanchez vs. John Hathaway (170 lbs)

Round 1: Sanchez comes out swinging but quickly changes levels for a takedown.  Hathaway defends; they clinch and Diego eventually gets the takedown but Hathaway gets up immediately.   They exchange and Sanchez shoots for another takedown – and right into Hathaway’s knee.   Sanchez is hurt badly and Hathaway jumps on him, punishing with elbows and hammer fists.  Somehow Sanchez recovers and regains guard, though Hathaway keeps landing from the top.   Round 10-9 Hathaway

Round 1: Hathaway leads with a punch combination.  Sanchez responds in kind.  Sanchez takes Hathaway down off a leg kick but John uses the fence to get back up.  Sanchez looking for another takedown; Hathaway shrugs it off.  Hathaway picks Diego apart with punches and knees as the pace slows down.  Round 10-9 Hathaway

Round 1: Both fighters are more tentative in the final round.  Sanchez alternates strikes with takedown attempts but Hathaway punishes him each time Diego closes the distance.  Sanchez lands a few solid punches but can’t find a way to deal with Hathaway’s reach and strength advantage.  Hathaway sprawls out of Diego’s shots and throws him to the canvas on one missed takedown attempt.  Diego gets up and gets blasted with punches and knees.  Round 10-9 Hathaway

John Hathaway wins by unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27, 30-27, 30-26

Aftermath: Coming back to the welterweight division after a brief stint at 155 lbs, Diego Sanchez was outclassed and outsized.   The former contender is now stuck between a rock and a hard place, seemingly left behind by a fast moving sport.   He didn’t look great as a lightweight, but going back down may be the best option for Diego at this point.

John Hathaway remains undefeated and rises up the ranks after an impressive showing in his fourth UFC bout.  A matchup with fellow Englishman Dan Hardy should produce fireworks.

Ranking Impact: John  Hathaway rises 34 spots to #14 WW.  Diego Sanchez, formerly ranked at #8 LW, re-enters the WW ranking at #20.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Jason Brilz (205 lbs)

Round 1: Nogueira scores with a couple of leg kicks and a big knee to the body.  Brilz gets a takedown; Nogueira looks for a triangle but Brilz passes into side control then briefly takes Nogueira’s back.  Nogueira sweeps and takes Jason’s back in turn.  They separate and trade on the feet, with Nogueira landing a good punch as the very close round ends.  Round 10-9 Noguiera

Round 1: Noguiera again leads with a leg kick and is taken down.  He attempts a guillotine.  Brilz escapes and Noguiera sweeps.  Brilz locks on a guillotine and rolls over; it looks very tight and the ref is very close to stopping the fight but Nog signals that he’s awake.  They roll over again and Noguiera finally works his head free.  Brilz tries for the guillotine again; Noguiera escapes and looks for a choke of his own.  Brilz makes his way back to the feet and they trade strikes.  Both are tired; Jason’s shots are no longer effective but he is finding range with his hands and hurts Nog with a big combination near the end of the round.    Round 10-9 Brilz

Round 1: Noguiera jabs.  Brilz takes him down.  Noguiera sweeps quickly and lands punches from the top.  Brilz works back to his feet and tries for another takedown but Noguiera sprawls.  Noguiera is getting the better of Brilz on the feet and blocking takedowns.  Brilz is badly gassed.  Noguiera looks like he could be setting up an anaconda choke off a sprawl, then transitions to Jason’s back and secures a rear crucifix.  Noguiera punishes with elbows.  Brilz frees one of his arms and sweeps into guard but Noguiera reverses and lands a few punches to secure the round.  Round 10-9 Noguiera

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira wins by split decision with the scores of 29-28, 29-28, 28-29.  The fans boo the decision.

Aftermath: Stepping in on a short notice for an injured Forrest Griffin, Jason Brilz was completely overlooked by most fans as a heavy underdog.  After holding his own with a seasoned veteran, Brilz assured that he will not be overlooked again.  I would like to see him take on Luis Arthur Cane next.

Rogerio Nogueira may have underestimated his opponent as well, which nearly cost him the bout.  Nog was very close to the title picture prior to this fight, but it was not a title-shot worthy performance.  He still needs a big win before the title talk resumes, against Quinton Jackson or his originally scheduled opponent Forrest Griffin.

Noguiera and Brilz both earned an $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus.

Ranking Impact: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira remains #9 LHW.  Jason Brilz rises 10 spots to #31 LHW, due to fighting to a split decision with a significantly higher ranked opponent.

Fight Grade: 5/5

Melvin Guillard vs. Waylon Lowe (155 lbs)

Round 1: Lowe rushes in with strikes, eating punches on the way to a single-leg attempt.  Guillard defends for a while but Lowe is persistent and eventually scores the takedown.  Guillard gets right back up and Lowe tries again.  Guillard rocks Lowe with a series of knees; Lowe is down but still holding on to Guillard’s leg.  Guillard makes distance and Lowe shoots again.  Guillard drops Lowe with a knee to the midsection.  Lowe is curled up on the ground and Guillard lands two more punches for good measure before the ref steps in.  TKO via a knee to the body by Guillard.

Aftermath: Despite being a very inconsistent fighter, Melvin Guillard looks unstoppable on his ‘on’ nights – and this was one of them.   Up next: hopefully a solid striker after facing a steady diet of wrestlers and grapplers.  Spencer Fisher or Sam Stout come to mind.   Waylon Lowe may be one-and-done after fizzling in his debut, or will get a fight against another UFC newcomer.

Ranking Impact: Melvin Guillard rises 9 spots to #42 LW.   Waylon Lowe falls 54 spots to #214 LW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Mike Russow vs.  Todd Duffee (HW)

Round 1: Duffee advances with punch combinations, landing heavy leather.  Russow is dropped to his knees with an uppercut and Duffee swings away; Russow absorbs the punches and recovers.  Failed takedown by Russow.  Russow lands a couple but is badly outgunned, Duffee is using him for a punching bag but Russow is not showing any damage.  Round 10-9 Duffee

Round 1: Duffee lands more uppercuts and Russow is unfazed.  Duffee shrugs off a takedown attempt and lands more punches.  Russow gets a couple through but Duffee is relentless.  Another failed takedown by Russow, both fighters are turning red and Duffee is starting to slow down.  By the end of the round Duffee is winging sloppy haymakers and Russow sneaks in an occasional counter.  Round 10-9 Duffee

Round 1: More uppercuts from Duffee, another failed takedown attempt from Russow, slow pace until Russow lands a right cross that lays Duffee out flat on his back.  Russow taps him with a limp hammer-fist strike as if to prove a point.  Amazing knockout.

Aftermath: Todd Duffee had a massive amount of hype coming after a seven-second knockout victory in his UFC debut.  After an ugly fight with a brutal ending, the hype train has come to a screeching halt.  Now firmly embedded in the middle of the heavyweight pack, Duffee should take on Antoni Hardonk or Matt Mitrione next.

Mike Russow shows he can take a punch, delivers a solid knockout, and wins his second UFC bout despite looking awful for the entirety of the fight save the final second.  Cheik Kongo is the logical next matchup for Russow.

Ranking Impact: Mike Russow moves up 7 spots to #23 HW.  Todd Duffee falls 16 spots to #54 HW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Michael Bisping vs. Dan Miller (185 lbs)

Round 1: Miller fires first, landing punches but then grazes groin with a kick and the fight is paused very briefly.  Restart and the fighters trade punches.  Mostly misses at first but eventually Bisping begins to find his range and is outlanding and outworking Miller.  Round 10-9 Bisping

Round 1: Leg kicks and punches are exchanged.  Miller is aggressive but Bisping counters well, making Miller pay each time he comes into range.  Miller is bleeding from a small cut near his eye.  Miller shoots but doesn’t come close.  Bisping continues to outbox Miller with precise counters. Round 10-9 Bisping

Round 1: More boxing in the third.  Miller lands a big punch that forces Bisping back a step.  Mike comes back with a big combination.  Miller shoots and this time gets a takedown but can’t capitalize and Bisping escapes back to the feet.  They trade with both fighters landing, Bisping once again edging out the round.  Round 10-9 Bisping

Michael Bisping wins a unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28

Aftermath: Michael Bisping rebounds from the loss to Wanderlei Silva and delivers a solid performance, scoring a much-needed victory.  With most of the top middleweights already tied up in scheduled matchups, Bisping should take some time off to see how the division plays out – or take on Joe Doerksen if he prefers to stay busy.

Dan Miller, plagued by personal issues, loses his third straight decision.  Prior to the fight Miller claimed that he may be gone from the UFC if he loses;  this may well have been a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Ranking Impact: Michael Bisping rises 4 spots to #11 MW.  Dan Miller falls 2 spots to #34 MW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Rashad Evans vs. Quinton Jackson (205 lbs)

Round 1: Evans dances around for a bit; Jackson charges in and gets caught with a lead hook.  Jackson stumbles away and Evans gives chase, trying to finish but Rampage recovers.  Evans tries a takedown attempt but is thwarted and they stall out by the fence until referee Herb Dean separates them.  They trade punches in the middle of the Octagon then Evans scores a big takedown, landing in side control.   Jackson uses the cage to scramble back up.  They take turns pressing each other against the cage and the ref breaks them up again; both land punches as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Evans

Round 2: Jackson swings, Evans ducks under and shoots.  Jackson defends and they clinch.  Separate and clinch again.  Sporadic striking from both, Evans unable to get the takedown, another ref separation.  Rampage looking to throw hands but Evans stays out of range, then dashes in with a punch and immediately clinches.  The crowd boos at the uneventful round. Round 10-9 Evans

Round 1: Jackson is stalking, Evans is circling away, eventually Jackson finds his range and opens up, dropping Evans with a punch.  Jackson pounces and the fight looks very close to being over as Rampage punches away and referee hovers over the fighters.  Miraculously Evans recovers and regains guard, then uses it to get back to his feet.  Looks like Jackson may have punched himself out and Evans slams him down, landing in side control.  Evans now pounds away.  Jackson covers up and gets up but is taken down again.  He gives up his back and gets up, trying to score a final flurry as the time runs out.  Round 10-9 Evans

Rashad Evans wins by unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28

Aftermath: The winner of this bout was promised the next title shot – and so Rashad Evans will go on to face the new champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua; a very stylistically interesting matchup.

‘Rampage’ remains in the Top 5, and if he chooses to fight again any time soon there are plenty of great fights for him in the division.  Lyoto Machida, Antonio Rogerio Noguiera, or a rematch with Forrest Griffin come to mind.

Ranking Impact: Rashad Evans moves up 1 spot to #2 LHW and enters the division dominance Top 10 at #6, forcing out #10 BJ Penn.  Quinton Jackson remains #4 LHW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

This was one of the most hyped-up UFC main events in a while, and sadly fights often don’t live up to their hype.  While the main event delivered a good back-and-forth war, UFC 114 lacked a solid supporting cast, and the action on the undercard was sporadic and mostly uninspiring.  A mediocre event all in all.

Event Grade: 3/5

Alan Belcher vs. Patrick Cote (185 lbs)

Round 1: Belcher comes out throwing leg and body kicks.  Cote responds with punches.  Belcher’s kicks are finding their target until one lands in Cote’s groin.  The fight is paused briefly then they resume trading.  Both fighters land punches in an exchange.  More kicks from Belcher until Cote catches one and trips Alan to the ground.  Cote looks for a kimura, it’s locked in as he passes Belcher’s guard but Belcher is able to sweep and ends up in top guard.  Belcher passes into half guard, attempts an arm triangle then steps over into side control.   Round 10-9 Belcher

Round 2: Belcher once again leads with low kicks.  Referee Mario Yamasaki halts the action – turns out Belcher forgot to put his mouth guard back in between the rounds.  The fight resumes and Cote flurries with punches, landing several solid ones.  Belcher clinches and pushes Cote into the fence.  They separate and trade punches; Cote gets the best of the exchange then follows up with a takedown.  Belcher scrambles to his feet; Cote looks for another takedown but as he is attempting a double-leg, Belcher elevates him in the air and slams Patrick flat on his face!  Cote is stunned and Belcher hops onto his back and locks in a rear naked choke.  Cote submits, tapping on his opponent head.

Aftermath: Alan Belcher, continuing his rise up the middleweight ranks, should next fight Demian Maia.   A #1 contenders match with Vitor Belfort is also a good possibility.   Belcher earns the ‘Submission of the Night’ award for his performance.

Patrick Cote receives a harsh welcome back in his first fight since the loss to Anderson Silva, and should next take on CB Dollaway or Tim Credeur.

Ranking Impact: Alan Belcher rises 3 spots to #11 MW.  Patrick Cote, unranked for inactivity, returns at #52 MW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione (HW)

Round 1: Slice charges at Mitrione.  Mitrione glances a high kick off Kimbo’s head.  Kimbo keeps advancing, throws several punches then slams Mitrione to the ground.  Mitrione scrambles up and is slammed back down again.  Kimbo ends up in side control but can’t do anything with it.  Mitrione recovers guard and locks in a triangle choke but Slice escapes.   Mitrione uses a kimura attempt to stand up.  Kimbo throws punches then takes Matt down again.   Mitrione with another triangle attempt – this one nowhere close.  Slice stands up out of Mitrione’s guard.  They trade knees.  Mitrione knocks Kimbo down with a leg kick and looks for an anaconda choke.  Looks like he might have it but Kimbo frees his head just as the round ends.   Round 10-9 Mitrione

Round 2: The fighters exchange punches early in the second round.  Slice looks tired and Mitrione goes to town with leg kicks.  Slice is wobbly and goes for a half-hearted takedown which Mitrione easily shrugs off.  Kimbo ends up on his knees; Mitrione attempts the anaconda choke again, then lets go and settles for punishing Kimbo with knees to the body.  Slice rolls over and Mitrione mounts him.  Mitrione throws soft punches from the top; Slice makes no attempt to escape.  Mitrione briefly looks for a keylock then goes back to throwing weak punches.  Kimbo has nothing left and finally referee Dan Miragliotta stops the fight with about 30 seconds left in the second round.

Aftermath: Matt Mitrione is now 2-0 with two knockouts in his young UFC/MMA career.  He will likely next either face a big step up in competition against someone like Stefan Struve or Joey Beltran, or be brought up more slowly and take on a UFC newcomer.

Kimbo Slice is done with the UFC, according to president Dana White in the post-fight press conference.

Ranking Impact: Matt Mitrione debuts in the HW top 250 at #89.  Kimbo Slice falls 51 spots to #128 HW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Sam Stout vs. Jeremy Stephens (155 lbs)

Round 1: The fighters exchange leg kicks.  Stephens catches a kick and knocks an off-balance Stout to the ground with a jab.  Stephens in Stout’s guard but Stout quickly kicks him off and stands up.  Stout attacks the legs and the body but is rocked by a big right hook.  Stout keeps coming forward but Stephens is beating him to the punch almost every time.  Stephens drops Stout with another right hand.  Stout scrambles up and eats a knee.  Stout is hurt but keeps coming forward and throwing leg kicks and body shots.    Round 10-9 Stephens

Round 2: Stout is once again leading with a leg kick and continues eating right hands from Stephens.  Stephens takes Stout down after an exchange.  Stout attempts a kimura from his guard and uses it to get back to the feet.  Stout continues the attack with leg kicks and body punches.  Stephens still landing counter punches but appears to slow down as the round wears on.  Round 10-9 Stephens

Round 3: Stout lands a low kick to Stephens’ cup, briefly halting the action.  The fight is back on and Stout opens up with combinations, starting to hurt Stephens with the body shots.  Stephens still looking to counter but not much is landing now.   Stout hurts Stephens with a big punch to the mid-section then doubles him over with a leg kick.  Stout pounces on Jeremy, landing a series of elbows from the top.  Stephens utilizes his guard to minimize damage and stall Stout.   Stout lets Stephens back up and they resume trading;  Stephens scores a late takedown but Stout gets up immediately.  Round 10-9 Stout

Jeremy Stephens defeats Sam Stout by split decision with the scores of 30-27, 29-28, 28-29.

Aftermath: Both fighters earn the ‘Fight of the Night’ award for the competitive battle.  After a rocky start in the UFC, Jeremy Stephens seems to be getting back on track with back-to-back wins.  If he is ready for a step up in competition, and Sean Sherk is ever healthy enough to fight again, it would be a good test for Stephens.  Meanwhile Sam Stout should take on Melvin Guillard or Ross Pearson.

Ranking Impact: Jeremy Stephens rises 50 spots to #31 LW.  Sam Stout falls 5 spots to #34 LW.

Fight Grade: 3.5/5

Joe Doerksen vs. Tom Lawlor  (185 lbs)

Round 1: Lawlor comes out swinging just as he has in previous fights.  Doerksen fires back but Lawlor is outlanding him and Doerksen is dropped with a punch.  He recovers and gets up but is rocked by another combination.   Doerksen is covering up as Lawlor keeps landing.  Doerksen recovers and drops Lawlor in return;  they fight for a takedown as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Lawlor

Round 2: More wild trading in the second round; Doerksen is doing better as Lawlor appears to be running out of steam.  Doerksen lands a solid combination and Lawlor shoots for a takedown.  Doerksen takes his back in a scramble, sinking in a rear naked choke.  Lawlor quickly taps out.

Aftermath: The veteran Joe Doerksen, who has been on a 5-fight win streak since suffering a string of losses in WEC and UFC, earns his first victory under the Zuffa banner in over 5 years.  He should next take on Tomasz Drwal.   Tom Lawlor seems more focused on weigh-in shenanigans rather than his fight performance.  As a result he loses his second consecutive fight after starting out 2-0 in the UFC.  He should fight Jesse Forbes next.

Ranking Impact: Joe Doerksen rises 8 spots to #28 MW.  Tom Lawlor falls 18 spots to #101 MW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley (170 lbs)

Round 1: Daley throws a flying knee out of the gate; it misses by a mile.  Daley jabs and gets taken down.  He scrambles up and Koscheck plants him back down with a big slam.  Koscheck works to control position, landing an occasional elbow.  Daley gives up his back and Koscheck looks for the choke but Daley spins out and ends up in Josh’s guard, then lets him up and throws a knee to the head as Koscheck is getting up.  Koscheck was on both knees as the knee landed, and so referee Dan Miragliotta stops the action, giving Koscheck time to recover.  Josh is able to continue and the ref deducts a point from Daley.  Round 10-8 10-9 Koscheck

Round 2: The replay shows that the knee barely grazed Koscheck’s head, if at all.  Miragliotta reverses the point deduction after seeing the replay, and the second round begins.   A brief exchange then Koscheck scores another takedown.  They struggle on the ground; Koscheck is trying to pass into mount and succeeds briefly but Daley is able to regain half-guard.  Mostly positional jockeying on the ground with little action; Koscheck eventually takes Daley’s back but can’t do anything with the position. Round 10-9 Koscheck

Round 3: Daley is having a bit more luck with staying on his feet in the third, and lands several strikes before Koscheck drags him back to the ground.  Koscheck passes guard and eventually achieves full mount.  Daley gives up his back but can’t escape and Koscheck regains mount.  Daley eventually gets back to half guard;  Koscheck is controlling him without much offense save for an occasional body punch.  Some trash talking from both fighters; it’s clear Daley has lost this bout.  Round 10-9 Koscheck

After the bell, Daley walks up to Koscheck – seemingly as if to shake his hand – and throws a sucker punch.  Probably the cleanest strike landed all night.  Miragliotta restrains and reprimands Daley; Koscheck laughs it off.

Josh Koscheck wins a unanimous decision, 30-27 on all scorecards.

Aftermath: Josh Koscheck earns himself a title shot – a rematch with Georges St. Pierre, and a spot as a coach on the next season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ opposite GSP.

Paul Daley’s post-fight behavior, as expected, resulted in a termination of his UFC contract.  In addition he will likely face a lengthy suspension from the athletic commission officials, making it highly unlikely we will see him fight on the North American continent again any time soon.

Ranking Impact: Josh Koscheck moves up 1 spot to #2 WW.   Paul Daley falls 2 spots to #12 MW.

Fight Grade: 3 2/5 1 point deduction for the sucker-punch

Champion Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua (205 lbs title bout)

Round 1: In their first fight, leg kicks were the key for Rua and he tries the same strategy this time around.  Machida closes distance and scores a trip takedown.  Rua sweeps and gets back to his feet.  Rua attacks with punches, eating one of Machida’s on the way in.  Machida takes Rua down again but still can’t keep him down; Rua lands a knee as he’s getting up.   They exchange and Rua lands a big hook, knocking down Machida.  Rua swoops into mount and tees off; after 4-5 punches from the top Machida loses consciousness.  Rua realizes his opponent is out, getting up as the referee Yves Lavigne steps in to officially stop the bout.  ‘Shogun’ is the new UFC light-heavyweight champion.

Aftermath: New champion Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua extracts revenge on Lyoto Machida, and is almost certain to make his first title defense against the winner of the upcoming bout between former champions Rashad Evans and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson.   If something should happen to prevent a bout with Rashad/Rampage, Rua has expressed interest in fighting Randy Couture or Anderson Silva.  Rua earns the ‘Knockout of the Night’ award for the finish.

Lyoto Machida is dealt the first loss of his career – a brutal knockout that results in a grotesque swelling of his left eye.  Machida should start his comeback trail against Forrest Griffin, once Machida’s face and Griffin’s shoulder heal up.

Ranking Impact: Mauricio Rua rises 3 spots to #1 LHW and debuts at #4 in the Division Dominance Top 10.  Lyoto Machida falls 1 spot to #2 LHW and 6 spots in Division Dominance list, knocking Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson out of the #10 spot.

Fight Grade: 5/5

Marcus Davis vs. Jonathan Goulet  (170 lbs)

Round 1: Goulet leads and misses with a head kick. Davis charges Goulet with punches and rocks him but Goulet responds with a takedown.   Davis pulls guard with a guillotine and looks to finish but Goulet escapes.   Goulet is staying on Davis as Marcus attempts to get back to his feet.  He eventually suceeds then gets taken down again off a leg kick.  Goulet works the body and head from Davis’ guard.  Marcus looks for submissions from the bottom; none come close.  Round 10-9 Goulet

Round 2: Davis drops Goulet early and swarms him trying to finish.  Goulet survives but Davis is relentless, rocking Goulet with more punches and pouring it on until the referee stops the bout.

Aftermath: Marcus Davis salvages his UFC career after suffering back-to-back in his last two fights.  He should next take on Michael Guymon, who defeated Yoshiyuki Yoshida by a unanimous decision in an untelevised bout.  Jonathan Goulet does about as well as expected in his return from a long layoff.  He is likely done with the UFC for the time being, unless they need local fodder for their next Canadian event.

Ranking Impact: Marcus Davis rises 8 spots to #34 WW.   Jonathan Goulet, unranked for inactivity, returns at #125 WW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

A decent undercard (though somewhat lacking in star value and significant fights), and an excellent main event.  The only dark spot on this card was the Koscheck-Daley bout, and it’s ugly aftermath.

Event Grade: 3.5/5

Preliminary Card (Spike TV)

Alex Karalexis vs. Anthony Pettis (155 lbs)

Round 1: The fighters circle for a bit, then Pettis lands a head kick that rocks Karalexis.   Karalexis attempts a takedown; Pettis defends but it gives Alex a chance to recover.  Pettis throws another kick; Karalexis catches it and tosses Pettis to the ground.  Karalexis lands several punches from the top then Pettis escapes back to the feet.  Pettis lighting up Karalexis with leg and body kicks.  Karalexis goes for a takedown but doesn’t succeed.  Pettis misses with a head kicks.  More leg kicks from Pettis;  Karalexis with another takedown attempt and drags Pettis down just as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Pettis

Round 2: Karalexis comes out swinging, closes the distance and takes Pettis down.  Pettis escapes and lands more solid leg kicks.  Another takedown for Karalexis;  Pettis locks in a triangle from guard, while simultaneously pounding the face of his trapped opponent until Alex taps out.

Ranking Impact: Anthony Pettis rises 12 spots to #77 LW.  Alex Karalexis remains unranked.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung (145 lbs)

Round 1: Jung leads off with low kicks.  Garcia circles away and responds with punches.  Garcia tags Jung on the button;  Jung responds by moving forward and throwing haymakers and Garcia is glad to oblige in the kind.  A crazy exchange of windmill punches for thirty seconds;  they finally clinch and trade knees then break up.  Jung drops Garcia with a hook, and jumps on top of him to finish, but Garcia recovers and locks in an armbar.  Jung escapes, dealing more punishment from the top.  Garcia finally back to his feet and there’s another wild exchange to close the round.  Round 10-9 Jung

Round 2: The fighters resume trading strikes and Garcia drops Jung to his knees, but Jung fights through it and keeps swinging.  They clinch and the frantic pace slows down for a few moments.  Garcia misses with a big punch and is turned around by the momentum;  Jung takes advantage and jumps on Garcia’s back, dragging him to the ground.  Jung looking for a submission but Garcia is able to escape.  Back to trading strikes;  Jung backs Garcia up against the fence and tees off, knocking out Leonard’s mouthpiece.  Garcia fires back.  Another amazing round.  Round 10-9 Jung

Round 3: Jung has slowed down a bit and Garcia is circling around him and firing off kicks.   Jung returns a few kicks and punches that don’t have much zing.  Garcia catches Jung with a head kicks, which seemingly wakes up Jung as he attacks Garcia with a furious flurry of punches, backing Leonard up against the fence.   Garcia fires back but Jung walks through all of his strikes and keeps moving forward and throwing haymakers, and we have another wild exchange.  Jung finishes strong, amazing performance from both fighters.  Round 10-9 Jung

Leonard Garcia wins a split decision with the scores of 29-28, 29-28, 28-29.

Aftermath: Despite being robbed in the decision, the ‘Korean Zombie’ Chan Sung Jung impressed the fans in his US debut.   He’s sure to have many more exciting fights in WEC, as is Leonard Garcia, who broke his hand in the course of the fight.  Both fighters earn an additional $65,000 ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus for the action.

Ranking Impact: Leonard Garcia rises 1 spot to #22 FW.  Chan Sung Jung falls 3 spots to #44 FW.

Fight Grade: 5 4/5 1 point deduction for the decision

Main Card (PPV)

Antonio Banuelos  vs. Scott Jorgensen (135 lbs)

Round 1: Banuelos is getting the better of the early exchanges, tagging Jorgensen with hooks.  Jorgensen shoots and Banuelos sprawls.  They trade kicks and Banuelos knocks Jorgensen off his feet with a leg kick.   Jorgensen moves forward and Banuelos drops him with an uppercut.  Banuelos jumps on Scott, landing elbows and hammer-fists, but almost gets caught in an armbar and backs out, letting his opponent up.  Jorgensen attacks to end the round; Banuelos lands a nice spinning kick to the body.  Round 10-9 Banuelos

Round 2: Jorgensen keeps moving forward, landing the jab.  Jorgensen alternates jabs, right hands, and kicks.  Banuelos catches a kick but Jorgensen keeps his balance.  Jorgensen is finding his distance, landing jabs and crosses.  Banuelos is bleeding from the nose; it appears to be bothering him and is likely broken.  They exchange and Jorgensen drops Banuelos with an uppercut.  Jorgensen is all over Banuelos, looking to finish, but Banuelos survives and gets back to his feet, eating a knee at the bell.   Round 10-9 Jorgensen

Round 3: Antonio’s cut man is able to stop his nose from bleeding between the rounds, but Jorgensen soon opens it up again with his jab.  Jorgensen stalking Banuelos, landing jabs and right hands.  Banuelos is mostly evading and lands an occasional counter.  The pace slows down, until Jorgensen drops Banuelos with another right.  Jorgensen jumps in to finish; he takes Antonio’s back and looks for a rear naked choke.  Banuelos is bucking wildly, throwing punches behind his head but can’t get Jorgensen off him.  Jorgensen transitions to an armbar attempt to end the round.   Round 10-9 Jorgensen

Scott Jorgensen wins a unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three scorecards.

Aftermath: Scott Jorgensen avenges his loss to Banuelos; he is now on a four win streak, and is slowly creeping into the bantamweight title picture.  His next matchup should be against the former champion Brian Bowles.  Antonio Banuelos should take on Rani Yahya, who lost a decision to Takeya Mizugaki in an untelevised bout.

Ranking Impact: Scott Jorgensen remains #7 BW.  Antonio Banuelos falls 5 spots to #20 BW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Anthony Njokuani vs. Shane Roller (155 lbs)

Round 1: Roller immediately shoots for a takedown.  Njokuani defends but can’t stay on his feet.  Njokuani gets up and is taken back down.  Roller passes into mount, then takes Anthony’s back.  Njokuani tries to roll out of it but Roller has a body triangle locked and is looking for the choke.  Njokuani defends but eventually Roller breaks him down and locks in the rear naked choke, forcing Njokuani to tap.

Aftermath: Shane Roller has been rolling through competition in WEC, his sole loss in the organization coming at the hands of the champion Ben Henderson.  With the latest win, Roller is ready for another shot at Benson.

Anthony Njokuani is dealt a tough loss after a string of knockout victories.  His next bout should be against Anthony Pettis.

Ranking Impact: Shane Roller rises 22 spots to #31 LW.  Anthony Njokuani falls 30 spots to #94 LW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Brad Pickett  vs. Demetrious Johnson (135 lbs)

Round 1: Johnson is the quicker fighter, circling around Pickett and darting in-and-out of range with strikes.  Johnson connecting with jabs and kicks;  Pickett absorbs the punishment and gets a double-leg takedown.  Johnson maintains guard and gets back to his feet.  Pickett with another takedown; the fighters struggle as Pickett passes into half-guard but can’t advance further.  Johnson back up and lands a few strikes before being slammed down again.  Pickett passes into side control but Johnson escapes to his feet.  They trade strikes as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Pickett

Round 2: The fighters circle and exchange leg kicks to start the second.   Fairly even on the feet until Pickett takes Johnson down from clinch.  Johnson gets up very quickly.  Pickett takes him back down.  Pickett can’t keep Demetrious down, but Johnson can’t remain standing.  Johnson fires off a series of strikes every time he regains his footing, but finds himself on the back again.  This time it’s a huge slam and Pickett passes into mount and unloads with punches, but Johnson survives the round.  Round 10-9 Pickett

Round 3: Johnson’s corner advises a takedown between rounds, and Johnson obliges, scoring with a double-leg from across the Octagon.   Pickett is quickly back on his feet and takes Johnson down in turn.  Johnson back up and they exchange another set of takedowns.  Pickett on top and passes into mount but Johnson throws him off and stands up, landing a combination.  They clinch and Pickett lands a big knee to the body.  Round 10-9 Pickett

Brad Pickett wins a unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28

Ranking Impact: Brad Pickett rises 9 spots to #16 BW.  Demetrious Johnson falls 21 spots to #77 BW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Mike Brown vs. Manvel Gamburyan (145 lbs)

Round 1: Brown attacks while Gamburyan is looking to counter-strike.  Mostly missed punches from both in the first minute.  Brown backs Gamburyan up against the cage and leaps forward connecting with a wild punch; Manny takes it and responds with a short hook that drops Brown.  Gamburyan jumps in with hammer-fists, finishing his opponent.

Aftermath: Manvel ‘The Pitbull’ Gamburyan, undefeated as a featherweight,  earns himself a title shot and a ‘Knockout of the Night’ with a KO of the former champion.  Mike Brown was looking forward for a rematch with Jose Aldo, but instead will find himself trying to rebound against Mackens Semerzier or Deividas Taurosevicius.

Ranking Impact: Manny Gamburyan rises 18 spots to #2 FW.  Mike Brown falls 4 spots to #6 FW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Champion Ben Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone (155 lbs title bout)

Round 1: Cerrone leads with leg kicks.  Henderson catches a kick and takes Donald down.  Cerrone works his way to his knees.  Henderson lands knees to the leg from clinch, then knees to the head once Cerrone is standing on two feet.  Henderson trips Cerrone back down; Cerrone pops up but gets caught in a guillotine.  Henderson cranks it and Cerrone taps out.

Aftermath: Ben Henderson leaves no doubts in a rematch, finishing Cerrone in the first round after previously having won a close decision.  His next title defense will most likely be another rematch – Shane Roller.   Henderson earns the ‘Submission of the Night’ award.

Donald Cerrone was finished for the first time in his career, and is for the moment out of the title picture.  His next bout should come against Ricardo Lamas or Bart Palaszewski.

Ranking Impact: Ben Henderson rises 11 spots to #13 LW.  Donald Cerrone falls 17 spots to #64 LW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Chad Mendes vs. Anthony Morrison (145 lbs)

Round 1: Mendes moves forward with punches.  Morrison fires back.  Mendes attempts a takedown; Morrison pushes him off and peppers him with punches.  Mendes is persistent and eventually drags Morrison to the ground.  Anthony works his way back to his feet but Mendes catches him in a guillotine and jumps into guard.  Mendes adjusts the choke and Morrison taps out.

Ranking Impact: Chad Mendes rises 1 spot to #9 FW.  Anthony Morrison falls 8 spots to #58 FW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Tyler Toner  vs. Brandon Visher (145 lbs)

Round 1: Toner attacks with kicks.  Visher evades and answers with punch combinations.  Both fighters are looking to land big shots.  It’s a firefight and Toner eventually catches Visher, putting him down with a left and following up with strikes on the ground until the ref steps in to stop the bout.

Ranking Impact: Tyler Toner rises 41 spots to #35 FW.  Brandon Visher falls 34 spots to #85 FW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Champion Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber (145 lbs title bout)

Round 1: Faber is the aggressor early, moving forward and throwing kicks.  Aldo evades and responds with leg kicks.  Few leg kicks land square, one knocks Faber off his feet.  Faber gets up and shoots for a takedown but Aldo steps out of the way.  Aldo lands a punch combination and another leg kick.  Faber charges forward, and runs into a knee to the body.  Faber charges again and eats another knee.  Round 10-9 Aldo

Round 2: Faber feints and tries to find his distance.  Aldo kicks to the body then to the legs.  Faber lands an occasional punch but Aldo mostly stays right outside of his range.  Aldo continues landing leg kicks; Faber is switching stances trying to minimize the damage.  Faber is limping by the end of the round.    Round 10-9 Aldo

Round 3: Aldo continues picking Faber apart with leg kicks.  Faber attempts a takedown but doesn’t come close.  Aldo is methodical in his attack; Faber has no defense for the kicks that make him stumble and spin around.  Aldo lands a head kick and follows up with a flurry; Faber survives by putting some distance between them.  Aldo drops Faber with another leg kick as the round runs out.  Round 10-9 Aldo

Round 4: Faber’s left knee and thigh are grotesquely swollen.  Aldo keeps kicking the legs;  Faber shoots for a desperate takedown but ends up on his back with Aldo in guard.  Faber scrambles back up and is dropped with a leg kick.  Aldo jumps on Faber, passes into mount then side control.  Aldo secures the crucifix position and with a minute and a half left in the round, pounds away at Faber’s exposed face.  Faber is trapped, eating the punches, but the referee lets the beating continue for the remainder of the round.  Round 10-8 Aldo

Round 5: Faber is moving a little better after being off his feet for most of the fourth round.  Faber shooting desperate takedowns and Aldo just steps out of the way, leaving Faber to flop to his back.  Hardly any attack from Aldo who seems content to just ride out the round rather than going for the kill.  The fans are starting to boo.  Aldo hurts Faber with a body punch then drops him with another leg kick.   Aldo may have been getting tired towards the end but Faber too beat up at this point to take advantage.  Round 10-9 Aldo

Jose Aldo defeats Urijah by unanimous decision with the scores of 50-45, 49-45, 49-45 to retain the WEC featherweight championship.

Aftermath: Jose Aldo is now 7-0 in the WEC, and in his first title defense he has shown the ability to go the five rounds, despite fading a bit at the end.   His next defense should come against Manvel Gamburyan.

Former champion Urijah Faber is in an unenviable position, with three losses in his last five fights and having been thoroughly battered by the current and the previous champs.  Completely out of the title picture, he has been rumored to consider dropping down to 135 lbs.

Ranking Impact: Jose Aldo remains #1 FW and 3 spots to #5 on the Division Dominance list.  Urijah Faber falls 4 spots to #7 FW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

WEC’s Pay-Per-View debut turned out to be an excellent event – just like most other WEC shows have.  Whatever the future may hold for the organization, the lighter weight fighters are here to stay, having once again demonstrated that they consistently deliver the most exciting bouts.

Event Grade: 4.5/5

Champion Gegard Mousasi vs. Muhammed Lawal (205 lbs title bout)

Round 1: Mousasi leads with a high kick.  Lawal uses a combination of punches to set up a takedown.  Mousasi sprawls; Lawal eats several shots but completes the takedown.  Mousasi attempts a triangle.  Lawal passes into side control and tries to work his ground-and-pound.  Mousasi regains guard, blocks most punches and counters with up-kicks.  Mousasi back to the feet; he blocks another takedown attempt and punishes Lawal with punches.  Lawal is persistent and scores another takedown but Mousasi gets up quickly.  Round 10-9 Lawal

Round 2: Lawal is blocked on the first takedown attempt.  He succeeds on the second one but Mousasi is active with hammer-fists and up-kicks off his back and Lawal can’t control him from the top.  Mousasi gets up and is taken back down but once again does more damage off his back.  They stand up and Mousasi lands a solid combo backing Lawal up, then jumps on his back and looks for a choke as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Mousasi

Round 3: Lawal looks tired and Mousasi lights him up with kick and punch combinations.   Nevertheless Lawal scores another takedown.  Very little action on the ground;  Lawal is laying on top of Mousasi throwing an occasional punch.  Mousasi is starting to look tired as well, and is not able to get off his back.  Round 10-9 Lawal

Round 4: Mousasi lands leg kicks to start the fourth round and is taken down again.  Not much happens on the ground and the referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy calls for a standup.  It doesn’t last long as Lawal takes Gegard right back down.  Very little action on the ground; both fighters are tired and the fans boo.   Round 10-9 Lawal

Round 5: Lawal’s face shows signs of damage.  Mousasi needs a knockout or a sub at this point.  Mousasi swings for the fences but is taken down again.  Mousasi lands an up-kick as one of Lawal’s knees is on the ground; referee catches the foul and deducts a point from Gegard.  They restart in the same position.  Mousasi escapes and is looking to strike but Lawal slams him down again.   Up and back down, not much action but Lawal has controlled almost every round for an easy win.  Round 10-8 Lawal

‘King Mo’ Lawal defeats Gegard Mousasi by unanimous decision (49-46 on all scorecards).  Lawal is the new Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion.

Aftermath: Muhammed Lawal passes his first big test and wins a title.  Unfortunately there is very little competition available for him at this weight outside of the UFC.  Should he remain in Strikeforce, the only obviously available options for King Mo’s first title defense would be Renato Sobral or Dan Henderson.

Many fans have doubted Gegard Mousasi’s ability to defend against a strong wrestler, and he showed that the concerns were valid.  Having recently signed a contract extension with Strikeforce, Mousasi is now facing the same problem as Lawal: lack of available competition at his chosen weight class.

Rankings Impact: Muhammed Lawal makes his debut at #4 LHW (he was previously ranked at #16 HW).  Gegard Mousasi falls 6 spots to #10 LHW.

Fight Grade: 2/5

Champion Gilbert Melendez vs. Shinya Aoki (155 lbs title bout)

Round 1: The fighter circle.  Aoki misses a leg kick and falls down.  Melendez doesn’t follow him to the ground.  Aoki gets up and lands a jab, poking Gilbert in the eye in process.  Time is called.  In a bizarre moment,  Melendez asks referee Mario Yamasaki if he can wipe his eye.  Yamasaki advises Melendez to use his own forearm; Melendez instead uses Yamasaki’s forearm, then asks to use his shirt.  Request granted; Melendez wipes his eye on Mario’s sleeve and the fight continues.  Aoki shoots in then pulls guard.  Melendez avoids submissions and upkicks, landing a few punches from the top.  Back to the feet and they trade to end the first round.   Round 10-9 Melendez

Round 2: Aoki eats jabs trying to close the distance.  Aoki shoots for a takedown but ends up on his back.  Aoki is warned for holding gloves.  Little action and the ref stands them up.  Aoki’s standup is atrocious, and his takedowns are non-existent; every takedown attempt ends with Aoki on his back.  Melendez spends a bit of time in Aoki’s guard, then we get another standup for inactivity.  Boring fight so far and the fans are not happy.   Round 10-9 Melendez

Round 3: More of the same in the third round:  Aoki’s takedown attempts end with Shinya on his back and Melendez on top.  Stall on the ground, referee stand-up, rinse and repeat.  Aoki resorts to butt-scooting; Mario Yamasaki is not having any of it and motions him to get up.  Back to guard; Aoki attempts rubber guard but Melendez stays out of danger.  Back to the feet, back to the guard, not much else is happening in this fight.   Round 10-9 Melendez

Round 4: Melendez is having a little luck connecting with punches in the fourth, and Aoki’s face is starting to show it.  Aoki’s strategy remains the same: weak takedown attempt, pull guard, butt-scoot.  Melendez is laying it on with punches.  Melendez is warned by Yamasaki for continuing to punch Aoki on the ground after the ref called for a stand-up; a very odd call.  The fight resumes and it’s more of the same old song and dance.   Round 10-9 Melendez

Round 5: Aoki takes a finger to the eye early in the final round.  Fight resumes and it’s more of the same.  Aoki can’t get any offense going and Melendez easily neutralizes his guard while not being able to do much damage from the top.  A stand-up and back to guard.  Melendez finishes strong with a flurry of punches.  Round 10-9 Melendez

Gilbert Melendez defeats Shinya Aoki by unanimous decision (50-45 on all three scorecards) to retain the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship.

Aftermath: Gilbert Melendez earns a spot in the lightweight Top 3 with the biggest win of his career.  If Strikeforce and DREAM continue their partnership, Eddie Alvarez would make for a great challenger for Gilbert’s title.  If not, a rubber match with Josh Thompson is likely coming up.

Shinya Aoki becomes the latest casualty in a long line of elite Japanese fighters who failed to make their mark in the US.  Aoki retains his DREAM lightweight title, and will return to Japan to defend it, most likely in a long-awaited matchup with Tatsuya ‘The Crusher’ Kawajiri.

Rankings Impact: Gilbert Melendez rises 7 spots to #3 LW.  Shinya Aoki falls 2 spots to #5 LW.

Fight Grade: 2/5

Champion Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson (185 lbs title bout)

Round 1: In an early exchange, Henderson catches Shields with a right hook, knocking him down.  Shields recovers and dives for a leg but can’t secure a submission.  Henderson lets him up and blasts him with the right again.  Shields staggers, eats another punch and falls down again.  Henderson looking to finish but Shields holds on and is able to stall out in a clinch.  Referee separates the fighters and Shields goes for a takedown.  He completes but Henderson is up quickly and deals more punishment with knees to the body.  Round 10-8 Henderson

Round 2: Shields is not playing around with the standup any longer, instantly shooting for takedowns.  Henderson sprawls and takes Jake’s back in a scramble but Shields reverses and is in Henderson’s guard.  Shields quickly passes into mount.   Henderson looks relaxed off his back but not able to escape.  Shields works ground-and-pound; Henderson blocks most punches but Shields is scoring points.  Henderson escapes to half guard but Shields regains mount and lands another barrage of punches.  Henderson back to half guard but eats more strikes.  Round 10-9 Shields

Round 3: Shields with a leg kick then a takedown attempt.  Henderson sprawls.   Henderson lands a couple of punches and is taken down.  Shields stuck in guard for a while but eventually passes into side control and then into mount.  From there Henderson defends much like in the second round, unable to escape.  Shields with an armbar attempt as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Shields

Round 4: Henderson gets off a few punches early but Shields persistently works for takedowns.  Henderson defends and they are stuck in a very odd position.  Eventually Shields gains control and once again mounts Henderson.  From there it’s a familiar scene as Henderson is stuck in mount, doing nothing but defending.  Shields alternates sporadic strikes with half-hearted submission attempts.  All hope is lost for this event as it looks like the third title fight will also go to a boring decision.  Round 10-9 Shields

Round 5: Henderson looks for a knockout punch that he needs to win this fight, but to little surprise he is soon taken down and mounted.  Shields works for an arm triangle, then a leg submission.  Henderson defends, and that is all he’s been doing since the first round.   Round 10-9 Shields

Jake Shields defeats Dan Henderson by unanimous decision with the scores of 49-46, 49-45, 48-45 to retain the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship.

Aftermath: As Shields begins his post fight interview, Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller (who defeated Tim Stout with a first-round TKO in a preliminary bout) gets in the cage and in Jake’s face, demanding a rematch.  A brawl ensues when Jake’s teammates Gilbert Melendez and Nate & Nick Diaz take offense to Miller’s antics and decide to jump him.  The CBS broadcast cuts to a commercial among the melee.

The near-riot aside, Jake Shields overcomes all odds and earns the biggest win of his career, albeit in an unspectacular fashion.  There are certain to be rumors about Shields heading to the UFC and returning to the welterweight division;  if he does remain in Strikeforce his next title defense will likely be a rematch with either Robbie Lawler or Jason Miller.

Dan Henderson puts in a very weak performance after a great first round.  At this point the best option for him would be a return to the light heavyweight division and a matchup with Muhammed Lawal or Gegard Mousasi.

Rankings Impact: Jake Shields rises 3 spots to #3MW.  Dan Henderson falls 3 spots to #6 MW.

Fight Grade: 2/5

Last week’s UFC showed us that stacked cards don’t always result in most exciting events, and that having multiple title matches can sometimes make for a tedious viewing experience.  If UFC set the bar, Strikeforce upped the ante with three mostly uncompetitive and unexciting title bouts, culminating with a huge brawl that is sure to make fans forget about Anderson Silva’s Abu Dhabi antics.   A complete disaster of a show.

Event Grade: 2 1/5

1 point deduction for the post-Shields fight brawl

Kendall Grove vs. Mark Munoz (185 lbs)

Round 1: Grove wants to strike but Munoz scores a takedown quickly.  Grove right back to his feet, eating a couple of punches as he gets up.  Munoz goes for another takedown but is rocked with a big uppercut coming in.  Munoz is on his knees, holding on to Grove’s leg as Kendall pounds away at Mark’s head.  Munoz looks almost out but somehow keeps trying to secure a takedown.  Grove is warned about holding the fence.  Eventually the referee breaks up the fighters.  Munoz goes for another takedown and gets it but Grove counters with a guillotine attempt.  Munoz escapes and Grove gets up; Munoz takes him down again and is caught in another tight guillotine.  Munoz survives and is free of the choke as the round ends. Round 10-8 Grove

Round 2: Both fighters come out swinging.  Munoz lands a hook that knocks Grove’s mouthpiece out, but Grove seems unfazed and responds with a knee that drops Munoz.  Grove takes Mark’s back and looks for a choke, then an armbar.  Munoz escapes and ends up in Grove’s guard.  Munoz punches from the top.  Grove keeps him away with leg kicks.  Munoz lands a big punch that stuns Grove, then follows up with a series of punches until Grove rolls over and covers up, causing the referee to stop the bout.

Aftermath: Mark Munoz has now won three straight since dropping down to middleweight after his loss to Matt Hamill.  He should next take on Jorge Rivera or Yushin Okami.    Kendall Grove proves to be an inconsistent and chinny fighter as usual, and next on his plate should be Nate Quarry or a rematch with Ed Herman.

Ranking Impact: Mark Munoz moves up 32 spots to #28 MW.  Kendall Grove falls 20 spots to #50 MW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Phil Davis vs. Alexander Gustafsson (205 lbs)

Round 1: Davis tries to negate  Gustafsson’s height and striking advantage by attempting to bring the fight to the ground early.  Davis defends well, and the fighters clinch against the cage with neither able to get an advantage.  Davis knees Gustafsson’s legs from the clinch.  Gustafsson tries to make space and land punches.  Davis is relentless with takedown attempts and finally gets Gustafsson to the ground.  Davis attempts to pass but is stuck in half-guard.  Gustafsson eventually gets back to his knees and Davis instantly locks in an anaconda choke, forcing Gustafsson to tap out with less than ten seconds left in the round.

Aftermath: Phil Davis made short work of strikes in both of his UFC bouts.  He should next face fellow wrestler – Vladimir Matyushenko or Matt Hamill come to mind.

Gustafsson falls to 1-1 in the Octagon.   He should work on his submission defense and take on Kyle Kingsbury or Brian Stann in his next fight.

Ranking Impact: Phil Davis moves up 5 spots to #24 LHW.  Alexander Gustafsson falls 21 spots to #52 LHW.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Terry Etim vs. Rafael dos Anjos (155 lbs)

Round 1: Etim starts the fight by alternating head and body kicks.   Most miss and Anjos shoots for a takedown but Etim catches him in a guillotine as they go down.  Etim holds on to the choke for a long time but is not able to finish, and Anjos pops his head out and passes into side mount.  Anjos throws knees and elbows to the body.  Referee Marc Goddard warns dos Anjos for kneeing the spine – first time I’ve seen this rule enforced.  Ref calls for a standup.  Etim looking to strike; Anjos drops down for a heel hook but Etim escapes and works some ground-and-pound from top guard.   Round 10-9 Etim

Round 2: The fighters trade leg kicks.  Etim lands the harder strikes.  Etim catches dos Anjos with a knee to the head.  Anjos catches a leg kicks and throws Etim down.  Anjos works patiently on the ground, passing into side control, then mount, then north-south.  Anjos looks for a kimura then transitions to an armbar, and Etim taps out.

Aftermath: On a three fight win streak after losing his first two in the UFC, Rafael dos Anjos is becoming a solid prospect.  His next test should be Evan Dunham.   Terry Etim’s four-fight streak is broken – look for him to fight fellow countryman Paul Kelly in a future UK UFC event.

Ranking Impact: Rafael dos Anjos moves up 54 spots to #33 LW.  Terry Etim falls 26 spots to #57 LW.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie (170 lbs)

Round 1: Both grapplers are looking to strike in the first round.  Gracie lands a punch combination, backing Hughes up.  Hughes with a leg kick.  Hughes pushes Gracie up against the fence in a clinch.  Gracie puts distance between them and throws wide punches.  Hughes works the jab.  Very little action, with Gracie landing a few more shots.  Round 10-9 Gracie

Round 2: Gracie lands a couple of punches.  Hughes answers with two leg kicks that wobble Renzo.  Hughes takes Gracie down briefly; Gracie scrambles back up.  Gracie throws hands but mostly misses.  Hughes alternates jabs and leg kicks.   Gracie with an unsuccessful takedown attempt. Gracie doesn’t defend the leg kicks and they are starting to take their toll. Round 10-9 Hughes

Round 3: Hughes keeps laying on the leg kicks.  Gracie lands a good punch to the body; Hughes responds with one of his own.  Hughes is now letting his hands go.  Hughes lands a superman punch but backs off instead of following up with more strikes.  They clinch and Hughes is hurting Gracie with low kick & uppercut combinations.  Hughes stuns Gracie with punches then drops him with another leg kick.  Gracie extends his hand, asking Hughes to help him up.  Hughes obliges then drops him with another leg kick.  This time Gracie is on his back for a while; looks like he may not be able to get up.  Hughes backs off and Renzo is finally up.  Hughes lands more uppercuts and kicks and down goes Gracie again.  Hughes lets him back up and unloads with uppercuts against the cage; Gracie goes back down and this time referee Herb Dean steps in to stop the fight.

Aftermath: I would have never thought I’d see Matt Hughes drop an opponent with kicks, let alone finish a fight with a standing TKO.   Hughes should next take on Renzo’s student Ricardo Almeida, or rematch Matt Serra.

Renzo Gracie’s UFC debut has been a bust, and hopefully a one-and-done outing.

Ranking Impact: Matt Hughes remains #10 WW, Renzo Gracie remains unranked.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Champion B.J. Penn vs. Frankie Edgar (155 lbs title bout)

Round 1: Penn takes the center of the Octagon while Edgar dances around BJ, darting in and out of striking distance.  They exchange jabs and leg kicks.  Higher strike output and a lot of movement from Edgar; Penn remains mostly stationary, trying to catch Edgar coming in.  Edgar attempts a takedown and gets punished with punches.  Both fighters show slight facial damage by the end of an uneventful round. Round 10-9 Penn

Round 2: Penn working the jab.  Edgar keeps moving in and out.  Penn catching Edgard with jabs and hooks.  Edgar with a quick takedown but Penn is up instantly.  Another boring round.  Round 10-9 Penn

Round 3: Penn lands a combination to begin the round.  Edgar continues moving about.  Edgar is starting to land more as the round goes on; Penn might be slowing down as he is no longer able to time Edgar’s movement.  Edgar attempts a takedown but gets stuffed.  Edgar is beginning to out-land BJ in striking exchanges, edging out the round. Round 10-9 Edgar

Round 4: Edgar is as quick as he was in the first round, while Penn is starting to show signs of exhaustion.  Edgar alternates punches, kicks, and takedown attempts.  Penn is on the defensive, mainly landing jabs.  Round 10-9 Edgar

Round 5: More of the same in the final round as the quicker and fresher Edgar darts in and out of range, landing punches and kicks.  Penn lands a big hook but Edgard counters with a nice takedown. Penn back to his feet.  Edgar is looking to finish strong, landing superman punches and flying knees.  The fight is over and Edgar walks away with his hands raised – he may have stolen the final three rounds of this unspectacular fight. Round 10-9 Edgar

Frank Edgar defeats BJ Penn by unanimous decision, with the scores of 50-45, 48-47, 49-46.  Edgar is the new UFC lightweight champion.

Aftermath: This was a very close fight that could have gone either way.  In my opinion, Edgar edged out the latter three rounds – just barely.  The score of 50-45 from judge Douglas Crosby is downright inexplicable.   Despite the controversial decision, a new champion injects some life into a division that was running out of challengers for BJ Penn.   While an immediate rematch would be justified given the controversy, I hope that UFC avoids this scenario and instead have Edgar rematch the undefeated Gray Maynard in Edgar’s first title defense.  In the meanwhile, BJ Penn can work his way back to the title by taking on Tyson Griffin or Jim Miller.

Of course, no discussion of the UFC’s lightweight title picture can be complete without mentioning the perennial contender Kenny Florian.  Should the UFC matchmakers decide to give BJ Penn an immediate rematch, Florian needs to fight Maynard for the next title shot.

Ranking Impact: Frankie Edgar moves up 6 spots to #1 LW and debuts at #7 in the Division Dominance list.  BJ Penn falls 1 spot to #2 LW and drops out of the Division Dominance top 10.

Fight Grade: 2 1/5 1 point deduction for the 50-45 score

Champion Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia (185 lbs title bout)

Round 1: The fighters circle and dance around each other.  Silva begins landing leg and body kicks on Maia.  Maia is very passive.  Silva dances around Maia, shuffles his feet, switches stances, even drops to one knee trying to entice Maia to come in.  Silva lands a punch and Maia tries to pull guard but Silva is not having any of it.  Back to the feet and Silva drops Maia with a flying knee.  Maia is not out, and Silva kicks at his legs for a bit.  Round is over and no offense yet from Maia.  Round 10-8 Silva

Round 2: Silva with more dancing and stance-switching.  Silva lands a series of punches, then knocks Maia off his feet with a leg kick.  Silva throws dangerous kicks in Maia’s direction, that barely miss his head.  Maia back to his feet; Silva stuffs a takedown attempt.  Silva is taunting Maia, standing still with his hands at his sides, screaming and slapping the Octagon canvas.  Still Maia refuses to engage. Round 10-9 Silva

Round 3: Maia’s nose is bleeding.  Silva lands a jab to the face, making it bleed more.  Silva dances around, humiliating Maia and landing an occasional punch or kick.  Maia connects with an overhand punch that forces Silva back a step – Maia’s first significant offense of the night.  Round 10-9 Silva

Round 4: Maia’s face is showing quite a bit of damage now.  Silva is doing nothing but dancing and running around Demian.  Maia is now starting to engage a bit, throwing punches and shooting for takedown.  Silva easily evades everything Maia throws at him, but doesn’t respond save for an occasional half-hearted kick.  Round 10-9 Silva

Round 5: Maia’s face is a complete mess, with one eye swollen shut.  Silva lands a punch and a glancing head kick then resumes his dancing routine.  Maia is now swinging for the fences and catches Silva with a few solid punches.  Maia shoots for a takedown and Silva throws him off.  Maia swinging from his knees and actually lands punches.  Silva keeps dancing and running around, and the referee Dan Miragliotta pauses the fight to give Silva a stern warning to engage.  Anderson doesn’t heed the warning, continuing to do nothing for the remainder of the round.  Round 10-9 Maia

Anderson Silva defeats Demian Maia by unanimous decision, to retail the middleweight title.  Judges’ scores were not announced.

Aftermath: Anderson Silva now holds the undisputed record for most consecutive wins in the UFC (eleven) as well as most consecutive title defenses (six).  While these accomplishments may qualify him as the greatest UFC fighter of all time, Anderson’s performance in his last three title defenses shows a complete lack of interest in fighting.  Silva’s opponents to date have not been able to capitalize on his clowning, taunts, and lack of aggression, and there’s no reason to believe that top contenders Vitor Belfort and Chael Sonnen will fare any better.  No-one wants to see another fight like Silva-Maia or Silva-Leites.  The best solution for all parties would be for Silva to vacate the middleweight belt and move up to light-heavyweight or even heavyweight division, where he presumably would face more of a challenge.

Demian Maia was able to somewhat salvage his reputation by engaging in the latter rounds after doing nothing in the first half of the fight.  For the time being he is out of the immediate title picture, and once his injuries heal he should take on fellow submission expert Rousimar Palhares.

Ranking Impact: Anderson Silva remains #1 MW and #2 on Division Dominance list.  Demian Maia remains #8 MW.

Fight Grade: 1/5

While the undercard started out well enough, the three featured matchups lasted for over an hour of Octagon time, most of which was spent with the opponents slow-dancing around each other.  At best, there was maybe five minutes of significant action in the both title fights and the Hughes-Gracie bouts combined!  One word best describes UFC 112:  Bizarre.

Event Grade: 1.5/5

Ross Pearson vs. Dennis Siver (155 lbs)

Round 1: Pearson has a reach advantage over Siver, and is a bit quicker on the feet, outlanding Siver for most of the round in what is mostly kickboxing action.  Siver throws unorthodox front kicks but doesn’t land anything significant.  A small cut is open under Siver’s eye.  Pearson gets a takedown from a clinch and gets Siver’s back, then mounts Dennis.  Siver pushes Pearson off and pops up, landing a flurry of hooks to finish the round.  Round 10-9 Pearson

Round 2: Once again Pearson is scoring with punches and kicks on Siver.  Siver hangs in there and shoots for a takedown but is stuffed.  More striking exchanges and Siver gets the takedown and briefly takes Pearson’s back but can’t control the position.  Siver with his patented spin kick attempt, which falls just short of the target. Round 10-9 Pearson

Round 3: Both fighters look a bit tired but are still exchanging at a decent pace.  Pearson still outlanding Siver.  Siver gets a takedown and briefly works from guard but Pearson escapes. Pearson scores a takedown of his own.  Back to the feet and another takedown from Siver and quick escape by Pearson.  Round 10-9 Pearson

Ross Pearson wins a unanimous decision, 30-27 on all scorecards.

Aftermath: Ross Pearson continues to improve as a fighter and shows a lot of potential.  As an ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winner and one of the more promising British fighters in the UFC, he will likely be brought along slowly and kept away from the many strong wrestlers of the division who could derail his progress.  He should face Sam Stout next for another exciting display of stand-up fighting.

Denis Siver, who is usually a mainstay of the UFC’s European events, has had decidedly mixed results in the Octagon.  Siver has been the recepient of multiple ‘Knockout of the Night’ awards in the past, and with Siver and Pearson earning the ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus for this bout, Siver’s place in the lower tier of the lightweight division is safe for now.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Nate Quarry vs. Jorge Rivera (185 lbs)

Round 1: Quarry is the aggressor early, attacking Rivera with punch and kick combinations.  Rivera defends most of the strikes but the leg kicks get through.  Rivera opens up later in the round, stunning Quarry with a punch then dropping him with another one.  Quarry recovers and gets back to his feet, returning fire with elbows.  They trade wildly and Rivera drops Quarry again.  Quarry is bleeding from what appears to be a broken nose but survives the end of the round. Round 10-8 Rivera

Round 2: Quarry comes out swinging and quickly gets dropped with big punches from Rivera.  Rivera keeps at it until the referee stops the fight.

Aftermath: This was the most dominant performance of Jorge Rivera’s many UFC outings.  Jorge is focused and determined to make the final run of his career, and with his current streak he should take a step up in competition and face Yushin Okami, who scored a TKO victory over Lucio Linhares on the undercard.  Nate Quarry’s next opponent should be Mario Miranda, who suffered a TKO loss to Gerald Harris in another untelevised bout.

Fight Grade: 5/5

The arena lights go out just as Stefan Struve is making his Octagon entrance.  While the production crew attempts to fix the problem, we’re treated to a preliminary match:

Gleison Tibau  vs. Caol Uno (155 lbs)

Round 1: Gleison Tibau is the much bigger man in the cage compared to the veteran Caol Uno.  Tibau catches a leg kick and throws Uno to the ground. Uno is back up and Tibau pushes him against the fence.  They trade up close and Tibau rocks Uno with punches.  Tibau tosses Uno to the ground, taking his back.  Tibau flattens out his opponent and keeps punching until the referee steps in, stopping the beating.

Aftermath: Gleison Tibau seems to be coming into his prime as a fighter.  This would have been his fifth consecutive win if not for the controversial decision loss to Melvin Guillard. He appears to be ready to take on the elite of the lightweight division – his next bout should come against the likes of Sean Sherk, Clay Guida, or Jim Miller.

Caol Uno has not been very competitive since his return to the UFC.  With a record of 0-2-1 in his comeback, he will likely be cut from the organization, and it may be time to wrap up his long and fruitful career.

Fight Grade: 3/5

The lights are back on and the live event resumes:

Roy Nelson vs. Stefan Struve (HW)

Round 1: The 6′11″ Struve has a huge reach advantage, but is not able to utilize it against the shorter Roy Nelson.  Struve attacks with leg kicks, which Nelson walks right through.  Nelson pushes Struve close to the cage and lands a huge overhand right that stuns Struve.  Another right hand from Nelson and Struve is down and out.

Aftermath: It’s amazing how much the UFC’s heavyweight division, which has been shallow and lackluster for years, has improved recently.  With his second brutal knockout in as many UFC fights, the most recent ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winner joins the ranks of heavyweight contenders.  Post-fight, Roy Nelson asked to face the heavyweight boxing champion James Toney in Toney’s UFC debut.   That would make for an interesting matchup for Nelson – and so would a number of current UFC heavyweights such as Frank Mir, Cheik Kongo, Gabriel Gonzaga, or even Junior dos Santos.

Stefan Struve should be a force when he hits his mid to late twenties and fills out his still growing frame.  For now he would be best off facing mid-level heavyweights; perhaps Chris Tuchsherer, Ben Rothwell, or Michael Russow.

Fight Grade: 5/5

Kenny Florian vs. Takanori Gomi (155 lbs)

Round 1: Not much action early in the fight, with both fighters circling and feinting.  As they begin to engage, Florian utilizes his reach advantage well, connecting with jabs and leg kicks.  Gomi with a half-hearted takedown attempt that Florian easily evades.  Gomi throwing power punches and connects with few good hooks to the body but is getting outpointed on the feet.  Round 10-9 Florian

Round 2: Much of the same in the second round, with Florian keeping Gomi at bay with accurate jabs.  Gomi again lands a few good shots, mostly to the body.  Neither fighter doing any damage but Florian is consistently outlanding and frustrating Gomi. Round 10-9 Florian

Round 3: Between rounds, Florian’s corner advises him to be more aggressive.  Ken goes for a clinch, eating a combination on the way in but eventually taking Gomi down. Florian passes guard and attempts an arm triangle choke.  Gomi escapes but gives up his back in the process.  Florian works in a rear naked choke and Gomi is soon forced to tap.

Aftermath: Kenny Florian has been on a roll since his loss to BJ Penn, and is inching closer to another title shot.  A fight between Florian and Gray Maynard should determine who gets to face the winner of the upcoming title bout between Penn and Frank Edgar.

Takanori Gomi, like many former Pride FC stars, was lackluster in his UFC debut. While at 31 years of age Gomi may still continue to improve, it is unlikely that he will make much of an impact.  His next bout should come against Spencer Fisher, who is also coming off a loss and has expressed the desire to fight Gomi in the past.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Despite the technical difficulties and the fizzle of Gomi’s UFC debut, this was a thoroughly entertaining Fight Night.

Event Grade: 4/5

Preliminary Card (Spike TV)

Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Brown (170 lbs)

Round 1: Brown throws a high kick and gets taken down.  He gets up but Almeida plants him back down again.  Brown uses the cage to escape to his feet.  They clinch and it’s a stalemate.  Referee breaks up the clinch but Almeida is not having any part of Brown’s stand up and goes right back to clinching against the cage looking for takedowns.  Very little action, with Almeida landing a couple of good elbows.  Almeida edges out a very boring round to the loud boo’s of the crowd.  Round 10-9 Almeida

Round 2: Brown again starts the round with a kick, leading to an instant takedown.  Brown up and back down.  Brown up again and back to clinch against the fence.  A repeat of the first round.  Almeida lands an elbow combination that cuts Brown, then takes him down and quickly passes his guard.  Brown rolls; Almeida locks in a body triangle and transitions to Matt’s back, locks in a rear naked choke and Brown is forced to tap.

Aftermath: Ricardo Almeida’s welterweight debut was a successful one, despite boring the fans out of their minds for the first and much of the second round.   He needs to be matched up with another elite grappler – preferably Matt Serra or Matt Hughes.

The usually exciting Matt Brown has his game shut out by a much superior grappler; his clinching and takedown defense clearly need some work.  In the meanwhile, a fight with Brian Foster should make for some fireworks.

Fight Grade: 2.5/5

Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham (catch weight of 177 lbs)

Round 1: The fighters trade early.  Markham is winging big punches.  Diaz uses his reach advantage to beat Markham to the punch.  Diaz lands punch and kick combinations, follows up with a takedown attempt that Markham defends.  Diaz keeps landing strikes, dropping Markham to his knees.  Diaz hops on Markham’s back, locks in a body triangle, and punches away for the TKO stoppage.

Aftermath: What was supposed to be Nate Diaz’s first fight as a welterweight, ended up being contested at a middleweight catch weight of 177 lbs when Rory Markham failed to make weight.  An impressive performance by Diaz after a string of lackluster fights at lightweight; however Diaz seems intent on returning to lightweight or alternating between the divisions.

Markham’s failure to make weight combined with a flat performance after a long injury-related layoff could spell the end of his UFC career, at least for the time being.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Rousimar Palhares vs. Tomasz Drwal (185 lbs)

Round 1: Drwal throws a leg kick, slips and falls.  Palhares dives onto Drwal grabbing a hold of his leg, and locks in a heel hook.  Drwal taps out and screams in pain; Palhares holds on to the sub until the referee has to pry him off.

Aftermath: Rousimar Palhares was suspended for 90 days by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission for not letting go of the submission.  Nevertheless he rises up in ranks, and should face Alessio Sakara next.

Tomas Drwal suffers his first loss at 185 lbs.  If the heel hook didn’t cause sever injury that will keep Drwal out of action for a while, he should fight Tom Lawlor.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Main Card (PPV)

Jim Miller vs. Mark Bocek (155 lbs)

Round 1: Bocek is looking for a takedown early.  They clinch, reset, clinch again.  Bocek picks up Miller and slams him down with a big double-leg takedown.  Miller pulls rubber guard. Bocek passes into half-guard and gets caught in a kimura.  Miller uses the submission attempt to roll Bocek over, ending up on top.  Bocek looks close to tapping out but somehow escapes.  An elbow from Miller cuts Bocek’s forehead wide open.  Miller finishes the round on top, landing several solid punches.  Round 10-9 Miller

Round 2: Bocek gets a quick takedown to start the second round.  He passes into half-guard and works some ground-and-pound. Bocek is bleeding all over Miller from the cut suffered in round 1.  Miller attempts a leg-lock; Bocek rolls and ends up in mount.  Miller gives up back and Bocek locks in a body triangle, trapping one of Miller’s arms.  With plenty of time left in the round, Bocek looks for a rear naked choke which seems inevitable.  However Miller manages to defend with only one arm, and eventually stands up and slams Bocek to free himself from the hold.  Round 10-9 Bocek

Round 3: The fighters trade strikes to open up the final round.  Bocek is holding his own on the feet but keeps looking for a takedown.  Miller defends.  Miller has a slight edge in standup.  Bocek scores a takedown but Miller pops right up.  Miller with a takedown of his own and gets Bocek’s back.  Miller ends the round in back control, which may have won him the very close round.  Round 10-9 Miller

Jim Miller wins the unanimous decision, with the scores of 29-28 on all scorecards.

Aftermath: An exciting and spirited performance from both fighters, and a decision that could have easily went either way – this fight elevates the stock of Miller and Bocek alike.  Jim Miller should next take on Tyson Griffin or Kurt Pellegrino, while Mark Bocek should face Melvin Guillard, Spencer Fisher, or Joe Lauzon.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Kurt Pellegrino vs. Fabricio Camoes (155 lbs)

Round 1: Camoes takes Pellegrino down early in the first.  After a scramble on the ground Camoes gets Pellegrino’s back and secures hooks.  Pellegrino stands as Camoes locks in a rear naked choke.  Pellegrino escapes the choke by falling forward, slamming Camoes on his head!  Pellegrino takes Fabricio’s back in turn but Camoes recovers from the slam and escapes into half-guard.  Both fighters attempt submissions and alternate positions on the ground.  Pellegrino works in few good strikes late in the round, sealing it in his favor.  Round 10-9 Pellegrino

Round 2: Camoes looks for a takedown but Pellegrino reverses and ends up on top.  Camoes escapes to his feet.  Pellegrino lights him up with strikes then takes him back down.  Pellegrino works elbows and punches on the ground, doing damage to a tired Camoes.  Back to their feet and Pellegrino rocks Camoes with a knee, then takes him down, takes his back, and sinks in the rear naked choke.  Camoes taps just as he looks ready to pass out.

Aftermath: His great performance launches Kurt Pellegrino, who has won his last four bouts, into the top 20 and the elite level of the UFC’s lightweight division.  He should next take on Tyson Griffin or George Sotiropoulos, or a rematch with Nate Diaz (should Diaz choose to take his next fight as a lightweight).

Fabricio Camoes is starting his UFC career on a draw followed by a loss.  He likely will get one more chance to redeem himself – perhaps against someone like Thiago Tavares, Matt Wiman, or Cole Miller.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Jon Fitch vs. Ben Saunders (170 lbs)

Round 1: A brief striking exchange leads to a clinch.   They trade knees from clinch.  Fitch looks for a takedown and eventually gets it.  Fitch works head and body shots.  Saunders attempts an armbar from his guard but Fitch is in no danger. Fitch grinds away, keeping Saunders on his back with his head pressed up against the fence.  Saunders has no answer off his back.  Round 10-9 Fitch

Round 2: An exchange of kicks, a clinch, and a slam delivered by Fitch.  Fitch is in Saunders’ half guard.  Saunders regains guard.  Fitch peppers Saunders with punches from the top, bloodying up Ben’s face.  They alternate guard and half guard.  The crowd boos and referee Dan Miragliotta stands the fighters up.  They clinch again and Saunders works hard to defend the takedown.  Round 10-9 Fitch

Round 3: Fitch charges in with punches, then clinches.  Fitch landing solid shots from clinch.  Saunders works on defending the takedown.  Brief standing kimura attempt from Saunders goes nowhere.  Ref breaks up the clinch but they quickly end up in the same position.  Fitch gets a takedown and pounds away.  Saunders is bleeding; he survives the round but hasn’t offered any offense the entire fight.  Round 10-9 Fitch

Jon Fitch wins the unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27 from all judges.

Aftermath: This one-sided drubbing was a major disappointment, considering that Fitch-Alves and Saunders-Ellenberger were both promising to be great fights.  Instead, the fans were subjected to a tedious mismatch that did nothing for either fighter’s career.  Jon Fitch is no closer to a rematch with St. Pierre, and will have to either wait for Alves to return to action in several months, or face the winner of the upcoming bout between Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley (questionable matchup if Koscheck wins as Fitch and Koscheck train together and balk at the idea of fighting each other).

Ben Saunders also remains roughly in the same spot in the welterweight division as he was before this bout.  A matchup with Ellenberger is still a good option, as soon as Saunders’ facial cuts heal up.

Fight Grade: 2/5

Frank Mir vs. Shane Carwin (interim HW title bout)

Round 1: After initial circling, Mir throws the first strike combination of the fight.  Carwin ducks under and looks for a takedown.  Mir blocks and they clinch against the fence.  Carwin works the body.  Not much action and referee Dan Miragliotta breaks up the clinch.  Mir resumes throwing punches; Carwin fires back and once again pushes Mir against the cage.  They hustle for position in clinch.  Carwin lands an uppercut that dazes Mir.  Carwin lands more uppercuts and Mir goes down.  Carwin keeps punching away until Mir is flat on his stomach unconscious, and the ref steps in to stop the bout.  Shane Carwin is the new (interim) UFC heavyweight champion.

Aftermath: Shane Carwin – still undefeated – will face Brock Lesnar to once again unify the multiple heavyweight titles.  The matchup is tentatively scheduled for UFC 116.

Frank Mir is out of the title contention for the time being, with Cain Velasquez waiting in the wings for the winner of Carwin – Lesnar.  If Mir wants to gain another quick title shot, he will have to go through Junior Dos Santos.  Otherwise he should get a ‘rebound’ matchup against Gabriel Gonzaga, or a lower-level heavyweight.

Fight Grade: 3/5

Champion Georges St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy (170 lbs title bout)

Round 1: The fight begins and St. Pierre takes Hardy down not even 30 seconds into the round.  St. Pierre quickly passes into half guard then Hardy regains guard.  Several transitions follow, ending with St. Pierre on Hardy’s back.  Hardy escapes to his feet but instantly finds himself on his back again.  St. Pierre passes into mount then takes the back.  St. Pierre transitions to an armbar, and it looks very deep but Hardy somehow escapes and gets back to his feet as the round ends.  Round 10-9 St. Pierre

Round 2: A brief striking exchange with nothing significant landed, then Georges takes Hardy down with a single.  St. Pierre passes into half guard, then side control, then back mount.  St. Pierre attempts an armbar; Hardy reversed and ends up in Georges’ guard.  St. Pierre back to his feet.  Another insignificant striking exchange ends with a big takedown from St. Pierre.  Round 10-9 St. Pierre

Round 3: Again a quick takedown from St. Pierre. Georges is working elbows and punches from the top and starting to do some damage.  Hardy attempts a triangle but Georges easily evades and transitions to side control.  Georges looks for a kimura.  Hardy gets back up and is dragged right back down.  St. Pierre ends the round in the dominant position.  Round 10-9 St. Pierre

Round 4: Fourth round begins much like the previous three, with Hardy on his back only seconds into the round.  A scramble on the ground ultimately ends with St. Pierre still on top of Hardy.  Georges locks in a kimura; Hardy refuses to tap.  St. Pierre hesitates, not willing to crank the submission to the point of injury, and lets go.  No hope left for Dan Hardy at this point in the match.  Round 10-9 St. Pierre

Round 5: The fighters exchange leg kicks, then St. Pierre secures another takedown. Hardy attempts a triangle; St. Pierre shrugs it off and takes Dan’s back.  Hardy turtles up and St. Pierre attacks the body.  Hardy is up but slammed back down.  Kimura attempt from St. Pierre and Hardy escapes.  The end of this fight can’t come soon enough. Round 10-9 St. Pierre

Georges St. Pierre wins the unanimous decision with scores of 50-44, 50-45, 50-43 to retain the UFC welterweight championship.

Aftermath: This fight was as one-sided as expected, the only surprise being Hardy’s resilience in the face of St. Pierre’s submission attempts.  Though Georges went the distance with his last three opponents, his performances were as dominating as could be without a finish.  There currently isn’t a top contender in sight, and so it looks like GSP will have another long layoff while he waits for a worthy challenger to emerge.

Dan Hardy showed a lot of heart – and not much else – in the five rounds of being dominated.  He should next take on one of the division’s other top dogs – Jon Fitch, Matt Serra or Paulo Thiago.

Fight Grade: 2/5

Rodney Wallace vs. Jared Hamman (205 lbs)

Round 1: Wallace is looking for an early takedown and eventually suceeds but Hamman gets right back up.  Wallace lands a combination and scores another takedown.  Hamman back to his feet again and they trade.  Hamman drops Wallace with a head kick but Wallace recovers and secures yet another takedown.  Hamman back up and drops Wallace for the second time with a series of punches.  Hamman looking to finish but Wallace survives the round. Round 10-9 Hamman

Round 2: Wallace lands a punch combination and takes Hamman down.  Hamman escapes and throws Wallace to the ground, taking top position.  Wallace attempts a triangle.  Wallace gets up and takes Hamman down in turn.  Hamman sweeps and end up on top.  Hamman controls Wallace on the ground and lands punches from the top, scoring points with his ground-and-pound. Round 10-9 Hamman

Round 3: Wallace with a takedown attempt; Hamman reverses and ends up on top. Wallace escapes.  Both fighters land solid strikes on the feet.  Hamman gets a takedown.  Wallace attempts submissions off his back but Hamman blocks them and ends the round in side control punching away.  Round 10-9 Hamman

Jared Hamman wins the unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three scorecards.

Aftermath: This was a fight with very little significance for the stacked light-heavyweight division, with both Wallace and Hamman coming off of losses in their UFC debuts.  Hamman improves to 1-1 in the UFC, assuring another shot in the Octagon.  For the elaborately nicknamed Rodney ‘Sho Nuff The Master’ Wallace, the exciting fight may have been enough to remain in the ultra-competitive division even after dropping decisions in both of his UFC bouts.   Both fighters earned the official ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus for their performance.

Fight Grade: 4/5

UFC 111 had plenty of highlights and low points; however the one-sided main event and the equally one-sided Fitch-Saunders bout dragged down the overall quality of the event.

Event Grade:  3/5