UFC 106 was originally supposed to be headlined by the heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar making his first defense of the unified title against the undefeated Shane Carwin, and Tito Ortiz making his UFC return against the veteran Mark Coleman.  When Lesnar fell ill and Coleman injured himself in training, both of the featured matchups fell apart, leaving a rematch between Ortiz and Forrest Griffin as the main event.

The undercard was dominated by welterweights, with five of the matchups taking place in the 170 lbs division, and highlighted by a bout that had potential title shot implications in the light heavyweight division – Luiz Arthur Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.   As has been the case with the past few UFC pay-per-view events, four of the undercard bouts were televised on Spike prior to the main card.

Preliminary Card (Spike TV)

Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulous (155 lbs)

Round 1: A mostly even exchange on the feet takes place for the first half of the round, with Dent effectively negating George’s reach advantage.  Sotiropoulous shoots for a takedown midway through the round, and quickly passes to side control then mount.  Dent gives up his back attempting to escape but George maintains control, going back to mount and landing elbows that Dent has no answer for.  Dent covers up, waiting out the end of the round.   Round 10-9 Sotiropoulous

Round 2: Dent is looking to keep it on the feet after having some success in striking exchanges, but Sotiropoulous catches a kick and down they go.  Sotiropoulous transitions to guard, side control, north-south, back mount.  Dent briefly escapes to his feet but gets dragged back down.  George gives up mount to look for an armbar.  Dent defends; Sotiropoulous uses a triangle-like setup to force Dent’s elbow to hyper-extend, and Jason has no choice but to tap out.

Aftermath: A beautiful display of jiu-jitsu from Sotiropoulous, ending with a slick submission, earns George his fourth straight win in the Octagon.  He should next take on Thiago Tavares, who has been held back from fighting by persistent injuries.   Jason Dent needs to go down to WEC’s 145 lbs division, as he just does not have the size to be competitive at lightweight.

Fight Grade: 4/5

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Broadcast from Manchester, England, UFC 105 was televised in US on Spike TV and featured both winners of ‘The Ultimate Fighter: US vs UK’ making their post-TUF UFC debut.  The UK coach Michael Bisping was also on the card, taking on Dennis Kang and looking to rebound from the brutal knockout loss at the hands of Dan Henderson in his last bout.  The main event had Randy Couture returning to the light-heavyweight weight class against Brandon Vera, and Mike Swick took on Dan Hardy in the co-main for a shot at the UFC welterweight title.

Ross Pearson vs. Aaron Riley (155 lbs)

Round 1: After some initial circling, Pearson begins to find his striking range, and scores with punches and kicks.  Pearson clinches and pushes Riley against the fence, then unloads a series of knees.  Riley breaks free and tries to fire back but can’t get any offense going.  Pearson clinches again, punishing Riley with knees and elbows.  Pearson mixing up his striking and most attacks are right on target.  Round 10-9 Pearson

Round 2: Riley tries to be the aggressor early in the second but Pearson quickly forces another clinch.  Riley keeps trying to regain some distance but is being punished in striking range as well as in clinch.  Pearson lands a flying knee and Riley starts bleeding profusely.  The fight is stopped to check the cut and the ringside doctor calls an end to the bout.

Aftermath: A good post-TUF debut for Ross Pearson, completely shutting down a veteran opponent.   He should face Melvin Guillard in his next bout, to truly test Pearson’s impressive striking game.   Riley does not show much in the loss, and will likely be used as a fodder for other lightweight prospects.

Fight Grade: 3.5/5

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Following in the footsteps of now-defunct IFL and Elite XC, Strikeforce became the third MMA promotion to broadcast an event live on national television.  The inaugural CBS event was highlighted by the top heavyweight in the world Fedor Emelianenko taking on the undefeated Brett Rogers.  The televised card also featured a middleweight title bout between Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller and Jake Shields, a non-title bout between Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and another heavyweight clash with Fabricio Werdum taking on Antonio ‘Big Foot’ Silva.

Antonio Silva vs. Fabricio Werdum (HW)

Round 1: After an initial feeling out process, Silva lands the first significant offense of the fight, dropping Werdum with an uppercut in a moment reminiscent of Werdum’s loss to Junior Dos Santos.  Silva pounces and unloads, but Werdum miraculously survives and works his way back to the feet.  Werdum exchanges with Silva then attempts to pull guard, but Antonio manages to keep the fight standing and punishes Werdum on the feet.  Round 10-9 Silva

Round 2: Werdum attacks early with a flurry.  Silva fires back and again drops Werdum.  Werdum invites Silva into his guard; Antonio accepts the invitation and gets swept.  Silva escapes back to his feet and they clinch against the fence.  After a stalemate in clinch, they separate and Werdum takes Silva down with a single-leg.  Werdum attempts an arm triangle, then spins for a kneebar as Silva defends.  Round 10-9 Werdum

Round 3: The fighters trade leg kicks.  Werdum lands a combination and follows it up with a takedown.  Silva gives up his back and stands up.  Werdum lands several knees from a plumb clinch.  Silva responds with a combination of punches then gets taken down again.  Werdum has Silva’s back; Silva regains half-guard but gets blasted with punches from the top.  Round 10-9 Werdum

Fabricio Werdum defeats Antonio Silva by unanimous decision (29-28 on all scorecards).

Aftermath: This fight was supposed to be the first part in a mini-tournament for the right to face the  Strikeforce heavyweight champion Allistair Overeem.  The next step for the Fabricio Werdum should be the winner of the night’s main event.  And might as well match up Silva with the loser while we’re at it.

Fight Grade: 4/5

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UFC 104 took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and was headlined by the light heavyweight champion Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida attempting to make his first title defense against a man who was at one point widely regarded as the #1 light heavyweight in the world, Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua.  The other featured bout had the undefeated heavyweight Cain Velasquez taking on former IFL standout Ben Rothwell.   With no major events in the past few week, this was a highly anticipated event that unfortunately ended up mired in controversy and addled with mostly uneventful fights.

As was the case with UFC 103, three of the preliminary bouts were broadcast on Spike TV prior to the pay-per-view event.

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Patrick Barry vs. Antoni Hardonk (HW)

Round 1: The two former professional kickboxers and training partners start the fight off trading on the feet as expected.  Barry seems to have quicker and more powerful hands, and lands a solid combination but Hardonk has a significant reach advantage and keeps Barry at bay with a variety of kicks.   Hardonk accidentally pokes Barry in the eye with a pawing jab, halting the action briefly.  Hardonk slips throwing a kick and Barry quickly follows him to the ground.  Barry lands some good shots from half guard; eventually Hardonk gets back to his feet.  Hardonk is landing multiple  leg and body kicks, and Barry’s legs  are starting to show the effects of them by the end of the round.   Round 10-9 Hardonk

Round 2: Hardonk is throwing kicks again but Barry counters with a combination that rocks Antoni.  Hardonk attacks again and gets hit with the same combination, this time knocked down momentarily.  Hardonk shoots for a half-hearted takedown, Barry easily defends and drops Hardonk with a punch to the side of the head.  Barry follows up with a huge right hand and raises his arms in victory before the referee officially stops the bout.

Aftermath: With a solid knockout, Pat Barry recovers nicely from the submission loss to Tim Hague in his previous bout.  Stefan Struve or Chris Tuchsherer would be the next logical matchups for Barry.  Barry received the official ‘Knockout of the Night’ and ‘Fight of the Night’ awards for his performance, adding a cool $120,000 to his fight purse.

Antoni Hardonk once again demonstrates that he is a one-trick pony, with nothing to back up his impressive arsenal of kicks.  Though Hardonk is 4-4 in the UFC, he has lost to strikers as well as grapplers, and struggled with even journeymen fighters.  With very little upside for Hardonk in the division, it may be time for the UFC to let him go – or possibly use him as fodder for the graduating class of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ heavyweights.

Fight Grade: 3/5

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WEC 43 was initially scheduled to take place on September 2nd, in Youngstown Ohio.  With the current WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner unable to defend his title due to an injury, top contenders Donald Cerrone and Ben Henderson were slated to face off for an interim title.    However an injury suffered by Henderson in preparation for the fight left WEC without a main event, and forced them to reschedule the card for October 10th, coincidentally moving it from Ohio to San Antonio, Texas.  Here’s how this long awaited event went down:

Will Campuzano vs. Damacio Page (135 lbs)

Round 1: Page comes out swinging wildly, backing up Campuzano with a series of hooks.  Campuzano answers with a few big shots of his own and gets taken down.  Campuzano looks for a triangle, then an armbar.  Page escapes and takes Campuzano’s back.  Page attempts a rear naked choke; Campuzano defends at first but is caught on the second try, and taps out at just over a minute into the round.  An exciting 60-something seconds of action to start the night.

Fight Grade: 4/5

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UFC 103 took place in Dallas, TX and in lieu of any title matchups, the event was highlighted by the return of a few old-school UFC fighters: Vitor Belfort, Frank Trigg, and Vladimir Matyushenko all made an appearance in the Octagon after years spent fighting in other organizations.  For the first time in the promotion’s history, four of the preliminary bouts were televised on Spike TV prior to the pay-per-view event.  Here’s how it all went down:

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Drew McFedries  vs.  Tomasz Drwal (185 lbs)

Round 1: The broadcast feed is screwed up for the first minute of the fight, and both men are trading on the feet when the feed resumes.   McFedries is getting the upper hand on the exchanges and Drwal works to bring the fight to the ground.  McFedries sprawls but is taken down eventually, though he quickly gets up.  McFedries is visibly fading and Drwal tags him with a combination, follows it up with a takedown and gets mount.  McFedries covers up to survive as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Drwal

Round 2: McFedries doesn’t seem to have anything left in the tank, and Drwal rocks him on the feet then takes him down.  Drwal easily mounts McFedries, who rolls over and gives up his back.  Drwal secures a rear naked choke and a tapout quickly follows.

Aftermath: Tomasz Drwal is now on a three-win streak, getting his first victory in the middleweight division.  McFedries on the other hand is still not able to put two consecutive wins together, as a lack of cardio and perseverance prevents him from fighting past the three-minute mark of the first round.  McFedries vs. Alessio Sakara should be an entertaining fight that’s guaranteed to not go the distance.

Fight Grade: 3/5

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UFC Fight Night 19 took place in Oklahoma City and served as a lead-in for the tenth season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ series.  The event was headlined by a lightweight bout between Nate Diaz and Melvin Guillard, with another lightweight matchup between Gray Maynard and Roger Huerta taking second billing.   Color commentator Joe Rogan was notable by his absence, with the lightweight contender Ken Florian taking his place in the broadcast.

 
Nate Quarry vs. Tim Credeur (185 lbs)

Round 1: Both fighters are actively trading on the feet for most of the round, with Credeur seemingly quicker and landing more shots, while Quarry the more powerful counter-striker.  Credeur is mixing up punches with body kicks, and rocks Quarry with a combination, sending him to his knees.  Credeur pounces on Quarry and tries to lock in a rear naked choke, but Quarry escapes and they go back to trading punches to close out the round.   Round 10-9 Credeur

Round 2: Credeur comes out swinging wildly, rocking and wobbling Quarry with combinations.  Out of nowhere, Quarry responds with a right hand that drops Credeur.  Quarry jumps on top and bashes Credeur with elbows and hammer fists.  Credeur regains his senses and attempts submissions from guard.  Quarry evades and the action slows down; the round ends with a virtual stalemate with Quarry in Credeur’s guard.  Round 10-9 Quarry

Round 3: The beginning of the final round looks much like Round 2, as Credeur comes out aggressive and hurts Quarry, but once again gets dropped by a stiff counter.  Quarry follows Credeur to the ground; Tim scrambles up and is going all out with a flurry of punches, looking for the finish.  They trade wildly and Quarry one again knocks Credeur down; both fighters are exhausted and Quarry sits in Credeur’s guard without much action.  The referee calls for a standup and they finish with another exchange on the feet.  Round 10-9 Quarry

Nate Quarry defeats Tim Credeur by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)

Aftermath: Despite the sloppy standup and at times a lack of action on the ground, this was an amazing fight that earned both contestants the official ‘Fight of the Night’ award.  Quarry has a huge mouse under his right eye and much more facial damage than Credeur, despite knocking Tim down on several occasions.   Credeur showed a lot of upside in this fight, and though Nate Quarry will likely never hold a title in the UFC, he will always make for exciting fights as long as his opponent is willing to engage.

Fight Grade: 5/5

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UFC 102 marked the company’s first event in Portland, Oregon and was headlined by a long-overdue matchup between the UFC legend and hometown favorite Randy Couture and the former Pride FC & UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Brandon Vera vs Krzysztof Soszynski (205 lbs)

Round 1: Soszynski leads with a combination, Vera responds with a body kick that stops Soszynski  in his tracks.  Soszynski continues attacking but Vera evades his strikes and counters with leg kicks and knees to the body.  Soszynski forces a clinch; they trade then break free.  Soszynski shoots with no success.  Vera keeps landing counterstrikes, easily winning the round.  Round 10-9 Vera

Round 2: After an initial exchange, Soszynski  clinches and tries to maneuver Vera against the fence.  They trade elbows and knees with neither having a significant advantage.  Vera spins Soszynski around; Soszynski moves forward and Vera’s mouthpiece is knocked out in the scuffle, forcing a brief pause in the fight.  Soszynski takes Vera down but Brandon immediately stands up, and it’s back to clinch.  Round 10-10 draw

Round 3: Soszynski is tired but keeps coming forward, and Vera is picking him apart with counters.  Soszynski attempts a takedown; Vera stops it then answers with a takedown of his own.  Soszynski gets up and Vera is continuing to land single strikes.  Krzysztof is gassed but Vera just doesn’t pull the trigger, content with hanging back and scoring with occasional counters.  The crowd is booing mercilessly. Round 10-9 Vera

Brandon Vera defeats Krzysztof Soszynski by a unanimous decision with the scores of 30-27 on all scorecards.

Aftermath: Another painfully slow and boring victory for Vera, who has fallen far since making a claim that he will hold both the UFC heavyweight and light-heavyweight titles after his first few victories in the Octagon.  Soszynski was simply outclassed by a more technical striker.  I would like to see Vera and Krzysztof next face the winner and the loser of the Keith Jardine/Thiago Silva bout, respectively.

Fight Grade: 2/5

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Following on the heels of the less-than-stellar UFC 101, MMA fans got another dose of action, with WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres defending his title against Brian Bowles in the main event of WEC 42.   The fight card included several additional bantamweight bouts to help determine the next contender for the winner of the main event.  The televised portion of the event began with Leonard Garcia looking to rebound from a knockout loss to the featherweight champion Mike Brown in his previous fight.

Leonard Garcia vs. Jameel Massouh (145 lbs)

Round 1: The first round is fairly even on the feet until Garcia scores a knockdown and follows Massouh to the ground trying to finish.  Massouh recovers and gets back to his feet, then takes Garcia down.  Massouh finishes the round with punches and elbows from half-guard as Garcia attempts submissions from the bottom.  Round 10-9 Garcia

Round 2: Garcia is looking for a knockout punch, and Massouh takes it to the ground early.  Garcia attempts a guillotine; Massouh escapes and passes into half guard.  Massouh locks on a brabo choke.  Garcia eventually frees himself from the hold, but it looks to have taken its toll as he is unsteady on the feet, and Massouh punishes Garcia with knees from clinch.  Round 10-9 Massouh

Round 3: The third round takes place mostly on the feet, with Garcia swinging for the fences.  Neither fighter has a significant advantage and both land a number of strikes, with Garcia edging out the round based on aggression.  Round 10-9 Garcia

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

Fight grade: 3/5

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UFC 101 ‘Declaration’ was the first event that the promotion held in Philadelphia, and as is often the case for UFC’s debut in a new market, the fight card left a bit to be desired.   The event was headlined by a lightweight title bout between the champion BJ Penn and top contender Kenny Florian, and co-headlined by the middleweight champion Anderson Silva going up to 205 lbs for the second time in his career, to take on the former lightheavyweight champ Forrest Griffin.  Besides the two headlining bouts, the remainder of the fights on this card had little significance.  And while sometimes events that look lackluster on paper end up very exciting, this was not the case for ‘Declaration’.

Josh Neer vs. Kurt Pellegrino  (155 lbs)

Round 1: After an initial exchange, Pellegrino capitalizes on a kick attempt by Neer, and slams Josh to the canvas.  Pellegrino attempts to pass guard while Neer looks for an armbar.  Neer locks on an armbar but gets slammed on his head and lets go.  Neer looking for a triangle, but Pellegrino maintains control and scores with short punches & elbows.  Round 10-9 Pellegrino.

Round 2: Neer is landing leg kicks and blocks the initial takedown attempt from Pellegrino, but Kurt perseveres and drags Neer down.  Neer looks for an armbar, then a triangle.  Pellegrino escapes and passes Neer’s guard, ending up in full mount.  Neer gives up his back; Pellegrino attempts to sink in a choke but Neer defends as time runs out. Round 10-9 Pellegrino.

Round 3: The fighters trade kicks; Pellegrino catches a leg and takes Neer down once again.  Neer is still looking for a submission but nothing comes close.  Pellegrino passes guard and mounts Josh; Neer escapes and ends up on top.   They stand and Pellegrino attempts another takedown.  Neer sprawls and lands a number of unanswered elbows to end the round.   Round 10-9 Pellegrino.

Aftermath: Pellegrino utilized takedowns and top control to improve his UFC record to 6-3, winning his last three bouts.  However the lightweight division is stacked with strong wrestlers, and I don’t see Pellegrino using this strategy with any degree of success against someone like Gray Maynard or Clay Guida.  Neer once again learned the hard way that working off your back does not win you a decision unless you submit your opponent.   All in all a rather boring fight between two mid-level fighters without much upside.

Fight grade: 2/5

Kurt Pellegrino wins the unanimous decision, 30-27 on all scorecards.

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Though UFC has put on much more than 100 events in its existence, UFC 100 was billed as an anniversary of sorts, with an appropriate amount of hype surrounding the event.  Coincidentally, it happened to be the 100th UFC event produced by the Zuffa – the current owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.  The fight line up was highlighted by the conclusion of the heavyweight championship mini-tournament, with Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir rematching to unify the heavyweight titles.  In addition, Georges St. Pierre defended his welterweight title against top contender Thiago Alves, and Dan Henderson took on Michael Bisping for a potential middleweight title shot.  The main card was rounded out by the UFC debut of Japanese standout Yoshihiro Akiyama, and a welterweight bout between John Fitch and Paulo Thiago.

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher (185 lbs)

Round 1: Belcher starts out with leg kicks; several find their target but one is a bit off and lands squarely in Akiyama’s groin. After a brief rest they start back and exchange combinations;  Akiyama catches a leg kick and answers with a big punch but Belcher comes right back and floors Akiyama with a big hook.  Akiyama recovers quickly and catches another leg kick, throwing Belcher to the canvas this time.    Round 10-9 Belcher

Round 2: Akiyama utilizes his judo background to score a takedown off a body lock early in the round.  Back and forth action on the ground, with Akiyama in a controlling position but not able to do much damage to Belcher.  Akiyama passes Belcher’s guard, which allows Alan to escape back to the feet, and the fighters close the round out with fairly even striking exchanges.  Round 10-9 Akiyama

Round 3: Akiyama looks beat up, his eyes are swollen but he continues standing with Belcher.  Belcher is winning most exchanges but Akiyama hangs in there and fires back, momentarily knocking Belcher off-balance.  Akiyama gets a late takedown to make it a very close round.  Round 10-9 Belcher

Akiyama wins a split decision with scores of 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28 Belcher

Fight Grade: 3/5

Aftermath: Though Akiyama did not dazzle in his UFC debut, a win is a win and a close fight with a very tough Belcher is nothing to sneer at.  Expect Akiyama’s next opponent to be a mid-level fighter with a high level of name recognition; perhaps a former ‘Ultimate Fighter’ contestant such as Nate Quarry, Chris Leben, or Ed Herman.   Belcher remains in a gatekeeper-like position.

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The ninth season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ reality series featured lightweight and welterweight fighters and pitted ‘Team US’, lead by Dan Henderson, against Michael Bisping-coached ‘Team UK’. The talent on this season of the show was seemingly of a much lower level than many of the previous seasons; as a result, only four of the contestants who did not make it to the finals were invited back for the live finale. The featured bouts were the welterweight final between Damarques Johnson (US) and James Wilks (UK), and the lightweight final between Ross Pearson and Andre Winner (both UK). The card was headlined by a lightweight bout with title shot implications, as Diego Sanchez took on Clay Guida. Here’s how it all went down:

Joe Stevenson vs. Nate Diaz (155 lbs)

Round 1: Diaz looks to strike but Stevenson immediately gets a takedown and gets caught in a guillotine.  Stevenson escapes and stays on top.  Diaz tries to roll out and ends up with Stevenson taking his back and securing a crucifix position from the back mount.  Stevenson maintains dominant position as Diaz attempts to escape, and eventually locks on a very tight guillotine on Diaz.  Just as it looks like Diaz is about to go to sleep, he rolls over, slips his head out and stands up.  Stevenson instantly goes for another takedown;  Diaz escapes and the round ends in a clinch.   Round 10-9 Stevenson

Round 2: Stevenson again starts with a quick takedown and gets caught in a guillotine.  Diaz briefly gains dominant position but Stevenson sweeps and ends up on top again.  Diaz scrambles up and gets taken down again; Diaz attempts submissions off his back but nothing comes close.  Stevenson dominates the round with wrestling and control though not doing much damage.  Round 10-9 Stevenson

Round 3: Stevenson once again works for a takedown but Diaz is doing a better job of sprawling and staying on his feet.  Diaz throws Stevenson from clinch and briefly gains a dominant position.  Diaz attempts a guillotine as Stevenson scrambles up to his feet.  Diaz fends off more takedowns and peppers Stevenson with ineffective punches;  both men appear winded as the round draws to a close. Round 10-9 Diaz

Joe Stevenson wins an unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three scorecards

Fight Grade: 3/5

Aftermath: A much needed victory assures that Joe Stevenson’s spot in the UFC’s lightweight division is safe for the time being.   Nate Diaz loses his second close decision in a row; it looks like Nate is falling into the same conundrum that his brother Nick suffered from during his UFC tenure:  his style of fighting almost guarantees that he will lose a decision whenever he is not able to finish his opponent.

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UFC 99 was broadcast live from Cologne, Germany – marking the organization’s first foray into continental Europe.  UFC was not exactly welcomed with open arms, as the local legislators attempted to block the event, citing the brutality of the sport.  In the end their efforts were futile, and the event went on (as usual, there were several late substitutions due to injuries).  As it has been the case with most of UFC’s overseas cards, there were no title bouts in this event.  Instead, the headlining bout was a ‘super fight’ between Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva at a catch weight of 195 lbs.  The fight card also featured a bout between top heavyweight contenders in Cheik Kongo and Cain Velasquez, as well as the UFC return on Caol Uno and Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic.

Marcus Davis vs. Dan Hardy (170 lbs)

Round 1: The fighters circle and exchange leg kicks, then Davis rushes in and clinches Hardy against the fence.   Not much action until Davis gets a takedown and quickly mounts Hardy.  Davis throws strikes, Hardy regains guard but ends up giving up his back as he tries to get back to the feet.   Hardy rocks Davis with an elbow and follows up with knees from clinch; Davis goes for another takedown as the round ends.  Round 10-9 Davis

Round 2: The round starts with a heated exchange, seemingly even until Hardy drops Davis with a knee.  Hardy jumps into Davis’ guard; Marcus regains his composure and nearly catches an armbar.  Hardy throws elbows from the top; Davis defends and the fighters are stood up by the ref.  The fighters exchange again, with both men connecting solid strikes.  Davis takes down Hardy and finishes the round with strikes from the top.  Round 10-9 Hardy

Round 3: The initial exchange ends with Davis landing a punch on an off-balance Hardy and knocking him down, though Hardy does not look hurt.  Davis attempts to work from Hardy’s guard then quickly transitions to a leg lock.  Hardy spins out and stands up, then gets a takedown of  his own and mauls Davis with elbows.  Davis is bleeding profusely and the referee stands them up to check the cut.  The fight is allowed to continue, and the action slows down until the ref calls for another stand up.  Davis’ has blood in his eyes and a huge mouse over the left one.  Davis finishes the round aggressive but loses based on damage taken.  Round 10-9 Hardy

Dan Hardy wins by split decision.

Fight Grade: 4/5

Aftermath: Hardy solidifies his position as a Top 10 welterweight.  Davis remains in a gatekeeper role – surely he will soon find another “grudge” to keep himself relevant in the division.  I would like to see Hardy and Davis face the winner and the loser of the Swick-Saunders bout, respectively.

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Over the weekend, MMA fans were treated to a double-header of exciting action, with the Strikeforce ‘Lawler vs. Shields’ broadcast on Showtime on Saturday, followed by WEC 41 shown on VS. channel on Sunday. With one event full of UFC veterans, and the other featuring some of the top featherweights in the world, I had high expectations going into the weekend. Needless to say, I was not disappointed!

Strikeforce ‘Lawler vs. Shields’

While there were no title belts on the line, or any bouts of major significance on this card, it was packed full of very familiar names and most fights had a promise of non-stop action – at least on paper.   In the main event and namesake of the card, the welterweight standout Jake Shields took a step up in weight to face Robbie Lawler at a catch weight of 182 lbs.  The commentary for this event was provided by a trio of Gus Johnson, Frank Shamrock, and Mauro Ranallo.  The televised broadcast began with a former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman taking on a one-time ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ participant Mike Whitehead.

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UFC 98 took place in Las Vegas and featured a lightheavyweight title bout with two undefeated fighters: challenger Lyoto Machida and the champion Rashad Evans. The undercard was highlighted by a long-overdue ‘grudge match’ between former welterweight champions Matt Hughes and Matt Serra. Here’s how it went down:

Sean Sherk vs. Frankie Edgar (155 lbs)

Round 1: In the opening round of the televised broadcast, Sherk chose to stand and trade strikes with Edgar, despite a clear reach disadvantage.  Sherk stalked Edgar but most of his strikes didn’t find their target while Edgar circled away and landed counters.  Sherk shrugged off Edgar’s takedown attempts, until Edgar caught a leg kick and attempted a guillotine.  Sherk escaped to finish the round on his feet. Round 10-9 Edgar

Round 2: Sherk continued to stalk Edgar and had some success with his punches early on.  Eventually Edgar picked up his rhythm and began scoring with jabs, kicks, and combinations while evading Sherk’s strikes.  Round 10-9 Edgar

Round 3: Sherk finally changed his strategy and quickly took Edgar down, but Edgar escaped and successfully defended all subsequent takedown attempts.  In the final seconds of the round, Sherk shot for another takedown and was caught in a tight guillotine as the time ran out.  Round 10-9 Edgar

Frankie Edgar wins the unanimous decision, 30-27 on all scorecards.

Fight Grade: 2.5/5

Aftermath: With no clear-cut challenger for the winner of an upcoming lightweight title bout between champion BJ Penn and Kenny Florian, Frankie Edgar positioned himself as one of the top contenders.  Sherk’s decision to be a kickboxer has cost him this fight, and he needs to go back to his roots as a ground-and-pound wrestler if he wants to contend for the title again.

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