UFC 107 Results and Live Play-by-Play
Dec 14, 2009
Sherdog.com reports from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn., with
UFC
107 results and live play-by-play. In the main event,
lightweight champion B.J. Penn will
put his title on the line against challenger Diego
Sanchez.
Additionally, Jake Rossen will provide a live UFC 107 blog. Also, don't forget to check out the MMA Forums to discuss tonight's event.
Click here for quick results.
Hit F5 on your keyboard to refresh often, as play-by-play is updated in real time.
Round 1
Grant vs.
Burns.
Burns pushes forward while Grant looks to counter. Grant changes
levels and hits a double-leg takedown. Burns pops right back up to
his feet and clobbers Grant with a flurry of punches that drops the
Canadian to the mat. Burns pounces and pounds with big punches that
have referee Greg Franklin hovering. Grant spins out for a leg,
forcing Burns to defend, and eventually gets back to his feet.
Grant hits another double and establishes top position. Grant moves
to half-guard and then stands in Burns' guard before dropping a
pair of big right hands to the head of his opponent. Grant tries to
pass to mount and goes too far. He tries to secure an inverted
triangle, but Burns pushes him off and gets back to his feet. In
the following exchange, Grant landed a kick to the groin of Burns
that felled him to his knees. Burns was given time to recover
before the bout was restarted. Grant grabbed the plum right off the
restart and kneed away at Burns before stepping back and landing a
devastating right hook that crumpled Burns to the canvas. Grant
hammered away until Franklin stepped in to save Burns at 4:57 of
the first frame.
Johnson vs.
Garcia.
Damarques
Johnson vs. Edgar
Garcia
Round 1
Johnson and Garcia touch gloves in the center to kick-off the welterweight affair. Garcia takes the center while Johnson is happy to circle outside. The two exchange with Johnson landing the better shots, causing a big welt under Garcia’s left eye. Garcia hits a takedown and transitions into a Peruvian necktie choke. Johnson works his way clear and escapes back to his feet only to be planted with a flurry of punches. Garcia followed Johnson to the mat in hopes of finishing the fight but Johnson turned the tables when he locked up a triangle choke that forces Garcia to tap at 4:03 of the first round.
Rousimar Palhares vs. Lucio Linhares
Round 1
Palhares shoots immediately and secures a sloppy single-leg takedown. Linhares works his way back to his feet as Palhares tries to pass his guard. Palhares grabs a guillotine choke and falls to his back then rolls Linhares over. Linhares defends his neck, but ends up on his back with Palhares in his guard. Referee Greg Franklin stands the two up with two-minutes left in the round. Palhares eats a punch, but gets Linhares back to the mat where he goes through a series of leg locks that are expertly defended by Linhares. Palhares takes top position with Linhares holding him in closed guard with a body-triangle. Palhares sits back for another leg-lock, and Linhares sits up and takes top position as the round comes to a close. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Palhares.
Round 2
Palhares vs.
Linhares.
Palhares launches into a slow-motion flying knee that Linhares
catches and drags him to the mat with. Palhares takes top off of a
scramble and Linhares quickly locks up a tight triangle choke.
Palhares stands and works to free himself, but Linhares begins to
work his arm. Palhares wriggles off the hook by extracting his arm
and working free. He then took top position but after little action
Franklin brought them back their feet. Both fighters were visibly
fatigued, and neither was quick to jump to their feet despite the
prodding of Franklin. Linhares jumped into a flying omaplata as
Palhares shot for a takedown on the restart. After easily defending
the submission, Palhares sat back once again for a leg-lock and
forced the tapout with a nasty-looking heelhook at 3:21 of the
second period.
Johny Hendricks vs. Ricardo Funch
Round 1
Hendricks charges forward at the bell and Funch stands his ground. Hendricks unloads a couple punches that miss before shooting in. Funch grabs double underhooks and stops the attempt, and then knees to the body of the star wrestler. Hendricks wiggles free of Funch’s clutches and begins to dirty box. The striking opens up the takedown and Hendricks drops levels to hit a powerful double-leg slam. Funch gets back to his feet, but Hendricks unloads with punches from the clinch, the uppercut doing the major damage. Funch shoots in and Hendricks locks up a guillotine and falls to his back. Funch defends and Hendricks gives up the hold and moves to a front headlock. As the fighters scramble, Hendricks grabs the guillotine once again before going back to the front headlock as time expires. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Hendricks.
Round 2
Hendricks shoots to start off the second and Funch sprawls well. Hendricks gives up the shot and tees off with punches that leave Funch looking for cover along the cage. Hendricks shoots again, but Funch delivers a nice knee to the body. Undeterred, Hendricks grabs Funch and flings him to the mat with another powerful takedown. Hendricks backs away and calls for Funch to return to his feet. Hendricks pushes him up against the cage and hammers him with knees. Funch drops for a takedown, but Hendricks expertly defends before pounding him with more punches and hammer fists. Hendricks takes Funch’s back and punches away while trying to lock up a choke as the second round ticks to a close. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Hendricks.
Round 3
Hendricks vs.
Funch.
Hendricks lands another takedown to kick off the
third before transitioning to Funch’s back again. Funch defends the
choke and escapes when Hendricks gets too high on his back. Funch
lands a booming low kick that Hendricks shrugs off before landing a
vicious one-two that backs Funch into the cage. Hendricks scores
another takedown that lands him in side control. He tries to set up
a crucifix by trapping Funch’s right arm with his legs but the Team
Link fighter pulls his arm free. Funch scrambles back to his feet
for a fleeting second before getting slammed back to the canvas
again. Hendricks pounds away until the final bell sounds.
Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Hendricks.
The official scores are 30-27, 30-27 and 30-25.
Shane Nelson vs. Matt Wiman
Round 1
Wiman is beating himself up in the corner before the fight begins, smacking himself in the face, body and legs to get ready for his lightweight scrap. Nelson seems to have the speed advantage early in the first. He is countering well and getting off first when he chooses to. Wiman throws a right hand, but Nelson counters with a combination of punches and a kick to the body that knocks Wiman off balance. Wiman gets his feet back under him and springs forward with a flying knee that Nelson easily avoids. Wiman tracks Nelson back down and staggers him along the cage with straight right-right uppercut combination. Nelson falls to his back and establishes his guard but Wiman opens him up with a big elbow to the top of the forehead. Nelson gets back to his feet as the round ends. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Wiman.
Round 2
Wiman goes for a kick to the body, but Nelson grabs his leg and takes him to the mat. Referee Mario Yamasaki implores them to get busy but after little action on the mat he stands them back up. Wiman pushes Nelson against the cage and grabs a leg and steps back, pulling Nelson to the mat. Nelson goes for a triangle and Wiman avoids the submission attempt. Wiman loading up elbows from the guard as Nelson goes back and forth from open and closed guard. Nelson rolls out and grabs a leg, looking for a submission but Wiman sits up and tries to punch Nelson as the bell sounds. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Wiman.
Round 3
Wiman vs.
Nelson.
Wiman steps in and throws a blistering kick to the
groin of Nelson after a brief exchange. Nelson falls to the mat as
Yamasaki intervenes. Wiman pleads his case as Nelson takes about a
minute to recover from the low blow. Nelson lands a low kick of his
own as the fight is restarted, but Wiman answers with a takedown.
Wiman stands up to punch and Nelson gets rises to his feet and
lands a nice combination of punches. Wiman moves into the clinch
and takes a front headlock before a weary Nelson gives up an easy
takedown. With Wiman in his half guard, Nelson rolls for another
leg lock that is easily defended by Wiman, who then takes the
Hawaiian’s back. Wiman cinches the body triangle and begins to work
for the rear-naked choke. Nelson defends but can not get away.
Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Wiman.
Official scores: 30-27 on all three cards for Matt Wiman, who takes the unanimous decision.
Belcher vs.
Gouveia.
Alan
Belcher vs. Wilson
Gouveia
Round 1
Belcher, in a pair of beautiful pink Thai shorts, stalks Gouveia from the center of the cage. Gouveia steps forward with a solid series of punches the face of the advancing Belcher. The fighters reset and do it again. They are just trading bombs with neither fighter backing down. Belcher rocks Gouveia with a right uppercut that puts the Brazilian on his seat. Belcher swarms with punches until referee Herb Dean steps in at 3:03 of the first round, giving Belcher the TKO victory.
Paul Buentello vs. Stefan Struve
Round 1
Struve kicks the body and Buentello catches it. Struve tries to pull guard and Buentello has none of it. Struve stands and crushes the Texan with an uppercut. Struve follows with a takedown and he gets it. Struve moves to the mount and Buentello turns his back to avoid punishment. Struve locks on a body triangle and works the head of Buentello with both hands. Buentello covers up while referee Dan Miragliotta watches closely. Struve locks on a rear-naked choke and Paul defends by controlling the left wrist of his foe. Struve clinches the choke and changes his grip for more leverage. An ignorant crowd boos the action. Struve releases the body triangle and it costs him, and Buentello takes the top position with a nice reversal. Buentello plays it cool in Struve’s offensive guard with elbows to the body. Buentello throws a double-Mongolian chop ala Sakuraba in the round’s final moments.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Struve
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Struve
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Struve
Round 2
Struve kicks at the body of Buentello and slips early in the round. Buentello does not engage him on the ground and invites his opponent to stand. Struve obliges. The fighters clinch against the cage and Struve drops down for an ankle lock. Buentello defends the technique well and hits Struve with a left hand as they stand. Struve jumps for a flying knee and Buentello knocks him flat with a right hand in mid air. Struve clears the cobwebs and tries it again. Buentello, showing excellent timing, blasts him with a right hand again before the knee impacts its target. Struve opens up with his hands and the fighters trade lefts and rights to the head. Buentello gets the best of the exchange. The fighters touch gloves after the violence.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Buentello
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Buentello
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Buentello
Round 3
Struve vs.
Buentello.
Time is called before the round starts to remove a piece of tooth
from Struve’s mouthpiece. The break gives Buentello a much-needed
breather. The round starts and Buentello lands a right cross to the
jaw. Struve lands two hard low kicks to the lead leg of Buentello.
Struve finds a rhythm and connects with a right knee to the body
and a left hook to the chin. Struve lands a standing elbow and the
crowd reacts, but it was partially blocked. Struve continues to
work the left leg of the winded Texan with kicks. Kick after kick
scores with the thigh of Buentello. The pace slows as Struve seems
content to pick Buentello apart from the outside with low kicks.
Buentello pushes Struve down and hovers over him. The referee
stands the fighters and Paul gets a right hand in on the chin.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Struve (29-28 Struve)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Struve (29-28 Struve)
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Struve (29-28 Struve)
Official scores:
29-28 (twice for Struve) and a 28-28 draw. Struve takes the majority decision.
Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida
Round 1
Florian, in a southpaw stance, lands a straight left lead to Guida’s jaw. Florian attempts a head kick and is dragged to the floor by Guida. Florian opens his guard and controls the wrists from the bottom. Florian finds distance to stand. Florian is cut above his right eye, but it doesn’t seem to be serious. Guida checks a low kick and fails on a sloppy double-leg attempt. Guida lands an uppercut from the clinch and Florian briefly takes Guida down. Guida stands and attempts to throw his opponent down, but it’s Florian that ends up on top in side control. Guida gets to his feet and Florian slams him to the floor with a lateral drop. Guida is bleeding behind the hairline above his left ear from an elbow, which prompts referee Mario Yamasaki calls time to have a doctor check the cut. The doctor says it’s OK to continue and we’re back on. The horn sounds moments later.
Florian vs.
Guida.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Florian
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Florian
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Florian
Round 2
Guida’s cut is severe. His cutman loads the gaping hole with Vaseline before the second round. Florian is more patient in this stanza as he uses footwork to setup his jab. Florian follows a jab with a right hand and it connects clean on Guida’s chin. Guida melts to the floor and Florian hops on his back in search of a rear-naked choke. He secures it and Guida taps quickly at the 2:19 mark of round two.
Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce
Round 1
Fitch trips Pierce up while throwing a low kick. Fitch hops on his back and looks for a rear-naked choke with both hooks. Fitch gives up the choke to control the head with a half Nelson. Fitch punches the head with his free hand. Pierce walks Fitch over to the cage and finds a window to land some punches of his own while Fitch controls his back tightly. Fitch is warned for punching the back of the head by referee Mario Yamasaki. Pierce exits out the back door and takes the top position. Fitch uses his back against the fence to stand. The action slows to a crawl and Yamasaki separates the fighters. Fitch is bleeding from a small cut above his left eye. Pierce jabs and stuffs a Fitch single-leg attempt.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Round 2
The fighters trade lazy strikes to start the second frame. Pierce shoots in for a single and Fitch defends it easily. Pierce clips his prey with a right hand and Fitch answers with an uppercut. Fitch lands another uppercut and bounces a knee off the Pierce’s body. Fitch catches Pierce flat on his feet, and drags him to the floor with a crisp single-leg takedown. Pierce stands and Fitch takes control of his back while standing. Pierce turns into his opponent and takes a knee to the midsection for his effort. The action slowed in the second round as Fitch forced Pierce into his game.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Round 3
Fitch vs.
Pierce.
Fitch cracks Pierce with a straight right. Pierce pushes Fitch
against the cage and does little with the advantage. Fitch roughs
him up with dirty boxing as he sneaks in a right hand and a sharp
knee to the body. Fitch misses a sloppy head kick attempt and goes
back to his jab, which is only affective at keeping his opponent at
bay. Fitch gets a single and Pierce stands. Again, Fitch rides the
back and does little else. Pierce escapes and then pieces together
his best combination of the fight: a jab, right low kick set that
turns the tide. Pierce turns it on with punches in the bout’s final
moments and buckles Fitch’s frame. Pierce works the body and head
with both hands, but Fitch survives to hear the horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Pierce (29-28 Fitch)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Pierce (29-28 Fitch)
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Pierce (29-28 Fitch)
Official scores:
All three official judges see the bout 29-28 for Jon Fitch, who takes the unanimous decision.
Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo
Round 1
Mir floors Kongo with a left hook lead. Mir pounces and locks up a guillotine. Mir tells referee Herb Dean that Kongo is out. Dean lifts the arm of Kongo to verify, and it’s confirmed. Frank Mir chokes Cheick Kongo out cold with a guillotine at 1:12 of the opening frame.
UFC Lightweight Championship
B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez
Round 1
Penn is all over Sanchez from the start as he belts the challenger with a right hook. Sanchez falls face first and Penn is peppering him with punches from both hands. Sanchez is hardly defending, but referee Herb Dean does a tremendous job in letting the fighters work. Sanchez takes a beating but he’s still in the game. Sanchez gets to his feet and now is fighting very tentative as he clears his head. Penn snaps Sanchez’s head back with a jab and a right hand. Another right straight clips the chin of Sanchez. Sanchez, bleeding from the bridge of his nose by the right eye, shoots in for a single. Penn sprawls and defends beautifully. Sanchez opens up and is smashed by a right-hand counter. Sanchez walks to the wrong corner at the bell.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Penn
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-8 Penn
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-8 Penn
Round 2
Penn measures Sanchez off and fires a right-hand lead that falls short. The challenger shoots for a single and swoops up Penn’s left leg. The champion’s balance is amazing. He hops on one foot and avoids the takedown while making it look easy. Again Sanchez shoots and fails. The crowd starts to chant “B.J., B.J.” Penn has taken control of the center of the Octagon. Sanchez is circling while Penn cuts off the cage. Sanchez drops levels for two more takedowns and it’s clear that he can’t take Penn down early in the fight. Sanchez throws a sloppy right hook and Penn uses head movement to avoid it, just as he has since the opening bell. Sanchez briefly trips Penn to the floor, but the Hawaiian hops back to his feet in less than a second. Through two rounds, Penn is both dominating and more fresh in terms of wind.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Penn
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Penn
Round 3
Sanchez charges in for a takedown and is still unable to secure it. Penn’s balance and space is too refined. Sanchez puts his head down and looks at the floor while throwing a one-two. The punches miss their mark by a foot. A left-footed head kick is blocked by Penn and the fight goes back to the clinch as Diego misses on another takedown. Penn cracks Sanchez with a standing elbow. Sanchez is displaying his best war face, but he’s been unable to land a single significant strike or takedown. Puts stuffs another and roughs Sanchez up with a right hook. Penn bounces on his right foot while Sanchez tries desperately to drag him to the floor. Penn has none of it, and lands another right hand before time expires.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Penn
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Penn
Round 4
Sanchez attempts a head kick that doesn’t come within feet of Penn. The champion connects with right hook as Sanchez tries to clinch. Penn backs Sanchez up to the fence and hurts him with a right hand that crisply follows a jab. Penn lands another right hand that forces Sanchez to retreat. A resilient Sanchez tries takedown after takedown, but he just can’t execute it. The pace slows as Sanchez works for a double against the fence. Penn defends by pushing the head down. The crowd goes restless and begins to boo. Penn chucks Sanchez off and returns to the center of the cage. Sanchez comes forward and Penn blasts him with a right-hand lead.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Penn
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Penn
Round 5
Sanchez has an awful cut on his bottom lip. Cornerman Saulo Ribeiro pleas with Sanchez to take Penn down in between rounds. Sanchez comes out and tries just that, but he has no chance. Sanchez pushes his head to the floor and beats him up with punches and elbows. Sanchez stands and Penn lands a head kick that opens up a three-inch cut above the left eye of Sanchez. The challenger tries for a desperation takedown that is easily defended. Blood is pouring from the face of Sanchez and Herb Dean calls time to have the cut examined. The cavernous gap is jagged and wide, which gives the doctor no choice but to call and end to the fight. The official time is 2:37 or round five.
Additionally, Jake Rossen will provide a live UFC 107 blog. Also, don't forget to check out the MMA Forums to discuss tonight's event.
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Hit F5 on your keyboard to refresh often, as play-by-play is updated in real time.
Kevin Burns
vs. T.J.
Grant
Round 1
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Round 1
Johnson and Garcia touch gloves in the center to kick-off the welterweight affair. Garcia takes the center while Johnson is happy to circle outside. The two exchange with Johnson landing the better shots, causing a big welt under Garcia’s left eye. Garcia hits a takedown and transitions into a Peruvian necktie choke. Johnson works his way clear and escapes back to his feet only to be planted with a flurry of punches. Garcia followed Johnson to the mat in hopes of finishing the fight but Johnson turned the tables when he locked up a triangle choke that forces Garcia to tap at 4:03 of the first round.
Rousimar Palhares vs. Lucio Linhares
Round 1
Palhares shoots immediately and secures a sloppy single-leg takedown. Linhares works his way back to his feet as Palhares tries to pass his guard. Palhares grabs a guillotine choke and falls to his back then rolls Linhares over. Linhares defends his neck, but ends up on his back with Palhares in his guard. Referee Greg Franklin stands the two up with two-minutes left in the round. Palhares eats a punch, but gets Linhares back to the mat where he goes through a series of leg locks that are expertly defended by Linhares. Palhares takes top position with Linhares holding him in closed guard with a body-triangle. Palhares sits back for another leg-lock, and Linhares sits up and takes top position as the round comes to a close. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Palhares.
Round 2
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Johny Hendricks vs. Ricardo Funch
Round 1
Hendricks charges forward at the bell and Funch stands his ground. Hendricks unloads a couple punches that miss before shooting in. Funch grabs double underhooks and stops the attempt, and then knees to the body of the star wrestler. Hendricks wiggles free of Funch’s clutches and begins to dirty box. The striking opens up the takedown and Hendricks drops levels to hit a powerful double-leg slam. Funch gets back to his feet, but Hendricks unloads with punches from the clinch, the uppercut doing the major damage. Funch shoots in and Hendricks locks up a guillotine and falls to his back. Funch defends and Hendricks gives up the hold and moves to a front headlock. As the fighters scramble, Hendricks grabs the guillotine once again before going back to the front headlock as time expires. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Hendricks.
Round 2
Hendricks shoots to start off the second and Funch sprawls well. Hendricks gives up the shot and tees off with punches that leave Funch looking for cover along the cage. Hendricks shoots again, but Funch delivers a nice knee to the body. Undeterred, Hendricks grabs Funch and flings him to the mat with another powerful takedown. Hendricks backs away and calls for Funch to return to his feet. Hendricks pushes him up against the cage and hammers him with knees. Funch drops for a takedown, but Hendricks expertly defends before pounding him with more punches and hammer fists. Hendricks takes Funch’s back and punches away while trying to lock up a choke as the second round ticks to a close. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Hendricks.
Round 3
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
The official scores are 30-27, 30-27 and 30-25.
Shane Nelson vs. Matt Wiman
Round 1
Wiman is beating himself up in the corner before the fight begins, smacking himself in the face, body and legs to get ready for his lightweight scrap. Nelson seems to have the speed advantage early in the first. He is countering well and getting off first when he chooses to. Wiman throws a right hand, but Nelson counters with a combination of punches and a kick to the body that knocks Wiman off balance. Wiman gets his feet back under him and springs forward with a flying knee that Nelson easily avoids. Wiman tracks Nelson back down and staggers him along the cage with straight right-right uppercut combination. Nelson falls to his back and establishes his guard but Wiman opens him up with a big elbow to the top of the forehead. Nelson gets back to his feet as the round ends. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Wiman.
Round 2
Wiman goes for a kick to the body, but Nelson grabs his leg and takes him to the mat. Referee Mario Yamasaki implores them to get busy but after little action on the mat he stands them back up. Wiman pushes Nelson against the cage and grabs a leg and steps back, pulling Nelson to the mat. Nelson goes for a triangle and Wiman avoids the submission attempt. Wiman loading up elbows from the guard as Nelson goes back and forth from open and closed guard. Nelson rolls out and grabs a leg, looking for a submission but Wiman sits up and tries to punch Nelson as the bell sounds. Sherdog.com scores the round 10-9 for Wiman.
Round 3
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Official scores: 30-27 on all three cards for Matt Wiman, who takes the unanimous decision.
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Round 1
Belcher, in a pair of beautiful pink Thai shorts, stalks Gouveia from the center of the cage. Gouveia steps forward with a solid series of punches the face of the advancing Belcher. The fighters reset and do it again. They are just trading bombs with neither fighter backing down. Belcher rocks Gouveia with a right uppercut that puts the Brazilian on his seat. Belcher swarms with punches until referee Herb Dean steps in at 3:03 of the first round, giving Belcher the TKO victory.
Paul Buentello vs. Stefan Struve
Round 1
Struve kicks the body and Buentello catches it. Struve tries to pull guard and Buentello has none of it. Struve stands and crushes the Texan with an uppercut. Struve follows with a takedown and he gets it. Struve moves to the mount and Buentello turns his back to avoid punishment. Struve locks on a body triangle and works the head of Buentello with both hands. Buentello covers up while referee Dan Miragliotta watches closely. Struve locks on a rear-naked choke and Paul defends by controlling the left wrist of his foe. Struve clinches the choke and changes his grip for more leverage. An ignorant crowd boos the action. Struve releases the body triangle and it costs him, and Buentello takes the top position with a nice reversal. Buentello plays it cool in Struve’s offensive guard with elbows to the body. Buentello throws a double-Mongolian chop ala Sakuraba in the round’s final moments.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Struve
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Struve
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Struve
Round 2
Struve kicks at the body of Buentello and slips early in the round. Buentello does not engage him on the ground and invites his opponent to stand. Struve obliges. The fighters clinch against the cage and Struve drops down for an ankle lock. Buentello defends the technique well and hits Struve with a left hand as they stand. Struve jumps for a flying knee and Buentello knocks him flat with a right hand in mid air. Struve clears the cobwebs and tries it again. Buentello, showing excellent timing, blasts him with a right hand again before the knee impacts its target. Struve opens up with his hands and the fighters trade lefts and rights to the head. Buentello gets the best of the exchange. The fighters touch gloves after the violence.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Buentello
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Buentello
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Buentello
Round 3
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Struve (29-28 Struve)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Struve (29-28 Struve)
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Struve (29-28 Struve)
Official scores:
29-28 (twice for Struve) and a 28-28 draw. Struve takes the majority decision.
Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida
Round 1
Florian, in a southpaw stance, lands a straight left lead to Guida’s jaw. Florian attempts a head kick and is dragged to the floor by Guida. Florian opens his guard and controls the wrists from the bottom. Florian finds distance to stand. Florian is cut above his right eye, but it doesn’t seem to be serious. Guida checks a low kick and fails on a sloppy double-leg attempt. Guida lands an uppercut from the clinch and Florian briefly takes Guida down. Guida stands and attempts to throw his opponent down, but it’s Florian that ends up on top in side control. Guida gets to his feet and Florian slams him to the floor with a lateral drop. Guida is bleeding behind the hairline above his left ear from an elbow, which prompts referee Mario Yamasaki calls time to have a doctor check the cut. The doctor says it’s OK to continue and we’re back on. The horn sounds moments later.
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Florian
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Florian
Round 2
Guida’s cut is severe. His cutman loads the gaping hole with Vaseline before the second round. Florian is more patient in this stanza as he uses footwork to setup his jab. Florian follows a jab with a right hand and it connects clean on Guida’s chin. Guida melts to the floor and Florian hops on his back in search of a rear-naked choke. He secures it and Guida taps quickly at the 2:19 mark of round two.
Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce
Round 1
Fitch trips Pierce up while throwing a low kick. Fitch hops on his back and looks for a rear-naked choke with both hooks. Fitch gives up the choke to control the head with a half Nelson. Fitch punches the head with his free hand. Pierce walks Fitch over to the cage and finds a window to land some punches of his own while Fitch controls his back tightly. Fitch is warned for punching the back of the head by referee Mario Yamasaki. Pierce exits out the back door and takes the top position. Fitch uses his back against the fence to stand. The action slows to a crawl and Yamasaki separates the fighters. Fitch is bleeding from a small cut above his left eye. Pierce jabs and stuffs a Fitch single-leg attempt.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Round 2
The fighters trade lazy strikes to start the second frame. Pierce shoots in for a single and Fitch defends it easily. Pierce clips his prey with a right hand and Fitch answers with an uppercut. Fitch lands another uppercut and bounces a knee off the Pierce’s body. Fitch catches Pierce flat on his feet, and drags him to the floor with a crisp single-leg takedown. Pierce stands and Fitch takes control of his back while standing. Pierce turns into his opponent and takes a knee to the midsection for his effort. The action slowed in the second round as Fitch forced Pierce into his game.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Fitch
Round 3
Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Pierce (29-28 Fitch)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Pierce (29-28 Fitch)
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Pierce (29-28 Fitch)
Official scores:
All three official judges see the bout 29-28 for Jon Fitch, who takes the unanimous decision.
Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo
Round 1
Mir floors Kongo with a left hook lead. Mir pounces and locks up a guillotine. Mir tells referee Herb Dean that Kongo is out. Dean lifts the arm of Kongo to verify, and it’s confirmed. Frank Mir chokes Cheick Kongo out cold with a guillotine at 1:12 of the opening frame.
UFC Lightweight Championship
B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez
Round 1
Penn is all over Sanchez from the start as he belts the challenger with a right hook. Sanchez falls face first and Penn is peppering him with punches from both hands. Sanchez is hardly defending, but referee Herb Dean does a tremendous job in letting the fighters work. Sanchez takes a beating but he’s still in the game. Sanchez gets to his feet and now is fighting very tentative as he clears his head. Penn snaps Sanchez’s head back with a jab and a right hand. Another right straight clips the chin of Sanchez. Sanchez, bleeding from the bridge of his nose by the right eye, shoots in for a single. Penn sprawls and defends beautifully. Sanchez opens up and is smashed by a right-hand counter. Sanchez walks to the wrong corner at the bell.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Penn
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-8 Penn
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-8 Penn
Round 2
Penn measures Sanchez off and fires a right-hand lead that falls short. The challenger shoots for a single and swoops up Penn’s left leg. The champion’s balance is amazing. He hops on one foot and avoids the takedown while making it look easy. Again Sanchez shoots and fails. The crowd starts to chant “B.J., B.J.” Penn has taken control of the center of the Octagon. Sanchez is circling while Penn cuts off the cage. Sanchez drops levels for two more takedowns and it’s clear that he can’t take Penn down early in the fight. Sanchez throws a sloppy right hook and Penn uses head movement to avoid it, just as he has since the opening bell. Sanchez briefly trips Penn to the floor, but the Hawaiian hops back to his feet in less than a second. Through two rounds, Penn is both dominating and more fresh in terms of wind.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Penn
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Penn
Round 3
Sanchez charges in for a takedown and is still unable to secure it. Penn’s balance and space is too refined. Sanchez puts his head down and looks at the floor while throwing a one-two. The punches miss their mark by a foot. A left-footed head kick is blocked by Penn and the fight goes back to the clinch as Diego misses on another takedown. Penn cracks Sanchez with a standing elbow. Sanchez is displaying his best war face, but he’s been unable to land a single significant strike or takedown. Puts stuffs another and roughs Sanchez up with a right hook. Penn bounces on his right foot while Sanchez tries desperately to drag him to the floor. Penn has none of it, and lands another right hand before time expires.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Penn
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Penn
Round 4
Sanchez attempts a head kick that doesn’t come within feet of Penn. The champion connects with right hook as Sanchez tries to clinch. Penn backs Sanchez up to the fence and hurts him with a right hand that crisply follows a jab. Penn lands another right hand that forces Sanchez to retreat. A resilient Sanchez tries takedown after takedown, but he just can’t execute it. The pace slows as Sanchez works for a double against the fence. Penn defends by pushing the head down. The crowd goes restless and begins to boo. Penn chucks Sanchez off and returns to the center of the cage. Sanchez comes forward and Penn blasts him with a right-hand lead.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Penn
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Penn
Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Penn
Round 5
Sanchez has an awful cut on his bottom lip. Cornerman Saulo Ribeiro pleas with Sanchez to take Penn down in between rounds. Sanchez comes out and tries just that, but he has no chance. Sanchez pushes his head to the floor and beats him up with punches and elbows. Sanchez stands and Penn lands a head kick that opens up a three-inch cut above the left eye of Sanchez. The challenger tries for a desperation takedown that is easily defended. Blood is pouring from the face of Sanchez and Herb Dean calls time to have the cut examined. The cavernous gap is jagged and wide, which gives the doctor no choice but to call and end to the fight. The official time is 2:37 or round five.
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