Air Canada Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Saturday 10th December 2011
Haven't watched the prelims once again, so we're directly into the pay per view portion of the evening.
Pay Per View
Chan Sung Jung vs Mark Hominick (Featherweight)
Referee: Herb Dean
Round 1
Fight's started. Fight's over. Sorry to quote Friends, but wow. Jung cracks Hominick square on the chin and follows up on the ground and puts him out cold. Mark can complain all he wants, but he is out cold.
Official Decision: Jung by TKO at 0:07 of Round 1
Rating: *** Too short to get any more than 3 stars, but absolutely explosive from the Korean Zombie. Hominick will be devastated to get blown out like that in his hometown. Zombie's stock has just risen even further.
Brian Ebersole vs Claude Patrick (Welterweight)
Referee: Josh Rosenthal
Round 1
Ebersole has the Tapout logo shaved into his chest hair. That is taking sponseship to a new level. Ebersole spent almost the entire round failing to take Patrick down. He had him against the cage for a long time, but didn't do much from the position. When it did go to the ground, Patrick locked in a deep guillotine choke, but Ebersole defended expertly. The submission attempt gives Patrick the round, although the judges may see Ebersole's Octagon control as a winning factor.
Score: 10-9 Patrick
Round 2
Pretty much the entire round spent up against the cage again, with neither man able to really get an upper hand. Both men failed on takedown attempts and managed to hit only a few shots. Patrick lands a few good punches at the end of the round, and that flurry gives him the round.
Score: 10-9 Patrick
Round 3
Ebersole finally manages to score a takedown, after managing to end up in Patrick's guard following a failed transition. From there, it was more posturing and transitioning from both men. A submission attempt from Patrick is easily thwarted by Ebersole. A late takedown attempt from Ebersole has another guillotine attempt from Patrick. Impossible round to score, I nudge it to Patrick again, making my score 30-27. That's a really wide score for this fight, that the judges could score absolutely any way.
Score: 10-9 Patrick
Final Score: 30-27 Patrick
Official Decision: Ebersole by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Rating: ** It was close, but there's no way Brian Ebersole won that fight. Shocking decision from the judges. A horrible stylistic matchup as the two men completely negated each other's offence for the entire fight. Usually in this situation, I'd say rematch, but I don't think anyone wants to see it. Both men move on.
Tito Ortiz vs Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Light Heavyweight)
Referee: Yves Lavigne
Round 1
Tito comes out all guns blazing at the start of the round and puts Little Nog up against the cage. Nog throws an overhand right and rocks Tito, and follows up with a massive knee to the ribs that puts Tito on the canvas. Nog follows up with some huge shots to the face and the ribs and Yves Lavigne steps in. Impressive stuff from Little Nog
Official Decision: Nogueira by KO at 4:48 of Round 1
Rating: **** Highly impressive performance from Little Nog, who absolutely destroyed Tito there. Some of those shots to the body looked absolutely devastating, and Tito must have some broken ribs. Tito says he has one fight left in him, and I hope he gets the sendoff he deserves. Little Nog probably only needs one more win to put himself in title contention.
Constantinos Philippou vs Jared Hamman (Middleweight) (Bonus Prelim Fight)
Referee: John McCarthy
Round 1
Philippou starts throwing almost immediately and hammers Hamman with several shots. Hamman ends up on the canvas and somehow manages to get back up. Philippou smashes another huge shot into the face of Hamman and drops him again, but unbelievably he gets back up again. Four times, Hamman takes shots that would knock most men out, but he keeps on going, and is finally stopped when he just can't take any more.
Official Decision: Philippou by KO at 3:11 of Round 1
Rating: *** 1/2 Constantinos Philippou is an absolute monster! He absolutely destroyed a very tough fighter in Jared Hamman, who must be wondering what just happened. The 31 year old Cypriot will now be looking at a big fight to put him into title contention.
Frank Mir vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Heavyweight)
Referee: Herb Dean
Round 1
The fight starts with both men feling each other out. Big Nog hits Mir with a great left hook and follows up with a good straight right. Nog pounds on Mir and almost has him out, but Mir survives. Nog hooks in a choke, but Mir escapes and transitions into side control. He takes hold of a kimura and Nog is in severe pain. He somehow manages to reverse the position, but Mir reverses it straight back. Nog is refusing to give up, but his shoulder has been dislocated and he is forced to tap. Absolutely unbelievable ground exchange and submission. Joe Rogan thinks it may be a broken arm. It looks like a dislocation, but it was nasty eitehr way.
Official Decision: Mir by Submission at 3:38 of Round 1
Rating: ***** Absolutely outstanding. It looked like Nog had it won with the punches, but Frank Mir turned it round absolutely incredibly. That was one of the greatest submissions I've ever seen, and quite possibly the best single round of the year. Incredible fight and incredible finish. Nog refused to submit until his body literally broke. The two best heavyweight submission artists of all time. Brilliant.
Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida (UFC Light Heavyweight Championship)
Referee: John McCarthy
Round 1
Cautious start to the round from both men, and Jones throws the first strike. Machida starts throwing some good looking strikes, and is coming forward in a way that Jones struggles to deal with. Jones looks wary of engaging with Machida, and he's falling behind early.
Score: 10-9 Machida
Round 2
Jones comes out engaging more, but the harder shots are coming from Machida. Jones shoots a big takedown and drops a huge elbow to the head of Machida which lacerates him immediately. They stand and Jones has the clinch against the cage. John McCarthy calls a timeout to check the cut, which is nasty. Thumbs up from the doctor and they go back into the same position. Jones grabs a standing guillotine and twists it in tight. Machida goes limp and the fight is stopped. Machida drops like a ragdoll to the canvas, but he's ok.
Official Decision: Jones by Submission at 4:26 of Round 2
Rating: **** 1/2 What a comeback from Jones, who looked as if he had no answer for Machida in the first round. He came out, used his devastating elbows and finished the fight in spectaular style. A really good fight and a great performance.
Additional Aired Prelim Fights
John Makdessi vs Dennis Hallman (158.5lb Catchweight)
Referee: Josh Rosenthal
Round 1
Hallman comes out swinging early, and takes Makdessi down and takes the back. He lands some shots, but Makdessi keeps the hands up and rolls into mount. Hallman lands some more ground and pound, and most of the shots are successful. He takes the back again and locks in a rear naked choke to finish things.
Official Decision: Hallman by Submission at 2:58 of Round 1
Rating: *** Absolutely dominant performance from Hallman, although he says he's going to continue at Lightweight despite missing weight this time. Either way, good win.
Krzysztof Soszynski vs Igor Pokrajac (Light Heavyweight)
Referee: Yves Lavigne
Round 1
Pokrajac comes out swinging and absolutely blasts Soszynski. He puts him on his back and jumps in with some vicious shots to the head. Soszynski is out cold and it's done.
Official Decision: Pokrajac at 0:35 of Round 1
Rating: *** Bang bang and we're done. Pokrajac destroyed Soszynski with his strikes very very quickly indeed and could see himself move up in the rankings after a performance like that.
Rich Attonito vs Jake Hecht (Welterweight)
Referee: Josh Rosenthal
Round 1
Attonito starts the fight on the front foot and lands some good strikes. Attonito takes Hecht down and gets into his guard. Hecht looks dangerous from the guard, but isn't managing to do anything, and finds himself eating some punches. Hecht tries to transition, but Attonito ends up in half guard and lands some good ground an pound. Attonito takes the round in dominant fashion without ever looking like ending it.
Score: 10-9 Attonito
Round 2
Hecht avoids several takedown attempts and drops two elbows onto the head of Attonito. Attonito drops to the canvas and Hecht lands several unanswered shots until Rosenthal steps in.
Official Decision: Hecht by TKO at 1:10 of Round 2
Rating: ** 1/2 Pretty good first round from Attonito without ever looking like he was going to finish things. Hecht managed to avoid the takedown in the second round, and just dropped Attonito. Good win and a nice way to debut in the UFC.
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