UFC 123 Results & Live Play-by-Play
Nov 20, 2010
Sherdog.com will report from The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn
Hills, Mich., at approximately 7:20 p.m. ET with play-by-play and
live results of UFC
123, which is headlined by Quinton
“Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto
Machida.
Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card.
Click here for quick results.
Tyson Griffin vs. Nik Lentz
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean starts UFC 123 off as Nik Lentz and Tyson Griffin meet in a lightweight affair. Lentz launches a kick to the body of Griffin and then shoots in and secures a takedown. On the floor, the Minnesotan passes to side but Griffin gets a base and stands. The Xtreme Couture product shoots in for a takedown and Lentz fishes for a guillotine but nothing is there. Griffin tries to slam Lentz and a scramble ensues with Griffin remaining on top. Griffin is trying to keep Lentz down but he is working back to his feet. Lentz can't break free and is forced to fight off the takedowns while standing in the clinch. The Michigan crowd is restless while the two men jockey for position. After a brief takedown, Lentz gets back to the feet and creates separation. Neither man lands anything substantial as the first round expires. 10-9 Griffin.
The lightweights take the center of the Octagon and look to exchange. Griffin finds a home for a right straight on the jaw. Lentz fires a low kick to the lead leg of his opponent. Tyson feints the jab and grazes. Lentz with a right. Lentz shoots and nearly gets Griffin down. The Minnesota Martial Arts product lands a couple of punches on the way up but Griffin gets free. Griffin shoots in and Lentz works for a kimura, but has nothing and works from his back. From the open guard Tyson looks to work. At the end of the frame Griffin stands and slams Lentz to the floor. 10-9 Griffin.
Round 3
The final frame starts with a bang. A straight right floors Lentz. The Minnesotan rises to eat a punch and kick to fall again. Still with it, Lentz is back up but Griffin shoots and puts him on the floor. Lentz looks for an armbar but eats an elbow for his effort. Lentz is able to get to his base and stand. He works a takedown and Griffin grabs a guillotine. Lentz works free of the guard and the choke. From half, Lentz is trying to work but Griffin is able to move and a scramble allows him to get back to his feet. Lentz shoots in for another takedown attempt and gets it. The round expires. 10-9 Griffin.
Official scores: The judges see it 29-28 Lentz (Sal D'Amato), 30-27 Griffin (Nelson Hamilton) and 29-28 (Jeff Blatnick) for the winner Nik Lentz. The crowd is shocked by Lentz's split-decision win.
Paul Kelly vs. T.J. O'Brien
Round 1
Kelly bullies his way in and pushes O'Brien up against the cage. He catches a kick and lands a hard right hand. They separate and move back to the middle. Kelly slams a right hand into the face of his opponent that sits him down. O'Brien stands back up and eats another right hand. Kelly pushes into the clinch and lands another right hand before clinching back up. O'Brien looks at Miragliotta and gets the break. Kelly hits a takedown and settles into the guard. O'Brien shifts for an armbar and Kelly retreats to his feet. Kelly controls the first round and earns a 10-9 score on the Sherdog card.
Round 2
Kelly misses a spinning-back kick to start the second frame. Kelly bashes O'Brien with a left hand that drops him. He swarms his fallen foe but can't dole out the finishing blow. O'Brien is back up and throws a tires Kelly to the mat. He takes mount and goes to work. Kelly gives up his back and shakes him off when he gets too high. Kelly takes side, then side-crucifix and beats O'Brien down with punches and elbows until Miragliotta finally decides to step in at 3:16 of the second round giving Paul Kelly the TKO win.
Edson Mendes Barbosa vs. Mike Lullo
Round 1
Overseeing this lightweight tilt is referee Marc Fennel. The two men meet in the center of the cage and Lullo fires a kick to the lead leg of Barboza. Lullo ties again with a kick but misses high. He shoots in for a takedown but Barboza counters and gets Lullo to the mat. They stand after a brief moment on the floor. Barboza on the feet clinches and gets double underhooks. Lullo is forced to the mat and gets rubber guard. Lullo forces his shin underneath Barboza's chin but there is no gogoplata finish to be had. After a moment on the floor Barboza stands and Lullo falls off. The two fighters stand and Barboza kicks the back leg out of Lullo. Barboza is starting to find his rhythm on the feet and the round ends. 10-9 Barboza.
Round 2
Lullo comes out firing but Barboza rips off a jab that puts Lullo on his heels. A high kick finds the head of Lullo, which is followed by a kick to the body. Lullo shoots and settles to just go to his back. On top Barboza is nullified while Lullo goes for mission control and looks for another gogoplatta attempt. Barboza is too smart for the hold and is able to stand and get away. On the feet again, Barboza lands a hard low kick to Lullo's lead leg. The Chicago native has had enough of the striking and clinches to pull guard. Again Lullo is working the rubber guard and settles into mission control. From here Lullo is is landing weak punches to the side of the head. Barboza stands and fires a kick to the lead leg of Lullo. This grounds the lightweight until Marc Fennel says he must stand. The hurt Lullo hobbles and the round ends. 10-9 Barboza.
Round 3
The round is over before it can really get going. Lullo's lead leg is trashed and it's the main target for Barboza's kicks. Lullo is dropped with chopping kicks and forced to stand. He is drops again after a vicious kick and the ref has seen enough. Edson Barboza is the winner at 26 seconds of round two.
Karo Parisyan vs. Dennis Hallman
Round 1
Parisyan jumps right into the fray and lands a one-two to open the fight. He pushes in and clinches Hallman along the cage.Referee Dan Miragliotta steps in and breaks them up due to inactivity. Hallman lands a left jab and a right hand that drops Parisyan. Hallman pounces and punches away for the stoppage at 1:27 of the opening period.
Aaron Simpson vs. Mark Munoz
Round 1
Referee Marc Fennell is in charge for this middleweight bout. Simpson comes inside with a combination, punches Munoz in the gut, then lands a leg kick, backing Munoz into the fence. Simpson looks for a takedown, can’t find it, and they clinch briefly before disengaging. They clinch again in the center of the cage and Munoz drills a few knees to the midsection of Simpson. Knees to the legs by Munoz now, but Simpson lands one of his own which causes Munoz to break off. Munoz shoots long and gets sprawled on. Simpson dumps Munoz to the mat with a double-leg, then jumps on Munoz’s back, but “A-Train” is too high and slips off. Clinch work along the fence and Munoz begins scoring with short elbows, uppercuts and knees. Simpson looks to be in trouble momentarily, but regains his com
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Simpson
Round 2
Simpson opens the second round same as the first, with a right hand to the ribs of Munoz. He catches a kick from Munoz and drags him down, but Munoz is quickly back on his feet and immediately lands a hard right hand. Both men tee off with Munoz landing some solid shots before dragging Simpson to the floor and scoring a couple punches to his turtling opponent. Simpson scrambles back up and misses on a knee, catching Munoz in the groin with his shin. Munoz is bleeding from a cut in the middle of his forehead, but he’s ready to roll some 30 seconds later. Munoz still trying to throw leg and body kicks, but Simpson is beginning to time them well. Munoz smacks Simpson on the cheek with a head kick and Simpson doesn’t blink. Simpson scores a takedown and is almost immediately stood up by Fennell. Very quick restart there. The fighters clinch and Simpson takes a low blow of his own. He quickly recovers and they get back to work with 90 seconds left. Simpson with another takedown, but Munoz quickly hits the switch and gets right back up. Munoz pushes Simpson into the fence and closes out the round with inside knees and a level elbow.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Round 3
The wrestlers embrace at the start of the final round. Simpson catches another Munoz kick and brings him down, where Munoz quickly reverses and takes his back, delivering some hard shots from behind. As they get back to their feet, Munoz lands a left hand and Simpson says he caught a finger in the eye. Replay shows that the punch looked clean, and they’re back to work quickly. Munoz muscles Simpson against the cage and sends knees up the middle. Referee Fennel not giving them much time to work, as he restarts them after about 15 seconds of clinching. No matter: they get right back to the same position, where Munoz gets busy with his strikes. Munoz throwing huge combos and walking Simpson down with two minutes left. Simpson answers by pushing Munoz’s back to the fence, but eats more knees and punches for his trouble. Munoz gets another leg kick caught and trips to the mat, and Simpson grabs for a guillotine, but the choke doesn’t come. Both men finish the fight lobbing bombs, but as was the case throughout most of the fight, Munoz landed more.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Munoz (30-27 Munoz)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Munoz (30-27 Munoz)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Munoz (29-28 Munoz)
All three official judges score the bout 29-28 for Mark Munoz, the winner by unanimous decision.
Brian Foster vs. Matt Brown
Round 1
Herb Dean referees this welterweight scrap, the 1,500th bout in UFC history. Brown chops with a leg kick, then misses when he goes high. Foster clinches up and brings Brown down, but he’s quickly back up. Brown ties a takedown of his own, briefly gets caught in a guillotine by Foster, and then extracts himself as he moves to north-south position. Brown working from side control on Foster’s right now. Foster escapes out the back door, lands a few punches from the side before giving up the position. Brown winds up on top and hunts for a brabo choke which he can’t seal up. Foster scores another takedown, but Brown sweeps again, this time into mount. He doesn’t stay there for long, winding up high on Foster’s back. Brown looks to be slipping off with 60 seconds left, but “The Immortal” switches to an armbar. Looks dicey for Foster momentarily, but he slips the lock and dives into Brown’s guard with punches. Elbows by Brown from the bottom, and the round ends with Foster standing over him. The pair jaw at one another after the horn sounds.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Foster
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Brown
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Foster
Round 2
The fighters trade kicks early and Foster appears to catch one low, but wants to fight through it. Dean gives him a moment, they resume, and Foster takes another groin shot on a spinning back kick. Again, Foster recovers quickly, and then catches a kick from Brown and dumps him to the canvas. Brown scoots as Foster scores with leg kicks from above before following Brown into guard. Tight guard from Brown, but Foster busts free and lands some hard shots from the top. Brown pushes forward for a single-leg and Foster snares a guillotine. Foster falls back to guard and Brown is forced to tap at 2:11 of the second round.
George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon
Round 1
Marc Fennel draws officiating duties for the first bout of the pay-per-view. The lightweights touch gloves and then begin firing, with Lauzon scoring a few hard rights in the exchange. Lauzon pushes forward, Sotiropoulos changes levels and tries for a single-leg, but Lauzon keeps his balance and lands another flurry from the clinch, mixing in some knees. Lauzon sprawls on another takedown attempt and drills elbows to the side of Sotiropoulos’ head as the Aussie presses him into the fence. Lauzon gets an underhook and pushes free. Sotiropoulos changes levels again as Lauzon comes inside, and Lauzon winds up on top, nearly in mount. Lauzon winds up in half-guard, trying to pass, but thinks better of it and stands. Lauzon pulls guard now and tries to use the butterfly guard to push Sotiropoulos away, but Sotiropoulos winds up on Lauzon’s back. The American gets his back onto the mat, but Sotiropoulos is in north-south, then side control. Sotiropoulos takes full mount with 10 seconds left, then spins for an armbar, but it allows Lauzon to get loose and “J-Lau” finishes the round on top with a few elbows.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Lauzon
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Lauzon
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Lauzon
Round 2
Sotiropoulos comes out aggressive with his punches, scoring better here than in the first frame. Lauzon stuffs a takedown and they clinch along the cage with Sotiropoulos holding on to a high single-leg. Sotiropoulos relents and resumes punching, then lands knees from the clinch. Sotiropoulos gets the takedown this time and quickly moves to side control, then full mount. For the second time, Sotiropoulos spins for an armbar but can’t find it, but this time he stays on top. Lauzon looks completely drained. Sotiropoulos moves to north-south and wrenches a kimura on the left arm of Lauzon, eliciting the tap at 2:43 of the second round.
Phil Davis vs. Tim Boetsch
Round 1
Veteran official Herb Dean is back inside the Octagon for this 205-pound tilt. Both men landing leg kicks early, and Davis is going upstairs, too. Tentative exchanges in the first 90 seconds. Davis throws a kick to the body which Boetsch catches, and Boetsch unintentionally lands a punch to the back of Davis’ head. Davis ducks a punch from Boetsch, grabs a body lock and plows him to the mat. The NCAA wrestling champ gets to work from half-guard, punching to Boetsch’s body and head after sizing up an arm-triangle choke. Davis seems content to do damage from half-guard, not looking to pass as he slams elbows into the head of Boetsch. Perhaps sensing an escape, Davis hops back to his feet, where he clinches with Boetsch and lands a few outside knees before the horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Davis
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Davis
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Davis
Round 2
Davis clinches and looks to trip Boetsch down, but Boetsch defends well and lands a few knees to the body. Davis retaliates with some of his own, and then changes levels. Boetsch snares a guillotine as he’s taken down, but it’s a bad angle and Davis pops free. Davis working for a far-side kimura on the left arm of Boetsch, can’t finish, so he wrenches the arm behind Boetsch’s back. It looks gruesome and Boetsch submits at 2:55 of the second frame.
Gerald Harris vs. Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves
Round 1
Referee Dan Miragliotta is in the cage for this one. Harris is flicking out his right jab and changing up levels, threatening to shoot early as Falcao keeps his distance. Boos rain down from the crowd after two minutes of relative inactivity. Falcao finally throws a hard right kick to the guts of Harris. Falcao finally explodes with a flurry of punches and a knee to the body. Harris falls and Falcao chases him down, moving to half-guard and firing off more punches in rapid succession. Harris has regained his senses, but Falcao continues to punch away until Harris gives up his back. Falcao can’t finish with a rear-naked choke attempt, but sinks another in as Harris stands. This time it’s deep, and Harris is saved by the horn at the end of the round. Miragliotta warns Falcao for holding the choke too long, but the Brazilian says he didn’t hear the horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Round 2
Falcao explodes on Harris with vicious punching combos again early in the second and winds up back on top. The Chute Boxe product jumps on Harris’ back and tries for the rear-naked choke again. Falcao can’t quite get his arm under the chin of Harris and lets the hold go, reverting to punches from back mount. Harris slips loose and pushes Falcao into the cage until Falcao grabs underhooks and reverses. Back to striking and Harris is trying to reestablish his jab. Harris shoots and is stuffed by Falcao, but Harris is relentless and eventually slams him down. Falcao pops right back to his feet, though, and kicks Harris in the midsection, then launches one to the head. Another weak shot from the tiring Harris is sprawled on by Falcao, who takes the opportunity to send a few punches upside Harris’ head before the round ends.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Round 3
Hard inside leg kick from Falcao is the only real offense of the first 90 seconds. Miragliotta implores the fighters to get active and Harris tries to land a few wild haymakers. Falcao seems to be sitting back, knowing he’s got the fight in hand, but Harris isn’t pushing the pace either. Falcao is slipping almost all of Harris’ punches and not throwing any of his own. Harris finally shoots with 60 seconds left in the fight, but he’s spent and Falcao sprawls all over it. Harris shrugs his shoulders as boos rain down and the uneventful final round expires.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-10 (30-28 Falcao)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10 (30-28 Falcao)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Harris (29-28 Falcao)
Official scores: The judges have the match 29-27, 29-28 and 29-28, all for Maiquel Falcao, who makes a successful UFC debut.
B.J. Penn vs. Matt Hughes
Round 1
Dan Miragliotta returns for the co-main event of the night. Penn comes out swinging and tags Hughes right off the bat. Seconds later, another right hand lands and sends Hughes onto his back. Penn pounces and lands a few more punches that turn out Hughes' lights, and Miragliotta rescues him from further damage. The official time is 21 seconds of the opening round.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean presides over the main event of the evening. No surprise, it’s Jackson pressing forward as the action begins, feinting punches and trying to cut off Machida’s angles. Machida lands four or five inside leg kicks for his first offense. Jackson charges in, winging punches, but Machida is on his bike. Now, “Rampage” initiates the clinch and stomps the taped feet of Machida as they work along the fence. They split and Jackson hits a glancing uppercut, while Machida lands a kick to the body. Another kick allows Jackson to clinch again, but they soon disengage. “Rampage” whiffing on his punches in the last 30 seconds. He eats another leg kick from Machida.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Machida
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Machida
Round 2
A knee and a kick from Machida cause “Rampage” to tie up, where he catches Machida low with a knee. Machida shakes it off quickly and they restart in the center. Knee to the body by Jackson before they clinch and “Rampage” scores a takedown. Jackson trying to pin Machida against the base of the cage, but Machida pops back up and takes the dominant position in the clinch. Jackson lands a hard-but-glancing shot as they break. Liver kick by Machida is followed by a solid uppercut from “Rampage.” Machida slaps a kick to the back of Jackson’s thigh and they tie up again. Machida tosses Jackson to the canvas at the end of the round and Machida launches a kick at his head right at the buzzer, for which he apologizes immediately.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-10
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Jackson
Round 3
Jackson coming with some leg kicks of his own now, but his follow-up punches are out of range. Machida stuns Jackson with a combo, sending “Rampage” backward into the fence. Machida chases him down and scores with a few knees from the Thai plum, but Jackson fires right back with a flurry. Machida trips Jackson to the mat and lands in half-guard, where he tries to pry his right leg free and pass to Jackson’s right side. He stops trying to pass for a moment to work for a kimura on Jackson’s right arm. Machida finally passes with about 90 seconds left, and then hops into full mount. Machida lays an elbow across Jackson’s face, then postures up and spins for an armbar on Jackson’s right limb. Jackson picks him up for the slam and Machida releases the hold with 40 seconds left. Back on the feet, Machida gets underhooks and presses Jackson into the fence, then gets a waistlock and tries to drag him down. Machida drops for a leglock and pulls guard in the waning seconds.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Machida (30-28 Machida)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Machida (30-29 Machida)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Machida (29-28 Machida)
Official scores: Quinton Jackson takes a split decision with scores of 29-28 (twice and 28-29).
Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card.
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Tyson Griffin vs. Nik Lentz
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean starts UFC 123 off as Nik Lentz and Tyson Griffin meet in a lightweight affair. Lentz launches a kick to the body of Griffin and then shoots in and secures a takedown. On the floor, the Minnesotan passes to side but Griffin gets a base and stands. The Xtreme Couture product shoots in for a takedown and Lentz fishes for a guillotine but nothing is there. Griffin tries to slam Lentz and a scramble ensues with Griffin remaining on top. Griffin is trying to keep Lentz down but he is working back to his feet. Lentz can't break free and is forced to fight off the takedowns while standing in the clinch. The Michigan crowd is restless while the two men jockey for position. After a brief takedown, Lentz gets back to the feet and creates separation. Neither man lands anything substantial as the first round expires. 10-9 Griffin.
Round 2
The lightweights take the center of the Octagon and look to exchange. Griffin finds a home for a right straight on the jaw. Lentz fires a low kick to the lead leg of his opponent. Tyson feints the jab and grazes. Lentz with a right. Lentz shoots and nearly gets Griffin down. The Minnesota Martial Arts product lands a couple of punches on the way up but Griffin gets free. Griffin shoots in and Lentz works for a kimura, but has nothing and works from his back. From the open guard Tyson looks to work. At the end of the frame Griffin stands and slams Lentz to the floor. 10-9 Griffin.
Round 3
The final frame starts with a bang. A straight right floors Lentz. The Minnesotan rises to eat a punch and kick to fall again. Still with it, Lentz is back up but Griffin shoots and puts him on the floor. Lentz looks for an armbar but eats an elbow for his effort. Lentz is able to get to his base and stand. He works a takedown and Griffin grabs a guillotine. Lentz works free of the guard and the choke. From half, Lentz is trying to work but Griffin is able to move and a scramble allows him to get back to his feet. Lentz shoots in for another takedown attempt and gets it. The round expires. 10-9 Griffin.
Official scores: The judges see it 29-28 Lentz (Sal D'Amato), 30-27 Griffin (Nelson Hamilton) and 29-28 (Jeff Blatnick) for the winner Nik Lentz. The crowd is shocked by Lentz's split-decision win.
Paul Kelly vs. T.J. O'Brien
Round 1
Kelly bullies his way in and pushes O'Brien up against the cage. He catches a kick and lands a hard right hand. They separate and move back to the middle. Kelly slams a right hand into the face of his opponent that sits him down. O'Brien stands back up and eats another right hand. Kelly pushes into the clinch and lands another right hand before clinching back up. O'Brien looks at Miragliotta and gets the break. Kelly hits a takedown and settles into the guard. O'Brien shifts for an armbar and Kelly retreats to his feet. Kelly controls the first round and earns a 10-9 score on the Sherdog card.
Round 2
Kelly misses a spinning-back kick to start the second frame. Kelly bashes O'Brien with a left hand that drops him. He swarms his fallen foe but can't dole out the finishing blow. O'Brien is back up and throws a tires Kelly to the mat. He takes mount and goes to work. Kelly gives up his back and shakes him off when he gets too high. Kelly takes side, then side-crucifix and beats O'Brien down with punches and elbows until Miragliotta finally decides to step in at 3:16 of the second round giving Paul Kelly the TKO win.
Edson Mendes Barbosa vs. Mike Lullo
Round 1
Overseeing this lightweight tilt is referee Marc Fennel. The two men meet in the center of the cage and Lullo fires a kick to the lead leg of Barboza. Lullo ties again with a kick but misses high. He shoots in for a takedown but Barboza counters and gets Lullo to the mat. They stand after a brief moment on the floor. Barboza on the feet clinches and gets double underhooks. Lullo is forced to the mat and gets rubber guard. Lullo forces his shin underneath Barboza's chin but there is no gogoplata finish to be had. After a moment on the floor Barboza stands and Lullo falls off. The two fighters stand and Barboza kicks the back leg out of Lullo. Barboza is starting to find his rhythm on the feet and the round ends. 10-9 Barboza.
Round 2
Lullo comes out firing but Barboza rips off a jab that puts Lullo on his heels. A high kick finds the head of Lullo, which is followed by a kick to the body. Lullo shoots and settles to just go to his back. On top Barboza is nullified while Lullo goes for mission control and looks for another gogoplatta attempt. Barboza is too smart for the hold and is able to stand and get away. On the feet again, Barboza lands a hard low kick to Lullo's lead leg. The Chicago native has had enough of the striking and clinches to pull guard. Again Lullo is working the rubber guard and settles into mission control. From here Lullo is is landing weak punches to the side of the head. Barboza stands and fires a kick to the lead leg of Lullo. This grounds the lightweight until Marc Fennel says he must stand. The hurt Lullo hobbles and the round ends. 10-9 Barboza.
Round 3
The round is over before it can really get going. Lullo's lead leg is trashed and it's the main target for Barboza's kicks. Lullo is dropped with chopping kicks and forced to stand. He is drops again after a vicious kick and the ref has seen enough. Edson Barboza is the winner at 26 seconds of round two.
Karo Parisyan vs. Dennis Hallman
Round 1
Parisyan jumps right into the fray and lands a one-two to open the fight. He pushes in and clinches Hallman along the cage.Referee Dan Miragliotta steps in and breaks them up due to inactivity. Hallman lands a left jab and a right hand that drops Parisyan. Hallman pounces and punches away for the stoppage at 1:27 of the opening period.
Aaron Simpson vs. Mark Munoz
Round 1
Referee Marc Fennell is in charge for this middleweight bout. Simpson comes inside with a combination, punches Munoz in the gut, then lands a leg kick, backing Munoz into the fence. Simpson looks for a takedown, can’t find it, and they clinch briefly before disengaging. They clinch again in the center of the cage and Munoz drills a few knees to the midsection of Simpson. Knees to the legs by Munoz now, but Simpson lands one of his own which causes Munoz to break off. Munoz shoots long and gets sprawled on. Simpson dumps Munoz to the mat with a double-leg, then jumps on Munoz’s back, but “A-Train” is too high and slips off. Clinch work along the fence and Munoz begins scoring with short elbows, uppercuts and knees. Simpson looks to be in trouble momentarily, but regains his com
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Simpson
Round 2
Simpson opens the second round same as the first, with a right hand to the ribs of Munoz. He catches a kick from Munoz and drags him down, but Munoz is quickly back on his feet and immediately lands a hard right hand. Both men tee off with Munoz landing some solid shots before dragging Simpson to the floor and scoring a couple punches to his turtling opponent. Simpson scrambles back up and misses on a knee, catching Munoz in the groin with his shin. Munoz is bleeding from a cut in the middle of his forehead, but he’s ready to roll some 30 seconds later. Munoz still trying to throw leg and body kicks, but Simpson is beginning to time them well. Munoz smacks Simpson on the cheek with a head kick and Simpson doesn’t blink. Simpson scores a takedown and is almost immediately stood up by Fennell. Very quick restart there. The fighters clinch and Simpson takes a low blow of his own. He quickly recovers and they get back to work with 90 seconds left. Simpson with another takedown, but Munoz quickly hits the switch and gets right back up. Munoz pushes Simpson into the fence and closes out the round with inside knees and a level elbow.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Munoz
Round 3
The wrestlers embrace at the start of the final round. Simpson catches another Munoz kick and brings him down, where Munoz quickly reverses and takes his back, delivering some hard shots from behind. As they get back to their feet, Munoz lands a left hand and Simpson says he caught a finger in the eye. Replay shows that the punch looked clean, and they’re back to work quickly. Munoz muscles Simpson against the cage and sends knees up the middle. Referee Fennel not giving them much time to work, as he restarts them after about 15 seconds of clinching. No matter: they get right back to the same position, where Munoz gets busy with his strikes. Munoz throwing huge combos and walking Simpson down with two minutes left. Simpson answers by pushing Munoz’s back to the fence, but eats more knees and punches for his trouble. Munoz gets another leg kick caught and trips to the mat, and Simpson grabs for a guillotine, but the choke doesn’t come. Both men finish the fight lobbing bombs, but as was the case throughout most of the fight, Munoz landed more.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Munoz (30-27 Munoz)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Munoz (30-27 Munoz)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Munoz (29-28 Munoz)
All three official judges score the bout 29-28 for Mark Munoz, the winner by unanimous decision.
Brian Foster vs. Matt Brown
Round 1
Herb Dean referees this welterweight scrap, the 1,500th bout in UFC history. Brown chops with a leg kick, then misses when he goes high. Foster clinches up and brings Brown down, but he’s quickly back up. Brown ties a takedown of his own, briefly gets caught in a guillotine by Foster, and then extracts himself as he moves to north-south position. Brown working from side control on Foster’s right now. Foster escapes out the back door, lands a few punches from the side before giving up the position. Brown winds up on top and hunts for a brabo choke which he can’t seal up. Foster scores another takedown, but Brown sweeps again, this time into mount. He doesn’t stay there for long, winding up high on Foster’s back. Brown looks to be slipping off with 60 seconds left, but “The Immortal” switches to an armbar. Looks dicey for Foster momentarily, but he slips the lock and dives into Brown’s guard with punches. Elbows by Brown from the bottom, and the round ends with Foster standing over him. The pair jaw at one another after the horn sounds.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Foster
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Brown
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Foster
Round 2
The fighters trade kicks early and Foster appears to catch one low, but wants to fight through it. Dean gives him a moment, they resume, and Foster takes another groin shot on a spinning back kick. Again, Foster recovers quickly, and then catches a kick from Brown and dumps him to the canvas. Brown scoots as Foster scores with leg kicks from above before following Brown into guard. Tight guard from Brown, but Foster busts free and lands some hard shots from the top. Brown pushes forward for a single-leg and Foster snares a guillotine. Foster falls back to guard and Brown is forced to tap at 2:11 of the second round.
George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon
Round 1
Marc Fennel draws officiating duties for the first bout of the pay-per-view. The lightweights touch gloves and then begin firing, with Lauzon scoring a few hard rights in the exchange. Lauzon pushes forward, Sotiropoulos changes levels and tries for a single-leg, but Lauzon keeps his balance and lands another flurry from the clinch, mixing in some knees. Lauzon sprawls on another takedown attempt and drills elbows to the side of Sotiropoulos’ head as the Aussie presses him into the fence. Lauzon gets an underhook and pushes free. Sotiropoulos changes levels again as Lauzon comes inside, and Lauzon winds up on top, nearly in mount. Lauzon winds up in half-guard, trying to pass, but thinks better of it and stands. Lauzon pulls guard now and tries to use the butterfly guard to push Sotiropoulos away, but Sotiropoulos winds up on Lauzon’s back. The American gets his back onto the mat, but Sotiropoulos is in north-south, then side control. Sotiropoulos takes full mount with 10 seconds left, then spins for an armbar, but it allows Lauzon to get loose and “J-Lau” finishes the round on top with a few elbows.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Lauzon
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Lauzon
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Lauzon
Round 2
Sotiropoulos comes out aggressive with his punches, scoring better here than in the first frame. Lauzon stuffs a takedown and they clinch along the cage with Sotiropoulos holding on to a high single-leg. Sotiropoulos relents and resumes punching, then lands knees from the clinch. Sotiropoulos gets the takedown this time and quickly moves to side control, then full mount. For the second time, Sotiropoulos spins for an armbar but can’t find it, but this time he stays on top. Lauzon looks completely drained. Sotiropoulos moves to north-south and wrenches a kimura on the left arm of Lauzon, eliciting the tap at 2:43 of the second round.
Phil Davis vs. Tim Boetsch
Round 1
Veteran official Herb Dean is back inside the Octagon for this 205-pound tilt. Both men landing leg kicks early, and Davis is going upstairs, too. Tentative exchanges in the first 90 seconds. Davis throws a kick to the body which Boetsch catches, and Boetsch unintentionally lands a punch to the back of Davis’ head. Davis ducks a punch from Boetsch, grabs a body lock and plows him to the mat. The NCAA wrestling champ gets to work from half-guard, punching to Boetsch’s body and head after sizing up an arm-triangle choke. Davis seems content to do damage from half-guard, not looking to pass as he slams elbows into the head of Boetsch. Perhaps sensing an escape, Davis hops back to his feet, where he clinches with Boetsch and lands a few outside knees before the horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Davis
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Davis
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Davis
Round 2
Davis clinches and looks to trip Boetsch down, but Boetsch defends well and lands a few knees to the body. Davis retaliates with some of his own, and then changes levels. Boetsch snares a guillotine as he’s taken down, but it’s a bad angle and Davis pops free. Davis working for a far-side kimura on the left arm of Boetsch, can’t finish, so he wrenches the arm behind Boetsch’s back. It looks gruesome and Boetsch submits at 2:55 of the second frame.
Gerald Harris vs. Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves
Round 1
Referee Dan Miragliotta is in the cage for this one. Harris is flicking out his right jab and changing up levels, threatening to shoot early as Falcao keeps his distance. Boos rain down from the crowd after two minutes of relative inactivity. Falcao finally throws a hard right kick to the guts of Harris. Falcao finally explodes with a flurry of punches and a knee to the body. Harris falls and Falcao chases him down, moving to half-guard and firing off more punches in rapid succession. Harris has regained his senses, but Falcao continues to punch away until Harris gives up his back. Falcao can’t finish with a rear-naked choke attempt, but sinks another in as Harris stands. This time it’s deep, and Harris is saved by the horn at the end of the round. Miragliotta warns Falcao for holding the choke too long, but the Brazilian says he didn’t hear the horn.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Round 2
Falcao explodes on Harris with vicious punching combos again early in the second and winds up back on top. The Chute Boxe product jumps on Harris’ back and tries for the rear-naked choke again. Falcao can’t quite get his arm under the chin of Harris and lets the hold go, reverting to punches from back mount. Harris slips loose and pushes Falcao into the cage until Falcao grabs underhooks and reverses. Back to striking and Harris is trying to reestablish his jab. Harris shoots and is stuffed by Falcao, but Harris is relentless and eventually slams him down. Falcao pops right back to his feet, though, and kicks Harris in the midsection, then launches one to the head. Another weak shot from the tiring Harris is sprawled on by Falcao, who takes the opportunity to send a few punches upside Harris’ head before the round ends.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Falcao
Round 3
Hard inside leg kick from Falcao is the only real offense of the first 90 seconds. Miragliotta implores the fighters to get active and Harris tries to land a few wild haymakers. Falcao seems to be sitting back, knowing he’s got the fight in hand, but Harris isn’t pushing the pace either. Falcao is slipping almost all of Harris’ punches and not throwing any of his own. Harris finally shoots with 60 seconds left in the fight, but he’s spent and Falcao sprawls all over it. Harris shrugs his shoulders as boos rain down and the uneventful final round expires.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-10 (30-28 Falcao)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10 (30-28 Falcao)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Harris (29-28 Falcao)
Official scores: The judges have the match 29-27, 29-28 and 29-28, all for Maiquel Falcao, who makes a successful UFC debut.
B.J. Penn vs. Matt Hughes
Round 1
Dan Miragliotta returns for the co-main event of the night. Penn comes out swinging and tags Hughes right off the bat. Seconds later, another right hand lands and sends Hughes onto his back. Penn pounces and lands a few more punches that turn out Hughes' lights, and Miragliotta rescues him from further damage. The official time is 21 seconds of the opening round.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean presides over the main event of the evening. No surprise, it’s Jackson pressing forward as the action begins, feinting punches and trying to cut off Machida’s angles. Machida lands four or five inside leg kicks for his first offense. Jackson charges in, winging punches, but Machida is on his bike. Now, “Rampage” initiates the clinch and stomps the taped feet of Machida as they work along the fence. They split and Jackson hits a glancing uppercut, while Machida lands a kick to the body. Another kick allows Jackson to clinch again, but they soon disengage. “Rampage” whiffing on his punches in the last 30 seconds. He eats another leg kick from Machida.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Machida
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Machida
Round 2
A knee and a kick from Machida cause “Rampage” to tie up, where he catches Machida low with a knee. Machida shakes it off quickly and they restart in the center. Knee to the body by Jackson before they clinch and “Rampage” scores a takedown. Jackson trying to pin Machida against the base of the cage, but Machida pops back up and takes the dominant position in the clinch. Jackson lands a hard-but-glancing shot as they break. Liver kick by Machida is followed by a solid uppercut from “Rampage.” Machida slaps a kick to the back of Jackson’s thigh and they tie up again. Machida tosses Jackson to the canvas at the end of the round and Machida launches a kick at his head right at the buzzer, for which he apologizes immediately.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-10
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Jackson
Round 3
Jackson coming with some leg kicks of his own now, but his follow-up punches are out of range. Machida stuns Jackson with a combo, sending “Rampage” backward into the fence. Machida chases him down and scores with a few knees from the Thai plum, but Jackson fires right back with a flurry. Machida trips Jackson to the mat and lands in half-guard, where he tries to pry his right leg free and pass to Jackson’s right side. He stops trying to pass for a moment to work for a kimura on Jackson’s right arm. Machida finally passes with about 90 seconds left, and then hops into full mount. Machida lays an elbow across Jackson’s face, then postures up and spins for an armbar on Jackson’s right limb. Jackson picks him up for the slam and Machida releases the hold with 40 seconds left. Back on the feet, Machida gets underhooks and presses Jackson into the fence, then gets a waistlock and tries to drag him down. Machida drops for a leglock and pulls guard in the waning seconds.
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Machida (30-28 Machida)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Machida (30-29 Machida)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Machida (29-28 Machida)
Official scores: Quinton Jackson takes a split decision with scores of 29-28 (twice and 28-29).
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