Event: UFC 121 – Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez
Airdate: Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 (Pay-Per-View)
Location: The Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Gilbert Yvel vs. Jon Madsen
Round 1
Boos showering the cage as the fighters circle for the first minute. The impatient crowd is soon rewarded with a double-leg takedown and sustained ground and pound from Madsen. Referee “Big” John McCarthy decides Yvel has had enough and steps in at 1:48 of the first round keeping Madsen’s perfect ledger clean.
Dongi Yang vs. Chris Camozzi
Round 1
Yang lands a nice lowkick to Camozzi’s lead right leg to open the action. Camozzi tries to answer with a kick of his own but Yang catches it and snags double underhooks and plants him to the mat. Yang lands a few decent hammerfists but Camozzi gets to his knees and turns into Yang and takes top position. Yang doesn’t allow him to set up for long before getting back to his feet. Camozzi grabs Yang in the Thai clinch and lands some hard knees. Yang answers with a slew of lead left hooks and crosses. Yang lands a particularly hard left cross in the rounds closing seconds and cements the round.
Round 2
Yang rushes forward and cracks Camozzi with yet another left. He then drops down and picks his ankle and sinks him to the floor. He quickly moves to his back but flips over the top when he misses putting in his right hook. Camozzi gets to his feet but Yang is unrelenting and lands a two-piece combo followed by a knee. The pace is slowing considerably but Camozzi still has enough steam to land a hard knee to the body. Camozzi shoots a single and tries to run the pipe but Yang defends and cracks him with right hook at the 10 second warning.
Round 3
Camozzi comes alive in the third, he absorbs a solid left and answers with a knee-buckling left cross that wobbled Yang. Camozzi launches another barrage that draws blood from the mouth of the Korean. Yang is visibly winded. Yang answers back with another right hook. Yang takes the back clinch and Camozzi escapes after missing on a Kimura. The fighters trade blows — Camozzi with knees and Yang with right hands — up to the horn.
The official scores are 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28 giving Chris Camozzi the split-decision win.
Sam Stout vs. Paul Taylor
Round 1
Stout lands a booming inside low kick to start off the fight. The clapping sound of the impact echoed in the arena. Taylor answers with a kick of his own but Stout is too fast for him early on. He lands a one-two that backs Taylor to the cage. Taylor begins to find his range with kicks to the body but Stout repeatedly lands a chopping right overhand as Taylor tries to back out. Taylor slips a four-punch combo and hammers Stout with a right hook. Taylor looks to be settling into the fight but Stout hits a double-leg right at the clapper.
Round 2
Stout goes back to the inside kicks to Taylor’s lead leg to begin the second. Taylor answers with punches and Stout retaliates. This is turning into a bit of a slugfest. Stout throws a three punch combo followed by a digging left hook to the body. Taylor hits him back with a hard right. Stout catches a kick and drops Taylor with a right. The Brit is right back up and catches Stout with another right hand and Stout answers with a right to the body. Taylor misses a pair of weak takedown attempts and eats a weak knee. Taylor lands another flurry of punches and Stout again answers with a one-two as the round ends.
Round 3
Taylor opens the scoring in the final stanza with a three-punch combo and a kick to Stout’s body. Taylor looks comfortable in the pocket and he keeps landing the better shots here in the third. Nice one-two with a low kick from Taylor. Stout puts Taylor down to a knee with a kick to his legs, Taylor is right back up. He is back on the attack and hammers Stout with a right hand. Stout lands a good left hook and misses on a takedown. Stout blasts him again with another left hook and Taylor’s feeble takedown leaves him on the floor with Stout trying to punch at the final horn.
The official scores read 29-28, 28-29 and 30-27, giving Stout a split decision win and the crowd reason to boo the judges for a second consecutive fight.
Michael Guymon vs. Daniel Roberts
Round 1
Roberts blasts Guymon with a hard low kick in the initial exchange. Guymon tries to walk him down but gets tripped up on his way in and Roberts attacks with a four-punch combo before locking on a guillotine. He transitions to the anaconda and rolls Guymon over to finish the submission. Guymon taps at 1:13 giving Roberts his second UFC win.
Daniel Roberts def. Mike Guymon by Submission (Anaconda Choke) at 1:43, R1
Patrick Cote vs. Tom Lawlor
Round 1
Lawlor comes out aggressive immediately, using his jab and bullying Cote against the cage. Lawlor is peppering his knee into Cote’s quad. Lawlor drops for a double and finishes it. Cote wraps up a closed guard. Lawlor stays busy from top position, and Cote is offering nothing in the way of a submission attempt. Lawlor passes to side control, but Cote manages to recover half guard. Lawlor is pressing the French Canadian up against the fence, and now he’s looking for an arm triangle. He locks it up, but Cote rolls away from the pressure, giving up his back. Lawlor tries for the rear naked choke to end the round, but Cote shucks him off. After the round ends, video replay shows that Cote illegally used the fence to escape the arm triangle.
Round 2
After a short feeling out process to start the second frame, Lawlor again rushes forward, pressing his opponent against the fence. Cote is looking for an arm-in guillotine that eventually turns into a whizzer after the choke fails. Lawlor executes a takedown, and Cote is looking to hit a switch of his butt. Lawlor is having none of it, however, as he maintains top control from Cote’s guard. Cote scrambles to his feet and tries for some uppercuts as he’s in Lawlor’s Thai plum, but Lawlor drops levels and finishes a double. Cote is looking for a kimura from half guard, but it’s a futile attempt. After some repetitive ground and pound, referee John McCarthy stands the men up. Lawlor lands a nice counter right hook to end the round.
Round 3
Lawlor engages Cote briefly on the feet before executing a nice double leg. Lawlor passes to side control, again looking for an arm triangle. Cote recovers half guard. McCarthy repeatedly warns Lawlor about blows to the back of Cote’s head. Lawlor passes to mount, but Cote recovers half guard before any damage is done. “The Filthy Mauler” is living up to his name, finding a home for his punches on the ground. Cote bucks his hips and nearly escapes to his feet, but Lawlor falls on top of him, recovering top position. Big John again stands the pair up. Lawlor again hits a double leg, passing immediately to half guard. Lawlor is in cruise control, and Cote has no answer for Lawlor’s grappling superiority.
Official scores: 30-27 across the board for Tom Lawlor, the winner by unanimous decision.
Ryan Jensen vs. Court McGee
Round 1
The fighters touch gloves to start, and Jensen throws a one two. McGee counters with a nice straight right hand. Jensen drops McGee with a sharp left jab, but McGee springs right back up. Jensen clinches and executes a beautiful outside leg trip, passing to half guard. McGee is struggling to his feet, but Jensen lands several knees and punches on his way up. Both men are now back on their feet, and Jensen throws a hard high kick that McGee blocks. That looked painful. Jensen lands an overhand right. McGee answers back with a straight right, but he looks stiff on his feet. Jensen lands another hard right hand, but McGee is hanging in there. McGee ducks another deadly high kick from. McGee sneaks a straight right hand in between Jensen’s guard, but Jensen is throwing with much more power.
Round 2
The pair again touch gloves in round two. Both men trade leg kicks and wing punches from the outside. McGee lands a sharp right straight to the body. Jensen is looking a bit ragged now, and he’s throwing a lot of power into his strikes. McGee lands a beautiful right hook that wobbles Jensen. Jensen tries for a takedown, but McGee throws him off. Jensen is breathing heavy now, and his nose is bloody. He almost executes an incredible throw, but McGee manages to keep his balance and recover. Both men are landing shots on their feet. McGee is just a hair quicker in this second round, but Jensen is still dangerous with his back to the fence. McGee lands a pretty overhand right. Jensen finds a home for his left hook and executes a body-lock takedown, landing in side control to end the round.
Round 3
McGee looks like a totally different fighter now. He lands a sweet left hook and follows it up, picking Jensen up and slamming him near the fence. McGee passes to mount and is dropping some serious elbows now. Jensen attempts a hip escape, but McGee denies him. McGee is looking for an arm triangle, and Jensen taps to the choke at 1:21 of round three.
Court McGee def. Ryan Jensen by Submission (Arm Triangle Choke), R3
Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Round 1
Referee Jason Herzog officiates the first bout of the main card. The heavyweights touch gloves and Gonzaga takes the center as Schaub circles outside. Overhand right and leg kick land for Schaub, and Gonzaga connects with a hard low kick of his own. Schaub looking to establish his left jab, catches the leg of Gonzaga on a kick and hits the Brazilian with a hard right hand over the top. Quick one-twos from Schaub are keeping Gonzaga at bay, though they’re not all landing flush. Left high kick from Gonzaga is blocked, but he lands the follow-up right low kick. Gonzaga looking very tentative, finally comes inside with a combo and gets rocked by a counter from Schaub, who starts to tee off and drops Gonzaga in the final seconds of the round.
Round 2
Gonzaga comes out lobbing outside low kicks at the left leg of Schaub, who’s still pumping his left jab into “Napao’s” face at will. A pair of lefts and right land for Schaub and send Gonzaga backward. Schaub ties up with Gonzaga and lands a few short-range uppercuts, misses on the exit knee. Gonzaga mounting little in the way of offense in the final minute as Schaub lands single shots.
Round 3
Gonzaga shoots, but Schaub sprawls well and stays vertical. More left jabs from Schaub, who’s busily circling as Gonzaga remains an easy target in the center of the cage. Gonzaga lands a single leg kick, and then tries for a head kick, but it’s blocked. Inside thigh kick from Gonzaga appears to catch Schaub low, but “The Hybrid” waves it off. Schaub still looking fresh with 90 seconds left in the bout, but doesn’t seem to be looking for the kill. Gonzaga trying to come forward, but Schaub’s on his bike and keeping the Brazilian at range. Schaub shoots in the waning moments, Gonzaga sprawls, and nearly sinks in a rear-naked choke at the buzzer, but it’s too late.
Official scores: 30-27 across the board for Brendan Schaub, the winner by unanimous decision.
Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill
Round 1
Tito lands a huge head kick to start the round. Matt lands a nice left. Tito fighting like a whole different person. Tito throwing a lot of kicks. Crowd is way into the fight. Matt takes Tito down off a body kick. Tito scrambles back to his feet. Tito bleeding from the side of his head. Tito with a body kick. Tito has a cut on his right eye, which is already swelling up. Tito with a leg kick. Matt with a stiff jab. Tito with a head kick partially blocked by Matt. Tito with a nice right. Tito actually fighting like a fighter for a change. He looks determined. Inside leg kick by Tito. Matt with a head kick blocked by Tito. Tito with a spinning backfist. Who is this and what did he do with the real Tito Ortiz? Matt throws an uppercut. Tito with a nice uppercut of his own. Both guys trade jabs. 30 seconds left in Round 1. Tito with a nice right hook on Matt. Matt hits Tito with a clean punch after the bell.
Round 2
Tito opens up the second with a nice leg kick. Matt with a nice straight right. Tito answers back. Tito with a nice body shot. Matt with a nice leg kick that finds the mark. Tito stuns Matt briefly with a nice left. Matt with a nice leg kick. Tito with a nice right. Tito with a head kick blocked by Matt. Matt answers back with an inside leg kick. Tito with a nice body punch which drops the hands of Matt. Matt shakes his head acknowledging a strong punch. Tito with a nice knee to the head. Matt answers back with a leg kick. Tito with a hook leg kick combo. Matt starting to breathe with his mouth open. Matt with a nice take down landing in Tito’s full guard. Tito moving his hips, looking for submission opportunities. Matt with some nice, short elbows from the top. Tito throws his legs up for an armbar, Matt avoids it easily. Matt is starting to string his punches together from the top. Tito with an elbow from the bottom. 1 minute left on the clock. Tito looking for a kneebar. Matt rolls out. Ends up in side mount. Matt landing nice elbows from side control. Short but powerful. 30 seconds left. Tito bloody and swollen, looking like a Tito Ortiz victim. Tito regains half guard as the round ends. Tito’s eyes are almost swollen shut. Matt once again throws a punch after the bell.
Round 3
Matt starts the round off with a nice uppercut. Matt with a nice left hook. Matt starting to look like Nick Diaz taunting Tito by flailing his arms around. Tito lands a nice right. Tito with a body kick. Slower pace so far than the previous two rounds. Tito with a great one two which snaps the head back. Tito with a huge body kick. Matt with a lead uppercut. Tito’s face is a mess. Matt with a leg kick straight punch combo. Matt double jabs. Tito not doing much in the third. Tito with a nice left. Tito pawing with a jab. Tito shoots in, Matt easily defends. Matt with a nice straight right. Tito responds with a stiff jab. Tito with a nice uppercut. Matt takes Tito down. 1 minute left. It could be over for Tito. Matt working some nice elbows from Tito’s half guard. The horn sounds to end the round and the fight. Could be an interesting decision, but should be an easy victory for Hamill. We’ll see.
Matt Hamell def. Tito Ortiz via Unanimous Decision (29:28, 29:28, 30:27) after 3 Rounds.
Paulo Thiago vs. Diego Sanchez
Round 1
Diego comes out wild. No suprises there. Crowd really behind Diego. Diego lands a nice right. Paulo with a wild body kick. Diego tries to take Paulo down but gets stuck in a guillotine choke. Diego escapes. Now we’re clenched against the cage. They seperate and start trading punches. Diego misses with a wild right hook. Diego with a nice right hook. Paulo takes Diego down landing in Diego’s half guard. Paulo comes close on a number of submission attempts. They ultimately scramble back to their feet. Crowd cheers. One minute left. Nice body shot by Diego. Diego with a nice right hand. Diego with a nice combo. We’re clenched against the cage again. Paulo flurries wild near the end of the round but Diego sneaks in an uppercut that momentarily stuns him. The round ends on that.
Round 2
Diego comes out switching stances. Nice leg kick by Diego. Then there is a huge flurry with Paulo sneaking in a really good right hand. Diego swinging like a madman. In a scramble they end up on the ground in a weird position. They settle with Thiago on the bottom. Thiago has a butterfly guard from the bottom. Thiago threatening with the kamura from the bottom. Just to force Diego to move positions. Diego passes to half guard. Paulo warned for an illegal elbow. Paulo again looking at the arm of Diego. Diego escapes and is standing over Paulo now. Diego dives back into Paulo’s full guard. Thiago monkey flips Diego. Diego picks Thiago up runs across the cage screaming like a crazy person and slams him big time landing in Thiago’s full guard. Crowd still cheering for that seconds later. Diego threatens with a rear naked choke. Lets it go to pound on Thiago. Diego looking to take Thiago’s back. Thiago shakes him off and finishes the round throwing punches. Diego plays to the crowd.
Round 3
Thiago goes for a takedown early on but ends up on the bottom in a scramble. Diego in Thiago’s half guard working ground and pound. Paulo going for a kimura. Diego takes Thiago’s back. Now trying to get his hooks in. He has one hook in. And he’s got the other. Diego looking for the rear naked. Diego switches to a body triangle. Diego lets the choke attempt go to pound away from the back. Still keeping the body triangle locked. Diego again looking for the choke. Diego has mount and body triangle now. Diego has regular full mount now. Thiago rolls, Diego has his back again. Thiago shakes him off but trips in the process. Diego settles in Thiago’s half guard on the ground. Thiago clearly has a broken nose. It looks gross. Thiago threatens with a leg lock. No dice. Diego pounding away from his back. Diego is in Paulo’s full guard now. He stands up. Paulo upkicks. Diego comes in with a huge punch that lands. Diego taking Paulo’s back again. Diego finishes the fight with an insane flurry from the top. Crowd goes insane.
Diego Sanchez def. Paulo Thiago via Unaninimous Decision (30:26, 29:28, 29:28) after 3 Rounds.
Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann
Round 1
Jake comes out with a body kick. Jake lands a nice right to the head. Jake clenches against the cage. Jake looking for the takedown, and he gets it. Jake quickly passes to half guard. Even more quickly passes to side control. Martin regains half guard. Jake has full mount now. Jake looking for an arm triangle. They scramble back to their feet. Martin lands some knees to the body. Martin looking for a guillotine. Jake looking for a takedown again. No dice. So far this looks like ever Jake Shields fight i’ve ever seen. Martin seperates. Jake with a body kick. And a nice jab. Double jab by Jake. Martin jabs Jake. Leg kick by Jake. Jake drives through with a takedown.
Round 2
Martin lands a nice punch early in the second. Jake with a body kick. Jake goes for a takedown. Martin sprawls nicely. Jake clenches against the cage. Martin drops Jake with a knee and slaps on a guillotine. Jake escapes and takes Martin down. Martin puts the guillotine back on from the bottom. Jake passes to side mount. Martin scrambles back up gets a knee in there. Martin gets a Thai clench and throws some more knees. Jake escapes and bullies Martin into the cage. Jake takes him down. Jake’s nose is bleeding now. Jake gets full mount. Martin hip escapes. Jake working from inside Martin’s half guard. Crowd is not liking what they’re seeing. Jake passes to full mount. One minute left. Martin bucks out of the mount and scrambles back to his feet. Martin has double underhooks. Referee restarts them. Martin lands a nice right. Martin should win this round, but with the take downs, you never know.
Round 3
Jake looks tired in the third and final round. Martin looks fresh. Jake’s eye is swelling up too. Martin lands a head kick. Jake with some sloppy punch combos. Jake shoots in for a takedown Martin sprawls nicely. Jake is turtled up on the ground. Martin is hammerfisting the side of Jake’s head. Martin looking for an anaconda. Martin lets it go and starts working some elbows from the top. Two minutes left in the round. Martin is going for the anaconda again. Jake escapes and settles in Martin’s full guard. Jake passes to side control. Martin rolls. Jake takes his back. Martin tries standing up. Jake yanks him back down and gets his hooks in. He now looks for the rear naked. 30 seconds left. Jake has body triangle control. Fight ends there.
Jake Shields def. Martin Kampmann via Split Decision (29:28, 30:27, 29:28) after 3 Rounds
Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean calls the night’s main event, and this building is absolutely and unbelievably electric. Lesnar circles and bullrushes in. Velasquez handles the rush and trades in the pocket. Lesnar with a leaping knee early. Velasquez hits him, and Lesnar turns a bit, but he moves right back in with a takedown. Velasquez hits the deck, but he doesn’t stay there. Mad rush in the opening 40 seconds. Lesnar pushes in for a single. It’s not there, but he continues to drive Velasquez against the cage. Velasquez sprawls, but Lesnar eventually slams him down. He pops right back up again. Lesnar’s cheek is reddened, and it’s Velasquez who gets the takedown. Lesnar on his knees. Velasquez fires punches from both sides. Lesnar pops back to his feet. Backhand slap from Lesnar. Velasquez attacks, and Lesnar stumbles. Velasquez all over him, and Lesnar drops to the mat. Velasquez primed for the finish. Dean watching intently. Still two minutes left. Velasquez throws a few punches, but doesn’t gas himself out. He moves into half-mount. Lesnar covering, but there is not much movement. It’s the Cariwn fight all over again. Lesnar finally stands, but he is on shaky legs. Velasquez drops him again, and Lesnar is turtled up. He does moves at Dean’s request, but Velasquez is unrelenting. Dean has no choice. We have a new champion. BROCK GOT #$*#$&#$& UP!! WOWOW!!!
