UFC 126 Prelims: Cerrone Chokes Kelly; Mendes Outpoints Omigawa

Donald Cerrone earned a hard fought, come-from-behind victory in his promotional debut, as he submitted Paul Kelly in the second round of their preliminary lightweight scrap at UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

As Cerrone (Pictured, File photo) tried to touch gloves to start the bout, Kelly landed an overhand right before “Cowboy” took the fight to the floor. Though Cerrone briefly secured the mount, the Brit escaped and proceeded to light up the Greg Jackson protégé on the feet. In the waning minutes, however, Cerrone took the fight to the floor once again, this time slicing Kelly over the right eye with an elbow.

Cerrone stormed back in the second stanza, using his length to score with leg kicks before putting Kelly on his back and passing to mount for the second time. There would be no escape for the Brit this time, as the former WEC title challenger took his back and cinched a fight-ending rear-naked choke at 3:48 of round two.

“I’m glad to be here. I’m glad to show the WEC guys deserve to be here,” said Cerrone. “That’s Greg Jackson jiu-jitsu. My training partners are the best in the world.”

Chad Mendes outpointed the world-ranked Michihiro Omigawa in a featherweight tilt, earning a unanimous decision and spoiling the Japanese standout’s return to the UFC. All three judges scored it 30-27.

Mendes looked sharp early, targeting Omigawa’s lead leg with kicks while coming over the top with a heavy right hand. Though Omigawa’s takedown defense was impressive through the first half of the round, the Team Alpha Male ace finally put the judoka on his back with 90 seconds to go in the round. Omigawa dictated the pace from the guard, however, threatening to submit Mendes with a straight arm lock.

Mendes crumpled his foe with a beautiful right hand just seconds into round two, but he could not finish the durable Yoshida Dojo representative. After surviving the onslaught, Omigawa recovered to make the remainder of the round competitive, though he suffered a nasty laceration over his left eye late in the round.

The third frame also belonged to Mendes, who escaped a guillotine attempt in the opening seconds of the round to once again gain top position. Though Omigawa was busy from the guard, “Money” continued to rain down ground-and-pound. After Omigawa escaped to his feet, the Japanese fighter pressed the action, only to be taken down and bloodied up as the bout came to a close.

Demetrious Johnson derailed the debut of Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, using superior speed to take home a clear-cut unanimous decision win. Scores were 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27, all for Johnson.

Though both men looked sharp standing, it was Johnson who won the wrestling battle in round one. Using excellent technique and blinding quickness, “Mighty Mouse” scored three separate takedowns in the opening frame. The second round was strikingly similar, as Johnson continually frustrated “Kid” with his speed and put him on his back several more times. Round three also belonged to Johnson, as the lightning-fast American wobbled Yamamoto with a left and again took the fight to the floor as time expired.

“Me and him both have good footwork. That’s why I [kept my distance]. If I overextend, I’m going to get knocked out, just like everyone else, by that right hook,” said Johnson. “He was a very tough opponent. He hits really hard, and he’s a really tough guy.”

Taylor (above) stopped Ruediger.

Paul Taylor earned his second consecutive Octagon victory in his sophomore lightweight effort, besting “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 alum Gabe Ruediger by technical knockout 1:42 into round two.

In the first frame, Taylor got the better of the exchanges, using his wrestling in reverse to keep the fight standing. Though Ruediger attempted multiple takedowns, the Brit’s defense held strong and Taylor continually landed shots to the head of the former WEC champion. Round two brought more of the same, with Taylor finding his range in the stand-up and making his foe pay. With his back against the fence, Taylor put together a fight-ending combination, hurting the American with a one-two before sealing the deal with a head kick.

A light heavyweight affair between Kyle Kingsbury and Ricardo Romero was almost over before it started, as Kingsbury earned the technical knockout just 21 seconds into the fight.

After pressing the former Ring of Combat champion against the fence, Kingsbury landed knees from the clinch to soften up his foe. As Romero attempted to escape the position, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 veteran dropped him with a left hand and went for the kill, as referee Steve Mazzagatti saved a turtled Romero from further punishment.

Kingsbury, who trains out of the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., has rattled off three consecutive victories.

In the opener, powerful wrestler Mike Pierce stopped the previously unbeaten Kenny Robertson with punches 29 seconds into the second round.

The pace was deliberate in round one, as Pierce controlled the action with his wrestling. After pushing Robertson against the cage, the WEC veteran locked up a front headlock to neutralize any offense Robertson tried to muster. Though Robertson eventually escaped the position, Pierce scored a takedown as the round came to a close.

Round two was all Pierce, as the Oregon native landed a solid left hook to Robertson’s jaw, buckling his knees and signaling the beginning of the end for the Bellator Fighting Championships alum. As Robertson fell to the floor, Pierce pounced on his foe, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in.

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UFC 126 Preview: The Prelims

Chad Mendes (top) | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

Six bouts -- four of them at lightweight or below -- fill out the dark portion of UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” on Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Perhaps it signals a sea change in which the promotion offers its slots and focuses its efforts on building stars at 135, 145 and 155 pounds. Among those included on the UFC 126 lineup are the world-ranked Michihiro Omigawa, Japanese superstar Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and former World Extreme Cagefighting stalwarts Donald Cerrone, Chad Mendes and Demetrious Johnson.

Here is a closer look at the matches, previews and picks.

The matchup: If the UFC’s featherweight division were a corporation, it would be in “re-org” mode. While CEO/champion Jose Aldo remains the undisputed boss of the bunch, even as he recovers from a back injury, there is no clear distinction of who’s got next or a clear pecking order for contenders down the line.

This is where Mendes has a major opportunity to separate himself from the pack. With Josh Grispi losing at UFC 125 and Mike Thomas Brown falling twice in three weeks, Mendes and Mark Hominick are the remaining logical choices to challenge next. Hominick has already been penciled in to meet Aldo at UFC 129 in April. Mendes, with a victory here, could be next in line.

Mendes has made a steady progression from prospect to contender, passing successively difficult tests against Cub Swanson and Javier Vasquez. In both matches, he showed that will be extremely tough to beat against fighters who cannot keep it standing.

Omigawa, enjoying a renaissance at 145 pounds, has proven exceptionally durable and has a deceptive record, with many of his losses coming to high-caliber competition. His stand-up is not likely to give Mendes enough trouble to keep him vertical, which could lead to be his planted on the mat repeatedly.

The Pick: Mendes could boost his argument for a title shot considerably with a stoppage here. He is the choice by third-round technical knockout.

Next Fight: Cerrone vs. Kelly

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Strikeforce ‘Diaz vs. Cyborg’ Prelims: Moore KOs Coy in Second

Nate Moore (right) shocked Nathan Coy | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

Nate Moore bounced back from a trying first round to finish his fight early in the second, as he knocked out Nathan Coy just 25 seconds into the second frame of their preliminary welterweight matchup at Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg” on Saturday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

In the first round, Moore nearly took Coy’s back and appeared to be in total control. Coy turned the tables as the round wore on, however, using a dominating front headlock to dictate the action. The American Kickboxing Academy product then dropped for a kimura, but Coy defended it well before landing some solid ground-and-pound.

Round two was over as quickly as it started, as Moore stiffened up the Team Quest representative with a sharp right hand and followed with another big shot on the ground, forcing the referee to intervene.

Meanwhile, Isaiah Hill submitted Bobby Stack with a triangle choke just 62 seconds into their lightweight contest. The victory snapped a six-fight winless streak for Hill, who had not won about in nearly four years.

Hill held nothing back from the get-go, launching a spinning heel kick followed by two potentially fight-ending flying knees. Stack dived for a single-leg takedown, and, after a considerable struggle, he managed to put Hill on his back. His triumph was short-lived, however, as Hill cinched a speedy triangle choke to seal the deal and earn the win.

AKA representative Ron Keslar scored the night’s first submission, as he finished Eric Lawson with a first-round armber 1:57 into the match.

After the pair tied up in the clinch to start, Keslar immediately took Lawson’s back when the fight hit the floor and trapped one of his opponent’s arms, a la B.J. Penn. From there, Keslar transitioned to a triangle choke attempt but eventually isolated Lawson’s arm, cranking it for the submission.

Kickboxing phenom Germaine de Randamie earned a violent victory , as she knocked out an overmatched Stephanie Webber 4:25 into the opening frame.

Though Webber closed the distance and took the fight to the floor, de Randamie used an attempted triangle choke to return to her feet. Once she recovered her vertical base, de Randamie landed a nice punching combination followed by knees from the clinch that spelled disaster for her opponent.

On an undercard filled with quick finishes, James Terry followed suit, as he stopped Lucas Gamaza at 3:26 of the first frame.

Terry dominated the fight on the feet, staggering his opponent with combinations. Though Gamaza proved resilient, Terry was too much for him to handle. He landed a big counter right hand and finished the bout with punches to a turtled Gamaza’s head.

In the show’s opener, kickboxing ace Jenna Castillo knocked out Charlene Gellner 3:57 into the second frame of their 120-pound catchweight contest.

After delivering an early onslaught of knees from the clinch, Castillo was pulled into Gellner’s guard. Though Gellner attempted multiple submissions, Castillo kept herself safe. In the second stanza, Castillo again exploded on the feet, stunning Gellner with a right hand and then crumpling her with a pair of knees for the finish.

This item was updated at 1:19 a.m. ET to correct information on de Randamie. Tonight's fight was not her MMA debut, as Sherdog.com had reported.

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‘Fedor vs. Silva’ Prelims to Air on HDNet

Fedor Emelianenko | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

The undercard for Strikeforce and M-1 Global’s “Fedor vs. Silva” on Feb. 18 will air live on HDNet.

Sherdog.com confirmed the news on Friday with Strikeforce's director of communications Mike Afromowitz. MMA Junkie initially reported on the matter Friday afternoon.

The event, which will go down from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., will serve to kick off Strikeforce's upcoming heavyweight tournament and will be headlined by the titular matchup between Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva. Also featured will be a second tournament quarterfinal between Andrei Arlovski and Sergei Kharitonov.

The preliminary HDNet broadcast will air directly prior to the main card on Showtime and is expected to feature four bouts, including a pair of featherweight scraps featuring Anthony Leone taking on Josh LaBerge and Jason McLean locking up with Kevin Roddy. Also scheduled for the evening is a lightweight bout pitting “The Ultimate Fighter” alum Marc Stevens against John Cholish, as well as a welterweight affair featuring Igor Gracie taking on John Salgado.

Rounding out the all-heavyweight main card on Showtime will be three alternate bouts for the tournament. In a battle of up-and-comers, “Challengers” series standouts Shane del Rosario and Lavar Johnson square off. Meanwhile, Chad Griggs toes the line against Gianpiero Villante, and Valentijn Overeem butts heads with Ray Sefo.

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FFTT Prelims: Yves Subs McKenzie, Gets 40th Win

Click below for prelim results from Saturday's Fight For The Troops 2 event... KILLEEN, TX, January 22 – Veteran contender Yves Edwards showed that there is plenty of gas left in his tank Saturday night at Fort Hood, as he submitted young gun Cody McKenzie in the second round, handing the Ultimate Fighter 12 alum his first pro loss in Fight For The Troops 2 prelim action.

McKenzie vs. Edwards
With the win, Edwards improves to 40-16-1; McKenzie falls to 12-1. See post-fight interview

“It’s always nice when you get someone with their favorite move," said Edwards. "He’s tough and had me on my back but I wanted to show him that I could do some damage too.”

The bout was named Fight of the Night at the post-fight press conference, and Edwards garnered Submission of the Night honors as well. End of night bonuses were $30,000 each.

McKenzie shot across the Octagon at the bell, looking for the takedown. Edwards resisted the attempt, calmly pushing his foe off. After some quick strikes, Edwards threw off another takedown try, and the pace then settled down, with Edwards calmly picking away at the Alaska native. With less than two minutes left, McKenzie tried to pull Edwards to the mat, but again, the Texan fought loose with little effort. To his credit, McKenzie kept throwing punches in order to set up a takedown attempt, but Edwards was showing his veteran experience at every turn.

Edwards went on the offensive to start round two, and his accurate shots rocked McKenzie, who merely smiled in response at each barrage. After clearing his head, McKenzie fired off a couple spinning back elbows before finally getting the takedown. Taking Edwards’ back, McKenzie fired away with punches, quickly turning the round in his favor. Edwards didn’t seem hurt by the shots, but the points were piling up in his opponent’s favor. But in an instant with under a minute left, Edwards got into the mount position, took McKenzie’s back and sunk in a rear naked choke. The end came seconds later, with referee Jon Schorle halting the bout at 4:33 of the second round.

Johnson vs. Guymon
Welterweight prospect DaMarques Johnson rebounded from his loss to Matt Riddle last August, scoring a first round verbal submission win over Mike Guymon. See post-fight interview

“I didn’t really finish the way I wanted to finish but a win is a win and I’m happy to get the finish,” said Johnson.

Guymon shot for the takedown to kick off the bout, but it was Johnson who put his foe on his back with a nice throw. Johnson went on to work Guymon over with ground strikes until getting the mount position and then taking the back of ‘The Joker.’ After a brief struggle, Johnson straightened Guymon out with a body triangle, and, trapped by the sequence, Guymon verbally tapped out at the 3:22 mark.

With the win, Johnson improves to 17-8; Guymon, who falls to 13-5-1, hinted at retirement after the bout.

"My back popped bad, I can't even sit down," he said. "I'm just so happy, it's been such a long road, it's so hard to explain. It's so many years fighting, I'm so happy to be done.I just accomplished everything I wanted to with fighting."

Brown vs. Yahya
Returning to the featherweight division for his UFC debut, Brazil’s Rani Yahya outlasted former WEC champ Mike Brown, winning a three round unanimous decision. See post-fight interview

Scores were 30-27 and 29-28 twice for Yahya, who improves to 16-6; Brown falls to 24-8.

“It was a very tough fight," said Yahya. "Mike is a winner, he’s a warrior. He’s a 35-year-old warrior that took a fight on two-week’s notice and fought at the last UFC, so he should get credit for that.”

Brown looked to be in control early on, as he chased Yahya around the Octagon while looking to land his strikes. Yahya was patient though, and once he found an opening, he was relentless in pursuing the takedown. And while Brown’s defense was solid, he was unable to break free and get back to his feet.

Yahya’s plan of attack in round two was to pull guard and catch Brown in a guillotine choke. Brown yanked his head free though, scoring a takedown of his own. After a brief stalemate, the two rose, with Brown bulling the Brazilian into the fence. Following a break, the cat and mouse game continued, with Brown - the aggressor – keeping Yahya clearly on the defensive.

Getting the bout to the mat immediately to start the third, Yahya worked hard to get his hooks in and take Brown’s back. Once he did, the Brazilian used his strikes to open up Brown’s defenses, eventually drawing a restart and a warning from referee Mario Yamasaki for punching to the back of the head. With one last chance to turn things around, Brown went for the takedown, but was unable to mount any significant offense before the final bell.

Lowe vs. Freire
Waylon Lowe made it two in a row in lightweight action, spoiling the debut of highly-touted Willamy Freire via unanimous decision. See post-fight interview

All three judges saw the bout 29-28 for Lowe, who was coming off a win over Steve Lopez at UFC 119 last September.

Lowe got off to a strong start, keeping Freire on the mat for much of the first round. And when the Brazilian did get a brief respite thanks to a restart from referee Dan Miragliotta, Lowe used his standup to set up another trip to the canvas.  Round two was more of the same, with Freire’s brief bright moment – an attempt at a triangle choke - being forcibly ended by a Lowe slam.

Freire finally got on the board in the third round, landing some hard strikes as he tossed aside Lowe’s takedown attempts. With three minutes left, Lowe got the fight to the mat, but Freire wound up in the top position, where he fired away with elbows and punches. Moments later, Lowe was able to get back to his feet, only to score another takedown. This time, Freire worked for a kimura from the bottom, but he ran out of time.

With the win, Lowe improves to 10-3; Freire falls to 17-4.

Brenneman vs. Alves
Welterweight prospect Charlie Brenneman left no doubts in his bout against Amilcar Alves, dominating on the mat from start to finish en route to a shutout three round unanimous decision win. See post-fight interview

All three judges saw the bout 30-27.

“It was a one-sided decision, but until that clock struck zero in the third round I wasn’t out of danger," said Brenneman. "He’s a crafty fighter.”

Brenneman dominated the opening five minutes, taking Alves to the canvas in the first 30 seconds and keeping him there until the bell sounded, all the while landing strikes from all angles on his downed foe. Rounds two and three were no better for Alves, whose night was made miserable by the smothering and dominant attack of “The Spaniard”.

With the win, Brenneman improves to 13-2; Alves falls to 11-3.

Campuzano vs. Cariaso
Bantamweight Chris Cariaso made his UFC debut a successful one, scoring a close three round unanimous decision win over Will Campuzano. See post-fight interview

Scores were 29-28 across the board for Cariaso, who improves to 11-2; Campuzano falls to 8-4.

The first round was a tactical one, with Campuzano using his height and reach advantage to keep Cariaso at bay for the majority of the frame, though the Californian made his presence known with quick timing shots. The second was all Campuzano, who peppered Cariaso from long range and also made him pay with shots to the head and body at close range, reddening his face. “The Kamikaze” finally saw some daylight in the final frame, tagging Campuzano with a number of shots and scoring the bout’s lone takedown, and this late surge was enough for him to pull out the victory.

“I got a bit more comfortable in the third round," said Cariaso. "I was able to pull out the win. I’m happy with my performance and I’m looking to improve on that.”

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Two Bouts Added to Facebook Prelims

Four bouts total will now air live on Facebook starting at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT
DaMarques Johnson vs. Mike Guymon
Cody McKenzie vs. Yves Edwards
Waylon Lowe vs. Willamy Freire
Mike Brown vs. Rani Yahya Fans excited to watch two live prelims for free now have double the action to look forward to. The Ultimate Fighting Championship® had added two more UFC contests to the roster of undercard bouts to be aired live.

The action starts Saturday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT by simply clicking the “Like” button on the official UFC Facebook page.

Former WEC featherweight champ Mike Brown will take on Rani Yahya, and Waylon Lowe welcomes undefeated Brazilian Willamy "Chiquerim" Freire to the Octagon. Then TUF 12's Cody McKenzie faces veteran Yves Edwards and welterweights DaMarques Johnson and Mike “The Joker” Guymon go to battle.

Fans that do not have a Facebook account are encouraged to sign up at http://www.facebook.com/.

Following these bouts, fans can tune in to Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT to watch the live broadcast of the Fight For The Troops 2 main card from Fort Hood, Texas. 

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Spike to Air UFC 126 Prelims

Spike TV will telecast 12 live “UFC Prelims” in 2011, featuring many of the best mixed martial arts fighters competing on undercard bouts prior to live UFC® Pay-Per-View events.  Spike has aired 13 “UFC Prelims,” beginning with UFC 103 in September 2009, with an average viewership of 1.5 million.

The first “UFC Prelims” in 2011 on Spike will air live on Saturday, February 5 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas with undercard bouts from UFC® 126: SILVA VS. BELFORT. An explosive lightweight bout between Paul Kelly (12-3) vs. Donald Cerrone (13-3, 1 NC) will be featured, as well as a featherweight clashing pitting Chad Mendes (9-0) against Michihiro Omigawa (12-8-1).

Fighting out of Liverpool, England, Paul Kelly burst onto the scene in 2008 with a hard-fought decision victory over Paul Taylor at UFC 80 in a bout that received “Fight of the Night” honors.  In June 2009, Kelly moved to the lightweight division, where he has won three of his last five bouts, most recently defeating TJ O’Brien at UFC 123 in November.

WEC veteran Donald Cerrone is riding a two-fight winning streak and defeated Chris Horodecki via triangle choke at WEC: Henderson vs. Pettis in December in his last outing. Training with the renowned Jackson’s MMA team in Albuquerque, N.M., the 27-year-old is widely known for a brutal five-round war with Ben Henderson for the WEC lightweight crown in October 2009, considered by many the “Fight of the Year.”

Featherweight Chad Mendes, who trains with bantamweight superstar Urijah Faber in Sacramento, Calif., is making his UFC debut against Michihiro Omigawa.  Mendes was a two-time All-American wrestler at California Polytechnic State University and has won his first nine professional fights, including the last four in the WEC.

Omigawa, a native of Ibaraki, Japan, made his UFC debut at UFC 76 in September 2007, battling it out for three hard rounds against Matt Wiman.  After returning to Japan and dropping to featherweight in 2008, Omigawa made an instant impact as a 145-pound fighter. The 35-year-old has won eight of his last nine fights and has his sights set on a shot at the UFC featherweight title.

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See Live Prelims on Facebook Sat.

UFC® ANNOUNCES OPPORTUNITY FOR FANS TO WATCH UFC® FIGHT FOR THE TROOPS 2 PRELIMS ON FACEBOOK

By Clicking ‘Like’ Button on Facebook.com/UFC, Fans Can View Johnson vs. Guymon and McKenzie vs. Edwards Bouts for FREE

Update Jan 22: Lowe vs. Freire and Brown vs. Yahya added to lineup; now starts at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT.

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The opportunity to watch two live prelim fights for free from UFC® Fight For The Troops 2 is now only a click away. The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that fans will have the ability to watch two exciting UFC contests on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT by simply clicking the “Like” button on the official UFC Facebook page.

By liking Facebook.com/UFC, fans will gain access to a live stream of the lightweight battle between Cody McKenzie (12-0) of The Ultimate Fighter® and veteran Yves Edwards (39-16-1), as well as a pivotal welterweight clash pitting TUF alum DaMarques Johnson (16-8) against Mike “The Joker” Guymon (13-4-1). Fans that do not have a Facebook account are encouraged to sign up at www.facebook.com.

“I’m always looking for ways to give fans fights for free and this is just another example of that,” UFC President Dana White said. “Facebook is such a great tool for people to stay connected and we’re excited to put two live fights on our UFC page for free.”

Following these bouts, fans can tune in to Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT to watch the live broadcast of the Fight For The Troops 2 main card from Fort Hood, Texas. The card is headlined by lightweight battle between Evan Dunham (11-1) and Melvin Guillard (44-9-3, 1 NC).

In addition to the live stream of two prelims on Facebook and the broadcast on Spike, UFC is hosting an online auction that will raise funds for the brave men and women in the United States Armed Forces with traumatic brain injuries. Prizes include the chance to attend the premiere of season 8 of the hit show Entourage, as well as the chance to meet Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino and attend a Major League Baseball game as his guest. For more information on the available prizes, please visit: www.fightforthetroops.com. The deadline for bids is Monday, Jan. 24.

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UFC 125 Preview: The Prelims

The Matchup: Originally slated to challenge Aldo for the 145-pound crown, Grispi switches gears here, as Poirier fills in for the injured Brazilian superman. It could turn into a break for Grispi, who, at 22, has a major upside and could use some more seasoning before he takes on Aldo.

With slam-bang submissions and improving stand-up, Grispi now faces Poirier, whose confidence is no doubt surging off his 53-second knockout of Zachary Micklewright last month at WEC 52. Grispi reeled off four wins in the WEC, totaling just less than seven minutes of action. He is a very talented, young fighter with serious game.

Poirier has to do something significant early to win this one. If he falls behind quickly, he will find himself in big trouble, because Grispi has a penchant for finishes that come out of nowhere. Look for Poirier to try and do just that, with Grispi settling into a rhythm and picking his spots to discourage his opponent.

The Pick: Grispi’s ground game is exceptionally good, but you would like to see him in a long fight, where he can show his gas tank and how he adapts to adversity and changing tactical situations. I think he will have to do some of that here, as he wears down Poirier en route to a second-round submission.

Page Two: Davis vs. Stephens

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UFC 125 Prelims Live on ION

ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® ANNOUNCES THAT UFC 125 PRELIMS WILL AIR LIVE ON NETWORK TELEVISION

Baroni vs. Tavares, Grispi vs. Poirier and Davis vs. Stephens Bouts to Air Live on
ION Television this Saturday Starting at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that three UFC 125 preliminary fights will air live on ION Television on Saturday, Jan. 1 starting at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT.

The announcement marks the first time UFC prelims will air live and free on network television. The action kicks off this Saturday with three explosive fights featuring Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares in a middleweight contest, Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier in featherweight action and Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens in a highly-anticipated lightweight clash.

By airing live prelim fights on network television, Saturday’s UFC 125 prelims will reach almost 100 million U.S. households.

“I am excited for our fans because I’ve been looking for ways to broadcast UFC prelims free and to as many homes as possible,” UFC President Dana White said. “ION is the largest broadcast television station group in the U.S. and this deal will put the UFC prelims in almost 100 million homes.”

To find ION Television in your area, visit http://www.iontelevision.com/.

UFC 125: RESOLUTION is headlined by UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, as he defends his crown against the only man to beat him, unbeaten No. 1 contender Gray Maynard. Plus, always exciting middleweight contender Chris Leben looks to extend his hot streak against "All-American" Brian Stann, and all-action Clay Guida takes on Japanese icon Takanori Gomi.

UFC 125: RESOLUTION will be available live on Pay-Per-View this Saturday at 10pm ET/7pm PT on iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.

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UFC 125 Prelims: Stephens Storms from Behind, KOs Davis

Jeremy Stephens file photo | Sherdog.com

Jeremy Stephens gave Marcus Davis a rude welcome to the lightweight division, knocking out “The Irish Hand Grenade” 2:33 into the third round at UFC 125 “Resolution” on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Round one was relatively even standing before Davis landed a looping overhand left that clipped Stephens’ temple, staggering the heavy-handed lightweight. Davis followed up but decided to clinch, allowing Stephens to recover. Round two was again competitive, though not as action-packed in the stand-up. Midway through the round, Davis clinched and looked for a takedown, but Stephens countered with a kimura as the fight went to the fight to the floor. Davis defended well from top position, but Stephens scored with elbows from his back to end the round.

In the third round, both men were throwing leather until Stephens landed a massive right hand that relieved Davis of his consciousness. He followed with another standing-to-ground punch that punctuated the victory.

Dustin Poirier derailed the hype train of top featherweight contender Josh Grispi, as he earned a unanimous decision over his favored foe. All three judges scored it 30-27 for Poirier.

Poirier dictated the pace from the start, as he landed sharp inside leg kicks, tempered with straight punches that bloodied “The Fluke.” The Gladiators LA product also used a hard front kick as an effective weapon, even flooring Grispi with a stomping kick to the gut. Grispi threatened late in the round with a kimura, but Poirier was in no real danger.

“The Diamond” picked up in the second round where he left off in the first, landing hard punches and putting Grispi on his back. After fending off submission attempts, Poirier locked up a Thai clinch and went to work with knees. The third brought more of the same, though Grispi did score a takedown and pass to side control.

Tavares stopped Baroni in the first.Phil Baroni’s return to the middleweight division did not go as he had planned, as prospect Brad Tavares knocked him out at 4:09 of round one.

After a minute-long feeling out process to start the fight, Baroni took control of the first frame by landing a hard left hook that crumpled Tavares. “The New York Bad Ass” pounced, but he could not finish his game opponent. After Baroni landed an accidental knee to Tavares’ groin, referee Josh Rosenthal briefly halted the action. Fully recovered, Tavares landed a glancing switch kick to Baroni’s temple that staggered the middleweight. The 23-year-old followed up with a beautiful overhand right and a knee to Baroni’s head. From that point, it was elementary, as Tavares unleashed a flurry of punches that ended his opponent’s night.

“He hit me. It shook me a little bit, but I stayed composed. I knew he hit hard and he could do that to me. I stayed composed, and I recovered,” said Tavares. “I hit him out of the clinch. I knew he held his hands low, so I wanted to throw a lot of head kicks.”

After three tough rounds of back-and-forth action, Diego Nunes was awarded a split decision victory over former WEC featherweight champion Mike Thomas Brown. All three judges scored it 29-28, two of them for Nunes.

Both men landed hard in the first frame, but Brown got the better of the exchanges, as he dropped his opponent with a massive left hook. The former champion was not as aggressive in the second round, and Nunes took advantage by landing solid offense. Round three was also a close one, and both featherweights made strong cases for a victory. In the end, it was Nunes who had his hand raised.

Daniel Roberts notched another impressive win with his second consecutive slick submission inside the Octagon, as he forced Greg Soto to tap out to a kimura 3:25 into the first round.

The two welterweights exchanged briefly on the feet before Roberts shot for a takedown, only to be threatened by a Soto guillotine. After escaping the choke, Roberts scored with his second takedown attempt, worked ground-and-pound from top position and locked up the kimura. Soto tried to roll away from the pressure but found himself trapped by the cage and could not escape.

Training out of the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu camp, the once-beaten Roberts has won his last three fights, two of them by submission. He owns a 3-1 mark inside the Octagon.

Minnesota Martial Arts Academy standout Jacob Volkmann outpointed Antonio McKee in a lackluster lightweight affair to open the show, as he was awarded a split decision (29-28, 29-28 and 28-29) after three rounds of limited action.

In the first frame, Volkmann scored a takedown but did little with it. In the second, “Christmas” did more once he put down McKee, as he took the outspoken 40-year-old’s back and looked for a rear-naked choke. McKee battled back in round three, slamming Volkmann to the mat, but it was too little too late, and the Minnesotan took home the win.

Entering his Octagon debut, McKee was a staggering 18-1 in fights that had gone the distance. The defeat was his first in nearly eight years.

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WEC 53 Prelims: Roller Choke Submits Ex-Champion Varner

Jamie Varner file photo | Sherdog.com

Former lightweight champion Jamie Varner continued his slide, as the Arizona Combat Sports product was choked out by Shane Roller in the first round of their lightweight tilt at WEC 53 “Henderson vs. Pettis” on Thursday at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

After the two men exchanged jabs to start the fight, Varner threw a high kick and a left hook to his foe’s head. While kick was defended, the punch was not, and Roller’s knees buckled. Still aware of his surroundings, Roller shot a takedown. The Oklahoman took Varner’s back during a scramble, but the one-time titleholder defended well and stood.

However, in a maneuver that ultimately became his undoing, Varner tried to slam Roller. This only allowed the Team Takedown representative to cinch the rear-naked choke, forcing Varner to tap out at 3:55 of the first round. Varner is 0-3-1 in his last four fights.

Roufusport product Daniel Downes spoiled the sophomore effort of Chinese import Tie Quan Zhang, earning a unanimous decision in a lightweight dark match.

In the first round, “The Mongolian Wolf” took the bout to the floor, passing to side control and locking up a straight armbar with his legs. Though Downes yelped in pain, he maneuvered away from the pressure and survived the submission attempt. Zhang then took the American’s back during a scramble and nearly locked up a rear-naked choke. The game Downes again escaped, rolling into his foe’s guard before standing. From there, it was Downes who scored a takedown, but he was again nearly submitted by a Zhang arm bar as the round ended.

Downes fired back in the second round, passing Zhang’s guard and securing back control. Downes locked up a body triangle and attempted a rear-naked choke of his own. Though the Chinese fighter recovered guard, he appeared exhausted, eating an elbow to end the frame. Round three also belonged to Downes, as “Danny Boy” again secured Zhang’s back and looked for the submission.

All three judges scored the bout for Downes, 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27, as he handed Zhang his first professional defeat.

Pickett took a close decision win.In an early favorite for “Fight of the Night,” American Top Team’s Brad Pickett took a hard-fought unanimous decision over veteran Ivan Menjivar. All three judges scored it 29-28 for Pickett, who has posted 10 wins in 11 appearances.

In the first round, Pickett took the fight to the floor after a Menjivar right cross hit nothing but air. However, the experienced Canadian found a way back to his feet. After trading on the feet, the Brit cut Menjivar before scoring another takedown to end the frame. Round two began with an errant kick to the Menjivar’s groin. After recovering from the shot, the Tristar Gym product fired back standing, as he landed a flurry of punches that put the Englishman on the run. Pickett survived, though, shooting another takedown and attempting to take Menjivar’s back.

The third period brought more action standing but little resolution. As the decision was announced in Pickett’s favor, the crowd was ambivalent toward the ruling.

A grim scene unfolded on the undercard, as former bantamweight king Eddie Wineland knocked out Ken Stone with a violent slam at 2:11 of the first round.

After Stone landed two nice inside leg kicks followed by a spinning back fist, the one-time champion instigated a clinch. Stone pulled guard, looking for a guillotine. It was not to be, however, as Wineland walked his foe to the fence and placed his hands on Stone’s chest. In one swift motion, Wineland slammed Stone to the mat, rendering him unconscious. After several tense minutes, Stone, now awake, was wheeled out on a stretcher.

Team Alpha Male representative Danny Castillo ended Will Kerr’s night early, knocking his fellow lightweight unconscious less than 90 seconds into their bout.

Kerr tried to open the match with a bang, missing with a flying knee. Castillo then scored a takedown but left his neck exposed. Kerr seized the opportunity, trying to apply a guillotine choke. “Last Call” fought off the choke, but Kerr then transitioned to an armbar attempt followed by a try at a leg lock.

Battling to his feet to fight off the hold, Castillo proceeded to drop three heavy rights on his opponent. Kerr lost his bid for a submission and his consciousness at 1:25 of the first frame.

In a preliminary lightweight duel, Yuri Alcantara scored a vicious knockout victory over Ricardo Lamas 3:26 into round one.

Both men worked from their feet from the start, with Lamas pressing the fight into the clinch. Alcantara stalked forward for the duration of the bout and finally found his payoff, landing a huge overhand left to his opponent’s jaw. The Brazilian followed up with several unneeded shots on the ground, as his adversary was already unconscious. In fact, Alcantara actually walked away from his fallen foe before referee Ron Nation stepped in to stop the contest.

The 30-year-old Alcantara has rattled off 11 straight wins, 10 of them finishes.

In the show’s opening bout, Renan do Nascimento Mota Pegado submitted Chris Cariaso with a rear-naked choke at 3:37 of the first round.

After some early back-and-forth stand-up action, Cariaso slipped while throwing a body kick and “Barao” followed him to the mat. The Nova União product worked from Cariaso’s guard, passing to side control before taking the American’s back during a scramble. From there, it was elementary, as the Brazilian cinched the choke and forced the tapout.

Barao has won 15 consecutive bouts since his December 2007 encounter with Claudemir Souza ended in a no contest.

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WEC 53 Preview: The Prelims

Brad Pickett | Jeff Sherwood/Sherdog.com

Here’s a closer look at the supporting act to the final WEC show, Saturday night’s WEC 53 undercard, with analysis and picks.

A long time ago, Menjivar was considered one of the best 145 pounders in the world. The problem was that there was barely a 145-pound division available outside of a handful of Japanese promotions. Menjivar fought Matt Serra in the UFC and was Georges St. Pierre’s professional debut, both at welterweight. He also gave then-rising star Urijah Faber a very good scrap in 2006 before their bout was stopped due to what was ruled an illegal kick by Menjivar. At one time, he was bad news for anyone under 155 pounds.

After nearly four years off, Menjivar returned in June and now drops to 135 against Pickett, who has an exciting style and striking geared toward MMA. Pickett has given solid accounts of himself in his win over Damacio Page and a loss to title challenger Scott Jorgensen, showing good hands and outstanding conditioning in both distance-going bouts. Pickett sets up punches very well, varying a snappy lead hook with a left uppercut, and using good defensive wrestling to spring up from the mat.

At one time, Menjivar would have been readily favored to win this type of match, but between his age, inactivity, dropping a weight class and the general evolution of the sport, it’s hard to tell. MMA has changed considerably since his heyday a half-decade ago.

If Menjivar can close the gap, get takedowns and control Pickett, he can win a decision. If not, he’ll be picked apart and lose on the cards against a new breed of fighter. In a coin-flip, I’ll go with Pickett.

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UFC 124 Preview: The Prelims

Dustin Hazelett: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com

Not to be outdone by the UFC 124 main card, Saturday’s preliminary lineup is filled with dangerous veterans and hungry newcomers with a gleam for greatness in their eyes.

Hazelett is dropping down from welterweight, where he scored impressive submissions in wins over Tamdan McCrory and Josh Burkman. At 6-foot-1-inch, he’ll be extremely tall for the weight. Fighting smaller guys will make his game more effective, provided he can handle the cut.

Bocek, a veteran of the submission wrestling circuit before turning pro in 2004, is a ground-based fighter with a lot of stamina and not a lot of standup, though he has proven willing to let his strikes go when forced.

This one comes down to how effective Hazelett can be at 155 in a bout that is likely to go into deep waters unless Hazelett scores an early submission -- no easy feat against the savvy Bocek. The pick is Hazelett, who can use his standup to wear his opponent down and pick up points, while neutralizing Bocek on the ground and getting the better of the positional battle on his way to a decision.

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UFC 124 Prelims: Bocek Wins Battle of Black Belts

Click below for UFC 124 prelim results... MONTREAL, December 11 – Mark Bocek took the drama out of his anticipated UFC 124 bout with fellow jiu-jitsu black belt Dustin Hazelett early and emphatically, impressively submitting his foe in the first round at the Bell Centre Saturday night.

Bocek vs. Hazelett
“I’ve been quiet for a long time,” said Bocek. “I’ve got the best jiu-jitsu in the lightweight division. Let me fight George Sotiropoulos in Toronto (in April 2011) and prove it.” See post-fight interview

Bocek scored the first takedown of the fight less than 30 seconds in, using his ground strikes to loosen Hazelett’s solid defense. It worked – as he effortlessly transitioned into a triangle choke. Hazelett tried to fight the move off, but he was soon forced to tap at the 2:33 mark of the opening round.

With the win, Bocek improves to 9-3; Hazelett falls to 14-7.

Doerksen vs. Dan Miller
In middleweight action, Dan Miller squeezed out a close three round split decision win over Joe Doerksen. See post-fight interview

Scores were 29-28, 29-28 and 28-29 for Miller, who improved to 13-4 with 1 NC; Doerksen falls to 46-14.

The battle commenced on the ground almost immediately, with Miller pressing the action and Doerksen showing off solid defense as well as peppering strikes from his back. And while it wasn’t Miller’s best form in the first five minutes, he did enough to take the round.

Miller opened up the second with another takedown, but this time Doerksen scrambled immediately and got into the top position. The Manitoba product was able to get off some ground strikes, but Miller fought back to his feet and then took Doerksen down, which didn’t please the crowd too much. A little past the midway point, Doerksen struck with a kimura from the bottom, but after some dicey moments, Miler escaped and resumed his attack of ground strikes, though it was the Jersey native who went back to his corner with a cut over his left eye.

The gameplan remained unchanged for Miller in round three – take Doerksen down and work him over on the mat. Doerksen wasn’t a shrinking violet on his back though, as Miller’s bloodied and bruised face made very clear. And as the round progressed, it was Doerksen being the busier of the two fighters, which left the judges with a dilemma scoring-wise as the final bell tolled.

Bongfeldt vs. Natal
A big last round from Jesse Bongfeldt allowed the debuting Ontario middleweight to eke out a three round majority draw against Rafael Natal. See post-fight interview with Natal

Scores were 29-28 for Natal and 28-28 twice.

Natal put on a groundfighting clinic in the first round, with only Bongfeldt’s resolve keeping him in the fight until a late surge where he took the Brazilian down and attempted to get matters in his favor, only to have the bell ring. See post-fight interview with Bongfeldt

Bongfeldt (15-4-1) did what he needed to do to get back in the fight in round two, turning it into a brawl. And it worked as he got the fight to the mat and unleashed ground strikes in between submission attempts from Natal. Eventually, Natal cleared his head and got back to his feet, drawing a warning just before the two minute mark for grabbing the fence. After the brief break, Natal took Bongfeldt to the mat and then took his foe’s back. Bongfeldt broke free after a spell, but only for a moment, as Natal kept him locked up as he looked for the choke.

Natal (12-3-1) looked exhausted as he came out for the final round, and Bongfeldt – though fatigued himself – took advantage and used his striking to get Natal to the mat. He quickly got into the mount position as Natal tried to hold on, and a series of strikes from the top had referee Dan Miragliotta looking closely at the New York resident. Natal must have sensed the end though, as he got out of trouble, and despite taking more hard shots, he was able to make it to the end, though the 10-8 round on two judges’ cards cost him the bout.

Riddle vs. Pierson
It was a debut years in the making, but veteran Ontario welterweight Sean Pierson made the most of it, winning an exciting three round scrap with Matt Riddle via unanimous decision. See post-fight interview

“It was great to be in there exchanging punches with Matt,” said Pierson. “He’s very resilient, but I felt like I had the decision. The crowd was amazing. This was 14 years in the making. I’m extremely proud and happy to be in the UFC.”

All three judges saw it 30-27 for Pierson in a fight that was a lot closer than those margins would indicate.

Pierson showed no sign of the first time UFC jitters as he took the fight to Riddle from the opening bell, rocking him with punches as the two battled against the fence, and then dropping the Ultimate Fighter veteran with a stiff right hand on the jaw. Riddle weathered the attack admirably, but Pierson still stayed one step ahead, slamming his foe to the canvas and continuing to pepper him with accurate shots while standing.

Riddle came out fast for round two, only to get more flush counters to the face for his trouble. In response, Riddle looked for the takedown but was turned away. Pierson went on to put on a jabbing clinic, but Riddle kept pressing, almost catching Pierson in a guillotine choke after closing the distance. Moments later it was Riddle rejecting Pierson’s takedown attempt and getting into the dominant position on the mat, where he stood to the final bell.

The exchanges got more and more heated in round three, but Pierson’s southpaw jab continued to dictate the action. That’s not to say Riddle wasn’t getting his licks in, as his strikes opened a cut under Pierson’s right eye. Through it all, Riddle kept a smile on his face, as the crowd chanted Pierson’s name. In the final minute, it was Pierson taking matters to the mat, but as the bout ended, it was bombs away for the two welters, with Riddle rocking Pierson just before the bell.

With the win, Pierson ups his record to 11-4; Riddle falls to 5-2.

Grant vs. Almeida
Ricardo Almeida bounced back from his August loss to Matt Hughes with a three round unanimous decision win over Nova Scotia’s TJ Grant in welterweight action. See post-fight interview

Scores were 30-27 across the board.

After some effective standup work to set up the takedown, Almeida got what he was looking for 30 seconds into the fight, and he proceeded to take matters over there with his ground and pound attack as he worked for dominant positions. Early on, Grant got his licks in from the bottom, but by the round’s end, Almeida was dictating the pace and the location of the fight.

Almeida got the fight to the mat 30 seconds in again in round two, and the constant movement of the “Big Dog” kept Grant from escaping for any length of time or mounting any offense. With under a minute left, Grant finally got free and began delivering some hurt with his fists, but the round ended before he could capitalize on the change in fortunes.

In the third, Almeida shook off Grant’s late surge in the previous round with a quick takedown and more of the same on the ground. With a little over two minutes left, Almeida got into the mount position and then took his foe’s back briefly, but he wasn’t able to put the finishing touches on the game Canadian, who was simply overwhelmed by the Jiu-Jitsu black belt’s attack.

With the win, Almeida improves to 13-4; Grant falls to 16-5.

Audinwood vs. Makdessi
Debuting Montrealer John Makdessi set the tone for the hometown crowd immediately, as he scored a shutout three round unanimous decision over Pat Audinwood in the lightweight opener. See post-fight interview
Scores were 30-27 twice and 30-26 for Makdessi, who improves to 8-0; Audinwood falls to 9-2-1.

Makdessi’s first round in the Octagon was an impressive one, as he mixed up kicks to the body and legs with a straight left punch to the head that dropped Audinwood with two minutes left in the frame. Makdessi wasn’t able to finish, but his control of the fight was evident.

The dominating performance from the Canadian continued in the second stanza, as he calmly walked Audinwood down, knocking him off balance with each shot from his fists or feet. Makdessi’s takedown defense was solid as well as he pushed off Audinwood’s lone attempt at taking the bout to the mat.

To his credit, Audinwood kept the pace up in the final round, trying to turn things around, but every time an exchange occurred, it was Makdessi landing the more accurate and damaging blows, capping off a successful debut for “The Bull.”

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Free UFC 124 Prelims and More

UFC 124 will break attendance records in Montreal this weekend, and even if you're not in that snowy MMA wonderland, you can catch the fights like never before. Here's what's new this event! Free Prelims on UFC.com/Live
For the first time ever, two preliminary bouts will be aired live and free online at http://www.ufc.com/live. The Dustin Hazelett vs Mark Bocek and Dan Miller vs Joe Doerksen fights will be available to everyone worldwide at no charge starting at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT/ 2am GMT. The prelims will also stream for free on Roku players.

If you'd like to see the full undercard the next day, you can get them for free by ordering the Pay-Per-View event online before Friday at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT - http://bit.ly/hnTg5d. The online broadcast will also be available with full Spanish audio - http://bit.ly/eMfaJV.

If you like the sounds of that, you can get 50% off a UFC Vault subscription by purchasing the UFC 124 event here: http://bit.ly/eq4vnx. The UFC Vault subscription gives you access to the extensive video library of individual fights, past events, and unaired prelims of every fight for as long as you're a subscriber.

On the Big Screen Up North
If you are in Canada and don’t have a ticket, UFC 124 will be exploding onto the big screen in HD at select theatres. For a list of participating theatres visit: http://bit.ly/e9Ln0x and to purchase tickets visit: http://bit.ly/ag4ZmH.

ROKU
The ultimate UFC experience is now available on ROKU. With ROKU, you can stream all UFC live events, insider info, archived event, and unaired prelims right to your TV – without a PC. To learn more about purchasing ROKU and viewing the UFC 124 event, visit: http://bit.ly/gQtfGH.

Sports Bars
Enjoy a night on the town and catch the UFC action at a sports bar. To find a one near you showing the event, visit: http://bit.ly/gCeTsp.

iPhone/iPad
If you're traveling, on the job or stuck at the opera (we've all been there), your iPhone or iPad is your savior during the fights. UFC 124 will be available live via the UFC app. To purchase the app, visit: http://bit.ly/hlZv6R.

Cable Providers
As always, UFC 124 will be available on Pay-Per-View through your local cable providers. If you want to order it on your TV and have your friends over for a viewing party, don’t forget to send out and evite: http://bit.ly/fRMhNu.To see a list of participating cable providers in both English audio and Spanish, visit: http://bit.ly/esGCB6.

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TUF 12 Prelims: McGuillotine Remains Unbeaten

LAS VEGAS, December 4 – Everyone knew it was coming, but Aaron Wilkinson still couldn’t stop Cody McKenzie’s guillotine, succumbing to what is growing into one of the most dangerous submissions in the game in the first round of their lightweight bout at The Pearl at The Palms Saturday.

McKenzie, a member of Team GSP on The Ultimate Fighter 12, raced across the Octagon to start the bout, and after a quick flurry, got the fight to the mat. Wilkinson, a cool customer, fought his way back to his feet as McKenzie tried to lock in his signature guillotine choke.

Team Koscheck’s Wilkinson (6-4) was ready for the maneuver, but that didn’t stop the Washington product from continuing to work for it, and with a little over three minutes left, he got, forcing the Liverpool native to tap out at the 2:03 mark. See post-fight interview

Toner vs. Loveland
Late replacement Ian Loveland made the most of his opportunity in featherweight action, parlaying two knockdowns into a unanimous decision victory over Tyler Toner. See post-fight interview

Scores were 30-27, 30-26, 29-28 for Loveland, who replaced Leonard Garcia in the bout.

Both fighters came out throwing and Loveland got there first with a flurry of shots that dropped Toner. Toner cleared his head quickly, but Loveland did his best to make sure that he remained in control as he pinned his foe to the fence and delivered more strikes until the bell intervened.

Back on his feet to start the second, Toner was able to get some kicks off on his countering foe, but when Loveland’s hands got into the picture, his speed and accuracy put him back in front. With 1:33 left, a spinning back fist from Loveland dropped Toner, and though the Colorado product looked for a submission from the bottom, Loveland’s strikes still ruled the day.

The pace dipped in the final round, as fatigue set in, and neither man was able to make a final emphatic statement before the end of the bout.

With the win, Loveland improves to 14-7; Toner falls to 11-3 with 1 NC.

Chivitichian vs. Watson
Veteran Illinois lightweight Kyle Watson issued Sako Chivitchian his first pro defeat via unanimous decision in a meeting of TUF 12 alumni. See post-fight interview

Scores were 30-27 twice and 29-28 for Team GSP’s Watson, who improves to 16-7-1; Team Koscheck’s Chivitchian falls to 5-1.

The first round was a competitive one, with the two TUF12 competitors trading stiff strikes in between extended grappling sessions against the fence. A couple takedowns from Watson may have found favor with the judges, but Chivitchian’s more effective standup certainly evened the score.

Watson started to open things up in the second, scoring solidly from long range as Chivitchian pursued him around the Octagon. “The Psycho” still got his own shots in though, making it another difficult round for the judges.

Looking to pull away, Watson scored a brief and sloppy takedown early in the third, but Chivitchian jumped right back up. The Armenia native wasn’t able to capitalize on the scramble though, and as the seconds ticked away, his lack of urgency kept the ball in the busier Watson’s court.

Campuzano vs. Pace
The first bantamweight bout in UFC history saw Nick Pace finish strong and submit Will Campuzano in the third round. See post-fight interview

Pace (6-1) dominated the opening round behind takedowns and Octagon control, rendering Campuzano (8-3) helpless under the smothering attack.

Campuzano got back into the fight in the second, using some crisp standup combinations to put Pace on the defensive. Once the two locked up though, the New Yorker got his bearings back, and he sent Campuzano back to the canvas. And while Campuzano was able to turn the tables in the final 30 seconds, his late spurt wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

Swinging for the fences and refusing a touch of gloves to start the final frame, Campuzano got the crowd back into the fight as he went for broke in a quest to salvage the fight. Pace greeted the initial charge coolly with a kick to the head that drew blood from his foe’s nose, and moments later, he scored yet another takedown. This time Campuzano reversed position quickly, and he delivered hard ground strikes while Pace tried to stall for a re-start. Campuzano’s recklessness cost him though, as he sunk in a rarely seen choke that forced the Texan to submit at the 4:33 mark.

“We’ll call it the Pace,” said the Staten Islander with a smile when asked what his finishing move was.

Paixao vs. Garza
Fargo, North Dakota’s Pablo Garza gave UFC fans an explosive introduction to the featherweight division, scoring a single knee first round knockout of veteran Fredson Paixao in the first 145-pound fight in UFC history. See post-fight interview

Garza came out sticking and moving, finding his range and waiting for Paixao to shoot in. And when the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace did, Garza was waiting for him with a devastating left knee to the head that knocked Paixao out before he hit the mat. Referee Steve Mazzagatti jumped in immediately, calling a stop to the fight at the 51 second mark.

After a lengthy look from the on-site physicians, Paixao left the Octagon under his own power, and then was wheeled to the locker room on a stretcher and then taken to a local hospital for precautionary purposes.

With the win, Garza improves to 11-1; Paixao falls to 10-4 with 1 NC.

Attonito vs. Branch
Brooklyn’s David Branch won his second in a row in the opener, outpointing Rich Attonito in a clash of middleweight prospects. See post-fight interview

Scores were 30-27 across the board for Branch.

Attonito had some standup success early in the opening round, prompting Branch to take the fight to the mat. There, the New Yorker controlled the action while tossing in enough position changes and strikes to keep Attonito from mounting his own offense.

Living up to his nickname, “Raging Bull”, Attonito got in his opponent’s face to start the second, and while Branch immediately locked him up and bulled him into the fence, the American Top Team product stayed busy with knees and short punches on the inside. In the final two minutes, the bout went back to the mat, with Branch again controlling the Octagon real estate.

Branch opened up the third with a takedown, but Attonito scrambled up immediately, albeit with his opponent on his back. Branch got the fight to the mat moments later, and he kept it there until the final minute, when Attonito got back to his feet. Unfortunately, his freedom was short-lived, as Branch kept him pinned to the fence until the final bell.

With the win, Branch improves to 8-1; Attonito falls to 9-4.

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UFC 123 Preview: The Prelims

Aaron Simpson (top): Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com

Bookmakers do not offer betting lines on predicting “Fight of the Night,” but if they did, the UFC 123 “Rampage vs. Machida” prelims would have some alluring choices on Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Brian Foster-Matt Brown is a lock to be exciting; ditto for Tyson Griffin-Nik Lentz. Meanwhile, Karo Parisyan-Dennis Hallman pits two talented veterans against one another in a must-win crossroads match. Throw in two newcomers in Edson Mendes Barboza Jr. and Mike Lullo, and you have a set of fights that would make Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn proud.

Let us get to the picks.

The Matchup: With two elite college wrestlers colliding, fans know this one figures to provide stirring theater. The psychological aspect in a wrestler-versus-wrestler match brings with it all sorts of subplots -- namely, answering the question as to who is the better wrestler. Think Mark Coleman-Dan Severn, Randy Couture-Tito Ortiz and Matt Hughes-Frank Trigg.

Simpson has looked like a solid UFC-caliber middleweight, despite the fact that he only has eight professional fights under his belt. In a close decision win against Tom Lawlor, Simpson showed the kind of resilience and striking ability rarely seen in most former collegiate wrestling standouts at this phase in their careers. Against Chris Leben at “The Ultimate Fighter 11” Finale, he did well early on, only to fall prey to “The Crippler” and his trademark hailstorm of blows, which usually fly when he looks to be dead on his feet.

Munoz has rebounded from a brutal promotional debut against Matt Hamill at UFC 96, soldiering his way down to the 185-pound division. He put together a streak of three consecutive wins until he ran into the human roadblock that goes by the name of Yushin Okami. Munoz’s striking is developing, and his ground-and-pound is top-notch. Ask Ryan Jensen and Kendall Grove. However, Munoz still has issues on his feet and has been quite hittable throughout his career.

The key for Munoz against Simpson will be using his hands to set up the takedown. He will occasionally try for follow-up shots when opponents stuff his first one simply because he is such an accomplished wrestler that he can get away with it. Check his first fight in the WEC with Chuck Grigsby in which Munoz simply willed himself to a takedown after failing on his first try. Munoz will probably not go this route out of respect for Simpson’s skills, at least not early.

Simpson has a stout right hand and decent footwork, so it becomes even more critical that Munoz set up a solid shot. Munoz tends to switch back and forth between southpaw and conventional stances, which could be a clue to his tactics. Takedowns are easier from the southpaw position, as the opponent’s leg rests half a step closer, but it works both ways.

The Pick: Simpson and Munoz should provide an exciting fight, and I believe Munoz answers some questions and grinds out a third-round stoppage via ground-and-pound. It will not be pretty or easy, but it has always been fun to watch two great wrestlers go at it.

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Foster, Munoz, Barboza Impress in UFC 123 Prelims

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Nik Lentz celebrates his win over Tyson Griffin during UFC123.AUBURN HILLS, MI, November 20 – Conventional wisdom would have dictated that the only way the UFC 123 prelim bout between Brian Foster and Matt Brown would have ended on the mat is if one of the two welterweight bangers got knocked out. But Foster flipped the script on ‘The Immortal’, moving seamlessly from striking to submission mode to force Brown to tap out in the second round at The Palace of Auburn Hills Saturday night.

Brown vs. Foster see the fight
“Man, I’m ecstatic,” said Foster. “I wanted this so bad.”

After the two circled each other for the first 30 seconds of the bout, Foster surprised his for with a quick takedown. The ground action didn’t last long, and when they both stood, it was Brown scoring with a takedown of his own. Brown was able to keep Foster pinned for a bit, at least until the Illinois product scrambled loose and landed some strikes. Brown got back in a controlling position, but Foster scrambled up, got in some hard strikes, and again took the fight to the mat. Brown worked free efficiently and briefly got the mount position before transitioning and locking up Foster’s arm. Despite what looked like a definite finisher, Foster got loose and began firing off strikes from the top position. At the bell, the two stood and stared at each other. See post-fight interview

As the two engaged to begin the second round, back to back low kicks from Brown momentarily stopped the action. Both fighters kept firing kicks once the fight resumed, and Foster caught one of Brown’s and slammed him hard to the mat. Taking advantage of this change in fortune, Foster landed some more ground strikes before suddenly moving in and locking up a guillotine choke. The end came moments later, as Brown tapped out at the 2:11 mark.

With the win, Foster improves to 17-5; Brown falls to 13-10.

Simpson vs. Munoz see the fight
Longtime college wrestling buddies Mark Munoz and Aaron Simpson certainly didn’t fight like friends in their middleweight bout, trading vicious punches and equally impressive ground techniques over an entertaining 15 minute battle won by Munoz via a close, but unanimous decision. See post-fight interview

Scores were 29-28 across the board for Munoz, who improves to 9-2; Simpson falls to 7-2.

Both Munoz and Simpson delivered high level action in the first round, whether it was standup exchanges, close quarters fighting or their bread and butter wrestling attacks.

There was more of the same in the second stanza, much to the delight of the crowd, and as the round progressed, it looked like Munoz’ punches had a little more steam on them. After a trip to the mat, Munoz emerged with a cut on his forehead, and to add insult to injury, he caught a low kick in an ensuing standup exchange. After a break in the action, Munoz fired off thudding kicks to the body and head, but Simpson amazingly took all of them without blinking. After a takedown by Simpson and an ensuing standup, the two locked up against the fence, with Simpson getting a low knee that brought another momentary halt to the bout. Yet after resuming, it was back to work, and as the round ended, it was clear that both were willing to leave it all in the Octagon in search of victory.

The third began with some fast-paced wrestling on the mat, enhanced by Munoz’ thudding ground strikes. After the two rose, they exchanged strikes with Simpson claiming a poke in the eye and a brief respite thanks to referee Mark Fennell. Upon resuming, Munoz attacked and closed the distance, pinning Simpson to the fence until Fennell broke them. Munoz didn’t let up, chasing Simpson and letting loose with whatever strikes were at his disposal. Simpson looked for two takedown in response, but was turned away by Munoz, who wanted to keep it standing. With a little over a minute left, Munoz lost his balance and fell, but Simpson was unable to capitalize and they stood again, battling it out at close range and going toe to toe for the final ten seconds of the bout.

Parisyan vs. Hallman
Veteran Dennis Hallman continued his resurgence, stopping returning contender Karo Parisyan in the first round of their welterweight bout. See post-fight interview

An early stalemate against the fence brought in referee Dan Miragliotta to re-start the action. That was the break Hallman needed, as he drilled Parisyan with a right hand that dropped ‘The Heat’. Still stunned, Parisyan wasn’t able to recover immediately, and a series of unanswered strikes from Hallman prompted Miragliotta to call a stop to the bout at the 1:47 mark.

With the win, Hallman – who is coming off an August win over Ben Saunders – improves to 66-13-2 with 1 NC. Parisyan falls to 26-6 with 1 NC in his first UFC bout since January of 2009.

Lullo vs. Barboza
Unbeaten Brazilian newcomer Edson Barboza’s Muay Thai attack delivered as advertised in his lightweight prelim bout against late replacement Mike Lullo, as a devastating series of kicks to the leg ended matters in the third round. See post-fight interview

“I’m very happy with my performance tonight,” said Barboza. “I didn’t get to showcase all of my talents tonight, but I’m definitely a striker and I felt I was extremely effective.”

After some crisp leg kicks to open the fight, Barboza (7-0) stunned Lullo by turning a takedown attempt into a slam of his own, drawing a roar from the crowd. After standing, the crowd got even louder when Barboza did it a second time. Lullo (8-2) kept his cool, mixing a choke and some ground strikes from the bottom position, evening the playing field in the process. Eventually, Barboza broke free with 1:15 left and got back to his feet, continuing to drill Lullo in his lead left leg.

Lullo attacked Barboza at the bell and looked for the takedown, a wise choice since every kick to the leg was producing a wince from the Illinois native. After another quick barrage, the fight went back to the mat, but this time Barboza was able to stand without taking much damage, and he resumed his chopping attack. With less than two minutes left, the fighters tumbled to the mat, with Lullo pulling out all the stops in search of a submission. Barboza wasn’t biting, and after a couple more kicks to the leg, Lullo could barely stand, even resting in the wrong corner at the bell.

Gamely coming out for round three, Lullo and everyone in the house knew what was coming, and after three more kicks to his opponent’s left leg, two of which sent him to the canvas, referee Mark Fennell halted the bout 26 seconds into the final round.

Kelly vs. O'Brien
Liverpool’s Paul Kelly got back in the win column in style, stopping game Octagon debutant TJ O’Brien in the second round of an entertaining lightweight battle. See post-fight interview

“I stayed relaxed for once,” said Kelly. “I didn’t rush my shots. I’m always a million-miles-an-hour fit. I throw a thousand punches but land every one in 10. So I did a better job of picking my shots.”

There were some solid exchanges in an opening round spent predominantly on the feet, and while Kelly’s busier workrate and aggression probably won him the round, O’Brien wasn’t far behind, as he looked very comfortable in his first Octagon bout.

Kelly appeared to be getting more confident as the bout progressed though, which was no surprise after he dropped O’Brien with a left hook early in round two. But an ensuing scramble saw Kelly mounted by his foe and in a bad way, but amazingly, Kelly fought his way free and turned the tables, locking up O’Brien’s arms as he fired away with right hands to the head. Eventually, with no way to get free, O’Brien was rescued by referee Dan Miragliotta at 3:16 of the round, though the game Iowan was clearly not happy with that decision.

With the win, Kelly improves to 12-3; O’Brien falls to 16-4.

Griffin vs. Lentz see the fight
Minnesota’s Nik Lentz remained unbeaten in the Octagon, scoring an unpopular three round split decision over Tyson Griffin in the lightweight opener. See post-fight interview

Scores were 29-28 twice and 27-30 for Lentz, who is now 4-0-1 in his UFC stint.

“I personally thought I won, 29-28, but you never know with the judges,” said Lentz. “He had an awkward striking style. He was kind of swinging wildly and that’s sometimes harder to defend than a normal boxing style.”

Lentz opened the fight with a quick takedown, but it was Griffin who controlled the rest of the frame, slamming his foe twice and keeping him pinned to the fence before a late break that saw ‘The Carny’ score with some hard body kicks in the closing stages of the round.

Starting the second round strong as he used his height and reach advantage well when it came to striking, Lentz nonetheless found himself on the wrong end of Griffin’s second half takedowns, and he was unable to pull himself loose long enough to get back to his feet or mount an offensive attack.

Early in the third, it was Griffin’s striking coming to life as he dropped Lentz twice briefly before the bout wound up on the mat. After another extended session there, Lentz got to his feet and slammed Griffin, using the advantage in position to land some strikes and even lock Griffin’s arm up briefly, apparently doing enough on the scorecards to take the victory.

With the win, Lentz improves to 22-3-2; Griffin, who has now lost three in a row, falls to 14-5.

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UFC 122 Prelims: Krauss Thrills Crowd

OBERHAUSEN, November 13 –In an exciting battle of unbeaten welterweight prospects on the UFC 122 undercard, Freiburg, Germany’s own Pascal Krauss kept his “0” intact with a hard-fought three round unanimous decision win over Mark Scanlon Saturday at the Konig Pilsener Arena.

Krauss vs. Scanlon
The verdict read 30-27 across the board for Krauss in a bout that was a lot more competitive than those scores would indicate. - See UFC 122's Fight of the Night

Both fighters came out throwing bad-intentioned strikes, with Scanlon landing the best punch of the exchange, a hard right hand, before taking Krauss down and working twice for a guillotine choke. Breaking loose both times, Krauss got back to his feet and fired off knees from the clinch until the two broke. While standing, Scanlon again got the better of his foe, but this time his follow-up takedown attempt came up empty. Taking advantage of his good fortune, Krauss took Scanlon down and scored with ground strikes. Scanlon got back to his feet, but was taken back down with under a minute left. Now it was Krauss’ turn in control, and he ended the round with solid striking on the ground.

The second round began much like the first, with Scanlon scoring well with strikes and Krauss doing good work on the inside with his knees. Nearly a minute and a half in, Krauss got a takedown, and with the crowd chanting his name, he delivered a series of blows to the head of the Liverpool native. Scanlon made a number of attempts to break free, Krauss wouldn’t give him breathing room, and after a brief time in the mount, he took Scanlon’s back. A brief guillotine attempt followed, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

With one round to go, Scanlon again started off with a solid standup attack followed by a quick takedown and an even briefer stay on the mat. It didn’t stay that way for long though, as Scanlon got the fight back to the canvas as the crowd quieted. After the two stood, Krauss looked for a takedown but instead got caught in a guillotine choke. Some tense moments followed, but Krauss escaped and made it to side control with under a minute left. From there, he fired away with short shots to the face as Scanlon was pinned to the mat, but he was unable to finish before the final bell sounded.

With the win, Krauss improves to 10-0; Scanlon falls to 7-1.

Matyushenko vs. Ferreira
Veteran light heavyweight Vladimir Matyushenko spoiled the UFC debut of Alexandre ‘Cacareco’ Ferreira, halting the Chute Boxe team member in the first round.

Ferreira and Matyushenko engaged immediately, with the Brazilian coming up short on his takedown attempts against ‘The Janitor.’  With 3:13 left, Matyushenko turned the tables, taking Ferreira down to the mat, where he unleashed a devastating series of punches, elbows and forearms, prompting referee Kevin Mulhall to halt the contest at 2:20 of the opening round.

With the win, Matyushenko improves to 25-5; Ferreira falls to 18-7.

Noke vs. Kimmons
The Ultimate Fighter 11’s Kyle Noke earned his second impressive UFC victory in a row, submitting tough vet Rob Kimmons in round two of their middleweight bout. Watch here

Kimmons pressured Noke at the bell, eating a few punches in the process. Eventually the two locked up at close range, trading knees until Noke took the fight to the mat. As Kimmons rose, they repeated the process, with Noke eventually spending an extended spell on the canvas, where he controlled his foe with strikes and superior positioning. With 1:20 left, Kimmons was able to reverse position and get into side control, but it was Noke who ended the round with a late submission attempt and some strikes that drew a roar from the crowd.

Measuring his aggression to begin round two, Kimmons scored with punches upstairs before Noke got his bearings and took the bout to the mat. With Kimmons pinned, Noke patiently worked his ground game in effective style, and when he took his foe’s back, it was game over, with the Australian submitting Kimmons via rear naked choke at 1:33 of the second.

With the win, Noke improves to 18-4-1; Kimmons falls to 23-6.

Petruzelli vs. Vemola
Czech Republic native Karlos Vemola delivered the goods in his 205-pound debut, halting Seth Petruzelli in the first round to earn his first Octagon victory. See Vemola's Knockout of the Night

“I was strong at heavyweight, I’ll be super strong at light heavyweight,” said Vemola, who improves to 9-1; Petruzelli falls to 14-7.

Petruzelli made Vemola pay for his first wild rush, nailing him with a right hand to open the bout, but Vemola made good on his second charge with a thudding takedown. Petruzelli made it back to his feet after eating some ground strikes, but Vemola slammed him right back to the mat moments later. Petruzelli stayed active from the bottom as he landed with an upkick and looked for submissions before standing. Vemola relentlessly followed him though, putting him on the canvas again and really starting to put some muscle behind his strikes. Finally, after a series of unanswered shots, referee Leon Roberts had seen enough, calling a halt to the bout at the 3:46 mark.

McCray vs. Rocha
Hamburg-based Brazilian Carlos Eduardo Rocha got the crowd into matters immediately, submitting The Ultimate Fighter 11 finalist Kris McCray in the first round of welterweight action. Watch the replay

McCray showed the benefits of a recent training camp with UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar as he took Rocha down to the mat twice and took his back. Rocha kept working though, and in an ensuing scramble, he locked up McCray’s leg producing a tap out via kneebar at the 2:21 mark.

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