It’s time to step into the world of the Ultimate Fighting Championship again as we take a look at their seventeenth Ultimate Fight Night show, shown live on Setanta Sports in the early hours of this past Sunday morning, and headlined by Joe Lauzon facing Jeremy Stephens. As usual, Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan are handling the commentary duties.

The show begins with action from the welterweight division, with Luigi Fioravanti taking on Anthony Johnson. The fight began with the usual feeling out process, with both fighters trying their hand at unleashing blows. Johnson soon connected with a stinging inside leg kick. In truth, not much happened for the next minute or so until Johnson rolled off a couple of kicks, one to the head, one to the inside of Luigi’s leg. He then used his reach advantage to good effect with a good left jab. Fioravanti tried a few leg kicks and blows of his own, but seemed very weary of Johnson’s reach advantage, which is why he went for a single leg take down. The attempt failed miserably, and ended up with a clinch against the cage, which saw Fioravanti connect with an inadvertent low blow. The fight was soon re-started, with Johnson once again using his reach advantage again with the kicks and the punches. As the round entered it’s final thirty seconds, Johnson sent Luigi down with a big right hand, and as he went to finish him off, another right sent Luigi down for a second time. Johnson went down for the ground and pound, and the referee saw enough to call a halt to proceedings, giving the TKO win to Johnson in what could only be described as a very polished performance.

Action from the lightweight division followed, with Mac Danzig face Josh Neer. Round one saw Neer moving forward, and as Danzig went high with a kick, Neer pounced, getting off a good combination before the fighters separated. Seconds later they engaged in a clinch against the cage, but it wasn’t long before they were apart again, and this time it was Danzig who scored with the good shots that staggered Neer. The second clinch of the fight against the cage followed, with Neer getting a knee in from a muay thai clinch. He was also able to get in a few right hands before Danzig broke away again. Neer continued to move forward, instigating another brief clinch. Moments later Neer went for a high knee which didn’t quite connect, and as he went down to the mat, Danzig quickly took the guard. But Neer was the one who went for the submission, going for an arm triangle. Danzig quickly spun out, and Neer followed him up to rock him with some more combinations. The former Ultimate Fighter looked in trouble, with Neer able to strike at will as the round came to an end.

Round two saw both fighters teeing off early. Danzig went in for the shot, and Neer was soon in his guard, looking to finish the fight with the ground and pound. Neer stood up for a moment, before going back into the guard and transitioning to side control. Danzig soon gave his back up, but soon fought his way back into Neer’s guard. The only problem here though was that while Neer was aggressive in the guard, Neer was able to control Danzig in his guard, defending well against Danzig’s attack. It wasn’t long before Neer went for a triangle choke. Danzig tried to fight his way out, but to no avail, and it wasn’t long before he tapped, giving Neer the submission victory. Although Danzig looked okay in this fight, he was just no match for Neer, who put in an outstanding performance.

Time for the big boys next, with Cain Velasquez facing Denis Stojnic. Round one began with both fighters exchanging jabs, making it obvious that they wanted to trade early. A brief clinch followed, before they separated end engaged in another clinch against the cage, with Cain rolling off a series of knees Stojnic’s knees before they broke up. Some more exchanges followed, before Cain tried for a take down and followed up with a muay thai clinch, doing to damage with a series of knees. It was becoming obvious that Stojnic, the striker, was being out-struck. Cain was doing well with the combinations and the knees from the muay thai clinch. It looked as if Stojnic just couldn’t work Cain out, and as the round entered it’s final minute, Stojnic was rocked by Cain’s right hand. Stojnic tried for a couple of blows, but they missed their target.

Round two began with Stojnic swinging wildly, while Cain continued to target the body with his kicks, following up with more combinations and muay thai knees. Then Stojnic went on the offensive for a few seconds, looking for a guillotine that Cain easily escaped from. Cain then took side control and delivered a series of elbows and punches to Stojnic’s head. Soon, Cain took Stojnic’s back, and went for the ground and pound, continuing the attack as he went back to side control, and then back to Stojnic’s back. All Stojnic seemed able to was cover up, and as that was all he was doing, the referee stepped in and stopped the fight. Stojnic was pretty poor in this one, the polar opposite of Cain, whose dominating performance was great to watch.

More lightweight action followed, with Matt Grice taking on Matt Veach. This one saw Veach connect with some leg kicks straight away, following up with a quick take down attempt which eventually saw him take Grice’s guard. Both men worked well on the mat, before Grice slowly worked back to his feet, The fighters began exchanging blows again, returning to the mat quickly where Grice attempted an anaconda choke. When that failed they went back to the stand-up game. Grice’s uppercut sent Veach down to the mat, following him down for the ground and pound. Veach tried to get back to his feet, but Grice stopped him, going to an arm triangle before settling on the half guard position before moving to the mount, and then the half guard as Veach tried to roll out. Each time Veach tried to work his way out, Grice was on top of him, and eventually went for a guillotine attempt, which ended with Veach taking the half guard position. As the round entered it’s final minute both men rose to their feet, and Grice got off a left hook combination coming out of a clinch. But then Veach got off a combination of his own, and Grice fell to the ground like the proverbial sack of spuds. Veach went for the ground and pound as the referee quickly stepped in to stop the fight, much to the annoyance of Grice, who claimed he was still able to fight. This may have only lasted for a round but it was still a very good and enjoyable fight.

Main event time, and the lightweight action continued with Joe Lauzon facing Jeremy Stephens. Round one saw Stephens throw the first punch, before they quickly went down to the mat, with Stephens in the guard. They didn’t stay on the ground for long as Lauzon kept the body lock on, before both fighters engaged in the clinch against the cage. Seconds later Lauzon dropped down to the mat attempting for a leg lock, When that didn’t work they got back up to their feet, where Lauzon took Stephens down again, taking side control. He soon moved to the full guard, but Stephens didn’t just sit there, working all the time as he attempted to get out. Lauzon was soon able to take the full mount, and soon attempted an armbar, but Stephens was able to get his arm out, and was now in Lauzon’s guard. Stephens soon postured up and came down with some heavy blows before going back down. Lauzon was soon able to get to his feet, but Stephens slammed him back down to the mat, only for Lauzon to attempt a guillotine which went nowhere.

Round two saw Stephens begin with an attempted leg kick, and it wasn’t long before both men were swinging for the trees. Lauzon then dropped down and took Stephens with him using a fireman’s carry, taking half guard soon afterwards, before moving to side control, seemingly able to transition at will before he eventually got the full mount where he unleashed with the ground and pound. Stephens moved over, allowing Lauzon to take his back, but seconds later he lost control as Stephens rolled over and took the guard so he could deliver his own brand of ground and pound. He then took Lauzon’s back for a few seconds, before Lauzon reversed things, took side control, transitioned to the mount, moved to the full guard, and went for the arm bar. Seconds later Stephens was tapping, giving Lauzon the submission victory in what was an outstanding performance. Kudos to Stephens as well for his performance in this one as well.

Filler material next, with Dan Miller facing Jake Rosholt in the middleweight division. A quick one here, with Rosholt getting a quick take down, posturing up for some ground and pound. But Miller was soon able to roll out, and seconds later he managed to apply a guillotine, with Rosholt quickly tapping. I’m not really sure what to make of this one to be honest with you.

In conclusion - unable to watch or record the show when it aired live (because I wanted to watch the boxing as well), I nearly missed this repeat showing the following night because of Setanta’s extended golf coverage. Thankfully, this show aired eventually, albeit an hour later, and it was well worth the wait. Once again there were some excellent performances here, topped off by Joe Lauzon’s master class against Jeremy Stephens, a fight that I will probably watch again in the future. Ultimate Fight Night 17 proved to be a very enjoyable show, a good taster for the UFC’s return to London shortly.

I just wish that Setanta would remember that they had a dedicated golf channel the next time they decide to delay a UFC show!

This past Saturday the Extreme Sports channel here in Britain, a channel I had never actually watched before, gave mixed martial arts fans a treat, albeit a rather late treat, by broadcasting Elite XC/Strike Force: Shamrock v Baroni. However, the broadcast was not without it’s problems. Having edited it down into three, one hour blocks, so they could broadcast these blocks on separate nights, Extreme Sports then proceeded to show these blocks in the wrong order. So, having no wish to review this show in the wrong order, I edited my review copy so the segments were in the correct order, with the main event, Frank Shamrock versus Phil Baroni, taking pride of place in the final segment.

So we begin with part one, the matches that weren’t shown on the original pay-per-view, beginning with Sam Spengler facing Seth Kleinbeck in the middleweight division. Round one began quickly with a clinch against the cage, with Kleinbeck unloading with a few shots to the mid-section and the head. This jockeying for position went on for some time, with Spengler looking for a take down. However, with neither fighter able to get anything done, the referee separated them. It wasn’t long before they were back up against the cage in another clinch, Once again both fighters got off some good punches and knees, with Spengler again looking for the take down. Eventually, they broke apart, when Kleinbeck connected with an elbow that sent Spengler back a little. But as the fight entered it’s last minute, Spengler once again pushed Kleinbeck up against the cage. Once again the referee separated them, and Kleinbeck showed some good boxing skills, as well as sprawling against Spengler’s take down attempt, delivering countless blows as the round came to an end.

Round two, and Kleinbeck was soon unleashing with the punches and kicks, only to be pushed up against the cage once again by Spengler. Shortly afterwards a Kleinbeck knee went a little too low. After the required rest period, the fight re-started. Spengler once again went for a take down, which Kleinbeck defended well against before scoring with a take down of his own. He then went to work with the ground and pound, and with Spengler offering nothing in reply, the referee called a halt to proceedings. Not exactly a spectacular fight, and I wasn’t really impressed with Spengler’s performance, although Kleinbeck’s defence was spot on as he earned the TKO victory.

Next up, Chris Cariaso against Anthony Figueroa in the 135 pound division. Round one saw the usual feeling out process, before Cariaso connected with a couple of good kicks, which Figueroa responded quickly to, unleashing a torrent of blows that sent Cariaso backwards a little. After a brief clinch against the cage, Cariaso took his man down to the mat, quickly taking side control, before Figueroa was able to get back to his feet. A second clinch against the cage followed, and both fighters kept busy as they tried to gain a prominent position. Cariaso tried for a guillotine briefly, but nothing came of it, so they went back to kneeing each other in the clinch. The second take down of the round followed as Cariaso scored again in the final seconds.

Round two, and Figueroa was the first man to test the waters with a kick. But Cariaso was quick to respond with a kick of his own, before a quick clinch which was quickly broken up. Figueroa then connected with a hard right as the fight continued to move along at an incredible pace. It wasn’t long before both fighters were swinging for the trees before they engaged in another clinch against the cage, working all the time with knees and punches, before they returned to the middle of the cage to trade blows once again. A brief pause followed before both men began trading again, with a clinch against the cage finishing the round.

Round three, and both fighters still looked pretty fresh. Both fighters got in some good shots to start with before another clinch against the fence was instigated. Although they both worked well there, it wasn’t long before they were back in the middle trading again. It was getting hard to tell which fighter was coming out on top, but it didn’t matter because it made for great viewing, as the remainder of the fight saw both fighters matching each other blow for blow, with a brief clinch to slow things down a little.

So with the fight going the distance, it was time for the judges to do their work. The unanimous decision went to Cariaso. Not sure if I really agree with that decision, because both fighters put in some good work here.

Then it was time for the big boys to play, with Rex Richards facing Ray Seraille in the heavyweight division. This was a quickie. It began with Richards coming forward with blows quickly, before he instigated a brief clinch against the cage which only last a few seconds. And then it happened. Richards came forward with another torrent of blows that sent Seraille down to the mat, with the referee stopping the fight when Seraille failed to defend himself from Richards’ ground and pound. Explosive stuff from Richards, but I’m not sure how to rate this fight, as it only lasted a shade over thirty seconds.

Then it was on to part two, the mid-card, beginning with Edson Berto taking on Victor Valenzuela in the lightweight division. Another quick one here, with Berto getting off a couple of kicks, before he took Valenzuela down to the ground. It wasn’t long before Berto went for a heel hook, and seconds later Valenzuela was tapping. Quick stuff from the man from Haiti. He definitely knew what he wanted from the outset.

Heavyweight action followed, with Carter Williams and Paul Buentello. Round one saw both men swinging early, with Williams instigating a clinch seconds later, and taking it to the ground seconds after that. Even though Buentello got to his feet, Williams was overwhelming him. Slowly, Buentello began to work his way back in the clinch. Moments later the referee separated them, and both men began swinging again, before Williams went for another take down. This didn’t quite come off as Buentello went for a guillotine, which ultimately went nowhere, leading to another stand-up clinch. Buentello was now the more dominant fighter as the former K-1 fighter seemed bemused by his Buentello’s tactics. Three clinches against the cage saw the referee separate the fighters, and as the round came to an end Williams got off a couple of good shots.

Round two didn’t last long. A quick flurry from Buentello saw Williams take one to the eye, and as Buentello went in for the kill with the hammer fists the referee stepped in to call the fight, giving Buentello the TKO victory. A good performance from Williams in the beginning, but an even better one from Buentello as he overcame his early difficulties to get the job done.

Then it was time for Elite XC to crown it’s first middleweight champion, with Joey Villasenor and Murilo Rua going for the title. Round one saw the usual feeling out period, with Villasenor the first to do anything of note, rocking the Ninja, before the fight went to the ground and Villasenor went for a guillotine. After a brief flirtation against the fence, it wasn’t long before he gained side control. Rua tried to get out, but Villasenor just got him down to the mat again. However, Rua went for a leg lock moments later, before both fighters got back to their feet momentarily. When it returned to the mat Rua was in control, taking the half guard, and soon transitioning into side control. Rua was working almost constantly, connecting with knees to the mid-section and blows to the head. But it wasn’t going swimmingly for the Ninja, as Villasenor was able to get back up to his feet, but only for a few seconds as Rua took the fight back down almost instantly, taking the half guard again, centering his attack on Villasenor’s arm. But when the attempted kimura came to nothing, Rua got the full mount for a few seconds, before both fighters got back to their feet and traded blows as the round came to an end.

Round two saw Rua coming out quickly with a flying knee. Rua followed that up with more and more flurries, constantly on the front foot, although Villasenor gave as good as he got. But once again the Ninja was soon on top of things again, and a right hand saw Villasenor crashing to the mat. A brief moment of ground and pound followed, before the referee stepped in, giving Rua the TKO victory and the Elite XC middleweight title. An excellent performance from the Brazilian, one I wouldn’t mind seeing again somewhere down the line.

Britain’s Paul “Semtex” Daley was up next, taking on Duane Ludwig in the welterweight division. Round one saw Daley begin things with a high leg kick, following up with a kick to the mid-section. Things slowed down a little before Daley went for a shoot, which saw Ludwig go up against the cage before the fighters separated. Seconds later Daley went for the shoot again, which Ludwig reversed with a clinch against the fence. Moments later they separated again, before Daley missed with a right, and Ludwig connected with a blow of his own. Daley then went for another take down attempt, with Ludwig showing great defensive qualities. Eventually, a single leg sweep saw Daley take Ludwig down, but unfortunately for the Brit things didn’t stay there for long. A short time later Ludwig instigated another clinch, before both men began trading shots again in the last minute of the round.

Round two saw both fighters engaging quickly, with the fight beginning to resemble a muay thai match. Seconds into the round Daley connected with a right that dropped Daley. A few ground and pound shots later and the referee stepped in, giving Daley the TKO victory in his American debut. A very good showing from the semtex man here.


Then it’s on to part three, the upper card and main event. This part began with Josh Thomson and Nick Gonzalez in the lightweight division. The one and only round saw both fighters connecting early with the exchanges. Thomson was the first to score with a take down, as he took Gonzalez’s back, looking for the rear naked choke, synching in the body triangle seconds later. It took him a while, but he eventually synched the hold in. Gonzalez had no choice but to tap. A good performance from Thomson, and I can see why he’s regarded as one of the top lightweights in America at the moment.

Action from the middleweight division followed, with Cung Le facing Tony Frykland. Round one saw Le connecting with a couple of kicks. Frykland tried to reply in kind, but ended up missing. Le continued with the kicks, scoring with each and every one. Every now and then Le would also connect with some good combinations. It was awesome to watch. However, it wasn’t a kick that knocked Frykland down, it was a right hand, although Frykland didn’t stay on the ground for long, popping up almost instantly. Le continued to take his opponent apart with the kicks, but Frykland took everything that was being thrown at him, although he wasn’t throwing much back in reply, getting staggered after a kick to the mid-section.

Round two saw Le continue in the same vein. Frykland tried to go for a take down, but Le just pushed him away, and connected with, yep, you guessed it, some more kicks. Frykland continued to eat sole, but instead of taking the former K-1 fighter down to the ground, he stood up with him, which is exactly what Le wanted. Frykland finally managed to roll off a combination a couple of minutes into the round, but Le simply moved out of the way. As the round went on Le continued with his chosen form of attack, with Frykland managing the odd flurry.

Round three began in the same way as the previous two rounds, and it didn’t last too long. Two left kicks winded Frykland, and a few seconds later he was out of it as the referee stepped in to stop the dissection. Le had the TKO win in what could only be described as an awesome performance.

Main event time, with Phil Baroni taking on Frank Shamrock, with the Strike Force Middleweight title up for grabs. Round one  began with some quick exchanges, with Baroni unloading on Shamrock against the fence. Shamrock came back strongly, only for Baroni to take him down with one arm. They didn’t stay down for long though, with Shamrock getting back on his feet immediately, and connecting with some good blows seconds later. Then Shamrock dropped Baroni near the cage, but as the Legend went in for the kill, he caught Baroni on the back of the head, which earned him a warning. When the fight re-started Baroni took Shamrock down again, taking the guard. But all Baroni seemed able to do was eat a few Shamrock fists. He got off a few shots, but nothing of significance. Moments later they stood up, only for a Shamrock knee to knock Baroni down again. Baroni grabbed Shamrock’s left leg, but held on for dear life as Shamrock rained down a torrent of blows to his ribs, reddening the skin. It wasn’t long before they were back on their feet, and once again Shamrock used Baroni for target practice, connecting with punches and knees in the muay thai clinch. Baroni began to swing a little, but by this time he looked like a beaten man just trying to survive. As the round came to an end Baroni took Shamrock down, but it was obvious that he did this just to survive.

Round two began with Baroni still looking a little stunned after the rabbit punches, but he managed to rock Shamrock a little with a left hook. Shamrock replied in kind, but Baroni seemed to have the upper hand of the opening exchanges. Shamrock wasn’t as eager in the second as he had been in the first. Baroni was getting the upper hand over Shamrock at times, but he was clearly exhausted, enough for Shamrock to rock him. Baroni grabbed a leg and went down to the mat to survive. It wasn’t long before Shamrock began to transition, taking Baroni’s back and looking for the rear naked choke. Baroni struggled a little, but didn’t tap, falling into unconsciousness as the referee stepped in, giving Shamrock the victory and the middleweight title. Despite breaking the rules in the first round, this was an exceptional display from the Legend, although I have to wonder what would have happened if Baroni hadn’t been stunned by those rabbit punches in the first round.

In conclusion - this is the first time I’ve watched anything on the Extreme Sports channel, and I enjoyed each and every fight. Although I’d heard a great deal about Frank Shamrock, I actually hadn’t seen much of him in action. The guy impressed the hell out of me, and his fight with Baroni was well worth it’s main event status. It was also great to see Paul Daley in action overseas.

But now it’s time to moan I’m afraid, not about the fights or Strike Force’s production values, but of Extreme Sports’ editing. I’ve already mentioned how they split the show into three one hour blocks, and then proceeded to show them in the wrong order. But they also cut out a hell of a lot of other stuff as well. We weren’t even introduced to the commentators (although I knew who a couple of them were). If this is the way that they treat all of their mixed martial arts shows then I may think again about tuning in.

It’s one of the most anticipated re-matches in the history of mixed martial arts, as Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn steps up a division to once again face Welterweight king Georges St-Pierre at UFC 94: St-Pierre v Penn 2, shown live in the early hours of this past Sunday morning here in Britain on Setanta Sports. As always, commentary duties are handled by Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.

The show begins in the lightweight division, with Nate Diaz taking on Clay Guida. Round one began with both men trading jabs early, before Diaz tried to tie Guida up. It only worked for a few seconds. The next minute or so saw the fighters trading punches again, and I began to wonder if Guida’s long locks weren’t something of a disadvantage. Guida soon managed to grab hold of Diaz’s right leg, but that went nowhere. Seconds later the fight went to the mat. Diaz shot, but Guida pulled guard. Diaz tried to work his way out, but Guida ended up taking his back, applying a full nelson, before transitioning to side control where he landed a few elbows. He soon returned to Diaz’s back as both fighters got to their feet, but Guida soon took him down with a powerful slam. Guida then moved for a front guillotine, but quickly changed tact by taking Diaz’s back again, and the round ended with the fighters trading blows again.

Round two, and Diaz began quickly, getting in a few shots. He then attempted a hip throw, but Guida landed on his feet. A clinch up against the cage followed, with both fighters looking for leg sweeps. Guida soon grabbed hold of Diaz’s left leg, while Diaz himself tried for a kimura. Both men were soon on the mat momentarily, but soon got hack to their feet, still looking for their various moves. Eventually it was Diaz who took the fight to the ground, only for Guida to reverse again, taking Diaz’s back momentarily, and taking it again seconds later. No matter what Diaz tried, he just couldn’t shake the long-haired one. Diaz soon took Guida down with a leg sweep, but Guida remained in the same position. As the round entered it’s final minute Diaz went for another kimura, an attempt that failed when Guida went north south for a few seconds before taking Diaz’s back again. For the second time in the round Diaz took Guida down with a leg sweep, but again he couldn’t get Guida off his back. Guida eventually took the guard, but by then it was too late in the round.

Round three, and both fighters came out swinging. Both guys got some good shots in before Diaz instigated a clinch against the cage. It wasn’t long though before they started trading again, and this time Diaz looked as if he was getting the upper hand, even showboating for the crowd a couple of times. Diaz was connecting with blows to the head and body until Guida grabbed a hold of Diaz’s legs in an attempt to take him down. As Guida locked his arms around Diaz’s waist he tried to take his back. Diaz came back with a leg sweep, but as with his previous efforts he couldn’t get Guida off him as he lost control of his back. Once again Diaz countered by trying for a kimura, but it wasn’t long before they were on the ground, with Diaz trying for a triangle. As the clock ticked away they soon got back to their feet, with Guida still controlling Diaz’s back, and Diaz looking for a kimura. The last action saw Guida jumping onto Diaz’s back, only for Diaz to lower his head with Diaz slipping off.

So with the fight going the three round distance, it was down to the judges, with Guida getting the split decision, becoming the first man to defeat Diaz in the UFC. A really enjoyable fight here, possibly his best performance to date, although I would advise that he gets a haircut.

Then it was up to the welterweight division, with Karo Parisyan facing Dong Hyun Kim. Round one began with Kim firing off a few shots, before Parisyan connected with a big right that resulted in a clinch up against the cage. Seconds later they were down on the mat, and seconds after that Kim took Parisyan’s back. As Karo got to his feet, Kim hooked his lags around his waits and stayed on his back. They were soon back on the ground, with Kim in the same position, controlling the fight and connecting with a few good blows. But once again Parisyan got back up, and once again Kim was still holding on. This is how things stayed when they went back down, and it wasn’t long before Kim went for an armbar, and then a triangle, both of which Parisyan was able to escape from. Parisyan was soon in Kim’s guard, but the Korean kept on working, and when they got back up to their feet Kim took Parisyan’s back once again, before they engaged in another clinch against the cage, with Kim putting the knees in to Parisyan’s legs. The round ended with the fighters trading jabs.

Round two, and both fighters began to trade jabs, before Parisyan went for a take down, which Kim defended with a clinch, and it wasn’t long before Kim took Parisyan’s back again, soon going to the ground. Karo began to work immediately, going to a kimura which the Korean was able to escape from as they engaged in another clinch against the cage. Then, as Parisyan went for a leg, Kim was able to counter with a clinch, before Karo countered this with a judo throw to the ground, taking side control as they went down, and taking Kim’s back with double under hooks as they got to their feet. But as this went nowhere, another clinch against the cage followed. Moments later, after Karo lost his mouthpiece for the second time in the fight, they began exchanging blows again, with Parisyan pushing forward. As the end of the round neared Parisyan pushed Kim up against the cage, finishing things off with an elbow.

Round three began with both men swinging, with Parisyan pushing Kim up against the cage. Seconds later Kim scored with a take down, taking the full guard. But then Parisyan earned himself a warning from the referee when his up kick hit Kim in the face, although it looked more like a push. When the fight restarted it wasn’t long before they were back up against the cage in a clinch, with Kim taking Karo’s back briefly. As the clinch resumed both men connected with knees to the legs and body. Karo soon connected with a jumping knee, before taking Kim down seconds later. But Kim was able to get back to his feet, going back to the clinch. By this time the crowd were starting to get a little restless, as the action slowed down quite a bit as both men looked for position in the clinch for the remainder of the round.

So with the second fight going the distance, it was down to the judges again, with Parisyan getting the split decision. A bit of a surprise here, especially as the Korean looked in control early on. But a good fight nonetheless.

Light-heavyweight action followed, with former Ultimate Fighter Stephan Bonnar against Jon Jones. Round one began with the usual feeling out process, with Jones connecting with a couple of spinning back kicks. It wasn’t long before they engaged in a clinch, with Jones connecting with a knee to the body, and soon take it down to the mat with a nice judo throw. Moments later Bonnar got back up to his feet, only to get thrown back down straight away. However, the next time Bonnar got up, he stayed up. It was a while before both fighters got into another clinch, this one instigated by Bonnar. Jones managed to escape seconds later, taking Bonnar’s back and taking him down with a suplex. Once again Bonnar got back to his feet, only to go back down courtesy of a spinning elbow. Jones then went in for the kill, going for the ground and pound before taking Bonnar’s back again, eventually letting him back to his feet. Bonnar looked to regain his senses a little with a clinch, but looked staggered again as Jones connected with a knee, ending the round by taking Bonnar down again.

Round two, and Bonnar came out with a cut on his head, courtesy of the spinning elbow. Both fighters began to swing for the trees, exchanging a few good kicks as well. Thirty seconds in a leg trip saw Bonnar go down, and Jones pounced immediately, taking Bonnar’s back. Moments later they were squaring off again, with Jones connecting with another knee. The relative newcomer was looking good as he took Bonnar down again, soon taking the half guard position. Bonnar tried to move out, but Jones was in complete control, although Bonnar was soon able to escape and get back to his feet. After a few good exchanges, Bonnar began another clinch against the cage. When that went nowhere, they began trading again before they resumed the clinch. As the round entered it’s final minute they began exchanging again, before Jones scored with an explosive wrestling throw. The round ended with Jones attempting a scissor trip.

Round three began with an exchange of jabs, before Bonnar initiated a clinch briefly. Both men then went for the muay thai clinch for a few seconds, before going back to the more traditional kind of clinch. Soon, Jones pushed Bonnar back to the middle of the cage, with Bonnar connecting with a Superman punch. Both fighters were now starting to show signs of fatigue as they seemed to be using the clinch to get a breather. The fight soon went back downstairs though after another Jones take down, and after a few seconds Bonnar went for a triangle. A pop of the head later and Jones had escaped though. As they got back to their feet a brief clinch followed, which was soon followed by another clinch as the clock ticked down to the final minute of the fight. As the fight entered it’s final thirty seconds Bonnar began to stalk Jones, with the fight ending with both men looking to exchange again.

Once again it was down to the judges to decide, with Jones getting the unanimous decision. A tremendous and impressive performance from Jones here. He is definitely one to watch in the future.

The light-heavyweight action continued with Lyoto Machida taking on Thiago Silva. This one began with the usual feeling out, with Machida making the first movement with a kick, following up with a few combinations. Seconds later he connected with a good body kick, following this up with an inadvertent knee to the groin. After the required rest period, Silva came back strongly with a kick of his own, only for Machida to take it down to the mat with a foot sweep. It wasn’t long before they were back on their feet though, attempting to connect with blows and kicks. Machida then connected with a knee to the mid section, followed up by a left that sent Silva down. Machida followed Silva to the ground, and was soon in the full guard position. Eventually Machida got back up to his feet, but Silva wasn’t to eager to follow him up, choosing to attack with up kicks. So with Silva staying down, Machida decided to join him on the mat again. Again, they returned to their feet, teeing off against each other, and once again was sent back down following a Machida combination. Machida followed him down again, first taking side control and then the guard, before choosing to stand back up. Once again Silva chose to stay on the mat, so Machida went for the ground and pound, soon taking Silva’s back as they got back up, soon turning it into a clinch against the cage. Seconds later Machida pushed Silva down to the mat, and followed him down with a single punch as the round ended. But Silva was out cold, and the referee called a halt to the fight immediately. A very good performance from Machida. Silva had his moments here, but Machida was more than able to keep on top.

Main event time, with Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn stepping up a division to challenge Georges St-Pierre for the Welterweight title. Round one, and with the crowd going wild, the re-match we’ve been waiting ages for began. It wasn’t long before they engaged in a clinch, connecting with knees as they tried to get into position. A short time later GSP went looking for a take down, which Penn was able to defend against. This saw the fighters engage in another clinch before St-Pierre grabbed another leg in another attempted take down. When all of these attempts failed, they began to stand-up game. Both fighters managed to get in some good shots before they went back to the clinch, with St-Pierre pushing Penn up against the cage, looking for the take down again. Penn was still able to defend against these attempts, so they went back to trading blows. As the round entered it’s final minute, St-Pierre went for the clinch again momentarily, with the round ending with the fighters squaring off against each other.

Round two, and the crowd was still going wild. GSP’s corner had told him to stick to kickboxing, and in the early stages he did as he was told, mainly because Penn was connecting with his jab. But it wasn’t long before St-Pierre instigated a clinch, going back to his first round tactics, only this time he was successful as he took Penn down to the mat, taking the full guard, with Penn trying the rubber guard at times. GSP went for the ground and pound, passing to half guard before going to side control and getting off several unanswered shots to the head. Once he had fully established side control he continued with the blows, throwing in a knee to the mid section for good measure. Moments later he transitioned to the guard, postured up, and went for the ground and pound. All Penn seemed able to do was hang on as he tried for the rubber guard again while St-Pierre kept connecting. The champion then went back to side guard for a few seconds, before going back to full guard, where he continued his assault until the end of the round.

Round three, and with the crowd still going wild, St-Pierre rattled off a couple of rights, deciding to mix it up a little with the challenger. After Penn got off a quick jab, St-Pierre soon got another take down, getting half guard, once again delivering blows and the occasional knee to the mid section. GSP continued as he transitioned to full guard. Penn tried to work his way out, and eventually he did, pushing St-Pierre up against the cage, looking for a take down of his own. St-Pierre soon reversed things, soon getting a take down of his own. He began to work from the guard, connecting with several blows, including a big elbow. Penn tried to kick him off, but St-Pierre went straight back down into the guard as the round came to an end.

Round four, and the crowd were still going wild. St-Pierre came out quickly to stalk his challenger, unleashing a jab, following up with a kick, getting a quick take down seconds later, passing to side control almost as quickly, and going for the ground and pound. All Penn seemed able to do was hold on as the champion controlled the fight, trying to get the full mount but getting half guard, and once again gaining side control. As St-Pierre continued with the blows and knees, the referee warned Penn that he had to fight back. St-Pierre was able to transition at will. He was truly dominating one of the top fighters in the world, making him look like an amateur. As the final thirty seconds of the round approached, and as St-Pierre continued his attack, the referee warned Penn again about defending himself. He didn’t seem to be able to do anything to stop the champion.

Round five never happened. Penn was pulled out of the fight after advice from the doctor, giving St-Pierre the title retaining TKO victory. This was a truly dominating performance from St-Pierre, the best I’ve ever seen from him. He dominated one of the UFC’s top fighters from beginning to end, and to say that GSP was awesome here would be an understatement.

In conclusion - while we, as MMA fans, always enjoy a good knockout, we also enjoy action packed fights that go the distance, or at least a good few rounds, where the fighters can show off the full range of their skills. Machida and Silva aside, this is what we got with UFC 94. A good undercard, and an excellent main event which I can’t really speak too highly of, it was that good, with Georges St-Pierre once again showing why he is considered the best pound for pound fighter in MMA at the moment. I’m a B.J. Penn fan, but the way that GSP dominated him in the ground was a thing of beauty, and fights like these are the reason that the sport of mixed martial arts is quickly becoming one of the most popular sports in the world.

It’s debut time again here in The Two Sheds Review, as we take a look back at Affliction’s latest pay-per-view offering, Day of Reckoning, headline by Andrei Arlovski challenging Fedor Emelianenko for the WAMMA Heavyweight title, in a broadcast that was shown on a twenty-four hour delay on Bravo here in Britain. Our hosts for the evening are Sean Wheelock, Jimmy Smith and Tito Ortiz.

The broadcast begins with action from the heavyweight division, with Paul Buentello facing Fedor protégé Kiril Sidellnikov. Round one began with the fighters exchanging jabs, before Sidellnikov began to throw some bombs, only for Buentello to return in kind. A clinch in the corner followed, where both men were able to unload with knees and punches. Sidellnikov’s left eye was beginning to swell by this stage. It wasn’t long before both fighters began trading again, before a second clinch in the corner which saw the fighters connecting with the knees again. However, Sidellnikov was able to reverse the position, but it wasn’t long before Buentello fought his way free. Back in the middle of the ring the fighters began to trade blows again, with Buentello scoring with a right uppercut. Another clinch followed, before they quickly returned to the stand-up game, with Buentello getting the better of the exchanges as the round entered it’s final minute. The fighters found themselves in another clinch in the corner, each getting their licks in, before moving out as the round came to an end.

Round two began with Buentello connecting with a jab. A few seconds later Sidellnikov stumbled a little after attempting a kick. However, it wasn’t long before Buentello began to use the left jab again as he looked to get control of the fight. Sidellnikov landed a few good punches of his own, but Buentello always seemed to be one step ahead of the Russian. But then a few moments later Sidellnikov suddenly came alive, staggering the American a little before getting him in a body lock in the corner in an attempt to take him down. This ultimately failed, so they returned to swinging and banging, where once again Buentello got the upper hand. Sidellnikov then shot for Buentello’s legs, which the American easily defended, before staggering the Russian again. It seemed as if the American was finding the mark with every punch he threw, seemingly targeting Sidellnikov’s swelled eye as the round ended.

Round three, and once again Buentello sought to control the fight with his boxing, and once again he seemed to get the upper hand early on, using his left jab to one again target Sidellnikov’s damaged eye. Moments a later, a big uppercut rocked the Russian. By this time Sidellnikov was looking tired, and Buentello looked like he was using his younger opponent for target practice. A brief trip to the mat followed, but they didn’t stay down there long before they got back to their feet. Seconds later, Buentello staggered Sidellnikov with a jab, and knocked him to the mat shortly afterwards. A brief pause followed when Sidellnikov lost his gum shield, but the rest didn’t do him any good, as Buentello continued with the jab when the fight re-started. Sidellnikov then spat the mouthpiece again, and after the referee asked for the ringside doctor to look at the Russian, the fight was called immediately, giving the well deserved TKO victory to Buentello in what proved to be a good opening contest.

Then it was down to the light heavyweight division, with Renato Sobral facing Thierry Sokoudjou. Round one began with the usual feeling out process, exchanging jabs and kicks. Sobral went for a quick take down, but quickly decided against that course of action. However, a second attempt soon followed, with Sobral tying up Sokoudjou against the ropes and trying a belly to belly that failed. A second clinch followed, which the referee broke up because the African had hooked the ropes. When the fight restarted Sobral soon took Sokoudjou’s back, who seemed to try to get out of the ring to break the hold. Once again the referee separated them, and it wasn’t long before the fight went to the ground, with Sokoudjou in top position, going to the ground and pound.  He soon took Sobral’s back, but not for long as both men got to their feet, with Sobral hooking Sokoudjou’s leg in an attempt to take him down. This soon turned into a clinch, but that went nowhere, so they were separated again, the last thing of note to happen in the round.

Round two began with the fighters exchanging blows, both of them getting in some good shots before Sobral took his opponent down. Once then he went to work with the ground and pound. The Brazilian then passed guard to side control, before going back to half guard and going for the ground and pound once again. But when the action got to close to the ropes, the referee moved them back to the centre of the ring, where Sobral continued with his control, and continued with the ground and pound. Sokoudjou then tried to escape, giving Sobral the chance to apply the anaconda choke. Seconds later, Sokoudjou was tapping, the submission victory going to the Brazilian in what was a very good and patient performance against an opponent who really needs to work on his ground game.

Down to the middleweight division next, with the Phenom himself, Vitor Belfort, tacking Matt Lindland. A quick one here. Belfort make the first move with a low kick. Then Belfort caught Lindland with a left hook that sent him down. Belfort followed him down for the ground and pound, with the referee quickly calling a halt to the fight. Lindland was unconscious for some time, such was the ferocity of Belfort’s blow, and received medical attention for quite some time. Thankfully he was able to leave the ring under his own steam though. A good performance from Belfort here, something I haven’t seen from him in a while.

Then it was time for more heavyweight action, with Josh Barnett and Gilbert Yvel. Round one began with both fighters looking for an opening, unleashing the occasional punch or kick. Yvel tried for a kick, but Barnett blocked it and took the fight down to the ground, taking Yvel’s half guard, looking for the ground and pound. Yvel tried to move up and out of the way, but Barnett just took him down again and went back to work. He then went looking for a kimura, which Yvel easily escaped from. Barnett then went for an Americana, but soon gave up so he could go back to the ground and pound, soon taking side mount before going back to half guard, once again looking for a kimura. Barnett then went into full mount, and again rained down with a flurry of blows. Yvel tried to work his way out, only for Barnett to take his back and deliver more punishment. The last ten seconds saw Yvel finally get up off the mat.

Round two saw Yvel come out fighting, before Barnett took him down again, taking side control. The work was a little slower this time, but he soon began to work for the kimura again, another attempt which ended in failure. Back in the half guard, and then the mount, Barnett went to work with the blows again. Yvel tried to come back with some blows of his own, but they had literally no effect on the American. But Barnett looked in complete control with everything he did. Yvel again managed to land with a few punches, but this seemed more like an effort to appease the referee more than anything else. As the round came to an end Yvel reversed the positions, but he just didn’t have enough time to do any kind of damage.

Round three, and Yvel managed to connect with a few good blows, only to be met with a big Barnett take down, with the American quickly taking the mount, connecting with punches and elbows. Try as he might, Yvel just couldn’t escape, and once again Barnett looked in full control as he went for the ground and pound. Yvel tried to defend himself, but in the end it was too much for the Dutchman. As Barnett came down with another torrent of blows, Yvel tapped. This was an outstanding and dominating performance from Barnett here. I have to admit I haven’t seen many of his fights, but this was, by far, the best I’ve seen from him.

Main event time, with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski challenging Fedor Emelianenko for the WAMMA Heavyweight title. This was another one that didn’t last too long. Arlovski came out looking strong, and was the first to make contact with a leg kick, following up with a big right hand. Arlovski continued to throw blows, with Fedor looking a little sloppy when he tried to return in kind. A clinch against the ropes followed, and as Fedor went for a leg trip, Arlovski was able to defend. But with the clinch coming to nothing, the referee separated them. Arlovski then continued to have success with his hand speed, and as he backed Fedor into the corner with a front kick, Arlovski made the fatal error. As he leapt up to deliver a big knee, Fedor connected with a right to the jaw. Arlovski was out before he hit the ground as the referee called an immediate halt to the contest. This was a great example of how quickly things can turn in an MMA fight. Arlovski was clearly winning from the early exchanges, and just one punch from the man heralded as the best fighter on the planet, and it was over. Is Fedor the best fighter in the world? Well, having only seen a few of his Pride fights, I would have to say no. He’s close, though.

In conclusion - my first experience of an Affliction MMA show is a very good one. Everything impressed me, from the layout of the arena to the production values, as well as, of course, the fights themselves. There wasn’t one bad one here folks, with Josh Barnett’s dominating performance against Gilbert Yvel clearly the fight of the night. It was also good to see Big John McCarthy back where he belongs, as he’s definitely the best referee in the world at the moment.

There was one thing that I wasn’t too impressed with though - while Tito Ortiz did well at the commentary table, as an in-ring interviewer, he kind of sucked, fluffing his lines countless times.

So can Affliction become a viable alternative to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Yes, they can. Their use of a ring instead of a cage is a step in the right direction, but while the UFC blueprint is a good one to copy, Affliction has to forge it’s own identity, otherwise they’ll come off looking like a poor man’s version of the UFC. It’s something I’ve seen in the professional wrestling business countless times. So instead of looking like a poor man’s UFC, I would advise the powers-that-be to become a rich man’s Affliction.

It’s the fight that we’ve been wanting for ages, as former middleweight king Rich Franklin finally meets former Pride two weight king Dan Henderson. There’s also the return of a hall of famer as the Ultimate Fighting Championship makes its Irish debut with UFC 93: Franklin v Stephenson, shown live this past Saturday night on Setanta Sports here in Britain. The usual suspects are handling commentary duties for this one, Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.

The action begins in the welterweight division, with the Irish Hand Grenade himself, Marcus Davis, achieving his dream of fighting in Dublin against Chris Lytle. Round one began with the crowd singing and the usual feeling out process, before Lytle caught Davis with a wide right that staggered Davis, causing the Dublin crowd to fall silent. It wasn’t long before both the crowd and Davis regained their composure as both guys rolled off a few good shots and counters. About two minutes in, Davis connected with a good left, and as the round progressed it became obvious that Davis had clearly shaken off Lytle’s early onslaught, especially as he began to pepper Lytle’s right side with kicks, reddening the skin around the ribs. Both men went to the ground briefly, but both men preferred the upright game as the round came to an end, with Davis having sustained a cut on his left cheek.

Round two began with both fighters again preferring the stand-up game. A few seconds in Lytle went looking for the knockout, but Davis was wise to his attack. After another brief foray to the ground, Davis connected with a wicked looking knee from a muay thai clinch. Lytle was able to keep up with Davis, wading in and swinging wide, the opposite to what Davis was doing. Despite the lack of any ground work this was turning out to be one of those fights you just couldn’t keep yours eyes off, as both men traded punches and counter punches, kicks and counter kicks, but as time passed by it was becoming obvious that Davis’ knees and kicks to the mid-section were having their desired effect on Lytle.

Round three, and after a great show of sportsmanship from both fighters, it was back to normal. Lytle continued with his chosen game plan, but as with the previous rounds Davis seemed to have a counter for everything that Lytle was doing. Davis continued to target Lytle’s mid-section, and Lights Out seemed to be favouring the right side of his body, given the way that he was hanging his arm. Davis clearly had Lytle’s number, and in the last ten seconds Davis connected with a blow that sent Lytle down.

So with the fight going the three round distance, it went down to the judges, with Davis getting the well earned split decision. This was a great way to start the show, a terrific display from Davis, and I wouldn’t be surprised if his current streak puts him in line for a title shot later this year.

Up to the middleweight division for the next fight, with the much heralded Denis Kang making his UFC debut against Alan Belcher. Round one, and Kang came out quickly, looking to take the battle to his opponent. Some good combinations followed as Kang got the better of Belcher, and he soon scored with the first takedown of the fight. Belcher had him tied up at first, but Kang was soon able to free himself so he could transition to half guard and then side control. The debutant looked to be in excellent shape as he seemed to transition at will before he stood back up and connected with some more good shots as Belcher followed him to his feet. Kang soon scored with a second takedown, although Belcher had the under hooks sunk in. But like the first takedown Kang was able to free himself, and once again asserted control of the fight. It wasn’t long before Kang went for a kimura, an attempt which was ultimately unsuccessful. The round ended with Kang in complete control.

Round two, and Kang once again went looking to assert his control. A brief flurry of blows was followed by a clinch against the cage, before Kang once again showed how good his striking was. A minute or so later Kang took the fight to the ground again. Belcher tried to fight back, but Kang countered by transitioning into half guard, although Belcher was doing a good job of trying to tie up his legs as he slowly began to work his way back into the fight. However, it wasn’t long before the referee stood both fighters up due to inactivity. Slowly but surely Belcher seemed to be working Kang out. And then it came. As Kang went for a takedown, Belcher countered with a guillotine, and seconds later Kang was tapping. To say that I was surprised by the manner of Belcher’s victory would be an understatement. It seemed as if Kang just had to hang in for the remainder of the second and the final round, and the victory was his. A good victory for Belcher here.

The middleweight action continued with the evergreen Jeremy Horn facing Rousimar Palhares. Round one began with the feeling out process, with things going to the ground about forty seconds in. Palhares soon took Horn’s back, and he pounded away as he looked for the rear naked choke. But when that didn’t work, Palhares took Horn’s guard, soon transitioning to half guard, taking his back once again, before going back to the half guard. Palhares appeared to be in complete control, even though Horn had his moments, and was able to get back to his feet, only for the Brazilian to take him back down immediately. Once again it wasn’t long before Palhares took Horn’s back, coming down with the hammer fists, but once again Horn’s defence worked well again. Palhares once again asserted his control though as he went for Horn’s leg, looking for a knee bar. The round ended with Palhares once again taking Horn’s back, raining down with a torrent of blows.

Round two, and Palhares once again took control, showing tremendous strength as he lifted Horn up and slammed him down to the mat. Once again the Brazilian took Horn’s back, and all the veteran could do was try and defend himself as Palhares connected. Horn tried to get back to his feet, but Palhares kept control, until Horn finally got into the half guard before getting the mount and attempting an arm triangle. The Brazilian managed to escape though, and seconds later both fighters were back on their feet. Horn seemed to have a second wind as Palhares looked visibly tired. Palhares went for a takedown, which Horn was able to defend against. However, Palhares was successful with a second attempt as he took the guard, although Horn tried to counter with a triangle. As the seconds ticked away Palhares managed to escape.

Round three, and once again Palhares showed how strong he was as he took Horn down with a back suplex, and once again Horn showed some good defensive work, although once again he couldn’t stop Palhares taking his back. They returned to their feet briefly, only for Palhares to take the fight back down seconds later, again asserting his control. Then, nothing much happened for a few seconds, until Horn went for a triangle which Palhares easily escaped from. Horn again showed some good defensive work, although the Brazilian was now looking even more fatigued as he was basically just hanging on in the guard position. With nothing happening, the referee stood both fighters up, and as the fight entered it’s final minute, Palhares faked a takedown, Horn fell for it, and Palhares again took control on the ground as the fight came to an end.

The unanimous decision went in favour of Palhares, and rightfully so. Although Horn showed some great defensive work, Palhares clearly had the upper hand in what was a very good performance.

The next fight saw action in the welterweight division, with Tom Egan taking on John Hathaway, although the television audience didn’t see the first minute of the fight as the good people at Setanta came back late from a commercial break. This was strictly filler material though, as Hathaway was in complete control throughout, with the referee stopping the fight in the final thirty seconds of the first round following some ground and pound work. A truly dominating performance for Hathaway against the hometown boy, making me wonder why Egan bothered turning up in the first place.

Main event time #1, with the returning Mark Coleman taking on Shogun Rua in the light heavyweight division. Round one, and the action began quickly. Shogun began with a big kick, with Coleman countering with a takedown. The veteran took control immediately, although Shogun countered with a knee bat attempt. They stood back up briefly, before Coleman took the fight back down seconds later. Rua once again went for another submission, this time a triangle, before the Brazilian took control himself, taking Coleman down and going into half guard. Coleman tried to work his way out, but Rua was always in control. Things were a little more even when they were back on their feet though, but Rua once again regained control of the fight as Coleman began to look tired. The transitions were thick and fast though as each man took control of the other’s back, before a left/right combination hurt the Hammer and saw him fall to the mat, grabbing hold of Rua’s legs as he went down. The round ended with both fighters trading jabs.

Round two, and Coleman looked out of it as the round began, while Shogun looked as fresh as a daisy. Rua got the better of the opening exchanges, although Coleman was able to counter with a takedown. But as the Hammer was unable to follow up, Rua got back to his feet. Coleman soon got control on the ground again, but again Rua was able to work his way out so he could take the fight back upright. Coleman’s hands were low as Rua was able to take shots at him. It was starting to get painful to watch as Rua kept control. Coleman began to score with a couple of takedowns though, using this as a way to take a breather, but Rua soon began to synch in an alma plata. However, the Brazilian preferred the ground and pound instead of finishing Coleman with the submission.

Round three, and by now both fighters looked exhausted. A Coleman body shot rocked Rua a little. A clinch against the cage seemed to go on forever until they went down to the mat with Coleman on top. Despite looking knackered Coleman seemed to be getting the upper hand with the ground and pound. Moments later Rua went for a knee bar, with Coleman moving out to take Rua’s back. All Shogun could do was cover up as Coleman connected with some weary looking blows. It took a while, but eventually Shogun regained control, earning himself a warning as he connected with a knee to Coleman’s head while the Hammer was still on the ground, although replays showed that the knee connected to the body. With the fight entering the final thirty seconds, Rua began to tee off against Coleman, with the referee stepping in to stop the fight as Coleman slumped to the mat, with the Hammer complaining bitterly about the manner of his defeat. If truth be known this wasn’t exactly an inspiring fight. There were some good moments early on, but as time went on it became plainly obvious that both men hadn’t fought in a while. This won’t go down as a classic.

Main event time #2, further action in the light heavyweight division with Rich Franklin facing Dan Henderson, with the winner coaching Team USA against Team UK in the next series of The Ultimate Fighter. Round one, and Henderson was the first one to strike with a low leg kick. Franklin came back in kind, with Henderson coming back with a hard right that staggered Franklin. Both men went to the ground immediately, with Henderson on top. Franklin did a good job in tying Henderson up briefly, although he was able to work his way out so he could dish out the ground and pound, taking Franklin’s back and connecting with a couple of knees as the Ace one struggled to get back to his feet. Eventually Franklin was able to escape, and things began to look a bit more even as both fighters unloaded with some good shots. It was great to watch as both men put together some good combinations, although an accidental clash of heads opened up a couple of cuts on Franklin’s forehead.

Round two began in the same way that round one ended, punch for punch, counter for counter, which made for great viewing as both fighters looked to tee off against each other. The first clinch came halfway through the round, with Henderson getting the first takedown. The ground game proved to be just as riveting as the stand-up game, as both fighters tried to take control of the fight. While Henderson’s offensive work was good, Franklin’s defensive work was more than a match for it, and that’s pretty much how things went for the remainder of the round.

Round three continued in the same way, again. Henderson scored with the takedown nearly a minute into the round, with both fighters showing some good work, with Franklin soon working his way back to the dominant position and looking for the ground and pound. Henderson managed to get back to his feet, engaging in a clinching war up against the cage. When this went nowhere they went back to trading blows. Moments later they went for another clinch, with Franklin able to connect with a few knees to the body. Back in the middle of the cage Henderson went for a head kick but slipped, and seconds later he inadvertently poked Franklin’s right eye. A brief rest period followed before the final thirty seconds or so of the fight, which ended with both men looking to cement their victory.

So once again the judges were called upon to render a decision, with Henderson getting the split decision in what proved to be a great main event, and a worthy advertisement for the sport.

In conclusion - the first UFC show of the year proved to be a very good one. Coleman/Rua aside, the fights varied from good to great, with Franklin/Henderson proving to be worthy of it’s main event status, and topping off a night of great performances, and with a Dan Henderson/Michael Bisping fight to look forward to now things look great for the upcoming year in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, especially with the big welterweight title match coming up in a few weeks.