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DAVID LOISEAU VS EVAN TANNER
The Ultimate Fight Night Live
- 3 October 2005  Evan Tanner banging with David Loiseau
© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa
LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges This bout shapes up well on paper and becomes etched in time as one of UFC’s classic showdowns. Former Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner has delivered epic battles at all his recent Octagon appearances, against Phil Baroni, Robbie Lawler, David Terrell and Rich Franklin. Whenever Tanner is in the ring you know you’re going to be in for one hell of a bang. David Loiseau has been making a dramatic climb up the UFC middleweight ladder, and using vicious elbow-strikes to leave his mark on such opponents as Jorge Rivera, Chris Fontaine, Gideon Ray and Charles McCarthy. Although both gladiators have suffered the odd loss in the past, they have fought sledgehammer and nail till the bitter end regardless of their fights’ outcomes, and have consistently provided fight fans with some of UFC’s most memorable battles. This bout proves to be another exceptional knuckleodeon. Let’s hope we get to see both warriors back in the Octagon very soon.
Round One
"Okay, fight clean, fight hard,
fight fair," instructs referee Big John McCarthy before the two
combatants wage war. They return to opposite sides of the cage and
face off.
Big John asks David ‘The Crow’ Loiseau if he’s ready, and gets a slight nod in reply. Evan Tanner’s response is the same. Then McCarthy barks out his famous line: "Let’s get it on." Tanner reaches out with his left hand to touch gloves and Loiseau taps back as Tanner tries to catch The Crow with a right cross. But David quickly responds, using his footwork to sidestep Evan’s forward charge and shoves Tanner into the fence. Tanner scrambles back into toe-to-toe position while Loiseau directs two left high-kicks at Tanner’s face. Evan’s right guard mostly blocks the first kick. He steps out of range for the other. 4.44: E.T. is at centre ring and in hot pursuit of Loiseau. He crowds The Crow and has him up against the Octagon, wanting to take David down. But the Canadian resists well. Evan lands with a left elbow before David breaks free. 4.08: Evan shoots out a jab and David counters it with one of his own. Tanner then scores with a leg kick before tying Loiseau up against the cage, trying to take The Crow to the canvas. 3.48: Loiseau falls to the mat. E.T. is in a loose half-guard, and is looking to pull the show up early via a rear-naked choke (RNC). But The Crow has been here before and obstructs Evan’s choke with his right forearm. 2.18: The pair are back on their feet. The hunter and the hunted have spent a lot of gas. E.T. rolls The Crow to the floor and is chasing up another RNC. Again, David resists being strangled by jamming the hold with his forearms. 1.22: Tanner revisits the half-guard, opting to roughen his opponent into compliance. He is working hard, dishing out fists to the head, and knees to David’s body. Loiseau offers his back from the kneeling position, as Tanner stands crouched behind him, then he rolls David back down and has another choke-out attempt at 0.38. With only seconds remaining in round one, The Crow turns E.T. on his side. Tanner misses with an arm bar, and Loiseau slams down a succession of right fists and signature Crow elbows. The hooter sounds as Big John halts the action.
Round Two
4.47:
The Crow slings a left kick at E.T.’s head. Tanner is expecting it
and steps out of harm’s way. Loiseau appears to be shaping up for
another attempt at the same kick, then alters the pace and shuffles
quickly forward, catching Tanner with a left foot to the head. He
follows through with a right kick to Tanner’s head, before missing
with a spinning kick.
4.34: Evan is off target for a leaping knee attack. He then unloads a front kick that The Crow believes to be a low blow, and adjusts his white shorts to let Tanner know. 4.25: Tanner rushes in with both fists blazing. Loiseau sidesteps the assault as Tanner slips and falls to the floor, then scrambles back to his feet. Tanner has taken the fight to Loiseau thus far. But his submission attempts have been unsuccessful and The Crow remains unrattled. 4.08: Evan leaps in with another knee and lands a leg kick, followed by a takedown. He has David on his back against the fence. 3.57: In contrast to the brutal action, the gorgeous Amber Miller and Rachelle Leah sit just a foot or two away at ringside, whilst Evan unloads more g’n’p-ing. 3.03: Loiseau rolls E.T. off the mount only to have Tanner seize his back yet again. After tenderising The Crow some more, E.T. elects to try out another RNC. 2.04: Loiseau rolls Tanner onto his back. He’s leaping off his knees and delivering airborne elbows to Tanner’s head. 1.47: After just a few of these ‘Crow specials’, Big John signals time out to inspect Evan’s bloody face. 1.41: They’re back in the original position with David on top. Evan ties his opponent up well and climbs to his feet, before David slings out a high kick. 1.21: Tanner lands a left fist and Loiseau is slow with a spinning kick while Tanner goes for another takedown. There’s a furious rummage for dominant position and both warriors are back on their feet. 1.03: Tanner delivers a left knee and Loiseau replies with a huge right elbow. There’s another flurry and Big John signals a second stoppage at 0.53. E.T.’s forehead is bleeding badly and the ring doctor shakes his head. The ‘Elbow King’ has done it again. Result: David Loiseau by TKO – 4.15, Round Two.
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