UFC 77 was another big night for MMA fans and came live from the US Bank Arena in Ohio. This would be a telling event for Rich Franklin who was out to reclaim his crown from Anderson Silva, and a crucial time for Tim Sylvia, who was on the comeback trail after losing his title to Randy Couture, and would be road-testing some new parts after recovering from back surgery. For Brandon Vera, it would indeed be a moment of truth. The only certainty about this card was that all athletes would be giving their all to make things go their way.

Yushin Okami def. Jason MacDonald by unanimous decision.

Demian Maia def. Ryan Jensen by rear naked choke – 2.40, Round One.

Josh Burkman def. Forrest Petz by split decision.

Matt Grice def. Jason Black by split decision.

4.57: Kalib tried for an early takedown, then he brought up a knee after Alan fended him off. Alan threw a right and followed with knees as Kalib answered with body punches, before Alan dispatched a volley of fists and a flying knee.

4.42: Kalib threw a right hand, then looked to tie up. Alan forced Kalib into the fence whilst clinched as blood appeared on Kalib’s forehead from an earlier knee strike.

4.19: Starnes muscled Belcher away from the fence and swept him to the floor.

4.15: They stood whilst still entangled and Belcher unloaded an elbow to Starnes’s forehead as Starnes pushed Belcher against the cage.

3.13: Belcher rotated Starnes into the fence.

2.59: Alan drove a big right knee up into Kalib’s forehead and followed with a crushing right elbow to the same spot before they broke free.

2.51: Kalib fired jabs at Alan, however Alan replied with a cracking leg kick.

2.46: They commenced a fist trade, which Kalib dominated.

2.01: Kalib appeared to be punching himself out.

1.57: Belcher scored with a right uppercut, knee strikes and elbows.

1.33: They clinched. Starnes was fighting back, but he lacked gas and was bloodied. Yves Lavigne called the ring doc to get ready to check Starnes’s forehead.

1.15: Starnes threw a series of unanswered left hooks before the pair parted.

1.06: Alan pounded with punches and knees.

0.50: Kalib failed with a shoot.

0.44: Alan missed with a knee, but landed a high kick to Kalib’s face.

0.32: Whilst trading, Alan landed two punishing leg kicks and the pair banged up to the bell. Yves called for the doctor. Mike Goldberg commented that the gash on Kalib’s forehead was “Marvin Eastman-like,” referring to the cleaver-sized cut Eastman sustained when he fought Vito Belfort.

They recommenced the banging.

3.47: Starnes failed with a takedown.

3.22: Yves called timeout. The physician inspected Kalib’s cut and the fight was halted.

Stephan took up his post at center ring and Eric circled. They swapped a few testing strikes before Eric attempted a takedown at 4.32. The effort failed, but he did succeed in tying Stephan up against the cage.

4.21: Stephan led them away from the fence as they exchanged knees from the tie-up.

3.47: Schafer slung a right elbow as the pair separated.

3.30: He leg-kicked and Bonnar countered with a right glove.

3.23: Schafer delivered another powerful leg kick.

3.20: They clinched. Schafer dropped and pulled Bonnar into his guard.

3.06: Bonnar stood then moved down into a loose half guard.

2.33: They both stood but remained entangled.

2.22: Schafer seized Bonnar’s leg as Big John warned Bonnar to let go of the fence.

2.15: Eric took both of Stephan’s legs, hoisted him into the air, and dropped him on his back.

1.46: Eric had Stephan’s back.

1.26: He had his hooks in whilst riding Stephan’s back and attacked with right fists from on top.

0.56: Eric was on his side, still clinging to Stephan from behind.

0.15: Bonnar turned to face his opponent whilst Schafer endeavored to catch Bonnar with a kimura. The hooter blew. During the break, Big John told Bonnar if he grabbed the fence again he’d lose a point.

4.54: Eric looked to take it back to the canvas, however he had to settle for the clinch.

4.45: He went for another takedown and Stephan forced him onto his back before thumping down on Eric from the guard.

4.22: Stephan warded off an arm-bar attempt and continued to g’n’p.

3.38: He took half guard and unloaded elbows and knuckles from above.

2.44: Schafer covered up in damage-control mode.

2.16: He rolled defensively onto his stomach as Bonnar kept belting away. Big John pulled it up.

Southpaw Alvin threw a leg kick and two right hooks.

4.51: He went for the takedown after Jorge returned fire.

4.46: Jorge was in guard and wanted to g’n’p, but Alvin was tying his wrists up well.

3.35: Gurgel vied for half guard, however Robinson wrapped him up in a front headlock until Gurgel outmaneuvered him and got side control, still with Robinson trapping his head.

2.46: Gurgel had six o’clock position.

2.42: He switched back to side control.

2.12: Jorge was in half guard, then full guard.

1.46: Jorge was back in side control. He was working hard but achieving little.

0.21: He stood and wore some up-kicks from Alvin. Then before the round ended Jorge got the mount.

They came out banging.

4.44: Robinson elected to shoot. He seized Gurgel’s left leg and pulled him down before falling into guard.

4.38: Gurgel went to arm bar Robinson’s right arm, then looked for an uma-plata. However, Robinson was more slippery than an eel and worked to take Gurgel’s back.

4.00: They stood with Alvin hanging onto Jorge’s right arm to set up a kimura or an arm bar.

3.44: Jorge stayed strong and wrangled himself into Alvin’s guard. Again, Alvin was muffling Jorge’s g’n’p game well and landing strikes from his back.

2.25: Alvin was now in Jorge’s guard, and he possessed a more dangerous g’n’p game than Jorge, but Gurgel always looked threatening with his submission attempts.

1.00: In the last 50 seconds, Robinson punched and hammered Gurgel from the guard, then continued with the onslaught from the mount in the last 10 seconds.

Alvin shot straight for Jorge’s legs and was soon back in Jorge’s guard.

4.06: Jorge tried to set up an arm bar, but Alvin thwarted the attempt and kept pounding.

0.58: Robinson had Gurgel’s back. This was the only time in the final round that Robinson’s g’n’p-ing briefly stopped.

They touch gloves and Brandon goes straight for the clinch.

4.50: He has Tim’s back to the cage, but Tim quickly reverses things. They exchange knee strikes and Yves Lavigne warns them to watch the low shots. Tim grips Brandon behind the neck with his left hand, dispatches right elbows to the head and throws body punches.

2.53: Brandon has Tim’s back to the fence.

2.43: Tim reverses the positioning again. They continue to exchange close-quarter knees, elbows and fists from the clinch.

1.32: The men separate and trade. Vera unloads leg kicks and knuckles whilst Sylvia throws hands, elbows and knees.

1.03: They tie up with Vera’s back to the wires.

0.31: The pair part as Sylvia lands a right hook. Vera has adopted southpaw stance and is delivering uppercuts as Sylvia replies with knees from a Thai clinch. A lot of Sylvia’s attacking has been to the body. He drives in a left fist to Vera’s midsection as the round ends.

Brandon delivers a left high kick and a looping right hand. They tie up and Tim forces Brandon into the cage.

3.20: Yves breaks it up. Brandon scores with a left elbow and Tim replies with a knee to the body and a straight right.

3.15: They briefly exchange, then clinch. They swap knee strikes.

2.10: Vera sweeps Sylvia’s left leg and they’re down, with Vera taking side control. Sylvia is pressed to the fence and Vera is attacking with knees.

0.19: Tim works his way up to his knees before Yves stops the action and cautions Brandon for kneeing a downed opponent.

0.13: They touch gloves and the action recommences. Brandon detonates a big left kick to the body, then follows with more kicks as Tim throws right gloves. Brandon misses with another kick and slips to the floor before the round ends.

They touch gloves. Sylvia has his left hand out and Vera hugs Sylvia’s body before they trade knees.

4.50: Tim flings Brandon free from the tie up. He fires fists at Brandon and Brandon returns the bullets.

4.38: Tim dispatches an inner leg kick and is more assertive as he comes after Brandon.

4.29: Sylvia hurls right elbows and the men clinch, with Vera pressed into the cage.

3.21: Vera swaps positions.

3.10: The battle for pole position continues with Sylvia shoving Vera into the wires, but Vera won’t give in easily and rams Sylvia back into the fence – giving a whole new meaning to the term ‘cage fighters’.

2.31: They part and Tim detonates more punches. Brandon stands with Tim, but Tim outguns him.

2.07: They clinch.

1.29: Yves intervenes and has some loose tape removed from Brandon’s mitts.

1.28: Brandon slams a kick into Tim’s leg. Tim replies with a knee to the body and a right hand. He hunts down Brandon with hands, right elbows and knees. A cut opens on Brandon’s skull, with blood running down his face.

0.24: Yves breaks the clinch. Sylvia drives it home, but Vera has mounted a courageous challenge. After the fight, it’s revealed Brandon’s left hand was broken early in the match.

The crowd goes bananas as Bruce Buffer introduces both warriors. A leaner, meaner Big John McCarthy gives his final instruction, “Let’s get it on.”

The southpaws face off.

4.38: Rich leg-kicks.

4.27: After testing the waters with some probing fists, he delivers an inside leg kick.

4.11: Anderson dances coolly whilst Rich advances with another flurry. He fires an inside leg kick and they tie up.

4.06: Anderson drives a knee into Rich’s body, then both men look to dominate from the clinch. They exchange low knees.

3.22: Rich takes Anderson down.

3.11: He stands as Anderson remains on his back.

2.58: Anderson stands with Rich clinging to his left leg. But Anderson wards off the takedown and they’re clinched again.

2.06: The pair separate.

2.03: Silva sends a spinning back kick into Franklin’s body. They’re trading. Silva clasps onto Franklin’s shoulder with his left hand and delivers right fists. They bang and clinch, with Franklin pinning Silva to the cage.

0.53: Anderson moves away from the fence before looking to sweep Rich, then attacks with consecutive knees.

0.41: Rich throws two rights and a body kick. He follows with a volley of fists and another kick, but they lack damaging sting.

0.17: Anderson delivers a spinning back-fist and a leaping knee.

0.12: He seizes Rich in a Thai clinch and catches him with a right knee and a high kick. Rich lands a straight left before Anderson puts him down via a right hook as the round ends.

Franklin leg-kicks. He throws more fists and a body kick. Silva answers with a leg kick. They trade.

4.11: Silva clinches Franklin’s neck. He fires a left knee and a right hand, dropping Franklin. Rich gets back up, but Anderson keeps pounding. He hammers Rich with more knees and gloves. Rich goes down.

This was a convincing display by Anderson Silva, but we have not seen the best of Rich Franklin, who, I believe, could change the tide with a few minor adjustments.