UFC 101: Declaration

All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges

In Earlier Matches

John Howard def. Tamdan McCrory by split decision.

Alessio Sakara def. Thales Leites by split decision.

Matthew Riddle def. Dan Cramer by unanimous decision.

Georges Sotiropoulos def. George Roop by kimura – 1.59, Round Two.

Jesse Lennox def. Danillo Villefort by TKO – 3.37, Round Three.

The Battles

Kurt Pellegrino (5’ 8” 154.5 lb) vs. Josh Neer (5’11” 155.5 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta

Round One
Both fighters faced off in orthodox stance; Josh taking center stage and Kurt circling as they exchanged leather whilst feeling each other out.
4.37: Josh high-kicked.
4.33: Kurt seized Josh’s right leg, hoisted him up and slammed him into the canvas.
4.00: Kurt took half guard.
3.44: Neer pushed Pellegrino into full guard before Pellegrino rained down punches as Neer elbowed from below.
2.41: Neer attempted an arm bar; however Pellegrino picked him up and dropped him headfirst into the floor, causing Neer to release the hold.
2.20: They scrambled before Pellegrino returned to Neer’s guard.
1.40: Kurt got half guard only to have Josh force him back into guard at 1.26. Kurt worked to improve his position whilst throwing punches, and Josh looked for submissions from below.
0.49: Kurt reclaimed half guard while both men continued to be generous with their elbow strikes.

Round Two
Neer pumped out jabs, then chalked up a leg kick and a right punch at 4.39, and he appeared to get the upper hand in the toe-to-toe.
4.10: Neer warded off Pellegrino’s takedown attempt.
4.05: Pellegrino scored with a fist volley and eventually tugged Neer to the ground. Neer held Pellegrino in guard and stayed active with elbow strikes from below.
1.47: Kurt foiled another arm bar attempt.
1.01: He mounted Josh.
0.47: Josh rolled and surrendered his back, but Kurt was unable to capitalize on the situation before the hooter blew.

Round Three
They exchanged kicks and fists until 4.26, when Kurt took Josh down.
3.07: Pellegrino g’n’ped from half guard before Neer forced him into guard.
0.41: Pellegrino briefly got the mount and looked to take Neer’s back; however the maneuver backfired and Neer wound up on top.
0.19: Josh stood and drove elbows into Kurt’s noggin moments before the hooter sounded.

Result: Kurt Pellegrino by unanimous decision.

Ricardo Almeida (6’0” 185 lb) vs. Kendall Grove (6’6” 185.5 lb)
–Middleweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki

Round One
Ricardo made no bones about wanting to fight this on the mats, and at 4.50 he was already clinching and chasing a takedown.
4.31: Kendall had his back to the fence and looked for a Thai clinch; however Ricardo stayed glued to Kendall’s chest and prevented him from bring up knees.
3.24: Grove broke free.
3.10: Almeida caught Grove with a solid right.
2.46: Almeida caught Grove’s kick and clinched.
1.48: He swept Grove’s left leg before falling into guard.
1.08: Almeida took half guard.
0.54: He had Grove’s back.
0.36: Grove stood in the clinch.
0.19: Almeida picked up Grove and potato-sacked him into the ground.

Round Two
Kendall jabbed in an attempt to keep Ricardo at bay, but Renzo Gracie’s disciple moved in with a right before taking Kendall down at 4.45.
4.15: Kendall sunk in a deep arm bar, only to have Ricardo shrug it off and pound from Kendall’s guard.
1.13: Grove scrambled to his feet as Almeida clung to him.
0.36: Grove scored with a right uppercut and a knee, while Almeida notched up another takedown before the round ended.

Round Three
Kendall jabbed and Ricardo inside leg-kicked.
4.38: Ricardo leg-kicked.
4.28: He caught Kendall’s kick and took him to the mats.
4.18: Kendall climbed to his feet in the clinch.
3.47: Kendall broke free.
3.32: Ricardo dropped to the floor but was ordered up by Mario Yamasaki after Kendall declined the invitation to go horizontal.
2.59: Almeida clinched.
2.32: Grove delivered a knee as they broke free.
2.20: Almeida took Grove back down and g’n’ped from guard.
0.24: Grove stood up and they fought from the tie-up.
Was this a replay of the previous bout?

Result: Ricardo Almeida by unanimous decision.

Johny Hendricks (5’9” 171 lb) vs. Amir Sadollah (5’11” 166.5 lb)
– Welterweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta

Johny stood orthodox and Amir adopted a southpaw stance. Amir leg-kicked and threw right and left hands before blocking an incoming high kick.
4.45: He leg-kicked again, then front-kicked and closed in with a fist combo.
4.38: Johny retaliated with left uppercuts that dropped Amir. Johny followed up with fists and Amir began climbing back up; however the fight was stopped by Dan Miragliotta. The crowd wasn’t happy, but Dan was closer to the action.

Result: Johny Hendricks by TKO – 0.29, Round One.

Aaron Riley (5’ 8” 154 lb) vs. Shane Nelson (5’9” 156 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Kevin Mulhall

Round One
This was a battle of the southpaws.
4.43: Aaron picked Shane off with a crisp left prior to their clinching and exchanging body shots.
4.32: They separated and traded before clinching again at 3.50.
3.09: They broke free and continued the toe-to-toe.
2.32: Shane scooped up Aaron’s kick and put him down before they resumed the stand-up.
0.37: Riley avoided the takedown whilst both men stayed busy; however Riley appeared to be pushing the action harder.

Round Two
Play resumed with Riley firing a ballistic kick that skimmed over Nelson’s head and Nelson replied with a powerful knee.
The format remained pretty much the same, with the pair going back and forth from toe-to-toe to clinching.
2.04: Aaron swept Shane from the tie-up, then forced Shane against the cage and g’n’ped.
0.41: Kevin Mulhall recommenced the vertical battle.
0.01: Aaron swept Shane to the floor.

Round Three
Riley kicked off aggressively and maintained dominance over Nelson that was taking its toll on his gas tank.
3.31: Nelson went down from the tie-up, and Riley g’n’ped from his guard.
The audience roared, but the response was due to a brawl in the crowd. Renzo Gracie was in attendance on the night and probably repeated his famous line, “Any fight’s a good fight.”

Result: Aaron Riley by unanimous decision.

Anderson Silva (6’ 2” 205 lb) vs. Forrest Griffin (6’3” 205 lb)
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Kevin Mulhall

Prior to this showdown, Anderson Silva told UFC, “Finally, they put an opponent in there that’s not going to run from the fight.” Anderson’s last two bouts were duds, but in fairness to him, his opponents were just not in his class. Who is! And as Silva is not a bully, he gets no satisfaction in whooping guys who come in like lambs to the slaughter.

Tonight Anderson has moved up a weight class in search of a tougher adversary. Bruce Buffer introduces Forrest Griffin and the crowd goes bananas. They know Anderson will now be challenged one of the hardest men ever to step in the Octagon. Bruce then hollers Anderson’s name and UFC Middleweight Champion rolls his eyes and pulls a comical face in response to the crowd’s mixed feelings. This man is cooler than Arctic iced tea.

Kevin Mulhall lays down the law and Anderson respectfully bows to Forrest.
Forrest assumes center position as Anderson circles.
4.40: Anderson avoids Forrest’s high kick.
4.26: He avoids Forrest’s leg kick.
4.00: Silva does his customary switch from southpaw to orthodox.
3.58: He catches Griffin’s kick and flicks him to the floor before Griffin springs back up for duty.
3.40: Griffin inside-kicks and Silva warns him to watch his fingers when striking to the face. Kevin Mulhall reiterates the call.
3.20: Silva avoids a high kick, then changes stance again like it’s nighttime in the switching yard. He closes in whilst bobbing and weaving around Griffin’s defensive strikes.
3.08: Anderson drops Forrest with a right hook, Forrest bounces back up, and they trade gloves.
2.35: Anderson bangs his mitts together and calls for Forrest to turn up the heat. Unbelievably, Forrest is the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Anderson has adopted a teacher/student relationship with him.
Forrest is slinging bombs and Anderson has his hands down by his thighs and is taunting Forrest to throw his best shot.
2.17: Silva knocks Griffin down with a short, sharp right. He steps back before inviting Griffin to resume the stand-up exhibition. Griffin unloads more shots at his untouchable instructor. Silva back peddles and ends the lesson with a right hand.
This was an incredible display of cagemanship by Anderson Silva.

Result: Anderson Silva by KO – 3.23, Round One.

BJ Penn (5’ 9” 155 lb) vs. Kenny Florian (5’10” 155 lb)
– Lightweight Title
Referee: Dan Miragliotta

Round One
4.46: Southpaw Kenny ignites a left-foot skyrocket and BJ diffuses it with his guard.
4.38: Kenny kicks again; BJ catches the kick and counters with a right hand that puts Kenny down before he spring rolls up, and they fight from the clinch.
4.21: Penn slams in a vicious elbow as they break free.
4.02: Florian pops out a lightning jab. Both men are on their toes like cougars on a hot tin roof.
3.51: They tie up at center ring; Penn knees to the body and exchanges punches with Florian who then lands a solid elbow.
3.33: They part.
3.04: BJ hunts down Kenny before they entangle and practice close-quarter combat against the cage.
2.00: They cut loose.
1.48: Kenny ties BJ up again: His strategy seems to be to wear the Hawaiian down and avoid his initial strikes whilst testing his cardio. Kenny looks for the takedown, but BJ’s having none of it.
1.26: Penn gets loose and Florian takes center ring.
0.53: Florian shoots in and Penn sprawls.
0.22: Penn retakes his post at center ring.
0.14: Penn ducks under Florian’s left punch and tags him with an overhand right that wobbles Florian, then Penn flies in with consecutive knees.

Round Two
They probe with their lead hands when Kenny slaps out a leg kick.
4.33: He tries another one; however BJ is expecting it and counters with a right cross.
4.28: Kenny ties BJ up and forces him into the fence.
3.54: They’re liberated.
3.15: BJ resists another takedown.
2.16: Kenny front-kicks, then trials a superman punch; BJ dodges it and clips Kenny with a rabbit killer.
1.43: Florian snatches Penn’s left leg, but Penn thwarts the takedown.
1.13: Penn scores with an uppercut and a left hook.
0.53: Florian’s high kick whizzes over Penn’s head.
0.25: Florian leg-kicks.
0.02: And again.

Round Three
They test the waters until 4.04, before becoming entangled.
3.22: Kenny goes low and looks for the takedown whilst pushing BJ into the fence.
2.35: They break free as BJ delivers a right uppercut and Kenny throws a right elbow. BJ’s counterpunches are as sharp as hound’s-tooth, and he seems to make Kenny pay for his leg kicks and punches.
1.35: Florian attempts another single-leg takedown, which forces the clinch.
1.19: Penn knees to the body and right-hooks.
0.52: Florian ties it up before Penn shoots off a combo.

Round Four
4.41: A determined Florian takes center stage.
4.41: Penn dodges the incoming Florian and hurls fists as Kenny replies with knees.
4.22: Kenny pushes BJ into the cage.
3.51: BJ explodes before picking Kenny up and dumping him on his back, then attacks from half guard.
1.55: BJ takes the mount; Kenny rolls and BJ snaps up his back.
1.15: BJ ankle-chops Kenny’s midsection before locking in the RNC.