UFC 102:
Couture vs. Nogueira

All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges

In Earlier Matches

Gabriel Gonzaga def. Chris Tuchscherer by TKO – 2.27, Round One.
Mike Russow def. Justin McCully by unanimous decision.
Mark Munoz def. Nick Catone by split decision.
Evan Dunham def. Marcus Aurelio by split decision.

The Battles

Todd Duffee (6’ 3” 251 lb) vs. Tim Hague (6’4” 263.5 lb)
– Heavyweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki

Tim held his wings out and exposed his jaw. Todd parked a jab on the button and it was game, set, and match to Duffee after some clinical g’n’p-ing. Joe Rogan informed Todd that he had created a UFC record for the Octagon’s fastest victory.

Result: Todd Duffee by KO – 0.07, Round One.

Brandon Vera (6’3” 205 lb) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (6’1” 205 lb)
–Light Heavyweight
Referee: Herb Dean

Round One
They immediately let loose with hammers.
4.52: Brandon rammed his left knee into Krzysztof’s midsection and seemed to take the wind out of Krzysztof’s sails. Both southpaws were up close and personal, but Krzysztof now appeared more cautious.
3.58: Vera delivered a right knee to Soszynski’s body.
3.21: Vera switched to orthodox and tagged Soszynski with a cross kick to the knee.
3.12: They exchanged before clinching.
2.30: The pair broke free. Soszynski kept coming, but Vera made him pay for his aggression by countering with leg kicks and well-timed punches.
1.49: Krzysztof took a high kick on his mitts; however Brandon’s leg kick got through.
1.28: They tied up.
0.35: They separated.
0.16: Krzysztof shot for Brandon’s legs; Brandon sprawled and the pair exchanged up to the bell.

Round Two
4.47: Vera struck with an inside kick and a left hook, then dispatched a right body punch.
4.25: Soszynski chalked up a fist combo.
4.19: He forced the elusive Vera against the cage and they traded knees from the clinch.
3.46: They separated.
3.40: Vera forced Soszynski into the cage.
3.14: They broke free.
2.46: Krzysztof rushed forwards, but Brandon sidestepped his approach.
2.38: Brandon notched up another leg kick.
2.22: Krzysztof cornered Brandon before Herb Dean pulled up play to allow Brandon to refit his mouthguard.
2.00: They tied up and Soszynski bulldozed Vera into the fence in an attempt to take him down.
1.42: Vera broke free.
1.29: Soszynski attempted a takedown, but Vera clawed his way back up and they fought from the clinch until the hooter blew.

Round Three
Dan Henderson psyched up Krzysztof between rounds.
4.39: Brandon tested a spinning back-kick that Krzysztof easily avoided.
4.08: Krzysztof had Brandon tied up against the wires. He clung to the back of Brandon’s thighs for a double-leg takedown and Brandon looked for a kimura.
3.48: Both attempts failed before the pair broke free.
3.06: Brandon pressed Krzysztof into the cage.
2.46: Vera took Soszynski down and fought from half guard.
2.12: Soszynski climbed up with Vera on his back.
1.58: Soszynski copped one in the catcher’s mitt and Herb Dean called time out. The clock was reset at 1.52 as both men banged it out.
0.26: Brandon body-kicked and followed with a crosskick. They thrashed it out till the round’s end.

Result: Brandon Vera by unanimous decision.

Nate Marquardt (6’0” 185 lb) vs. Demian Maia (6’0” 185 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Dave Hagen

They faced off with Nate in orthodox and Demian in southpaw.
4.59: Nate dodged Demian’s leg kick, then took a high kick on the gloves.
4.44: Demian closed in and Nate parked a cracking right on his dial. Over and out.

Result: Nate Marquardt by KO – 0.21, Round One.

Jake Rosholt (6’ 1” 185 lb) vs. Chris Leben (5’11” 185 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Yves Lavigne

Round One
Southpaw Chris circled the perimeter as Jake assumed post at center ring.
4.41: Jake inside kicked.
4.09: He avoided Chris’s high kick and replied with an inside kick as Chris took center ring and now had Jake circling. Leben continued to lash out kicks – some were landing whilst others missed their mark, but all were preventing the wrestler from shooting in.
3.00: Rosholt landed a right cross and an inside kick.
2.53: He came in with a leaping knee; however Leben used the attack to latch on and take Rosholt down before moving into his guard.
1.57: They climbed to their feet after Leben dusted his opponent with g’n’p.
1.53: Chris took a high kick on the mitts.
1.37: He resumed the leg kicking.
1.08: They clinched and Jake took Chris down.
0.39: Jake caught Chris with a knee as the pair stood up.
The first five ended with Chris detonating a salvo of ballistic punches.

Round Two
4.49: They came out blazing; Rosholt advanced with a right and a left hand, then a high kick; Leben countered with a left fist that downed Rosholt before Leben rushed into half guard.
3.59: Jake forced Chris back into full guard and remained active from below as Chris g’n’ped from above.
2.38: Yves Lavigne stood them up.
1.44: Chris connected with a high kick, followed by a stiff left hand before the pair clinched.
1.13: They broke free.
1.07: Rosholt threw distracting fists to set up his takedown, then achieved half guard.
0.12: He let Leben back up. Leben closed the second five with more haymakers.

Round Three
4.36: Jake caught Chris’s low kick and took him to the mats.
3.58: Jake progressed from half guard to mount before Chris rolled and surrendered his back.
3.39: They scrambled until Jake wrapped Chris in an arm triangle, which Chris was unable to escape.
This was a great display by both men.

Result: Jake Rosholt by arm triangle – 1.30, Round Three.

Thiago Silva (6’ 1” 205 lb) vs. Keith Jardine (6’2” 205 lb)
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Herb Dean

They opened the fight in orthodox stance.
4.50: Keith banged out a cracker leg kick before momentarily switching to southpaw.
4.34: Thiago showed he had fire in his jabs.
4.29: Keith came back with a combo.
4.26: Thiago swept up Keith’s kick and used it to take him down.
3.58: They climbed to their feet after a brief scramble on the mats.
3.31: Silva floored Jardine with a sharp left hook, then stood over him and unleashed g’n’p until Herb Dean stepped in.

Result: Thiago Silva by KO – 1.35, Round One.

Aaron Simpson (6’ 0” 185 lb) vs. Ed Herman (6’2” 185 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Yves Lavigne

Round One
They exchanged jabs and some lightning combos from orthodox stance.
4.21: Ed tried a high kick to shake up the mix.
4.06: Aaron scored with a shoot and stood over the downed Ed who was trialing his upkicks.
3.55: Ed climbed back up but wore some heavy blows in the process before Aaron slammed him back down. Ed continued his upkicks from the floor, whilst Aaron stood and rained down blows.
2.25: They were both standing after Herman struck Simpson with successive upkicks.
1.51: Simpson walked into a series of strikes before he put Herman down with a powerful right hand.
1.22: Simpson administered damaging g’n’p until Herman pulled him into guard.
0.54: They were both standing.
0.38: Aaron landed another solid right hand, then shot in and took Ed to the floor for more panel beating. Ed got back up seconds before the hooter sounded, but his left knee was cactus from the last scramble.

Round Two
Herman bravely agreed to resume play.
4.48: He attempted a body kick that Simpson caught and used to take Herman down. Yves Lavigne saw Herman wince in pain and called the game off.

Result: Aaron Simpson by TKO – 0.17, Round Two.

Antonio Nogueira (6’3” 231 lb) vs. Randy Couture (6’2” 220 lb)
–Heavyweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki

Round One
Brock Lesnar watches on as Mario Yamasaki calls Randy and Antonio to center ring and the crowd goes troppo.
4.52: Randy seems to be getting the better of their knuckle shootout.
4.50: Antonio ducks under Randy’s left hook and hugs his body, but Randy pushes him away.
4.23: Antonio lands left and right hands.
4.17: Randy tags Antonio with a right hook; they exchange and Antonio drops to the floor whilst trying to bring Randy down, but Randy avoids the attempt.
3.50: They clinch and exchange.
3.39: They separate.
3.22: Couture slips in a right hand and they clinch again.
3.13: They part.
3.03: The pair exchange and Nogueira knocks Couture to the floor with a right hand. He fits Couture with a darse choke and it looks like curtains for Couture, but somehow “The Natural” switches to “The Supernatural” and escapes the submission before springing to his feet at 2.28.
2.04: Nogueira leg kicks.
1.58: They exchange.
1.48: Randy leg kicks; he scores with a right and a left, and Antonio unloads body punches.
1.27: Randy sneaks a jab through Antonio’s guard. They slug it out, then clinch as Randy forces Antonio’s back into the fence.
0.16: Both men are sucking up air.
What a brilliant main event!

Round Two
4.47: Couture throws jabs and follows with a right uppercut.
4.40: He inside kicks.
4.36: Nogueira stuns Couture with a left hook and wraps on a guillotine; however Couture easily shrugs it off and drops into Nogueira’s guard.
3.09: Antonio rolls Randy over after sustaining some g’n’p from The Natural, then mounts him.
2.48: Randy twists and turns underneath before moving Antonio into half guard.
2.11: Antonio’s leg is free and he’s pursuing an arm triangle from the mount. Randy blocks the submission with his left elbow and is delivering punches with his right arm.
1.15: Randy takes Antonio back into half guard and is shutting down a lot of Antonio’s offensive.
1.05: The pair stands after a sudden scramble. The crowd’s roar is deafening.
0.28: Couture tags Nogueira with a crisp jab after being on the receiving end of Nogueira’s precision punches. Couture follows with a left hook.
0.20: Nogueira knees Couture’s right leg.
0.12: Nogueira inside kicks. They slug it out up to the bell.
Two of MMA’s greatest have battled it out for 10 minutes and this fight is everything fans could wish for. Amazing!

Round Three
4.49: Randy leg kicks.
4.48: He throws a combo; however Antonio keeps coming and unloads his own combo.
4.26: Antonio catches Randy with a right thunderbolt and g’n’ps the downed Couture.
3.38: Nogueira has Couture pressed against the cage and is thumping from side control.
2.14: Couture surrenders his back in an attempt to get back to his feet.
2.00: Nogueira clings to Couture’s back but Randy stalemates his opponent’s attack by gripping Antonio’s left wrist with both hands.
1.24: Randy rolls Antonio and g’n’ps from Antonio’s guard.
0.40: Couture digs his left elbow into Nogueira’s face, before Nogueira tumbles Couture as the hooter pulls up play on a bout that shoots straight into the history books.
How could anyone not love these two warriors!

Result: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira by unanimous decision.