UFC 85: Bedlam

Arianny

© Marc Wickert
 www.knucklepit.com
June 8, 2008
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges

 Coming Live from the O2 Arena in London, this card was always going to have trouble following up the stacked UFC 84.  But UK fans were delighted when it was announced their very own Manchester lad, Michael Bisping, would be on the bill.  And he did them proud, showcasing one of his most convincing displays to date and seizing the night.

‘The Count’ really pumped up the volume at UFC 83, and he came out every bit as determined for this show.  It’s hard to gauge how he will go against other top middleweights, such as Anderson Silva, Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson, but his supporters would probably say, by one KO at a time.

In earlier matches:
Antoni Hardonk def. Eddie Sanchez by TKO – 4.15, Round Two.
Paul Taylor def. Jess Liaudin by split decision.
Kevin Burns def. Roan Carneiro by triangle choke – 3.35, Round Two.
Matt Wiman def. Thiago Tavares by KO – 1.57, Round Two.

Martin Kampmann def. Jorge Rivera by guillotine choke – 2.44, Round One.

The Battles

Fabricio Werdum (6’4” 247 lb) vs. Brandon Vera (6’3” 228 lb) 
– Heavyweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta

4.55: Brandon inside leg-kicked.  Fabricio ducked under a left hook and they clinched, with Brandon bringing up a knee before the fighters broke free.
4.40: Brandon opted for another inside leg kick and they tied up.
4.02: Vera delivered a left elbow and Werdum replied with a left and a right hand.
3.55: They separated before tying up again at 3.45 when both men dispatched knees.
3.19: Werdum tackled Vera and dropped into his guard.
3.15: Werdum got half guard.
3.02: Vera worked Werdum back into guard.
2.35: Brandon kicked Fabricio away and the pair stood.
2.30: Brandon brought up a knee which Fabricio caught, then tried for a takedown.  Brandon avoided the tactic and Dan Miragliotta ordered Fabricio back to his feet.
2.04: Blows were traded, with Vera landing a left hand and an elbow as the combatants clinched against the cage.
1.37: Dan broke them up.
1.23: Werdum let a high kick fly before another clinch occurred.
1.01: Werdum swept Vera’s left leg and took him to the canvas.
0.45: Fabricio took half guard.
0.33: Fabricio took the mount and began g’n’p-ing.  Brandon covered up but Dan intervened.  Brandon strongly protested the fight’s stoppage.  

Result: Fabricio Werdum by TKO – 4.40, Round One.

Thales Leites (6’1” 185 lb) vs. Nate Marquardt (6’0” 185 lb) 
– Middleweight
Referee: Herb Dean

Round One
The round opened tentatively – a few hands whizzing in the breeze, but nothing too serious until 3.30, when Thales dropped Nate with a cracking right cross.
3.22: Thales took the mount.
2.45: Nate worked Thales into half guard.
2.07: Thales got side control, but Nate rolled out and sprang to his feet.
1.26: Marquardt drove a right glove into Leites’s body before they tied up against the fence.
0.48: They stood toe-to-toe.
0.37: Marquardt kicked Leites’s inner left leg and Leites answered with a spinning back-kick.
0.29: Nate ducked under a big right hook, then let fly with a flurry that included a stunning right uppercut.
0.25: Thales stumbled into the fence with Nate hot in pursuit.
0.17: They were back in toe-to-toe mode.  

Round Two
Nate came out swinging, but Thales kept coming.
4.47: They tied up.
4.06: They broke free and exchanged before clinching again.
3.57: Nate forced Thales to the ground.
3.54: He drove a big right knee into Thales’s jaw; however the strike was declared illegal by Herb Dean because Thales’s left knee was still grounded.  The ref called time out and deducted one point from Nate.  The clock was reset at 3.50.  Wild punches flew until they clinched and Marquardt swept Leites to the floor and unloaded leather.
2.46: Leites’s face was bloody and Marquardt was hell-bent on continuing the g’n’p-ing.
1.55: Marquardt was in Leites’s guard as both men sucked in air at the O2 Arena.
1.30: Marquardt got a second wind and recommenced the pounding.
0.36: Herb stood them up.
0.16: Marquardt moved in for a takedown; however it backfired and he ended up mounted by Leites.
0.10: They rolled and Leites took half guard.  

Round Three
Nate landed rights to the body and a left knee.
4.36: Thales fought back with a left hand, then a right knee that Nate caught and used to drag Thales down.
4.23: Thales went for a triangle choke shrugged off by Nate.  They scrambled and Herb took another point from Nate for hitting the back of Thales’s head.  The pair stood and banged.
2.36: They clinched and Nate took Thales down.
2.13: Nate moved into guard.
1.54: He progressed to half guard, but both men were gassed.
0.13: They stood clinched.
0.09: Nate picked Thales up and pile-drove him into the mat.  They were standing apart as the round ended.  

Result: Thales Leites by split decision.

Luiz Cane (6’2” 204 lb) vs. Jason Lambert (5’10” 205 lb) 
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Herb Dean

Jason rushed in on southpaw Luiz like a bull at a gate.
4.39: Luiz resisted a takedown attempt from Jason and they clinched against the cage.  Knuckles and knees were exchanged.
3.40: They separated and let go with fists as Jason pursued Luiz.
3.37: Cane tagged Lambert with a series of ripping lefts that put Lambert down three times.  Herb Dean blew the whistle.  

Result: Luiz Cane by TKO – 2.07, Round One.

Mike Swick (6’1” 170 lb) vs. Marcus Davis (5’10” 170 lb) 
– Welterweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki

Round One
Mike and Marcus came out dancing – Swick with a seven-inch reach advantage over his southpaw opponent.
4.53: Davis avoided a high kick and approached with arms swinging whilst looking to close the gap.
4.42: Davis leg-kicked before Swick sent up another high kick that Davis blocked.
4.24: Marcus inside leg-kicked and Mike came back with a leaping knee before the pair locked up.
4.01: Marcus swept Mike to the floor.
3.58: Mike got to his feet as Marcus slipped on a loose guillotine.  He took Mike down and Mike got half guard.
3.04: Swick briefly got side control before Davis took him into his guard.  Davis worked elbow strikes; however Mario Yamasaki warned him about targeting the back of the head.  Mario then cautioned Swick for the same offence.  Swick worked his g’n’p; some punches got through, others were muffled by Davis’s elbows.  Swick kept Davis pinned to the floor right up to the buzzer.  During the break, ‘Stitch’ worked on a cut under Davis’s left eye.  

Round Two
4.29: Marcus countered Mike’s kick with a solid left hand.
4.37: Mike dispatched consecutive high kicks.  They swapped gloves and Mike dropped Marcus with a knee to the body before unloading leather from Marcus’s guard.
3.34: Mike got half guard, then side control at 3.13.
3.08: Swick looked for the mount; however the attempt proved costly as Davis maneuvered Swick back into half guard.
2.56: Davis went for a kimura from his back.
1.58: Swick’s arm was free.
1.54: They stood and traded, then tied up, with Davis delivering a combo of right uppercuts and hooks.  Swick replied with knees.
0.41: Davis swept Swick and dropped into guard.
0.29: Mike failed with a triangle before the pair sprang to their feet.
0.21: Mike caught a right kick from Marcus and swept his left leg before pulling side control.  

Round Three
4.54: Marcus dodged a high kick.
4.48: Marcus inside leg-kicked.
4.40: Mike kneed to the body.
4.27: He unleashed another knee to Marcus’s midsection and the men briefly clinched, then parted.
4.11: Davis landed a straight right.  They traded some more, then Swick brought up a knee and Davis answered with a left hand.
2.06: Davis stopped the toe-to-toe by taking Swick down; however Swick climbed back up and they clinched.
1.42: Mario pulled up play and deducted a point from Swick for hanging onto the fence.
1.29: Mike took Marcus down and banged from guard.  Both men unloaded all they had.  

Result: Mike Swick by unanimous decision.

Michael Bisping (6’2” 184 lb) vs. Jason Day (6’1” 184 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta

Day takes this fight on short notice, so he probably isn’t at peak performance, but Bisping is in good enough shape for both men.
4.53: They’re throwing lightning-bolt jabs.
4.48: Jason leg-kicks.
4.38: Jason body-punches.  They’re hurling knuckles.
4.20: Jason leg-kicks.
4.06: Michael catches Jason’s left kick and delivers his own kick to Jason’s right leg.
3.59: Day counters Bisping’s kick with leather, and they clinch as Bisping unloads knees.
3.25: Bisping outmuscles Day in the clinch and sweeps him to the carpet.  Bisping stands and dumps knuckles on the downed Day.
2.41: Bisping falls into side control.
2.18: Day turns and scrambles to his feet.
2.12: Michael takes Jason back down and grabs side control, then moves from half guard to the mount.  Jason rolls and Michael takes his back and hammers away.
1.29: Jason switches to damage control – trying to cover up.  But Michael is unrelenting.  Dan Miragliotta waves goodnight.  

Result: Michael Bisping by TKO – 3.42, Round One.

Thiago Alves (5’9” 174 lb) vs. Matt Hughes (5’9” 170 lb) 
– Catchweight
Referee: Herb Dean

Alves failed to meet the welterweight requirement at yesterday’s weigh-in, so the bout is fought at a catchweight of 175lbs.

Round One
Hughes shapes up as a southpaw – a stance he adopted in UFC 79.
4.39: Hughes shoots for Alves’s left leg, but Alves resists the attempt.  Hughes is firing off right jabs like one of the swashbuckling Three Musketeers. 
4.10: He dives for Alves’s leg and Alves palms him off, then brings up a knee as they clinch.
4.04: Matt forces Thiago against the fence and pulls guard, determined to fight this battle on the ground.
3.41: Thiago kneels in Matt’s guard, rains down punches, then stands back up.
3.35: They’re facing off toe-to-toe.
3.21: Thiago drives a knee into Matt’s solar plexus, but Matt latches onto Thiago’s right leg and pulls him down.  Matt momentarily takes side control before Thiago has Matt in half guard.
2.34: Thiago tugs Matt into full guard.
2.19: Hughes is back in half guard.
0.33: Alves climbs up with Hughes clinging to him.
0.21: Alves breaks free.  Hughes comes after him, but is swung onto his back as Alves falls into guard.  

Round Two
4.51: Matt throws a distracting right hand, then zones in on Thiago’s right leg.  However Thiago is prepared for the shoot and parks his right knee in Matt’s face.  Matt falls and Thiago takes half guard, then Matt pulls him into full guard.
4.31: Thiago works his way back into half guard.
4.07: There’s claret on Matt’s face that appears to be coming from the bridge of his nose.
4.05: They’re standing, with Matt looking to shoot.
4.02: Thiago floors Matt with a flying left knee.  Thiago then seals the deal with a right H-bomb.  Herb Dean signals a wipeout.
After the fight, Matt Hughes says, “I’ve got one more fight in me.”  He wants to settle a score with Matt Serra.  With an MMA record now at 43-7, Hughes is still the most successful welterweight in history, and the fans deserve to see this living legend in action again before he heads back to the farm.  

Result: Thiago Alves by TKO – 1.02, Round Two.

 Edith

 Coming Up

UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin:

July 5, 2008, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas.

Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin (Light Heavyweight Championship)

Patrick Cote vs. Ricardo Almeida (Light Heavyweight)

Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau (Lightweight)

Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle (Welterweight)

Tyson Griffin vs. Marcus Aurelio (Lightweight)

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Justin McCully (Heavyweight)

Jorge Gurgel vs. Cole Miller (Middleweight)

Melvin Gullard vs. Dennis Siver (Lightweight)

Corey Hill vs. Justin Buchholz (Lightweight)

For more info: www.ufc.tv.  

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