UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar

© Marc Wickert 
www.knucklepit.com
November 30, 2008
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges

Live from the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas on November 15, 2008, UFC 91 was all action.

In earlier matches:
Aaron Riley def. Jorge Gurgel by unanimous decision.
Mark Bocek def. Alvin Robinson by RNC – 3.16, Round Three.

The Battles

Demian Maia (6’0” 185 lb) vs. Nate Quarry (6’0” 185 lb) 
– Middleweight
Referee: Herb Dean

4.48: Southpaw Demian came after Nate and tried to take him down with a shoot; Nate sprawled over the top of Demian; they struggled and Demian wound up in half guard.
4.11: Maia took the mount.
4.05: Quarry rolled and surrendered his back.  Maia took it, then wrapped Quarry in an anaconda.  Nate was unable to find the escape hatch as Demian applied a rear naked choke.  Nate tapped.

Result: Demian Maia by RNC – 2.13, Round One.

Gabriel Gonzaga (6’2” 256 lb) vs. Josh Hendricks (6’2” 238 lb) 
– Heavyweight 
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti

Gabriel Gonzaga had never gone the distance in a fight prior to this one, and it was unlikely things were about to change.
Bruce Buffer did his Quick Draw McGraw intro as Josh paced up and down his corner of the Octagon and Gabriel pulled a face at the cameraman.  They touched gloves and immediately Josh attempted to lock onto Gabriel’s torso; however Gabriel was able to shove him away.
4.48: They traded mitts and knees; Hendricks threw uppercuts after clinching and Gonzaga delivered a knee to the body.
4.05: Gonzaga’s knees were taking their toll on Hendricks.
4.03: He tagged Josh with a right hook to the jaw and Josh hit the deck.
Both men put on a great car-park scrap.

Result: Gabriel Gonzaga by TKO – 1.01, Round One.

Matt Brown (6’0” 170 lb) vs. Ryan Thomas (6’0” 170 lb) 
– Welterweight
Referee: Herb Dean

Round One
Ryan dispatched kicks to the legs and body.
4.50: Matt retaliated with fast hands and Ryan dropped and looked for the tackle.
4.34: They clinched, then fought for dominance before Ryan took side control.
4.09: Matt managed to stand in the clinch.
3.50: Thomas got the underhooks in and took Brown down.  He applied g’n’p before Brown stood again in the clinch.
2.34: Thomas took Brown down and dropped into his guard.  What a hectic pace!
2.17: Ryan g’n’ped until Matt went for the arm bar.
1.52: Ryan hung tough and warded off the submission attempt.
1.43: Ryan had side control, then half guard.
1.27: He was in Matt’s guard.
0.59: They scrambled and Matt fell into Ryan’s guard.
0.31: Brown stood and Thomas latched onto his left leg before tugging him back down.
0.22: Brown went for a guillotine that Thomas easily escaped.  Thomas hammered from Brown’s guard and Brown returned fire from below.  Herb Dean broke up the party and the round closed after five minutes of non-stop action.

Round Two
They swapped blows before Ryan failed with a shoot.
4.43: Matt wanted to slug it out; however Ryan opted for the takedown which he got before dropping into guard.
4.31: Matt looked to line up an arm bar; Ryan picked Matt up and pile-drove him into the canvas.  But the hold was still on tight: Ryan had no option but to tap.

Result: Matt Brown by arm bar – 0.57, Round Two.

Dustin Hazelett (6’1” 170 lb) vs. Tamdan McCrory (6’4” 170 lb) 
– Welterweight
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti

Tamdan jabbed away to get things rolling before looking to overpower Dustin with rapid-fire lefts and rights.
4.40: Dustin let go with a body kick.  They swapped kicks and Dustin put Tamdan down before rushing in as Tamdan climbed to his feet.  Hazelett leaped in with a flying knee that McCrory avoided.
4.04: The trading continued and Hazelett banged a leg kick into McCrory’s lead thigh.
3.57: Tamdan detonated a high kick.
3.28: He was working his jabs and dispatched a leg kick.
3.06: Tamdan leg-kicked.
2.31: They dueled some more and McCrory landed another leg kick.
2.22: Dustin let rip with a high kick that screamed over Tamdan’s head; Tamdan tackled the leg and Dustin applied an uma-plata.  McCrory survived the submission attempt only to fall victim to Hazelett’s arm bar.  Tamdan tapped.

Result: Dustin Hazelett by arm bar – 3.59, Round One.

Jeremy Stephens (5’9” 155 lb) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (5’9” 155 lb) 
– Lightweight
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti

Round One
Rafael faced off in southpaw stance; Jeremy stood in orthodox.
4.42: Rafael threw an overhand left.
4.34: He inside leg-kicked.
4.25: Jeremy let fly with a left and a right hand, followed by a high kick.
4.09: Jeremy leg-kicked.
4.04: Rafael shot for Jeremy’s legs; Jeremy sprawled and they clinched against the cage.
3.19: Rafael had hold of Jeremy’s left leg and got the takedown.
3.15: Stephens climbed to his feet with dos Anjos clinging to his back.
3.05: Rafael heaved Jeremy up and dumped him on the canvas whilst still clinging to Jeremy’s back and began pounding.
2.20: Stephens had dos Anjos in open guard.
2.18: Rafael got half guard.
2.00: Stephens nullified dos Anjos’s attack with a guillotine.
1.45: Rafael’s head popped out.
1.32: Rafael took side control, then north/south position, before maneuvering back to side control.  They scrambled for dominance and by 0.22 dos Anjos repossessed Stephens’s back.  This was a good round for dos Anjos.

Round Two
4.38: Stephens blocked a high kick from dos Anjos.  They were banging it out and Stephens drove a charged knee into dos Anjos’s midsection.
3.33: Rafael let fly with a superman punch.
3.30: Stephens wanted to keep it standing; however dos Anjos favored the ground game and shot for Stephens’s legs.  Stephens sprawled with his back to the wires before being lifted in the clinch and driven into the floor.
2.55: Rafael had Jeremy’s back and was thumping; Jeremy turtled up.
2.15: Rafael wrapped on an anaconda whilst trying to soften Jeremy for an RNC.
1.47: The anaconda was off and Stephens turned to face his opponent as dos Anjos searched for an arm bar.
1.33: Jeremy progressed to Rafael’s guard.
1.12: Jeremy got half guard and was raining down elbows and fists.
0.55: Jeremy was in guard.  They stayed in this position up to the bell.

Round Three
Rafael danced and Jeremy was in pursuit.
4.31: Jeremy blocked a high kick.
4.27: Rafael blocked a right hook; Jeremy followed with a humdinger of a right uppercut.
Steve Mazzagatti rushed in to call it a night.

Result: Jeremy Stephens by KO – 0.39, Round Three.

Kenny Florian (5’10 156 lb) vs. Joe Stevenson (5’7” 156 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Herb Dean

Southpaw Kenny Florian adopts a hit’n’run policy – jabbing with his right lead and kicking with his left leg.  His speed and evasion are providing a sniper-like ability.
4.27: They trade and Kenny throws a high kick.
4.24: He parks his knee in Joe’s solar plexus.
4.20: Joe takes a high front kick on the gloves.
4.12: He has Florian running.
4.04: Stevenson latches onto Florian’s right leg.
3.47: He rolls Florian to the floor, but Kenny springs to his feet and they’re clinched.  Joe is putting everything into taking Kenny down.
3.11: Stevenson heaves Florian into the air; Kenny grabs the fence momentarily; however it doesn’t stop the takedown.
3.06: Florian climbs up and they’re entangled, with Kenny’s back to the cage.
2.48: They’re toe-to-toe.  Florian jabs as he circles.
2.17: He throws up a high kick.
2.08: They’re banging away as Stevenson drives a right hand into Florian’s midsection, then Joe dispatches an uppercut.
2.00: Kenny slams Joe into the mats and commences a g’n’p campaign as Joe fights from his back.
1.24: Kenny gets the mount and pounds some more.
1.16: Joe surrenders his back, so Kenny locks on an RNC.  Joe taps.

Result: Kenny Florian by RNC – 4.03, Round One.

Brock Lesnar (6’3” 265 lb) vs. Randy Couture (6’2” 220 lb) 
– Heavyweight Title
Referee: Mario Yamasaki

Round One
They touch gloves.  There’s a tie-up and Brock throws knees to the body, but Randy shoves him into the fence.
4.37: Brock drives a big knee into Randy’s body.
4.19: He attacks Randy’s thighs with knees.
4.07: Lesnar pushes Couture into the fence.  They break free as Lesnar unloads a right hook and Couture answers with a right elbow.
3.22: Brock shoots in; Randy is standing on his right leg whilst Brock tugs on the other.
2.57: Lesnar gets the takedown and falls into half guard.  He attempts mounting Couture; they roll and Lesnar is back in half guard with Couture against the cage.  Brock tries to pin Randy’s right arm down by kneeling on it, but Randy’s too crafty and has them back standing.
0.51: Couture has Lesnar against the cage and looks for a left-leg takedown.  But Lesnar grabs the fence to prevent it from happening.
0.14: Incredibly, Randy lifts Brock into the air and Brock reaches out for the fence to steady himself, but does not actually grab onto the cage this time.  The round ends with the pair in a clinch.
In their corners, both men listen attentively to their trainers – neither fighter looks like he has the game sown up.

Round Two
They come out blasting.  Randy keeps coming after Brock; however Lesnar catches Couture with a powerful right elbow.  Randy is clearly rattled by the blow, so he rushes in to close the gap.  Randy has the heart of a lion and amazingly forces Brock’s back against the cage.
4.20: Whilst in the clinch, Lesnar leans his head to his right to see what’s available, and discovers Couture has a knee waiting for him.
3.53: Brock catches Randy with a knee; Randy retaliates with a right hook.  They stand and bang it out.
3.19: Brock wipes a cut above his right eye.
3.16: He shoots for Randy; Randy sprawls and pushes Brock into the fence.
3.04: Couture attempts a double-leg takedown; Lesnar resists.  There’s more blood over Lesnar’s right eye and he seems to be struggling for air as Couture continues to work him against the cage.
2.14: Randy drives a knee into Brock’s body, but Brock returns the strike with more force.
2.11:  They face off at center ring.  Brock clips Randy with a right fist to the temple and finishes him off with g’n’p.

Result: Brock Lesnar by TKO – 3.07, Round Two.

For more info: www.ufc.tv.

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