UFC 97: Redemption

© Marc Wickert
 www.knucklepit.com
April 18, 2009

All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges

Prior to UFC 97, it was announced Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell would be making his last appearance in the Octagon if he lost to Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua in this UFC.

Thank God for the Liddell vs. Rua match!  The Silva vs. Leites was a dud.  Judging by the crowd’s response to these two bouts, the UFC should keep The Iceman on the payroll until Fiji has another democratic election, or at least until hell freezes over.

In earlier matches:

Eliot Marshall def. Vinicius Magalhaes by unanimous decision.

Denis Kang def. Xavier Foupapokam  by unanimous decision.

Nate Quarry def. Jason MacDonald by TKO – 2.27, Round One.

Ed Herman def. David Loiseau by unanimous decision.

Mark Bocek def. David Bielkheden by RNC – 4.57, Round One.

TJ Grant def. Ryo Chonan by split decision.

The Battles

Luis Cane (6’ 2” 206 lb) vs. Steve Cantwell (6’2” 205 lb) 
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki

Round One
Steve started out throwing jabs and leg kicks.  Luis retaliated with straight punches and an uppercut.
4.30: Steve high-kicked and then attacked southpaw Luis’s lower body with kicks and targeted his upper body with a variety of punches, but Luis’s high-powered fists were backing Steve up.
3.40: They briefly clinched before breaking free as Cane peppered Cantwell with more leather.
3.15: Cantwell high-kicked and Cane attacked with Thai knees.  Cantwell worked on Cane’s abs with punches and followed with high kicks.
1.28: Luis took Steve’s lead and began driving gloves into Steve’s midsection.  Steve was unperturbed as he banged Luis’s legs with more kicks.

Round Two
Cantwell worked his jabs and tagged Cane with a right cross.  Cane answered with his own right jabs and straight left.
4.28: Cane delivered a solid body punch.
4.02: Cantwell leg-kicked and the pair continued to swap jabs.
3.30: Cane delivered a combo.
2.23: Cantwell came back with his own combo.
2.15: There was a flurry and Steve landed a right uppercut.
1.59: He caught Luis on the jaw and temple with a high kick.  Steve continued to turn the tide.  This was a good round for Cantwell.

Round Three
Cane took a high kick on the mitts.
4.14: He came back with a barrage of fists, but Cantwell wouldn’t go away.
3.00:  Cane was scoring with fists and Thai knees.
2.05: Cantwell threw a fist package and avoided Cane’s tired takedown attempt.
1.12: Cane got another power surge.  They traded strikes up to the bell.

Result: Luis Cane by unanimous decision.

Cheick Kongo (6’4” 232 lb) vs. Antonio Hardonk (6’4” 249 lb) 
– Heavyweight 
Referee: Yves Lavigne

Round One
Cheick popped out jabs and clipped Antonio with an inside leg kick.
4.49: Antonio came up short with his high kick.
4.44: Cheick leg-kicked.
4.37: Antonio returned the strike.
4.27: He inside leg-kicked, then tried to line up Cheick for something big, but Cheick stayed on his toes and spat out jabs to keep Antonio at bay.
3.42: Kongo went on the offensive after spending the early moments of this match backed up to the fence.
3.39: The pair clinched with Hardonk’s back to the cage.  Kongo kneed Hardonk’s thighs and looked for a single-leg takedown.
2.55: Yves Lavigne separated them.
2.45: Kongo caught Hardonk’s kick and used the leg to tug him down.
2.16: Yves stood them up.
1.52: They clinched after Cheick unloaded a combo.
1.25: Cheick latched onto Antonio’s left thigh in an effort to take him down.
1.01: Cheick got the takedown and fell into Antonio’s guard, then g’n’ped him up to the bell.

Round Two
4.40: Kongo unbalanced Hardonk with a perfectly timed right hand as Hardonk went for a right kick, causing him to hit the deck.
4.38: Kongo dumped a load of g’n’p on his opponent.
4.06: Hardonk closed his guard and hung in there as Kongo attacked his head and body.
2.34: Cheick was crouched over Antonio and dropping more ordnance before Yves called a ceasefire.

Result: Cheick Kongo by TKO – 2.29, Round Two.

Krzysztof Soszynski (6’1” 204 lb) vs. Brian Stann (6’1” 206 lb)
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta

Former IFL star Krzysztof opened the bout with an inside leg kicked.
4.47: They exchanged before clinching, with Brian landing solid body shots until they broke free at 4.42.  The pair danced and swapped loaded bombs.
3.52: Brian kept the inside kicks coming.
3.49: They clinched but remained busy.
3.18: They parted.
2.56: Krzysztof shot in and got the takedown.
2.39: Brian fought to get back up; however Krzysztof tugged him down and took the mount.
2.09: Stann twisted from under Soszynski and looked for a leg lock, but Soszynski shrugged it off.
2.03: Soszynski took side control.
1.41: Stann clawed his way up, only to have his opponent slam him back into the canvas and take half guard.
1.25: Krzysztof isolated Brian’s left arm for a kimura.
1.16: Brian’s arm was free; however Krzysztof reestablished a deeper hold and Brian tapped.

Result: Krzysztof  Soszynski by kimura – 3.53, Round One.

Sam Stout (5’9” 155 lb) vs. Matt Wiman (5’10” 155 lb) 
– Lightweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta

Round One
Both men were prepared to hammer it out in this showdown as they dealt each other loaded hands.
4.49: Matt leg-kicked.
4.43: Sam defended against the takedown after a brief tie-up.
4.31: Matt set off ballistic bombs, then succeeded with the takedown.  Sam pushed for the stand-up, but Matt kept him pinned to the ground by anchoring his legs.
3.49: Stout’s persistence eventually paid off as they stood clinched.
3.39: They were liberated and banging it out.
3.12: Wiman leg-kicked; however there was more foot than shin involved in the kick and he appeared to come off second best.
3.02: Wiman superman-punched with his right hand and followed with a left uppercut, then an inside leg kick.  He checked a leg kick from Stout before parking a heavy right on Stout’s jaw.
2.15: The pair clinched after Stout thwarted Wiman’s takedown attempt.
2.14: Matt locked on a guillotine and dropped to the floor before Sam popped his head out of the choke and commenced g’n’p-ing from open guard.
1.52: Sam stepped out of the clinch and they traded.
1.21: He shrugged off another takedown and spiked Matt’s midsection with a knee.  Sam was getting the better of the exchange until 0.35, when Matt took him down.
0.26: Sam was in Matt’s half guard before they stood and hammered it out for the remaining seconds.

Round Two
Stout continued to pump out precision shots and Wiman kept the ballistic loops coming.  Both men were trialing leg kicks and superman punches.
4.04: Wiman bulldozed in and Stout fell during the scuffle before Wiman took his back, only to have Stout twist into his guard.
3.02: Sam got to his feet and Matt followed.  They thrashed it out until 1.49, when Sam put Matt down with a left hook.  He crouched over Matt and dumped g’n’p.
1.31: Sam was standing and called Matt to join him, then targeted Matt’s body with kicks and punches.  Sam dominated the action towards the end of this round.

Round Three
4.21: Wiman was desperate for the takedown and latched onto Stout’s left leg.
3.50: He took Stout’s back, tugged him to the floor, and wrapped his body in an anaconda whilst looking to set up a choke.
2.44: Stout rotated in the body lock before introducing his g’n’p campaign.
1.53: Stout slipped out of Wiman’s guard and reintroduced the stand-up battle.
0.12: Sam climbed to his feet before being dumped back down by Matt.  The pair momentarily stood and banged out fists before the fight ended.

Result: Sam Stout by unanimous decision.

Mauricio Rua (6’1” 206 lb) vs. Chuck Liddell (6’2” 206 lb) 
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki

The crowd goes troppo as Shogun enters the arena, then they raise the roof as The Iceman bops down the aisle to the Octagon.  This is HUGE!  Somehow Bruce Buffer milks even more roars from the crowd.
Mario Yamasaki cuts the tape with a wave and the fight is declared open.  The crowd was standing, but now they appear to be levitating inches above the floor, not wanting to miss a glimpse of this historic event.

4.48: Mauricio dodges an inside kick.
4.41: He kicks Chuck’s lead leg, then backs away from Chuck’s left and right mitts.
4.24: Liddell waves off an incoming high kick.
4.18: He throws consecutive jabs and an overhand right.
4.10: Rua inside kicks and Liddell counters with a straight right.
3.56: Rua whips a right hook over Liddell’s head and Chuck comes back with two looping rights.  He slings a right thunderbolt and Mauricio lets another haymaker whizz over Chuck’s head.
3.52: The Iceman launches a big right and Shogun lands a kick under Chuck’s left armpit.
3.42: Mauricio takes a left and a right on the forearms, then hurls a right hand back.  This is Russian roulette, with both men detonating H-bombs.  They stand back and size each other up like they’re in a shootout from some classic western movie.
3.05: Rua right-hooks and Liddell picks him off with an overhand right.
3.02: Liddell jabs and Rua counters with a leg kick.
2.57: Liddell jabs and ducks under a right hand.
2.29: Rua takes Liddell down. Chuck climbs straight up, but Mauricio tries to lock Chuck’s right leg.
2.09: Chuck is still standing with Mauricio clinging to his back.
1.54: Liddell breaks free and throws a right elbow.
1.23: Rua shoots; Liddell sprawls and backs Rua up with blazing knuckles.  He throws an uppercut and a high kick.
0.59: Rua fires an overhand right and Liddell takes him down.
0.50: Chuck stands and lets Mauricio up.
0.36: Mauricio bangs Chuck with a powerful left and Chuck drops to the floor.

Result: Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua by TKO – 4.28, Round One.

Anderson Silva (6’2” 182 lb) vs. Thales Leites (6’1 185 lb) 
–Middleweight Title
Referee: Yves Lavigne

Boring!

Result: For the record, Anderson Silva by unanimous decision.

Coming Up

UFC 98: Redemption

May 23, 2009 at the Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas.

  Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida (Light Heavyweight Title)

Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra (Welterweight)

Chris Wilson vs. Brock Larson (Welterweight)

Andre Gusmao vs. Houston Alexander (Light Heavyweight)

James Irvin vs. Drew McFedries (Middleweight)

Yushin Okami vs. Dan Miller (Middleweight)

Sean Sherk vs. Frank Edgar (Lightweight)

Pat Barry vs. Tim Hague (Heavyweight)

Phillipe Nover vs. Kyle Bradley (Lightweight)

Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Brandon Wolff (Welterweight)

Dave Kaplan vs. George Roop (Lightweight)

For more info: www.ufc.tv.

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