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By Jaime Feal
Jon Jones passed the Lyoto Machida test to continue his reign as light heavyweight king. Likely clinching MMA Fighter of the Year with the win, Jones has a limitless future in the sport. Still only 24 years old, Jones may have not reached his full potential, which is downright scary.
Featherweight Division (145 lbs.):
Mark “The Machine” Hominick (20-9, 1-1 UFC) vs. Chan Sung Jung (11-3, 1-0 UFC)
Round 1:
Hominick comes out and misses with a wild left hook, and “The Korean Zombie” immediately counters him with a nasty short straight right. Hominick falls to his back and Jung pounces with punches. Referee Herb Dean rushes in to save Hominick, and it was a good stoppage as Hominick was about to have his lights turned out. Unbelievable upset and lightning fast knockout. Jung ties the record for fastest KO in UFC history.
“The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung wins by TKO at :07 of Round 1.
Welterweight Division (170 lbs.):
Claude “The Prince” Patrick (14-1, 3-0 UFC) vs. Brian “Bad Boy” Ebersole (48-14-1, 2-0 UFC)
Round 1:
The welterweights touch gloves to begin the bout. Ebersole comes out in southpaw stance and throws a lead straight left that misses. The fighters circle and Ebersole shoots for a single, but is stuffed by Patrick. The fighters clinch and Ebersole slowly walks Patrick to the cage. Patrick works back to the center of the cage with the fighters still clinched up and trading knees. Now it is Ebersole with his back to the cage. Good knee by Patrick temporarily doubles Ebersole over. Patrick drops down for one of his patented guillotine chokes and locks it in while pulling guard. Ebersole’s face is turning red but he is not going to tap and pops his head out. The fighters stand up with less than two minutes to go in the opening round. Patrick lands a nice knee and left hand. Ebersole presses forward and lands a hard body shot, then clinches Patrick looking for a takedown. “The Prince” defends with double unders then a whizzer. Patrick spins Ebersole and lands a couple nice short left uppercuts at the horn. 10-9 round for Ebersole.
Round 2:
Ebersole fakes a shot and paws with a jab. Patrick now pressing the action as Ebersole backpedals. “The Prince” shoots for a takedown and Ebersole easily backs away. Ebersole muscles Patrick to the cage and lands some light strikes to the body. Patrick defends an Ebersole takedown attempt. Patrick lands a good knee and short left elbow. Patrick and Ebersole continue to battle on the cage in the clinch position. Patrick briefly gets Ebersole’s back standing but Ebersole is able to spin around. 10-9 round for Patrick.
Round 3:
The final round begins with Ebersole shooting and getting stuffed by Patrick. Ebersole continues to drive and Patrick defends well, but inexplicably rolls to his back and gives up guard. Patrick stands up while Ebersole has a body lock secured, and Ebersole promptly picks him up and emphatically slams him to the canvas. Now in side control, Ebersole lands a knee to the body and Patrick rolls to his knees. Ebersole looks to take his back but Patrick gets to his feet. Ebersole sinks one hook in and is starting to break Patrick down. Ebersole begins to strike, but Patrick again stands as they battle back and forth from the standing back position. Patrick finally breaks free and lands a knee in the clinch. The fighters roll on the ground, and Patrick works for an anaconda choke that Ebersole escapes from. Now Patrick starts landing strikes on the feet that make Ebersole shoot in desperately. Patrick again looking for an anaconda choke and tries to roll, but Ebersole breaks free and winds up on top to end the round. 10-9 round for Ebersole.
The Judges score the fight 29-28, 28-29, and 29-28 for the winner by split decision, Brian “Bad Boy” Ebersole.
Light Heavyweight Division (205 lbs.):
Tito Ortiz (16-9-1, 15-9-1 UFC) vs. Antonio Rogerio “Minotoro” Nogueira (19-5, 2-2 UFC)
Round 1:
The fighters briefly feel each other out, but Ortiz establishes himself as the aggressor as he comes forward and throws a head kick. Ortiz follows with some strikes that back Lil Nog up. Tito just misses with an uppercut then shoot for a double leg which Nogueira stuffs. Ortiz lands two knees to the body on the cage. Ortiz is muscling Nogueira on the cage but then gets caught with a counter left which hurts him. Ortiz covers up and puts the ear muffs on. Nogueira starts going to town with punches. Lil Nog then pulls Ortiz’s head forward as he lands a brutal knee to the body, which drops Ortiz. Tito recovers and is in guard but is still getting hammered on. Nogueira is now working the left hand exclusively, and mixing up elbows and strikes. Referee Yves Lavigne taking a close look as “Minotoro” rapidly pounds Ortiz with hammer fists. Nogueira landing all sorts of strikes to the body. Ortiz winces in pain as Lil Nog lands a series of right hands to the ribcage, and Lavigne steps in to stop the contest.
Antonio Rogerio “Minotoro” Nogueira wins by TKO at 3:15 of Round 1.
Heavyweight Division (265 lbs.):
Frank Mir (15-5, 13-5 UFC) vs. Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira (33-6-1, 4-2 UFC)
Round 1:
Big Nog and Mir start off the rematch with head movement and feints. Nogueira begins to jab, then shoots for a single and presses Mir against the cage. Big Nog works some light right hands to the head of Mir. Good shot to the body by Mir, who has a significant weight advantage on Nogueira. Mir is muscling Big Nog against the cage but gets spun by “Minotauro.” Mir gets a nice clinch takedown and lands in half guard. Big Nog shows off his impressive guard game by quickly gong for the reversal, which forces Mir to stand up. Big Nog lands a couple big short elbows, then a knee. Mir looks wobbly. Mir is hurt by a straight right hand and is rocked. He falls flat on his face and Nogueira begins to land hammer fists to the side of the head. Big Nog goes for a guillotine choke and tries to lock it up, but Mir survives and rolls to top position. Mir in side control going for a Kimura which he locks in deep. Big Nog tries to rolls out of the technique and briefly gets on top, but Mir keeps rolling. Mir, back on top, locks it in even deeper, and cranks the Kimura as Big Nog winces in pain and taps out. Referee Herb Dean arrives a moment too late, as Nogeuria’s arm gets broken before he can be rescued. Mir went from the brink of being knocked out to breaking Big Nog’s s arm in an incredible comeback victory.
Frank Mir wins by submission (Kimura) at 3:38 of Round 1.
Light Heavyweight Championship (205 lbs.):
Jon “Bones” Jones (14-1, 8-1 UFC) vs. Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (17-2, 9-2 UFC)
Round 1:
Jones starts low, crawling around like he did against Rampage. Now “Bones” stands back upright and attempts a forward kick. Jones misses with a left hook and straight right. Machida is bouncing around looking confident. Jones looking very relaxed. “Bones” just misses with a spinning back kick. Lyoto lands a low kick. Jones lands a nice outside leg kick. “Bones” lands another solid leg kick, but “The Dragon” presses forward with a counter flurry. Machida doesn’t land but backed Jones off. Now Lyoto darts in and lands a straight left. Lyoto lands a heavy body kick. Jones misses an overhand right, and Machida steps in with a couple decent short light counters, then darts back out. One minute left in the opening stanza and Machida clips “Bones” for the first time in Jones’ career with a leaping straight left. Jones handles it well and comes forward with a raised eyebrow. Machida backs him up again as he lands a nice body kick. Jones misses a spinning back kick, then partially lands a left head kick. Jones misses a body kick. 10-9 round for Machida.
Round 2:
Machida again backpedaling looking to land his Karate counters. Machida and Jones trade snapping outside leg kicks. Jones misses a spinning back kick and a left a short time later. The crowd is beginning to chant “Machida” as Lyoto is testing Jones for the first time ever. “The Dragon” catches a Jones’ leg kick and hits him with a couple counter right hands. Two more left hands land for Machida, and the fighters briefly clinch. Jones lands a knee and Machida backs out. Jones lands a big right hand then shoots for a double and lifts Machida off his feet. “Bones” lands a vicious right elbow. Now Jones lands two short elbows and Machida is bleeding badly. Machida gets to his feet and he is gushing blood from his forehead. Referee Big John McCarthy stops the fight for the Doctor to check the cut. The Doctor allows the fight to continue. Jones lands two big knees to the body. As Machida darts in to land one of his straight lefts, Jones drops him face-first with a counter left. Machida stands and eats a big knee to the body as Jones locks in a standing Guillotine. “Bones” continues to tighten up the choke, cranking on Machida’s head and twisting his neck to the side. Machida tries to resist, but McCarthy has a good view and tells Jones to “stop right there.” Jones lets go of the choke and the unconscious Machida falls to the ground, as Jon “Bones” Jones successfully defends his title for the second time.
Jon “Bones” Jones retains his light heavyweight championship with a submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:26 of Round 2.
