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December 4, 2010
The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas, NV
Airing on Spike
Before we get into the frivolity and hostility of MMA...
While filling out your Christmas cards this year, take ONE CARD and SEND it to this address:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001
If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these soldiers could get to bring up their spirit!
Anyhooo, on to our favourite blood sport...
The show opens with commentators Frank Shamrock, Jim Ross, and Bas Rutten in their usual commentary roles, hyping tonight's fights. The first fight of the night is the first-ever televised UFC Featherweight fight.
FIGHT ONE: LEONARD GARCIA VS. NAM PHAN (FEATHERWEIGHT)
PRE FIGHT: Goldberg points out that this is the first ever televised Featherweight fight in UFC history. Garcia says that at the end of the night Nam Phan will be asleep or discombobulated. Phan says that he will feel very emotional when he wins this fight. To be completely honest, people in my living room won't shut up, so I missed most of it. Garcia and Pham seemed relaxed, and not too trash-talky, though. Cut to commercial, sans ring entrances.
ROUND ONE: Herb Dean is the referee. Garcia has 4 inches of height, but only a half inch reach advantage. Trading big shots for the first minute. Shockingly, Garcia is throwing hooks without setting them up. No, really. Phan is landing during the 42 seconds it takes for Garcia's hooks to reach terminal velocity (bad movie). Phan is landing with straight punches and head kicks. Garcia constantly coming forward, and is landing plenty of knees and leg kicks himself. Round ends with Garcia missing an uppercut by 3 feet.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Phan. Garcia is like my ex-wife. Looks good, but doesn't actually do anything important. Between rounds, Greg Jackson told Garcia to come forward and calm down. Phan is told to throw more combinations.
ROUND TWO: Garcia comes forward and lands early. Walks into a body kick in order to land a hook. Goldy has said the phrase, 'typical Leonard Garcia fashion,' about 6 times already. Phan lands a nice uppercut against the cage. Garcia goes for a rare double leg, has Phan pressed up against the cage, but can't quite complete the takedown. Phan is pouring it on, landing several punches. Garcia's face is swelling up. Phan knocks him down with a leg kick (Goldy called it a side kick, he might be right, I was, you know, typing this report for you, you ungrateful bastard). Phan pounding away against the cage, Garcia turtles, and Phan gets his back. One minute left in the round, Garcia still has his back, working for the choke. Garcia defending well. Garcia made a motion that looked like a tap, but it wasn't a tap. 15 seconds left, Phan loses the choke, but pounds away to end the round.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Phan, 20-18 Phan. Easy round to score. Garcia is a tough guy, but Phan clowned him pretty good there.
PS: It was in fact a missed head kick followed by a side kick that got the knockdown. Awesome.
ROUND THREE: Garcia comes out like a wild man who knows he needs a finish in order to win, but that's how he comes out all the time, ya dig? Garcia presses Phan against the cage for a takedown attempt, doesn't get it, and we're back to the feet. Garcia's forehead is cut. Garcia's hands are dropping. Swinging like a windmill, literally, because windmills don't hit anything, either. Round is half over. Phan is starting to turn it on, now that he's got Garcia gassing. Phan with a straight to Garcia's nose, and Garcia's hands were about 2 feet away from blocking the punch. Nice uppercut by Phan while Garcia's head was down. Garcia still swinging his trademark Adam Dunn on a 1-2 count hooks. Garcia pushes Phan up against the cage as we hit the 1 minute mark of the round. Phan with a combination to the body. 30 seconds left. Phan landing at will, but with little power. Garica's throwing so hard that he's stumbling around like Brock Lesnar was in the Cain fight. Fight's over.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Phan. 30-27 Phan. This was the sloppiest round of the fight, but Phan clearly won it.
WINNER: Leonard Garcia by split decision 29-28, 27-30, 29-28
POST FIGHT: ROBBERY!!! Worst decision of the year. Crowd is chanting 'Bull****', and rightfully so. Garcia is saying to Rogan flat out that he lost the fight. I can not possibly tell you how bad this decision was. This was THE WORST DECISION IN HISTORY!
STAR RATING:
Make that a (-*) rating. The decision was so disgusting that it killed the fight.
FIGHT TWO: RICK STORY VS. JOHNNY HENDRICKS (WELTERWEIGHT)
PRE FIGHT: Johnny Hendricks and Rick Story both think they're going to win. One of them will be right. If it goes to these asshat judges, the wrong guy will be right. Someone called someone else a boring ass fighter, but I missed who said it because I was busy answering a question about Matt Brown for my brother in law. To commercials we go. Some dude s trying to sell chicken sandwiches from Burger King by trying to arrange a threesome. Yeah, I don't get it either.
ROUND ONE: Story has an inch of heaight, and two inches of reach. Steve MazaRobbedLesnarAgainstMir is the referee. Hendricks lands a left and clinches. To the cage, push apart, and back to the center. Story landing body shots, going for a single leg against the cage, lets it go, back to the middle. Story's controlling the middle of the cage. Story with a single leg, to the cage, lets it go, and trading big shots. Story clinches, battle for position in the clinch here. Push apart again. Two minutes again. Inside leg kick by Story. Each fighter with a successful Garcia (missed haymakers are now known as Garcias). And Garcias are powerful weapons, as they win fights, clearly. no, I won't let it go. Story is the aggressor here, Hendricks is circling and countering. Hendricks get a takedown with 30 seconds left, but can't do anything with it. Story to his feet as the round ends.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Story. Close round, Story's landing cleaner and more frequently. Both of these guys know how to punch.
ROUND TWO: These guys throw with murderous intent (figuratively). Fight gets to the ground, attempted guillotine by Hendricks, nothing comes of it. Story reverses, and has Hendricks tied up pretty well. Gets his back, too high, and Hendricks gets out. Clinch, and Hendricks lands a knee. Great wrestling by both guys, defense as well. Both guys clinching with their lefts, throwing body shots with their right hands. Occasional knees by Story. Hendricks has Story pressed up against the cage. Hendricks gets the takedown, but Story pops right up. Separate from each other, and back to the middle. Rogan is blasting the NSAC for the judging of the first fight, and is ripping Keith Kizer, calling for him to fire the incompetent morons who know nothing about the sport. Nothing to do with corruption, it's sheer, complete incompetence. He then calls for people to email Kizer. Meanwhile, Story with another takedown, but does nothing with it as Hendricks powers back to his feet. Story still has body control. they separate, round ends.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Story, 20-18. Not much in this round, but Story clinched it with the late takedown. Since Story is up two rounds to none, Story had better finish, or he'll lose.
ROUND THREE: Hendricks clinches, pushes to the cage, gets the takedown, gets the neck, but can't do anything with it. Story reverses, goes for a guillotine. Can't get it, scrambles, and Story is going for a kimura, more for control than for the submission. Story is controlling the lack of action here. Grappling brilliance here I'm sure, but not much to watch, ya know? Story still has an attempt at a kimura, but has no leverage whatsoever. Round is half over. Story is up now, loses the arm, and Hendricks is in control with a front headlock now, keeping his weight on Story. Story reverses, and is going for Hendricks' back while pressed against the cage. This is a stalemate. Hendricks going for a takedown, but Story defends well. Story isolates an arm as the horn blows. Wrestling geeks rejoice. Grapple grapple grapple, and it's all over.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Hendricks. Coulda went either way, but this wasn't a 30-27 type fight, you know?
WINNER: Rick Story by unanimous decision, 29-28 x3
POST FIGHT: So the judges got one right. They need to get the next 42 fights right in order to make up for the Phan - Garcia fight.
STAR RATING: (**) The first round was fun, the second was ok, and the third appealed to the most hardcore wrestling geeks.
-Rogan interviews Koscheck and GSP via satellite. The audio is not working, so, um, let's cut to another 'Burger King Let's Have a Threesome Commercial' in while we can.
PRELIMINARY FIGHT ONE: CODY MACKENZIE VS. AARON WILKINSON (LIGHTWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Wilkinson comes out aggressive, looking for a guillotine. He grabs Wilkinson's neck while standing, and doesn't let it go. Down to the ground, Cody still has the neck, locks it in from top position, It's across the chin more than under the chin, but it gets the tap. It was more of a face squeeze than a choke. Very painful looking, and if he held it any longer it would'vebroken Wilkinson's jaw. Wow!
WINNER: Cody MacKenzie by submission (guillotine) at 2:03 of Round 1.
POST FIGHT: Cody deadpanned the interview with Rogan. He's a rare bird, that guy.
STAR RATING: (***) Damn.
FIGHT THREE: DEMIAN MAIA VS. KENDALL GROVE (MIDDLEWEIGHT)
PRE FIGHT: Maia wants to take it to the ground. Grove wants to use his reach to knock Maia down and out. Maia knows Grove has never been submitted, but since he's submitted guys who have never been submitted before, he knows he can submit Kendall, too.
ROUND ONE: Josh Rosenthal is the referee. Grove has 6 inches of height, and a seven inch reach advantage. Maia feints a right while they touch gloves. Nice. Rogan mentions that this cage is smaller than the standard UFC cage, which could bode well for Maia. Grove landing a couple shots, using his reach. Maia ducks under a hook, grabs a single, and gets the takedown. landing in full guard. Grove gets up, but Maia has his back standing. Takes him back down, Grove back up again. Maia with knees to the back of Grove's thighs. Another takedown, and back up. Kendall finally spins out of back control. Maia takes him down once again, half guard. Maia trying for side control, and wtf is up with Kendall's hair? Seriously, go to 2:15 left in the round and look at his hair. Oh yeah, Maia got mount, landed some shots, but Kendall got out. Half guard for Maia, and Grove's hair is still out there. Grove rolls over, and Maia has his back. Landing shots as Grove turtles. Grove almost escapes, but Maia gets his back again. Snaking an arm under for a choke, but can't get it. Maia has full mount with Grove on his side. To half guard and the round ends.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Maia. Kendall can't compete on the ground, but there's no shame in that. He defended really well, but defending well doesn't win fights. Only missing 42 million haymakers in a row wins fights.
ROUND TWO: Fifty seconds, No one lands anything significant. Maia goes for a single, doesn't get the takedown. Grove lands a couple punches as Maia goes for the takedown, nice work by Grove. Maia tries again for the takedown, and gets it this time. That takedown was too easy, especially since Grove knew it was coming, and Maia didn't set it up. Grove is breathing heavy. Maia with a little ground and pound, but Grove gets back up. Maia has him pressed against the cage at the midpoint of the round. Two minutes left in the round, and Maia gets the takedown. Maia to his feet, takes an upkick, but still gets Kendall's back. One minute left, and Maia is trying very hard to get the rear naked choke. He's got both hooks in as well. Maia softening him up with strikes as the round ends.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Maia, 20-18 Maia. More of the same. Maia is brilliant on the mat. I wish he and George Sotiropoulos were the same weight.
ROUND THREE: Trading occasional punches for the first minute. Maia trying to time Grove and get the same takedown he got in the second round. Grove lands a couple of shots that back Maia up fast. Regroups, and hits Grove a few seconds later. Half way into the round, been on the feet the whole time. Maia shoots, but misses. Back to their feet. Grove needs a KO, but he's hesitant to be over-aggressive. Even if he gets aggressive and gets submitted, a submission loss counts the same as a decision loss. Well, not with these judges, I suppose. Maia gets a single with 1:15 left, and pushed Grove into the cage. Trying to take him down, but Kendall is defending well, and landing plenty of soft elbows to Maia's temple. 30 seconds left, and Grove isn't getting a KO from this position. And the fight ends in that position.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Grove. Neither guy did much, but Grove landed a lot of shots while Maia failed to get the single leg takedown. Grove also landed a couple of good punches early in the round. This round could be 10-9 Maia, but not to me.
WINNER: Demian Maia by unanimous decision, 29-28 x3
POST FIGHT: I want to congratulate the three blind mice on press row for getting this one right. No fighter interviews.
STAR RATING: (**) Disappointing fight. Not a bad fight, per se, but there wasn't much to it, you dig? Maia is fantastic, but the fight was very paint-by-numbers.
-Goldy apologized for the prior technical issues during the GSP - Koscheck interview, and they play the entire interview in its entirety. Neither guy said anything inflammatory, nor surprising.
FIGHT FOUR: STEPHAN BONNAR VS. IGOR POKRAJAC (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT)
PRE FIGHT: Typical video package. I was talking about Chael Sonnen's hyper gonads, so I missed it. I hate talking about another man's gonads, even if it's a man who had as many puberties as every six year old girl on the planet. I think Stephan said the word 'destroy', though.
ROUND ONE: Josh Rosenthal is the referee. Bonnar has 4 inches of height, and a six inch reach advantage. Running short on time, so Buffer talked as fast as Chael did on Thursday. Bonnar clinches, and gets Pokrajac against the cage. Gets a single leg, and tags him. Into side control for Bonnar. Bonnar really has him tied up here, trying to isolate an arm. Nope, got his back with an over under. Pokrajac slides out, and is up, has Bonnar pressed against the cage. Stalemate, Igor throws and elbow and Bonnar a knee as they push apart. Igor rushes forward, and gets Bonnar against the cage. Bonnar pulls guard, gets a guillotine, Pokrajac rolls over, almost tapped, gets out, and Bonnar is on top, side control. Bonnar in guard now, postures up, and is standing in Pokrajac's guard. Dodges the upkick, drops down to side control. 2 minutes remain. good round so far. Bonnar in half guard now. Nice hip escape, full guard now. Pokrajac give up his back, Bonnar is being more patient this time. Softening him up with 40 seconds left. Round ends with Bonnar letting Igor up and throwing a kick.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Bonnar. Bonnar is better. No shock there.
ROUND TWO: Both guys come out aggressively. Bonnar has Pokrajac up against the cage, throwing knees. trying to take him down from the clinch. Pokrajac grabs his head and forces Bonnar up against the cage. Nice. Bonnar trips him, and lands in side control. Beautiful. High side control, Bonnar's going to look for a kimura if Pokrajac doesn't escape. Softening him up with hard punches to the head. Elbows now. Trying for a Salaverry. Who does he think he is, Jon Jones? Igor sniffs it out and gies up his back. Igot gets to his feet, and escapes. Back to standing. Igor throws, hyper-aggressive. Bonnar reverses and clinches against the cage. Knees. Bonnar looks good tonight. A bit of a stalemate ensues, and they push apart. Igor is getting the better of the wild standup here, and Bonnar has to push him into the cage again. Nice exchange for Pokrajac. Bonnar with an uppercut, and the round ends.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Bonnar, 20-18 Bonnar. Better round for Pokrajac, but not enough. Bonnar has to respect Pokrajac's standup more now than he did after the first.
Make that a 10-8 round, 20-17 Bonnar, as between rounds Pokrajac had a point taken away for throwing knees to the head while both fighters were on the ground.
ROUND THREE: Bonnar gets top position 30 seconds in and gets a couple shots in. Bonnar landing a lot of shots, maneuvers into a near full mount against the cage. Igor's throwing from the bottom as Bonnar throws body shots from the top. Great stuff here. He's not fading, and looks like he's taking his career more seriously now. Bonnar never got the mount, but managed to pass to side control. Pokrajac gives up his back, we've seen this position before. this time, though, Igor escapes and gets top position briefly. Nice scramble, and Bonnar winds up on top, throwing shots from his knees to the back of Pokrajac's shoulders. Half guard, and Pokrajac ties him up. 30 seconds left. Bonnar is still relentless. Mazagattis breaks up the fight with about 1 second left, and takes a point from Bonnar for hitting the back of the head. Had it been Lesnar and not Bonnar, he would've taken 6 points away. I guess that's the end of the fight.
Hansen's Scorecard: 9-9, 29-26 Bonnar. Pokrajac was game, but outclassed. How many 29-26 fights do you see?
WINNER: Stpehan Bonnar by unanimous decision, 29-26 x3.
POST FIGHT: Straight to commercial. We're short on time, and the main event has decision written all over it.
STAR RATING: (***) Bonnar looked great, and Pokrajac didn't stop trying for even a moment. Best fight so far.
MAIN EVENT FIGHT FIVE: JONATHAN BROOKINS VS. MICHAEL JOHNSON (ULTIMATE FIGHTER SEASON 12 LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP)
PRE FIGHT: Late on time or not, they're showing the full video package on each fighter. But, but, but, that means that MANswers might be delayed by five or ten minutes. In short, both guys want to win, and brookins likes to exercise outdoors. Go figure. Short on time or not, we get full walk outs, as we should. Johnson first, then Brookins. Brookins wins the battle of walk out music, hands down.
ROUND ONE: Herb Dean is the referee. Brookins has an inch of height on Johnson. No reach advantage for either man. Johnson lands the first strike, and is getting through more consistently early. Brookins gets him up against the cage, trying hard for a takedown. Doesn't get it, and they push apart. brookins gets pegged, and Johnson is swarming here. Brookins gets up, but eats a knee. Brookins is getting overwhelmed here. Johnson is dominating this fight, throwing him around like a rag doll. Herb Dean warns Johnson to not grab shorts. Brookins looks at the clock, more than 2 minutes left. Big uppercut and an overhand combination by Johnson. Brookins ties up, but has his back up against the cage. Brookins must get this fight down to the canvas. Johnson with an uppercut from the clinch, and they push apart. Brookins's hands are way too low. Brookins tries for a takedown, almost gets Johnson's back, but Johnson escapes and we're back to our feet again. Brookins is short arming all of his punches. Very bad technique hereby Brookins.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Johnson. Johnson rocked him consistently from start to finish, but there was no near-finish. Very close to 10-8.
ROUND TWO: Brookins throws ugly jabs, both hands flick out at the same time. Yuck. But he gets a takedown, winds up on top, and crushes Johnson with some shots on the ground. Winds up in a very loose half guard. Quite the reversal of fortune in the first minute here for Brookins. Brookins isn't doing much with his top control now, though. Brookins lands a couple of bombs, but not throwing in bunches. brookins is in half guard, trying to get to side. Lots of short elbos to Johnson's temple. Johnson's left arm is trapped. And... now it's free. Brookins is smashing Johnson on the mat so far this round. Johnson just can't get any distance. Johnson walks the cage and gets to his feet, but Brookins has a single. Nice elbows by Johnson as Brookins holds onto the single leg. Forced Brookins to adjust. Massive takedown by Brookins, and he's in half guard with Johnson pushed into the cage. Great stuff. Working for a kimura with 30 seconds left. And goldy plugs Manswers as the round ends. (sigh)
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Brookins, 19-19. Exactly as dominant as round 1 was. Nothing close to a finish though, so no 10-8 here.
ROUND THREE: Fight of the night, even if round 3 mirrors Falcao vs. Harris. Great, dramatic fight, and both guys are likely to get the big contracts. Johnson pegs Brookins' chin. Brookins pushes Johnson into the cage, and eventually gets the takedown. johnson is breathing hard. He needs to use the cage to get up like he did in the second round. Brookins is pressing his weight against Johnson in order to prevent Johnson from cage walking to his feet. Herb Dean yells WORK at the fighters. WTF is he watching? These guys are working their asses off. Johnson tries to walk the cage, but gets mounted. Brookins gets too high, and gets reversed. Back to their feet at the midway point. Brookins with another takedown, fantastic technique. This is awesome! Brookins in half-guard in the middle of the cage, trying for side control. Short elbows from Brookins, who is still in half guard. Herb Dean needs to STFU about 'work' already. I hate Herb Dean sometimes. Brookins is relentless, and Johnson is game, but overwhelmed now. Thirty seconds left, and Herb Dean needs to STFU again. The fight is over. Fantastic, brilliant stuff.
Hansen's Scorecard: 10-9 Brookins, 29-28 Brookins. Awesome stuff. Great heart by both guys. This was a poor man's version of the ground and pound version of Bonnar - Griffin 1.
WINNER: Jonathan Brookins by unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-28, 29-27
POST FIGHT: Brookins thanked about a million people. Very classy and humble dude. No presentation or interview for Johnson, which I am disappointed by.
STAR RATING: (****-) I loved this fight, the drama, everything sport is supposed to be.
Well, that's it. Decisionfest 2010, marred by bad judging in the first fight, but it was redeemed by Jonathan Brookins' courage. He needs to work on his standup even more than Brock Lesnar needs to, but he overcame a HUGE first round by Michael Johnson, and is a very worthy successor to the title Ultimate Fighter.
To read Jamie Penick's Round by Round report on tonight's Strikeforce event, ET, please CLICK HERE.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_PPVs_6/article_7721.shtml
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