Chuck Liddell versus Rashad Evans (Co-Main Event)

Round 1

3:21 Rashad over the top

Chuck throw a huge right hand

2:50 body kick Rashad.

Round 2

Rashad knocks Chuck the hell out.

He is out cold after 3 minutes.

Rich Franklin versus Matt Hamill (Co-Main event)

Round 1

Franklin opens with a lot of leg kicks.

both fighters circling a lot.

Franklin’s movement and counters are quite well.  He is using a lot of leg kicks.

Small cut under Rich’s right eye.

He keeps attacking Hamill’s lead leg with the low kicks.

50 seconds to go Hamill takes Franklin down.

Round 2

Leg kick to start the round.  Hamill catches the leg but nothing happens.

More leg kicks to Hamill’s lead leg.

Hamill tries the take down and gets two punches for his trouble.

Kick sraight to groin of Hamill.

2:50 Hamill pushes the pace.  But keeps getting the worse of the punching exchanges.

1:50 More kicks to Hamill’s lead leg.

Hamill appears to be trying to be trying to catch Franklin with an uppercut.

Keeps connecting with the stiff jab on Hamill.

Round 3

Strong body kick by Franklin to Hamill to start the round.

A strong body kick to Hamill’s midsection causes Hamill to tap.

TKO takes place at 39 second in the 3 round.

Tim Boetsch versus Michael Patt

Round 1

Both men mixing their strikes very well.

At 2:57 a two punch combo the first missing the second hits him flush in the mouth.  Patt falls and Boetsch proceeded to lay some unanswered punches.  Herb Dean steps in and stops the fight.

Patt believed that he was able to continue.  Yet, he was not defending himself.

Dan Henderson versus Rousimar Palhares

Huge right knock Palhares back.  Palhares tries for the leg lock.  Henderson is sprawling well.  Palhares throwing lots of leg kicks.

Henderson connects with a right and swings wildly on the ground.

Palhares decides to throw a lot of kicks.  With 45 seconds to go Palhares gets Henderson on the ground with about 2 seconds to go attempts the knee bar.

Round 2

Henderson is slammed by Palhares.

Henderson gets away from the heel hook by Palhares.  Which he transitions into a knee bar.

Henderson is in Palhares full guard.

Herb Dean stands em up with about 50 seconds up.

Round 3

The crowd booed.  The fighters circled the crowd booed some more.

Henderson wins a Unanimous Decision.

Nate Marquardt versus Martin Kampmann

Kampman takes the center of the octagon.  Nate hits Kampmann with a head kick which buckles his knees.

Chases Kampmann to the cage.  Then proceeds to hit him with body and head shots.  Seemed that Kampmann might survive the initial onslaught.  When Kampmann slumps on the cage not intelligently defending himself the match was called with only 1 minute 22 second gone in the first.

Dong Hyun Kim versus Matt Brown

Well deserved victory for Dong Hyun Kim.  He won the split decision by taking the first round and the third round.

Joe Rogan said he gave Matt the decision.  Unless the second round was scored 10-8 in favour of Matt Brown that idea is fanciful at best.

Chuck Liddell versus Rashad Evans (prediction)

Rashad will win this fight via decision.  Chuck has knockout power in either hands.  Yet Chuck is 38 years old.  If Rashad does not see those punches coming he deserves to be knocked out.  Rashad just does not leave the openings for Liddell to capitalize on.  Even watching his old wrestling films he has a quickness that Liddell does not possess.  In boxing speed kills.  The first thing a fighter loses is speed the last to go is power.

Rashad has been inactive for about a year.  If his timing is off he will be in for a short night caused by a looping right.  Chuck is coming off losses to Quinton Jackson and Keith Jardine.  His beating of Wanderlei Silva has given him his mojo back.  Rashad is not as one dimensional as a Tito and not a blood and guts fighter like W. Silva.  The fans say he runs but the guy is elusive.  I have seen quite a few of his fights but have yet to see him take a solid punch.  Chuck has knocked a lot of guys out but none with the defensive style of Rashad.  Chuck does leave himself open to good counters.

There is a point when a fighter concedes that he will get his butt kicked.  It is on his face and shown by his body language during the fight.  Rashad promises to take Liddell there.

Straight talk only if one can deliver.

UFC 88 Breakthrough

This must be the somewhat forgotten event.  It crept up on me this week and just about everyone else.   Universities reopening, the GOP, the return of the NFL and the US Open all demanded attention.

The card also appears to have what people assume are pick em fights.  Coupled with the fact that the winners will not appear to be moving forward (save one).  Rashad beats Chuck where does he go?  The short answer appears nowhere.  Chuck wins and he gets a title shot.  The Franklin/Hamill bout has no real significance.  Franklin’s inability to beat A. Silva leaves the UFC in a bind.  For he will beat most of the other middle weights but has lost twice in devastating fashion to the top middleweight.  Hendo/ Palhares may mean Hendo stays in the UFC and not much else.

Some guys on the card seem to be fighting to stay in the organization but not much to inspire the casual fan.  Hardcore fight fans will watch regardless.

George St. Pierre vs Jon Fitch (co main event)

Both men start off pacing back and forth.  Nerves seems to be working on both sides of the cage.

St.Pierre immediately take Fitch down.  Fitch has good control of GSP’s hands.  Fitch utilizing both the open and what appears to be butterfly guard.  He lands two good right hands on Fitch.  Fitch manages to scramble up only to be tripped and taken down.

Fitch goes for a lazy leg kick and eats a huge right hand.  GSP then continues to beat on him.  Fitch is managing to stay in the fight but he is eating a lot of punches.  GSP with about 30 seconds to go in the first round is the first man to pass Fitch’s guard in the UFC.

Fitch’s corner advises him to get on ‘his grind’.  No lazy leg kicks in the second stanza.

Both men settle down in the second round.  Fitch is eating quite a bit of GSP’s jabs.  He does land a solid body punch.  GSP lands a superman puch.  Fitch is attempting to use more body shots.  GSP is managing to keep Fitch on the outside with his jab.  Fitch has not been able to find the range that works for him.

Fitch is pouring it on and landing some punches on GSP.  Fitch is landing mostly grazing shots.  He is actually trying to grind on St. Pierre ala Margarito.  I believe that he thinks that if he keeps coming forward he will mentally break GSP.

Overhand left buckles Fitch’s knees.

Third stanza a counter right hand knocks Fitch on his back.  GSP tries for the choke and Fitch gets a reversal and starts punishing the body of St. Pierre.

St. Pierre pops out the back and regains control of Fitch.  Fitch gets back to his feet.  Solid leg kick by GSP.  Low leg kicks, mid range kicks and high kicks are all being used by GSP.  They appear to keep Fitch guessing as to what is coming.

Right hand a big knee and another punch has Fitch forgetting 10 seconds of his life.

GSP knocks the snot out of Fitch.  But Fitch is a survivor if nothing.

The fouth round starts slow.  GSP has slowed while Fitch is getting stronger it seems.

Fitch lands a solid body kick at 3:40.   Tries to take GSP down and about 3:28 and gets stuffed.

Fitch appears to be the taller of the two but keeps getting tagged by GSP’s jab.

Fitch tries to take GSP at 1:40 and he is still working at it with 50 seconds to go.  With his attempts stuffed GSP immediately takes Fitch down.  Fitch keeps GSP in his closed guard.  With less than ten seconds left GSP appears to go for a leg lock.

Sportsmanship begins the round.

Both men utilizing leg kicks.  Spinning back fist at 4:10 makes Fitch smile.

GSP takes him down.  3:26 GSP grinding on Fitch.

2:50 GSP wallops Fitch with two solid punches.  Sounds like smacking meat.

1:52 two right hands to Fitch’s face.  Both men scramble up.

Fitch taken down and mauled again.

30 seconds GSP gives Fitch a few knees.

The match actually ends uneventfully.

GSP wins the unanimous decision.

Brock Lesnar vs Heath Herring (co main event)

First observation is that Lesnar is a beast of a man.  He basically looks like a man-mountain.

Herring comes dressed for a duel at the O K Carrol.  Herring looks as though he is indeed taking nutrition and fitness seriously these days.

Lesnar comes in with a knee which Herring avoided.  Lesnar then charges again and pops Herring with a right hand.  Herring actually somersaulted from the impact.  Herring is then punched again.  Lesnar controls Herring in the corner.

Lesnar knees Herring to the body.  Herring does not appear to be in any trouble though Lesnar is on his back.

Lesnar charges for the take down on Herring but he is stuffed.  Herring appears to try for a toss on Lesnar but he ends up with Lesnar controlling him again.

Lesnar takes the back of Herring.    Lesnar is doling out some massive knees to Herring’s kidneys.

Herring forces the fight to the feet.

Third stanza starts with Herring eager to begin the exchange.  Lesnar takes Herring down.  Gives Herring a few knees for his troubles.  Lesnar has good controls Herring well on the ground.

Herring gets up with about 1:50.  Tries a few knees and punches.  He is still being controlled by Lesnar.

The fight ends with Lesnar being reversed while celebrating his first victory.