QUINTON JACKSON VS. FORREST GRIFFIN
PREFIGHT The challenger, Forrest Griffin, comes out first. He looks extremely focused and ready to get the fight started as he runs to the Octagon. Now the champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, comes out next to the sounds of dogs barking before they start playing the music of Roy Jones Jr. "Can't Be Touched." Rampage looks nasty as he snarls his way to the Octagon. "Can't be touched, can't be stopped, can't be moved, can't be rocked, can't be shook..." We shall see. A serious stare at the camera as he enters the cage. "IIIIIIT'S TIME..." Celebrity sighting...Mandy Moore. Griffin pounds on his chest as Buffer announces him to the crowd. Rampage snarls into the camera and at Griffin as Buffer annouces his name.
ROUND 1 Griffin comes out quick and fires two jabs. Inside leg kick lands for Forrest. Right leg kick lands for Forrest. Jackson misses with an uppercut. Forrest in and out on his feet. Left leg kick is blocked by Jackson. Right hand down the pipe lands for Forrest. Right leg kick lands for Griffin. Jackson looks tentative in there. Left hook to the body lands for Jackson. BIG left hook followed by an uppercut lands for Jackson. Griffin lands a leg kick. Left hook lands for Jackson. They trade jabs. Leg kick lands for Griffin. Another. Woooooo...uppercut and a left hook lands for Jackson and Griffin wobbles. Griffin on the attack now and they lock up against the cage after Jackson slips. They separate and Griffin lands a right leg kick. Left hook lands for Griffin. Inside leg kick lands for Griffin. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...HUGE uppercut lands for Jackson and Griffin is down. Jackson pounces on him and Griffin pulls guard quickly. Jackson backs him up to the cage. Jackson lands a couple of punches. Griffin scrambles to his feet. Another uppercut lands for Griffin. Wow. Close round, but I gotta give it to Jackson. Those were some massive shots by Jackson though.
Jackson 10 Griffin 9
ROUND 2 Right leg kick lands for Griffin and Jackson buckles. That right leg is hurt. Griffin jumps on him and tries to sink in a guillotine. Forrest lands some knees and takes Jackson down. Griffin digs some elbows to the head of Jackson in half guard. Jackson just holding on. Griffin in side control now. Griffin raining down elbows on Jackson. Griffin dominating Jackson on the ground. He gets full mount now and continues to rain down elbows. Jackson just covering up. The crowd chanting "Forrest, Forrest, Forrest!" More ground and pound from Griffin. Elbows from Griffin grinding on Jackson's head. More ground and pound from Griffin. Jackson riding it out. Big round for Griffin.
Jackson 19 Griffin 19
ROUND 3 Griffin tries for the leg kick and Jackson smiles. Left hook lands for Jackson. Head kick lands for Griffin, but partially blocked. 1-2 from Jackson misses. Inside leg kick lands for Griffin. Nice four-punch combo lands for Jackson. Leg kick lands for Griffin. WOOOOOO...big left hook lands for Jackson that rocks Griffin backwards. Inside leg kick lands for Griffin. Right to the body lands for Jackson. 1-2 lands for Jackson. Left hook lands for Griffin. 1-2 down the pipe lands for Jackson. HARD body shot lands for Jackson. Griffin lands a left. Inside leg kick lands for Griffin. They trade hooks. HARD uppercut lands for Jackson and Griffin backs away. Round to Jackson.
Jackson 29 Griffin 28
ROUND 4 Leg kick from Griffin is blocked by Jackson. Left hand lands for Jackson. HARD 1-2 and an uppercut lands for Jackson. WOOOOOOO....HUGE uppercuts land for Jackson. They lock up and fall to the mat. Jackson is on top. Griffin is cut. Jackson in full guard of Griffin. Griffin locks in a deep triangle. Jackson picks him up and slams him. WOW. Griffin loses the triangle. Jackson lands an elbow. Griffin scramble to get up and Jackson lands an uppercut and a left as he stands. Right hand lands for Jackson. Griffin stalking. Jackson circling. WOOOOOO...big left hand lands for Jackson. Griffin wobbles. The cut opens up more. Right hand lands for Jackson. Another. Nice three-punch combo lands for Jackson to seal the deal and take the round.
Jackson 39 Griffin 37
ROUND 5 Griffin comes out pawing with his jab. Right leg kick lands for Griffin. They trade right hands. Right leg kick lands for Griffin. Right hand down the pipe lands for Griffin. Nice left leg kick lands for Griffin. Right hand lands for Jackson. Griffin answers. Right to the body lands for Jackson. Griffin stalking...lands a jab. Right hand lands for Griffin. They trade left hands. Leg kick lands for Griffin. 1-2 lands for Jackson. Superman punch lands for Jackson. They trade right hands. Right hand lands for Jackson. Quick combo lands for Jackson. Inside leg kick lands for Griffin. Right to the body lands for Jackson, but he eats a knee. Uppercut lands for Jackson. 1-2 lands for Jackson and they lock up. Round to Griffin.
Jackson 48 Griffin 47
Official judges scorecards: 48-46, 48-46, 49-46
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...AND NEW UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION...FORREST GRIFFIN
PATRICK COTE VS. RICARDO ALMEIDA
PREFIGHT Celebrity sighting...Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers). Ricardo Almeida comes out first and he looks focused and eager to get the fight started. Patrick Cote comes out next to the sounds of...sounds like some kind of French rap.
ROUND 1 Cote crouches down low pressing forward. Almeida tries for the takedown. Cote prevents it, but Almeida jumps on him and pulls him to the ground. Almeida tries to work for something, but he can't get a good position and lets him go. Both men back on their feet. They lock up against the cage. Both men scrambling for position. Almeida trying for the takedown, but Cote doing a good job of preventing it. Now Almeida gets him down and moves in to half guard. Almeida lands a right hand. Another. A couple of elbows rain down for Almeida. Now he lands some shots to the body. A couple more right hands land for Almeida. Cote trying to scramble, but Almeida staying on top of him. Nice elbow from the bottom lands for Cote. Hard body shot lands for Almeida. Another. More ground and pound for Almeida to take the round.
Almeida 10 Cote 9
ROUND 2 A break in the action before the start of the round while Almeida gets his glove fixed. Celebrity sighting...Laura Prepon (That 70's Show). Almeida tries for a takedown. Cote misses with an uppercut and Almeida sneaks in a right. Cote misses with a right and Almeida pulls him down into full guard. Cote gets out and both men back on their feet. Cote stalks. Almeida just circles away. They lock up agains the cage. Both men scramble for position. Cote lands a quick elbow and they separate. Left hook from Cote just misses. Almeida lands a right. Cote lands a right to the body. Almeida lands a right upstairs. Quick takedown for Almeida, but Cote scrambles to his feet. Right leg kick lands for Cote. They lock up against the cage. Not much action. Almeida lands a knee, tries for a single, but let's it go to attempt a guillotine. Cote slips out. Both men back on their feet. Big right hand lands for Cote right at the bell. Round to Cote.
Almeida 19 Cote 19
ROUND 3 Almeida looks a little tired in there, but he lands a quick jab. They lock up again againt the cage. They separate. Cote lands an overhand right. Jab lands for Almeida. Right leg kick lands for Cote and Almeida buckles a bit. Almeida sticks out the jab. Cote stalking. Another jab lands for Almeida. Right leg kick lands for Cote. Some boos from the crowd. Inside leg kick lands for Cote. Jab lands for Almeida. HARD right leg kick lands for Cote. Overhand right lands for Cote. Nice right hand lands for Almeida. Cote lands a left hook and a right leg kick. Left hook lands for Cote. More boos from the crowd. Almeida shoots in and gets the takedown. Cote scrambling. Almeida gets side control. Cote reverses it. End of the round. Uneventful round...uneventful fight, but I give both to Cote.
Almeida 28 Cote 29
Official judges scorecards: 29-28 (Cote), 29-28 (Almeida), 29-28 (Cote)
THE WINNER BY SPLIT DECISION...PATRICK COTE
JOE STEVENSON VS. GLEISON TIBAU
PREFIGHT Celebrity sighting...Wilmer Valderrama. Gleison Tibau comes out first. He looks calm, cool and collected as he comes out to the sounds of Ozzie Osbourne. DAMN Tibau looks HUGE. That's a thick dude. Joe Stevenson comes out next rockin' a hat that looks too big for his head. He looks focused.
ROUND 1 Stevenson comes out fast, but misses with two right hands. Damn, Tibau just looks huge compared to Stevenson. Stevenson lands a right hand and Tibau is down. He gets back up and Stevenson tries to sink in a guillotine. Tibau escapes. Both men scramble and get back to their feet. Nice elbow lands for Stevenson along the cage. Tibau pulls Stevenson to the ground and presses him up against the cage. Stevenson manages to get back up to his feet. Another quick elbow lands for Stevenson. Right hand lands for Stevenson, he backs Tibau up to the cage and then gets the takedown. Tibau slips him into a shoulder lock. That looks painful, but Stevenson holding on like he's okay. Tibaug lands about ten straight punches to Stevenson's head, but nothing serious. Stevenson just smiles as he sits there and waits it out with a smirk on his face. Very close round, but I give it to Stevenson.
Stevenson 10 Tibau 9
ROUND 2 Stevenson pressing forward. Tibau lands a left. Stevenson backs him up to the cage. Tibau gets in an underhook and reverses Stevenson to the cage. Both men jockey for position. A reversal by Stevenson. Tibau drags Stevenson down to the ground, but he gets back up. Stevenson misses with a right and Tibau takes him down. Tibau gets side control. Wow, quick mount by Tibau. Oh, but then he loses it when he tried to sneak in a triangle. Both men back up on their feet. Stevenson lands a lazy combo...not much on it. High kick by Tibau is blocked. Another right by Stevenson misses, Tibau takes him down, but Stevenson sneaks in a guillotine. It's in tight. That's it. Tibau taps out. Wow.
Stevenson SUB2 Tibau (guillotine)
THE WINNER BY WAY OF TAPOUT DUE TO GUILLOTINE CHOKE AT 2:57 OF ROUND 2...JOE STEVENSON
JOSH KOSCHECK VS. CHRIS LYTLE
PREFIGHT Chris Lytle comes out first. He looks pumped and ready to battle. Josh Koscheck comes out next. He looks a little anxious, but ready.
ROUND 1 Lytle misses with a left hook. 1-2 and a left leg kick misses for Lytle. Koscheck circling. Overhand right from Lytle misses. Quick inside leg kick lands for Lytle. 1-2 from Lytle is blocked by Koscheck. Koscheck picking his shots. Right leg kick from Koscheck misses, he slips to the ground and bounces back up to his feet. Lytle lands a left kick and Koscheck takes him down. Lytle almost slips in a guillotine, but Koscheck gets out of it and is on top in half guard. Koscheck rains down some shoulders. Both men posturing on the ground. Koscheck landing a few elbows, but not much damage is done. Sharp elbow and a right hand rains down for Koscheck. More posturing for position by both men. Lytle gets him back in full guard. Fairly uneventful round. Big hammerfist lands for Koscheck to seal the deal and take the round.
Koscheck 10 Lytle 9
ROUND 2 Lytle sneaks in a left hook. Koscheck lands a right leg kick. Lytle misses with a wild left hook. Koscheck shoots, grabs a leg and gets Lytle down. Lytle scrambles and gets back up, but he eats a hard knee and some elbows. Koscheck shoots in for the takedown again. Lytle tries to sink in the guillotine again. Koscheck gets out though and is in half guard again. Koscheck lands a couple of elbows. A hard right and a left lands for Koscheck. Lytle is cut. Another elbow lands for Koscheck. More elbows and ground and pound from Koscheck. Lytle's face getting pretty beat up. Five punches in a row land for Koscheck while in half guard. Koscheck continues to ground and pound while Lytle just tries to hold on. Blood pouring from Lytles head...a pool of blood underneath his head. Koscheck continues to pound him with rights and elbows. Lytle getting brutalized in there right now. Big round for Koscheck. Lytle is bleeding like a stuck pig.
Koscheck 20 Lytle 18
ROUND 3 Man, that cut is nasty. Again, Goldberg tries to compare it to that of Eastman's, but Rogan disagrees, stating Eastman's cut looked like a goat's vagina. LOL. Lytle is on shaky legs as he tries to land a right and a left. Koscheck shoots in, but Lytle is able to sprawl and land an uppercut. Koscheck backs him up to the cage though. Lytle tries to get a kimura. Koscheck gets out. Lytle tries to sink in a guillotine. Koscheck rolls out. Another guillotine attempt by Lytle, but again, Koscheck gets back out into half guard. Lytle is pinned up against the fence. Koscheck begins to rain down more elbows on that cut. More blood pours out all over the place. That cut is NASTY. More ground and pound from Koscheck. Lytle just holds on. The ref stands them up, which is shocking since Koscheck was staying active. Man, Lytle's face is covered in blood...it's like a horror movie. Lytle jumps in and lands a right hand. Koscheck holds on to him along the cage. The ref separates them. Koscheck just circles away. Lytles comes in and lands some elbows and a hard 1-2 to end the fight. Round to Koscheck and the crowd actually boos.
Koscheck 30 Lytle 27
Official judges scorecards: 30-26, 29-27, 30-28
THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION...JOSH KOSCHECK
TYSON GRIFFIN VS. MARCUS AURELIO
PREFIGHT Aurelio looks focused as he makes his way to the Octagon. He's accompanied by Thiago Alves. Tyson Griffin comes out next to the sounds of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger". He looks ready to get the fight started. A rare Randy Couture sighting...some cameraman will lose his job for that one.
ROUND 1 Griffin is cautious as he circles the Octagon. Griffin lands a right to the body. Aurelio sneaks in a jab. Some slight boos from the crowd just 45 seconds in. Griffin lands a right over the top. 1-2 by Aurelio misses. More boos from the crowd, who's eager to see some action. Another overhand right lands for Griffin. Aurelio rushes in and Griffin pushes him to the ground. Griffin rains down a right and a left. Another right and a left rains down for Griffin. Aurelio working from his back. HARD right hand rains down for Griffin again. Aurelio has Griffin in full guard. Aurelio tries to get an armbar, but Griffin slips out and lands another right. Griffin backs off and both men stand up. Jab from Griffin lands. Inside leg kick lands for Griffin. Nice 1-2 lands for Griffin. Right leg kick lands for Griffin. Finally Aurelio lands a right. Oooooh, hard body shot lands for Griffin. Another hard right leg kick lands for Griffin. Another. Aurelio shoots for the takedown, but Griffin prevents it. Round to Griffin.
Griffin 10 Aurelio 9
ROUND 2 Celebrity sighting...Jamie Presley in the house. Quick uppercut lands for Aurelio. Two hard leg kicks land in return for Griffin. Griffin working upstairs and downstairs with his punches. Left hand down the pipe followed by a left leg kick lands for Griffin. Right leg kick lands for Griffin. Aurelio not doing much. Quick 1-2 lands for Griffin. Right leg kick lands for Griffin. Jab and a right from Aurelio is blocked and then he shoots in for a takedown, but Griffin reverses him to the cage. Griffin landing some knees along the cage. Foot stomp from Griffin. Aurelio sneaks in a right knee. Both men working for position along the cage and now Griffin slams Aurelio to the ground. Aurelio reverses it, gets up and then takes Griffin down. Aurelio has Griffin's back. Both men scrambling for position...great reversal by Griffin, who's now back on top. Aurelio almost sneaks in a triangle, but Griffin slips out and lands a right. Griffin lands some knees to the side while Aurelio tries to work from his back. Aurelio just holding on for the ride with a high guard now. Round to Griffin.
Griffin 20 Aurelio 18
ROUND 3 Celebrity sighting...Chris Angel. Griffin comes out circling, but he looks eager to finish the fight. Right leg kick followed by a right hand lands for Griffin. Another right leg kick, right hand combo lands for Griffin. Another right leg kick from Griffin and Aurelio buckles a bit. Aurelio lands a right. Left hook lands for Griffin. They trade rights. Another right leg kick followed by a left uppercut lands for Griffin. Aurelio shoots in for a takedown, but Griffin escapes. Griffin lands a nice three-punch combo and Aurelio looks shaky. Aurelio looks exhausted in there. another 1-2 lands for Griffin. Another. Aurelio lands a right as Griffin circles away. Some slight boos from the crowd. Griffin shoots in and gets the takedown. Aurelio tries for an armbar, but Griffin escapes. Another armbar attempt by Aurelio, but Griffin pops out and lands an elbow. Round to Griffin.
