Winner: Anderson Silva – TKO – Round 1
Both fighters come out feeling each other out. Marquardt throws an early leg kick. Marquardt tries to push and throws a jumping knee and Marquardt catches him and takes him to the ground. Marquardt moves him to half guard. Anderson Silva is guarding well from his back. Marquardt tried to pass but it let Anderson Silva get full guard. Silva gets high and almost gets a triangle. They separate and Anderson tries to hit Marquardt coming in with an up kick. Marquardt gets on top again. Andesron pushes him off and catches Marquardt with an up kick coming in again. Marquardt is all right and gets on top but the ref stands them up. Silva comes out with a head kick, Marquardt blocks, then Silva attacks with a hard straight left that forces Nathan Marquardt to try and take Silva down. Anderson Silva defends and then reverses beautifully. Anderson Silva stands above Marquardt and lands a huge right hand that dazes Marquardt. Anderson Silva lands four more punches and John Macarthy calls the fight. Anderson Silva wins by TKO.
Winner: Neither fighter won, it was ruled a draw.
Ortiz opens the round with a head kick then takes Rashad down easily. Rashad is trying to climb the fence but Ortiz sucks him in. Evans continues to try and get up. Rashad walks up the fence and they clinch on the fence. They separate and Rashad starts throwing wildly at the air hoping that Tito walks into his punches. Rashad looks jumpy and Ortiz pursues. They both move to the center of the octagon and Tito lands two good leg kicks in a row. Tito goes for a take down and follow with a knee, possibly to the groin. They clinch and they both show off their wrestling and Rashad gets behind Ortiz and pushes him to the fence and has under hooks. Tito manages to reverse and they finish the round in the clinch.
Rashad comes out light on his feet moving his hands around. Tito throws a high kick. They exchange and Ortiz lands a good jab. Rashad attempts a take down but Ortiz defends easily. They circle a bit and exchange. Rashad tries to pin Ortiz against the fence. Tito gets a thai clinch but doesn’t utilize it. Rashad separates and almost lands an elbow. Rashad tries to clinch against the fence again but couldn’t capitalize. They come back to the center of the ocatagon and Rashad tries to shoot and Tito defends. They come apart and Tito goes for the take down and gets it. Rashad Evans tries to climb the fence again and does. Rashad tries to counter and take Ortiz to the mat. He does manage to get Ortiz down and Tito Ortiz looses a point in the process for holding the fence. Once on the ground Tito gets Rashad in a guillotine but the round ends before Tito Ortiz can finish.
They start the round slow. After a minute Ortiz lands a glancing head kick. Ortiz takes him down and is trying to suck Rashad back in so he can posture and begin the ground and pound. Ortiz mounts for a moment and then Rashad Evans gets up and Ortiz throws some knees. Ortiz goes for the take down again and they end up in the clinch against the cage. Rashad Evans defends well. The ref pulls them apart and Tito immediately goes for a head kick. Neither fighter throws many punches. Tito looks tired but Rashad Evans doesn’t pursue. Tito throws a body kick and then tries to shoot. Rashad Evans sprawls and reverses and takes Tito Ortiz down with ten seconds left in the fight.
Winner: Sean Sherk – Decision
Hermes starts the fight with a large knee, and Sherk gets a hold of Hermes and throws a huge slam but Franca pulls him into a deep guillotine. Sherk holds strong and gets out. Sherk applies the pressure and moves to mount. Sherk is starting to work for an arm triangle but it lets Hermes escape to side control. Hermes pushes off the cage and moves to the guard. Sherk stands up and almost gets caught in an arm bar. They move to the north/south position. Sherk picks Franca’s ankle and stays on top of Franca. Sherk then moves again into mount but doesn’t deliver any serious damage. Hermes Franca escapes out the back door and then goes for a leg lock and lost his position and now has Sherk in Franca’s guard again. Franca isn’t showing any damage and the round ends.
Franca opens with a leg kick then Sherk shoots and eats a huge knee. Sean Sherk is rocked but pushes forward somehow and is almost caught in another guillotine. Sherk goes to mount and then Hermes reverses and ends up in Sherk’s guard and gets ready to work. Hermes tries to posture and Sherk kicks Hermes Franca off of him. They move back to the north/south again. Sherk starts to use his wrestling to control Hermes, Franca rolls, and Sherk is in Franca’s half guard. Sherk lands a good elbow and shortly moves into half guard. Sherk tries to pin down Franca but he reverses. Sherk goes into attack mode again and ends up in another guillotine.
Hermes tries for a huge uppercut as Sherk comes in but misses. Sherk locks in a body lock and slams him. Sherk takes half guard and throws weak punches. Sherk goes for a north/south choke on Hermes but Franca rolls out. Sherk ends up back in Franca’s guard and he passes at will. It turns into a wrestling match. Franca manages to stand up but Sherk takes him down immediately. Sherk gets side control and then goes for an arm lock but Hermes Franca rolls out. The round ends and Sean Sherk has won all three rounds easily.
The round begins and Sherk eats another huge knee but Sherk takes Hermes down. Hermes holds him in his full guard and manages to squeeze his way out and gets to his feet. They go to the ground again and Hermes gets up. They strike for a bit and then Sherk goes for the take down again. He locks on Franca and slams him to the ground. They scramble and Franca gets to his feet. They strike for a short time then Sherk takes him down again. Sherk lands forgettable strikes and then Franca gets up only for Sherk to take him down.
Sherk looks incredibly fresh and lands a leg kick. Hermes misses a knee and gets taken down. Sherk finally tries to do something on the ground and postures. Hermes tries for an arm bar but Sherk gets out and gets caught with an up kick. Sherk smothers Franca on the ground and then mounts again. Hermes rolls and Sherk tries for his back and Hermes stands for a second and Sherk takes him down. Hermes attempts a knee bar and Sherk avoids. They grapple again and Hermes almost gets another knee bar and Sherk avoids. The round ends in the same unexciting fashion and Sherk undoubtedly wins the fight.
Winner: Minotauro Nogueira – Decision
The round starts and within the first 15 seconds, Nogueira takes Herring to the mat. Nogueira already has side control and is starting to work. Herring is trying to pull Nogueira into his half guard and manages to squirm to his feet. They get to the center of the octagon and exchange. Nogueira’s hands look good and doesn’t back away from Herring’s strikes. Nogueira stalks Herring and lands a goods straight and staggers Herring off balance. Herring is fine and Nogueira continues to stalk. Herring attempts another high kick. Herring is starting to get overwhelmed and Nogueira almost gets Herring’s back. Nogueira lets him go and they center again. They exchange and then Herring lands a huge kick to Nogueira’s head. Nogueira is hurt but Herring backs off and stands then makes Nogueira stand. Nogueira is incredibly rocked but manages to stay alive and the round ends.
They come back to center of the octagon in the beginning of the second round and Nogueira isn’t stalking anymore. He is more cautious and is still really wobbly. Herring works the high kick again. A minute passes and Nogueira is coming around again. The pace is picked up by Nogueira and Herring may have missed his opportunity. Herring throws another high kick. Nogeiura dodges a high kick and takes Herring down. Nogueira mounts and begins to take Herring’s back. Herring is trying to slide out the back door but manages to roll on top of Nogueira and then escape his guard and stands. Herring doesn’t look crisp and Nogueira pushes on. Herring lands a good leg kick but doesn’t follow with anything. Herring throws another leg kick but Nogueira returns with a punch combo. Herring keeps on throwing single strikes then Nogueira gets another take down as the round ends.
Nogueira comes out with a good combination. Herring changes his stance and starts to have a cocky attitude. Herring lands another good leg kick but again doesn’t follow. Nogueira walks up to Herring and takes him down. Herring gives up his back and tries to roll but gives up his back. Nogueira tries to lock in a rear naked choke but Herring manuevers and escapes into Nogueira’s guard. Noguiera then works an arm lock but Herring explodes out and Nogueira doesn’t waste any time to pounce. Herring again moves quick and gets to his feet. Herring eats a couple more jabs then gets in a quick clinch. They separate and exchange. Nogueira continues to pursue and Herring keeps eating strikes. Herring drops his hands hoping for a home run. As time dwindles it is clear that Nogueira has won the last two rounds and the fight.
Winner: BJ Penn – Rear Naked Choke – Second Round
Bj Penn comes out swinging. He lands two quick heavy punches then goes for a take down and slams Pulver to the ground. BJ Penn is in Jens Pulver’s half guard. Pulver defends well and slides up the cage. Penn lifts Pulver again and slams him to the mat. BJ Penn starts to work for position and then mounts. Pulver spins and tries to land an arm bar on Pulver. Pulver manages to get out and Penn almost catches Pulver in a triangle choke. Pulver manages to posture and escape. BJ Penn holds Pulver in his full guard and Pulver pushes Penn to the cage. Pulver throws a huge elbow but misses. Penn pushes against the cage and gets up to his feet. They come to the center of the octagon and exchange. Pulver and Jens strangely share a thai clinch and exchange punches. The round fizzles out with each fighter exchanging punches.
They throw a few punches and BJ Penn closes the distance and trips Pulver and drops him to the ground. Penn works into a near mount but Pulver gets Penn back into his half guard, but BJ Penn quickly gets mount again. BJ drops some bombs. Pulver rolls and Penn throws punches and Pulver returns to his back. Pulver rolls and Penn takes his back. BJ has both hooks in and starts to work an arm. BJ Penn traps Pulver’s arm and then sinks in the rear naked choke. Jens Pulver taps shortly after.
Winner: Rich Franklin – Unanimous Decision 29-28
Rich Franklin walks down to the octagon looking extremely focused. He has a look that was not there when he fought Anderson Silva. He looks like a champion ready to win.
The two fighters come to the center to touch gloves and Okami looks very large. They both take the center of the octagon. No one takes control. Each fighter is feeling each other out. For the first two minutes nothing notable happens. Franklin is throwing more punches and lands one small combo. Franklin pushes a little more and they clinch against the cage. This is where Okami usually overtakes his opponents. Nothing happens from the clinch and McArthy breaks them up. Near the end of the round Rich Franklin lands a hard leg kick. The round as a whole was boring but Franklin was the aggressor and won the round.
They come out again and Okami looks as if he may have a larger sense of urgency. Franklin goes for a couple more leg kicks. Franklin is starting to get more confident and throws a two punch/high kick combo. Okami finally makes an attempt to take Rich Franklin down. Franklin defends and gets double under hooks and pushes Okami against the cage. McArthy lets them maneuver a bit before separating them. Okami lands a good straight right but doesn’t follow. Near the end of the round Franklin lands two good punches on Okami. Franklin may have hurt his hand in the last exchange. Franklin wins the round.
Franklin came in with a hand shake and Okami throws a flying knee and Franklin dodges. Okami gets a clinch and gets a single under hook and takes Franklin down. He gets side control and eventually reaches full mount on Franklin. Rich moves his weight and gets Franklin in to a butterfly guard. Rich gets up but Okami gets Franklin into a guillotine position. Franklin gets out then drops Okami with a slam. They get to their feet again and Franklin almost gets his back but Okami slips Franklin into an arm lock. Franklin was nearly submitted but managed to roll out of danger and then pull out his arm and get into Okami’s guard. The round ends shortly after and solidifies Rich’s win and his future title shot.
