UFC 113 Recap

* Patrick 'The Predator' Cote v. Alan 'The Talent' Belcher

I'm happy that the Omaha Beef are ahead 55-19 in the 4th but it's such a slaughter that I wish they'd just switch the audio to UFC. Apparently though the Beef have a contract with Buffalo Wild Wings and money talks.

Cote brags that he's going to have so much momentum from the hometown fans that he'll knock Belcher out. Speaking of which 'The Talent' is out first to the Octagon. I wonder if they're booing Belcher like he's the heel, but I can't tell either way. Cote does indeed seem beloved when he comes out for the fight.

Rogan and Goldberg are discussing the "surprising power" of Cote's hands.

Bruce Buffer makes introductions in both French and English, saying this fight will be three rounds in the middlweight division. Belcher is fighting out of Biloxi, MS. Cote is of course fighting out of Montrael. Belcher has the height advantage out of the two. Our referee in charge for this fight is Mario Yamasaki. Here we go!

Cote is in the blue and white trunks, Belcher the black. Both guys are throwing leather early. Belcher tries a couple of body kicks. Cote responds with a leg kick. Belcher keeps leading with the right knee like he's going to jump through the air. Another body kick. We have a low blow already! Belcher goes STRAIGHT to the package and Cote turns tail and runs away. He recovers quickly though and the fight is retstarted. Cote starts to tag him with head shots. Belcher is still trying to keep him at range with his feet.

Belcher lands a good stiff right jab to the chin. Cote responds by switching his stance and pushing forward. Belcher with a left head kick that was checked. Montreal fans can be heard singing CO-TE (they obviously turned up the volume just a hair). Cote gets him to the ground and Belcher tries to buck his way out of full guard. Cote tries to jump over him to side control and can't quite make it. Cote starts going for a kimura once he gets stuck in the guard. Belcher sweeps and he's on top in side! Cote is squirming like crazy trying to get away. Belcher drops an elbow right by that big ugly tattoo of his. Cote tries to spin out but ends up right back in side again as the round ends, eating shots right to the horn.

There appears to be another low blow at the start of round two. I think Yamasaki gave Belcher a warning for it. Cote's face looks the more bloody of the two but looks can be deceiving. Cote hits a flurry and even over the Beef game I can hear the crowd pop for it. It's Belcher who gets the clinch though and pushes Cote into the cage. The fight turns into a bit of a slugfest until a knee sends things to the ground with Cote standing over the top.

Belcher gets back up though and he's pushing Cote's head down between his legs. If I didn't know better I'd say he was going to give him a Pedigree. HE PICKS HIM UP AND SPIKES HIM ON HIS HEAD - I WAS RIGHT! Holy crap! Cote is stunned - he gives up his back and his neck. COTE TAPS OUT!

Buffer: YAMASAKI STOPS THIS AT 3:25 OF THE SECOND ROUND DUE TO A TAPOUT FOR THE WINNER VIA REAR NAKED CHOKE: ALAN 'THE TALENT' BELCHER!!! Belcher: "I know if I take a step back and breathe, I can take anybody apart. I'm talking about Anderson Silva, I can take it to him. Give me that big fight baby!!!" Well sir, I'd LOVE to see him do that to Silva! The hometown fans in Montreal may not be pleased but I highly enjoyed that finish. That was one of the most pro wrestling things I've seen during a UFC event since... well since Kimbo threw Houston! Speaking of Kimbo, he's up next!

Akileese @angrymarks I thought it was more like a styles clash haha.

Fair enough my friend, I'd say it was a little bit of both. Here comes Matt Mitrione to the strains of "Simple Man." Some official in the ring is checking him to make sure his trunks are legal. HERE COMES KIMBO! He looks all business - red skully, black Tapout shirt, flag of the Bahamas over his back. He quickly strips off his attire and is examined by Stitch at the Harley-Davidson prep point.

Kimbo keeps throwing up his hands and posing for the crowd while he's being checked over. Oddly enough I think the Omaha Beef game is playing Final Countdown. That's definitely true for one of these two. 36 to 31, 6'2" to 6'3", 225 to 253 and 77" to 82" reach from Slice to Mitrione, giving the latter all advantages in size, age, reach and height. Mitrione hails from Milwaukee with a 1-0 record, Kimbo hails from Miami with a 4-1 record. Our referee in charge is Dan Miragliotta. Here we go!


* Kimbo Slice v. Matt Mitrione

Both men are wearing black and white trunks but if you can't tell who Kimbo is I don't know what to tell you. Kimbo gets a takedown! Kimbo picks up Mitrione and throws him down! That may have been a mistake though as Mitrione wraps his legs around Kimbo's head and he's pulling tight trying to get the choke... can Kimbo survive? HE'S OUT! A more experienced fighter would have finished Slice in that position. Kimbo is in side control now SOME IDIOT JUST HIT THE GUIDE BUTTON.

For 20 seconds we can only see the fight in a tiny window but thankfully it's not finished during that time. We have video back now and Mitrione pushes off, managing to get back to his feet. KIMBO GETS ANOTHER TAKEDOWN! Well he's got to be winning on points . Mitrione is going for the triangle again but he can't out muscle Kimbo, who just backs out and stands up. Mitrione throws a wild spinning head kick that misses. He throws a leg kick. Kimbo eats a knee! Kimbo eats a shot and he's down! Mitrione has North-South. Now I have no idea who you would say is winning the ground. The two roll on the ground with 22 seconds left. Mitrione is trying to finish again... can Kimbo survive to the horn? 10 seconds! KIMBO HANGS ON 'TIL THE HORN. That was not the most technically sound round by either man but it was a lot of fun to watch.

Mitrione is grinning like a Cheshire Cat as R2 begins. Mitrione pushes forward toward te Edge logo and lands a shot. Kimbo fires a hard punch to back him away and Mitrione starts coming forward again. Kimbo clinches with him and goes for a takedown but gets stuffed so Kimbo pushes him into the fence. Mitrione backs away and lands a leg kick. He lands another. The reach advantage is favoring Mitrione in the standup. Kimbo goes for a lazy takedown and Mitrione gets right on top of him, but lets him get back up. Maybe he feels he can win standing now.

Kimbo lands a hard body shot but Mitrione is landing body and leg kicks. Mitrione is starting to connect with uppercuts. Kimbo shoots and eats a knee. Mitrione pretty much lays his weight on top of Kimbo's attempt to take him to the ground, and Kimbo is on his side. The ref issues a warning to Kimbo to let go of the shorts. Mitrione is throwing some nasty knees on the ground. Two minutes to go. Mitrione gets mount and Kimbo's getting POUNDED. This could be stopped at any second. 90 seconds to go. Kimbo is just keeping his forearms crossed in front of his face to block shots and fortunately his arms are so beefy it largely works.

Mitrione changes tactics and goes for an armbar. Kimbo is pulling with all his strength to not give it up so Mitrione goes back to pounding him and IT IS ALL OVER. Even though it wasn't a vicious finish it was the right decision by the ref as Kimbo really wasn't defending himself that well. Mitrione's leg kicks were what set it up, and his relentless ground and pound was the death of a thousand shots that finished it off.

Buffer: DAN MIRAGLIOTTA STOPS IT AT 4:24 OF R2 FOR THE WINNER BY TKO: MATT MITRIONE! Mitrione is sucking wind big time during the interview with Rogan. Kimbo Slice comes over to give Mitrione a hug and shouts THANK YOU MONTREAL, THANK YOU CANADA! Mitrione says he immediate plans are to go spend some time with his family, and Rogan congratulates him on "an awesome performance." Preview of UFC 114 follows.

* Sam Stout v. Jeremy Stephens

Des Moines, Iowa native Jeremy Stephens comes out to Forever by Drake - good choice for a good man from a good town. He's got his hands full with 'Hands of Stone' Stout though.Tale of the tape! 26 to 23, 5'9" each, 155 each, 70" to 71" reach from Stout to Stephens. Buffer reminds us this is three lightweight rounds. Stephens is 17-5 and fighting out of the aforementioned Des Moines. Stout's record is 16-5-1 and he hails from London, Ontario, Canada. You can guess which guy got booed and which got cheered. Our referee in charge for this contest is Mario Yamasaki. Here we go!

Stephens is in the black trunks, Stout the white. Both men are swinging hard in the opening 20 seconds. Stephens lands a nice shot and ends up in full guard looking to pass. Stout gets back up but Stephens makes him pay with a knee. Stephens lands a nice left hook. Rogan: "Everything he throws is home run." Stephens stuns him with a right. Stout might want to change his nickname to CHIN of Stone... unless that chin gets crumbled. Stout charges forward with body shots.

We near the two minute mark with Stout being aggressive. Stephens drops him again, starts to go for a guillotine and lets him go, then hits a head kick as he lets Stout back up. Stephens is definitely ahead at the halfway point. Just for fun Stephens lands a spinning backfist! He comes forward throwing leather bombs. Stout keeps throwing leg kicks but Stephens is checking many of them and responding with power shots. Stout finally lands a left uppercut. Stephens is still getting the better of the striking. Stout tries to back him into the fence. Doesn't work. Stout lands a left leg kick. Stephens catches the next kick he throws and then throws a kick of his own. 10 seconds. Body kick by Stephens in the closing moments of R1.

Both men touch up gloves and R2 is underway. Stout throws a headkick but eats some hard jabs in the process. Stout is landing the leg kick with increasing frequency. Stephens responds with a flying knee and takes Stout to the ground. Stout wants an armbar but Stephens holds him down and fires shots at his side. Stephens pulls out and he's in guard. Stephens backs out firing more shots as he moves away. Both men circle. Two minutes gone. Unchecked leg kick by Stout. Stout seems to be getting the better of this round. Stout nearly catches a leg kick.

Stout misses with a spinning kick. Stephens runs in for the takedown with 65 seconds left. Stout escapes but eats leather. Stephens lands a solid left hook and misses with a spinning backfist. Stout mocks him with one of his own! Final 10 seconds end with little drama as both men want the timeout before R3.

Low blow right at the start of R3 and Stephens gets a timeout from Yamasaki to recover. Stephens shakes his head and steps back in, clock resumes at 4:46 left. Now Stephens is throwing leg kicks. He nearly grabs a muay thai clinch. Stephens faints a flying knee. It's very hard to tell who is getting the better of the striking although Stephens throwing and landing kicks probably improves his case with the judges. Stephens lands a foot right to the face but it wasn't very hard. Stephens may have gotten another low blow but this time Yamasaki doesn't stop it and Stout pounces!! Stout is on top in guard trying to throw down some nasty elbows. Stout backs out and lets Stephens stand up with 1:40 left.

Rogan is saying Stout kicked the leg out of his leg, not that it was a groin shot. I believe him since I didn't get a good look. Stephens does seem to be limping a little in the last 30 seconds but he's still swinging for the fences. Stephens gets a takedown with 16 seconds and even though Stout gets right back up that may help his case. We're going to the judges! Rogan narrates the replay of all of Stephens hard shots. Yeah Stout's kick seemed legit on replay - it just made Stephens wince in pain. He also landed a hard body shot on Stephens in the process.

Here's Bruce Buffer! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AFTER THREE ROUNDS WE GO TO THE SCORECARDS FOR A DECISION - 30-27, 29-28, AND 28-29 FOR THE WINNER BY SPLIT DECISION: JEREMY 'LIL HEATHEN' STEPHENS! Hard to argue with that one as I scored it for Stephens myself but once again the Montreal fans must be disappointed. Stephens is gracious in victory and thanks Montreal for their hospitality, noting it's the first time he's ever been there.

* Joe Doerksen v. Tom 'Filthy' Lawlor (Bonus Fight)

Unfortunately they are announcing some UFC fan contest and we can't hear the audio for this contest. They finally turn it up after giving away a UFC 68 poster or DVD or something, I really don't care. Lawlor rocks Doerksen at the two minute mark but Doerksen gets right back up. Lawlor seems to be getting the better of the striking and now he has Doerksen up against the Bud Light ring post. This fight looks like a bar room brawl! Lawlor is just controlling one arm and slugging him with his free arm... and Doerksen looks totally punch drunk on his feet.

How he's still standing is a miracle... unless this was a conscientious style choice a la Drunken Monkey boxing. Doerksen comes forward swinging wildly. Lawlor tries to shoot and Doerksen runs away then sprawls on top. Lawlor keeps trying to grab the single leg but can't secure the takedown before the horn.

R2 underway! Doerksen is throwing head kicks and head shots to open the round. He looks a lot more fresh than he did in R1. Lawlor doesn't look gasses though. Lawlor eats a few jabs and I think his nose may be busted up. Lawlor throws a hard body kick. Doerksen misses with a head kick Lawlor ducks under but lands a jab flush. Lawlor is trying to close the distance but Doerksen is using effective kick punch combos now, mixing it up nicely.

Lawlor goes for a single leg but Doerksen jumps over him, takes his back, and JUST LIKE THAT GETS THE SUB AND LAWLOR TAPS OUT. Lawlor smiles at the camera and gives an OH WELL shrug. The rear naked was in deep once Doerksen took his back, Filthy Tom has no choice but to submit.

Buffer: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN YVES LAVIGNE STOPS THE CONTEST AT 2:10 OF THE SECOND ROUND DUE TO A REAR NAKED CHOKE: JOE DOERKSEN. Rogan calls it a "huge huge victory" and while that may be ovestating it greatly Doerksen did look really good in R2 and ultimately proved to be the better man. He throws a shoutout to Montreal during the post-fight interview. We see Machida and Rua warming up backstage but that's still one fight away!

* Josh Koscheck v. Paul Daley (#1 Contender's Bout)

I couldn't hear what Daley came out to but Koscheck is coming out to "Higher Ground." Tale of the tape! 32 to 27, 5'10" to 5'9", 170 each, 73" to 76" reach from Koscheck to Daley. Our referee in charge is Dan Miragliotta. Here we go!

Both men have mostly black trunks but it's easy to tell Koscheck by his curly blonde afro. Daley is being aggressive early but Koscheck shoots in for a single leg takedown, and gets an even nastier takedown once Daley tries to get back up. Koscheck is guard but just barely and Daley is trying in vein to hold him in place with a heel around his left leg. Soon enough Koscheck is looking to improve position, and it looks like he's trying to mount up. Daley manages to push him away again and Koscheck is in guard for a moment until moving to Daley's back.

Rogan: "If he gets those hooks in Daley's in a world of trouble." Accurate prediction by Rogan as Koscheck looks to be trying to sink in the RNC. Daley is trying his best to keep his chin tucked and fight it off with 1:05 left. I don't think it's going to work... oh yes it does! Daley escapes but hits an ILLEGAL KICK while Kos is on the ground. It looks like Koscheck took a toe right to the eye. Dan has stopped the fight for the moment and the doctor is checking Kos over. He rules the fight can continue! 40 seconds left in R1. Daley swings and misses a couple of times, Kos shoots, and it's a stalemate on the fence until the horn sounds.

Mike Goldberg informs us Daley was NOT deducted a point for that kick as we start R2. Daley is being the aggressor of the two but gets clipped in the process with a right. Koscheck shoots for a takedown again. Koscheck gets it at the 30 second mark and the crowd boos. Kos takes side control and works the ground game as the boos rain down. If GSP was doing this they'd be cheering - whatever. Daley just can't shake him loose. 90 seconds gone.

Daley wants Koscheck in half guard but Kos jumps him to full mount.. that lasts only a second.. he's back to half again. Kos starts punching Daley from the guard. 2:40 left. Crowd is definitely not pleased. Daley tries to hit an elbow from his back. Daley rolls to his side and that just makes it easier for Kos to blast him in the head. Daley tries to power up and Koscheck moves him toward the fence. Kos has his back again! Kos is throwing left hands at his head to soften him up. 49 seconds to go Koscheck pulls him down for another RNC attempt.

Those left hands are nasty when they land. Daley tries to push off the fence with his feet. Round ends with a cavalcade of boos for Kos but he dominated. Crowd pops for the sight of hometown favorite GSP in the crowd, who seems to be with the French commentary team.

And we're back for R3! Daley is trying like hell to tag Koscheck to start the round and one or two shots may have gotten through. Koscheck is circling away to avoid the left hook. Daley throws a head kick and comes forward again. Koscheck is keeping him at bay. Daley lands a knee as Koscheck is going for the takedown, but ultimately he can't stop Koscheck's superior wrestling and he's on his back at 3:25 to go in the fight. Daley has hooks for a moment and could sweep... and loses it.

Crowd hates this passionately. Kos has full mount with 2:10 left. Daley is rolling. Kos peppers him with lefts. Daley rolls to his back again. Daley keeps trying to buck him off to no avail. Daley gives up his back briefly at the 75 second mark. I think Kos is going to cruise to a unanimous decision here unless Semtex does something crazy. 60 seconds to go. If Koscheck had a French-Canadian accent and a shaved head they'd be cheering for every second of this. 15 to go. Daley can do nothing. Kos rides it out and we go to the judges!

There's a little action AFTER the fight. I'm not sure if Koscheck said something to Daley or vice versa but Koscheck caught a shot to the eye from Daley. Not very smart - he'll get fined and/or suspended for that. Ironically it was his best shot all night.


ALL THREE JUDGES SCORE THIS FIGHT 30-27 FOR THE WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION: JOSH KOSCHECK! Kos: "Ay, don't run your mouth. Pittsburgh Penguins will kick your ass next week baby!" Rogan: "Josh Koscheck ladies and gentlemen!"

* Lyoto Machida {C} v. Shogun Rua (UFC Light Heavyweight Championship)

Shogun is out to some techno song - I have no idea what. They seem to be rushing a little bit to get him in the cage and understandably so as it's already 12:15 EST time. Machida comes out in his white karate robe and black belt. KARATE IS BACK!

It's so loud at BW3 I can't even hear what Machida is coming out to... oh wait now I can... Bleed It Out by Linkin Park. Tale of the tape! 31 to 28, 6'1" each, 204 to 205 and 74" to 76" reach from Machida to Rua. Sal D'Amato, Pasquale Procopio and Tony Weeks are the judges in charge. Yves Lavigne is the referee in charge. FIGHTING out of the blue corner is the 18-4 Rua from Curitiba, Brazil. FIGHTING out of the red corner, 18-0, hailing from Belem, Brazil the reigning light heavyweight champion Lyoto 'The Dragon' Machidaaaaaaaaa. Here we go!

Rua is in the white trunks, Machida the black. Machida decks him in the face with a punch when Rua goes for a kick and Rua decides to back off a bit. Here we go with the leg kicks again - two lefts. Rua charges forward with a flurry and Machida avoids it. Rua tries to shoot and it's Machida who ends up throwing him to the ground! Rua fights back to his feet at the 3:10 mark and shortly after the two break apart. Rua comes forward with a flurry but he's swinging wildly and only connecting half the time, and Machida executes a textbook judo throw and puts Rua on the ground.

Machida clips him with a left elbow to the forehead. Rua gets up and Machida lands a knee to the body, but it's Rua landing knees to the legs when they clinch. Spinning body kick with 1:40 to go. RUA CLIPS MACHIDA! THE REF JUMPS IN! THIS ONE IS ALL OVER! MACHIDA IS OUT COLD!!! Rua clipped him with a right between the jaw and the ear right after Machida hit a knee to the body, Rua mounted him, Rua rang his bell on the ground and the ref had no choice but to step in and save him.

YVES LAVIGNE STOPS THIS CONTEST AT 3:35 OF R1 FOR THE WINNER BY KNOCKOUT AND NEWWWW UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD: MAURICIO 'SHOGUN' RUA!!! Rogan goes to interview him, Rua is very thankful and very pleased to have gotten the victory. Whatever the translator says for the second question is overshadowed by everyone in the bar going OHHHHHHHHH when the camera zooms in on Machida, who has a HUGE SWOLLEN LEFT EYE. It's the size of a SOFTBALL.

We get another slow mo' replay and Rua landed about three rights and two lefts once he had Machida down on the ground. That was vicious and for Rua it was delicious - sweet justice after a bad decision. I honestly believed Machida would not fall into his trap but hey, sometimes you call it right and sometimes you don't - I'm still 2 out of 3 on predictions tonight so I won't complain much. Time for a bonus fight!

* Marcus 'Irish Hand Grenade' Davis v. Jonathan 'Road Warrior' Goulet

Davis is in the black trunks and Goulet the white. One minute in it looks like Davis caught him with a hand but Goulet quickly recovers. Goulet tries for a single leg and puts himself right into a guillotine choke! Can Davis squeeze it tight enough to finish him off? Nope! Goulet gets out and he's on top of Davis moments later, but at 2:25 to go in R1 Davis is already back to his feet.

Davis expended so much energy in that attempt though that Goulet takes him back down with ease. Davis gets up again with 1:50 to go. Goulet jumps into his guard with 75 seconds and is throwing big shots. The last minute is becoming rinse lather repeat - Davis gets up, Goulet takes him down and lands a few shots, Davis gets up, Goulet... well you get the idea. Solid 10-9 opening round for Goulet.

Davis rocks him 25 seconds into R2 and is on top! Davis tries to take side control but Goulet is wily, he's always moving, he's scrambling, and Davis loses position and it's back to the feet at 3:45. Davis rocks him AGAIN and this time IT IS ALL OVER!! Replay shows us that a right hook cracks Goulet and an immediate follow-up left to the chin waylays him, Goulet's legs turned to instant quivering hello and his eyes rolled back into his skull.

THE REFEREE STOPS THIS CONTEST AT 1:23 OF R2 FOR THE WINNER BY TKO: THE IRISH HAND GRENADE - MARCUS DAVIS! Rogan congratulates Davis on snapping a two fight losing streak. Davis thanks his opponent and says everyone in Montreal was great to him - another man gracious in victory.

Submission of the Night goes to Alan 'The Talent' Belcher. The camera shows us a happy Matt Mitrione backstage as Rogan and Goldberg run down all of the scheduled main PPV fights. Rogan declares that Rua is FINALLY and RIGHTFULLY the champion and he left NO DOUBT who the real champ was. Well we can tell where he stands on the decision in the last fight! Goldberg says this is the Shogun Rua that they expected to see in UFC all along. That's going to do it for UFC 113 tonight. Good fight, good night, and we'll see you right back in the Octagon for UFC 114: Rampage v. Rashad - and I'll be covering it IN PERSON.

Share |