The UFC returned to the UK to a full house at the MEN arena, though the event didn’t quite live up to the hype. While it got off to an absolutely steamroller of a start, with every fight on the prelims being finished within the 3 rounds by KO or submission, three of the main fights never really got started, leaving the crowd buzzing with restless energy for the main event. Had this not provided one of the most shocking outcomes I can recall in the history of MMA, the fans would have left forgetting the great show earlier in the night, with a bitter taste in their mouths. As it was, the truly shocking outcome saved the show on a very important night for UFC planned growth.

Mirko Filipovic vs Gabriel Gonzaga

Now, hands up if you saw this fight ending via vicious head kick? By vicious head kick in the first round? It seemed like a matter of when, not if, Crocop would land that brutal left kick and add Gonzaga to his list of KO victims. Gonzaga had, in all reality, been chosen as an opponent who was credible, but fully expected to lose to the Croatian striker, to hype a mega-money showdown with Randy Couture. If the script was written, nobody showed it to Gonzaga. Right at the bell, he pressed forward throwing right hands at an unusually tentative looking Crocop. While he easily avoided nearly every strike Gonzaga winged at him, he offered little or no offence of his own, throwing a minimal number of strikes back at Gonzaga, who caught the first kick Crocop threw and took him down with ease. If this wasn’t shocking enough, what was to follow was absolutely astounding. After some impressive ground and pound from Gonzaga, leaving Crocop bloody, the fight was questionably stood up. The crowd seemed to collectively hold their breath, waiting for Crocop to turn the fight around, only for Gonzaga to explode a high kick onto the side of Mirko’s face, leaving him an unconscious heap on the floor, leg dangerously contorted underneath him. The shock outcome leave Gonzaga reaching for glory against Couture, while Crocop has to take the long, hard road back into contention.

Andrei Arlovski vs Fabricio Werdum

Judging by the first round of this fight, fans were in for a tough, exciting fight that would establish a serious threat to the heavyweight crown. As it was, the fight fizzled out and became an overly cautions stare-down in the ring. The first round started fast, with Arlovski stalking Werdum, looking to land uppercuts and leg kicks. Werdum managed to force the clinch, and landed good elbows as Arlovski broke away, but Arlovski was clearly the more comfortable fighter standing, even dropping Werdum with a vicious uppercut. Werdum recovered, but was hesitant to engage for the rest of the fight. For the following 2 rounds, Arlovski stalked Werdum, threw a few leg kicks, defended the takedowns, and stalked some more. The crowd booed heavily as Arlovski pecked away at Werdum occasionally, but not finding the devil to finish the fight. Most likely through respect of Werdum’s ground game, he didn’t want to risk ending up on his back. Unfortunately, Werdum showed similar respect for Arlovski’s stand up, resulting in a stalemate. Arlovski picked up the decision, most of his post-fight interview was drowned out with boos until he apologised to the fans, resulting in polite cheers. Arlovski can now look to bigger and better fights in future, while Werdum is left to work very hard on his stand up if he wants to progress in this division.

Ryoto Machida vs David Heath

This was without a doubt the slowest fight on the card, and the crowd tried everything-from slow clapping to angry boos-to light a fire under the fighters, but until the third round, this fight crawled along at an unbelievably slow pace. In fact, the first 2 and three quarter rounds of this fight consisted solely of Machida and Heath feinting, Machida throwing left kicks to the body, and both missing spinning back kicks. Then suddenly in the third, Machida unleashed a barrage of brutal knees out of nowhere, dropping Heath and working from his guard, eventually taking his back and working for the choke. Heath escaped as the round ended, but he was in trouble. The sprint finish was not enough to save the fighters from being booed out of the octagon. Machida is undoubtedly talented, but he has been in some notable stall-fests, and will need to work on entertaining the crowd if he wants to earn a title shot.  

Michael Bisping vs Elvis Sinosic

Bisping entered the octagon to what can only be described as a heroes welcome, looking fired up and aggressive, a stark contrast to the calm, relaxed entrance of Sinosic. Once the fight started, both fighters moved together and began throw in some spirited exchanges. While Bisping was the more talented striker, it was obvious that Sinosic’s reach was throwing him off his game, and after taking a knee, Bisping decided to look for the takedown, which he quickly got. What followed next was some truly brutal ground and pound, mixed in with some fantastic submission defence. Every time Sinosic would shift his hips and look for an arm, or a triangle, Bisping would posture up and reply with some truly brutal punches. The round ended with Sinosic bloodied up, taking severe punishment and in trouble. Bisping walked back to his corner to ecstatic cheers from the crowd, while Sinosic remained sitting on the octagon floor, checked over carefully by the doctor. It looked as if he would not be allowed out for the next round, however once the bell went he was back on his feet ready to scrap. Sinosic then proved why he is such a dangerous opponent. After a furious exchange in which Bisping landed a big right hand, Sinosic replied by connecting with a hard knee that dropped Bisping. Immediately pouncing on a clearly troubled Bisping, Sinosic worked for a kimura, which came within inches of ending the fight. Somehow Bisping escaped, only for Sinosic to take his back and work for the choke. The crowd were visibly and audibly worried, so when Bisping hit a reversal and wound up back in Sinosic’s guard, the roof nearly exploded off the MEN arena with jubilant fans cheering him on. Bisping seemed fired up again after coming so close to his first loss, and unleashed some more vicious ground and pound, until the referee had seen enough and saved the game Sinosic from any more punishment.

Cheick Kongo vs Assuerio Silva

In a fight that didn’t quite live up to the hype, Kongo earned a majority decision from tough Brazilian Assuerio Silva. The pattern for the fight never varied-Kongo would stalk on the feet, throwing stinging low kicks, and countering any low kicks Silva threw with straight right hands and combinations. Kongo punished Silva on the feet, but the teak-tough Brazilian ate every punch and knee and fired back. Clearly outgunned on the feet, Silva landed a number of impressive slams on Kongo, but failed to go any damage at all once the fight hit the mat. He could take Kongo down at almost at will, though the little resistance Kongo did put up against the shot seemed to be wearing Silva out. Konga lasted the pace better, even hurting Silva in the second round with big punches and knees to the body, only to be taken down and controlled again. By the third round, Kongo had spent the majority of the fight on his back being controlled, and may have thought himself to be losing, so came out with a big flying knee, and vicious combinations. Silva hauled him up for yet another slam, but once the referee had stood them up for stalling again, Kongo unleashed big elbows, punches and knees. Silva shot for a desperate takedown and ended up falling to half guard, from where Kongo looked from ground and pound, cutting Silva and doing enough damage to sway the judges in his favour. Once Kongo learns some ground, he could be a force in the division. Silva showed heart, but while he was not out-gamed in this fight, he was clearly outgunned.

Matt Grice vs Terry Etim

Two unbeaten fighters clashed in a fight where picking a winner with any confidence was nearly impossible. Some people in the crowd liked Etim for his size and reach advantage, while some picked Grice to get the takedown and pound him out. The fight lived up to the hype, with Etim hurting Grice with a left hook immediately, forcing Grice to get the takedown. Etim looked for submissions off his back, but was being pounded with some dangerous looking elbos and punches from Grice, who pushed a fast pace and looked to finish. Etim was in some trouble. Etim eventually worked to his feet, showing grit and heart, and attacked with kicks and knees before locking up a standing guillotine. Grice seemed to go to sleep, and slumped to the floor, where his head slipped out. Groggy, Grice worked for a takedown only to wind up back in a guillotine, this time going to sleep. Both fighters showed why they are dangerous and UFC calibre. If Etim works on his wrestling, a natural Achilles heel for Brits, he can be an absolute killer in the division. Likewise, Grice showed he has the tools to become a force in the division, he’s just not quite there yet. Both have good futures in the sport on this evidence.

David Lee vs Junior Assuncao

What looked to be a close fight on paper turned out to be a one sided event, with Assuncao dominating from start to finish. Hurting Lee immediately with a left hook, he worked to get the takedown, even taking Lee’s back standing at one point, but struggled to get the fight down. Then he landed a low kick that dropped Lee, and jumped into his guard. Assuncao landed big punches before passing and taking Lee’s back, working for the choke as the round ended. Lee was in serious trouble, and looked hurt and tired by the end of the round. Lee tried a spinning backfist to start round 2, but was soon in a clinch against the fence. Reversing Assuncao, Lee ate a knee and dropped to the floor, where Assuncao again worked the ground and pound, passed, and took Lee’s back. This time there was no escape, as Assuncao took the rear naked choke without any hooks in, to finish what was an impressive domination.

Alessio Sakara vs Victor Valimaki

After a brief feeling out process, Sakara began letting his fast hands go, and it became clear that there was only ever going to be one winner in this fight. A big right had Valimaki looking for a takedown, which Sakara stuffed before landing a huge right that sent Valimaki’s mouthpiece flying, and had him out on his feet. Sakara looked to finish and the referee called a controversial break to replace the mouthpiece. The whole crowd seemed confused, thoroughly believing the fight to be over, as did Sakara. Once told to resume, he looked despondent, but picked up where he left off, finishing Valimaki off with a big right hand followed by some ground and pound.

Jess Liaudin vs Dennis Siver

In what was a quick, impressive performance, Liaudin secured the submission in under 2 minutes against the talented Siver. After throwing a big hook and missing, Siver got an early takedown and looked to pass Liaudin’s guard, only to wind up in a slick armbar that had him tapping. Welcome to the UFC, Jess!

Paul Taylor vs Ediberto Crocota

I heavily fancied Crocota in this fight, but after three rounds of pure domination, Taylor turned the lights out on the Brazilian. Stuffing every takedown, and clearly winning the standup with punches, hurtful low kicks and all-round ringcraft, Taylor followed a jab in the third round with a high kick that put Crocota’s lights out. Noticing that Crocota was slipping to his left to avoid the jab, Taylor timed the kick perfectly in what looked to be KO of the night right off the bat, until Gonzaga laid out Crocop with his own high kick.

All in all, despite a few duds, the show left the crowd wanting more. UFC fever seems to have hit the UK, with mobs trying to meet the stars after the show. Bisping in particular is a new star among Brits. With more UK shows planned in future, the UFC takeover looks imminent.