THE BATTLES:
Matt Serra Vs Jeff Curran
Lightweight Bout
Matt Serra, a Renzo Gracie BJJ black belt, entered the Octagon with impeccable MMA credentials. And as UFC announcer Joe Rogan stated prior to the opening bout, "Matt is top of the food chain in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu." Serra had previously looked in doubt for the fight when four opponents pulled out prior to the event. Eventually a very brave Jeff Curran, with only nine days’ notice and having previously only fought at 145 lbs, put his hand up to make his UFC debut against Serra.
Round One
At the opening of Round 1 Serra delivered knee strikes before taking Curran down and attempting to overpower Jeff with his superior strength. Matt then attacked with elbows from Curran’s half-guard. After four minutes the men were back on their feet, which was more to Muay Thai fighter Jeff Curran’s advantage. Curran remained composed and displayed good defensive skills against the more experienced Matt Serra.
Round Two
The fighters opened this round exchanging strikes before Serra took Curran to the canvas and achieved full mount. Jeff managed to get Matt in his half guard, where Serra administered some telling punches. Curran weathered the storm. Whilst not appearing a threat to Matt, Jeff showed he would not be a walkover.
Round Three
By the start of this round it was apparent Jeff Curran was not present just for the Octagon roll call, as he outclassed Matt from a striking perspective. Soon the fighters were back on the ground, with Serra in Curran’s guard, until Jeff double-kicked Matt like a mule. Although Curran was only a threat to Serra whilst the men were standing, Jeff Curran can be proud of his trial-by-fire Octagon debut.
Result: Matt Serra by unanimous decision.
Josh Thomson Vs Hermes Franca
Lightweight Bout
Prior to the bout BJJ black belt Hermes Franca stated, "I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to win the fight". Josh Thomson countered visually by entering the arena wearing a pro-wrestler’s mask. After the theatrics, fight fans were treated to another high-calibre display of MMA.
Round One
Josh started out well, outstriking Hermes with an assortment of shin kicks and back fists, before falling to the ground whilst attempting a high kick. Hermes took a little longer to settle into the match, probably due to Thomson’s 5’10" – 5’6" height advantage, before landing some right hands and knees. With one minute remaining in the round, Franca took Thomson to the ground. At the close of round one Thomson elected to take Franca back to the canvas.
Round Two
Hermes moved in early with an attempted shoot and high kick. But Josh was not intimidated on the floor and continued his offense from the horizontal. The round closed with the fighters standing and exchanging a salvo of fists and knees.
Round Three
Hermes continued the slugging for the first minute of round three, with referee Larry Landless coming close to stopping the fight for Thomson. But Josh hung in there and both combatants switched to reserve tanks, Hermes fighting from Josh’s guard. Thomson attempted a triangle choke, but was unable to submit his opponent. Both fighters finished the bout feeling confident of victory. With the decision going again to the judges, Hermes Franca suffered his first defeat in MMA.
Result: Josh Thomson by Unanimous Decision.
Georges St. Pierre Vs Karo Parisyan
Welterweight Bout
French Canadian Georges St. Pierre was yet another bright new talent to make his debut in the ’Gon at UFC 46. Karo had previously impressed MMA fans at UFC 44 when he defeated veteran Dave Strasser by way of Kimura arm-bar.
Round One
The bout opened with both fighters attempting shin kicks. Karo siezed Georges’s right arm and attempted an early kimura. It looked as though Pierre was going to go the way of Strasser, but St. Pierre fought his way out and was taken into Parisyan’s guard. Pierre was dispatching some solid ground’n’pounding and Karo was on the hunt for submitting Georges by way of arm triangles, but Georges, with a wrestling and BJJ background, continued to attack Karo with elbows and fists from Karo’s guard. Round one was a taste of things to come in rounds two and three.
Round Two
Georges fought from Karo’s guard, delivering coated elbows and fists, whilst Karo was looking for that finishing leg lock or arm bar. Midway through the round, Parisyan was bleeding above the right eye as St. Pierre continued to ground’n’pound his opponent.
Round Three
Georges tried for a high kick before shooting in on Karo and taking him to the mat. Parisyan applied another Kimura, but St. Pierre was too strong and pulled out yet again. Karo was the recipient of more elbows in this round, with the fighters returning to their feet to strike it out. Georges appeared to have the upper hand again, delivering a powerful knee to Karo’s mid-section. Karo seemed to be relying solely on his signature Kimuras, which St. Pierre was able to counter.
Result: Georges St. Pierre by Unanimous Decision.
Lee Murray Vs Jorge Rivera
Middleweight Bout
Lee Murray made his highly anticipated Octagon debut at UFC 46, stating, "Everyone loves knockouts and that’s what I’m bringing to the table…If I win by submission, I’m not happy…I think I ain’t done my job. I like to win by knockout".
Jorge Rivera countered by saying, "I’m thinking, I’m going to come into that ring and I’m all business. You know, all the talking you talk before that fight - that’s all it is – it’s just talk, man… And if you’re not gonna back up that shit you’re talking, be ready, because I am".
Round One
Lee Murray entered the ’Gon dressed as Con Air’s Garland Greene. After removing his overalls, Murray displayed a ripped physique that appeared to have gone through Oliver North’s shredder. Jorge Rivera wore the same King Richard headdress he’d sported prior to his bout against David Loiseau at UFC 44.
At the opening of the first round, Jorge took Lee straight to the mat despite his own reputation for being a heavy puncher. Lee went for an arm bar at 1.05, and at 1.45 Jorge tapped out from a combination arm bar/triangle submission.
Result: Lee Murray by Submission.
During the short-lived match, Joe Rogan mentioned talk of a street fight that took place in Murray’s hometown London, where it was believed Murray convincingly defeated Tito Ortiz. After Lee’s defeat of Jorge Rivera, Murray and Ortiz exchanged views of how their own re-match in the Octagon would go.
Lee Murray’s visit to Las Vegas proved to be as enjoyable as Garland Greene’s.
Frank Mir Vs Wes Sims
Heavyweight Re-Match
Of Wes Sims, Frank Mir said, "I’m going to try to end his career physically. And if he does manage to come back, he’ll be a very humble person".
Of his opponent, an amused Wes Sims commented, "The last impression I left on Frank Mir was a size 16 up his face".
Round One
From the beginning, this fight began to resemble Mir v Sims: Take One, as Mir went for an early takedown and mounted Sims, attempting an arm bar and rear choke. Frank fitted Wes with an arm triangle at 2.40. Sims looked to be in trouble, and slowly raised an arm as though he was about to tap out, only to show a thumbs-up to the crowd. Four minutes into round one, Sims had a cut above his eye and Mir’s nose was bleeding. Frank delivered a volley of elbows with 15 seconds remaining, which bloodied Wes’s face.
Round Two
Sims was still his smiling, jovial self before front kicks were swapped. Both big men were looking the worst for wear from the previous round and fell to the canvas. While Mir lay in Sims guard, Mark Coleman called from Wes’s corner, "Do you want this or not?" At 1.20, referee John McCarthy returned the men to their feet due to a lack of action. Sims tried for a crucifix on Mir, but was unable to join his hand to complete the hold. Mir elected to go for a takedown, only to have Sims deliver elbows, hammer fists and punches to Frank’s back. Both men’s stamina supplies were depleted, and Big Mac again stood the fighters back up. Mir looked at the clock, then unloaded a shin kick followed by a right/left knee combination to Sims’s chin. A right punch and left hook sent Wes to the ground. Frank collapsed from exhaustion, winning with a 4.21.
Result: Frank Mir by TKO.
Wes Sims had again defied submissions. After the victory, Frank Mir said of Sims, "That’s a big, tough motherf---er, man."
BJ Penn Vs Matt Hughes
Welterweight Title Bout
Five-time defending Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes had said of BJ Penn, "After that first round, he’ll walk back to his corner, and he’ll know he made a mistake…I will break him in the first round".
When veteran ring announcer Mike Goldberg asked BJ Penn how he felt about Matt’s strength, Goldberg said BJ’s reply was, "Mike, look at my eyes. See if there is anybody in there who cares".
Round One
BJ Penn entered the ‘Gon to the sound of Sudden Rush’s "Day the Hawaiians Took Over". Matt and BJ traded punches and shin kicks, before Hughes opted to take it to the canvas. Early in the round there was a lot of scrimmaging, both fighters working for the superior position. Eventually Penn forced Hughes to work from his back. Matt appeared to be trying for an ankle lock as super-fit Penn worked relentlessly to subdue Hughes.
With 45 seconds remaining in round one, BJ got full mount, and then Hughes’s back. At 4.39 Hughes tapped out from a rear-naked choke: the same hold Matt had used to defeat Frank Trigg in UFC 45. At the end of the battle, BJ was hoisted onto the shoulders of fellow Hawaiian Wesley "Cabbage" Correira.
Result: BJ Penn by submission.
Renato Verissimo Vs Carlos Newton
Welterweight Bout
This match was between the highly regarded BJJ practitioner and strike technician Renato Verissimo, and the MMA veteran and Japanese-style Ju Jitsu specialist Carlos Newton.
Round One
Although Renato was renowned for being BJ Penn’s BJJ instructor, he tried to out-strike Carlos. But Carlos was determined to test his grappling skills against Verissimo’s. On the ground, Renato had Newton in his guard and attempted an arm bar. Verissimo then gained mount, followed by rear-mount whilst continuing to strike Carlos from behind.
Round Two
Carlos landed an early left hook, then went for a takedown, which favoured Renato who seized the opportunity to dish out some ground’n’pounding to Newton. With two minutes remaining, Larry Landless stood the fighters up, and Renato continued to attack Carlos. Verissimo landed a telling knee strike, followed by a leg-trip takedown of Newton. Again the round finished with Renato on Carlos’s back.
Round Three
Verissimo began the round outstriking Newton before the pair rendezvoused on the floor. Larry Landless brought the fighters back to their feet, and as Renato and Carlos shaped up, announcer Joe Rogan commented, "I don’t like seeing Carlos like this with his hands down." Mike Goldberg asked, "Why?" Before Rogan could reply, Carlos wore a well-delivered knee from Renato. Although Newton had the edge on paper, Verissimo was just too good for Newton.
Result: Renato Verissimo by Unanimous Decision.
Vitor Belfort Vs Randy Couture
Light Heavyweight Championship Bout
This fight was stopped almost as quickly as it took referee Big John McCarthy to say "Let’s Get It On." Due to a freakish accident, it appeared Vitor’s thumb grazed Randy’s lower eyelid. When the pair moved against the Octagon fence, it was obvious something was wrong with Randy’s eye. Vitor appeared to notice things weren’t right with Couture and appeared to hold back, before Big John separated the fighters and called Dr Goodman to examine Randy. It was later revealed Randy Couture had suffered a corneal abrasion.
Randy Couture and Vitor Belfort had previously met at UFC 17 on October 15, 1997. A second re-match will be something to look forward to.
Article courtesy of www.knucklepit.com.
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Image © Zuffa LLC / Joshua Hedges
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