It’s free on Spike and it’s on in HD! Life can’t be much better right now.
I haven’t read any spoilers so I’m looking at this as if I’m watching it live. Big D may pop in from time to time to give his comments.
It looks like Paul Kelly vs. Marcus Davis will open up the show.
Paul Kelly vs. Marcus Davis
It was all stand-up except for one takedown by Davis. He is simply the better stand-up fighter and was utilizing kicks as well. The fight started to heat up at the end of the round, so round two should be pretty action packed.
Davis is in and out and it’s frustrating Kelly. Kelly can’t get a solid shot on him. Kelly shot in and took Davis down, but Davis hung onto a guillotine and tapped him out. He got his hooks in with Kelly on top and it was over.
Winner: Marcus Davis by 2nd round submission.
Big D says:
He (Paul Kelly) loves to fight, and loves to win more, but didn’t tonight. Samoa Joe’s trainer wins. Next for Davis: Kevin Nash.
D was referencing Kelly’s prefight interview where he pretended he was Fit Finlay and said, “I love to fight.”
The other Paul, Paul Taylor is up next against Chris Lytle.
Paul Taylor vs. Chris Lytle
The first round was excellent. Both guys were slugging it out. You have Lytle as the former boxer who you’d think would get the better of the stand up, but Taylor held his own. It will be interesting to see how they score it because Lytle is loading up on the right hands, but Taylor is throwing these short combinations that are scoring as well.
Taylor kicked Lytle low which seems to have slowed him down a bit. But another good round. Lytle was pushing him up against the cage, possibly to catch his breath and Taylor looks like the fresher fighter going into the last round.
Great third round. Lytle would summon strength to throw and land bombs, but Taylor was standing with him. Taylor finished off the fight in fine fashion and landed a huge uppercut. But Lytle took everything.
Winner: Chris Lytle by way of unanimous decision
Definitely one of those fights that could’ve gone either way. I could see how either guy would’ve been given the decision.
Big D says:
Although neither of these guys will be a World Champion anytime this decade, this was a great stand-up war that was very fun to watch.
Sokoudjou vs. Luiz Cane
Great first round for Sokoudjou. He unloaded on Cane with everything he had. Cane got a few good shots in as well, but more impressively, he took a lot of big shots and stayed right in front of him. Cane did get the better of him for about the last minute and a half.
The second round was all Cane. He was throwing a huge left hand and timing his knees perfectly. Sokoudjou was tired and apprehensive. Completely the opposite of how he fought in the first round. Cane knocked him against the cage with a knee and then followed it up with a left hand that put Sokoudjou down and that’s all she wrote. He threw tens of unanswered punches and the referee stopped it.
Winner: Luiz Cane by 2nd round TKO
Big D says:
Sokodjou didn’t look right tonight. He looked as if something was on his mind the entire fight not related to the fight. But screw it, I’m not making any excuses, he got rocked several times and that was that.
Brandon Vera vs. Keith Jardine
Jardine immediately took down Vera, but Vera opened up a cut on his head with an elbow from the guard. Vera went for a kimura and held on for about 45 seconds, but let it go. There was a great back and forth with about 30 seconds left. Vera knocked Jardine down and then immediately, Jardine knocked him back down. Jardine looked like he was on his way to possibly finishing him, but the bell sounded.
Oddly, Vera is leading with his left hand instead of jabbing. It opens him up every time for a possible left hook, but Jardine hasn’t thrown it yet. Vera started to land body kicks, very similarly to when Jardine landed them on Chuck Liddell in his victory last year.
With my eyes, I’m seeing Vera score with many shots that aren’t highlight shots, but still scoring shots. Because Jardine is so herky jerky, he’s the fighter who moves more and looks to be more active, but to me Vera is scoring more points. We’ll see how the judges see it. Jardine took it to him to end the fight.
Winner: Keith Jardine by way of split decision
I wonder if that last second flurry won him that third round from that deciding judge.
I think Big D might’ve passed out.
Chris Leben vs. Michael Bisping
Leben is rocking the cornrows. Bisping looks intense.
Both guys look to be in amazing shape.
Leben was active but Bisping was just more sharp with both his punches and kicks. Bisping bloodied up Leben’s nose and won the round. Leben looked ok for the most part though.
Leben had a better round, but Bisping is still controlling the fight. Leben is still trying to hit the haymaker to end it, but Bisping is too smart.
The third round was pretty similar to the others, but Leben got a takedown and it was the first time in the fight where Leben had the upper hand. Leben was going for the knockout but Bisping stayed away from him. With seconds left, Leben dropped his hands daring Bisping to throw with him.
Bisping should win a unanimous decision.
Winner: Michael Bisping by way of unanimous decision
Leben looks like he’s been in a war, but Bisping looks just as clean as he did before the fight started. Chris Leben has a job for life in the UFC. He brings it to the table every fight, even if he’s just not as talented as some of the better fighters at 185. But he kept coming the entire fight. Nice win for Bisping.