Ariel Shnerer was in Montreal blogging Saturday's action. Recap the action.
Main card
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (19-4) def. Lyoto Machida (16-1) via Knockout (Punches) at 3:35
Round 1: The crowd is in an absolute frenzy as the main event gets underway. Shogun misses an early flurry and eats a punch from Machida. Shogun continues to press forward and hits Machida with a few shots on the chin. Shogun goes for a takedown, but Machida stuffs it well. Machida proceeds to secure a takedown of his own, ending in Shogun's half-guard. Shogun gets back to his feet and chases Machida around the octagon, connecting with several punches. Machida secures another takedown. Shogun once again makes it back to his feet and throws knees at Machida's thigh inside the clinch. Machida misses with a left hook and gets dropped by an overhand right from Shogun. The former Pride grand prix winner immediately pounces and finishes Machida with strikes. Rua claims the undisputed UFC light heavyweight title and the crowd is in hysterics.
Josh Koscheck (15-4) def. Paul Daley (23-9-2) via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Round 1: Daley misses with a flying knee and stalks the American Kickboxing Academy product. Koscheck responds with a quick takedown. Daley gets to his feet only to get planted right back down. In half-guard, Koscheck is unable to inflict any significant damage on Daley. Koscheck, patient in his attack, takes the back of Daley and gets his locks in for a rear-naked choke. Daley resists for as long as possible and eventually makes it back to his feet. Daley hits Koscheck with a knee while he is still on all fours. Referee Dan Miragliotta stops the fight. The crowd is furious as the replay reveals the knee barely grazed Koscheck's head. The action is finally restarted with Daley moving forward on his foe. Koscheck dodges an uppercut and shoots in with a single-leg takedown. Koscheck is struggling to get the takedown as the round comes to an end. FoxSports.com scores it 10-9 Koscheck.
Round 2: Koscheck wisely secures a takedown and moves to half-guard. The crowd starts chanting for "GSP." Koscheck passes to full mount several times, but Daley defends well by moving back into half-guard. The crowd starts getting restless with the action as Koscheck delivers short punches on the ground. In similar fashion as in round one, Koscheck slowly takes Daley's back and tries to sink in a rear-naked choke. Koscheck delivers punches and heel strikes to soften Daley up in the position, but the Brit survives the round. FoxSports.com scores it 10-9 Daley. St-Pierre is shown sitting ringside calling the action and the crowd explodes.
Round 3: Daley connects with several clean shots while Koscheck circles around the octagon. Instinctively, Koscheck attempts a single-leg takedown and effectively transitions to a double-leg. Once again in Daley's half-guard, Koscheck drops more short punches. Koscheck eventually takes the full mount. Daley actively moves his hips hoping to escape, but Koscheck stays with the attack. With one minute remaining in the contest, the crowd showers the fighters with boos. FoxSports.com sees the round 10-9 Koscheck, who should take home the clear-cut unanimous decision victory. After the bell sounds, Daley tries to attack Koscheck. Referee Dan Miragliotta gets a hold of Daley and pushes him into the cage. UFC President Dana White is seen trying to talk some sense into Daley in the corner. Mickey Rourke is shown sitting in the crowd and the crowd gives him a warm welcome. Meanwhile, Koscheck is booed out of the building as he celebrates his win.
Jeremy Stephens (17-5) def. Sam Stout (15-6-1) via Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
Round 1: Stephens connects with several big punches right on the button in the early stages of the round. Stout throws a variety of kicks and body punches to keep Stephens guessing. But Stephens cracks Stout with a powerful left, dropping the Canadian for an instant. With his nose now busted open, Stout keeps throwing kicks at the heavy-handed 23-year-old. Stephens keeps his composure and continues to look for a big knockout shot as Stout appears light on his feet, patiently bouncing around the octagon. FoxSports.com scores the round 10-9 Stephens.
Round 2: Stephens is content to continue standing and banging with "Hands of Stone." Stephens lands a powerful cross, dropping Stout to the floor. The Team Tompkins fighter looks for a kimura, but Stephens fights it off well. Back on their feet, Stout continues moving forward and punishing the midsection of Stephens, who holds his own with wild hooks. As the round progresses, Stout looks crisper on his feet and lands more combinations. Stephens is now bleeding from the nose as well. Stephens blocks a Stout head kick and misses with two looping punches and a spinning backfist. Stout misses with a spinning backfist of his own as the round comes to an end. FoxSports.com scores the close round 10-10.
Round 3: Stout inadvertently kicks Stephens in the groin less than 10 seconds into the stanza. After a brief halt of the action, the round continues. Stout appears to be the more technical striker, while Stephens is landing the heavier shots. Stout continues to target the body with a variety of strikes. Stephens starts finding his mark with a precise jab. Stout hurts Stephens with a body shot and turns up the heat. Like a shark smelling blood, Stout pounces on Stephens and drops elbows from the guard. Unable to finish, Stout lets Stephens back up to his feet. Stout continues his technical attack as Stephens secures a quick takedown. Stout gets back to his feet with time running out. FoxSports.com scores the round 10-9 Stout. This one will be tight.
Matt Mitrione (2-0) def. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson (4-2) via TKO (punches) at 4:24, Round 2
Round 1: The Bell Centre erupts for Kimbo Slice, who represents American Top Team for this heavyweight match-up. Mitrione has UFC heavyweight fighter Pat Barry in his corner. Mitrione grazes the head of Slice with a head kick. Slice connects with a big right hand and Mitrione throws another head kick. Slice catches the kick and slams Mitrione, who then reverses the position and sinks in a triangle choke. Slice fights out and winds up in side control, although he is unable to administer any significant damage from the position. Mitrione works his way back up, but gets planted with another takedown against the cage. Slice throws punches to the body inside Mitrione's guard. Mitrione throws up another triangle choke attempt, but Slice wisely backs up and lets Mitrione return to his feet. Mitrione misses with another head kick, but connects with two big knees. Mitrione then takes Slice down and secures a side choke, but the former streetfighter survives the round. FoxSports.com scores the round 10-9 Mitrione.
Round 2: Mitrione pumps out the jab, but Slice charges in for a takedown. Mitrione fends it off and makes Slice pay with inside and outside leg kicks. Slice fails another takedown attempt. Mitrione continues to land with punches, kicks and knees as he backs Slice up against the cage. Once again, Slice attempts a takedown. Mitrione stuffs it well and throws hard knees to the body. Mitrione takes the full mount and drops bombs. Slice covers up and eats many shots, but referee Dan Miragliotta lets the assault continue. Mitrione then goes for a kimura. Slice survives, but Mitrione goes back to barrage of strikes from the mount. With Slice no longer defending well, Miragliotta is forced to stop the contest at the 4:24 mark of the round. The heavyweight fighters embrace after the match-up.
Alan Belcher (16-6) def. Patrick Cote (13-6) via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:25, Round 2
Round 1: The live crowd goes bananas for the ring entrance and introduction of Quebec's own Cote. Meanwhile, Belcher is showered with loud boos. Belcher lands several body kicks. Cote suffers a kick to the groin and the action is stopped momentarily. Cote comes out swinging as the crowd erupts with chants of "Cote." Belcher continues to land effective body kicks, while Cote tries to connect with a big right hook. Cote finally catches an attempted body kick and secures a takedown. Cote passes to half-guard and goes for a kimura. Belcher desperately fights it off and now lands in Cote's half-guard. Belcher passes to side control and drops elbows on the fallen French-Canadian. Despite a near-submission by Cote, Belcher got the better of him standing. FoxSports.com Scores Round: 10-9 Belcher
Round 2: Feeding off the energy from the fans, Cote starts the round more aggressively and connects with several big hooks. Belcher clinches up against the cage, but Cote makes him pay with some dirty boxing inside. Cote shoots in for a takedown and Belcher defends it well. The BJJ brown belt Belcher lifts him up and plants him face-first on the canvas. He immediately takes Cote's back and secures a fight-ending rear-naked choke. Cote complains after the fight about being spiked onto the mat.
Undercard
Joe Doerksen (45-12) def. Tom Lawlor (6-3) via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:10, Round 2
Draped in an American flag, Lawlor makes a colorful ring entrance to the tune of famous hit "Living in America." The Canadian Doerksen is cheered on loudly as he enters the octagon to the song "Taking Care of Business." The bout marks Doerksen's first UFC appearance since his release in April 2008. The first round sees both fighters go back and fourth with wild punches, kicks and knees. They wing punches for the last two minutes of the opening round with both men eating big shots. The fighters continue their frantic pace in the second round. Doerksen utilizes a greater assortment of kicks to gain the advantage standing. After a failed takedown attempt by Lawlor, Doerksen takes his back and locks in a rear-naked choke for the submission victory. The crowd begins chanting "Canada" as Doerksen celebrates with his team.
Marcus Davis (17-6) def. Jonathan Goulet (22-11) via TKO (Strikes) at 1:23, Round 2
Goulet gets a warm welcome from his hometown crowd for his first bout in over a year. He lands a quick takedown in the first minute of the fight, but Davis scrambles back to his feet. Goulet shoots in for another takedown. This time, Davis catches him coming in and sinks in a tight guillotine choke. The Canadian survives and puts Davis on his back several times. With just over a minute remaining in the first round, Goulet drops a flurry of heavy punches from Davis' butterfly guard and continues to work his wrestling game to secure the round. In the second stanza, Davis drops Goulet with a big shot and works his ground-and-pound from the half-guard position. Goulet gets back to his feet and eats a right hook, followed by a punishing left uppercut. Davis rushes in with strikes on his fallen adversary, forcing a referee stoppage at 1:23 of the second round.
Johny Hendricks (8-0) def. T.J. Grant (15-4) via Majority Decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)
Grant lands some clean strikes, but is unable to stop Hendricks' takedown in the early going. Grant returns to his feet and exhibits superior striking against the former four-time All-American wrestler, outlanding him with crisper blows. The fight is halted for several minutes after a rough unintentional groin shot by Grant. After the action restarts, Hendricks stuns Grant with a punch, but the Canadian responds with a series of knees. Grant throws punches wildly as time expires. Hendricks unintentionally lands one punch after the sound of the bell, but the fighters touch gloves. In the second round, Grant throws a multitude of strikes before being taken down to the mat by the Team TakeDown wrestling standout. In the third round, Hendricks throws several inside leg kicks before Grant lands another unintentional groin kick. This time around, Grant is penalized one point for the foul. Feeling a sense of urgency, Grant moves forward on his opponent and throws a dynamic kick. Grant is lifted high in the air and planted on his back. But Grant regains his vertical base and keeps moving forward with strikes. In a display of his wrestling prowess, Hendricks lands several more takedowns as time expires in the back-and-fourth welterweight battle. After the decision is announced, the crowd boos Hendricks as he celebrates his third-straight UFC victory.
Joey Beltran (12-3) def. Tim Hague (10-4) via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)
After a brief feeling out process, Hague shoots in for several takedowns on the "Mexicutioner." Beltran manages to keep the fight standing and lands some heavy shots on the Canadian, cutting him open. Beltran punishes Hague with a flurry of winged punches, but "The Thrashing Machine" holds his own. The heavy-handed brawl continued into the second stanza with Hague stunning Beltran in the early going. Clearly exhausted, both men touch gloves in the center of the ring after a wild exchange. Beltran starts the third round pumping out the jab. Hague lands a powerful slam against the cage and proceeds to drop bombs from the guard. Beltran scrambles back to his feet and throws some heavy leather. Despite being out of gas, the resilient Canadian stuns Beltran yet again with a heavy right hook and lands another takedown. Hague moves to full mount and drops a cavalcade of heavy shots. Seemingly in grave danger, Beltran impressively reverses the position and forces Hague to get back to his feet. The crowd goes wild as time runs out, but boos loudly for the decision in favor of Beltran.
Mike Guymon (12-3-1) def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-5) via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Guymon was the aggressor for the majority of the opening stanza, securing two takedowns and landing in the Japanese fighter's half-guard. Guymon inflicted some rough ground-and-pound near the end of the round, but Yoshida survived the onslaught. In the second frame, Yoshida came alive with a flurry of strikes to the head, but Guymon quickly secured another takedown. Back to their feet, Yoshida desperately tried to land a takedown of his own, but to no avail. Guymon used an effective sprawl, landed another takedown and moved to full mount. Guymon then took the back of his opponent, sinking in a tight rear-naked choke. Yoshida passed to side control where he dropped some elbows as the round came to a close. In the third round, Guymon changed up his style and engaged Yoshida in a standing slugfest.Relentless in his attack, Guymon smothered Yoshida with hammerfists and sharp elbows as the third and final round expired. Guymon dominated his second UFC fight to take home a hard-fought unanimous decision.
John Salter (5-1) def. Jason MacDonald (24-14) via TKO (leg injury) at 2:42, Round 1
Salter controlled the majority of the action inside the clinch. MacDonald through a high kick, but fell victim to a takedown for his efforts. MacDonald's leg buckled upon landing and the Canadian screamed in pain, forcing a referee stoppage as a result of the injury. Post-fight, MacDonald was carried out to the locker room.
