Alan Belcher vs. Yoshihiro AkiyamaThe announcers note that Akiyama’s nickname in Japan is Sexyama and he sings concerts as a big crossover star. Bruce Buffer announces the opening of UFC 100 and sponsors, and introduces the fighters for the match. Akiyama in red trunks and Belcher in blue. They start standing and trading kicks. Inadvertent low blow kick by Belcher about a minute in. The replay gets a HUGE groan from the sympathetic crowd in Vegas. Round 1 starts back up after a rest period for Akiyama. Akiyama hits some stiff punches and the fighters trade punches. Belcher hits a punch that knocks Akiyama back a bit and he trips, but gets up immediately. Primarily punching a the first round continues, and both fighters mix in some roundhouse kicks. FInal minute sees Akiyama take down Belcher and have some leverage but time expired.
Round 2 goes almost immediately to the mat. Akiyama lands some unprotected strikes to the face with Belcher on the mat. Akiyama trying to find a dominant position. Belcher gets leverage and gets back to a standing position with 2 minutes left. The final 2 minutes see some tentative strikes until the round ends.
Round 3 begins with Belcher targetting Akiyama’s right leg, which appears weakened. Akiyama is having trouble seeing out of his left eye. Belcher targets the left side of Akiyama’s head with strikes. Belcher with a leg kick and Akiyama hits a punch that knocks Belcher back into a backflip, but he recovers quickly. Belcher uses one leg to bounce off the cage for a punch. Akiyama takes down Belcher with 20 seconds left in Round 3 but Belcher is back up with a few seconds to spare as the round ends.
Judges scores:
30-27 Akiyama
29-28 Belcher
29-28 Akiyama
Winner by decision: Akiyama
Dan Henderson vs. Michael BispingBisping gets booed by the crowd. Henderson announced as former 2-time Pride champion to big cheers. We know where the fighters stand with this crowd. Henderson with a huge flurry of strikes and has Bisping reeling. Settles down a bit and both guys feel each other out. Henderson lands a couple good shots as the round ends, seems like a clear round for Henderson.
Round 2 resumes the standing action and Henderson gets a good shot against the cage. Both men looking for openings. Henderson hits a sick knockout punch and then hits him again on the ground and just like that, it’s over. Crowd erupts. Wow
Winner: Henderson by KO
Joe Rogan interviews Henderson after the match. Hendo made his case for a rematch with Anderson Silva but Hendo could be headed back to the light heavyweight division.
UFC Welterweight Championship MatchGeorge St. Pierre (c) vs. Thiago Alves
Huge GSP chant by the crowd as the match begins. St Pierre in red trunks, Alves in black. St Pierre with a single leg takedown 1 minute into the round and he maneuvers for position on Alves. Alves spots an opening and escapes and both fighters are back standing. GSP lands some kicks. Crowd is electric with a bunch of chants. Alves goes on offense with some kicks and charges GSP, who responds with an almost immediate takedown. GSP took that round.
Round 2. Once again Alves with a small burst of offense and GSP takes him down. Alves hammer fisting from the bottom, and GSP responds with some strikes and an elbow to the face. Alves is bleeding from the face, i think the nose. GSP lands more shots and Alves tries fighting him off. More hard shots by GSP to the face. Alves is unable to get back to his feet unlike in the first round. Alves back to his feet with 30 seconds to go in the round. Clutching. Alves survives the round.
Round 3. Standing goes back and forth for about 2 minutes and GSP takes down Alves. He’s up about a minute later but takes his time to get back on offense. Both men are throwing punches and kicks but nothing much is connecting. About 40 seconds to go GSP takes down Alves and starting pounding on his face to a huge crowd reaction. 20 second flurry and Alves covers up and recovers a bit. GSP is on top of Alves as the round ends.
Round 4. GSP takedown early in the round. GSP in a full mount and looks to lock up the arm. Alves from a half guard and squirms free briefly but GSP catches him from behind. Alves then pops up and gets on top of GSP and is punching GSP in the face. GSP escapes with about 2 minutes to go in the round. Alves with a big uppercut attempt that whiffs. GSP takes him down with 1 minute to go in Round 4. GSP mounts Alves from behind but Alves blocks it off as the round ends. First time in the fight you could see the round going to Alves.
Round 5. GSP tells his coach that he has pulled his groin. Could be a factor in the final round. Alves on the attack. GSP takes him down about a minute in. Alves escapes and goes for some wild blows. GSP reverses an Alves leg kick, pushing Alves back into the cage and then down. Alves up, GSP takedown. Announcers are calling it a rout with a minute to go. With the injured groin, GSP rides out the round on top of Alves.
Judges:
50-45 St. Pierre
50-44 St. Pierre
50-45 St. Pierre
Winner: St. Pierre by unanimous decision.
Joe Rogan interviews GSP after the match. GSP confirms he injured his groin in the third round. Rogan asks about his future, including moving up in weight and taking on Anderson Silva. GSP doesn’t confirm or deny.
UFC Heavyweight Championship MatchBrock Lesnar (c) vs. Frank Mir
Crowd is firmly behind Mir. Round 1 begins. Brock almost immediately goes for a takedown and Mir has a half guard. Mir has a small cut on the bridge of his nose already. Brock pressing down hard on Mir and delivers some head strikes as Mir tries to cover up. Brock continues pounding Mir for several minutes. Brock moves down and hits some body strikes. Brock holds on for the rest of the round. Mir took some major damage to his face in that round.
Round 2. Mir is aggressive on offense and lands some stiff head shots and Lesnar stood up to it and took Mir down. Crowd boos as Lesnar resumes his mount on Mir. Crowd chants “get them up” and boos. Lesnar is leveling repeated punches to the side of Mir’s head until Mir is knocked silly and stops defending himself. Ref calls it off and Brock says “who’s the fucking man”. Mir gets up and Brock talks trash to him. Brock flips off the crowd! Crowd boos. Replay shows that Brock just was pummeling him there.
Winner: Lesnar by KO
Joe Rogan interviews Brock and Brock is FIRED UP. Tells the crowd to bring it on. Brock said Frank Mir had a horseshoe up his ass a year ago, and he pulled it out and beat him with it – WOOOOO. This is great stuff. Brock says he’s going home and drinking Coors Light because Bud Light wont pay him. He then promises to “get on top of his wife”.
Joe goes over to talk to Frank Mir, who concedes Lesnar did a good job. Mir is classy and humble in loss, to a big cheer from the crowd.
Jon Fitch vs. Paulo ThiagoRound 1. Paulo locks in a side headlock and works Fitch on the mat up against the cage. Fitch moves to escape but Thiago keeps it locked in. Fitch locks Thiago’s legs. Fitch escapes with about 2 minutes left in the round. Fitch goes for a mount still with both men up against the cage. Both fighters jockey for position as time runs out in the round.
Round 2. Fitch with a hard right and backs Thiago into the cage. Back into a similar situation as round 1 with Thiago’s back to the cage and Fitch on top, without the headlock. Thiago rolls out but gives up his back and Fitch has his hands locked around his waist. They get to a half standing position and Fitch powers Thiago back down with a stiff takedown. Fitch locks one hook from behind. Fitch controlled most of that round.
Round 3. Fitch with an early takedown and resumes his strategy to keep Thiago pinned. With about 2 minutes to go in the round, Thiago thrashes up with some kicks to Fitch’s face. Fitch regains control on the mat and hits some blows to the back of the head and to the chest. Fitch takes the back and hits some strikes from behind. Fitch switches arms to continue the relentless offense on Thiago’s head. Round expires with Fitch dominant.
Judges
30-27 Fitch
29-28 Fitch
29-28 Fitch
WInner: Fitch by unanimous decision
More UFC 100 action, including a video replay here.
