© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com
July 16, 2009
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges
In Earlier Matches
Jon Fitch def. Paulo Thiago by unanimous decision.
Yoshihiro Akiyama def. Alan Belcher by split decision.
Mark Coleman def. Stephan Bonnar by unanimous decision.
Jim Miller def. Mac Danzig by unanimous decision.
Jon Jones def. Jake O’Brien by guillotine – 2.43, Round Two.
Dong Hyun Kim def. TJ Grant by unanimous decision.
Tom Lawlor def. CB Dollaway by guillotine – 0.55, Round One.
Shannon Gugerty def. Matt Grice by guillotine – 2.36, Round One.
The Battles
Dan Henderson (6’ 4” 185 lb) vs. Michael Bisping (6’2” 186 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki
Round One
For some reason Mario Yamasaki doesn’t introduce these two warriors before kickoff. Perhaps he thinks they’ve met before.
4.59: They touch gloves; Dan takes center stage and Michael dances around him using his jabs as a moat to keep Dan away.
4.27: Dan closes in and Michael circles to Dan’s right. Dan throws a couple of his legendary big rights, but Michael dodges and weaves out of range.
4.17: Bisping spits out a right cross and Henderson leg-kicks.
3.53: Henderson dispatches a right hand, then follows up with a left and a right hook, and a right uppercut. Bisping is shaken, but not stirred, and retreats as Henderson hunts him down.
3.44: Bisping offers up a body kick in an attempt to slow Henderson down; however Henderson ignores the kick and hurls another leather combo.
3.37: They regroup and Michael throws lefts and rights before copping a “Hendo” right hook on the jaw at 3.30. They clinch and Dan elbow-strikes whilst breaking free. Amazingly, Michael continues circling to Dan’s right.
2.41: Dan avoids a high kick.
2.33: Michael pokes out a right cross and an inside leg kick.
2.17: He tags Dan with jabs.
1.24: Michael scores with a left high kick and a jab.
1.02: They clinch as Dan knees Michael’s body.
0.29: They part.
0.20: Bisping attempts a takedown that Henderson easily shrugs off.
0.07: Bisping kicks and Henderson counters with a left hook. He catches Bisping with a right before the hooter sounds.
Bisping’s corner howls at him for not staying away from Henderson’s right hand.
Round Two
They face off.
4.43: Michael is already dancing to Dan’s right despite his corner’s stern advice.
4.41: He inside-kicks.
4.25: Michael continues to pop out jabs and delivers another inside leg kick. Dan remains poised and waits to get missile lock for his right hammer. The sniper stare says he’s not here for the Devonshire tea.
3.52: Henderson gets Bisping in his sights and hurls a big right; Bisping clinches and brings up a token left knee; however Henderson ignores the attempt and unloads a right and a left hook.
3.44: Bisping escapes to Henderson’s right and they face off at center ring. Bisping again circles to Henderson’s right as they swap long-range jabs and the occasional right fist.
1.51: Dan is backing Michael up with powerful jabs.
1.46: Dan delivers a soft inside kick.
1.43: He appears to be lining up another soft inside kick, and Michael takes the bait. But it’s just a disguise for Dan to extend his stance as his left foot closes the gap and he parks a HUGE right fist on the left side of Michael’s jaw, then Dan leaps on the horizontal Brit to euthanize the pain caused by his initial block-busting blow.
Of the follow-up shot Dan says, “I think that one was just to shut him up a little bit.”
Result: Dan Henderson by KO – 3.20, Round Two.
Georges St-Pierre (5’10” 170 lb) vs. Thiago Alves (5’9” 170 lb)
–Welterweight Title
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti
Round One
The crowd roars “GSP” as play starts. They touch gloves and it’s on.
4.55: Georges inside-kicks before standing out of range of Thiago’s jabs.
4.31: Georges inside-kicks.
4.26: Thiago high-kicks and Georges retaliates with a jab.
4.16: Georges shoots under Thiago’s jab and takes him down.
4.10: Thiago climbs back up, but Georges slams him straight down and fights from half guard.
3.35: Alves climbs up in the clinch.
3.22: St-Pierre tugs him down again.
3.18: St-Pierre takes Alves’s back with the hooks in.
2.56: Alves spins to face St-Pierre and they stand before breaking free, then go toe-to-toe whilst banging it out. GSP uses his reach advantage to pick the Brazilian off whilst mixing jabs with low kicks.
1.30: Georges shoots; however Thiago shrugs this takedown attempt off.
1.19: Thiago evades a spinning back kick.
1.40: Thiago comes in with both guns blazing, so Georges shoots under the punches and takes Thiago to the floor.
0.38: Thiago wraps GSP in full guard.
0.13: Thiago climbs to his feet and they embrace in a clinch.
Round Two
4.49: St-Pierre inside-kicks. He’s successfully using his reach to pick off Alves before ducking out of harm’s way.
4.01: GSP lands a jab and immediately follows with a kick to Alves’s left leg, then shoots in and takes him down.
3.13: St-Pierre switches from half guard to mount; however Alves instantly pushes him into guard.
1.12: GSP g’n’ps before reclaiming half guard.
0.40: Alves does a Houdini and they stand in the clinch.
0.08: They separate as the round ends.
Round Three
As Greg Jackson predicted, Thiago comes out more aggressively in an attempt to get back into this fight.
4.32: Georges attempts to shut him down by shooting in, but Thiago shrugs him off.
3.20: This time Georges gets the takedown and slips into half guard.
2.01: Thiago escapes from below and the stand-up trading resumes. GSP’s timing is impeccable as he intercepts Thiago’s right kick with a right hand and puts him back down at 0.41, before g’n’p-ing from Thiago’s guard.
During the break, highlights of Georges’s swashbuckling takedowns appear on the big screen.
Round Four
4.46: St-Pierre commences another round with an inside kick. They exchange jabs until 4.29, when St-Pierre shoots Alves to the canvas.
4.06: GSP transitions from half guard to mount.
3.10: Alves turns and St-Pierre takes his back.
3.07: They scramble before Alves winds up in St-Pierre’s butterfly guard. Now Alves g’n’ps from above.
2.11: Alves pounds from GSP’s closed guard.
1.46: St-Pierre escapes and they bat on whilst standing.
1.03: Thiago leg-kicks, but Georges catches the kick before sweeping Thiago back down.
0.55: Georges is in half guard.
0.37: Thiago twists as GSP takes his back.
0.25: Georges tries to submit Thiago with an RNC.
During interval Greg Jackson says to Georges, “Let’s get that breathing under control, Mr. St-Pierre”.
GSP replies, “I pulled my groin.”
“I don’t care,” says Jackson. It’s business as usual.
Round Five
4.53: Alves gets in early with the leg kicks and they trade leather.
3.59: St-Pierre shoots Alves back down.
3.31: Alves scrambles to his feet in the clinch.
3.15: They break free.
2.43: Thiago leg-kicks and Georges snaps up the kick to slam him down.
2.08: Georges attacks from half guard.
1.55: Thiago powers his way back up.
1.33: He’s taken down again.
GSP smothers Thiago until the hooter pulls up play.
Result: Georges St-Pierre by unanimous decision.
Brock Lesnar (6’3” 265 lb) vs. Frank Mir (6’3” 245 lb)
– Heavyweight Title
Referee: Herb Dean
Round One
Brock chooses not to touch gloves and “hook ’em up” after all the pre-fight trash talk that’s gone on.
Frank is shaping up in southpaw as Brock faces off in orthodox stance and reaches out probing with his left hand extended.
4.52: Brock inside-kicks.
4.41: Brock maintains the long-range left glove and inside-kicks again.
4.27: Frank closes in and Brock throws a right as Frank unloads his left hand. They collide and clinch. Frank looks to snap up Brock’s left leg, but Brock shoves him off before maneuvering into half guard.
4.09: Mir tries to sit up; however Lesnar uses his left hand like an eagle’s talon and latches onto Mir’s neck before pinning him to the floor.
3.50: Lesnar wraps his left arm around the back of Mir’s neck and presses his bodyweight onto Mir’s chest.
2.49: Mir’s right arm is totally isolated. He bids to cover up with his left hand as Lesnar jackhammers Mir’s head with right fists.
1.32: Brock now alternates his right punches, targeting Frank’s face and body.
Prior to their bout, Frank taunted Brock about his punches, saying, “You need to hit harder, Brock…” and referring to Lesnar’s g’n’p as being “annoying because he’s a strong guy, but he only lifts his hand two inches from your face and drops it down real fast. It’s like having your little sister jump on your back and pull your hair.”
Brock was out to make Frank eat those words, reacting in much the same way as Dan Henderson did to Michael Bisping’s taunts.
1.22: Lesnar still has his left arm around the back of Mir’s neck, but now he’s using his left talon to clasp Mir’s left arm above his head, preventing Mir from blocking the crushing blows.
0.59: Mir gets his head free from Lesnar’s left arm.
0.39: Brock places his left hand over Frank’s mouth, then drops more forearms, hammer fists and punches on his battered opponent.
Between rounds Frank’s face gets some panel beating from his corner, whilst Brock sits in his corner looking like he’s waiting at the bus stop. It’s hard to believe they’ve been in the same fight, but Frank comes out hanging tough and smiling.
Round Two
Lesnar has his left probe back in place, then dodges a combo from Mir.
4.49: Mir brings up a knee; Lesnar takes him down and towers over him before ordering Mir back up.
4.40: Frank closes in with a barrage of punches. He hits Brock with a left elbow and a left knee. Brock wraps up Frank’s right leg, so Frank attacks with a leaping left knee.
4.29: Lesnar tugs Mir to the mats and takes half guard. He keeps Mir pinned to the canvas but remains poised before launching his next assault.
4.00: Herb Dean tells Brock to keep busy or he’ll stand them up; however Lesnar is cool and calculating, and he isn’t about to blow his dominant positioning.
3.39: Brock forces Frank into the cage like a crocodile dragging its prey into deeper water.
3.25: Frank rolls onto his stomach as Brock drives unanswered hell-fire fists into Frank’s face. Herb Dean is forced to step in.
Result: Brock Lesnar by KO – 1.48, Round Two.
Coming Up
UFC 101
August 8, 2009 at the Wachovia Center, Philadelphia.
BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian (UFC Lightweight Title)
Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin (UFC Light Heavyweight Title)
Amir Sadollah vs. Johny Hendricks (Welterweight)
Kendall Grove vs. Ricargo Almeida (Middleweight)
Josh Neer vs. Kurt Pellegrino (Lightweight)
Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley (Lightweight)
Tamdan McCrory vs. John Howard (Welterweight)
Thales Leites vs. Alessio Sakara (Middleweight)
Matt Riddle vs. Dan Cramer (Welterweight)
George Sotiropoulos vs. Rob Emerson (Lightweight)
Jesse Lennox vs. Danillo Villefort (Welterweight)
