© Marc Wickert www.knucklepit.com
All photos copyright 2005 Zuffa LLC.
Photography by Joshua Hedges
This latest UFC event took place before another sell-out crowd at Las Vegas's MGM Grand, and presented MMA fans with more seat-clutching action.
As well as the delightful ring-card girls, Amber Miller and Rachelle Leah, in attendance to tantalize the eyes were UFC regular Cindy Crawford and Canadian Pamela Anderson who got to witness some of the hometown boys delivering the goods at close range.
UFC President, Dana White, also had a lot to reveal – news that a second Ultimate Fighter series will be going into production in June, 2005, hot on the heels of the hugely successful Ultimate Fighter 1.
UFC 52: Couture vs Liddell 2 – Results
Mike Van Arsdale (6'2" 215 lb) vs John Marsh (6'0" 225 lb) – Heavyweight
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti
Round 1
Both men started out tentatively. Mazzagatti told them to get on with it at 4.12. They clinched and Arsdale took Marsh down. With side control, Arsdale deployed powerful close-quarters elbows to Marsh's head and body.
1.49: Arsdale was hammering Marsh with knees to the body. A mouse appeared under Marsh's left eye as he got back to his feet at 0.09. The round finished with Marsh held in a clinch by Arsdale.
Round 2
The fighters started tentatively again; this time Marsh was in slow pursuit of Arsdale. After a few hesitant jabs, they clinched against the fence.
3.28: Arsdale tried a judo-style hip throw, but Marsh resisted and they separated.
2.35: They re-engaged. Marsh scored with a knee to Arsdale's head, before Arsdale crouched up on the mat and held onto Marsh's wrists. Not much was achieved here by either competitor. They returned to their feet at 2.11, and mainly practised their shadow boxing until 1.16, when Arsdale tried for the shoot. Marsh sprawled and they went from a kneeling to a standing clinch. Both were trying for the takedown, and this time Marsh put Arsdale down with a hip throw. Marsh was in the half guard and Arsdale was tying him up to prevent being ground'n'pounded. Marsh went for a rear-naked choke, but was beaten by the clock.
Round 3
4.24: Marsh closed in on Arsdale and they clinched against the fence, with Marsh delivering knees and punches to Arsdale's midsection. Arsdale held on until Marsh caught him with a powerful knee strike that put Arsdale on his knees at 3.20.
Marsh got Arsdale's back and started to panel-beat him with leather. But Arsdale spun around and got side position, delivering elbows and forearms to Marsh's head and body. Marsh was unable to match Arsdale's attack while fighting from his back.
Result: Mike Van Arsdale by unanimous decision.
Joe Doerksen (6'3" 185 lb) v Patrick Cote (5'11" 185 lb) – Middleweight
Referee: Herb Dean
Round 1
Joe Doerksen was defeated by Joe Riggs at UFC 49, and Patrick Cote suffered a loss to Tito Ortiz at UFC 50, so both athletes were keen to score a win in this match-up.
The pair was intent on exchanging kicks – Cote going for low kicks and Doerksen targeting the head. Joe clinched at 4.42 and wanted to adjourn to the floor, whilst Patrick was content standing. At 3.50 Joe succeeded with a hip-throw sweep combo and assumed the side-control position – a bit like the previous bout's predicament, but more explosive.
Patrick rolled and Doerksen had Cote's back presented to him, as Patrick fought off the rear-naked choke. Cote resisted well and was back on his feet at 1.32. With Cote standing and Doerksen fighting from his back, the pair exchanged kicks.
When they both stood, Cote fared better, so Joe went for the takedown, but Patrick had Joe in his guard and tied Doerksen up. Joe wriggled free and attained side control again, before attempting an arm bar. Cote broke free from the hold before the bell sounded the round's end.
Round 2
Patrick continued to dominate the standing game, catching Joe with right fists, leg kicks and a front, left kick to the head. At 4.25 they clinched and Joe caught Patrick with a sweeping takedown. But Cote was back on his feet and in a clinch at 4.23. Joe returned them to the canvas and had side control again.
Cote rolled into Joe's triangle before escaping from the hold and unleashing some ground'n'pounding. Then they were back on their feet. Cote attacked Doerksen with a leaping right knee, and Joe wore two more knees from the clinch before going to the ground.
Patrick closed in for the kill, but Joe neutralised the attack by tying Patrick's arm up. They were back standing at 0.30 and in another clinch, before a further takedown by Doerksen.
Round 3
Cote was easily out-boxing and out-kicking Doerksen, attacking his head and midsection with punches and slamming his legs with solid kicks. One flurry of fists put Joe on the mat at 4.17. Pat moved in, but Joe tied Cote up again and avoided the onslaught.
Cote worked hard from the guard. At 2.45, Joe caught Patrick's right punch, siezed his arm, and turned him onto his back. Cote tried to roll out from Doerksen's mount, but surrendered his back in the process.
At 2.35, Patrick was not able to escape Joe's choke.
Result: Joe Doerksen by rear-naked choke – 2.35, Round Three
Ivan Salaverry (6'0" 184 lb) v Joe Riggs (6'0" 185 lb) – Middleweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki
Like the previous bouts, this match started out tentatively, but you knew with Riggs and Salaverry that things would be heating up quickly.
4.45: Ivan whipped a right kick at the southpaw's face to catch his attention, but Joe blocked with his right glove. Salaverry then fired a few front leg kicks and Riggs replied with an inside kick to Ivan's left leg.
Both men were still sizing each other up until 3.50 when Ivan went in for a shoot and Joe came over the top, seizing Salaverry's neck and right arm. Joe tried to deliver knees, but the seasoned Salaverry blocked the strikes with his forearms, and collapsed his stance, dragging Riggs into his guard.
Joe landed a heavy left before Ivan surrendered his back in order to stand up. Riggs attempted to capitalise on the positioning with a takedown, but Salaverry sprawled and offered his opponent only dead weight. They fell to the mat with Joe still holding Ivan by his right arm from behind, and throwing left fists at Salaverry. Ivan was too versed at covering up and avoided the punches.
Like a truck driver thrashing through gears, Salaverry skipped from one submission attempt to another, before Joe opted to ground'n'pound from the guard. With Ivan still on his back, Joe stood and attempted to line up one of his signature lunge-and-punch attacks. However, Ivan had practised for this move (see Ivan Salaverry Part 2 at knucklepit.com), and as Riggs lunged forward, Salaverry caught Riggs first with a right kick to the face, then a full-on left kick straight into Joe's jaw that snapped his head right back.
As Joe fell forward, Ivan locked a triangle choke on the dazed Riggs and forced him to top out.
Ivan celebrated with a Catherine wheel, while Joe couldn't help showing he was bitterly disappointed. But the 22-year-old Riggs has a huge future in front of him, and it's only through competing against seasoned fighters such as Salaverry that Joe will improve even more. And Riggs showed what a true professional he is when he stayed in the ring to be interviewed by Joe Rogan, despite the disappointment.
Result: Ivan Salaverry by triangle choke – 1.36 Round One
Georges St. Pierre (5'10" 170 lb) v Jason Miller (6'1" 170 lb) – Welterweight
Referee: Big John McCarthy
Round 1
4.53: Miller attempted a right kick at St. Pierre's leg, but Georges stepped back out of range.
4.42: Miller tried the same kick and Georges caught it with his left mitt, throwing Jason on his back, before delivering a kick to Miller's legs. Georges followed with an axe kick to Miller's ribs. St. Pierre continued to out-gun the ever-game Miller with punches and counterpunches.
3.46: Georges whipped out a spinning back-fist that narrowly missed its intended target, and let Jason know to expect the unexpected. Miller dispatched high and low kicks, fists and leaping knees, but St. Pierre covered well and continued to dissect his opponent's game.
2.43: They clinched, with Georges against the fence. Miller believed he would be a handful for Georges on the floor, but it was St. Pierre who took Jason down from the clinch at 2.34, then Georges sprang back to his feet at 2.14, leaving Miller on his back with claret flowing from his nose. Jason elected to stay down and kick from his back. St. Pierre stood and slammed another axe kick into Miller's midsection.
Joe Rogan commented that Miller "is light years beyond him (St. Pierre) on the ground." Perhaps Jason's ground skills were superior in some far-off UFO world, but they certainly weren't at UFC 52.
Georges moved in after his axe kick and began unloading an unhealthy serving of g'n'p-ing.
1.36: St. Pierre had Miller in a kimura. Jason avoided the submission, and climbed back to his feet. The superbly well-rounded Georges dominated all aspects of the first round and left Miller's face looking like it was the bullseye at a Spanish tomato fight.
Round 2
4.48: They clinched. Jason badly wanted to take Georges down. St.Pierre was happy to fight anywhere, and at 4.05 the pair eventually oozed down onto the canvas, rather than it being through a well-executed takedown. Georges fought from the half-guard and was searching for a kimura again. Miller remained evasive rather than being a threat to his opponent.
If Jason did have a superior ground game, it was certainly well concealed as Miller used his face to block Georges's fists, whilst St. Pierre kept dominating the round. He battered Jason some more before trying on an arm bar at 0.16. But Miller survived another round.
Round 3
4.31: Georges shot in and they were on the mat again, with St. Pierre roughing Miller up against the fence. Jason's only answer was to absorb and survive.
1.31: Georges went for an arm bar and Joe Rogan was now crediting Eddie Bravo with saying Miller was light years ahead of St. Pierre on the ground.
1.20: Jason escaped and climbed on top of Georges, before getting side control. Georges rolled over and had side control of Miller. For the last 50 seconds of round three he ground'n'pounded Jason.
Miller did survive and showed a trunkful of courage, but he never really threatened St. Pierre.
Result: Georges St.Pierre by unanimous decision
Matt Lindland (6'0" 185 lb) v Travis Lutter (5'11" 185 lb) – Middleweight
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti
Round 1
There was no pussyfooting in the opening of this clash. A few fists were exchanged before a very animated Matt and Travis crunched in what appeared to be fast-forward fighting. Both fought furiously for the upper hand and kept active in the clinch until Matt slammed Travis to the floor at 4.32.
The super-fit Lindland was working at the pace of an Aussie truck driver on a 25/7 roster. BJJ exponent Lutter held Matt in his guard whilst the Team Quest rep sought to g'n'p Travis. But the skilled Lutter rolled Lindland and got the mount at 4.02.
Matt trapped Travis's neck and left arm in a hug, to prevent Travis from raising his upper body and delivering power strikes. Lutter's attack was shut down until 2.58 when Matt rolled out from under Travis and scrambled to his feet.
Lindland then held Lutter in a clinch against the fence and touched him up with knees and uppercuts.
1.16: Travis decided to reciprocate, spinning Matt into the fence, then pulled him to the floor. With the downed Lindland forced against the cage, Travis appeared to be going for a kimura that didn't quite work out.
Round 2
4.53: Lindland seemed more energised as he elected to take his opponent back down. Travis was fighting from his back and wanted to tie Lindland up, but Matt was unrelenting and landed punches to Lutter's body and head. Constant dripping wears away the stone, and while Lindland turned up the heat and continued to work his opponent, commentators Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan discussed barbeques they had attended. And just after Rogan said of Lindland, "He's not really doing any damage, though, here," Matt slipped on a guillotine and Travis tapped out.
Result: Matt Lindland by guillotine choke – 3.13, Round Two
Matt Hughes (5'9" 170 lb) v Frank Trigg (5'9" 169 lb) – Welterweight
Referee: Mario Yamasaki
Set for five 5-minute rounds, no one expects this title match to go the distance. As usual, Frank enters the Octagon and stands with back to his opponent for the introductions from Bruce Buffer. But Matt chooses to stare down Frank's tattooed back anyway.
Mario calls the warriors in for last-minute instructions. Matt and Frank literally stand nose to nose, Eskimo-style. It is definitely going to be murder on the war-dance floor. Frank looks to give Matt a little peck and Matt shoves Frank's chest back with both mitts. This is a true grudge match and there's more than the welterweight belt on the line here.
5.00: Trigg commences as a southpaw.
4.49: Hughes fires a high right kick that Trigg blocks with his mitts. Both men are gauging their punches.
4.38: Matt snaps out a right leg-kick. He moves in and they clench in centre ring. Hughes pushes Trigg to the fence and tries for a takedown. Frank works his knee strikes and fists on Matt's body.
4.12: Hughes looks to referee Yamasaki as though he's copped one in the cricket set. Yamasaki is unaware that Hughes wore a right knee down there, and instructs them to keep fighting, so Trigg moves in.
4.05: Matt is on the ground with Frank unloading a salvo of leather and elbows. Hughes is wearing it all but manages to regroup enough to hug Trigg's back while Frank is in the mount position.
3.06: Trigg secures Hughes's back and is going for the rear-naked choke. Matt is still a wounded bull.
2.31: Hughes tries to roll onto his knees, but Trigg stays with him all the way and maintains the choke. Matt's face is red, and he looks to be in trouble. The crowd goes into shock mode.
2.22: Hughes attempts to climb to his knees, but his face is turning a deeper red. He somehow continues to fight the choke.
2.19: Matt's attempt to climb to his knees fails as Frank falls back to keep Hughes down, still with the choke in position.
2.18: Trigg's hands drop from the choke and Matt miraculously turns on Frank. The crowd erupts in disbelief. Hughes has Trigg against the fence and picks him up.
2.12: The crowd now goes totally troppo as Matt carries Frank across the Octagon and slams him into the canvas.
2.00: Hughes mounts Trigg. He holds Frank down by the neck with his left hand and pounds him with his right fist.
1.46: Frank rolls and gives Matt his back. Now Matt looks for the rear-naked choke.
1.34: After Trigg successfully avoids Matt's choke attempt, Hughes decides Trigg needs some more punishment to wear him down. He drags Frank over to the fence like a lion with its prey and rips in some elbow strikes.
1.16: Frank rolls and surrenders his back again.
1.03: Matt takes Frank in a death roll and claps on another rear-naked choke. Hughes has his right forearm buried in Trigg's neck, his right hand on his left bicep, and his left hand pushing Trigg's head down – BJJ-style. Frank reaches up and pulls Matt's left hand away, so Matt clasps both his hands together – Judo-style – and Frank taps out.
This has been a huge battle for the fans. It's hard to believe all the action occured in the first round. Once again, Matt Hughes has shown why he is still the world's best 170-pound fighter. A bout between Georges St. Pierre and Frank Trigg now seems imminent.
Result: Matt Hughes by rear-naked choke – 4.05, Round One
Babalu (6'1" 204 lb) v Travis Wiuff (6'3" 203 lb) – Light Heavyweight
Referee: Herb Dean
Round one was a five-minute scramble for domination, with both men going through the paces from standing clinches to takedowns and g'n'p exchanges. Neither man was clearly in front at the round's end, although the wind did appear to be shifting Babalu's way.
Round 2
Babalu and Travis shaped up. Babalu shot out a low right kick that Travis caught and used to take Babalu down. Babalu had Travis in his guard. He seized Wiuff's left arm and snapped on an arm bar. Travis tapped.
Result: Babalu by arm bar – 0.24, Round Two
Chuck Liddell (6'2" 204 lb) v Randy Couture (6'2" 203 lb) – Light Heavyweight
Referee: Big John McCarthy
Randy and Chuck had previously fought on June 6, 2003, at Meltdown, when Couture came away victorious. Since then, each has defeated Tito Ortiz. Chuck has beaten Vernon White by a round one KO at UFC 49, and Randy has demolished Vitor Belfort. They now meet here to decide who takes home UFC's light-heavyweight belt.
Round 1
Both gladiators look extremely confident. As in their first match-up, Randy edges forward in pursuit of Chuck. Couture has his hands up and elbows in, guarding his ribs. Liddell has his hands wide and probes with his left loops. Unlike their previous fight where Randy countered Chuck's loops with straight jabs, he seems to be hooking and looping more, allowing Chuck to jab and run. Liddell tries a front leg-kick to Couture's left leg.
4.39: Randy moves in with fists firing, but Chuck hits back and moves out of range to the side, to avoid a takedown or clinch.
3.41: Randy catches Chuck with a nice left, but Chuck has shown in the past that he possesses a strong jaw.
3.32: Both fighters land leg kicks. Randy is still in pursuit.
3.27: Couture catches up with Liddell, and they clinch with Liddell against the fence.
3.19: They separate and Randy is holding his right eye. Big Mac halts the action and gets the ring doctor to check Randy's eye.
3.10: The fight recommences. Randy catches a left hook, then tries to move in. They both miss with wild loops before Couture wears a right to the jaw from Liddell. Randy is knocked out.
What impact Couture's being hit in the eye had on the result is impossible to determine, but Randy says he'll be back and Chuck says he won't go away. Liddell vs Couture 3 is planned for January, 2006.
The sooner the media forgets about Randy Couture's age, the sooner fans will be able to focus on this remarkable fighter's skills. Chuck is now looking at mounting a challenge for UFC's heavyweight title (see Chuck Liddell Part 4 at www.knucklepit.com).
Result: Chuck Liddell by KO – 2.06, Round One.
