Arianny
© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com
November 23, 2007
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges
UFC 78 was held before a packed-out house at the brand-new Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on November 17, 2007.
Referees Dan Miragliotta and Kevin Mulhall showed from the beginning they would be enforcing a no-time-down policy throughout the night, breaking up fighters whenever there was a lack of action.
It was a treat for MMA fans to see ring girl Edith making her Octagon debut.
In earlier matches:
Thiago Alves def. Chris Lytle by TKO – 5.00, Round Two.
Marcus Aurelio def. Luke Caudillo by TKO – 4.29, Round One.
Akihiro Gono def. Tamdan McCrory by arm lock – 3.19, Round Two.
The Battles
Joe Lauzon (5’10” 155 lb) vs. Jason Reinhardt (5’6” 155 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Kevin Mulhall
Jason shot in with a burst of leather that Joe sidestepped.
4.48: Joe dodged a huge right haymaker before tying Jason up in a Thai clinch and delivering knees to the body. They entangled and Lauzon dropped to his knees whilst getting double under-hooks on Reinhardt. Lauzon stood with Reinhardt and maintained his hold to take Reinhardt down.
4.07: Joe ran through the gears from side control to north-south position.
3.53: Jason rolled, so Joe took his back, then wrapped on a deep rear naked choke and Jason tapped.
Result: Joe Lauzon by rear naked choke – 1.14, Round One.
Frankie Edgar (5’7” 154 lb) vs. Spencer Fisher (5’7” 154.5 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta
Round One
Jersey hometown boy, Frankie Edgar, came out in hot pursuit of southpaw Spencer Fisher, who adopted a sideways stance to avoid any takedown attempts from Frankie.
4.29: The anticipated takedown came from Edgar. He had Fisher in a front lock before moving into Spencer’s guard.
3.57: Frankie stood to rain down shots then fell back into guard.
3.40: Spencer climbed in the clinch and they broke free.
3.34: Fisher dispatched strikes, but was quickly swept by Frankie, who dropped into guard as Spencer drove elbows into the skull from underneath, whilst Frankie delivered fists and attempted neck cranks from on top.
2.05: Fisher looked for an exit, however Edgar kept him pinned to the floor.
1.20: Fisher eventually returned to the stand-up game, but copped a knee in the process.
1.15: Spencer missed with a high kick and fell to the floor, inviting Frankie to rush into guard.
0.21: Frankie progressed to half guard and was thumping Spencer up to the bell.
Round Two
Fisher ran straight at Edgar, then suddenly halted like he’d hit a force field. The pair stared at each other before unloading fists.
4.54: Fisher brought up a knee, which Edgar seized and used to take Fisher down before returning to guard. The party continued with Spencer pounding elbows into Frankie’s skull as Frankie dispatched leather and looked to pass Spencer’s guard following an instruction from his corner.
4.24: Spencer forced Frankie from half guard back to full guard.
4.05: Frankie captured side control, so Spencer turned over and stood with Frankie applying a front headlock.
3.52: They parted.
3.41: Edgar avoided a swinging left and took Fisher to the canvas before moving into Fisher’s guard and thumping him.
2.20: Edgar continued the g’n’p-ing from half guard as a cut appeared over Fisher’s left eye.
1.44: Fisher wrangled Edgar back into guard whilst Edgar dumped more fists and elbows, and Fisher elbowed the top of his opponent’s head.
0.20: Frankie took Spencer’s back after briefly getting side control, but again Spencer pushed Frankie into guard as the hooter blew. Frankie then walked back to his corner rubbing the top of his skull.
Round Three
Fisher commenced the round with a spinning kick that Edgar caught and used to adjourn proceedings to the floor.
4.25: Frankie took Spencer from behind, but the elusive Spencer worked his way back up and they separated.
3.40: The pair traded before Frankie took Spencer down. Spencer was against the fence, fighting from guard.
2.46: Frankie stood in the clinch.
2.28: They broke free.
2.02: Frankie scored yet another takedown.
1.00: Fisher tried in vain to climb back up, but Edgar just tugged him to the mats. He had successfully dominated Fisher for all three rounds of this match.
Result: Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision.
Ed Herman (6’2” 186 lb) vs. Joe Doerksen (6’0” 185.5 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Kevin Mulhall
Round One
This was a fight that Joe Doerksen took on short notice after David Terrell pulled out from the card.
Ed threw a loose jab and Joe countered with a crisper left of his own, followed by a left kick to the body. The pair traded and Joe attempted a shoot.
4.09: Ed swept Joe from the clinch after failed attempts from Joe to put Ed on the canvas.
3.45: Herman progressed from Doerksen’s butterfly guard to half guard.
3.29: They were on their feet and tied up – Herman’s back to the cage.
3.13: Kevin Mulhall broke them up and quickly showed he wouldn’t tolerate a lack of action in the bouts.
3.07: They recommenced with a slinging trade-off.
2.58: Joe latched onto Ed’s right leg and Ed sprawled, before they both slid to the floor in a tie-up, with Herman throwing fists. Joe then worked Ed into full guard.
1.40: They climbed up and Joe fell to the floor during a botched takedown attempt. Ed dropped into side control and pounded some more as blood trickled around Joe’s left eye.
1.28: Herman got the mount.
1.14: Doerksen returned Herman to full guard, and Herman g’n’ped up to the bell.
Round Two
4.56: Doerksen slipped to the floor after delivering an inner leg kick, then jumped straight to his feet.
4.47: They clinched after a fist barrage from Herman.
4.34: The pair were on the floor from the clinch – Ed in half guard.
4.12: Joe took Ed into full guard, but Ed kept dropping fists and won back half guard.
3.18: Mulhall stood them up.
2.55: They clinched after an exchange, and this time Joe briefly got top position before Ed rolled and had Joe on his back. Ed stood crouching before wilting down on his elbows and knees, with Joe still on his back – hooks in.
2.09: Joe rolled and looked for a rear naked choke.
1.51: Herman rotated before ambling around and taking Doerksen from behind.
1.41: Doerksen snapped on a leg lock.
1.11: Herman regained possession of his leg and resumed punching from Doerksen’s back.
0.30: Herman returned to Doerksen’s half guard.
0.10: Joe whacked on a nasty arm bar with Ed’s head wrapped in a triangle. Ed was gone, but the bell bought him a reprieve.
Round Three
4.50: Ed jabbed and Joe countered with a leg kick.
4.27: They stood and banged. Ed dropped Joe with a left hook.
Result: Ed Herman by KO – 0.39, Round Three.
Karo Parisyan (5’10” 170 lb) vs. Ryo Chonan (5’9” 170.5 lb)
– Welterweight
Referee: Kevin Mulhall
Round One
Parisyan walked out representing Xtreme Couture as George Thorogood’s Bad to the Bone blared through the arena’s speakers. Chonan had Dan Henderson lending support in his corner.
Ryo started proceedings with inside leg kicks before the pair fired off lightning-bolt jabs.
4.49: Ryo went for another kick that Karo caught and used to take his opponent down, then moved into guard.
4.35: Parisyan secured half guard and sharp right hands were exchanged.
3.59: Parisyan turned up the heat with his g’n’p-ing whilst endeavoring to take the mount.
3.46: But Chonan warded off Parisyan’s advances and forced him into guard.
3.07: Kevin Mulhall stood the pair.
2.57: They were banging until 2.39, when they became entangled.
2.25: Karo picked Ryo up and unceremoniously dumped him on his back before moving into guard and forcing Ryo against the fence.
1.48: Karo stood and slammed a right fist into Ryo, who climbed to his feet as Karo came back at him with fists blazing before the pair clinched.
1.11: Parisyan trapped Chonan’s left leg and dropped into guard after a kick attempt from Chonan, causing Ryo to fight from his back again.
0.23: They got to their feet and stood in the clinch.
Round Two
Strikes were traded until 4.42, when Ryo repelled a takedown from Karo. Ryo was now more aggressive with his stand-up after being dominated in the previous five minutes, but Karo punished him with counterstrikes.
4.13: They tied up.
3.56: The pair parted and Ryo tagged Karo with a looping right hand.
3.47: Parisyan took him down from a kick, however the men climbed straight up and clinched.
3.23: Parisyan landed a snapping right as they separated. He continued to out-jab Chonan, before seizing another kick and returning the fight to the canvas. With Parisyan in his guard, Chonan copped more elbows and punches.
1.53: Ryo latched onto Karo’s right leg whilst they climbed to their feet, however Karo resisted the takedown and tried for a kimura. That also failed and they remained clinched against the cage.
1.16: Karo caught a knee from Ryo and used it to put him on the floor, where Karo lobbed elbows from half guard. He pinned and punished Ryo up till the bell.
Round Three
4.22: Parisyan grabbed hold of Chonan.
4.08: Mulhall broke up the entangled fighters.
3.54: Chonan landed a series of right hands before the men tied up again.
3.30: Parisyan grounded Chonan and dusted him up from half guard.
2.55: Karo got the mount, but Ryo rolled and moved straight into Karo’s guard.
2.39: They rummaged to their feet and fought toe-to-toe.
1.45: Ryo threw a spinning back-fist, only to cop a jab in the kisser for his efforts.
1.35: Karo switched to southpaw then returned to orthodox.
1.08: He had more success with his spinning back-fist, and the stand-up war continued till the battle came to an end.
Result: Karo Parisyan by unanimous decision.
Thiago Silva (6’1” 204 lb) vs. Houston Alexander (6’0” 203 lb)
– Light Heavyweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta
Houston moved right in and dispatched a jab before they tied up, but it was a more tentative approach from Houston than in his two previous swashbuckling bouts.
4.32: Knees to the body were exchanged as the pair introduced a waltz.
4.20: Dan Miragliotta separated them.
4.15: Houston unloaded a jab and Thiago returned a more powerful one.
4.04: Thiago shot an inner leg kick.
3.55: He attempted a high front kick that Houston briefly caught before Thiago tugged his foot free.
3.53: Alexander delivered a right, left, right combo causing Silva to clinch and bring up a knee to Alexander’s body.
3.55: Houston hoisted Thiago and dumped him into the mats. Silva seized Alexander’s left leg so Alexander latched on a loose guillotine. But Silva remained cool and managed to secure side control from the choke attempt.
3.13: Silva’s head popped out.
2.57: Thiago took the mount, which was not an Alexander-friendly position for him to be in.
2.16: Thiago was catching Houston with elbows as Houston worked to tie up the action.
1.50: Silva jackhammered Alexander’s face with heavy leather. Miragliotta moved in for a closer look as Alexander drifted.
Result: Thiago Silva by TKO – 3.25, Round One.
Rashad Evans (511” 206 lb) vs. Michael Bisping (6’2” 204 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta
Round One
4.53: They close in and Rashad lands a solid right.
4.50: He tries for the takedown.
4.22: Rashad succeeds in putting Michael’s butt on the floor and Dan cautions Michael about reaching for the fence.
4.07: Michael climbs to his feet as Rashad delivers short left fists, and they stand in the clinch.
3.41: The pair briefly part, with Evans throwing leather before attempting another takedown that Bisping resists.
3.20: Dan splits them.
3.13: Evans unloads more knuckles and shoots in.
2.41: Bisping dispatches knees from the clinch.
2.31: Evans scores with another combo.
2.26: Bisping shoots up a kick that Evans catches and uses to take Bisping to the floor.
2.05: Rashad stands and drops a right bomb on his downed opponent.
1.57: Rashad wrangles into side control.
1.29: Michael scrambles to his feet whilst remaining clinched.
1.05: Bisping throws an uppercut. He follows it with an elbow, but Evans returns with two elbows of his own, then takes Bisping down and falls into side control.
0.44: Bisping twists to get Evans into half guard. Rashad drops elbows on Michael as he tries to dislodge Rashad. Michael manages to maneuver Rashad into guard as the bell sounds.
Round Two
Bisping rushes in with a telegraphic knee that Evans easily deflects.
4.51: Evans lands a big right hand and Bisping counters with an inside kick that Evans catches. He snaps up Bisping’s other leg, hoists him into the air and slams him into the mats, before progressing into Bisping’s guard. Michael throws the occasional elbow from his back and Rashad drops the odd fist.
3.18: Dan wants to see more action and stands the pair before a toe-to-toe contest follows. Michael dispatches more punches, but few are landing until Rashad scores with a stinging right hand at 2.20.
2.09: Michael sends up a high kick that’s taken on the arms.
1.49: He wards off a shoot, then knees Rashad in the midsection.
1.39: Michael leg-kicks. The stand-up continues.
1.01: Bisping takes Evans in a Thai clinch and brings up a knee.
0.52: He scores with another knee to the body and Evans clinches whilst looking for the takedown.
0.26: They part as Bisping throws a right. In the dying seconds, Bisping tries a takedown. The hooter blows and he succeeds with the attempt.
Round Three
The toe-to-toe ensues.
4.17: Michael goes for a kick that Rashad snaps up.
4.10: Rashad wins the takedown battle and has side control.
4.02: Michael takes Rashad into his guard.
3.44: Michael’s back is forced against the cage.
3.27: He reverses positions.
3.17: Evans stands with Bisping clinging to his back, before Bisping goes for a takedown that backfires.
3.02: They’re standing in the clinch.
2.57: The pair stand apart and face off.
2.03: Rashad succeeds with another shoot.
1.43: Dan warns Michael to let go of the fence.
1.32: They scramble to their feet.
1.16: Michael brings up a left kick and Rashad counters with a jab.
0.40: After Michael repels a takedown attempt, Dan informs the fighters they have 40 seconds left. They trade before Rashad notches up yet another takedown and secures Michael’s back before the match comes to a close.
Result: Rashad Evans by unanimous decision.
Edith
Coming up:
UFC 79: Nemesis, Live from Las Vegas on December 29, featuring Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes (Welterweight Title), Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva, and Lyoto Machida vs. Rameau Sokoudou.
For more on UFC: www.ufc.tv.
