Edith
© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com
April 30, 2008
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges
This was a huge MMA event, with all 21,000 tickets selling on the opening day of trade. Not only was it the first time the Octagon travelled to Canada, but ticket sales for the show also set a new record for the UFC. And then there were the millions of fans from around the world who watched the fights on p-p-v.
Bell Centre, Montreal
In earlier matches:
Jason MacDonald def. Joe Doerksen by TKO – 0.56, Round Two.
Jason Day def. Alan Belcher by TKO – 3.58, Round One.
Demian Maia def. Ed Herman by triangle choke – 2.27, Round Two.
Rich Clementi def. Sam Stout by split decision.
Cain Velasquez def. Brad Morris by TKO – 2.10, Round One.
The Battles
Jonathan Goulet (6’1” 169.5 lb) vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka (5’10” 170 lb)
– Welterweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta
Round One
It was easy to tell what was on Jonathan’s mind when he entered the arena: mmafightshop.com was stenciled on his head.
4.53: Kuniyoshi jabbed and Jonathan leg-kicked as his opponent shot in for the takedown, but the Canadian sprawled and warded off the attempt to take him to the mats.
4.44: Kuniyoshi circled out of Jonathan’s kicking range.
4.29: Goulet elected to jab and Hironaka failed with another shoot.
4.20: Goulet brought Hironaka to the ground with three consecutive knees to the head. Jonathan’s follow-up elbow narrowly whistled past Hironaka’s noggin.
4.15: They clinched with Goulet against the wires.
4.03: The pair swapped positions.
3.53: Dan Miragliotta broke them up.
3.43: Goulet landed with a jab and cross. He moved in with another combo and had Hironaka retreating.
3.26: They exchanged before Kuniyoshi opted to shoot, but he paid for his efforts to go horizontal when Jonathan unleashed a knee and an elbow.
3.09: Kuniyoshi scored with a jab and Jonathan answered with a right hand.
2.57: Goulet tried to leg kick and wore a jab.
2.43: Hironaka caught Goulet on the snout with a right.
2.37: Hironaka leg-kicked.
2.28: Jonathan fired off a superman punch, then landed an inside leg kick, followed by an outside leg kick.
2.10: Kuniyoshi countered another of his opponent’s kicks with a jab.
2.03: Kuniyoshi shot at Jonathan, however Jonathan hip-threw Kuniyoshi, then brought up a powerful knee.
1.51: Jonathan leg-kicked.
1.41: Goulet threw a superman punch.
1.18: Hironaka delivered a left and right. They continued to exchange before Kuniyoshi dropped Jonathan with a left hook on the jaw. Goulet climbed to his feet and clinched. They fell to the canvas. Hironaka pounded from the guard, stood up, then dropped into side control.
0.37: He took the mount. Goulet covered up and had Kuniyoshi back in half guard. They scrambled as Kuniyoshi landed more leather. Jonathan hung in there till the round closed.
Round Two
They touched gloves. Hironaka was fueled with more confidence in his stand-up fighting.
4.27: Goulet missed with a leaping elbow.
4.24: Hironaka unloaded a left hook and a jab.
4.11: They exchanged and Kuniyoshi shook Jonathan with another left hook.
3.26: Jonathan detonated a superman punch. Kuniyoshi held his hands out like the shot from Goulet was a fizzer.
3.15: Jonathan put Kuniyoshi on the floor with a big right, then rushed in and hammered him. Kuniyoshi did get to his feet, but he wore more leather and a crushing knee, which had him running away from Goulet. The Canadian hunted Hironaka down and dropped him. The referee pulled the fight up.
Result: Jonathan Goulet by TKO – 2.07, Round Two.
Mac Danzig (5’8” 154.5 lb) vs. Mark Bocek (5’8” 154.5 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Yves Lavigne
Round One
The round opened with some air boxing.
4.18: Mac danced with his hands by his side to intimidate Mark.
3.58: Mark distracted Mac with a combo, then shot for his left leg. Mac resisted the takedown and used the cage for balance.
3.19: Bocek had Danzig on the floor and peppered him with g’n’p. Danzig was intent on setting up a submission, but Bocek eluded any ties and was back g’n’p-ing from guard.
2.04: Danzig worked his way to the vertical game, although Bocek was still on his back.
1.57: Mark tugged Mac to the mats and commenced pounding him from guard, before continuing the punishment from half guard.
1.30: Danzig worked Bocek into full guard.
1.05: Danzig had them standing in a clinch.
0.34: They were back on the floor with Danzig pounding Bocek from half guard.
0.21: Bocek maneuvered Danzig into guard.
Round Two
The pair danced as Mark tried to force Mac’s back into the fence and set him up for a takedown.
4.32: Out of the blue, Mac caught Mark with a big right knee that floored the Canadian. Danzig followed Bocek to the canvas and thumped away before Bocek latched onto Danzig’s right leg, then switched to his left leg, and attempted to flip his opponent.
3.20: They stood and Danzig brought up a right knee whilst Bocek hung onto Danzig’s left leg.
3.13: They dropped to the canvas. Yves Lavigne warned Mac to watch his elbows to the back of the head. Where have we heard that one before!
2.40: Mac punished Mark from the mount.
2.35: Mark rolled and Mac saddled up his opponent’s back.
2.14: Bocek rolled over, so Danzig took the mount again.
1.57: Bocek turned and Danzig grabbed his back once more.
1.31: Danzig gave the ground game away to test Bocek’s stand-up. But Bocek appeared to have more gas and backed Danzig up with leather before shooting in.
0.32: Danzig refueled and had Bocek pinned to the cage.
Round Three
Mark outgunned Mac and backed him into the fence before attempting a takedown.
4.08: Mark was in Mac’s guard.
3.29: Mark had Mac forced into the cage and g’n’ped him.
3.12: Mac kicked Mark away, then climbed to his feet. From the clinch, Mac attacked Mark with fists and knees.
3.00: They broke free as Mac pursued his opponent.
2.32: Yves called time out to check Bocek’s bloodied face. As the ring physician inspected Bocek’s dial, the replay showed the laceration was due to a right knee from Danzig. A gutsy Bocek said he wanted to bat on. The pair stood and exchanged until 1.39, when Danzig swept Bocek to the floor.
1.33: Danzig got the mount.
1.29: He had Bocek’s back and wrapped on a rear naked choke.
Result: Mac Danzig by rear naked choke – 3.48, Round Three.
Michael Bisping (6’2” 185.5 lb) vs. Charles McCarthy (5’11” 186 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Philippe Chartier
Charles came out to the sound of the Stone’s ‘Paint It Black’, and Michael answered with Clash’s ‘London Calling’. In the Octagon, ‘Chainsaw’ McCarthy stood poised for battle, but it was Bisping, his body ripped with muscles, who looked like he’d been employing Edward Scissorhands for his personal masseur.
5.00: McCarthy adopted a Muay Thai guard as Bisping blasted with leather.
4.19: Bisping took McCarthy in a Thai clinch and delivered knees and punches. When he backed off, McCarthy retaliated by pulling a face at his attacker.
3.45: Michael moved in with another knee and Charles countered with another nasty face.
3.25: Charles leg-kicked and Michael responded with a right. Michael’s reach and explosive speed were too good for Charles’s stand-up.
2.43: McCarthy scored with a double-leg slam, then fought from half guard.
1.55: Charles had Michael from behind, but he was up too high on Michael’s back. He then clung to Michael’s right arm and looked for an arm bar, however Michael kept his arm and Charles’s legs bent, whilst resisting the submission hold.
1.03: Bisping was free and pounding.
0.59: The pair stood and Bisping methodically drilled McCarthy with jabs, an uppercut, and a knee.
0.16: Michael’s kneeing floored Charles. Michael kept hammering him up till the bell, and Charles stayed down after the round ended.
This was Michael Bisping at his best.
Result: Michael Bisping by TKO – 5.00, Round One.
Nate Quarry (6’0” 185.5 lb) vs. Kalib Starnes (6’3” 186 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Dan Miragliotta
Nate Quarry hunted his prey like the Terminator. Unfortunately, Kalib wasn’t firing for this bout.
Result: Nate Quarry by unanimous decision.
Rich Franklin (6’1” 185.5 lb) vs. Travis Lutter (5’11” 185 lb)
– Middleweight
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti
Round One
Southpaw Rich jabs with his right.
4.47: They briefly tie up, then separate after Rich brings up a knee to the body.
4.43: They close the gap and Rich catches Travis with a right fist. Lutter shoots for Franklin’s right leg. Franklin manages to hop over to the fence on his left foot before repossessing his right leg.
4.05: Travis gets Rich’s back whilst they’re still standing in the clinch.
3.57: He sweeps Rich to his knees and hangs onto Franklin’s back. Lutter tries to get his hooks in, but Franklin palms Lutter’s leg away.
3.31: Travis rolls onto his back and pulls Rich with him, then Travis repositions and gets side control. He goes for the mount, but Rich slips him into half guard.
2.49: They scramble and Lutter retakes side control.
2.37: Franklin forces Lutter into guard. Lutter is back in half guard.
1.59: Lutter gets the mount and starts some g’n’p-ing.
1.39: Rich turns onto his left side and offers his right arm, which Travis snaps up before locking on an arm bar. Amazingly, Franklin spins straight out of the submission attempt and he’s standing up, looking down at Lutter.
1.19: Steve Mazzagatti orders Lutter to stand up. Had Franklin been less of an ‘Ace’, Lutter would have been heading to the shower with his opponent’s arm over his shoulder.
1.05: Travis shoots for a takedown, and Rich sprawls. Travis has hold of Rich’s right leg, but he’s copping a serving of leather from Franklin.
0.24: Rich stands against the cage and drives two knees into Travis’s body before the round ends.
Round Two
4.53: They clinch and Rich drives a knee into Travis’s body, then follows with fists. Travis shoots for a leg and misses. Rich waits for Travis to stand up.
4.32: Lutter shoots again and Franklin drives in another knee to the body as both men get to their feet.
4.22: Franklin whacks Lutter in the head with a high kick. Lutter fails with a shoot. Franklin drops down on Lutter and unloads some g’n’p before climbing back to his feet. Lutter briefly traps Franklin’s right leg, but Franklin eventually yanks it free.
3.48: Steve calls Travis to stand. Rich attacks with fists and knees from the clinch. Travis is gassed and Rich paces himself to victory.
Result: Rich Franklin by TKO – 3.01, Round Two.
Georges St-Pierre (5’10” 169.5 lb) vs. Matt Serra (5’6” 169.5 lb)
– Welterweight Title
Referee: Yves Lavigne
Round One
The crowd goes berserk for GSP. Matt Serra’s entrance sounds more like a greeting for Bruce Springsteen. But the Canadian audience is not calling for ‘Bruce’ – they’re booing the welterweight champion. And Serra wouldn’t have it any other way.
Matt throws a jab and Georges goes straight for the takedown, then half guard, opting not to test Matt’s stand-up again after their last meeting.
3.25: Georges lands a left fist, but Matt is tying GSP up well and he’s scoring with elbows from below.
3.23: Serra has St-Pierre in full guard.
2.56: St-Pierre drops some industrial-strength fists on Serra.
2.32: GSP takes half guard.
2.19: He’s back in Serra’s full guard.
1.47: Georges softens Matt up with more g’n’p before returning to half guard.
1.38: Georges passes the guard and Matt turns onto his stomach. He wants to stand, however GSP is determined to keep the battle horizontal.
0.44: Matt finally gets to his feet and breaks free.
0.38: He fires off a jab at St-Pierre, followed by a right to the body. St-Pierre leaps in with a jab and a leg kick.
0.19: He shoots in on Serra and takes him down.
0.07: St-Pierre progresses from half guard to side control.
Round Two
4.50: Matt leg-kicks, and GSP uses the incoming kick to tug Matt to the ground.
4.47: Georges takes half guard and pins Matt against the fence.
3.43: Matt works his way up and stands toe-to-toe with Georges.
3.39: Serra attempts a superman punch.
3.28: He attempts a high kick.
3.23: St-Pierre attempts a spinning back kick. None of the shots are successful, but GSP comes back with jabs that find their mark.
2.57: He takes Serra to the canvas.
2.14: St-Pierre is in Serra’s guard and is pounding away.
1.36: Matt gives up his back as Georges punishes him with knees and leather.
1.11: Matt turns over and GSP moves into open guard.
0.59: Georges pulls half guard whilst continuing his g’n’p-ing.
0.53: Georges takes side control before Matt surrenders his back. Matt is not returning fire. Yves stops play.
Result: Georges St-Pierre by TKO – 4.45, Round Two.
Arianny
Coming Up
UFC 84: Ill Will
Live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
Saturday, May 24, 2008
BJ Penn vs. Sean Sherk
Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine
Wilson Gouveia vs. Goran Reljic
Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida
Thiago Silva vs. Antonio Mendes
Ivan Salaverry vs. Rousimar Palhares
Rameau Sokoudjo vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
Rich Clementi vs. Terry Etim
Jon Koppenhaver vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Jason Tan vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Christian Wellisch vs. Shane Carwin
For more info: www.ufc.tv.
Coming very soon to Knucklepit.com: Rich Franklin Part 7.
