© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com
October 31, 2008
All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges
This UFC had plenty of quality, but the bouts were probably in the wrong order. MMA fans had been waiting a long time to see Tyson Griffin lock horns with Sean Sherk, and both athletes put on a very close and satisfying show, which could easily have been the co-main event with Josh Koscheck vs. Thiago Alves, despite Koscheck’s getting only two weeks’ notice.
Rich Clementi vs. Gray Maynard was another quality duel for MMA enthusiasts who were more up with the technical side of ultimate fighting.
And Fabricio Werdum vs. Junior Dos Santos provided a spectacular clash for those wanting to see the short and sweet side of cage fighting.
In earlier matches:
Thiales Leites def. Drew McFedries by RNC – 1.18, Round One.
Spencer Fisher def. Shannon Gugerty by triangle choke – 3.56, Round Three.
Dan Miller def. Sam Stout by unanimous decision.
Jim Miller def. Matt Horwich by unanimous decision.
Hermes Franca def. Marcus Aurelio by unanimous decision.
Pete Sell def. Josh Burkman by unanimous decision.
The Battles
Sean Sherk (5’6” 156 lb) vs. Tyson Griffin (6’1” 155 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Dr. David Smith
Round One
There was a calm of 14 seconds before they started slinging serious leather.
4.42: Sean went for the takedown; Tyson sprawled, then dropped with his back pressed into the wires.
4.24: Tyson gave up his back, but like David Loiseau, surrendering his back wasn’t a big deal for Tyson. Sean was on Tyson’s back and Tyson piggy-backed his jockey across the Octagon to Randy Couture (Griffin’s trainer), like a greengrocer hauling a sack of spuds, and looked to Couture for advice.
4.04: Randy said to just dump him, so Tyson did.
4.02: Sherk and Griffin were slugging it out.
3.45: Griffin was targeting Sherk’s abs with punches and kicking his legs. Sherk threw rights and powerful lefts after his lesson in jabbing from BJ Penn.
3.27: Sherk attempted a double-leg, then a single-leg takedown; Griffin resisted and the pair clinched.
3.12: Sean tugged Tyson’s legs from under him.
2.52: Tyson stood clinched and delivered knees and gloves.
2.16: They broke free as Sean threw a left and Tyson replied with a punishing right. They stood and counterpunched each other’s strikes.
1.25: Tyson clipped Sean’s head with a high kick before landing with a right hand.
1.05: Griffin shot at Sherk’s legs; however Sherk sprawled and spun around to take Griffin’s back.
0.42: Griffin stood and hauled Sherk back towards Randy, but Sherk hopped out of the saddle this time and thumped Griffin with a right hook. Both fighters landed a variety of heavy hits before the first five ended.
Griffin did a Jack Horner whilst sporting a cut near his left eye. “It’s a small cut – it’s nothing to worry about,” said Couture.
Round Two
Tyson looked across the Octagon at Sean and they smiled to each other – nothing personal, just two amazing professional athletes at war.
4.50: Tyson threw three jabs and a kick to the body; Sean replied with a crisp right cross.
4.40: Sean attempted the takedown. Tyson briefly went down, then stood up and continued attacking Sean’s abs with powerful punches. They kept hurling bombs, with Griffin appearing to have the upper hand, whereas Sherk looked to get the better of Griffin in round one.
2.20: Griffin planted leg kicks on Sherk’s lead thigh; Sherk answered with jabs that just stoked Griffin’s eternal flame.
1.05: Sherk shot in and snapped up Griffin’s left leg; Griffin sprawled and they were back slugging it out. Sherk fared well with the jabs.
Round Three
Tyson came out like the USS Missouri with all guns blazing and fired off a big right that buckled Sean’s left knee. Sean tagged Tyson with a left hook in the scorching exchange. Both men’s immune systems were in fine shape, making the shootout at the OK Corral look like a Tupperware party. Tyson kicked this round off with more firepower than his opponent, but halfway through the set, Sean picked up his work rate. Tyson closed the round with hard leg kicks. What a classic battle!
Can’t wait for Sean Sherk vs. Tyson Griffin II.
Result: Sean Sherk by unanimous decision.
Junior Dos Santos (6’4” 234 lb) vs. Fabricio Werdum (6’4” 256 lb)
– Heavyweight
Referee: Marc Fennell
This match was Brazil vs. Brazil – with feeling. Junior gave up 22lbs against Fabricio in the heavyweight bout.
4.54: Fabricio came up short with a leg kick, then backed out of range as Junior let go with a right hand.
4.35: Fabricio leg-kicked.
4.24: And again.
4.18: Junior returned one.
4.06: Fabricio ducked as Junior’s right hand did a fly-past; they briefly clinched and released.
3.57: Fabricio leg-kicked.
3.49: He inside leg-kicked.
3.44: Fabricio went to throw a right hook, but it was intercepted by Junior’s HUGE right uppercut. Goodnight, Irene.
Result: Junior Dos Santos by KO – 1.20, Round One.
Gray Maynard (5’8” 155 lb) vs. Rich Clementi (5’9” 156 lb)
– Lightweight
Referee: Todd Frederickson
Round One
4.25: Gray shot in like a sniper, unloading a right, left, right combo, then backed away.
4.04: He threw a right and a left.
4.00: Both men delivered knuckle packages.
3.45: Rich threw a left and Gray drove a right into the body.
3.32: Maynard took a high kick on the mitts, but copped an inside leg kick.
3.09: Maynard’s right cross landed; however Clementi avoided the follow-up uppercut.
2.55: Clementi inside leg-kicked.
2.39: Gray went for a shoot; Rich shrugged it off, before getting caught with a knee to the body from Gray.
1.40: Rich landed a jab.
1.34: Gray returned it.
1.27: Rich attempted a low kick and Gray seized the opportunity to take Rich down, which led to Clementi applying a loose guillotine.
0.45: Maynard slipped out of the choke and worked body punches from half guard.
0.13: He knelt up in full guard as the pair swapped strikes.
Round Two
They were back banging.
4.33: Clementi held his hands low and scored with a leg kick.
4.29: Maynard dodged the follow-up high kick and closed the gap with a lunging right hand before clinching.
4.18: They broke free. Gray outgunned Rich with straight punches, then went for the takedown.
3.48: He picked Rich up and used a double-leg to dump him on the canvas before whacking on a guillotine. Rich stood whilst Gray maintained the choke.
3.12: Maynard released the hold and grabbed Clementi’s right leg; Clementi dropped voluntarily and went for Maynard’s right arm.
2.29: Maynard retrieved his arm and was in Clementi’s loose guard.
1.59: Gray g’n’ped from half guard before they reached a stalemate.
0.32: Gray took Rich’s back; Rich tumbled and Gray stood before falling into side control.
Round Three
4.41: Southpaw Clementi popped out right jabs and Maynard ducked under one, hoisted Clementi into the air and chalked up another double-leg takedown.
4.35: Maynard was in half guard, then both men wrapped on front headlocks.
4.00: Their heads were liberated as Rich looked to take Gray’s right arm out with a kimura.
3.32: They scrambled and Gray moved into guard. Rich isolated Gray’s left arm and was skimming punches and elbows off Gray’s noggin – possibly looking to open a cut.
2.36: Maynard had side control.
2.20: He was in half guard.
1.46: They stood and Maynard took Clementi back down.
1.02: Clementi rolled before taking Maynard’s back.
0.54: Gray twisted in the tie-up, then scored another takedown. Rich turned, so Gray latched onto his back as the fight ended.
Result: Gray Maynard by unanimous decision.
Thiago Alves (5’9” 171 lb) vs. Josh Koscheck (5’10” 170 lb)
– Welterweight
Referee: Dr. David Smith
Round One
They touch gloves and it’s on.
4.50: Thiago inside leg-kicks, then flicks out jabs. He’s bobbing around like a kid just hauled into the headmaster’s office.
4.40: Josh closes in and they exchange, with Thiago catching Josh with a left hook. But Josh is made of tough mettle and just scratches his head as though a butterfly landed on it.
4.34: Thiago inside leg-kicks and follows with a jab.
4.20: Josh slips whilst attempting a side kick.
3.56: Koscheck unloads a jab and Alves counters with a left hook that topples Koscheck, who springs back up, only to cop a right hand, Alves rushes him and Koscheck grabs onto Thiago’s left leg and commences hammering Thiago with right knuckles.
3.49: Alves tugs his ankle free and delivers punches and a high kick as Koscheck unsuccessfully shoots for the left ankle.
3.42: They’re toe-to-toe. If anyone walked into the arena now, they’d have no idea the fight had already started as both men stand full of gas and are facing off.
3.22: Alves attempts a superman punch, then detonates an inside leg kick and blazing fists. Koscheck retaliates with a right and a left that force Alves to back off and re-access.
3.06: Josh adopts a long, confident stance, and spits out two jabs and a cross.
2.43: Thiago’s high kick grazes Josh’s head; Josh replies with a left hook and a right glove to the midsection.
2.37: Thiago’s head swivels back when Josh tags him with consecutive jabs and a right.
2.28: They stare off, pokerfaced. Josh inside leg-kicks and ups the stakes with a jab. They swap some more, with Josh winning this hand.
1.18: Koscheck drives in a powerful body shot, but Alves brings up a knee, forcing Koscheck to latch onto Alves’s left leg. Alves sprawls with his back to the cage.
0.47: Thiago slips free.
0.41: Josh takes a high kick on the gloves.
0.29: Thiago targets Josh’s lead leg with kicks.
The round ends and Josh asks his corner, “What did he hit me with?” referring to the right hand Thiago parked on his dial, earlier in the round.
Round Two
4.40: Koscheck left-hooks and right-uppercuts as Alves counters with his own left hook; however they’re all air shots.
4.28: Koscheck cracks out a leg kick, then an overhand right.
4.14: Alves leg-kicks.
3.56: Josh rushes Thiago and catches him with a high kick; Thiago scores an inside leg kick and Josh throws weird-angled overhand rights.
3.28: Josh reaches down with his left hand to catch Thiago’s incoming right leg-kick, then attacks Thiago with another right hand, and follows up with a lunging knee. Alves checks the oil pressure on his nose.
3.22: Josh’s spinning back-kick is offline, but his lunging knee to the body is on the money. They clinch.
2.42: They separate.
2.36: Koscheck jabs to the body as Alves leg-kicks. They exchange jabs and leg kicks.
2.00: Alves is now out-batting Koscheck through his hip-powered leg kicks.
1.10: Koscheck opts for the takedown; Alves sprawls and they stalemate up to the bell.
Round Three
Josh’s corner tells him he needs the KO, but Thiago comes out aggressively, wanting to bring it on home.
4.42: Thiago slams Josh’s left leg with an iron-bar kick that lifts the ground from under Josh. He desperately tries for a takedown and Thiago punishes him with leather as Josh climbs back up.
4.09: Referee Dr. Smith checks to see if Josh is Lost in Space, but Koscheck gives him the thumbs up.
3.24: Thiago’s thumb then accidently catches Josh’s left eye and Josh tells the doctor there’s something alien in there, so play is briefly halted.
1.43: Warning! Warning! Thiago cops a thumb in his eye.
1.12: Alves buckles Koscheck’s lead leg with a meat-axe kick. He keeps them coming like a meteor shower, but Koscheck just absorbs them and returns fire.
This is a great display from Thiago, but full credit to Josh for taking the fight on a fortnight’s notice.
Result: Thiago Alves by unanimous decision.
Anderson Silva (6’2” 184 lb) vs. Patrick Cote (5’11” 183 lb)
– Middleweight Title
Referee: Herb Dean
Many expected this fight to be a disappointment. It was.
Result: Anderson Silva by TKO (knee injury) – 0.39, Round Three.
