Taking place in Anaheim, UFC 121 shaped up to be one of the better cards of the year, in terms of significant matchups. The headline bout of Brock Lesnar defending his heavyweight title against Cain Velasquez was backed up by a very strong undercard, with the much anticipated UFC debut of Jake Shields taking second billing against Martin Kampmann. Here’s how it all went down:
Preliminary Card (Spike TV)
Patrick Cote vs Tom Lawlor (185 lbs)
Round 1: Lawlor is aggressive early, backing Cote up with punches and tying him up against the cage. Lawlor works knees to Cote’s legs from clinch. Eventually Lawlor pulls Cote down to the ground. Cote closes guard and waits for a standup. Lawlor with small punches from the top; very little action until Lawlor passes guard and locks in an arm triangle. Cote frees himself after a struggle but Lawlor takes his back as the round ends. Round 10-9 Lawlor
Round 2: Some mild standup exchanges then Lawlor goes for another takedown. Cote defends with a guillotine attempt. Lawlor breaks out of it and completes the takedown. Cote gets up then taken down again. Not much happening on the ground and referee Jon McCarthy stands them up, they trade punches to complete the second stanza. Round 10-9 Lawlor
Round 3: Cote looking to strike but gets taken down quickly again. Lawlor passes into side control and goes for another arm triangle. Cote escapes but now finds himself mounted. They struggle and eventually he regains guard. Lawlor methodical from the top, not doing any damage and eventually referee stands them up. Lawler with another takedown, clinching the fight. Round 10-9 Lawlor
Tom Lawlor wins a unanimous decision, 30-27 on all scorecards
Aftermath: This was a must-win fight for both opponents, and Tom Lawlor did exactly what he had to. His next opponent should be Kyle Noke or Court McGee. Patrick Cote failed to deliver, losing his third consecutive bout and falling to 4-7 in the UFC. He will likely have to take a fight or two in another promotion, though I expect to see him back in UFC eventually.
Ranking Impact: Tom Lawlor moves up 50 spots to #51 MW. Patrick Cote falls 22 spots to #74 MW.
Fight Grade: 2/5
Ryan Jensen vs Court McGee (185 lbs)
Round 1: The fighters trade and Jensen drops McGee with a left. McGee quickly recovers but Jensen clinches and takes Court down. McGee scrambles up, eating punches as he does. Jensen keeps attacking and McGee is hanging in there, landing an occasional counter but this round is all Jensen. Round 10-9 Jensen
Round 2: They exchange leg kicks then punches. Jensen not quite as quick in this round and McGee is starting to land. McGee stuns Jensen with a combination, forcing him to clinch and look for a takedown. McGee remains standing and is now the aggressor; Jensen has a bloody nose and looks tired but manages to score a takedown as the round ends. Round 10-9 McGee
Round 3: McGee comes out with a combination then follows through into a big slam. He quickly passes into mount and tees off with elbows. Jensen covers up and McGee switches to an arm triangle; he adjusts his grip and forces a tapout.
Aftermath: The latest Ultimate Fighter winner Court McGee showed good composure in his first post-TUF bout, and should next take on Tom Lawlor or Dave Branch. Ryan Jensen can fight the Korean newcomer Dongi Yang, who lost a split decision to Chris Camozzi in an untelevised preliminary bout.
Ranking Impact: Court McGee moves up 42 spots to #46 MW. Ryan Jensen falls 29 spots to #104 MW.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Michael Guymon vs Daniel Roberts (170 lbs)
Round 1: Roberts leads with a leg kick. Guymon tries a combination but slips, and Roberts runs forward throwing chain punches and backing Guymon up. Guymon goes for a takedown but Roberts locks in a guillotine. Guymon slips his head out and Roberts transitions to an anaconda choke. He flips Guymon over and Michael taps out.
Aftermath: An impressive win for Daniel Roberts puts him at 2-1 in the UFC after losing to John Howard in his debut. Up next: Brian Foster or Amir Sadollah. Michael Guymon is in a dangerous spot, 1-2 in the UFC with both losses coming via first-round submission. It’s going to be do-or-die for Guymon, against an opponent such as Julio Paulino or Jesse Lennox.
Ranking Impact: Daniel Roberts moves up 47 spots to #40 WW. Michael Guymon falls 27 spots to #69 WW.
Fight Grade: 4/5
Main Card (PPV)
Gabriel Gonzaga vs Brendan Schaub (HW)
Round 1: Leg kicks from both fighters start the fight, then Schaub establishes his jab and starts consistently landing one-two combos on Gonzaga. Gonzaga is very tentative, mainly throwing occasional leg and body kicks. Schaub keeps scoring with jabs and overhand rights. Gonzaga tries a takedown but Schaub is not having it. Schaub flurries with a few seconds left in the round, knocking down Gonzaga right at the bell. Round 10-9 Schaub
Round 2: Gonzaga lands a few solid leg kicks but slips on one, and Schaub goes on an offensive. Gonzaga covers up and Schaub is back to landing the jab at will. Schaub keeps on Gonzaga at a moderate pace. Gonzaga covers up and throws and occasional counter but Schaub is too quick on the feet for Gabriel. Round 10-9 Schaub
Round 3: More of the same in the final round. Gonzaga scores with a couple of punches and Schaub attempts a takedown. Gonzaga sprawls and tries to spin and get on top of Schaub but Brendan evades. Schaub now back to picking Gonzaga apart, but he’s slowed down some and now both fighters are landing. Inadvertent kick to the groin by Gonzaga; Schaub indicates he’s OK. Schaub goes for another takedown, and this time Gonzaga succeeds in taking his back off the sprawl; he tries to lock in a rear naked choke just as the round expires. Round 10-9 Schaub
Brendan Schaub wins a unanimous decision, 30-27 on all scorecards
Aftermath: Since the Ultimate Fighter runner-up Brendan Schaub’s Octagon debut was cut short courtesy of Roy Nelson’s right hand, he has won three fights in a row – and Gonzaga was a huge step up in competition. Having passed this test, his options are another step up the ladder in Frank Mir, another gatekeeper-type fight in Cheik Kongo, or one of his former ‘TUF’ cast mates: Jon Madsen or Matt Mitrione.
Gabriel Gonzaga is a world jiu-jitsu champion with decent striking ability and huge knockout power, but struggles severely to put it all together in a fight. The disappointing loss finds Gonzaga on a two-fight skid and three losses in his last four bouts. His next fight is an absolute must win, and UFC will likely give him a very beatable opponent to try and keep him around. A wrestler would be the best bet – someone like Jon Madsen will force Gonzaga to actually use his jiu-jitsu.
Ranking Impact: Brendan Schaub moves up 24 spots to #19 HW. Gabriel Gonzaga falls 5 spots to #21 HW.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Matt Hamill vs. Tito Ortiz (205 lbs)
Round 1: Ortiz leads with a head kick. Hamill lands a right hand and Ortiz smiles and waves him in. Ortiz with another kick and gets taken down. He quickly scrambles back up. Ortiz bleeding from the side of his head. Ortiz quick on the feet, throwing body and head kicks. Spinning back-fist by Ortiz partially lands. Halfway through the round the pace slows down, and Hamill begins to fire back with overhand rights and uppercuts. Ortiz outlanding Hamill still, but his face is already swollen by the end of the round. Hamill lands a punch after the bell, which of course he could not hear. Round 10-9 Ortiz
Round 2: The fighters trade kicks and body punches. Ortiz is lacking the quickness he had in the first round. Ortiz shoots for a takedown but Hamill easily stuffs it. More trading, fairly even from both fighters. Ortiz lands a knee then gets taken down. Hamill working elbows from the top. Ortiz rolls for a leg but Hamill controls him and passes to the side. Hamill trying to establish a crucifix; Ortiz eventually regains half guard. Round 10-9 Hamill
Round 3: Hamill now landing more and more frequently; his hands are down as he tries to bluff Ortiz to come into range. Ortiz shoots again and is shrugged off. Hammil keeps landing jabs and uppercuts. Both fighters are tired but Ortiz looks much worse for the wear. Hamill scores a takedown and works punches and elbows from half-guard. Ortiz is stuck on his back for the remainder of the round, and this cinches the fight for Hamill. Round 10-9 Hamill
Matt Hamill wins a unanimous decision with the scores of 29-28, 29-28, 30-27
Aftermath: Just another day in the office for Matt Hamill, who came out of the bout unscathed and is now riding a five win streak (though one of them being the disqualification victory over Jon Jones, a fight where Hamill was a winner in the name only). Nowhere near the crowded title picture, he should next take on a mid-level opponent such as Phil Davis or Antonio Rogerio Nogueria.
Tito Ortiz, returning after a long layoff and major spinal surgery, did better than I expected by being somewhat competitive and even winning a round on some scorecards. However he has not won a fight since 2006, and not finished anyone except Ken Shamrock in the past decade. No longer being able to take his opponents down at will, and still completely ineffective as a striker, Ortiz is finished as an elite fighter. Though all but one of Tito’s fights took place in the UFC Octagon, if he chooses to continue his career his next fight will most likely be in Strikeforce or another smaller promotion.
Ranking Impact: Matt Hamill moves up 2 spots to #15 LHW. Tito Ortiz, unranked for inactivity, re-enters the LHW ranking at #22.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Diego Sanchez vs Paulo Thiago (170 lbs)
Round 1: Sanchez is winging big punches; Thiago more controlled with his striking and backs up Diego with jabs. Thiago keeps landing and Sanchez goes for a takedown. Paulo defends and punishes Diego with knees. More punches from Thiago then a takedown off his own. Thiago punches from half-guard then goes for a choke, which gives Sanchez room to scramble back to the feet. A wild exchange ends with Sanchez backing Thiago into the fence and shooting for a takedown. Thiago remains on the feet and lands another combination. Round 10-9 Thiago
Round 2: Thiago scores with a big flurry; Diego responds with a takedown and lands in backwards facing mount position. They scramble and Sanchez is now in top guard. Thiago lands an elbow off his back that the referee deems to have hit the back of the head, and the action is paused briefly. They restart and Thiago uses his legs to lift Sanchez up and sweep him, but Diego quickly reverses, then lifts Thiago up and runs a few paces then delivers a huge slam. Sanchez goes wild with punches, then tries to take Paulo’s back. Thiago gets back to the feet and throws strikes as the round ends. Round 10-9 Sanchez
Round 3: Thiago looks tired and his face is marked up. He goes for a takedown early but ends up on the bottom. Thiago attempts a kimura off his back. Sanchez defends. Sanchez stands up to attack and eats an upkick. He walks right through it, back into half guard. Thiago looks for a kimura again, then a choke, but Sanchez now takes his back. He has a body triangle locked in, and alternates choke attempts with flurries of punches. Thiago rolls over and gives up mount, and now Diego is teeing off with punches. The round ends, and this one was all Diego. Round 10-9 Sanchez
Diego Sanchez wins a unanimous decision with the scores of 29-28, 29-28, 30-26
Aftermath: Diego came at Thiago like a bat out of hell in the latter rounds, in a classic Sanchez performance like we’ve seen before his recent slump and changes in training camps and weight classes. Though many fans, myself included, thought that he would be better off returning to the lightweight division, with this victory he may want to keep working his way back up the welterweight ladder. If he does remain at 170, he should next take on Martin Kampmann, Carlos Condit, or even Jake Shields.
Paulo Thiago, after an impressive start in the UFC, now dropped a unanimous decision in his past two fights. Matt Serra would make for an interesting opponent.
Ranking Impact: Diego Sanchez moves up 13 spots to #12 WW. Paulo Thiago falls 7 spots to #21 WW.
Fight Grade: 5/5
Jake Shields vs Martin Kampmann (170 lbs)
Round 1: Shields scores an early takedown. He’s stuck in Kampmann’s half-guard for a bit then passes and mounts Martin. Kampmann bucks him off and it’s back to the feet. Shields with another quick takedown but can’t control Kampmann. Kampmann is tentative to open up, and Shields jabs and shoots in again. Kampmann sprawls successfully. Round 10-9 Shields
Round 2: Kampmann now opening up with strikes. Shields tries for a takedown; Kampmann sprawls and they clinch instead. Kampmann spins Shields around and lands a knee to the chin that knocks Shields to his knees. Shields maintains composure and drives forward for a takedown. He succeeds but Kampmann manages to buck him off again. Kampmann lands knees to the body and head. Shields is hurt and tired but manages another takedown, and passes into mount again, but Kampmann is adept at sweeping from the mount and is right back to the feet, finishing the round with a combination. Round 10-9 Kampmann
Round 3: Shields is dead tired, he throws a few strikes that hit nothing but air then telegraphs a takedown that Kampmann easily defends. They reset and Shields tries for a takedown again, and again, to no avail. He ends up on all fours after the final attempt, and Kampmann is working him over with elbows and knees to the body. Kampmann attempts a choke, then gives it up and throws more strikes. He tries the choke again but this time Shields has recovered enough energy to sweep him. Shields takes Martin’s back and locks in a body triangle. He controls Kampmann for the remainder of the round, looking for a choke but not able to secure it. Round 10-10 draw
Jake Shields wins a split decision with the scores of 30-27, 29-28, 28-29
Aftermath: Shields, who was the Strikeforce middleweight champion prior to making the move to UFC and defeated Dan Henderson in his last bout, was widely considered to be the next contender for the winner of the upcoming title bout between Georges St Pierre vs Josh Koscheck. While Jake’s UFC debut was technically a success, it was not a title-shot worthy performance. Instead he should take on Jon Fitch in a true #1 contender bout, rematch Carlos Condit, or face the loser of Koscheck-St Pierre.
Martin Kampmann would have won the bout had he chosen to keep it standing in the final round. He should next fight Dan Hardy, Chris Lytle, or Diego Sanchez.
Ranking Impact: Jake Shields, previously ranked #2 MW, returns to the welterweight ranking at #2. He also debuts at #8 in the Division Dominance list, forcing out #10 Jon Fitch. Martin Kampmann remains at #8 WW.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez (HW title bout)
Round 1: Lesnar closes the distance, swinging for the fences. Lesnar with a flying knee! Velasquez lands a combination and gets taken down, but pops right back up. Lesnar clinches him against the fence and scores another takedown, but Cain again gets up quickly. They trade punches then Velasquez tries a takedown off his own and doesn’t succeed, but lands a few punches to Lesnar’s head in the ensuing scramble. Lesnar is hurt and stumbles away, tripping and sliding across the Octagon. Velasquez runs after him and lands a huge flurry just as Lesnar regains his footing. Lesnar tries to fire back but Cain follows up with a knee and more punches and Lesnar goes down! He turtles up and Velasquez is relentless with punches. Lesnar manages to get up and gets taken back down; his face is bleeding profusely as he covers up on the ground; eventually the referee Herb Dean steps in and Cain Velasquez is now the new heavyweight champion! There’s a huge, wide open gash underneath Lesnar’s eye.
Aftermath: Running over the reigning champion, Cain Velasquez improves to 7-0 in the UFC (9-0 overall). The newly minted undefeated champion will make his first title defense against Junior Dos Santos, also undefeated in the UFC with six wins in the promotion. This promises to be a fight for the times, and personally I can’t wait!
Brock Lesnar’s inability to keep his composure when getting hit may just prove to be a fatal flaw as a fighter. However he still should be able to beat any heavyweight who is not able to stop his initial bulrush of a takedown, or to quickly escape back to the feet as Velasquez has. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira would be the perfect rebound opponent for Brock.
Ranking Impact: Cain Velasquez moves up 3 spots to #1 HW and debuts at #3 in the Division Dominance Top 10. Brock Lesnar falls 1 spot to #2 HW and falls off the Division Dominance list, where he was previously ranked #6.
Fight Grade: 5/5
Jon Madsen vs Gilbert Yvel (HW)
Round 1: The fighters circle without engaging. Yvel moves very sluggishly. After about a minute, Madsen runs in with a punch then changes levels and takes Yvel down. Madsen pins Yvel against the cage and passes into side control, raining down strikes. Yvel covers up in fetal position and makes no attempt to escape or fight back, and so the referee steps in to stop the bout.
Aftermath: At 4-0 in the UFC (and 7-0 overall), Madsen stops his first opponent in the Octagon, and is rewarded with his first televised bout. The next one should come against Brendan Schaub, Mike Russow, or Ben Rothwell.
Yvel has gone winless in his three UFC fights, and whereas he put up a good fight against Ben Rothwell, this time around he was horribly out of shape and phoned in the fight. This should be the last time we’ve seen him on a UFC card.
Ranking Impact: Jon Madsen moves up 53 spots to #32 HW. Gilbert Yvel falls 14 spots to #45 HW.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Though most of the bouts went the distance, there was a lot of solid action on this card, and the epic beatdown in the main event capped off a good night of fights.