Author: By Frank Curreri

LOS ANGELES, August 4 – Former UFC champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua had to dig deep Saturday night at STAPLES Center to hold off the most resilient and determined Brandon Vera fans have ever seen. The result: A fourth round TKO victory for Shogun that kept him in the light heavyweight title picture. It was yet another dramatic war for the Brazilian standout, who waged one of the sport’s all-time classics last year during a five-round nail-biter with Dan Henderson.

Yet Shogun, who battered Vera (12-6, 1 NC) with heavy shots throughout and came close to ending the fight with a vicious assault in the second round, was not impressed by his showing.

“I’m sorry guys, I didn’t give my best today, but for sure I will give my best in the future,” said Rua (21-7), who conceded he battled fatigue against Vera. “The most important thing is the victory. I respect Brandon a lot. He gave a good fight so let’s see what happens next.”

The big question everyone was asking immediately following the fight was, “Which light heavyweight on the UFC on FOX 4 card will get the next title shot?”

It was apparently down to two: Lyoto Machida and Shogun. But UFC president Dana White, gleaming from an action-packed night of fights, declared afterward that it was Machida who would get the next title shot.

While Shogun overcame a Vera who pushed him to the brink – it was the most aggressive Vera we’ve ever seen, perhaps exonerating him of any “underachiever label” after the punishment he put on Rua – Machida provided no suspense whatsoever in his campaign for a title shot.

Once upon a time, Lyoto Machida was MMA’s greatest mystery, an unbeaten puzzle no opponent could solve. A 1-3 stretch later, fans wondered what had become of the former UFC champ’s mojo.

Wonder no more. Based on his dominant performance in Saturday night’s co-main event – a second-round knockout over Ryan Bader – the Machida of old is back and primed for another crack at the UFC title.

The 34-year-old said as much following his victory, telling Joe Rogan, “I feel very well. It was a great performance. I want to say, ‘The Dragon is back!’”

The outcome was never in doubt as Machida (18-3) masterfully and methodically picked The Ultimate Fighter season 8 winner apart with vicious leg and rib kicks in round one, along with some wicked knees to the midsection. The crowd chanted “Machida! Machida!” in unison as Bader (15-2), owner of one of the light heavyweight division’s most booming right hands, often lunged forward but hit only air.

Bader would pay a heavy price for his aggression in the second stanza. As the former Arizona State University wrestler lunged forward in an effort to uncork his right hand, Machida countered with a perfectly placed right hand to the chin that put Bader out cold. Moments later, at 1:32 of the round, the ref called the fight.   

Watch Machida’s post-fight interview

JAMIE VARNER VS. JOE LAUZON

If there was one fight on this card that was guaranteed to be as good as advertised, a bout overwhelmingly favored to be Fight of the Night, it was this savory matchup between two of the game’s best first-round finishers. But, in fact, what transpired in the cage between Jamie Varner and Joe Lauzon was a sure-fire candidate for Fight of the Year.

The war of attrition ended with Lauzon having his hand raised on the strength of a slick triangle that forced the former World Extreme Cagefighting champion to tap at 2:44 of the final frame.

The dramatic ending whipped the live crowd into a euphoric frenzy and prevented the fight from going to the judges’ scorecards, where the winner might as well have been decided by a coin toss.
There was no pitter-patter in this one. Ultra-aggression and heavy leather were on full display, the action non-stop. The suddenly resurgent Varner (20-7-1, 1 NC) has perhaps never looked better, putting Lauzon (22-7) on the deck with a monster right hand in round one and repeatedly cracking the Bostonian with crisp combos and digging body shots. But for all of Varner’s power punching and elbows, Lauzon never backed down and relentlessly stalked his foe throughout. The blistering pace caused Varner to slow midway and the tide turned in Lauzon’s favor as he scored takedowns, inflicted with ground and pound, took Varner’s back and threatened with a rear naked choke.

The hold-nothing-back ferocity and determination of both men brought the live crowd to its feet on numerous occasions. The atmosphere was nothing short of electric and hair-raising.

Varner and Lauzon, in a show of mutual respect, hugged as the third round commenced. Based on body language, the 28-year-old Lauzon appeared to be the fresher fighter. Yet it was Varner, coming off an upset knockout over previously unbeaten Edson Barboza, who inflicted the most damage early on. The Arizonan scored a textbook double leg takedown. Lauzon got to his feet and landed a crisp 1-2 combination. Varner than unleashed a five-punch combination and followed it up shortly thereafter with three elbows. And still, Lauzon kept coming. Lauzon attempted a takedown, Varner reversed with a butterfly sweep and Lauzon deftly transitioned to the fight-cinching triangle the nearly blew the roof off Staples Center.

It was one of the biggest wins of Lauzon’s career, up there with his 2006 upset over former UFC champ Jens Pulver and his submission win last October over Melvin Guillard.

Hear from “J-Lau” following his big win

MIKE SWICK VS. DAMARQUES JOHNSON

After nearly two and a half years away from the Octagon, veteran Mike Swick returned in triumphant fashion, notching his 10th UFC win with a dramatic knockout of DaMarques Johnson.
Swick (15-4) appeared vulnerable after Johnson punished him with ground and pound in round one, offsetting some heavy right hands that Swick had landed early in the fight. Looking a little bit rubbery-legged, Swick deftly caught a Johnson kick and added a diving right hand to put the Utah fighter out cold with one shot. Referee Herb Dean stopped the action at 1:20 of the second frame.

“Hey guys, remember me?” said Swick, who had been sidelined due to injuries and illness. “I had to take what I could get, man (in the fight). He brought a lot more than I thought. I was really worried that I couldn’t see out of one eye …”

Watch Swick’s post-fight interview

People see a 125-pound fighter, Joseph Benavidez said, and they automatically assume, “That guy must eat bird food.”

But in Benavidez’s case, nothing could be further from the truth. Unless, of course, you consider feasting on slurpees, IN & OUT burgers, beef tacos (with fried shells), Cap’n Crunch Berries cereal and chicken fried steak to be bird food. Because those indulgences and more are part of the flyweight standout’s diet as he readies for a Sept. 22nd clash with Demetrious Johnson in Toronto (the winner to cement his name in history as the first-ever UFC Flyweight champion).

Though often referred to as Joejitsu these days, Benavidez’s Team Alpha Male brethren affectionately know him as “The Beefcake,” a reference to the dense muscularity packed on New Mexico native’s 5’4” frame. If you’re a spontaneous, make-it-up-as-you-go-along eater; if you believe that organic food is overrated; and if you have a weakness for red meat, then Joseph Benavidez (16-2) just might be your kind of grubber – an elite fighter whose ultra-liberal eating habits will surely raise plenty of eyebrows.

UFC: The person who taught you the most about diet and nutrition is … Fill in the blank.
Benavidez: I would have to say ‘Myself.’ Or maybe television or The Food Network.

What was your diet like as a child growing up in New Mexico?
Ah, man … growing up in a Mexican family to a single mom, basically we were always eating beans. We would always have a pot of beans cooking on Monday and throughout the week we were always finding ways to eat them – either through tacos, burritos or refrying them or with cheese. It was just always something with beans or cereal.

What kinds of cereal?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch has always been my favorite. Over the years I’ve gained a love for Cap’n Crunch Berries. I also enjoy Raisin Bran, Shredded Wheat and Honey Bunches Of Oats and all that stuff.

What kind of milk with your cereal?
Whole milk. Anything else tastes like water to me.

What size bowl are we talking?
You can’t go with a really big bowl because then it will go soggy. So I go with a regular size bowl AND THEN I EAT LIKE THREE OR FOUR (bowls) OF THEM. Oh yeah …

The last time you ate Cap’n Crunch Berries was …
Um, not too long ago! I mean, if I’m not fighting then I’m eating whatever and cereal is one of my favorite things to eat. I even mix Cap’n Crunch into milk shakes.

When I don’t have a fight coming up I’ll eat cereal, ice cream, IN & OUT burger, slurpees. There are no boundaries really. I definitely surprise people with my eating habits. After I dropped to 125 I was able to out-eat almost everybody on the team.

I sometimes get judged by my teammates when we go to lunches or breakfasts. The other guys on the team will order like an egg white omelet and I’ll get chicken fried steak and eggs or something like that. I definitely eat riskier and a little less healthy than some of them. But the biggest eater on the team is probably (155er) Justin Buchholz.

How heavy can you get at flyweight now?
This is actually pretty interesting. When I fought at 135 I would walk around and the heaviest I got was like 147 (pounds). I really never saw 150. I would walk around about 144. After my fights I would just eat a little bit, nothing special. I wasn’t depriving myself to make weight so once I made weight I didn’t miss food. I would eat IN & OUT burger a week before my fights.

However, when I went to 125 I had to strictly diet for two months straight and really deprive myself. But after my first fight at flyweight I just went on (eating) binges, just unnecessary eating – eating when I wasn’t even hungry. So since I dropped to flyweight I actually get up to 150 pounds, which is something that didn’t happen when I fought at 135.

It’s funny: I’m bigger as a flyweight than I ever was as a bantamweight! My theory is that I deprived myself so much to make the lower weight that I miss certain foods … so I would just eat and eat. It made me want food and binge like I never have before.

You have experimented with many nicknames in your career – even featured in a video alluding to your plethora of monikers (among them “Reno: The Biggest Little Man on the Planet” and Joe-B-Wan Kenobi). Another moniker is “The Beefcake.” Is The Beefcake more applicable now than ever? I had wondered if you could still be a Beefcake as a flyweight, but apparently it is a reality.
Oh yeah, of course. I’m beefier than ever, actually. That’s where the nickname came from. I guess ‘Beefcake’ used to mean studly or whatever … but I’m just a freakin’ ball of meat walkin’ around in tight-fitting clothes so I look even beefier. So everyone just started calling me Beefcake.

Does anyone on the Team Alpha Male squad wear tighter fit clothing than you?
No. I mean, we’re all down with Spandex and that’s about as tight as it gets. It’s not just about being a handsome, little beefcake. But I also am just beefy; I’m stout. I’m like a little meatball rolling around on the mat.

You have the chance to become the first UFC flyweight champ in history. We see a lot of top fighters today hiring nutritionists and becoming extremely conscientious about what they eat, particularly favoring organic seems to be a growing trend. If you become champ you would be bucking that trend.
It could just be the way that I was raised. In New Mexico nobody even knows what organic means, so … when I moved to California (and started training at Urijah Faber’s gym) all that stuff was new to me. Now, I do enjoy eating healthy food when I get into my groove during training camp to make 125. I start eating vegetables and (making) fresh juices and drinking Muscle Milk – but they are not all organic – and I enjoy it. It gives me a certain discipline and I don’t mind that.

But as fighters we make so many sacrifices and food is one of life’s greatest joys. So when the off-season comes around I don’t see a reason to sacrifice that part of my life. It keeps me happy and keeps me smiling knowing I can eat whatever I want.

So your first-ever weight cut to 125 really wasn’t that difficult at all, right?
It really wasn’t. As the fight got closer I was walking around every day at 130 anyway, so … I didn’t get in the sauna at all. It wasn’t really a struggle. I felt more focused and in the best shape ever. It made me realize that (125) is definitely my natural weight class. I felt perfect. I probably weighed 138 the night of the fight, but this time (against Demetrious Johnson in September) I plan on getting heavier.

Do you favor any meal in particular after weighing in?
No, it’s pretty random for me. I’m not a big nutritional guy – people ask me for nutritional advice all the time! – and I don’t know what in the heck to tell them. I just do what works for me. It’s not really a huge thing to me.

But after weigh-ins I try to hydrate really good with water and get a lot of carbs, protein and sodium to put weight on me. So what I eat depends on where we are fighting. Different countries and cities offer different stuff. We go to Brazil, Japan, Canada … and sometimes you can’t find stuff that you’re used to. So you have no choice but to improvise. I usually do go for pasta. But if you ask me why, I can’t tell you. My diet is different, but if you believe in what you’re doing that makes all the difference in the world, you know?

True or false: Joseph Benavidez can throw down in the kitchen.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m a very good cook, but I have my dishes where I can hold my own. Tacos are probably my go-to meal because of my Mexican heritage and that’s what I learned to cook. I go very basic, nothing too fancy: I just buy some ground beef, I put potato shredding in it and season it with garlic, pepper and salt. I don’t just buy (taco) shells or heat up a tortilla. I’ll actually get a corn tortilla and fry it into a crunchy yet chewy shell. Then I top it with cheese, sour cream and guacamole, all that stuff. I’m pretty good on the grill as well. Other than that I leave it to my mom, my girlfriend and restaurants.

Do you eat your beef tacos during training camp?
Yeah, I do that. I don’t mind eating some nice fattening red meat during camp. It makes me feel good and it’s still protein. Sometimes your body breaks down and you need that fat and iron and whatever else is in there – I don’t really know! But I’m definitely a big red meat eater.

Joe, how many years do you expect to live with your spontaneous diet? (intended in jest).
Truthfully, I don’t know. But my name and legacy will live on forever, you know what I mean? I’m going to be the George Washington of flyweight champions. George Washington died long ago but everyone knows who George Washington is. So my legacy as a fighter will live on forever. Physically, who knows? I’m healthy and I live a healthy lifestyle from working out. I don’t drink or do drugs or abuse my body in any way. So I’ll probably live about average, whatever average is.

Next time you’re in Milwaukee, “Showtime Bar & Grill” is worth a visit. The establishment is jointly owned by highly-regarded MMA trainer Duke Roufus and his prized protégé, former WEC lightweight world champ Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. On the menu at the hotspot: Pizza with Italian sausage, a Kobe Beef Burger, chili cheese fries and a ribeye steak. All very tempting to the 25-year-old Pettis (13-2), who recently spoke with UFC.com about his predominantly organic diet and how it has made weight-cutting easy.

UFC: What sorts of foods do you remember eating as a kid?
Pettis: My mom wasn’t that good of a cook so she used to make a lot of macaroni and cheese and Spam. My dad was like a master chef at fried chicken; My dad made the best fried chicken ever! That was one of my favorite meals as a kid.

I came from a Spanish family, so we would eat pinchos, which is a Puerto Rican shish-kabob type of thing. We would enchiladas, tacos, rice and beans – all the kinds of things Hispanic kids eat.

Do you consider yourself a big eater?
I’m a huge eater and I’ve been that way ever since I was a kid. I have always been athletic so I was always eating a lot.

What changes have you made to your diet over the years?
I changed my diet because I had to become wiser about cutting weight. In my old sport – Taekwondo – I didn’t have to cut weight. We didn’t go by weight divisions. But once I started fighting amateur – my 20th birthday was my first fight – I had to start cutting weight and watching what I was eating.

I went through two phases. One phase is what I call ‘Eating Dumb.’ I didn’t know how to cut weight, I didn’t t know the right things to do. So I thought the less that I ate, and the cleaner my meals were – I would eat like chicken breast and salad for dinner – I didn’t know how to cut weight so that was my Eating Stupid Phase. So from the beginning of my WEC career (June 2009) all the way up until my camp for the Shane Roller fight (August 2010) I didn’t have a nutritionist so it was just a dumb way to eat.

I used to be hungry all the time so I couldn’t show my full potential in workouts. I was also getting injured a lot. I found out later that I could eat a lot more food, and a bigger variety of food, and still lose weight.

When do you feel like you found the right nutritionist and what does that diet consist of?
It was right after the Henderson fight, actually. I performed well on previous diets, but right after the Henderson fight I went and trained with Urijah Faber (in Sacramento). I met a nutritionist named Eric … and after sitting down and listening to what he had to say I felt like he was the right guy for the job. So I started working with him for the Clay Guida camp.

So that guy in California decides what the meals are going to be and sends them to my cousin, who is a chef and prepares all my meals.

I might eat a 4-ounce chicken breast, some greens, sometimes a carb like a sweet potato. I drink a lot of smoothies. Our big thing is we use coconut oil for everything. I take a scoop of coconut oil every morning when I wake up with a protein shake. I just eat whatever my nutritionist tells me to eat.

Every meal tastes like a regular meal so I never feel like I’m cutting weight. In the past when I was cutting weight my meals would be very plain and very dull. But the stuff I eat tastes amazing – it’s stuff I would pay to eat at a restaurant!

Any rules for your diet?
It’s pretty simple, nothing crazy. I don’t indulge in ice cream or anything crazy.

Do you take any supplements?
I take an organic whey protein. Every meal and everything that I eat is organic during camp. And even out of camp I try to eat clean. Organic just makes me feel better. I take glucosamine and coconut oil.

My nutritionist recommends that I drink one gallon of water a day. I also drink some coconut water and a chocolate coconut water. I put coconut water in my smoothies and my protein shakes.

After making weight for a fight what is your go-to meal?
Yeah, I do the same meal every time after weigh-ins: Salmon, spinach and sweet potato. But my meal the day of the fight always varies. The meal I had before my last fight with Joe Lauzon was pancakes, eggs and bacon. I eat breakfast and that’s it. Then I go big (with food) after my fight.

Do you pack on weight easily or are you one of those insane-metabolism/naturally slender guys who can eat whatever he wants and stay thin?
No. As a kid and in my teens, all the way up to my early 20s I could eat whatever I wanted and I was always slim. But now that I’m 25 I’ve been packing on weight. I’m coming off a shoulder injury so I couldn’t do much working out. I’ve had to watch what I eat. The heaviest I get is 185, but at that weight I feel sluggish and like crap.

Everyone remembers the so-called Matrix kick against Benson Henderson … and you’ve got so many other kicks in your arsenal. Can you still fire off those crazy kicks at 185?
Oh yeah, I can do all the same kicks. They just won’t be as crisp and I won’t be as energized as I’d like to be. My best weight is 170. When I’m at 170, I’m perfect.

So even an out-of-shape Anthony Pettis could knock somebody out with a head kick?
Oh yeah, definitely. That’s something I’ve been doing since I was a kid, so …

Quick question: Who do you like in the rematch between Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar?
Henderson. I just feel he’s too big of a 155er for Frankie Edgar. I think it will be by decision because Frankie is one of those guys that is a tough, tough guy to finish.

CALGARY, July 21 – Just one fight into his UFC career and Ryan Jimmo has already made some considerable waves, delivering a demolition of Australia’s Anthony Perosh in UFC 149 prelim action Saturday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome that took only seven seconds.

All it took was one monster overhand right from Jimmo, landing flush on Perosh’s chin and putting the Aussie out before he hit the canvas. The Edmonton native, who notched his 17th straight win, made it look remarkably easy in front of his fellow Canadians.

“I’m very happy,” said the beaming, bald-headed light heavyweight after blitzing the 39-year-old submission ace. “Hi Mom, I love you! … I knew if I threw some heavy leather he was going to be on the ground.”

Jimmo, a four-time national champion in Karate, is definitely a fighter worth watching. In addition to his explosive wrecking of Perosh (13-7), Jimmo’s resume also includes wins over UFC vets such as Wilson Gouveia, Marvin Eastman, Rameau Sokoudjou and Jesse Forbes.

Watch Ryan Jimmo UFC 149 highlight video

COURT MCGEE VS. NICK RING

Different venue, different soil, same result.

In a rematch of their controversial bout in The Ultimate Fighter season 11 competition, Canada’s Nick Ring again eked by Court McGee – with Saturday’s victory perhaps equally controversial.

Nearly all of the middleweight fight unfolded on the feet, with Ring attempting several takedowns but being rebuffed each time. Round one was closely contested, with the southpaw Ring dancing and landing and McGee plodding forward but less busy with his strikes but landing hard on occasion.

The first half of round two clearly belonged to McGee, the TUF 11 winner who relentlessly and fearlessly stalked forward and began landing with more frequency and firing away with ferocious leg kicks. With his hometown faithful chanting “Go Nick Go!” Calgary’s Ring came on strong down the stretch, cracking McGee with several sizzling straight left hands to perhaps steal the round. The damage was reflected on McGee’s face in the form of a plenty of blood gushing from the bearded Utahn’s nose.

By any standard, McGee won the third round on the strength of superior cardio and a heavy volume of punches. Ring, his gas tank fading, danced away as if simply trying to kill the clock and survive. When Ring did throw, his punches had little steam on them and McGee seemed unfazed by their impact.

The faces of both fighters at the final horn showed signs of their slugfest, but McGee seemed like a man who could fight on another few rounds while an exhausted Ring seemed almost unable to stand, needing to be held up by a cornerman. But the Canadian’s physical suffering may have been alleviated somewhat when he heard the judges’ scores – 29-28 across the board.

Post-fight thoughts from Nick Ring

FRANCISCO RIVERA VS. ROLAND DELORME

The fight game, like life itself, is full of surprises and irony. For instance, Francisco Rivera bullied and battered Roland Delorme with heavy shots for four minutes – landing pretty much everything he wanted. But it was a short left hook counter – nothing special or devastating at first glance – that finally put Delorme on the deck and earned Rivera the knockout at 4:19 of the opening stanza.

The free-slugging Californian dedicated the victory to his mother.

“My mom’s been sick… and this is the way to prove to her that I still love her and I thank God every day that’s she’s OK,” said Rivera (9-2).

Watch Rivera’s post-fight interview

BRYAN CARAWAY VS. MITCH GAGNON

In all likelihood, Bryan Caraway needed a stoppage as he entered round three against a Canadian opponent that had roughed him for much of the opening 10 minutes. Calm and collected, the veteran took down Mitch Gagnon early in the final frame, trapped him, locked in a rear naked choke and won the tapout at 1:39 to escape with his second UFC triumph.

Gagnon left caution to the wind early on, smothering Caraway with takedowns early and landing a bevy of hard ground and pound shots, posturing up high and getting plenty of momentum behind his shots. Caraway rallied in the final minute with a takedown of his own, and despite getting full mount on top, he caused little damage.

Gagnon had appeared to be a tad winded as the first round came to a close, but emerged from his stool in round two and walloped the former Motorcross standout with big punches and hard knees. Caraway looked to be in trouble, but quickly calmed the storm with a takedown to avoid continuing to get the worse of the fistic exchanges. And in the third, the TUF 14 competitor, who was making his bantamweight debut, lowered the boom in impressive style to notch his second Octagon victory.

ANTONIO CARVALHO VS. DANIEL PINEDA

Ontario’s Antonio Carvalho achieved a career milestone Saturday night, knocking out fellow featherweight Daniel Pineda to earn his first-ever UFC victory. Overwhelmed with emotion by the feat, 33-year-old Carvalho dropped to his knees inside the Octagon and cried. It was a quick night for the Brazilian (14-5), who dropped the ultra-aggressive Pineda (17-9) early with a left high kick, then punished the charging Texan with three hard and precise right hands that turned out the lights at 1:11 of the opening round. 

Hear from Carvalho after his win

MITCH CLARKE VS. ANTON KUIVANEN

Who says ground fighting is boring?

That certainly wasn’t the case for the night’s opening clash between Edmonton’s Mitch Clarke and Finland’s Anton Kuivanen. From the first round onward, fans were treated to an exciting, back-and-forth jiu-jitsu battle filled with daring submission attempts and nonstop attacks.
The lightweight tussle ended with Kiuvanen (17-5) capturing his first UFC victory by split decision (29-28 twice and 28-29).

It was Clarke who came closest to finishing the fight, locking in a deep armbar in round one from his guard. Kuivanen, his arm fully extended, somehow wiggled his endangered limb free and escaped. Clarke appeared to have accomplished more in the topsy-turvy round, especially on the strength of a 2-0 takedown advantage.

Kuivanen came on stronger in the second stanza, cracking Clarke (9-2) with a hard left hook to commence the round, then fighting off kimuras while spending most of the round on top.

With the fight up for grabs, Kiuvanen took control in the third round over a fading Clarke, scoring two takedowns on the Canadien, and dominating on top with some hard right hands.
 
Kuivanen post-fight interivew

CALGARY, July 21 – Finally, the fighter with the most spectacular unbeaten streak in the UFC has some precious hardware to stake his claim among the sport’s elite: Renan Barao now holds a share of the UFC bantamweight title after methodically picking apart top contender Urijah Faber with a steady stream of kicks, punches and stout takedown defense at the Scotiabank Saddledome Saturday night.

Judges scored it 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 for the Barao (31-1, 1 NC), who hasn’t tasted defeat in his past 32 fights (tops in the UFC).

The victory in the UFC 149 interim title clash means that Brazilians now hold 3.5 of the UFC’s seven title belts (Barao joins Anderson Silva, Junior dos Santos and teammate Jose Aldo as belt holders). It also sets up a future meeting between Barao and current UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz, who was originally scheduled to face Urijah Faber earlier this month in Las Vegas but was sidelined after surgery to repair a torn ACL in his knee.

In large part, Barao bested Faber by employing a similar strategic blueprint as Aldo, who ravaged Faber’s legs over five rounds with vicious leg kicks during their 2010 matchup.

Faber did a far better job of defending the leg kicks this time around – often switching stances throughout the bout – but he was still outworked with high kicks and combinations. Make no mistake, however, Faber was very competitive in this scrap and landed his share of punches. The former world featherweight champ never appeared to be in serious danger, but could not close the distance or secure takedowns as he would have preferred. Faber (26-6) conceded afterward that a Barao knee to the body may have broken his rib early on.

“He hurt me early with a knee to the rib,” Faber said. “I think I might have a broken rib from that knee in the second round … I knew he was really good at keeping the distance and is he is difficult to take down.”

Barao jumped into the arms of his coaches to celebrate his sixth straight win under the Zuffa umbrella and the triumph over a big name that is sure to elevate his notoriety in the sport.

“I came very well prepared for anything,” Barao said. “I prepared my strategy very well and that was the result.”

CALGARY, July 21 – Hector Lombard, unbeaten in 25 fights dating back to 2006, thought he was the man to dethrone UFC kingpin Anderson Silva and build his own legend. But the Cuban from American Top Team can convince no one of this argument after Saturday night’s disappointing performance in the UFC 149 co-main event, which saw the former Olympic judoka fight extremely conservatively en route to dropping a split decision to Tim Boetsch at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Surely Lombard did not envision kick-starting his UFC career with a lackluster first round that saw Boetsch outwork and outscore him with punches and kicks. By no means did Boetsch land big shots – it was, in fact, Lombard who landed two heavy overhand lefts – but he kept hitting singles with a variety of leg kicks and awkward punches while the more one-dimensional Lombard kept trying to hit homeruns (usually in vain).

In round two, Lombard turned it up a notch and clearly deserved the round on the strength of a potent overhand left, a cracking right hand near the ear and a kick to the body that made Boetsch wince and retreat in pain. But Boetsch is one tough character and Lombard, a former member of the Cuban Olympic Judo team, could never follow up those blows with anything of consequence.

Round three played out in similar fashion to round one, with fans less than thrilled but Boetsch again outworking his adversary.

For a man who kept calling out Anderson Silva – the crème de la crème – it was not the kind of showing to support your case for being deserving of a title shot.

CHEICK KONGO VS. SHAWN JORDAN

Sometimes two wrestlers collide and a boxing match breaks out. And sometimes the opposite holds true: two strikers collide and a wrestling match breaks out. That is essentially what happened in this battle of big boys between Cheick Kongo and UFC newcomer Shawn Jordan, who spent much of their time in an ugly clinchfest that produced little carnage but plenty of yawning.

In the end, fans at the live show booed and Cheick Kongo had his hand raised courtesy of a 30-28, 30-27, 30-27 verdict from the judges.

Kongo seemed the busier of the two and seemed to hold up better in the clinches, fighting off every one of at least nine Jordan takedown attempts. Kongo often had the former Louisiana State University football player’s back while standing but did little with it. When they were at a distance, it was Kongo who seemed to land more frequently with punches and kicks. The French native improved to 28-7-2. Jordan, who previously fought under the Strikeforce umbrella, fell to 13-4.

Watch Kongo’s post-fight interview

JAMES HEAD VS. BRIAN EBERSOLE

In the fight game, they can’t all be barnburners. You have the Fight of the Year candidates that can cause anyone to become addicted to MMA. And, at the other end of the spectrum, you have the snoozers that keep even the most die-hard aficionado looking at his watch and begging for mercy. The James Head-Brian Ebersole wasn’t quite as boring as the latter, but by the final round it inspired plenty of boo birds at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Head scored a split decision (scores of 29-28 across the board) behind a super-conservative standup arsenal. He landed some shots here and there and he locked Ebersole in front headlocks, but was stifled time and again in that position and seemed unwilling to risk much from there. When he did gamble and try to advance – as when Head attempted a guillotine choke in round one – Ebersole scored the takedown and popped his head out.

Ebersole, who took the fight on short notice and had won four straight in the UFC coming in, showed a lot of creativity in his attacks, utilizing cartwheel kicks and odd hammerfists to Head’s thigh. The wily veteran (50-15-1, 1 NC) repeatedly landed kicks to Head’s body, but had most of his takedowns stuffed. The 31-year-old was superb defensively, but could not offensively exploit Head, who took few chances.

Post-fight interview with Head

MATTHEW RIDDLE VS. CHRIS CLEMENTS

It’s not often we see Matt Riddle reject the opportunity to engage in a toe-to-toe slugfest for an entire fight. But the ever-evolving welterweight showed a new wrinkle to his game Saturday, returning to the wrestling skills that made him a force during his high school days in upstate New York.

While the fight was standing, the shorter and stockier Clements repeatedly landed over the top with punches and kicks to the body against his taller foe. But in every round, Riddle’s takedowns and top control kept him competitive in the action-packed fight.

Clements upped the ante in the final stanza, clocking Riddle with potent right hands. But Clements would pay dearly for his ultra-aggressiveness, for when he attempted a spinning elbow, Riddle caught him in a head-and-arm triangle while standing. Riddle tripped Clements  (11-5) for the takedown, then locked the arm triangle choke even tighter and won the tap at 2:02 of the round.

“I made sure I banged a little but I went back to my roots, I had to get the ‘W,’” said an ecstatic Riddle (7-3). “I want this crowd on my feet! That’s what gets me going!

“I had to change camps. I’m training with Robert Drysdale and his jiu-jitsu is top notch. It took me to the next level.”

Hear from Riddle following the fight * See the sub of the night