Author: By Laura Gilbert

UFC 147, which is headlined by the catchweight rematch between Wanderlei Silva and Rich Franklin, the heavyweight bout between Fabricio Werdum and Mike Russow, and the crowning of two winners from The Ultimate Fighter </a>Brazil,  airs live on Pay-Per-View from Mineirinho Gymnasium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil at 10pm ET / 7pm PT. Fans can also tune in to FX for four televised prelims at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, and those who “like” the UFC on Facebook can see two prelim bouts at 7pm ET / 4pm PT.

How to watch around the world

MAIN EVENT
Wanderlei Silva (188) VS Rich Franklin (190)

PAY-PER-VIEW MAIN CARD
Sergio Moraes (185) VS Cezar “Mutante” Ferreira (184)
Rony “Jason” Mariano Bezerra (146) VS GodoFredo Pepey (145)
Mike Russow (248) VS Fabricio Werdum (246)
Hacran Dias (146) vs Yuri Alcantara (146)

FX FIGHTS
Rodrigo Damm (146) VS Anistavio “Gasparzinho” Medeiros (146)
Francisco “Massaranduba” Trinaldo (183) VS Delson “Pé de Chumbo” Heleno (185)
Hugo “Wolverine” Viana (145) VS John “Macapá” Teixeira (150)*
Leonardo “Macarrão” Mafra (182) VS Thiago “Bodão” Perpétuo (184)

ONLINE FIGHTS
Wagner “Galeto” Campos (145) VS Marcos “Vina” Vinicius (146)
Milton Vieira (146) vs Felipe Arantes (146)

*Teixeira was unable to make the 146-pound limit within two hours and will be fined 25% of his purse.

Perhaps inspired by the night of fast finishes at last week’s all-heavyweight UFC 146, the fighters of the Ultimate Fighter Live Finale’s main card followed suit, with four of five bouts ending before the final bell. At the end of the night, Mike Chiesa was named the new Ultimate Fighter, a storybook ending to a heart-wrenching season that saw him lose his father less than a week into the show’s taping. And in the main event, Martin Kampmann used his inhuman chin and Muay Thai base to launch himself one step closer to the 170-pound strap.

Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann
After a night of lighter-weight action put on by the best of the UFC’s newest faces, two veterans waged a welterweight war at The Palms that saw Martin Kampmann earn his 20th pro MMA victory – and a possible title contender eliminator bout — in his 15th Octagon outing. Jake Ellenberger scored early and did serious damage in his eighth UFC appearance, but Kampmann’s trademark durability paid off as he knocked out Ellenberger with a knee at 1:40 of the second round.

Both men promised to end things early, and the action started almost immediately as Ellenberger moved forward and dropped Kampmann with his signature left hook within thirty seconds of the opening bell. He swarmed with hooks and elbows, but somehow Kampmann survived. On the mat with his back against the fence, Kampmann threatened Ellenberger with the potential for a guillotine on the ground for most of the rest of the round, staying active enough to ward off a stand-up and allowing both men to recover.

Kampmann came forward aggressively at the beginning of the second, and was rewarded with an absolute flurry of punches from Ellenberger, who threw every fist with 100% power and opened Kampmann’s nose. The two stood and traded – Kampmann temporarily warier due to his spraying nose —  and Ellenberger swung with such force that he spun himself off balance, aided by a short right from Kampmann in the exchange. Kampmann capitalized by rushing him to the fence, where Kampmann, a former Danish Thai boxing champion, lobbed just three knees. The third one floored “The Juggernaut,” and referee Steve Mazzagatti dove in to save Ellenberger from unnecessary damage at 1:40 of the second.

A clearly dejected Ellenberger was gracious in the Octagon but later said: “The stoppage was terrible. It’s not my decision, but I knocked him down in the first round and he kept fighting. I didn’t get the chance to keep fighting.”

“I have to get hit a couple times before I get going,” said Kampmann. “So if I see a mistake I try to take advantage of it. I just wish I wouldn’t get hit with so many punches.” Kampmann sees his record improve to 20-5, while Ellenberger’s six-fight win streak ends as he falls to 27-6.

Mike Chiesa vs. Al Iaquinta
The all-Team Faber TUF Live finals between lanky scrambler Mike Chiesa and the stoic Al Iaquinta promised a war between heart and skill. Both lightweight ground specialists were fighting their third fight in the last month, and in the end it was underdog Michael Chiesa who capped an emotional 13-week season by choking out Iaquinta in the first and becoming the first season of TUF Live’s Ultimate Fighter. 

Iaquinta came out ruthlessly with right straights, which Chiesa answered with testing kicks. Iaquinta caught one of Chiesa’s kicks, then used it to bull him aginst the wall and unload. Chiesa fought back with a takedown attempt that Iaquinta turned into a trip before standing back up.

Again the two faced off with occasional punches, and again Iaquinta caught a kick and used it to force Chiesa against the cage. This time, though, Chiesa took Iaquinta’s back while they were still standing, then dropped to the ground with both hooks in and more than half the round left to work. As Iaquinta struggled for wrist control, Chiesa sunk in the rear-naked choke and Iaquinta – unwilling to tap – went to sleep at 2:47 of the first.

“Al’s a tough guy,” said Chiesa. “I’m just kind of sneaky so when I made it to my choke, I squeezed and squeezed. Each and every day has been a battle when it comes to my Dad. He’s responsible for all of this. He’s the one who told me what hard work was all about.” The win – Chiesa’s sixth pro victory by submission — improves the new UFC fighter’s record to 8-0; Iaquinta tastes his first loss of the season and sees his overall record drop to 5-2-1. Hear what the new Ultimate Fighter had to say in his post-fight interview

Jonathan Brookins vs. Charles Oliveira
In a fascinating featherweight matchup between TUF 12 winner Jonathan Brookins and Brazilian BJJ wunderkind  Charles Oliveira, Oliveira gamely boxed for a round before seeing an opportunity to lock in one of his night-ending submissions (of his six previous UFC bouts, three have earned him Sub of the Night honors and one Fight of the Night).

The feeling out process consisted of boxing from Brookins and leg kicks from Olivera. Both guys did damage with knees in the clinch, and Olivera landed a body kick and right straight on the break. Brookins got a takedown and Oliveira grabbed for an armbar, but Brookins escaped danger and wisely backed off, forcing the bout to the feet. From there, Oliveira showed his stand-up skills, dropping Brookins once and repeatedly cornering him against the fence and unloading. But Brookins fought back and had his own moments, tagging Brookins with one solid right and a series of winging punches followed by another straight that Olivera ate without ever moving his head.

In round two, Brookins found his range and the two traded in the center of the cage. Brookins did particularly well with uppercuts, and Olivera answered with a knee in the clinch. Olivera pushed the bout against the cage and Brookins worked for a standing guillotine. Brookins dropped to the mat with his back to the fence with the choke in. Black belt Oliveira worked his way out and then locked in his own arm-in guillotine from top position against the cage. He got his hooks between Brookins and the fence and 2:42 minutes in, Brookins was forced to tap.

Oliveira’s record rises to 16-2 (1 NC), and the former lightweight is now 2-0 at featherweight; Brookins on the other hand, who won TUF at lightweight, slides to 14-5 and is 1-2 at 145.

Watch “Do Bronx’s” post-fight interview

Max Holloway vs. Pat Schilling
Twenty-year-old striker Max Holloway toyed with a sluggish Pat Schilling
for three rounds in a bizarre featherweight bout in which Schilling had
to be instructed to stand up ten different times.

Schilling took the center of the cage and quickly tried for a single leg
against the cage. The taller Holloway narrowly avoided a ride as he
worked to neutralize the college wrestler. Once Schilling did get things
to the ground, Holloway quickly bounced up and then chased Schilling
around the cage with low kicks.

Though both men connected through the fight, it was Holloway who used a
diverse arsenal including low kicks, body blows and knees throughout all
three rounds and forced a competitive pace. Time after time, Holloway
cornered Schilling against the fence, injuring
him with body shots and strikes, only to have Schilling dive
desperately for a foot and then stay on the ground, refusing to stand
until instructed by the referee.

Holloway easily stepped out of two Schilling takedowns, after which
Schilling stayed on the mat to try and goad Holloway down. Both times the action
stalled as the ref stepped in so Schilling could stand. At one point,
Schilling purposely
plunked himself onto the mat during one of Holloway’s flurries in the
hopes of luring Holloway in for a Hail Mary armbar, but Holloway would have none
of it.

Schilling ended first the round by diving and rolling for a kneebar, but
the bell sounded before he could get a tap and he punched the mat in
frustration.  At the end of the second, Holloway dropped Schilling with
strikes and followed up, but the bell intervened.

Round three was more Holloway boxing practice, with constant jabs,
straights and body shots earning only the occasional rally from
Schilling. Schilling’s striking found its mark when he bothered to use
it, including two dramatic spinning back fists, but otherwise he was
sluggish and unwilling to attack, which led to him being dropped yet
again toward the end of the round.

Judges’ scores were 30-27 across the board for Holloway, whose record
now stands at 5-1; Schilling, who acknowledged post-fight that he injured his shoulder in the first round, drops to 5-2, with both of his losses coming in the
UFC.

Hear what Holloway had to say in his post-fight interview

Justin Lawrence vs. John Cofer
With TUF Live semifinalists Vinc
Pinchel and James Vick both on medical suspensions after their bout last
Friday. kickboxing standout Justin Lawrence and tough Southerner John
Cofer scored a spot on the Finale’s main card, opening the FUEL TV
broadcast with a wild stand-up exchange. At just 19 seconds of the third
round, Lawrence landed a highlight-reel head-kick knockout that felled
his opponent and showed the benefits of training at Black House MMA with
names like Anderson Silva.

Lawrence’s first kick of the fight
was caught by Cofer, who wasted no time getting the dangerous striker to
the mat and unloading an elbow. Lawrence hustled up and then caught one
of Cofer’s kicks, dropping him and chasing him to the ground with
punches. And that was the first 40 seconds of the fight.

Lawrence
stood to get the action back on the feet, and the rest of that round
and the next was a standup affair between two fearless lightweights.
Lawrence mixed up punches and kicks with equal ease, landing his left
hook in particular on exits and counters. His kicks landed with huge
thuds that could be heard throughout The Pearl at the Palms. For his
part, Cofer was relentless, moving forward with lefts-right combinations
and eventually finding his own range, especially with low kicks and
left hooks.

With under a minute left in round two, Lawrence
turned away for a spinning back kick, only to have his back taken by
Cofer who arced him through the air for a huge takedown. Lawrence
escaped out the back and tried to get Cofer to stand, but eventually
dove in with a flying punch. Cofer held Lawrence in tight guard as the
round wore down.

Cofer opened round three with another high kick
and the two traded up close. Lawrence landed a couple of close
uppercuts, Cofer scored with a left hook on the exit, and then a huge
high kick from Lawrence put the five-foot-nine Cofer instantly to sleep.

The 22-year-old Lawrence is now 4-0 in his pro career; Cofer slips to 7-3. “This is just the beginning,” said Lawrence. “I won’t be satisfied until I crack the top five. I got myself in a few bad spots but didn’t panic.”

Watch Lawrence’s post-fight interview

After a neck-and-neck season on The Ultimate Fighter Live, four Team
Faber vs. Team Cruz bouts continued the trend, as the coaches went 2-2
in four lightweight prelims that aired on FUEL TV.

Daron Cruickshank vs. Chris Tickle
Daron “Detroit Superstar” Cruickshank took on Chris “Bad Boy” Tickle in the featured
bout on FUEL TV. Though Cruickshank had to power through Tickle’s
tight attempts to control him, his flashes of standup showed why he warrants
the superlative moniker… and the win.

The bout’s three rounds alternated between explosive standup and
stultifying ground work. Tickle erupted forward with strikes at the
opening horn, and as Cruickshank went for the takedown, Tickle locked in
a guillotine and hit the mat. Cruickshank rolled to give his chin room
and eventually let go, stuck in Tickle’s tight guard. He worked his way
gradually to the feet and exploded, but Tickle caught him and tripped
the two back to the mat. Cruickshank worked to make room from Tickle’s
guard and landed a couple of elbows. This time it was a huge illegal
upkick from Tickle that brought the bout to the feet after a brief break
and a one-point deduction for Tickle. After more body kicks from
Cruickshank and reckless strikes from Tickle, it was another trip to the
mat and Tickle’s guard.

Cruickshank opened the second with a spinning back-kick; Tickle
responded by rushing in with a front headlock to the ground. Cruickshank
eventually yanked his way out but was stuck in guard until referee
Steve Mazzagatti stood them up. After the standup, Cruickshank threw a
huge high kick that connected. Tickle responded by yelling and daring
his foe forward, and as Cruickshank rushed in to take the bait, Tickle
dropped him with a left straight. This time it was Tickle on top, where
his ground assault was quickly smothered by Cruickshank’s own tight
guard.

The third was more of the same, the two trading body kick for wild punch until the action went to the mat. There, the two scrambled and reversed
multiple times. Tickle maintained a tight guard except for a spell in
side control; Cruickshank did more damage with elbows, spent one
sequence in mount and ended the round in top position.

All three judges gave the now 11-2 Cruickshank the bout with scores of
29-27; Tickle exits the TUF Live season with a record of 7-5 and a
noticeably improved ground game.


Myles Jury vs. Chris Saunders
Undefeated Team Cruz prospect Myles Jury bumped his record to 10-0 as he tapped out kickboxer Chris Saunders at 4:03 of the first round.

Jury controlled the first several minutes with countless one-off front and high kicks that kept Saunders at bay. Saunders struggled to find his range against the lanky Jury, who boasted a significant height and reach advantage. He managed to connect with a couple of low kicks and one eye poke, which briefly halted the action.

Jury turned it up when the bout resumed, finishing a solid combo with a hard right and cutting off Saunders’ space inside the Octagon. Jury jumped in with a flying knee, which Saunders tried to catch; Jury used the positioning to lock in a guillotine as the two fell to the mat. He stayed with it as Saunders tried to free himself on the ground, though he may have only made it worse as he tried to stand. With Jury’s corner yelling instructions for how to improve the submission, Saunders tapped out.

Jury – who trains with TUF Live coach Dominick Cruz in San Diego – has now finished all ten of his wins; Saunders’ record slips to 9-3.

Watch Jury’s post-fight interview

Cristiano Marcello vs. Sam Sicilia
Team Cruz bit back in the second fight of the televised prelims as Sam Sicilia got a second-round TKO over former Chute Boxe BJJ coach Cristiano Marcello.

Round one was tense as Sicilia hunted with winging hooks and air-slicing uppercuts for another of his one-punch KOs. Marcello used head movement and kicks to create distance, and three times tried to bring the fight to the ground, but each time Sicilia backed off and forced him to stand. Each swing from the powder keg-fisted Sicilia drew gasps from the crowd, though his accuracy waned as the round wore on.

Marcello appeared more comfortable with the standup in round two, and twice he seemed to hurt Sicilia, backing him against the cage and unloading. But Sicilia escaped damage and the two again stood in the center of the cage, trading all-out blows to the cheers of the crowd. Midway through the round, a quick straight followed by a left hook rolled Marcello’s eyes back in his head. Sicilia pounced, dropping Marcello with a knee and unleashing nearly a dozen direct hammerfists before the ref waved it off at 2:53 of the second.

“This is a big, big win, but also a bittersweet one,” said Sicilia. “We have really become good friends and he really looked out for me during the show. I’m always looking for the knockout. Once I land one, I hit gears I don’t even know I have.” Sicilia’s first official Octagon win brings his record to 11-1; Marcello departs 12-4. Watch Sicilia’s post-fight interview

Joe Proctor vs. Jeremy Larsen
In the first of the prelim card’s four lightweight battles between Team Cruz and Team Faber members, Faber notched the first win of the night as Joe Proctor finished his third fight of the season, this one via TKO over Jeremy Larsen.

The lanky lightweights started out trading one and two punches at a time. Though Larsen’s seemed to land more often, his face also quickly showed proof of damage from Proctor. After about a minute and a half of feeling out his opponent’s power, Proctor came alive, opening up with more combinations.

Larsen responded by coming in wildly with strikes, Proctor clinched and threw a huge knee that toppled Larsen. Proctor dove in with hammerfists as referee Herb Dean raced to pull him off. As Larsen stood to protest, he wobbled backward again, proving just how dangerous the fists of “submission specialist” Joe Proctor truly are. “I always come out slow, which is something I need to work on,” said Proctor. “But I always knew what he was doing even though I was feeling him out. Then I capitalized and got the finish.”

The official time of the stoppage was 1:59 of the first round. Proctor, a longtime student and training partner of Joe Lauzon, sees his record improve to 8-1 as Larsen’s loss brings him to 8-3.

Watch Proctor’s post-fight interview

John Albert vs. Erik Perez
In the night’s first bout, a bantamweight matchup broadcast on Facebook, Mexican-born Erik “Goyito” Perez made it six wins in a row as he scored another W in his UFC debut. The 22-year-old weathered a lengthy triangle choke attempt to reverse the tide and best TUF alum
John “Prince” Albert via controversial verbal tap out at 4:18 of the first round.

The two strikers opened by trading a variety of
crisp kicks and some blows in the clinch. Albert worked extensively for a
takedown on the fence, then switched it up and took Perez’ back while standing. As the two dropped to the
mat, Albert locked in a triangle choke. For the next minute or more, he worked
to finish, but the durable Perez postured up and positioned himself to issue
dozens of damaging hammerfists to Albert’s face.

Eventually, Albert loosened his choke, and Perez was able to push off his opponent’s head to escape. Goyito quickly rolled through north-south position to lock in what looked like a vicious armbar. Though Albert moved with it,
referee Kim Winslow jumped in and called off the fight due to what she said was
a verbal submission, drawing boos from the fans at The Palms.

“I was a little surprised it was stopped, but I definitely had his arm really hard,” said Perez post-fight. “I was thinking I was going to break his arm, or maybe had already broken it. He was a tough guy.”

For his part, Albert says he never submitted. “I was trying to get out, I started to yell, and then the referee stopped it.” Perez, who trains under Mike Valle at Jackson’s MMA,
now holds an 11-4 record; Albert, who trains under Dennis Hallman, slips to 7-3.

Hear what Perez had to say in his post-fight interview

During last week’s fight match-up, TUF Live coach Urijah Faber hand-picked Team Cruz’ Jeremy Larsen to fight Mike Chiesa, suggesting that Larsen had struggled with wrestlers in the past. “The biggest distinction here is the wrestling abilities,” said Faber. “Chiesa is one of the most effective wrestlers we have. When we did MMA sparring at the beginning of the week, he was on top of everyone and no one was able to move.”

His strategy paid off, as Chiesa outworked and outwrestled Larsen en route to a unanimous decision win over a two-round fight decided largely against the cage.

At the fight-opening bell, it didn’t take long before Chiesa charged forward with a double-leg attempt. Larsen sprawled against the wall as Chiesa worked for the takedown, then did the same when Chiesa bulled him across the cage into another wall. Eventually Chiesa was able to scoop up Larsen and dump him on his back.

Chiesa did a good job delivering elbows from the top before Larsen used the wall to work his way back up to standing. The standing segment didn’t last long though, as Chiesa quickly scored a second slam. This time he landed in Larsen’s guard in the center of the cage. In a scramble back to the feet, Chiesa caught Larsen’s head from the front. Larsen kneeled to avoid the knees but Chiesa threw one anyway, causing a temporary halt to the action and a one-point deduction for Team Faber’s fighter. As the action resumed, Larsen moved forward and worked for a single-leg of his own against the cage, but it wasn’t enough to get the takedown or steal the round.

Round two was much of the same, with the men struggling for position against the fence and Chiesa scoring more convincing takedowns. Larsen did slightly better in the standup during round two, touching Chiesa a couple of times in the center of the cage and seemingly rattling him once, but the striking exchanges were few and far between. As the round wore down, Chiesa took Larsen’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke.

Though Chiesa had only a three-inch height advantage on paper, his smothering style and long limbs (the reach advantage was more than six inches) made it seem like far more. Larsen struggled during the striking trades to get inside of Chiesa’s range, and even clinching on the fence, Chiesa was able to deliver a few high knees.

Even with the point deduction for the illegal knee, Chiesa easily won 19-18 on the three judges’ scorecards. “It definitely wasn’t my best performance but I know what things I need to change and do better,” said Chiesa, who admitted to struggling with his diet and a tough weight cut. “I promise I’ll be putting someone to sleep next time.”

Thirty-two lightweight hopefuls clashed in a Las Vegas warehouse Friday evening in the first round of the Ultimate Fighter Live’s tournament to determine which 16 would move on to the house and compete the rest of the season.

The show’s first run on FX started with an unprecedented 16 fights that all aired live, each bout scheduled for only one five-minute round unless scored as a draw. Before the bouts began, it was announced that each finalist who finished their fight would earn $5,000, and that ruling racked up $40,000 in bonuses as half of the night’s fights ended in under five minutes.

Joe Proctor vs. Jordan Rinaldi
In the night’s first bout, jiu-jitsu specialists Joe Proctor and Jordan Rinaldi faced off.  The ground fighters started off trading leg kicks and some back-and-forth blows, including good uppercuts from both. But it was Proctor who successfully got the trip, landing on top of Rinaldi with a guillotine against the cage, earning the tap and a $5,000 bonus to boot just 2:08 in. The Boston-based fighter follows in the TUF footsteps of his training partner and TUF 5 vet Joe Lauzon.
Advancing into the house: Joe Proctor

Cristiano Marcello vs. Jared Carlsten
The season’s lone Brazilian contestant, Gracie black belt Cristiano Marcello, took on rangy Eddie Bravo BJJ student Jared Carlsten, and his experience proved too much for the undefeated prospect. After exchanging blistering leg kicks, it was the 34-year-old Marcello who took control against the cage and took the fight to the mat, quickly getting full mount on his younger opponent. He rained down ground and pound as Carlsten bucked and eventually turned away to try and escape. That gave Marcello the opening he needed to secure the rear-naked choke submission 2:43 in, costing Dana White another five grand.
Advancing into the house: Cristiano Marcello 

Erin Beach vs. Sam Sicilia
Sam Sicilia entered the Octagon off of three knockout wins in under 30 seconds, and he made it a fourth Friday night. He started the bout against undefeated Erin Beach with a huge overhand right, and though he followed the fight to the mat, that one punch was really all it took for the ref to call it an 8-second TKO. Sicilia’s last four fights have now lasted a total of 1:27.
Advancing into the house: Sam Sicilia

Austin Lyons vs. Chris Tickle
Chris Tickle made it four finishes in four fights as he opened against jiu jitsu ace Austin Lyons with powerful kicks and a couple of connecting fists that snapped Lyons’ head back. But his next strike sealed the deal, as Lyons bobbed backward then dropped to his knees, forcing the ref to catch him and wave things off at 24 seconds of the first round.
Advancing into the house: Chris Tickle

Brendan Weafer vs. Andy Ogle
New York’s Brendan Weafer faced a fellow standup artist from across the pond, Andy Ogle, in a full-round fight that was primarily waged on the ground. Weafer landed a few knees in the early striking, but it was the British Ogle who got the trip and wound up on top. As Ogle scooted the action to the cage, Weafer stayed patient and used his long limbs to lock on a triangle choke from the bottom that, though he wasn’t able to complete, stayed in place during the duration of the position. Ogle did some damage with his free left hand, and Weafer scored with some elbows from the bottom until the ref stood things up with 30 seconds left. From there it was Ogle who quickly dropped Weafer and ended the round with the American in a guillotine attempt. The judges rendered their verdict after five minutes: Andy Ogle won on all three judges’ cards and was set to move into the Ultimate Fighter Live house, a decision he celebrated by leaping into Dana White’s arms.
Advancing into the house: Andy Ogle

Vincent Pichel vs. Cody Pfister
Vincent Pichel and Cody Pfister waged a bloody, sloppy, all-over war, with kickboxer Pichel walking away with the submission win over the jiu-jitsu specialist. Pfister moved forward first and got the takedown, but nearly gave up an arm in the process and had to spend a good bit of time rolling away from an armbar. The two scrambled to the feet with both winding up on top at different points; it was Pfister who climbed for a standing choke only to be shaken off to the ground by “From Hell” Pichel. Pichel opened a huge gash on the side of Pfister’s face with elbows from the top, and as Pfister spun away, “From Hell” locked in a rear-naked choke that nearly put Pfister to sleep after 3:39.
Advancing into the house: Vinc Pichel

Mark Glover vs. John Cofer
Georgian John Cofer gave the UK fighters a 1-1 record, using active wrestling to defeat Liverpool’s Mark Glover by decision. Glover started strong with a series of kicks, leaving Cofer on his heels until he got the clinch against the fence. From there, Cofer’s wrestling kicked in, and he got multiple takedowns during the round, including one giant slam. With Team Cruz assistant coach and fellow Brit Ross Pearson yelling advice from the sidelines, Glover consistently worked his way to the feet and attempted to keep it there, but Cofer timed Glover’s flying knee attempts and completed more takedowns. The judges were unanimous in promoting Cofer to the home.
Advancing into the house: John Cofer

Chase Hackett vs. Chris Saunders
Jiu-jitsu specialist Chase Hackett used striking and wrestling against kickboxer Chris Saunders, but Saunders’ striking and guillotine attempts earned him the win after a full round of effort. An early kick caused Saunders to slip, and Hackett capitalized by taking it to the ground. Saunders had what looked like a solid guillotine, but after a lengthy attempt, it was clear that it wasn’t locked and the two struggled to their feet again. Hackett tied up Saunders against the cage until a renewed Saunders came forward with combinations that seemed to touch Hackett. But gassed from his early expenditures, Saunders was again taken down and though he briefly threatened with a second guillotine, the round ended with “Prison Stare” issuing GnP from Saunders’ guard. Judges unanimously gave the fight to Saunders, whose pink Mohawk will move into the house, much to the disappointment of the mustachioed Hackett.
Advancing into the house: Chris Saunders

James Vick vs. Dakota Cochrane
Dakota Cochrane’s wrestling pedigree was basically neutralized during a five-minute scrum with undefeated striker James Vick, who eked out the win without doing any significant damage with strikes. Cochrane used a front kick and aggression to close the gap on the taller man, then worked hard for a takedown against the fence. From there, it was a prolonged sprawling stalemate in the center of the cage before another cage battle as Cochrane attempted to get leverage low enough to take down his eight-inch-taller opponent. Eventually the ref stood them up, and again it was Cochrane who came forward with strikes before ending the round in Vick’s guard. Vick earned the split decision win and propelled himself into the house over the All-American pole vaulter.
Advancing into the house: James Vick

Johnavan Vistante vs. Michael Chiesa
The fight finish trend picked back up during the night’s 10th bout, as Michael Chiesa tapped out striker Johnavan Vistante in just 2:05. Chiesa immediately came forward with two giant takedowns, then smothered Vistante against the cage. As Vistante tried to work back to his feet, Chiesa got his hooks in and took Vistante’s back, and from there it was all the Maverick. Chiesa issued hammerfists and strikes from the back until finally snaking an arm under his opponent’s neck, drawing the tap and another $5,000 finish bonus.
Advancing into the house: Michael Chiesa

Mike Rio vs. Ali MacLean
Miami’s Mike Rio swarmed on Northern Ireland’s Ali MacLean, dominating him on the ground before scoring the night’s fourth rear-naked choke victory at 3:32. The bout started on the feet with the men trading headshot for headshot, but then Rio’s wrestling instincts kicked in and he easily took the fight to the mat. Rio bloodied MacLean’s face with strikes from the top, and as MacLean tried to make it to his feet, Rio took his back. As MacLean stood up with The Wolverine on his back, he got suplexed back to the mat. Rio again took the younger fighter’s opponent back before rolling into mount. As MacLean desperately spun to get out danger, he gave up his back, and this time Rio was able to get the choke and end the fight.
Advancing into the house: Mike Rio

James Krause vs. Justin Lawrence
Though James Krause, a WEC vet with 18 pro fights, had the experience on paper, it was 3-0 Justin Lawrence whose unmentioned 150 amateur kickboxing bouts paid off as he swarmed for a fast TKO win in a matchup of two mixed martial artists from Missouri. Lawrence opened with two dramatic high kicks that didn’t land flush but sent a clear warning to his taller opponent. He followed by chasing Krause with lightning fast strikes from every angle, getting the fight to the ground and hopping on top for ground and pound. He then let Krause back up, dropped him again, and continued to come on aggressively. After being wobbled by a knee and dropped by follow-up punches, Krause was eventually relieved of duty at just 1:25.
Advancing into the house: Justin Lawrence

Drew Dober vs. Daron Cruickshank
Daron Cruickshank put on a blistering first couple of minutes against Drew Dober, showing the crowd what happens when a fighter is raised by a pro kickboxer mom and a striking coach father. Cruickshank, aka “The Detroit Superstar” started with three powerful kicks, then launched into one unpredictable striking combination after the other, punctuating each with body kicks and gravity-defying high kicks. Dober tried to tie his opponent up and get things to the ground, but it was the Superstar who got the first big takedown, then nimbly climbed into mount and threw elbows. As the two stood back up, the action slowed as Dober tried to keep the exchanges in the clinch, and then it stopped briefly due to an accidental low blow by Dober. But the momentum was still Cruickshank’s as he ended the round with more strikes, another takedown, and an obvious invitation to the TUF Live house. 
Advancing into the house: Daron Cruickshank

Jeremy Larsen vs. Jeff Smith
Striker Jeremy Larsen was nimble enough to avoid the grasp of submission grappler Jeff Smith, even as much of their five-minute fight unfolded on the mat. Smith closed the distance and took the bout to the fence, where Larsen grabbed a guillotine and jumped to the ground before sweeping into top position and back to his feet. Twice more the fight went to the ground with Larsen on top, and the two scrambled for position in a tangle of submission attempts. Eventually Larsen settled into side mount, where he punished Smith with elbows to the head and knees to the body. A last-minute kneebar attempt by the bloodied Smith wasn’t enough, and Larsen easily earned a seat in the winner’s section growing fight by fight in the bleachers behind White.
Advancing into the house: Jeremy Larsen

Jon Tuck vs. Al Iaquinta
Al Iaquinta was cast on TUF 12 before an injury forced him to withdraw; he righted that opportunity Friday with a unanimous decision win over dangerous jiu jitsu fighter Jon Tuck, who limped away with an injury of his own. Iaquinta caught Tuck’s early kick and tossed him to the mat, but from the ground, Tuck got hold of Iaquinta’s arm and rolled for an armbar. Iaquinta stood up and shake his opponent off, then took Tuck’s back briefly on their way up. Back in the center, the two circled as both tried to find their range, first one punch at a time and then in a series of back and forths that found their targets. In another Iaquinta takedown, Tuck tried for a guillotine before Iaquinta freed himself to deliver hammerfists that increased in velocity as the seconds wore down. Iaquinta stood and raised his arms in victory as Tuck stayed seated against the cage, having his clearly injured toe checked out by the commission doctors.
Advancing into the house: Al Iaquinta

Akbarh Arreola vs. Myles Jury
A second TUF vet got a second chance in the house as Myles Jury – forced to leave the season 13 house due to a knee injury – decisioned experienced Tijuana fighter Akbarh Arreola. The two traded kicks with a loud crack, and Jury used the chaos to push things to the mat and take top position. Jury struggled to administer body shots from Arreola’s closed guard; the Mexican fighter’s armbar attempt from the bottom was unsuccessful and the two were stood up by the referee. A second huge kick and takedown by Jury landed him in half guard before the standup; on the next one, Jury caught a leg and took things to the mat, where he stayed in a dominant position until the round’s end.
Advancing into the house: Myles Jury

SYDNEY, March 3 – The main event of the second UFC on FX fight card, held at Allphones Arena, delivered exactly the kind of unpredictable action fans have come to expect after seeing Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves at work over the past several years.

Plus, UFC veterans Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez proved that a drop to 125 pounds didn’t hurt their performance, as they seemingly dispatched the former #1- and #2-ranked flyweights in the Octagon. After the fights, however, it was revealed that the scores for the Johnson vs. Ian McCall fight were miscalculated and the bout should have been a majority draw; Johnson and McCall are now expected to rematch to determine the contender for Benavidez in the UFC’s first flyweight title fight.

Thiago Alves vs. Martin Kampmann
Coming in to their main event with a combined 29 UFC fights and a dozen-plus Octagon stoppages between them, no one doubted that the welterweight bout between strikers Thiago Alves and Martin Kampmann would be a good one. Sure enough, the 14-plus minute war brought back-and-forth action before Kampmann scored a come-from-behind submission at 4:12.

It didn’t take long for the two to engage, with kicks and jabs from Kampmann finding their homes early on. “The Hitman’s” takedown attempt resulted in punches from Alves, but Kampmann eventually got things to the mat, if only for a moment. A front kick by Kampmann stung Alves, and Kampmann capitalized with knees against the cage. Alves survived by tying him up, but was easily taken down by Kampmann, who threatened with a guillotine, then let Alves up, only to deliver a knee as soon as it was legal. 

Back in the middle, it was Alves who got the takedown, moving  from Kampmann’s guard into side mount and then mount with a minute left. Though Kampmann tied up Alves’ arms successfully, the Brazilian-born Alves stayed close on top, smothering Kampmann with far more than the 170 pounds he’d embodied at weigh-ins the day before. Alves postured up in the final seconds, which allowed the Dane to escape.

Round two stayed on the feet for the first half. As the two struggled for control both in the center and on the cage, the striking game was a calculated battle between Alves’ power and Kampmann’s range. But as the fight wore on, Alves began to land more kicks, find homes for more punches and consistently shake off Kampmann’s takedown attempts. The success rate of Alves’ left hand was telegraphed in the increasingly battered right side of Kampmann’s face, but Kampmann moved forward nonetheless, seeking a knee.

At the bell for round three, the momentum continued to swing in Alves’ direction as he pummeled Kampmann forward then went for his own takedown, which The Hitman rebuffed. A re-energized Kampmann then repaid the favor, charging with strikes and working unsuccessfully for a takedown on the cage. Alves, the left side of his face now swollen, poured it on in the final minute, following up a huge kick with heavy hands and a takedown from against the fence. But Kampmann expertly maneuvered into a guillotine position, and seconds after hitting the mat, Alves tapped.

The victory brings Kampmann’s record to 19-5; Alves slips to 24-8. Hear what “The Hitman” had to say in his post-fight interview

Joseph Benavidez vs. Yasuhiro Urushitani
In the second flyweight semifinal of the night, Team Alpha Male pedigreed wrestler Joseph Benavidez showed fans that the smaller guys still pack big power, TKOing wild striker Yasuhiro Urushitani in the second and securing his spot in the UFC’s first flyweight title bout.

The two mainly traded kicks in the first round, and Benavidez quickly found his range with the legs, landing several heavy kicks to Urushitani’s body. Though Urushitani – a wrestler himself – showed good takedown defense, Benavidez twice got him to the mat, the second time after literally peeling him off the wall with a single-leg. There, Benavidez patiently worked from half-guard to side mount to mount. As Urushitani spun to the mat to escape, Benavidez worked for a rear-naked choke, but with his back against the fence and less than a minute left, was unable to get the tap.

Urushitani opened round two with a kick, and Benavidez counted with a right hook that dropped him. Benavidez followed him to the mat for more strikes until the ref called the bout just 11 seconds into the round.

Benavidez’ record rises to 16-2, with his only two losses coming at the hands of UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. The loss drops Urushitani to 19-5-6. Hear what Benavidez had to say in his post-fight interview

Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall
In the UFC’s first-ever
flyweight bout, top-ranked 125-pounder Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall made
his UFC debut against former bantamweight title contender Demetrious
“Mighty Mouse” Johnson. After fifteen heart-pounding minutes, it was UFC
vet Demetrious Johnson who took the judges’ split decision with his
unmatchable speed and improved striking. Update: After the event, the commission announced that they’d miscalculated the scores, and the bout should have been a draw and therefore sent into a fourth sudden-victory round.

Round one was as
fast-paced as expected from the division. Though McCall came in with the
Muay Thai credentials, it was Johnson who connected with more kicks and
moved forward with strikes; wrestler Johnson was taken down twice by
McCall, but both times worked quickly to return to the feet. Twice
Johnson grabbed one of McCall’s legs and hit him with his free hand,
once seemingly rocking the larger fighter. Throughout the fight, Johnson
was the aggressor, unleashing combinations and then sprinting out of
range before absorbing any damage on the feet.

In round two it
was McCall who caught a Johnson kick and used his free hand to punch,
but Johnson responded with punches that triggered a wild back and forth
frenzy against the fence. More action followed in the center of the
cage, with Mighty Mouse doing his best to stay on the outside of McCall,
but an accidental low blow briefly halted the adrenaline-charged
action. The men continued to travel around the Octagon,  Johnson’s low
kicks appearing to do more damage as McCall scored with knees delivered
against the cage. A lone boo from the crowd mid-round was answered with a
middle finger from the showman McCall. Johnson landed a solid left hook
on one break and a solid body kick; McCall fought for a takedown and
briefly got it.

Round three started out mostly the same, but
when Johnson threw a flying knee, McCall used it to score a takedown. On
top, he used elbows and fists from half guard to punish the “Mouse.”
Johnson somersaulted out of danger and stood to an ovation from the
crowd, but seconds later, McCall got Johnson to the ground again with a
suplex. High in back mount, McCall delivered double hammerfists and
elbows, but the durable Johnson muscled his way back to his feet to a
second ovation. McCall stood with his hands up, inviting his foe forward
before going for another takedown that Johnson turned into a trip of
his own. In the ensuing scramble, McCall again wound up on top and
hopped into mount. As Johnson spun, McCall – now in back mount – opened
up with ground and pound, pausing between blows to play to onlookers as
the clock ticked down and the crowd exploded.

Judges’ scores were announced as 29-28, 29-28 and 28-29 for Johnson, a decision booed by the
Australian crowd; McCall exited the cage to the cheers of the arena. Re-examination of the judges’ scorecards showed the scores to be 29-28 Johnson, 29-29 and 28-28. Now
14-2-1, Johnson will rematch McCall (11-2-1) for rights to battle Benavidez for the UFC flyweight title.

Court McGee vs. Costa Philippou
The
first bout of the main card pitted TUF 11 winner Court McGee against the
equally tough Costa Philippou, who didn’t make it out of the
elimination round of that season. But Philippou used his clean boxing to
avenge that loss, handing McGee his first Octagon defeat in their three
round middleweight battle.

Round one was slow and calculated,
with McGee taking the center of the cage, Philippou circling on his
toes, and the crowd growing increasingly dissatisfied. McGee moved
forward first, but Philippou countered with his precise standup.
Philippou tested the range with jabs, McGee with kicks, and though they
traded, neither man seemed to dominate. Philippou put together two
striking combinations in a row that moved McGee backward, but it was the
TUF winner who appeared to wobble Philippou near the round’s end.

Both
men were more willing to engage in the second, with several exchanges
that ended in a tangle of arms. Philippou made contact with his jab and
generally seemed the busier of the two; McGee looked for the uppercut in
the standup trades and landed a few solid kicks. Philippou shook off
four of McGee’s takedown attempts, but McGee was able to score some with
Philippou against the fence. Though on the receiving end of Philippou’s
punches – including one solid uppercut and a huge strike that caused
McGee to bleed from his ear — it was McGee who moved forward throughout
the round.

McGee retained Octagon control and put together more
combinations of strikes and kicks in the third, impressing the judges,
all of whom awarded him the round. He even managed to briefly get
Philippou down once, but Philippou’s clean boxing still seemed to land
more consistently and powerfully, even when countering.

Judges
scored the bout 29-28 for Philippou, who  improves as a pro to 10-2 (1
NC); the loss was only McGee’s second, and he leaves Australia with a
13-2 record. Watch Philippou’s post-fight interview