(It was then that Demetrious realized his own head was chilly, and the envy built up inside him, poisonous and overwhelming. / Photo via MMAJunkie)
The UFC is setting up shop at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento this evening, and while injuries have hacked this card down to a hobbling shell of its former self, we’ll still happily tune in to watch the Team Alpha Male crew defend its home turf on network television. On the docket for this evening: Joseph Benavidez takes another crack at reigning flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson, local legend Urijah Faber takes on 22-year-old bantamweight phenom Michael McDonald, and Chad Mendes looks for his fifth-straight KO/TKO in the featherweight division against Nik Lentz. Plus, Joe Lauzon and Mac Danzig kick off the broadcast in a battle between a guy who collects a lot of bonus money and a guy with no sponsors.
Handling our liveblog for this evening is Aaron Mandel, who will be banging out round-by-round results from the UFC on FOX 9 main card after the jump beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and let us know how you’re feeling in the comments section.
Preliminary card results
– Ryan LaFlare def. Court McGee via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– Edson Barboza def. Danny Castillo via majority decision (29-28 x2, 28-28)
– Bobby Green def. Pat Healy via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)
– Zach Makovsky def. Scott Jorgensen via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– Sam Stout def. Cody McKenzie via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– Abel Trujillo def. Roger Bowling via TKO, 1:35 of round 2
– Alptekin Ozkilic def. Darren Uyenoyama via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
Main Card
We’ve got FOX robots, very small men and 3 guys trying to do it on home turf. Refresh early and often for round-by-round action and leave your comments below.
Joe Lauzon vs. Mac Danzig
Both these lightweights are coming of losses so it’s an important fight for both of their UFC careers.
Round 1- Touch of the gloves to start. Lauzon throwing a few strikes early. Lauzon clinches Danzig and drags him to the ground into half guard. Lauzon working some ground and pound from half guard. Moves to mount and rains down strikes. Lauzon rolls for armbar and goes belly down but Danzig escapes and lands on top in Lauzon’s guard. Butterfly guard from Lauzon working for a sweep, Danzig not doing much. Lauzon throws his legs up for an armbar that is not there but he switches to omoplata and then triangle, well defended by Danzig and they rise to the feet. Good knees and elbows from Danzig in the Thai clinch. Lauzon muscles Danzig down from the clinch and lands in guard. Round ends with Lauzon on top and probably 10-9 Lauzon.
Round 2- Danzig winning the standup in the early going with punches and kicks. They clinch and exchange strikes but not much action. Good body shot and jab from Danzig. Right hand lands for Danzig. Danzig works strikes again from the clinch, some knees from Lauzon. A trip attempt fails for Danzig and Lauzon ends up on top in guard. Large cut on Danzig with blood getting in the eyes from a Lauzon elbow. Lauzon working strikes from on top in guard, being patient. Danzig’s face is entirely covered in blood. Lauzon moves to half guard and works knees into Danzig’s body. Danzig recovers butterfly guard and Lauzon postures up and rains down a large strike and falls into side control and then mount. With ten seconds left he spins for an armbar but Danzig defends. 10-9 Lauzon.
Round 3- Danzig comes out with a flurry of strikes but nothing major lands. Head collision briefly stops the fight, I did not realize that was a thing. Danzig initiating clinches more than I’ve ever seen, they separate and throw strikes, Danzig throwing heavier and landing more. Big elbow and knee from Lauzon and he trips Danzig to the ground. Lauzon in full guard working ground and pound as he moves to half guard. Side control for Lauzon with a crucifix on Danzig’s right arm. Heavy strikes from Lauzon and Danzig is bleeding bad. Elbows from Lauzon as he mounts. Huge elbows from mount for Lauzon as he spins for an arm. He pauses on the arm to rip elbows into Danzig’s body. Lauzon spins too soon and Danzig ends up on top. Lauzon turtles, stands and drives Danzig back down. Lauzon moves to half guard and works knees into side control, some top level top game grappling from Lauzon with big elbows as the fight ends. 10-9 Lauzon and should be his fight.
Joe Lauzon defeats Mac Danzig via unanimous decision, 30-27 x 3
Nik Lentz vs. Chad Mendes
Big cheers for hometowner Mendes, apparently Lentz is huge at 145…
Round 1- Lentz throws first but Mendes blocks. Mendes cracks Lentz with a right that rocks Lentz but he survives the flurry and they get back to striking range. Lentz may have hurt Mendes with a body kick. Lentz gets wobbled again and his knows is bloodied. Lentz whiffs on an uppercut and Mendes takes him down. Lentz escapes back to the feet. Speed of Mendes is apparent as he keeps landing. Lentz comes forward with strikes but Mendes perfectly times a takedown. Lentz successfully defending on the bottom and they are back on the feet. Mendes with another takedown but he has not been able to work any ground and pound. 10-9 Mendes.
Round 2- A few leg kicks from Mendes and Lentz answers. Good jab from Mendes. Right hook and leg kick from Mendes. Rogan thinks Mendes is tired or maybe hurt from round 1 body kick and he is only one strike at a time. Takedown from Mendes again but it is short lived and Lentz works back to the feet. Jab and hook land from Lentz. Takedown from Mendes yet again but Mendes is not doing much much. Lentz elevates and they are back to the feet. Lentz stuffs a takedown but Mendes comes back and hits another one, back on top in guard doing nothing. 10-9 Mendes.
Round 3- Kicks from both fighters to start, nice to the body from Lentz. Lentz clips Mendes and he either slipped or briefly goes down but back to the feet. Mendes shoots in but is stuffed and momentum building for Lentz. Headkick blocked from Mendes and Lentz flurries. Eye poke on Lentz with only a brief pause in the action. Good right hand from Lentz. Mendes briefly gets a takedown but Lentz comes right back up and drills a kick into the body of Mendes. Two more takedowns from Mendes but they are shortlived. Left hand lands from Lentz. Flying knee from Mendes clips Lentz and he goes down and Mendes dives in for a guillotine on top but Lentz is defending. They rise to the feet and the round ends. 10-9 Lentz?
Chad Mendes defeats Nik Lentz via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)
Apparently Mendes had the cold/flu according to a Dana White tweet which might explain his slightly flat performance. I wouldn’t take much away from Lentz though, he was a game opponent.
Michael McDonald vs. Urijah Faber
This is a good battle between a young stud in McDonald who has already had great early-career success and a fighter in Faber who is into the second half of his career. It should prove a lot about where the bantamweight division is headed, if McDonald is ready for another climb to the top or whether Faber will make a final run.
Round 1- Crowd is seriously pumped for Faber and boos McDonald who has one punch power at 135. Touch of gloves to start. Headkick from Faber into a takedown in first 15 seconds. Faber working strikes while Rogan salivates over McDonald’s guard. McDonald working rubber guard with Faber’s left arm stuck, Faber still working strikes. Good shots from the top from Faber. McDonald tying Faber up and searching for submissions with his legs. Some body shots from Faber and Herb Dean stands them up. Faber dancing around with kicks and shrugs of a clinch takedown from McDonald. Head kick misses from Faber. Big knee from McDonald to the body of Faber. Faber misses with a big windmill right. Good right hand from Faber lands as the round ends followed by a left. 10-9 Faber.
Round 2- Faber dances and fakes but can’t get an early takedown. Left hooks land from both fighters. Faber hits McDonald with a low blow and the action stops. Restart and Faber nails McDonald with a right hand that has him wobbled. McDonald fires back off a Faber head kick and hits Faber pretty hard which makes him reconsider his frenzy. McDonald still unsteady but firing back and lands a good low kick. Headkick grazes Faber but he cracks McDonald with a right and has him in trouble stumbling all over the Octagon. Faber pursues like a wild hyena smelling blood and drops McDonald with more strikes, throws a guillotine on and McDonald taps out. The crowd goes nuts, Rogan goes nuts and McDonald raises the hometown boy’s hand.
Urijah Faber defeats Michael McDonald via guillotine choke, round 2
Champion Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez
It’s time for the rematch of the first flyweight title fight in UFC history which Johnson eeked out in a decision. Benavidez has been on a tear and is fighting at home, should be a great fight and a great test of my touch typing speed skills.
Round 1- Leg kick from Benavidez, and yep, they are both fast as shit! Johnson goes down for a quick breakdancing move and then fails on a takedown attempt. Punches and headkick miss from Benavidez who is more active early with punches and a high amount of kicks. Johnson darting in and out quickly and loads up on a right hand that catches Benavidez flush and puts him out cold. Johnson holds onto his title with his most dominant performance yet.
Champion Demetrious Johnson defeats Joseph Benavidez via KO, round 1
Good nights of fights, capped by the main and co-main events, as it should be. Good night PotatoHeads.