Johnson (and perhaps flyweight in general) lacking buzz isn’t new. He headlined UFC on Fox 8 in Seattle and drew a paltry live gate of $735,000. When the UFC ran the city the year prior, the live gate and attendance were twice as high. And the ratings for UFC on Fox 8? It was 40% lower than UFC on Fox 7 at 2.04 million–a record low at the time.
Flyweights debuted in the UFC in March 2012. When flyweights–to use a loaded cliche– failed to move the needle, proponents of the division said to just give it time. Fans would be wowed by the action and speed in flyweight fights. It’s September 2014 now and the weight class is just as devoid of interest as it ever was.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean lighter weight classes can’t draw. It just means Demetrious Johnson (and much of the current stable of lighter weight fighters) can’t draw.
Johnson (and perhaps flyweight in general) lacking buzz isn’t new. He headlined UFC on Fox 8 in Seattle and drew a paltry live gate of $735,000. When the UFC ran the city the year prior, the live gate and attendance were twice as high. And the ratings for UFC on Fox 8? It was 40% lower than UFC on Fox 7 at 2.04 million–a record low at the time.
Flyweights debuted in the UFC in March 2012. When flyweights–to use a loaded cliche– failed to move the needle, proponents of the division said to just give it time. Fans would be wowed by the action and speed in flyweight fights. It’s September 2014 now and the weight class is just as devoid of interest as it ever was.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean lighter weight classes can’t draw. It just means Demetrious Johnson (and much of the current stable of lighter weight fighters) can’t draw.
There is no doubt some percentage of viewers who disregard flyweights based on their physical proportions. “Who’s the toughest 125-pound man? Isn’t that a trick question.” Hell, when we were watching the fights last night, someone came by during the tale of the tape. He said “unless these guys are fighting Tyrion Lannister, I don’t care.” These same people are likely put off by the high pace of flyweight fights typically featuring technique above raw power.
The typical insult used to write off people like this is to call them fake MMA fans, but fake fans have real money. Thus, a fighter has two primary responsibilities: Win and sell.
Demetrious Johnson fails at the former as much as he excels at the latter. He’s an incredible fighter and a pleasure to watch for people who appreciate the technical aspects of the sport. Unfortunately, that kind of fan is in the minority.
MMA is pro wrestling. While people claim they cherish talent rather than theatrics, numbers indicate the opposite. Fans crave story lines and rivalries–not just in MMA but in all sports. Any physical prowess displayed is just an added bonus.
Conor McGregor was also on the UFC 178 fight card last night. As a featherweight, he’s part of the doomed-to-sub-250k buys lighter weight classes. From the sheer amount of atmosphere around him, you wouldn’t know that. McGregor is such a personality he had his own media scrum after the UFC 178 post-fight press conference. He’s reached such a level of popularity in his homeland that allegedly 10 percent of UFC 178′s ticket sales came from Ireland. McGregor broke ratings records when he fought Diego Brandao at UFC Fight Night 46.
Conor McGregor is proof the lighter weight classes can produce fighters with charisma and magnetism enough to be stars. Meanwhile, Demetrious Johnson is proof of the unfortunate reality of prize fighting: You’re only as good as your ability to draw money.
Many people are interested in seeing Conor McGregor. Not many people are interested in seeing Demetrious Johnson. Johnson’s small size might play a minuscule part in that, but the real reason is self promotion. Conor McGregor makes you care about him (either because you think he’s awesome or you want to see him get humbled). Even Dominick Cruz scored some extra attention last night when he called out Team Alpha Mail in his post-fight interview by saying he was ready to beat up more “alpha fails.”
That’s what fighters need to do.
There is no budo. There is no honor. There is no respect. After you win, you have 20 seconds to make sure fans remember who you are. You have 20 seconds to make them care about you and your next fight. If you don’t, you’re poisoning your future. You’re sealing your fate as one out of millions of generic UFC Fighters™ with a shaved head, shitty tattoos, and Dynamic Fastener emblazoned across your ass. Talent is rarely enough. You need to stand out. It’s great if you can do that with your performance in the cage, but it’s even better to do it with your words.
Our man Alex Giardini we’ll be giving you round-by-round results from the UFC 178 pay-per-view card after the jump starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and follow us on Twitter for bonus commentary. Thanks for being here.
Our man Alex Giardini we’ll be giving you round-by-round results from the UFC 178 pay-per-view card after the jump starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and follow us on Twitter for bonus commentary. Thanks for being here.
PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS
– Dominick Cruz vs. Takeya Mizugaki
– James Krause vs. Jorge Masvidal
– Stephen Thompson def. Patrick Cote via unanimous decision (29-28 x 2, 30-27)
– Brian Ebersole def. John Howard via split decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29)
– Kevin Lee def. Jon Tuck via unanimous decision (30-26 x 3; Tuck had a point deducted in round 2 for a groin kick)
– Manny Gamburyan def. Cody Gibson via submission (guillotine choke), 4:56 of round 2
Irish featherweight Conor McGregor is unquestionably the best talker in the UFC. That’s an indisputable truth in the post-Chael era, and it becomes even more apparent when you watch McGregor’s segment of the new “Countdown to UFC 178” preview special. But it turns out that new lightweight acquisitionEddie Alvarez is a quote factory himself, so we decided to pick out his (and the other featured fighters’) best lines from the show, for your education and enjoyment.
Videos and quotes continue after the jump. UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso goes down this Saturday in Las Vegas. Get pumped.
*****
“Although fans might not know who I am, I’m willing to bet every fighter in this division knows who I am.” — Eddie Alvarez
“There’s a lot of really talented guys at 155, whether it’s jiu-jitsu, really talented wrestlers, really talented strikers. But then there’s fighters. That’s what I’m good at. There’s no one better at giving damage and taking damage than myself.” — Alvarez
“I used to wonder why I always do all these crazy things, like what’s the purpose? Why do I want to jump off buildings and swing from ropes and ride four-wheelers and wakeboarding and do everything crazy? ‘Cause it gives you this feeling, like this scared feeling, you know? That same feeling is the same feeling you get right before you walk out to a cage. I’m searching for that feeling and there it is, every time I fight, it’s like the scariest feeling in the entire world.” — Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone
Irish featherweight Conor McGregor is unquestionably the best talker in the UFC. That’s an indisputable truth in the post-Chael era, and it becomes even more apparent when you watch McGregor’s segment of the new “Countdown to UFC 178″ preview special. But it turns out that new lightweight acquisitionEddie Alvarez is a quote factory himself, so we decided to pick out his (and the other featured fighters’) best lines from the show, for your education and enjoyment.
Videos and quotes continue after the jump. UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso goes down this Saturday in Las Vegas. Get pumped.
*****
“Although fans might not know who I am, I’m willing to bet every fighter in this division knows who I am.” — Eddie Alvarez
“There’s a lot of really talented guys at 155, whether it’s jiu-jitsu, really talented wrestlers, really talented strikers. But then there’s fighters. That’s what I’m good at. There’s no one better at giving damage and taking damage than myself.” — Alvarez
“I used to wonder why I always do all these crazy things, like what’s the purpose? Why do I want to jump off buildings and swing from ropes and ride four-wheelers and wakeboarding and do everything crazy? ‘Cause it gives you this feeling, like this scared feeling, you know? That same feeling is the same feeling you get right before you walk out to a cage. I’m searching for that feeling and there it is, every time I fight, it’s like the scariest feeling in the entire world.” — Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone
“You’re telling me you’re gonna pay me X amount of dollars to fight, and then if I do really good you’re gonna give me $50,000 more dollars? I feel like when I step in the Octagon I get one of those wind machines where the fuckin’ bills are flying everywhere and I’m just scooping as much as I can…I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t just fight their ass off. Like if that doesn’t give you enough to just put it all on the line, I don’t know what would.” — Cerrone
“I met my wife when I was 15 years old. I got in a fight at a playground, and none of my friends jumped in, but my wife jumped in. And I said, ‘Man, I’m gonna marry this girl’.” — Alvarez
“Cowboy, he does well if you give him space, but it won’t be like that. It’s a different story here. I’m the boss. I say what’s gonna happen.” — Alvarez
“Them lights are gonna hit me, and you’re gonna see a high-paced, violent fight.” — Alvarez
“I believe not one of these athletes in the UFC understand what the fuck is happenin’. They don’t know what’s goin’ on with this crazy Irishman runnin’ in looking to take their head clean off.” — Conor McGregor
“I remember I walked into the cage, I stood before [Diego Brandao] and blew him a kiss. And he bowed before me. I remember that. I felt he was broke before the contest.” — McGregor
“Conor McGregor seems like a good athlete, he seems like a decent counter-puncher. But, he also seems like a scumbag.” — Dustin Poirier
“I walk the walk, you know? Conor talks the talk. And we’ll see if he’s really about it September 27th.” — Poirier
“I’m committed to this game 100%, and I’m going to be a world champion in the UFC. And Conor, he’s a clown. He’s a joke to me.” — Poirier
“…and then you’ve got me, a slick, handsome Irish kid that takes no shit, that uses his brain, and has climbed to the top of the game quicker than anyone else has done it.” — McGregor
“Dustin’s little pea-head is gonna get removed, it’s gonna get put into my collection, and I’m gonna get on my way to gold.” — McGregor
“He’s just an average journeyman fighter. He’s okay everywhere. He’s basic everywhere, he’s nothin’ that jumps off the page, he’s not flashy, he hasn’t got KO power — you know, that stiffened, curled-toes power. He hasn’t got that. I don’t feel he has anything for me. I’ll beat him everywhere.” — McGregor
“No worries, you have a good night.” — Demetrious Johnson, after smoking somebody in a video game. Man, this guy just can’t bring himself to talk trash, huh. It’s tough when everybody else is in a grudge match but you.
“Wherever the fight goes, I feel like I have the advantage.” — Chris Cariaso, massive underdog, saying words.
It’ll be a brisk 11-week turnaround for Johnson, who successfully made his fourth title-defense against Ali Bagautinov at UFC 174 last month, in spite of Bagautinov loading up on EPO during his training camp. [Ed. note: Mighty Mouse deserves some extra cash for that. Can the UFC institute a “Sorry We Made You Fight a Juicer” bonus?] Fun fact, via Iole: “Given that UFC 176 was canceled, Johnson will appear in two of the last three pay-per-view shows when he steps into the cage on Aug. 30.” And of course, Dillashaw and Barao will appear in two of the last four, since they previously got it on at UFC 173.
Chris Cariaso is just 4-2 as a flyweight, but has won his last three bouts against Iliarde Santos (0-3 UFC record), Danny Martinez (0-2 UFC record), and Louis Smolka (1-1 UFC record) — not exactly a murderer’s row of top competition. Fun fact, via me: The split-decision that Cariaso notched against Smolka represented the first time that Cariaso has ever appeared on a UFC main card, back in May at UFC Fight Night 40. And this guy is getting a title shot, because the UFC is struggling to fill out this pay-per-view card. Times are getting hard, boys.
And so, UFC 177’s buyrate has shot up from an estimated 95,000 buys to a solid 110,000 with the addition of Johnson/Cariaso. I kid the flyweights. Sort of. I mean, they’re awesome and everything, but good luck convincing paying customers of that.
(Hell yeah bro, if you’re not psyched for this one you’re just not a real f-ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.)
It’ll be a brisk 11-week turnaround for Johnson, who successfully made his fourth title-defense against Ali Bagautinov at UFC 174 last month, in spite of Bagautinov loading up on EPO during his training camp. [Ed. note: Mighty Mouse deserves some extra cash for that. Can the UFC institute a “Sorry We Made You Fight a Juicer” bonus?] Fun fact, via Iole: “Given that UFC 176 was canceled, Johnson will appear in two of the last three pay-per-view shows when he steps into the cage on Aug. 30.” And of course, Dillashaw and Barao will appear in two of the last four, since they previously got it on at UFC 173.
Chris Cariaso is just 4-2 as a flyweight, but has won his last three bouts against Iliarde Santos (0-3 UFC record), Danny Martinez (0-2 UFC record), and Louis Smolka (1-1 UFC record) — not exactly a murderer’s row of top competition. Fun fact, via me: The split-decision that Cariaso notched against Smolka represented the first time that Cariaso has ever appeared on a UFC main card, back in May at UFC Fight Night 40. And this guy is getting a title shot, because the UFC is struggling to fill out this pay-per-view card. Times are getting hard, boys.
And so, UFC 177′s buyrate has shot up from an estimated 95,000 buys to a solid 110,000 with the addition of Johnson/Cariaso. I kid the flyweights. Sort of. I mean, they’re awesome and everything, but good luck convincing paying customers of that.
Admit it: When Mark Hunt first caught Cheick Kongo with a counter left, you were excited. When Hunt chased Kongo down and dropped him with a series of fight-ending straight rights, you cheered. No matter how much money you bet on Kongo to win, you couldn’t help but buy into the feel-good story that has been Mark Hunt’s UFC run. To see the same Mark Hunt who only earned a shot in the UFC due to the PRIDE buyout- the guy who Dana White offered to pay to just walk away from the UFC before being submitted by Sean McCorkle- thoroughly outclass one of the heavyweight division’s best kickboxers is a testament to his newfound dedication to the sport. The fact that he’s thirty seven years old only makes it all the more remarkable.
Mark Hunt improves to 8-7, marking the first time he’s had a winning record in the sport since his record was 5-4 in 2008. Although his hopes for either a title shot or a fight on next week’s Australia card are both pretty optimistic (to put it mildly), Hunt clearly demonstrated that he’s ready for stiffer competition. As for Cheick Kongo, this loss shouldn’t hurt his standing with the UFC- he was already a gatekeeper to begin with. We already knew that he wasn’t a serious contender for the heavyweight championship- the way he was outclassed by Mark Hunt’s striking and his inability to get Hunt on the ground proved it.
Admit it: When Mark Hunt first caught Cheick Kongo with a counter left, you were excited. When Hunt chased Kongo down and dropped him with a series of fight-ending straight rights, you cheered. No matter how much money you bet on Kongo to win, you couldn’t help but buy into the feel-good story that has been Mark Hunt’s UFC run. To see the same Mark Hunt who only earned a shot in the UFC due to the PRIDE buyout- the guy who Dana White offered to pay to just walk away from the UFC before being submitted by Sean McCorkle- thoroughly outclass one of the heavyweight division’s best kickboxers is a testament to his newfound dedication to the sport. The fact that he’s thirty seven years old only makes it all the more remarkable.
Mark Hunt improves to 8-7, marking the first time he’s had a winning record in the sport since his record was 5-4 in 2008. Although his hopes for either a title shot or a fight on next week’s Australia card are both pretty optimistic (to put it mildly), Hunt clearly demonstrated that he’s ready for stiffer competition. As for Cheick Kongo, this loss shouldn’t hurt his standing with the UFC- he was already a gatekeeper to begin with. We already knew that he wasn’t a serious contender for the heavyweight championship- the way he was outclassed by Mark Hunt’s striking and his inability to get Hunt on the ground proved it.
It’s disappointing to say this, but I think we can all agree that the “Sexyama in the UFC” experiment is officially a bust. Jake Shields, with his subpar striking and inclination to grapple, was about as handpicked of an opponent as Yoshihiro Akiyama could get for his welterweight debut. Yet for three rounds last night, Shields outpointed Akiyama on his way to a unanimous decision victory. While Akiyama did manage to stuff Shields’ takedown attempts throughout the fight, he offered nothing in return. Save for a beautiful throw in the second round, Akiyama never had Jake Shields out of his element in this fight- let alone actually in danger. And even though Jake Shields didn’t come close to finishing Akiyama until the final minute of the fight, he was clearly in control throughout the bout. Yoshihiro Akiyama has now lost four straight fights (or five, depending on how you feel about the Alan Belcher decision), and although he has shown flashes of greatness, the thirty six year old’s UFC run has been overwhelmingly unremarkable.
There may not have been a bigger surprise from last night than Tim Boetsch’s victory over Yushin Okami. Not only because Boetsch was such a heavy underdog, but also because of how he won. “The Barbarian” failed to live up to his nickname for most of their fight, being outgunned by Yushin Okami’s jab heavy offense in the first round and nearly punched out by Okami’s ground and pound after a failed guillotine in the second. When Tim Boetsch realized that nothing short of a finish would get him a victory, he threw caution to the wind and put everything behind his strikes. And it actually worked, as Okami found himself out cold fifty four seconds into the third round. While Okami seemed to be back to normal throughout the fight, once he got caught by “The Barbarian” he resorted to the same gunshy ”Thunder” we watched get picked apart by Anderson Silva. Okami needs to shake his fear of getting caught- something much easier said than done after back-to-back knockout losses.
As for the evening’s end of the night bonuses, which were all worth $65k, Submission of the Night went to Vaughan Lee for his armbar against Kid Yamamoto. Lee survived Yamamoto’s early onslaught and transitioned to the armbar after a failed triangle choke during the prelims on FX. Knockout of the Night went to Anthony Pettis for his brutal head kick against Joe Lauzon. It’s being rumored that Pettis has earned a rematch with Benson Henderson for the title. Don’t ask me how knocking out a gatekeeper like Lauzon earns a guy a title shot, but we’ll keep you posted if the rumor turns out to be true. As we mentioned earlier, Fight of the Night went to Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson for their five round main event title fight.
Also of note, the UFC has decided to give Takeya Mizugaki his win bonus, even though he lost a unanimous decision to Chris Cariaso. Mizugaki earned takedowns and stayed on top of Cariaso for the entire fight, but Cariaso’s submission attempts, elbows from the bottom and sweeps earned him the victory in the eyes of the judges. Admittedly, I thought Mizugaki was going to be the victor while watching the fight, but only because top control usually wins, regardless of whether the guy on top is actually attacking or not.
Full Results:
MAIN CARD (PPV)
Ben Henderson def. Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision- UFC Lightweight Championship
Ryan Bader def. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson via unanimous decision
Mark Hunt def. Cheick Kongo via TKO (strikes) at 2:11 of Round One
Jake Shields defeats Yoshihiro Akiyama via unanimous decision
Tim Boetsch def. Yushin Okami via TKO (strikes) at :54 of Round Three Hatsu Hioki defeats Bart Palaszewski via unanimous decision
Anthony Pettis def. Joe Lauzon via KO (head kick) at 1:21 of Round One
PRELIMINARY CARD
Takanori Gomi def. Eiji Mitsuoka via TKO (strikes) at 2:21 of Round Two
Vaughn Lee def. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto via submission (armbar) at 4:29 of Round One
Riki Fukuda def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision
Chris Cariaso def. Takeya Mizugaki via unanimous decision
Issei Tamura def. Tiequan Zhang via KO (punch) at 0:32 of Round Two
The UFC is making it’s first trip to Japan since UFC 29, and what a better way to celebrate it than by having this website’s most beloved weekend contributer liveblog the prelims on FX? Unfortunately for you, Chris Colemon is busy- so instead Seth Falvo will be handling the liveblogging duties for the prelims this evening. Oh well, at least it’s something. Can Takeya Mizugaki make it two in a row against Chris Cariaso? Will former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Steve Cantwell stop his four fight losing streak against Riki Fukuda? And what does fate have in store for aging JMMA legends Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and Takanori Gomi? Tune in here to find out as it unfolds.
The UFC is making it’s first trip to Japan since UFC 29, and what a better way to celebrate it than by having this website’s most beloved weekend contributer liveblog the prelims on FX? Unfortunately for you, Chris Colemon is busy- so instead Seth Falvo will be handling the liveblogging duties for the prelims this evening. Oh well, at least it’s something. Can Takeya Mizugaki make it two in a row against Chris Cariaso? Will former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Steve Cantwell stop his four fight losing streak against Riki Fukuda? And what does fate have in store for aging JMMA legends Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and Takanori Gomi? Tune in here to find out as it unfolds.
We are live from Japan and…wait- Did they really just do a “U-S-A! U-S-A!” chant? Those sarcastic bastards. I love this crowd already. The fact that they’re this enthusiastic well before noon is just the icing on the cake.
Oh, and martial arts were born in Japan. Suck it, Pankration.
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Chris Cariaso
Round One: Cariaso comes out with a head kick that barely misses. He tries another, and Mizugaki counters with some nice punches. Mizugaki working his jab early. He attempts a takedown, but Cariaso easily stuffs it. Both guys are remaining active, but neither is landing anything significant. They clinch against the cage, and Mizugaki gets a takedown. Cariaso keeps Mizugaki in his guard and attempts an armbar, but Mizugaki escapes. He’s back in Cariaso’s guard, and Chris Cariaso is doing a good job controlling Mizugaki’s posture and throwing elbows from the bottom. Mizugaki breaks free and lands a few elbows, but Chris Cariaso did a great job keeping Takeya in his guard as the round ends.
Tough round to score.
Round Two: Mizugaki blitzes early, and pushes Cariaso against the cage to attempt a takedown. Cariaso breaks free, and we’re back in the center of the cage. Cariaso attempts a head kick, but it lands around Mizugaki’s armpit. Mizugaki pushes Cariaso into the cage and attempts a takedown. Cariaso avoids the initial attempt and tries for one himself, but Mizugaki tries again and gets it. Mizugaki is trying to pass Cariaso’s guard, but he’s having no success. He stands and lands a few punches on Mizugaki, but he’s back in Cariaso’s guard. Cariaso lands a nice sweep, but Mizugaki immediately gets back to his fight. The round ends with both fighters clinching against the cage.
Round Three: Cariaso lands a head kick, and Mizugaki immediately rushes in and presses Cariaso into the cage. A few knees, and Cariaso now gets Mizugaki against the cage. He briefly looks for a takedown, but Mizugaki stuffs it and both fighters are back in the center of the cage. Straight left from Cariaso, and they’re back against the cage with Cariaso landing knees. Cariaso misses with a hook. He attempts another head kick, but Mizugaki counters and ends up in Cariaso’s guard. Cariaso is really neutralizing Mizugaki’s attack with his surprisingly dynamic guard, but he’s doing nothing of significance in return. They get back to their feet, and Cariaso lands a punch as this one comes to an end. Close fight, but Mizugaki should have this one locked up.
I stand corrected. Chris Cariaso def. Takeya Mizugaki by unanimous decision. This crowd is not happy about the decision, but it was a close fight. No complaints from me.
Riki Fukuda vs. Steve Cantwell
Round One: Cantwell works his jab early, but Fukuda gets in andearns a quick takedown. Cantwell works for an armbar, but Fukuda escapes and lands some heavy ground and pound. This crowd is loving it, punctuating every blow from Fukuda with an enthusiastic cheer. Cantwell escapes, and both guys are back on their feet. Cantwell lands a nice kick. Fukuda attempts another takedown, but Cantwell stuffs it. Fukuda with a leg kick, and another takedown attempt. Cantwell stuffs that one as well. Cantwell with a nice cross, and lands a knee in the clinch. Fukuda with a 1-2. Cantwell attempts a Superman punch, but let’s just say we’ve seen better today. Cantwell stays aggressive, moving forward and landing a kick as this round ends.
Round Two: Cantwell works his jab early again, but Fukuda lands some leg kicks. Cantwell answers back with one of his own. Fukuda gets a takedown, but Cantwell locks up a guillotine. Even though Cantwell only has him in half guard, it looks tight. He doesn’t have it, so he lets go and we’re back on the feet. Some leg kicks and uppercuts from Fukuda, as he shoots for another takedown. Cantwell stuffs it, and lands a nice left hook. Cantwell already looks tired, as he’s now just freezing up when he’s getting hit instead of trying to move away from the punches. Fukuda now has Cantwell covering up against the cage. Cantwell lands a counter punch and escapes, but he’s not faring much better in the center of the cage. A nice 1-2 from Fukuda gets Cantwell back against the cage, but Fukuda misses with an inside leg kick and catches Cantwell low. We’ve got a quick break in the action, and it appears that Fukuda tripped while he was throwing the kick that caught Cantwell. Cantwell comes out after the break and earns a takedown. Cantwell takes Fukuda’s back as this round comes to an end.
Round Three: Nice leg kicks from Fukuda. Cantwell doesn’t have an answer for them. Cantwell spins and attempts a head kick, but Fukuda has this fight under control. Cantwell’s left leg is visibly Fukuda earns a takedown, and ends up in Cantwell’s guard. Cantwell attempts an armbar and a gogoplata (?!), but Fukuda avoids them both and takes Cantwell’s back. Fukuda moves to side control, but Cantwell manages to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should have tried to get Fukuda back in his guard, because Cantwell is getting picked apart with leg kicks and uppercuts, as he has been all fight. Some hard body kicks from Fukuda have Cantwell covering up, just trying to survive the round. Cantwell is done and both fighters realize it. With ten seconds left, Fukuda is content to land a final body kick and let this one go to the judges.
No surprises here. RikiFukuda def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision. Later, Steve. It’s hard to see the UFC keeping him around after a performance like this, especially considering he’s now lost five straight.
Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Vaughan Lee
Round One: Both guys start out throwing heavy shots, but neither guy landing anything. Yamamoto with a nice body kick. Yamamoto lands with a right hook, but trips as he moves away. Lee pins Yamamoto against the cage and attempts to drag him down after the trip, to no prevail. Yamamoto catches Lee and blitzes him, looking for the finish. This crowd is excited, but Lee escapes. Lee rocks Yamamoto with a huge knee, but seems content to just keep Yamamoto against the cage. Yamamoto escapes and lands an uppercut, but is blatantly still hurt from that knee earlier. Lee rushes Yamamoto again, and gets “Kid” on the ground. Lee attempts a triangle, but he doesn’t have it so he switches to an armbar. He’s got the armbar locked up, and Yamamoto taps.
Vaughan Lee def. Norifumi Yamamoto via submission (armbar), 4:29 of Round One. Great showing from Vaughan Lee tonight with this victory, much to the disappointment of this crowd. You can hear a pin drop while Kid Yamamoto addresses the fans after the loss.
Now for our final (preliminary) bout of the evening.
Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Round One: Gomi working his jab early, but Mitsuoka is managing to slip inside and land punches. Mitsuoka clinches with Gomi against the cage, but Gomi lands some big knees and Mitsuoka abandons the clinch. Gomi switching stances often, pawing out his lead hand trying to set up the cross. Mitsuoka lands an uppercut, but is picking his spots carefully. Gomi lands a leg kick, and works his jab some more. Mitsuoka lands a huge counter right, and mounts Gomi. Mitsuoka locks in a mounted triangle, but there might not be enough time left. Gomi thinks about tapping, but decides to wait out the round. Turns out to be a good decision, as this round comes to a close with Gomi still awake, albeit barely.
Round Two: Gomi lands some kicks, but Mitsuoka is doing a surprisingly good job at countering Gomi’s unorthodox attack. Gomi blitzes Mitsuoka, but Mitsuoka survives and circles away. Gomi blitzes again, sensing that Mitsuoka is tired. Mitsuoka attempts a single leg, which Gomi avoids by grabbing the cage. Mitsuoka is too tired to do anything, and Gomi takes his back and begins to rain down punches. Mitsuoka covers up, but punches are landing and Mitsuoka is doing nothing to escape as this one gets called off.
What a wild fight. Takanori Gomi def. Eiji Mitsuoka via TKO (punches) at 2:21 of Round Two. It’s hard to believe that the same Takanori Gomi who almost tapped at the end of the first round would come back to dominate Mitsuoka like this.
