Nick Ring | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

UFC 158: St-Pierre vs. Diaz — Live Results and Commentary

(I don’t always get so excited about a fight that I quote Tito Ortiz, but when I do, I say July 4th…has come early. Photo courtesy of MMAMania)

GSP. Diaz. The Bell Centre in Montreal. That’s right, Potato Nation, it’s finally time for UFC 158. If I need to say literally anything else to get you excited about this card, there is no hope for you at this point. Please show yourself out quietly, and no, we don’t care how exciting you think spring league baseball nonsense is.

But Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz isn’t the only great welterweight fight we have to look forward to tonight. Elsewhere on the card, Johny Hendricks battles Carlos Condit, and Jake Ellenberger welcomes Nate Marquardt back to the big leagues. Plus: A middleweight tilt between Nick Ring and Chris Camozzi, as well as a lightweight bout between TUF finalists Mike Ricci and Colin Fletcher, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Handling tonight’s liveblog will be none other than Aaron Mandel, who will diligently record every punch, kick, and Stockton Heybuddy thrown in the cage after the jump, beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and toss your own observations into the comments section. Let’s do it…

(I don’t always get so excited about a fight that I quote Tito Ortiz, but when I do, I say July 4th…has come early. Photo courtesy of MMAMania)

Good evening PotatoHeads, if you like cage fights or just 170 pound men in general, tonight is your night! We’ve got your live play by play action so refresh early and often as we bring you all the action from UFC 158.

Mike Ricci vs. Colin Fletcher

Recent TUF runner-ups clash in this battle with hometown pretty boy Ricci against horror movie extra Fletcher.

Round 1- Fighters feeling it out on the feet to start. Fletcher uses his long legs to throw some rangy kicks, Ricci firing back with hooks and straights. First 90 seconds pass by rather uneventfully, Fletcher working kicks with Ricci showing a more varied arsenal. Rogan calls Fletcher “the whitest human being he’s ever seen” and Goldberg wholeheartedly agrees which is indicative of the lack of action to call so far. An exchange of kicks and punches. Ricci throwing slow kicks and looking a bit stiff on the feet, Fletcher is flowing a little better but hasn’t landed yet, except to Ricci’s groin which Rogan calls “the best strike of the fight so far”, possibly true. Ricci recovers and the round ends uneventfully. 10-9 Ricci, because, pride?

Round 2- Quicker pace to start, Ricci landing and then takes Fletcher down and works from Fletcher’s full guard. Ricci postures up and lands some ground and pound, moves to side control along the cage as Fletcher goes for something Rogan calls “donkey guard”. Ricci works around to back side mount along the cage and Fletcher works back to the feet and clinches Ricci against the cage now. Fletcher is busted up, which gives his complexion a bit more variety. They separate and strike from the center of the cage. Body kick from Fletcher followed by a straight left from Ricci. Fletcher throws a strong leg kick. Ricci seems to be just barely getting the better of the striking but Fletcher is keeping a high volume of kicks coming. Round ends and another snoozer, 10-9 Ricci, again, maybe?

Round 3- Fletcher’s eye is damaged in a way that makes him look even more terrifying and there is ice in the Octagon which of course Rogan flips out about (youtube “Rogan ice in the Octagaon” if you don’t get this reference). Fletcher works for a takedown but Ricci defends and reverses as they pirouette around the cage. Action is lacking and the crowd voices its displeasure as Fletcher tries hopelessly to clinch and drag Ricci down. They separate and strike from the center. Fletcher throws a spinning back first that misses badly and he is auditioning for a role in the next Evil Dead movie as the damage mounts from Ricci’s jabs. Ricci drags Fletcher down against the cage with one minute left. Ricci works to half guard as Fletcher seeks for submissions amid a flurry of ground and pound. Ricci outscrambles Fletcher and takes his back with hooks in and searches for a choke that doesn’t quite get under the chin. Ricci switches to an armbar and the fight ends. 10-9 Ricci, meh.

Mike Ricci defeats Colin Fletcher by unanimous decision

Nick Ring vs. Chris Camozzi

Camozzi rocking a mustache that can be described as questionable, at best, while Ring makes some statements in the promo like “I hope to beat this guy” that threaten to turn the field of philosophy on its head.

Round 1- Leg kicks from both fighters to start. Good left from Camozzi. Lots of leg and body kicks from both fighters in the first minute here. Ring with a good left hook. Cartoon uppercut misses from Camozzi. Ring has his hands very low but hasn’t paid yet. Overhand left from Camozzi lands. Good exchange on the feet with both fighters getting some good shots in. Rings gets clipped, tries to shoot for a takedown and is shrugged off. Good right from Camozzi and Ring has a mouse forming under his right eye. Lots of leg kicks from Ring. A good flurry and combo from Ring as the round ends. Close, I’d say 10-9 Camozzi.

Round 2- More kicks from both fighters to start round 2. I wonder if there is a betting line now in Vegas on whether this card will see any more donkey guard? Both fighters throwing punches, nothing major landing as the round nears the halfway point. Good knee to the body from Camozzi followed by a good right hand. Camozzi rushes in and tries for a standing guillotine but it’s not there and they separate back to striking range. Camozzi seems to be at a sizeable speed disadvantage against Ring, perhaps he is tiring. Good straight right and double jab from Camozzi. Good knee from the clinch by Camozzi. Ring throwing more punches but nothing significant is landing. Rogan is convinced Ring is dominating but I disagree. Right hand from Camozzi briefly staggers Ring. Round ends and I’d say 10-9 Camozzi but Rogan feels differently.

Round 3- Final round begins on what so far has been a lackluster first two fights of the pay per view card. Leg kicks from Ring rip into Camozzi. Two lefts from Camozzi get through. Camozzi throwing bombs that aren’t landing and ends up clinching Ring from behind and trying to drag it to the mat. Ring works against the cage and separates. More leg kicks from Ring, Camozzi is going to have trouble walking tomorrow. Body shot from Ring and Camozzi is firing back. Rogan and I are watching different fights I think, Camozzi seems to be winning in my book. Ring is very tired and Camozzi is trying to pick him apart. Thirty seconds left and Ring is badly gassed. Camozzi can’t find a home for any of his bombs and the fight ends. 10-9 Camozzi, but we’ll see. The crowd is booing, two snoozers so far.

Chris Camozzi defeats Nick Ring by split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

Jake Ellenberger vs. Nate Marquardt

Marquardt makes his return after a few years away and this is his first fight at welterweight in the UFC. He’s facing a tough test in Ellenberger and it will be interesting to see if the Marquardt who wrecked Tyron Woodley shows up or the one who dogged his way through a title loss to Tarec Saffedine. Winner of this is possibly in position for a title eliminator in the near future.

Round 1- Leg kicks back and forth to start but almost no action in the first minute. Marquardt flurries hard on Ellenberger but Jake escapes and nails Marquardt with a good shot. Marquardt trying to exorcise some demons with a bunch of leg kicks. Ellenberger rocks Marquardt with a right hook and drops him! Marquardt crawls around on the ground searching for a takedown but Ellenberger knocks him out face first into the canvas!

Jake Ellenberger defeats Nate Marquardt by KO in round 1

Nate was complaining about the stoppage which is about as comical as anyone saying either of the first two fights were exciting. Big win for Ellenberger, wouldn’t be surprised to see him get Condit if he wins or Hendricks if he loses next.

Carlos Condit vs. Johny Hendricks

Huge test for Hendricks here, he’ll get a title shot if he wins (or probably have it taken away again). For Condit, this is a chance to play spoiler and vault himself right back into contention.

Round 1- Seven inch reach advantage for Condit, I never realized how small Hendricks is, but shit he packs the power. Touch of gloves to start, leg kick from Condit and Hendricks throws the left hand bomb but Condit survives. Hendricks lands again but Condit knees back. Hendricks slams Condit and then walks away. Incredible first minute. Flying knee and superman punch from Condit. Hendricks fires back like a cannon and then takes Condit down. Holy shit finally a breather as Hendricks lays on top of Condit against the cage. Condit back to his feet but Hendricks drags him back down. Condit slick off his back searching for an armbar/triangle. Hendricks in full guard but Condit tying him up off his back and threatening with submissions. Hendricks lets Condit back up as he was being outworked on the ground. Hendricks picks Condit up again to slam but Condit lands out of it. Hendricks back on top of Condit on the ground but Condit is rolling well. Top control for Hendricks and they are again back to the feet! Flying knee from Condit and huge lefts from Hendricks but Condit grabs and arm amidst the flurry and rolls for a Kimura. Hendricks is turtled up on the ground and Condit takes his back as Hendricks stands back up. Hendricks is free and they are both throwing bombs at each other. Round ends with Condit pulling guard and threatening another sub. Holy fuck best round of the year so far. 10-9 Hendricks and I need a new pair of pants.

Round 2- Incredible chin from Condit in that first round and unbelievable warrior spirit to throw back. Second round starts with a Condit headkick being blocked. Condit trying to take advantage of his reach. Condit with another flying knee and Hendricks winging bombs as he tries to put Condit against the cage and nullify his range. Hendricks using the left hook to the body now too and throws Condit into the cage and takes him down. Condit threatens with a Kimura but Hendricks is free in top full guard. Condit works back to the feet and nails Hendricks with a straight right. Left hooks from Hendricks being met with another flying knee from Condit. Hendricks shoots a double leg against the cage and gets Condit down. Condit back to the feet again. Hendricks can get him down but Condit can outmaneuver him when it’s there. Hendricks tiring but times a flying knee from Condit and powers him down to the mat. Hendricks on top in half guard and dropping elbows. Condit calm and composed working off his back and again works back to the feet. Condit tags Hendricks with a right hand. Wild exchange and Hendricks dumps Condit on his back. Round ends with Condit chasing Hendricks around the cage. THIS IS A FUCKING FIGHT@!!!!! 10-9 Hendricks

Round 3- Condit looks insane as the third round starts, bleeding and exhorting the crowd. Apparently Hendricks hurt his left hand but he’s still winging it. Hendricks grabs a single leg and takes Condit down. Condit working hard off his back but Hendricks holds him down well. Hendricks raining the right hand now as Condit tries to reverse off the cage. Condit is blasting Hendricks with punches and elbows from his back. Condit searches for a kimura and rises to his feet. Hendricks blasts Condit with a left hand. Hendricks ducks under a head kick and drags Condit down. Condit doing more damage from the bottom than Johny. They are back to the feet with 90 seconds left and Condit absolutely rocks Hendricks, eyes roll back in his head but he clinches up and hangs on for dear life. Condit separates but Hendricks powers him down again. Condit back up and moving forward like a boss nailing Hendricks right and left. Hendricks dumps him down though but Condit up again and fires forward as the fight ends. Holy fuck. 10-9 Condit. What a fight, these guys came to scrap.

Johny Hendricks defeats Carlos Condit by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

That was maybe the fight of the year! I think the decision was fair, first two rounds to Hendricks, third to Condit, but it’s hard to say there was a real loser here. With Hendricks takedown skills I think a match against GSP would be really interesting. Not sure we’ve seen the kind of chin or warrior spirit from GSP that Condit just showed.

Champ Georges St. Pierre vs. Nick Diaz

It’s main event time! The buildup and talk is about to end (except for Diaz continuing to talk shit in the cage) and the fight is on. GSP holds most of the advantages here but if Diaz can be slick off his back and take GSP into the championship rounds with lots of volume punches to the body it could get interesting. Get your mean mug ready! Diaz walks out in jeans to a chorus of boos, GSP gets the usual deafening ovation from the hometown crowd in his heavily sponsored gi.

Round 1- I AM WAY TOO PUMPED RIGHT NOW! No touch of the gloves and Montreal is realllly loud. Leg kick from GSP and less than 30 seconds GSP takes Diaz down. GSP on top working some strikes to the body. Diaz throws his legs up looking for something but it’s not there. GSP working a lot from the top throwing punches. Diaz rolls to the turtled position but GSP is stuck to him throwing continual strikes. GSP hops over Diaz to the other side, Diaz sprawls and tries to take GSP down but to no avail. GSP back on top and working all around Diaz throwing strikes and transitioning quickly. Huge elbows from GSP as he postures up. Diaz trying to roll through but GSP is right with him and has maintained a dominant position throughout. Diaz tries to work up the cage but GSP drags him back down. Diaz with a blatant fence grab to get up but GSP muscles him down with ease. GSP on his back with one hook in. Diaz works up the cage again but GSP is smothering him. Diaz working a standing kimura against the cage but GSP absolutely smashes him down to the mat. 10-9 or maybe even 10-8 GSP.

Round 2- Diaz looks super concussed, GSP ready to go as the round starts. GSP with some kicks to start and 40 seconds in GSP dumps Diaz with a double leg. Diaz working his legs around in full guard but GSP raining down some heavy strikes again. Diaz tries to create space and roll for a leg but GSP defends and throws a huge knee to the body. GSP manhandling Diaz around the cage. A brief scramble ends with GSP on top in Diaz’s guard again. Diaz grabs a wrist and tries to roll but GSP stays on top. Diaz back to the feet finally and his face is a swollen mess. Diaz finally does some taunting on the feet, GSP responds with a superman punch. Round ends with Diaz talking shit and Yves Lavigne dragging him back to his corner. 10-9 GSP

“win or lose, he’s a bitch” – Nick Diaz in his corner between rounds.

Round 3- Diaz talking to GSP as they stand. Diaz stuffs a GSP takedown! GSP tries again and gets the fight to the ground. Diaz literally crawls to the cage and gets back to the feet. Nice body shot from Diaz, maybe the first real strike he’s landed this fight. They stand but no real offense from Diaz, GSP mixing in the kicks with punches. GSP tags Diaz with a punch and shoots for a takedown but Diaz shrugs him off against the cage. Diaz starts to finally open with the strikes and seems to clip GSP behind the ear. Volume striking begins but GSP dumps him to the canvas and starts unloading more ground and pound. Round ends with GSP on top. 10-9 GSP but the most life we’ve seen from Diaz.

Diaz took a swing at GSP after the bell, gets a warning from Yves Lavigne.

Round 4- GSP’s corner does not want it on the feet. Championship rounds begin and GSP working a stiff jab repeatedly. Diaz stuffs a GSP takedown and blocks a GSP headkick. Diaz shrugs off another takedown and is firing some big strikes, but none have landed flush. GSP is starting to look busted up and Diaz throws him off on another takedown attempt. They clinch against the cage with Diaz working some uppercuts and knees to the body. Diaz strolling around the cage with his hands down. GSP lands his first takedown of the round and lands in Diaz’s guard. Diaz again crawls to the cage and works back up but Diaz sticks to his back and slams him brutally. Diaz working for a kimura but GSP spins and takes his back. GSP leaning Diaz into the cage. Diaz drops down and works for a kimura again unsuccessfully. Diaz tries to roll under for a leg, GSP on top again as the round ends. 10-9 GSP, closest round so far.

Round 5- Diaz throws a headkick that is blocked. Straight left from Diaz and a good jab from GSP. Nick stuffs a takedown and they are clinched. Knees from the clinch from both fighters. They separate and GSP works the jab over and over. Diaz tries a headkick and slips, GSP is right on top of him and trying to take his back. Diaz trying for a kimura. GSP dominating the positions on the ground and throwing punches from the top. Diaz does some weird gumby shit and he’s somehow out with 90 seconds left they’re standing. Clinch between the two, Diaz working the body, they separate and GSP tries a headkick and then takes Diaz down. Time running out as Diaz hunts for a submission and GSP continues striking. Time expires, Diaz hugs GSP and raises his hand, classy. 10-9 GSP

Champ Georges St. Pierre defeats Nick Diaz by unanimous decision

GSP compliments Diaz’s jiu jitsu and boxing styles and exhorts the crowd to give respect to Diaz. Diaz surprisingly coherent and classy in his post-fight interview and maybe, kinda sorta retires and then starts speaking in incomplete sentences and sort of more definitively retires. He apologizes to Stockton and enters his fourth or fifth minute of talking before introducing Joe Rogan and walking off. Diaz gonna Diaz.

Well that’s all folks, thanks for hanging out!

UFC 158: Chris Camozzi vs. Nick Ring Head-to-Toe Breakdown

UFC 158 takes place this weekend in Montreal. It will host the welterweight championship fight between Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz. It is a bout that is attracting lots of media and fanfare. Meanwhile, the middleweight scrap between Nick Ring …

UFC 158 takes place this weekend in Montreal. It will host the welterweight championship fight between Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz. It is a bout that is attracting lots of media and fanfare.

Meanwhile, the middleweight scrap between Nick Ring and Chris Camozzi has flown under the radar. Both men are The Ultimate Fighter 11 alums who were forced off the show with injuries (Ring with a knee injury, Camozzi with a broken jaw).

Here is a head-to-toe breakdown of their impending 185-pound scrap.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 154: St. Pierre vs. Condit — Main Card Results & Commentary

(Anderson Silva will be watching this one with great interest. / Photo via MMAJunkie)

Georges St. Pierre‘s 19-month hiatus from the Octagon is one of the reasons why MMA kind of sucked this year. But the UFC welterweight champion is back in the saddle tonight in Montreal against interim champ Carlos Condit, so come a little bit closer baby, get it on, get on, ’cause tonight is the night when two belts become one.

In the co-main event, Martin Kampmann battles Johny Hendricks for a potential title shot against the winner of St. Pierre vs. Condit. Plus: This clown, ~~that weirdo~~, and Mark Hominick‘s must-win featherweight scrap against Pablo Garza. [Note: Nick Ring was supposed to fight Constantinos Philippou on the main card, but fell ill today and wasn’t cleared to compete. Mark Bocek vs. Rafael Dos Anjos was promoted to the main card from the prelims.]

Guiding us through the proceedings is ~~liveblogger-supreme Aaron Mandel~~ Ben Goldstein!, who will be throwin’ down round-by-round results from the UFC 154 pay-per-view main card beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and let your voices be heard loudly and proudly in the comments section.

(Anderson Silva will be watching this one with great interest. / Photo via MMAJunkie)

Yeah, Aaron pulled out due to some last-minute technical difficulties, so you’re stuck with Old Mom. And here I was, enjoying a pleasant Saturday evening of drinking local craft beer and putting together IKEA furniture. This better be good, guys.

Mark Hominick vs. Pablo Garza
Garza comes out to “Lights” by Ellie Goulding. Hominick comes out to “Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue. The dichotomy is both hilarious and awesome. Bruce Buffer greets the crowd with a friendly “Bone Swa, Mon’Reahhhh…”

Round 1: Hominick stalks forward and Garza tries to push him back with leg kicks and a knee. Hominick steps in and throws heavy. Garza trying to keep him at distance with his long scarecrow limbs, but Hommy lands anyway. You can tell that Hominick wants to make an example of this guy. But now Garza dashes in with a great knee to the body and follows it with a good leg kick. Garza throws the head kick. Hominick backs up with punches. Another nice leg kick from Garza. Garza goes low/high with the kicks. He changes levels with punches too, but Hominick counters him hard, backing Garza to the fence. They tie up and Hominick slams him to the mat. Garza goes for the armbar. He nearly sinks it but Hominick pulls out and starts slugging down from inside Garza’s guard. Garza gets up and flings a long knee into Hominick’s body. Garza throws a punch to the ribs. But Hominick lands a devastating punch to Garza’s body and he crumbles. Hominick tries to finish but Garza gets up and lands an uppercut that opens Hominick up. Garza pushes Hominick to the fence and unloads. Hominick escapes at the bell. Awesome round…I have to give it to Garza 10-9 for landing more and drawing blood.

Round 2: Hominick’s face is already puffed up. Garza throws a wild-ass jumping kick to start the round. He grabs Hominick around the waist and drags him down, rolling into Hominick’s guard. Garza working some GnP and lands a couple good shots to Hominick’s mug. Now some elbows. This isn’t going well for the Canadian. He gets some distance and fires down some longer punches now. Hominick trying to tie up an arm then a leg, looking for any kind of submission, but it’s not happening. Hominick looks be bleesing near both eyes now, as Garza continues the assault of punches and elbows from the top. And that’s the bell. 10-9, bordering on 10-8 for Garza.

Round 3: Garza opens with a high kick, then goes to the inside leg. Hominick comes out like he did in the first frame, stalking and throwing hard. Garza grabs Hominick again, but gets shucked off. Garza tries a takedown again and gets it. Garza slashes with elbows. Hominick tosses the legs up looking for an omoplata, but can’t get it. More elbows from Garza. Hominick thinks about going for the leg, then resumes his roadkill-impression. Hominick slaps Garza in the side of the head a few times, doing jack-shit. Garza slugs him hard in the face. Double-hand slaps from the bottom from Hominick? Ugh, dude. Hominick kicks Garza off, Garza knees him in the ribs when he gets up and takes Hominick right back down. Garza in Hominick’s half-guard, and tosses down some hammer-fists. Hominick with a hail-mary triangle-armbar, but Garza pulls out and the fight ends. The crowd boos Garza for beating the dog doo-doo out of their homeboy. This is going to be Garza’s win, and the fourth straight loss for Hominick.

Pablo Garza def. Mark Hominick via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26, 29-28).

Mark Bocek vs. Rafael Dos Anjos

Round 1: Bocek takes the center of the cage. Bocek ties Dos Anjos up and pushes him against the cage; Dos Anjos escapes. Leg kick Dos Anjos. Bocek shoots again, and they’re back to tangling on the fence. Bocek knees Dos Anjos in the thighs from the clinch. Dos Anjos returns a knee to the chest and pushes off. Dos Anjos with a superman punch that misses and an uppercut that lands hard. Bocek lands a head kick but slips to the mat. He pops up, tries for a thai clinch then drops low. Dos Anjos just refuses to be taken down tonight. He’s out, and they trade low kicks. Dos Anjos sticks the uppercut. Leg kick Dos Anjos. Bocek shoots in, puts Dos Anjos against the fence, drops to finish it, can’t. Dos Anjos rolls out and kicks Bocek in the leg. That’s the round. I hope Bocek goes to Plan B, because he’s not landing the takedowns and I don’t particularly want to watch two more rounds of this.

Round 2: After a brief punching exchange, Bocek low-kicks Rafael straight in the Dos Anjos, if you catch my drift. Yowzer. Anyway, Dos Anjos is back in with the quickness. Bocek shoots again and Dos Anjos reverses him. Dos Anjos on top, struggling for control. Bocek powers to his feet but Dos Anjos puts him back down. Bocek looks for an arm, and Dos Anjos straight up sits on the dude’s head in north-south position. (aka, The Arabian Goggles Position.) Bocek thankfully escapes, and eventually gets to his feet. Dos Anjos smells blood, and shoots hard for a takedown, nailing it. He goes to Bocek’s back and slugs down at Bocek’s temple. Bocek covers up. He grabs onto Dos Anjos’s leg and works his way upright. Dos Anjos lifts Bocek straight up and deposits him on the mat. Bocek stands up and gets punched in the face for his troubles. Bocek’s face is a bloody mess. Time for Plan C?

Round 3: Dos Anjos with the superman punch, still looking energetic. Bocek goes back to grabbing Dos Anjos against the fence and dropping for a takedown, but it’s still not working. Dos Anjos with a body slam to get the fight back to the mat. Bocek gets up and goes for a standing kimura, but Dos Anjos escapes. Straight right from Bocek. Jumping knee to the body from Dos Anjos. Bocek attacks with punches. They tie up against the fence. Dos Anjos with a knee to the ribs. Dos Anjos with a crane kick attempt, then a hard uppercut. Dos Anjos slips, gets up and stumbles around a bit, then they trade punches in a firefight to the bell. This is going to be another loss for Team Canada.

Rafael Dos Anjos def. Mark Bocek via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)

Francis Carmont vs. Tom Lawlor
Lawlor and his crew come out as…nerds, I guess? Not his best work.

Round 1: Lawlor the aggressor, coming forward and darting inside. They clinch on the fence. Carmont returns a knee. There’s another one. Dirty boxing from Filthy Tom. The ref breaks ‘em up when it becomes clear that they’ll spend all night on that fence. Carmont tries to set up a kimura when Lawlor shoots on him again. No dice. It’s back to the fence. They separate. Carmont uses his reach advantage, sticking his hand on Lawlor’s forehead to keep him at bay. Lawlor grabs a guillotine and jumps to the mat with it. Looks tight. Blood starts leaking out of somewhere on Carmont’s head, but he finally pulls out and postures up for some ground-and-pound payback. The bell saves Lawlor from getting punished.

Round 2: Carmont with some 52 Blocks-type hand-gesturing. Lawlor glides in with a straight left. Inside leg kick from Lawlor, then the outside. Carmont responds with a solid knee to the body. Lawlor pushes Carmont back against the fence. Lawlor lands the straight. Lawlor pushes him against the fence again. Carmont with a punch inside, and Lawlor drops for a takedown. He sticks it after some effort. Carmont gets up but eats a knee. Lawlor drags him down again. Carmont looks for the triangle but Lawlor escapes and scrambles for a guillotine attempt. Carmont escapes but the bell sounds before he can retaliate.

Round 3: They’re boxing. Carmont with a kick to the body. Carmont jumps forward with a knee, Lawlor grabs him and puts him against the fence. The crowd boos them, the ref breaks them. High kick from Carmont lands. Inside leg kick from Carmont. Lawlor pushing forward with punches. Carmont lands a right. He throws another high kick. Lawlor lands a counter-left. Kicks from Carmont to the leg and body. Left hook Lawlor, body kick Carmont. Foot stomps from Lawlor against the cage. They’re up after a brief moment on the mat, and that’s the fight. Not exactly a crowd-pleaser. The scores will be close.

Francis Carmont def. Tom Lawlor via split-decision (29-28 x 2, 28-29). The Montreal crowd actually boos the decision, even though the Canadian dude won it. Maybe they just hated the fight.

If you’re wondering where Nick Ring is tonight, read the update at the top of this post.

Johny Hendricks vs. Martin Kampmann

Round 1: Kampmann throws a high kick to open. He tries it again. Hendricks bolts in with his nasty left hand. A lightning fast left/right combo from Hendricks puts Kampmann into falling tree mode, and Hendricks only has time to punch Kampmann’s comatose head once before Big Dan pulls him off. My goodness that was nasty. Ladies and gentlemen, Johny Hendricks is the next in line at 170 pounds.

Johny Hendricks def. Martin Kampmann via KO 0:46 of round 1.

Georges St. Pierre vs. Carlos Condit
Alright, main event time. Who’s ready for five rounds of positional domination? The champ enters the cage and does cartwheels in both directions. SCARED YET, CARLOS?

Round 1: GSP jabs. Carlos with a leg kick. GSP is moving forward, punching, making Condit circle along the outside of the cage. Carlos throws a 1-2, fires a high teep that misses. Leg kick Georges, and a sharp jab. St. Pierre shoots for a leg and twists Condit to the mat. GSP softens him up with punches, carefully avoiding attacks from Condit’s guard. St. Pierre pulls Condit’s neck up to break his position. Condit tries to kick off but St. Pierre is glued on top of him, doing what he does best. Condit looking for an arm, can’t find it. More punches from the top from GSP. St. Pierre with shots to the ribs. Condit escapes to his feet. He’s cut, badly. The bell sounds and jets of blood pulse out of Condit’s forehead. The replay shows that St. Pierre did it with an elbow from the top. Easy 10-9 for the champ.

Round 2: Nice straight/uppercut/kick combo from Condit. They both whiff high kicks. St. Pierre leans in with a straight that connects. Carlos lands a left. Condit lands a 1-2 on GSP, then a hook after a knee attempt. St. Pierre answers with a right. Condit throws a knee kick. Condit goes body/head. St. Pierre shoots for a double leg and nails it. Big shot from the top. Condit’s face is gory. He slugs at GSP off his back, in vain. St. Pierre lands much more effective punches from the top. Condit dashes to his feet. As bloody as he is, he’s still game, getting in GSP’s range and firing punches. GSP punches back. Neither of these guys are playing it cautiously. Another round for the champ.

Round 3: Condit tags St. Pierre with a head kick and floors him! Condit desperately tries to finish, jackhammering punches and elbows down. GSP has quite the goose-egg on the right side of his head. GSP somehow gets to his feet. He’s unsteady, but goes back to attacking Condit, and slams him to the mat. That right there is a champion, folks. Hard elbows from St. Pierre. Condit stands up, grabs a kimura, but loses it as they tumble back to the mat. GSP settles into half-guard as Condit tries to find a way off his back. Nothing doing. St. Pierre stays on top until the bell.

Round 4: Condit goes low/high with kicks. Condit tries the head kick again but gets counter-punched directly after. St. Pierre dives for the takedown and gets it. We’re back in the champ’s world. Condit trying to snake his way out, and stays active punching GSP off his back. St. Pierre with punches whenever he can find an opening. Condit looking for a kneebar, can’t get it, and misses a follow-up triangle attempt. Carlos goes back to slugging GSP in the face from below. Condit tries to get up, GSP drags him down, Condit briefly reverses the position, GSP reverses the reversal. He takes Condit’s back as the fourth round ends.

Round 5: GSP with a brilliant superman jab/leg kick combo. Carlos is swinging at air. Then he lands a spinning back kick. St. Pierre nails another takedown, but Condit is quickly back on his feet. St. Pierre lands a right. Condit charges in and lands a right, then a left. Condit with a hook, then a knee kick. St. Pierre with a pair of jabs, a right hand, and finishes with a takedown. Two minutes left. St. Pierre is doing his best to hold the challenger in place. Condit rolls, St. Pierre takes his back, Condit defends and establishes guard again. St. Pierre gets a little more active in the last 40 seconds, firing down punches. Condit looks for a desperation armlock, switches to elbowing St. Pierre in the head when that doesn’t work. The fight ends, and they both look like they’ve been in a car wreck. It wasn’t always pretty, but Georges St. Pierre just answered all the doubters. The only things left are the scores, and one more obligatory cut to Anderson Silva.

Georges St. Pierre def. Carlos Condit via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45 x 2).

GSP says his knee didn’t bother him at all, and he wouldn’t have fought if it did. Joe Rogan asks him the million dollar question about a potential Anderson Silva fight, and the crowd boos. St. Pierre says he was only thinking about Condit; now, he’s going to take a vacation, think it over, and make the right decision for his career. Come on Andy, rush the cage and call him a punk or something! Ah well…the event ends without an awkward post-fight confrontation, but it’s great to see the greatest welterweight in MMA history working again.

That’s a wrap for tonight. Thanks, as always, for hanging out with us.

What a Rush! The 14 Greatest (and 3 Worst) Pro-Wrestling Moves Used in MMA

(“Call me Aldo Montoya again, bitch!”)

By Seth Falvo (@SethFalvo)

When Nick Ring walked to the cage on Saturday accompanied by professional wrestling legend Bret “The Hitman” Hart, it was one more example of mixed martial arts’ quirky love affair with professional wrestling. Oh sure, we like to pretend that we have nothing in common with those peculiar Puroresu practitioners because our sport is real, both in terms of the violence and the personalities associated with it. Nonsense. With fake fighters crossing over to the real stuff, real fighters crossing over to the fake stuff, fake matches “borrowing” their outcomes from real fights, real promos “borrowing” from the classic fake stuff and multiple guys dabbling in both sports, the line between the two is arguably blurrier now than it was back when Ken Shamrock was ankle locking fools in the World Wrestling Federation.

It should come as no surprise then that we’ve seen our share of professional fighters attempting honest-to-God professional wrestling moves in real fights. We know, we know: We’re totally not supposed to be trying this stuff at home. But fortunately for us, the following brave men have ignored the countless warnings, the advice of their trainers and their own common sense to provide us with the most entertainingly reckless ways to injure their fellow men.

But before we break out the face paint and spandex, let’s establish how I’ll be ranking such absurd maneuvers. The moves will be ranked based on their immediate effectiveness, how true to form they stay to their kayfabe counterparts, and the competence of their opponents. Let’s face it: Even if you do something insanely cool and difficult from professional wrestling in an MMA fight, if you then get knocked out, you still look like a chump. Let’s also acknowledge that a punch to a downed opponent has no business being called The Worm without the accompanying theatrics. Finally, it’s a lot easier to pull off a complex move in a fight when your opponent totally sucks at fighting. Those are my rules, and if you’re not down with that, I got two words for ya: LET’S BEGIN!

(“Call me Aldo Montoya again, bitch!”)

By Seth Falvo (@SethFalvo)

14.) Bob Sapp Piledrives Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at PRIDE Shockwave, 8/28/2002.

For those of you who are new here, believe it or not Bob Sapp used to actually try during his fights. After crushing two straight foes while looking absolutely terrifying in the process, ”The Beast” found himself across the ring from PRIDE heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Right from the start, Big Nog shoots for a takedown and immediately gets caught between Sapp’s monstrous legs. What follows is one of both men’s most iconic moments: Sapp pulls Nogueira up and piledrives him straight to the canvas.

Either that piledriver wasn’t nearly as effective as it looked, or it was far too effective and had zombified Big Nog, because Nogueira refused to stay down afterwards. Well damn, dropping the guy straight on his neck didn’t work. Now what? If you’re Bob Sapp, you respond by unsuccessfully attempting more piledrivers while your Brazilian foe mounts what I’m on record calling the greatest comeback in MMA history, eventually securing a fight ending armbar.

While this fight established Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira as a bonafide badass, it also proved once and for all that one should bring a more diverse strategy into a bout against a top heavyweight fighter than “repeatedly attempt to break his neck with a professional wrestling move.” Attempting to break his shoulder with a jiu-jitsu hold, however…

13.) Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett Uses the Airplane Spin Against Anthony McDavitt at King of the Cage: Legends, 6/6/2009.

Let’s pretend you’re a cocky journeyman with nothing resembling a ground game. Some punk tries to lock in an armbar against you, not realizing that you are Krazy with a capital K. How do you handle this?

If you answered “spin him around like I’m a coked up 80′s wrestler and slam him head first into the cage on my way to a split-decision loss,” then accept my condolences: you and Bennett have the exact same problem solving skills. I’d advise you to stay in school and keep away from drugs, but apparently that’s what got you in this mess in the first place. So drop out and do a lot of meth, I guess.

12.) Houston Alexander Chokeslams Thiago Silva at UFC 78, 11/17/2007.

(The slam comes at the 1:23 mark.)

When then-feared knockout artist Houston “The Assassin” Alexander (Ah, how nostalgic that felt to type) found himself across the cage from Thiago Silva, he knew he’d have to break out something extra special to keep the suspiciously burly Brazilian down. Taking a cue from the giants of professional wrestling that came before him, Alexander decided that the easiest way to knock out Silva was to use a straight-up chokeslam on him.

Unfortunately for Alexander, it turns out that them pro wrasslers is lyin’ to us: A chokeslam is no more devastating than any other takedown. Especially when you’re a fish out of water on the ground and your opponent is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Alexander would go on to get knocked out in the first round by Silva, end up on the wrong end of what was then the UFC’s fastest knockout, get choked out by Eric Schafer and released from the UFC, brought back to job to Kimbo Slice and has currently lost two straight fights by way of vicious knockout. But other than that, his life is just wonderful.

11.) Mark Hunt Leg Drops Wanderlei Silva at PRIDE Shockwave 2004, 12/31/2004.

(Leg drop comes around 6:45)

It’s no secret that Mark Hunt was as one-dimensional as they came when he first started competing in MMA. When the Samoan kickboxer found himself staring at a grounded Wanderlei Silva, he wisely decided that a grappling match was not in his best interest. Rather, Mark Hunt figured that attempting a giant leg drop was his best option in this situation. Hey, it worked for Hulk Hogan, right?

Even though Hunt would have only connected with Silva’s stomach if it landed cleanly, and ended up with a pissed off Axe Murderer in his guard, it technically still worked: Super Samoan walked away with a split-decision victory that night.

10.) Ikuhisa Minowa Dropkicks Butterbean at PRIDE Bushido 12, 8/26/2006

For those who have never seen “Minowaman” fight, allow me to break down a typical fight of his for you in four easy steps:

Step One: Sign up to fight someone who is more than twice your size yet only half as skilled.
Step Two: Do something weird to train, like ask your sparring partners to sit on each others’ shoulders while poking at you with sticks.
Step Three: Attempt a professional wrestling move at some point during your fight.
Step Four: Either submit your oversized grappling dummy, or get beaten to a pulp by the much larger foe.

Any questions?

9.) Jon Jones Suplexes Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94, 1/31/2009

+
8.) Jon Jones Suplexes Brad Bernard at Full Force Productions: Untamed 20, 4/12/2008.

Yes, nerds: I’m well aware that suplexes are legitimate wrestling takedowns. Well la-dee-frickin’-da. Let me guess, you also call rappers by their real names instead of their stage names, complain about the “unrealistic” parts of science fiction movies and just can’t enjoy a hilarious YouTube video because of all the bad grammar in the comments section.

Now, if you’re looking for an MMA bout that will more than likely produce a German suplex that would make Chris Benoit blush, put the arrogant hotshot who would go on to be the youngest champion in UFC history (and arguably the greatest American MMA fighter in the brief history of our sport) in the cage with an aging veteran and let nature take its course. If you’re looking for one that is practically guaranteed to produce a wild double underhook suplex, lock said hotshot in the cage with an unathletic looking self-described “bar room brawler” who is 0-2 in cage fights and keep a camera on them at all times.

Since being dominated by Jon Jones, Brad Bernard has wisely walked away from the sober, sanctioned stuff. Likewise, Stephan Bonnar lost his next two, then won his next three, then maybe retired, but definitely ruled out the possibility of a rematch. Oh, and I guess this Jones guy has been doing okay, too.

7.) Jonathan Ivey Uses The People’s Elbow on Some Fatty (Event and Date Unknown)

I have no idea who the tubby in the yellow trunks is that’s doing his best Bob Sapp impression. I have no idea what event this went down at, or even what year this fight took place during. What I do know is that the fighter in black trunks is none other than heavyweight journeyman Jonathan Ivey, who upon seeing that for once he’s actually the guy doing the damage, decides to use The People’s Elbow against that disgusting fatbody.

Technically, you’re right: I have no idea if Jonathan Ivey actually won this fight, so it shouldn’t really be this high up on the list. But come on, once you allow someone to use The People’s Elbow on you in a real fight – most of the theatrics included – you automatically lose. In a just world (i.e. my mind), the referee watched Ivey dance his way into The People’s Elbow and immediately stopped the contest. Ivey celebrated, while chunky decided to retire from the sport, grow a killer mustache, adopt a beagle and never speak of his career as one of them Vale Tudo fellers again.

Hit that “next page” link for another example of PRIDE being awesome, a throwback clip of the WEC imitating WCW, and the perfect way to finish an opponent…

Gambling Addiction Enabler: UFC 149 Edition

(We’re going ((win)) streaking!!)

By Dan “Get Off Me” George

Grab your cowboy hats and pack up your saddles my fellow CP readers, because this weekend we are headed to the home of the world famous Calgary Stampede, Calgary, Alberta, Canada for UFC 149 Barao vs Faber! From a wagering standpoint, this card is pretty much a prime example of why bookies offer MMA betting lines, as this card is chock full of close fights and odds that will surely entice the gambling public as well as crush the majority of parlays, all the while raking in money for the house.

Luckily for you (or not), we do not have to go on the cuff for this card, as those who followed UFC 148’s GAE were rewarded with a 4 team parlay that paid out 7 to 1 at the window. All betting odds are courtesy of BestFightOdds.com, so join me as I try to offer some insight on how to go after plus units on Saturday’s upcoming card.

Bryan Caraway (-190) vs. Mitch Gagnon (+175)

Both fighters have strong submission skills, but I believe Caraway is the favorite because the majority of the public believe “Kid Lighting” is the better submission fighter out of the two. At around -200, Caraway should have what it takes to out-grapple his Canadian counterpart and find a way to win this fight. This may be stretching my psychic abilities to the max, but upon victory, I expect Caraway to announce that he is undergoing a sex change, signing with Strikeforce, and challenging Ronda Rousey to a “loser leaves town” match at 135 lbs. Any takers?

(We’re going ((win)) streaking!!)

By Dan “Get Off Me” George

Bryan Caraway (-190) vs. Mitch Gagnon (+175)

Ryan Jimmo (-165) vs. Anthony Perosh (+155)

It has been a long time coming for CP’s own Ryan Jimmo, who will be riding a 16-fight win streak and fighting in his own backyard against the always tough (not to mention streaking) Australian vet Anthony Perosh. This fight boils down to whether or not Jimmo can find himself on top of Perosh for sustained periods of the fight en route to scoring a stoppage or decision win (likely the latter). I can’t pick a winner here, but I will go with the prop that the fight goes over 2.5 rounds or fight goes the distance. Jimmo will not be easily submitted and Perosh will not be easily finished; those are the only things I am certain of in this fight.

Rolande Delorme (+107) vs. Francisco Rivera (-117)

TUF 14 alum Roland Delorme has looked better with each appearance in the octagon, most recently “stunning” than submitting slight favorite and fellow Canuck Nick Denis at UFC on FOX 3. That said, I still think Francisco is the better all around fighter and is only a slight favorite because of where this event is taking place. I see Delorme possibly being able to find himself on the ground in favorable positions with Rivera, but Rivera’s no slouch, and should be able to control the fight on the feet and fend off most of what Delorme has to offer on the ground. I would just enjoy this fight and take some notes for future reference.

Court McGee (+100) vs. Nick Ring (-110)

I’ll put it simply: If this goes the distance, McGee is going down. Nick was able to best McGee in their bout back on TUF 11, and it’s not like Ring hasn’t been gifted decisions in the past (Riki Fukuda). Considering that the heroic tale of Nick Ring thwarting a mugging has captivated the local community, I would not be surprised to see him pull out another close decision in his fight with McGee, thanks in no small part to the seedy underbelly of both Canada and MMA judging in general. That’s right, the fix is in and I’m calling it. I think Court has hit a plateau of sorts, and unless he presses forward and tries to finish this fight, he may become a victim of that round bacon-eating, Molson-drinking excuse for a crowd (I kid, I kid). Again, a prop bet that this fight is decided by the judges will be where I look at laying my money.

Matt Riddle (-150) vs. Chris Clements (+140)

Matt Riddle has consistently shown that he is willing to fight for the fans (look no further than his most recent win over Henry Martinez) and I believe that, while he could lay-n-pray his way to victory here, he may just go out and stand toe-to-toe with Clements. Unless Riddle has made a marked improvement in his striking game, I am going to lean on the Canuck as the underdog to find a way to win this fight by outgunning Riddle.

Brian Ebersole (-360) vs. James Head (+325)

File this one under “bad odds.” Much like with the Mendes/Mckenzie fight at UFC 148, the best opportunity to make some money here is by finding a prop on Ebersole winning inside the distance. I do not see this fight going the distance, so this is where anything near -400 territory is ignored in favor of even money on the prop side of the book.

Cheick Kongo (+115) vs. Shawn Jordan (-125)

All signs point towards Jordan and the price is ultra alluring. This line has recently tipped in favor of Jordan, but like with Riki Fukuda at UFC 148, line movement is not gospel and often can be misleading. In this instance, Jordan is the favorite and seems to have all the tools to stop Kongo with his striking if he keeps it on the feet and avoids Cheick’s unconventional style of GnP (shorts grabbing, testicle shattering, etc). I really want to say Jordan takes this by TKO, but I can’t ignore Cheick’s ability to pull wins/draws/decisions out of his ass when he is counted out by the public. If there is plus money on the prop that this fight goes the distance, I will be looking to put my money there, but picking a winner could be a parlay crusher.

Hector Lombard (-375) vs. Tim Boetsch (+335)

While I want to suggest Tim Boetsch will find a way to take this fight down on the cards, or take advantage of a gassed Lombard as the fight goes on, I keep picturing Boetsch moving forward and exchanging with Hector en route to suddenly finding himself looking up at the lights. It is no news that Hector hits harder than anyone Boetsch has faced before and I think Hector will be able to find Boetsch’s off switch before the end of the third round. Boetsch does not throw the straightest of punches and his constantly pressing style plays right into Hector’s powerhouse hands.

That being said, at Boetsch’s current rate, even a small bet could pay off if Lombard decided to come down with a case of the octagon jitters. “The Barbarian” doesn’t have nearly as much to prove as Lombard, who has likely been under a tremendous amount of pressure and stress to prove that he is more than a glorified can crusher, so a small bet on Boetsch wouldn’t be a terrible idea, just an incredibly risky one. In either case, just keep it the hell away from your parlay.

Renan Barao (-185) vs. Urijah Faber (+170)

I have heard that Barao looks depleted and so on, but I contribute this to his travel to the great white north more than anything. I think come fight night, Barao makes Faber his 30th straight victim for more reasons than I have time to list. Simply put, this feels like Aldo/Faber 2, and like his training partner from Nova Uniao, Barao will find Faber’s lead leg with ease while picking “The California Kid” apart using his reach and those devastating knee’s. The -200 price tag is another reason that Barao is a parlay must here. Currently 0-4 in his last 4 title fights, Faber is going to show us what he does best as of late when gold is on the line, push the fight to the limit but come up short in the end.

Parlay 1
Caraway-Clements-Barao

Parlay 2(Bellator bonus)
Zaromskis-Wiuff-Barao

Props
-Jimmo/Perosh goes the distance
-Ring/McGee goes the distance
-Ebersole/Head does not go the distance
-Ebersole wins inside the distance

Bet what you feel comfortable with and may the winners be yours!

As always, please share your thoughts on who you think will win this Saturday night in the comments section.

Story of the Day: Nick Ring Saves Teenage Couple From Savage Attack in Calgary

(Criminals beware: This man will eff you up.)

Here at CP, we really hate to keep reiterating the same point over and over again, but in this case, we feel the need to make an exception. As you should all know by now, Nick Ring is pretty much the epitome of masculinity. When he’s not making sweet love to a woman bald eagle style, he is more than likely patrolling the Canadian countryside on a horse made of crystal, handing out life lessons to those he happens to pass by. Though they won’t admit it, it is a common understanding that the sons of Ring’s opponents wish that he was their dad. A fun fact about Ring: he once held an opponent’s wife’s hand in a jar of acid at a birthday party. So basically, if you ever find yourself within Ring’s crosshairs, it is already too late.

Unfortunately, a group of ten or so rambunctious Canadian teenagers had never read Lord of the (Promise) Rings before they decided to attack a couple in front of the Calgary native, and boy did they pay for it.

The Calgary Herald has the story:

Calgary’s own UFC fighter, Nick Ring, who had just finished a yoga session and went to Starbucks to get a coffee (Ed note: Like we said, dude’s a BAMF), saw an assault across the street and he wasn’t about to let it go.

Ring – a 33-year-old mixed martial arts fighter who is gearing up for UFC 149 in Calgary next month – was leaving the coffee shop at Mac leod Trail and 94th Avenue when he thought he saw a group of about 10 people beating up a couple to steal the girl’s backpack.

“I did not like what I saw and I wasn’t going to stand around and watch that happen. It was a crime and it was completely wrong,” said Ring.

“I’m not going to let anything like that happen if I’ve got anything to say about it. Not a chance.”