UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson II Live Coverage

Results


Ever since Season 1 of The Ultimate Fighter, and Chuck Liddell’s rise to the peak of the Light Heavyweight division in UFC, many have waited with bated breath for his return match with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. With rumors of a “dream match” challenge being made immediately following the contest, tonight’s card becomes even more meaningful. Should Liddell avenge his 3rd career loss against the 26-6 Jackson, will it be Rua, Wanderlei Silva or Dan Henderson issuing the challenge? If Rampage wins, will the match still happen?

UFC 71: LIDDELL vs. JACKSON II
SATURDAY, MAY 26

Live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas!


We are LIVE with announcers Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan. Tonight is about redemption for Chuck Liddell on his quest to prove he is the best 205 lb. fighter in the world. Can he avenge the “butt whooping” he received in Japan four years ago?

The WINNER of tonight’s Light Heavyweight fight will be fighting PRIDE Welterweight and Middleweight Champ, Dan Henderson. Well, that ends all THAT speculation, doesn’t it?

Fight 1: Chris Leben (16-3) vs. Kalib Starnes (9-2-1)
Ref: Mario Yamasaki

Round 1 – After 30 seconds of light sparring, Starnes moves Leben to the cage before they break away again. Knee to the head by Leben. Front Kick by Karin Starnes. Leg kick by Leben and he slips as he attempts a left head kick. Starnes is bleeding under the left eye. Left hook from Leben catches Starnes’ chin as Starnes hits a leg kick. Leben boxes Kalib to the cage, but Starnes reverses, unable to capitalize on the clinch.

Leben misses a spinning back fist, but Starnes takes him down. Kalib to the body and right cross to the face from the guard position. Starnes appears content to maintain position. Leben pushes to his feet, and the round ends with a flurry of punches from Kalib.

Round 2 – Body kick by Starnes. Front kick by Starnes, followed by an inside leg kick. Inside leg kcik by Leben. Big right from Kalib, Leben falls back to the cage and Starnes takes Leben down to the ground. Starnes tries to trick Leben into getting up, but Leben dodges the attack this time and is back on his feet. Three big left kicks by Leben. Starnes is completely gassed, his mouth is wide open. Leben is throwing combinations, Starnes almost gets the Muay Thai knee, but Leben slips out. Kalib with a big right hand. Leben continues to press the action. Knee from Leben catches Kalib on the crown of the head.

Kevin James and Adam Sandler are sitting together. Funny, right?

Round 3 – Leben goes for a high kick, Starnes tries to counter with a right. Leben is working some punching combinations. He really needs to turn it up this round, I guess. Leben is “swarming” on Starnes this round. Big body kick to the liver, Starnes is hurt bad. Leben is pulled into Starnes guard, that kick buckled Kalib.

Starnes tries for an armbar, but Leben pulls back and tries for a bomb. He changed his mind and dives in to land some rabbit punches. Starnes reverses and is on top. Nice pass. Chris is annoying Starnes: boxing his ears and temples. Leben has done a really good job in the “rubber guard.” Kalib hits a big forearm to Leben’s face. Heels to the kidneys by Leben. Just little peppering shots by “the Crippler.” The fans are booing.

Starnes lets Leben to his knee and lands a big shot. He takes Leben down into half guard. Leben working elbows and little punches to pepper his grill. Starnes hits some hammer fists, but Leben definitely out-punched him this round.

Mandy Moore? Okay.

Eddie Bravo scores the fight 29-28 Starnes, but it wasn’t that clear who won any of those rounds.

Official Decision – Kalib Starnes (29-28, 30-27, 29-28, Unanimous Decision)

Fight 2: Houston Alexander (6-1, UFC Debut) vs. Keith Jardine (12-3-1)
Ref: Steve Mazzagatti

Round 1 – Jardine catches Alexander with a huge bomb. Alexander catches Jardine with a big right. He goes down. A big uppercut from Houston, Jardine down again. Second and third uppercuts from Houston Alexander knock Keith Jardine out. Jardine’s mouthpiece goes flying out. Wow. HUGE knockout.

Official Decision – Houston Alexander by knockout (0:48, Round 1)

Jardine was upset to not be fighting a “contender,” so it is only fitting that he got his ass clobbered. At least Keith kept trying to get up, he just doesn’t know how to defend the uppercut from a Muay Thai clinch, eh?

Criss Angel in the house!

Fight 3: Terry Martin (17-2) vs. Ivan Salaverry (12-4-1)
Ref: Mario Yamasaki

Terry Martin came out to “Billy Jean” because, according to Martin, Ivan Salaverry dances around too much in the octagon. Ha!

Round 1 – Some boxing and glancing kicks to start. High kick from Salaverry. Inside leg kick from Ivan, but Martin pushes him back to the cage. Martin has Ivan’s back on their feet. Ivan has the wrist and is going to roll to the ground for a kimura. Martin does a KILLER belly-to-back suplex. Salaverry slams directly onto his head, Martin nails some big hammer fists, but Yamasaki stops the fight.

Official Decision – Terry Martin by TKO (2:04, Round 1)

Ivan Salaverry has no complaints about the stoppage, he landed squarely on his head, and did not brace himself; he had the kimura attempt in his sights. Martin calls out Anderson Silva for a Middleweight Title fight, but that means a whole bunch of people think the champ will make it past Nate Marquardt

David Spade? Meh. He’s one of the tiniest dudes I have ever met, but he loves Samba music.

Don’t ask.

Fight 4: Karo Parisyan (24-4) vs. Josh Berkman (19-3)
Ref: Herb Dean

Round 1 – Berkman and Parisyan are eager and come out swinging. Big leg kick by Berkman, but Karo catches it. Berkman has Karo against the cage, but he lets him out. Quick right by Karo. Karo stuffs a takedown, so Berkman switches stances. Karo goes for the uppercut, but Berkman jabs him away. Berkman is caught with a big right hook by Karo. Right leg kick by Kari. Karo goes for the flying knee, Berkman catches the leg and takes him Parisyan down. Berkman lets him up, but his knee glances off the side of Karo’s head. BIG judo throw by Karo, but Berkman eventually gets out/back to his feet. Good right hand by Josh, Karo returns the favor. Parisyan JUST misses the high kick. Karo is working for the kimura from their feet. Berkman lifts Parisyan for a slam, Karo lets the kimura go as the horn sounds to end Round 1.

Round 2 – Some leg kicks from Karo. Big uppercut by Berkman misses the mark. Big right leg kick from Josh, but Karo catches it and delivers a right hand of his own. Jab by Berkman misses. Left high kick from Karo misses. Berkman hits a bomb, Karo staggers but waves him in for more. Karo picks Josh apart with two punches. Left hook by Karo connects. Karo appears to be measuring Berkman, catches him with a knee against the cage. Berkman backs Karo up with a combo. Berkman appears to be very tired; his hands are at his side prompting his corner to yell, “Get those hands up!” Karo connect with a combo against the cage. Two more shots to the mouth by Karo in the center of the octagon.

Round 3 – Berkman tries to hit a big knee. He knows he has to “go for broke.” Big right hook by Berkman misses. Josh is throwing the haymaker, hoping it hits. Karo has double underhooks agains the cage. Berkman hits a big takedown/slam with 3:37 left in the round. Berkman gets into Karo’s guard, but Parisyan is working for a sweep to an armbar. Karo rolls out and is back to his feet. Karo sweeps Berkman with the kimura in sight. Parisyan lets it go and is back to his feet. Karo has a body lock and is looking for another judo throw, but moves away with some punches. Berkman is still looking for the big shot, but he is still coming forward despite being very tired. Karo with a nice left hand. Berkman ducks under the high kick. Karo snuffs the takedown and walks Josh to the cage, avoiding the big slam. Good fight from both guys, Berkman was going for broke, and Karo (with Randy Couture in his corner) earned that win.

Eddie Bravo gives the fight to Karo Parisyan 29-28, giving the final round to Josh Berkman. Andre Agassi and wife Steffi Graf are in the house. Who’s watching the kids?

Official Decision – Karo Parisyan (30-27, 30-27, 29-28, Unanimous Decision)

Karo Parisyan sings to the crowd reminding us all that, “My judo throws are the best in the world, all the other throws are done by little girls!” American Idol MUST be in the works for him!

Lightweight fight is up next from earlier in the evening.

Fight 5: Jeremy Stephens (13-1, UFC Debut) vs. Din Thomas (22-7)
Ref: “Big” John McCarthy

Round 1 – Din slips under a punch and takes Stephens to the ground. Closed guard by Jeremy, and Stephens controls Din from the bottom. Side control is taken by Thomas, but Stephens pops into half guard when Din tries for the kimura. Elbows from Thomas. Side control pass by Thomas, and he drops to glancing left elbows. Din turns Stephens to the back with his legs, and is working for a rear naked choke. Jeremy escapes the attempt, but Din has a body vice. Stephens rolls it over to put pressure on Din’s ankles but the 21-year-old appears to be very calm. Stephens weathers the storms, rolls out and it raining HUGE punches on Din Thomas. Back to their feet, nice work by the UFC rookie.

Round 2 – Spinning back fist from Stephens. Surviving the first round against a BJJ Black Belt has given him a TON of confidence. Two kicks from Stephens. Good jab from Thomas. Din shoots for the takedown, but Stephens takes control in the guard. Jeremy Stephens tries to break the armbar attempt by Din Thomas with a big slam. It didn’t work, and Stephens taps (or doesn’t he?) but Din has the armbar in tight, so Big John stops it.

Official Decision – Din Thomas by Submission (Armbar, 2:44, Round 2)

Lil Jon is in the house! I just saw a can of Crunk! Energy Drink today, so this makes me very happy. Somewhere, JF2k7 is weeping.

Bijou Phillips and director Eli Roth from Hostel 2. Nice, we get a trailer from the movie, which will surely be the Make-Out Movie of the Summer (either that or your date will surely puke!)

Main Event Time!

The video package has celebrities calling the results: Agassi, Spade, Roger Huerta, and Criss Angel all call Chuck Liddell for the win. Poor Rampage. I hope he destroys “Iceman” to prove that win in Japan was NO fluke.

MAIN EVENT for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title
“Iceman” Chuck Liddell [c] (20-3) vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (26-6)
Ref: “Big” John McCarthy

Round 1 – Rampage is stalking Liddell. Liddell is making Rampage chase, so he can counter his efforts. Rampage stands with hands open as if to ask Chuck when he is going to start fighting, Liddell misses a left hook. Rampage peppers Chuck with two big shots. Rampage lands a HUGE right hand on the button, knocking Chuck onto his back. Chuck goes limp as Rampage drops two or three bombs on a prone Liddell. Big John stops the fight.

Official Decision – Winner and NEW UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson by KO (1:53, Round 1)

WOW! Awesome hi-jinks from Rampage and Chuck is a class act in defeat. Dan Henderson gets into the ring with Rampage and Rogan after the fight with both his PRIDE Middle and Welterweight Titles in tow. Rampage doesn’t want to fight his friends, but he wants a house like Henderson’s, so the match is set.

Fight 7: Carmelo Marrero (6-1) vs. Wilson Gouveia (8-4)
Ref: Mario Yamasaki

Round 1 – The fans start booing 30 seconds in, but the fighters haven’t done anything to warrant that. They must not have opened the taps on the kegs at that point. Gouveia is inviting Marrero to take a shot at him, but no attempt just yet.

Inside leg kick by Gouveia. Marrero tries to come over the top with the cross, but he drops to his knees before stumbling back up. Gouveia hits two big leg kicks; the second buckles Marrero. ANOTHER big leg kick takes Marrero down, and he gets caught with a knee on the way down. Deep, nasty guillotine by Gouveia (both the arm in AND the top mount). Marrero taps.

Official Decision – Wilson Gouveia by Submission (Guillotine, 3:06, Round 1)

Joe and Mike give the TapOut Submission of the Night to Din Thomas for his nasty armbar on Jeremy Stephens. Where does Chuck go from here? If we match up Dan Henderson and Rampage, are we really seeing the best two fighters in the world? Who cares! Another great show tonight, but keep it tuned to Inside Fights for all the MMA coverage you could ask for.

Thanks and good night!

Matthew Michaels is one of the original editors of Pulse Wrestling, and was founding editor of Inside Fights and of Inside Pulse Music.