UFC 74 Respect
by Holli Yargo Hearne
Middleweights
Patrick “The Predator†Cote vs. Kendall “Da Spyder†Grove
Referee: Herb Dean
Weighing in only ½ pound different, there is a 7 inch height difference between the two fighters.
Cote starts with an overhand right, surprising the crowd and Grove with his unexpected aggression. Cote lands a combination then clinches up with Grove, keeping the Hawaiia close, neutralizing his lanky legs. Dean breaks them up and sends them to the center of the cage. Cote lands two leg kicks but Kendall answers with a kick of his own. Grove lands some inside knees but Cote doesn’t appear too phased. Cote lands a couple body shots from the clinch. Cote fails a takedown attempt and is punched by a hard shot to the face. An exchange of right hands is followed by Grove landing another vicious kick. Cote rocks Grove with a big right behind Grove’s ear, landing punches on the ground, attempts a choke but ground and pounds Grove to a TKO win 2:45 into the first round.
Lightweights
Joe “Daddy†Stevenson vs. Kurt “Batman†Pellegrino
Referee: Big John McCarthy
Both fighters weighed in at 155. Pellegrino came in 1 inch taller than Stevenson but Stevenson has the reach advantage.
Pellegrino starts with a jab but both fighters were clearly ready to brawl. Stevenson lands a hard knee to the body. Pellegrino gets the takedown but nearly gets caught in a guillotine. Stevenson sweeps then takes Pellegrino’s back. Pellegrino stands but Stevenson gets the suplex takedown. Stevenson sinks another guillotine but Pellegrino is able to pop out. Pellegrino attempts side control but Stevenson keeps him at bay with a variety of guards. Stevenson stays busy with submission attempts and punches from his back. Pellegrino rocks Stevenson with a right hand inside Stevenson’s guard. The round ends before Pellegrino can capitalize.
Round two opens with an exchange of jabs and combinations. Pellegrino shoots for takedown only to get nailed with hammerfists. Stevenson continues to connect with jabs and uppercuts. Stevenson misses with a right but falls into Pellegrino’s guard. Pellegrino’s left eyebrow was opened up by a wicked elbow which Stevenson used as a target. Stevenson takes Pellegino’s back, feeding leather to Pellegrino. Pellegrino escapes another guillotine attempt. Pellegrin lands another hard right to Stevenson from Stevenson’s open guard. Pellegrino attempts a guillotine just as the round ends.
Pellegrno sinks a big uppercut followed by a combination to open the third round. Steveson lands a right hook but is taken down. Stevenson keeps Pelegrino in a close guard. Big John stands the fighters up and Stevenson gets up with new energy but falls into a guillotine attempt but Pellegrino is not able to hold it. Stevenson pins Pellegrino against the cage feeding unanswered left punches and vicious kicks to the face. Pellegrino stands but Stevenson takes him down again. Pellegrino is able to get side control but Stevenson revearses to throw more punches. Pellegrino rolls to try for a leg submission but the round ends before either fighter can finish. Forrest Griffin mugged it up for the cameras with The Six Million dollar Man while waiting for the judges’ decision. Stevenson was awarded the unanimous decision win, asking Joe Rogan what he thought was next for him. Rogan said he thought Stevenson was ready for a title shot.
Lightweights
Roger “El Matador†Huerta vs. Alberto Crane
Referee: Steve Mazzagatti
Both fighters come in at 155. This is Crane’s UFC debut.
Crane opens with leg kicks only to eat a fist. Crane shoots for a takedown, attempting a footlock but is almost caught in a rear naked choke. Huerta rolls for a reverse triangle attempt but Crane reverses for a submission attempt of his own. Huerta reverses landing haymakers while avoiding Crane’s legs. Crane tries to take Huerta’s arm but can only achieve side control. Huerta gives up his back but is able to avoid a rear naked choke. Huerta reverses to land haymakers and elbows. Huerta escapes a guillotine but a puffy bleeding mouse is revealed under the eye of Crane.
The second round opens with a more aggressive Huerta. Crane attempts an armbar but Huerta escapes. The round ends with neither fighter finishing.
Round three demonstrates a crafty Huerta who uses the big screen to see where Crane’s head is, as Crane clings to the Texan’s back, allowing him to throw nasty elbows without even looking behind. Huerta takes Crane’s back and pounds out Crane for a TKO win 1:50 in the third round.
Welterweights
Georges “Rush†St-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck
Referee: Big John McCarthy
Coming off the biggest win of his career over Diego Sanchez, Koscheck confidently prepares to demonstrate his newly developed striking skills against St-Pierre, a proven striker. St-Pierre, returning to the octagon following his most devastating loss believes he’s stronger than ever and will have an answer to whatever the wrestler thinks he can bring. Both fighters come in at the same height and weight with only a two year age difference between them.
Despite their matching height and weight, St-Pierre looks huge compared to his opponent. Koscheck trades punches with St Pierre but is surprised when he is taken down. Koscheck holds GSP in half guard but eats punches and elbows until GAP pins him against the cage. This is a very different GSP than who we saw in Houston at UFC 69. Kos gets up, trying a takedown but GSP sprawls. Kos manages an explosive single leg takedown landing in GSP’s butterfly guard. Kos lands a hard right just before the round ends.
GSP fakes a superman punch, landing leg kicks and getting another takedown back into Kos’s half guard. Kos escapes a kimura attempt. GSP attempts another kimura but again lets it go. GSP gains side control but eats a couple of elbows. Kos scrambles and rolls, but GSP maintains control returning to Kos’s half guard. GSP all but sits on Kos’s head, cranking up Kos’s right arm for another kimura attempt. Kos maintains control of his arm but decidedly loses round two.
GSP opens the third round with some inside leg kicks but Kos is able to answer with jabs. Kos throws punches and elbows but is essentially shadowboxing. GSP fakes another superman punch to land a hard leg kick to Kos’s knee. GSP delivers a superman punch followed by a leg kick. Kos gets GSP’s left leg but the Canadian powers out, falling into Kos’s guard, reining elbows. Kos’s nose is clearly bloodied as he struggles to survive on his back. GSP works an armory of body shots and elbows, sinking a leg lock but the round ends before he is able to finish. From my perspective, Kos definitively lost this fight and the judges agreed. GSP takes a unanimous decision victory, defeating Koscheck at his own game.
Heavyweight Title Fight
Randy “The Natural†Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Referee: Herb Dean
Couture defends his belt, won in a shocking upset over Tim Sylvia earlier in the year. Gonzaga takes this challenge after knocking out Mirko Cro Cop with a deadly head kick.
Couture says he wants to “beat the dog crap out of Gabe Gonzaga.†Gonzaga outweighs couture by about 20 pounds but Couture has the reach advantage.
Gonzaga comes out with a right hand but Couture rocks the Brazilian and takes him down. Gonzaga stands but Couture takes his back against the cage, clinching up and dirty boxing. Gonzaga throws punches that missed their mark but lands a kick. Courture gets a big takedown but Gonzaga stands immediately. Gonzaga lands some knees but his nose is bleeding profusely. Gonzaga’s nose is apparently broken as he breathes heavily through his mouth. Couture powers elbows and shoulders from the clinch. Couture strikes out with heavy, heavy elbows. Gonzaga picks off a good combination but is pushed back to the cage just as the round ends.
Gonzaga attempts a head kick but Couture was ready and ducks under, pressing the bigger man against the cage. A slugfest ensues but Gonzaga calls a time-out for not being able to see. Herb Dean asks him if he wants to continue and the fight presses on. A point is taken from Gonzaga for grabbing the fence. Couture powers combinations and uppercuts, throwing knees to the face of the exhausted Brazilian. Gonzaga’s smashed nose bleeds down Couture’s back as he is smothered by The Natural, eating uppercuts. Gonzaga spits blood before failing a takedown at the buzzer.
Couture opens the three spot with an overhand right. Gonzaga answers with a head kick. Couture gets the takedown, grounding and pounding from half guard. Dean stops the fight, giving Couture the TKO win. Couture once again dominates a younger, bigger contender to remain the UFC Heavyweight Champion of the World.
Middleweights
Thales Leites vs. Ryan Jensen
Referee: Herb Dean
Leites comes in as a last minute replacement for Travis Lutter. He was three pounds overweight at weigh-ins but was able to cut after two additional hours of sweating. Jensen came in at a perfect 185. Both fighters stand at 73†tall. Their records are both 11-1.
Jensen comes out with two high kicks which are answered by a kick from Leities. Jensen pushes forward, leading the pace. Jensen hooks a guillotine attempt but Leites is able to circle out. Both fighters stand with Leites taking Jensen’s back only to eat a hard, blind elbow. Leites attempts a submission but Jensen stands up to escape. Leites pulls guard and attempts an armbar. Jensen escapes only to be caught in another armbar, forcing him to tap.
Disappointingly, the bouts between Sobral vs. Heath, Mir vs. Hardonk, and Guida vs. Aurelio were not televised. Nevertheless, the results are as follows: Renato “Babalu†Sobral pounded Heath into a bloody mess (the evidence left behind on the canvas was televised even though the fight was not) before choking the OK native for the tap. A fierce Frank Mir submitted kickboxer Antoni Hardonk. It’s high time the Dutchman learn some ground skills. Californian Clay Guida took a split decision win over Pride veteran Marcus Aurelio.
