Welcome fight fans to the udnercard of UFC on Fox 5. Follow us as we cover the undercard, then switch on over to our favorite butter-toothed Brit Will Cooling and follow the main card after Edwards vs. Stephens.
Scott Jorgensen vs. John Albert
Round 1: Some light striking exchanges to start and a wild scramble off a Jorgensen shot leads to Albert in full guard, Jorgensen rides him out until Albert sweeps him 90 seconds in. Goes for full hooks and Jorgensen throws him off, scramble leads back to the same position as Jorgensen works ground and pound out in Albert’s guard. Albert pulls a deep triangle and Jorgensen is in deep, Albert pulls on the head and Jorgensen is fighting out of it and manages to free the inside arm and eventually moves into side control. Jorgensen works striking as Albert sneaks back into full guard again. Scramble and Jorgensen grabs back, sinks a rear naked choke and taps at 4:59 of the first round. Barely got that in before the buzzer rang off, too. Scott Jorgensen wins via submission due to a rear naked choke at 4:59 of the first round.
Dennis Siver vs. Nam Phan
In the pre-fight interview with Ariel Helwani Nam Phan apparently compared Dennis Siver to a neckless ninja turtle. I’d humbly disagree; he kind of looks like whatever they pulled out of Brock Lesnar’s intestine years ago.
Round 1: Siver comes out gauging distance with kicks early and is throwing hands when Phan steps forward. Early on he’s timing Phan’s aggressiveness right now; as soon as Phan comes within distance he’s hitting him with good shots. He’s following leg kicks with punches from the same side, and then combinations; Phan is not getting into a rhythm early because Siver is really working him over. Phan is getting eaten up here; Siver is shell-shocked right now as Siver is just taking him apart now. He’s moving forward but not throwing much because the German is throwing early and often. He’s doing a kick-boxing version of the slap boxing style that the Diaz boys do; he drops Phan with 90 seconds left, who quickly recovers. Siver with a beautiful single leg but can’t quite finish, scramble on the TDD and Phan eats a straight for his effort. Round ends with Siver taking him apart some more.
Score: 10-9 Siver
Score So Far: 10-9 Siver
Round 2: Siver comes out and doing the same thing but Phan is a bit more active in throwing strikes. He’s aiming for the body but he’s eating some punishment; he hits a nice combination but gets dropped by a big right hook for his efforts. So far this is a repeat of the first round but with Phan being a bit more active; Siver is dictating the pace and making Phan pay whenever he wants to engage. Phan is taking a lot of punishment at the midway point of the round. Halfway through the round a sloppy double leg from Siver works and lands in half guard. Phan is defending well as Phan is looking for a sweep but he’s eating some elbows for his efforts. Sive ris using position and is trying for a crucifix but Phan is using half guard to defend it. He’s eating a lot of strikes though as Siver is teeing off with rights as he moves into side control. Phan tries to roll out with a hip escape but nearly gives up back, then gives up mount as Siver is grinding him out. Round ends as Phan is holding on for dear life.
Score: 10-9 Siver
Score So Far: 20-18, Siver
Round 3: Siver comes out and we start similar to the first two rounds as Siver uses his leg kicks to keep him at bay. 30 seconds in Siver grabs another double and Phan is in half guard, playing defense. Siver is looking for a head arm triangle as Siver is throwing some leather onto Phan’s face. Siver goes for mount and Phan tries to scramble, winds up in deep half guard again. Siver is unloading on him as Phan is not doing a whole lot besides get hit in the face. Phan is holding on in a sloppy 50/50 guard from bottom as Siver lands some big elbows. Credit to Phan for surviving this; Siver is mauling him like Jimmy Hettes mauled him two fights ago. Pham spends the final minute hanging on for dear life as he’s eating punishment for the final two minutes on his back.
Score: 10-9 Siver
Score So Far: 30-27 Siver
Official Result: 30-24,30-25,30-26 Siver on all three cards
That has a strong chance of being tonight’s WTF scoring decision. Strong rounds but not a 10-8 to be had in any of them.
Fun fact: Marcus LeVesseur is one of only two athletes in NCAA history to go undefeated and win four NCAA titles in amateur wrestling. LeVesseur and Cael Sanderson hold that distinction, though LeVesseur did his at the Division III level. Collegiate wrestling boards always speculated on what he could do at the Division I level, as well, like Fedor in the UFC to MMA boards.
Marcus LeVesseur vs. Abel Trujillo
Round 1: LeVesseur comes out and gets the takedown right out the gate and is on Trujillo like white on rice. Trujillo back on his feet but LeVesseur will not quit on the takedown as Trujillo fights off with downward elbows. He’s fighting it off well and they play the cage dance game. Broken up quickly by the ref and back to the middle so LeVesseur can go for the takedown some more. Trujillo lands a big uppercut and LeVesseur back to the takedown and gets it, Trujillo on his feet as LeVesseur has back for a moment and back to the cage for some more cage dancing. Trujillo makes LeVesseuer eat a big knee to the head and some elbows as he’s like a dog with a bone on that leg. He’s just getting lit up on strikes while he goes for that takedown; ref breaks it up again. Trujillo with a big flying knee and LeVesseur goes for a desperation takedown, rides out the round as the cobwebs are probably still there.
Score: Trujillo 10-9
Score So Far: 10-9 Trujillo
Round 2: Interesting change as LeVesseur comes out throwing. Trujillo throws a kick that gets caught, wild scramble and LeVesseur with a guillotine that turns into a north south choke. Trujillo rolls out and another scramble, Trujillo with some wild strikes, LeVesseur with a monster uppercut that drops Trujillo. Trujillo is dropped and LeVesseur dives into his guard and lands some big strikes. Trujillo rolls to his stomach and on his knees, Levesseur grabs his back and lands some strikes. Trujillo back to his feet and cage dance for a bit. LeVesseur backs off and back to the middle of the cage. LeVesseur with a single and Trujillo fights him off and then pulls his leg off, then goes to back. Trujillo is landing some MASSIVE knees to the body as Marcus isn’t doing anything to defend. Fight is stopped at 3:57. Abel Trujillo wins via TKO at 3:57 of the second round.
Daron Cruickshank vs. Henry Martinez
Round 1: Martinez comes out going for a takedown and grabs a singl eafter eating some body shots from Cruickshank. Nothing much happens as it stalls out and a break from the ref; they both come out just winging strikes at one another and Martinez goes for the takedown again against the cage, Cruickshank defending well while going for a kimura. He lets go and another wild exchange from the two. Martinez eats a big knee and then an uppercut, misses a wheel kick as his face is bloodied up. Big body shot and Martinez is hurt and Cruickshank pours it on, just teeing off on him. Martinez roars back with another flurry and we’re back to the middle of the cage. Some light feeling out moments for some time as Cruickshank with a wheel kick to the body. Another combination followed by a flurry from Cruickshank, flying knee and Martinez responds in kind. Wild finish to the round.
Score: 10-9 Cruickshank
Score So Far: 10-9 Cruickshank
Round 2: Martinez comes out and goes for the takedown again, in deep on a single but against the cage. Cruickshank defends it well, circles away and lights up Martinez again. How is this kid standing right now? Cruickshank has landed a ton and the pace has slowed down considerably. Cruickshank is throwing a lot of nuanced kicks here; lots of variety to them. And then a head kick at 2:56 knocks Martinez out. Cruickshank wins by KO at 2:56 of the second round.
Ramsey Nijem vs. Joe Proctor
Round 1: Wild brawling to start and Ramsey goes for a takedown, Proctor grabs a guillotine and holds it against the cage. Proctor with a couple of nice knees as Ramsey is clinging to that single. Lets it go and they start throwing down. Ramsey is really using distance well against Proctor, who’s a good chunk taller. Jumping push kick to the body and Ramsey is pouring it on, circles around and gets back. Ramsey is pouring on the strikes with his left while working for the RNC with his right. Ramsey pulls him to the ground and then turns it into mount, hip escape by Proctor and back to their feet as Ramsey pushes him to the cage with a double. Proctor is going for the guillotine and is taken to the ground, Ramsey transitioning to the back again and gets rolled to his feet. Ramsey is pouring it on and Proctor catches him with a big strike and Ramsey is down on the counter. Proctor gets on top and into Ramsey’s half guard. Round ends as Proctor looks for the guillotine but can’t quite sink it from a front headlock.
Score: 10-10
Score So Far: 10-10
Round 2: Both guys come out throwing but not connecting with a lot of powerful shots. Ramsey is connecting with low leg kicks more as Proctor is defending up top much more than checking kicks. Ramsey is throwing some nice inside leg kicks; not connecting with a lot of punches but some nice strikes with his feet. His hand speed has slowed down and Proctor is countering him effectively. Ramsey grabs the double and Proctor in full guard. Proctor goes for a triangle but NIjem stands up out of it immediately, scramble and Proctor goes for a front choke, Nijem pressed against the cage. Proctor is cranking this but can’t finish; he loses it as he goes for mount but keeps the front headlock. Ramsey fights out of it and grabs a double but Proctor works it for a good chunk of time. Proctor with a kimura from bottom that can’t connect, round ends with Nijem landing some slight strikes from top.
Score: Nijem 10-9
Score So Far: Nijem 20-19
Round 3: Nijem with a nice body shot followed by a nice overhand right to start the round. Some light brawling and Ramsey with a takedown attempt, Proctor goes for an armbar off his back and looks for a kimura but can’t finish that either. Proctor wall walks but Nijem holds him against the cage as he goes for a mount. He’s working the body but he’s looking for a guillotine of his own. Ramsey takes back and Proctor explodes up to his feet, Proctor goes for another guillotine but slips out and lands in full guard. Ramsey is using light ground and pound and Proctor back to his feet and grabs the back as he goes for an armbar. Ramsey stacks him up and loses it as Nijem tees off on him with nothing of real power. He’s not quite gassed but getting there. Proctor gets back as Nijem loses position; both to their feet and round ends as they’re throwing with no regard.
Score: Nijem 10-9
Score So Far: Nijem 30-28
Official Result: 30-27, 29-28,29-28 Nijem
Raphael Assuncao vs. Mike Easton
Round 1: Raphael opens with a nice spin kick, Easton moves out with footwork and goes for one of his own that doesn’t hit. He’s look for the counter against Raphael, answering a kick with a beautiful combination. He’s hitting some nice combinations here, everything’s nice and crisp. Raphael has found his timing because Easton is pressing forward relentlessly; Easton is being more aggressive because Raphael isn’t throwing off his back foot like he was earlier in the round. Head kick from Raphael misses and Easton misses the counter hook. Raphael is moving out of the way as Easton’s aggression is being countered for fairly well by Raphael. After a strike or two he moves out of the way; Easton isn’t getting wild though. Raphael goes for a double with a minute left but Easton works his way out of it wonderfully. Raphael cage dances with Easton to finish the round, a break in the action with a handful of seconds left.
Score: Easton 10-9
Score So Far: 10-9 Easton
Round 2: Easton starts out a bit more aggressive in his movements in the second as Raphael is countering well. Easton is a bit cautious in throwing, though, as Raphael is countering much more effectively this round. Wheel kick looks pretty from Raphael but doesn’t hit. Easton backs him against the cage with movement and the two throw wildly, not missing much, as Raphael lands a knee south of the border. Time to take a break as Easton recovers.
Easton lands a nice combination to start; apparently getting kicked in the nuts charged him up a bit. Raphael is being more aggressive with his movements as Easton is moving backwards more often than in the round. Raphael is landing more leg kicks and Easton goes for the double, sprawl by Raphael and he gets away. Spinning back fist and Easton can’t connect with a takedown.
Score: 10-9 Raphael
Score So Far: 19-19
Round 3: Easton comes out aggressive again as he’s fighting like he’s down on the scorecards. Raphael is looking for counters and has found his range against him. Easton is throwing aggressively but not connecting as Raphael is countering him well. He goes for a takedown and gets deep on a single but Easton is defending it wonderfully. He tries to spin him down but Easton defends it and is back on his feet at the end of the spin. Circles away and Raphael again with the takedown, goes for a double and then lets it go for a body lock against the cage. Spin away from the cage as Easton is throwing wild with everything he has; Raphael with another takedown attempt but Easton is defending it wonderfully. Raphael is using the cage but backs out after being unable to finish the takedown. Raphael’s counters are really good at this point as Easton goes for a double leg out of desperation that doesn’t finish. Round with some light striking.
Score: 10-9 Raphael
Score So Far: 29-28 Raphael
Official Result: 29-28, 30-27, 30-27 Raphael Assuncao
Yves Edwards vs. Jeremy Stephens
Round 1: Both guys come out fairly tentative, not throwing a lot. Leg kick from Stephens is caught and Edwards goes for the takedown, Stephens defends well and back to their feet. Stephens is throwing straight down the middle and Edwards moving backwards as soon as he sees him throw any punches. Edwards with a big strike and Stephens goes down, Edwards pours it on and Stephens is out at 1:55 of the first round. Yves Edwards wins via TKO at 1:55 of the first round.
