We’re still live from the United Center as now we progress to tonight’s undercard fights televised on FX. You can view our coverage of the Facebook portion of the undercard by clicking here.
Folks … we’ve had some massive tech problems. So the flow of this won’t be right until I get home later tonight. Big thanks to Tim Marchman of Deadspin for at least helping us maintain the Fox Sports blog. And another to the UFC PR team; they’re absolutely amazing, first rate people.
Mike Russow vs Shawn Jordan
Round 2: Russow opens with a big punch but can;t connect, Jordan comes back with some nice power of his own. Russow is connecting well, though, but gets poked in the eye. Time to recover and we’re back. Russsow is going for the clinch and Jordan is countering him better this round; he’s making him eat some punishment for it. Jordan just turned it on this round as he’s moving better. Nice combination started off with a body kick and Jordan with a beautiful double leg. Jordan gets into mount and it’s time for some ground and pound. Russow rolls to his back and Jordan goes for the choke. Russow is rolling and gets him off but Jordan still has his back. Russow tries to roll again and Jordan grabs the hooks, but can’t finish it. RUssow in the scramble and has a front head lock. Back to the cage and we’re in for some clinch work. Jordan drags him down again and is in half guard. Jordan postures up and is landing some shots, Russow rolls to his stomach.
Jordan pounds him until Herb Dean stops him at 3:44 of the second round.
Jordan wins via TKO rd 2, 3:44
Round 1:
Shawn Jordan would like to send a wake-up call to Mike Russow. Within the first 45 seconds, Russow PLASTERS Jordan with a right and follow it up with a series of absolute bricks. Jordan somehow manages not to collapse to the floor, but he is already cut under the right eye. A minute later, Russow is decking Jordan again! Jordan is no Glass Joe as somehow he is absorbing all of this punishment. Jordan escapes a clinch from Russow and bounds around the cage. How does this man still have energy? If anything, Russow is the one huffing and puffing. Russow chases Jordan and plants him against the cage. Jordan has a cut over his left eye as well now and while this round is going to Russow, you do wonder if Jordan might be able to pull off a rope-a-dope.
Score: 10-9 Russow
Rafael Natal vs Sean Spencer
Round 3:
If you have never seen the will of a man broken before, watch this round. Spencer enters the round absolutely exhausted, but still ready to fight. Natal pounces and takes control early. The fight hits the canvas and it’s time to play Wheel of submission. From kimura, to americana, to arm triangle… this is getting painful to watch. Spencer is bleeding on teh mat and having his limbs bent in very unnatural ways. Natal keeps the pressure on and it takes an admirable amount of time before Spencer finally is forced to tap to an arm triangle. Natal celebrates by telling the audience, “I have a great body and a beautiful girlfriend.” That and a statement UFC victory.
Official Result: Natal wins via submission (arm triangle) at 2:13 of round 3
Round 2:
Natal and his corner were smiling and laughing in between rounds. Probably because the end of the last round made it clear that they were in control. If Spencer wants to win this fight he is going to have to keep this standing. That means letting Natal pull you into the clinch and score a takedown is a BAD idea! Natal gets the double underhooks and takes Spencer to the canvas. He forces his weight on top the Spencer and is absolutely sapping the energy out of Spencer even though he isn’t dealing much damage. The round ends with Spencer gasping for dear life as Natal chokes him out. The horn sounds first.
Score: 10-9 Natal, 20-18 Natal
Round 1:
There are two things that you just don’t want to see at the beginning of a fight. One is a nut shot, the other is an eye poke. This time we got the latter and Spencer is forced to take a few moments to get his vision back in check. After about 30 seconds the fight resumes and Spencer seems to be a little angry. Spencer is putting his boxing training to work dancing around the ring and working in some nice combinations. Natal has been handling the barrage well, but isn’t dealing much damage back in return. Natal begins to work in some side and body kicks and is showing a more diverse offense than Spencer. Late in the round, Natal shoots for a takedown, but Spencer stops it. In the finals seconds Natal catches Spencer with a deft left and follows it with another takedown attempt. This time he’s successful and with 20 seconds remaining he deals some earned damage to Spencer. Way to make the judges’ decision for them.
Score: 10-9 Natal
Ryan Bader vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
Round 1: Bader rocks him with a big punch 30 seconds in and Vlad is rocked, Bader grabs a deep guillotine. Vlad tries to fight out of it but can’t. He taps at :50 of the first round
It’s the fastest submission in the history of the UFC light heavyweight division, apparently. Frank Shamrock holds the record, technically, but the division was called “Middleweight” when he tapped Kevin Jackson in Japan in 14 seconds.
Mike Stumpf vs. Pascal Krauss
Round 1: It’s touching the guy from Wisconsin gets booed against the native Chicagoan. Suburbs, technically, but who’s counting?
Krauss comes out more aggressive as Stumpf looks to counter. Stumpf with a nice combination as Krauss eats a nice leg kick. Stumpf wants him in close and Krauss is maintaining his distance. He’s landing more but nothing of big power; more jabs and straights with not much on them. Stumpf catches him coming in and grabs a double leg, lands in full guard. Stumpf is looking to get better position and Krauss is defending well and moving well on his back. He’s looking to set up an armbar and Stumpf wants back up. Krauss initiates the clinch as he goes for a takedown but Stumpf backs out.
A chant for Clay Guida breaks out for no real reason.
Stumpf gets backed into the corner but lands some big time knees to the face. They’re exchanging leg kicks now as Krauss has found his range. Stumpf has to wander in to get anything and he’s eating a lot to get it. Nice from kick from Krauss as well. Krauss rocks him with an uppercut and Stumpf goes for the desperation takedown with 30 seconds left. Krauss defends it against the cage and Krauss goes for one of his own as time expires.
Krauss 10-9
Round 2:
Krauss comes out aggressive but Stumpf is throwing in volume. Krauss lands some nice combinations early. Krauss is taking him apart with combinations. Stumpf is hanging in but Krauss is out classing him so far. Lands a beautiful double leg but Stumpf with a texbook switch to get the advantage and the takedown. Krauss is using butterfly guard to keep Stumpf off him but he’s trapped against the cage. Krauss wall walks his way back up and we’re back to our feet against the cage. Krauss backs up and we’re playing fun with uppercuts as both guys just tee off. Some nice trading and Krauss winds up with position against the cage. Lands some beautiful knees on Stumpf, round ends with a flurry.
10-9 Krauss, 20-18 Krauss
Round 3:
Stumpf comes out and Krauss looks to be getting ready to finish this. He gets him in the order and makes him eat some punishment. Quick stop to get Stumpf’s mouthguard in and we’re back. Krauss unloads a beautiful combination and it’s shocking Stumpf is still standing. Stumpf is wading in but Krauss is landing some great combinations. Stumpf with a takedown attempt but Krauss smells it a mile away. Krauss with another nice combination as Stumpf’s face looks the part now. Krauss is landing combinations and Stumpf is firing back single strikes. Stumpf with another takedown attempt and Krauss defends it well, making him eat a nice elbow as he exits. This is some first rate striking. Stumpf with another takedown attempt and Krauss gets it, landing in full guard with a minute left. He rides it out as he lands enough to keep it honest but not enough to end it.
Krauss 10-9, 30-27
Official decision: 30-27 on all three scorecards
Clay Guida vs. Hatsu Hioki
Round 1:
Guida’s the hometown boy and the crowd erupts during the video package. Chicago loves their native sons and Clay Guida is going to get loved tonight. Hioki doesn’t get much of a reaction outside of the Japanese flag waver on one side of the cage. Got booed once his music stopped. And then the Clay Guida love erupted. On par with Fedor’s entrance in Chicago 3 years ago; can barely hear myself. Jason Guida slaps him a couple times, to get him pysched up, and the second of three Chicago residents tonight is in the cage. Hioki gets booed as soon as he’s introduced … and Guida gets showered with love.
Guida comes out more aggressive as his movement is setting up some nice strikes on Hioki. Guida is the aggressor here; he’s landing some nice leads as Hioki is tentative. Hioki is starting to figure out his movement, though, and lands some nice strikes on him. Guida is moving backward as Hioki is landing some nice shots. He grabs the clinch but Guida won’t let him get it. Some nice striking exchanges and Guida goes for a double that Hioki fends off. Guida goes after it again and Hioki makes him pay with some nice uppercuts. He’s finding spots to land some nice counters on him. This is fairly even so far.
Two minutes left and Guida gets a beautiful double leg and the crowd goes nuts. He’s like a rock star here. Hioki goes a triangle and can’t finish, Guida presses him against the cage and Hioki wall walks his way out. Guida goes in deep for a double again but Hioki sprawls out. Both get out and Guida back on the offensive; Guida with some nice strikes here. Another takedown comes up empty as the round ends.
Guida 10-9
Round 2: Guida comes out with nice jabs. His boxing game looks really crisp so far. Beautiful double and the crowd explodes as he picks him up and slams him to the ground.
Guida’s running for mayor immediately after this, I think.
Hioki goes for a switch and Guida has him stopped. He circles out of it but Hioki can’t get to his feet. He’s got a Kimura in, and deep, but Guida is defending well. Hioki’s looking for rubber guard and gets into a triangle, Guida counters by stacking him. Hioki rolls out of it and we’re back to full guard. Guida starts working some ground and pound, posturing up as he tries to pass. Hioki’s doing a good job at keeping full guard, though, and we’re in a stalemate. Hioki’s looking to sweep and Guida to pass; they stop when the other counters with strikes. Really fascinating stuff in a grappling aspect. Hioki is looking for mission control but Gudia is doing a great job at countering. We get a standup as Hioki is the aggressor. He lands a nice uppercut with 13 seconds left and a big head kick a short while later.
Guida 10-9, 20-18
Round 3:
Back in and Guida is getting chanted some more. He’s popular everywhere but this is Chicago, which loved him first.
Hioki comes out the aggressor, landing some nice uppercuts to the body. Guida is moving away, sticking and moving now. Hioki gets baited into a double as the crowd explodes some more. Hioki with a triangle and gets slammed in it for his efforts. Guida gets out and Hioki locks it in again. This is deep and Hioki is getting stacked for his effort. Guida swims his arm through and we’re back into full guard. Stalemate some more as Guida is riding him out and Hioki is looking for a stand up. Hioki is wall walking his way back up and Guida is on him like wallpaper. Guida’s looking to drag him back all the way down and Hioki is doing a great job preventing him. Hioki manages to get to a crouch but can’t quite get all the way up. Guida’s top position control is something right now. We got a standup at 40 seconds though.
Hioki is going for broke now as he’s throwing much more. Last ten seconds of the round and Guida can’t finish a takedown. Fight’s his though.
10-9 Guida, 30-27 Guida
Official Decision: 29-28 Hioki, 30-27 Guida, 29-28 Guida
TJ Grant vs. Matt Wiman
Round 1: Both guys come out swinging as Wiman lands a nice elbow and head kick. Grant is going for the clinch and Wiman is backing out, but not without taking some damage first. Both guys are throwing a lot but nothing major is landing. Wiman is looking to counter and Grant is going over the top with big looping strikes or uppercuts. Wiman is eating a lot of punishment to get close and Grant is grabbing the clinch as soon as he does; Wiman is looking to grab a takedown and Grant is making him eat some punishment. He gets in deep on a double but can’t finish, nice sprawl by Grant, and Grant gets behind him. Grant gets him down and makes him eat some punishment, but not a lot goes on though. Standup and grants grabs the thai clinch some more. He’s unloading on Wiman in it as he lands a MASSIVE elbow. Wiman goes down like a sack of potatoes and a couple of perfunctory strikes later it’s over. TJ Grant wins via TKO at 4:50 of the first round.
