Michiko Omigawa vs. Matt Wiman opens the show.
Omigawa held a guillotine as the key move of the round. Both guys had some ground and pound. Competitive first round with Omigawa holding a slight edge.
Omigawa connected with lots of punches early and Wiman was trying for a takedown but not getting it. It slowed down near the cage. Trading again. Wiman looking tired. Wiman back with a big head kick and went for a takedown and got on top. Wiman came back with punches and a second takedown. Wiman mostly held him down. Another close round. Wiman maybe close. Omigawa didn't do much after an early flurry.
Trading and Wiman got the takedown. Wiman got his back and punched him on the ground. Then got on top and ground and pound. A few decent shots on the ground. One good shot on the ground by Wiman. Some elbows by Wiman. Elbows and punches by Wiman. Easily Wiman's round. He threw some hard body kicks just as time expired. Then he did some push-ups I guess to show he wasn't tired. I have it 29-28 for Wiman. Omigawa on on the ground with tons of people attending to him.
Omigawa is up and responding okay. He was pretty shaken up while leaving. Some swelling around Omigawa's eyes. He looks like a guy who has taken a beating. Wiman 29-28, 30-27, 29-28.
There are completely empty sections up top. Not an early arriving crowd as the place is pretty empty right now, but we're early. But by where people are sitting, it looks like it'll be farther from a full house than any UFC show since the boom started.
Scott Junk vs. Christian Wellisch is up next.
Bulling each other in the corner. Crowd starting to boo quickly. But boos didn't last long. Junk going for a home run haymaker. Junk with uppercuts to the body. Knnes to body by Junk. Wellisch back with two knees to the body. Mostly clinch fighting. Wellisch finally got a takedown and going for a heel hook. Junk tapped out.
Diego Saraiva vs. Jeremy Stephens is next.
Saraiva got him down right away. Throwing some short elbows from side position. Got full mount. Stephenhs turned his back after taking punches. Saraiva working for a choke. Stephens escaped and got top position. Hard elbow by Stephens. Saravia going for a triangle from the bottom. Stephens with the pop of the show with a big power bomb out of it and a second shorter power bomb. The second one broke the triangle. Throwing elbows. Crowd giving them a huge standing ovation. Close round. I guess Stephens for better punches from the top and the power bomb.
Saraiva tried a takedown but Stephens ended up on top. Elbows by Stephens. Not much to the round. John McCarthy ordered a stand-up. Saraiva tried to snatch a footlock but got nowhere with it. Stephans round for sure. I've got it 20-18 for Stephens.
Stephens opened with a hard slam for the takedown. Stephens hitting elbows from the top and some punches. Stephens connected with some solid punches. Stephehns stacked himn up against the fence and threw a flurry. Stephens connected with solid shots to the face. Crowd isn't booing at all but this isn't much of a fight. Stephens finished strong with wild punches from the top. Crowd loved him because of the power bomb as they cheered pretty loud for what wasn't that good of a fight. Stephens had to win rounds two and three for sure. I've got it 30-27 but 29-28 is plausible.
Scores were 30-27 across the board for Stephens.
Andy Johnson vs. Rich Clementi is the final prelim match.
Johnson dropped him with a punch. Clementi quickly tried a triangle and Johnson hit a sloppy power bomb. Hard knee by Johnson to the body. Clementi rocked him with a punch. Johnson missed on some big punches. Johnson went to touch gloves and Clementi gave him a low kick. Both these guys were called late so conditioning could be a big factor. Clementi took him down and got his back and is punching. Johnson trying for a Kimura. Johnson swung wildly to end the round. Johnson gets the round due to the knockdown but without it maybe Clementi.
Johnson got a takedown. Clemente escaped and got Johnson's back. Clementi got a choke and Johnson tapped out.
Clementi made the crowd laugh in his interview, dropping an f bomb and saying he hoped the big bastard was going to give up when he heard him gurgling.
In the intros, big reaction to Shogun. Crowd booed Jardine and Liddell got by far the biggest reaction of all.
Right now I'd say crowd looks 11,000. Some more may be coming late. There are scattered empties downstairs and maybe three sections upstairs that are only have a few fans.
The PPV is opening with Thiago Tavares vs. Tyson Griffin. They changed the program order as this mach was listed as airing before the main event.
Hard low kick by Griffin. Griffin shot in and is on top. Tavares went for legloock, Griffin spun away. Both up. Tavares tried a takedown . Great balance by Griffin. Tavares with a judo throw but Griffin is on top. Tavares throwing up kicks. Griffin connecting with ground and pound. Tavares used a leg to get Griffin's back and Griffin reversed on top throwing hard punches. Griffin with forearm across the throat. Griffin's round.
Tavares hit a punch and then got the takedown. Tavares is on Griffin's back while Griffin is standing working for a choke. Griffin moving his head to defend. Griffin grabbed the fence to avoid going down. Griffin reversed and pounding from the top. Tavares going for an armbar. Griffin escaped. Griffin connecting with more punches on top while Tavares threatening a submission. Griffin trying for a guillotine. Tavares on top and got his back. Tavares again working for a choke and Griffin again standing up. Griffin slammed him on his head and popped out. Griffin on top. Excellent round. Will be interesting how the judges rule. Griffin got more blows in but Tavares had two submission threats so I go with Tavares.
Griffin with takedown. Griffin with shoulder strikes standing. Tavares got a takedown. and working for an armbar. Griffin spun out and got his back. Almost all grappling and crowd loving it. Griffin blocked a hiptoss. Tavares took him down but Griffin back up. Tavares has a nasty bruise under left eye. Tavares quick shot for a double. He's working for back control but Griffin escaped and both are standing against the cage. Round slower than the first two. Tavares took Griffin down again. No matter what, I think people are going to be mad when judging comes out. Griffin reversed out of another armbar attempt. Tavares going for a leg. This is Tavares round, so I've got him 29-28. Not a complete standing ovation, but lots of fans standing.
29-28, 30-27, 29-28 for Griffin. Crowd is going crazy for Griffin winning. Not much booing. I don't know how you could vote 30-27 for Griffin.
Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Lyoto Machida is up next.
It's imperative for Machida to fight an entertaining fight here. Machida threw a nasty body kick. Another wicked body kick. Nakamura tried a judo throw but Machida landed on top. Crowd is dead. No booing. Nice trip by Machida. Some punches from the top by Machida. Round is easily Machida's.
They showed Forrest arriving and Rua arriving. Both got cheers and boos, but Griffin more boos. No sign of Rock.
Machida took Nakamura down and scored with good punches. Got a full mount. Nakamura tried to reverse but Machida got his back. He's got the choke in and Nakamura is in trouble but Nakamura escaped. Machida got the mount again. Good punches from the top but Nakamura escdaped and bacdk on his feet holding on. Nakamura tried a trip but could't get him. Machida rocked Nakamura with a punch. Nakamuira finally got a takedown with 30 seconds left. Another round for Machida.
Nakamura took him down again. Machida took him down. Machida got his back. Nakamura has a bloody nose. Machida trying to throw him but Nakamura stayed tough. Machida connecting with short blows to the bloody and a few to the head. Mostly dirty boxing and elbows from the clinch, most by Machida. Machida should win 30-27. Some boos and some polite claps at the finish.
30-27 across the board for Machida.
Diego Sanchez vs. Jon Fitch is up now.
Sanchez looks in tremendous shape, as does Fitch. Fitch pacing like a caged animal. Bad metaphor. Fans booed Fitch heavily. Sanchez got a huge reaction, lots of boos but loud cheers as well. People clearly psyched for the match.
Sanchez sprinted across the ring going for a takedown. Fitch blocking. Sanchez backed Fitch along the fence. Sancehz with a lead punch and got the takedown. Fitch drove from the ground and got a takedown. Fitch is in guard. Sanchez threatening an armbar. Fitch throwing knees and escaped. Sanchez again tried an armbar but didn't come close. Closed round. I'd go with Fitch.
Sanchez tried a takedown but Fitch on top. Sanchez hit a punch and got a takedown but Fitch reversed. Fitch has Sanchez's back but not doing anything. Sanchez reversed back. Fitch slammed Sanchez but Sanchez gave him a head scissors to reverse back. Fitch with a reverse. Sanchez tried a triangle. Fith had him stacked up. Crowd loved the round. Fitch won the wrestling, but as a fight the round is closer because of the damage and submission threats. I have Fitch up 20-18 but they could go either way and Sanchez is the bigger star and crowd influences.
Sanchez with a tight guillotine. Fitch broke free but that was the biggest threat of the match. Fitch on top the rest of the round. Sanchez with a triangle. Fitch spun out. Sanchez kept trying but Fitch escaped. Crowd giving this a standing ovation. I gave the round to Sanchez bedcause of the guillotine, but it'll be interesting to see if judges go against the guy who was on top most of the round. Still, I've got 29-28 Fitch.
30-27 Fitch by Peoples, Rosales 29-28 Sanchez, 29-28 for Fitch by split decision. Fans booed pretty heavily Rosales giving it to Sanchez and he was the favorite.
Now fans are heavily booing Fitch at first. A lot of people also booed Sanchez when he did his promo. Not sure why you'd boo either guy but fans were divided into those who love Sanchez and hate Sanchez as opposed to fnas of seeing a good fight like on the underecard.
Mauricio Shogun Rua vs. Forrest Griffin is next.
My sense is the live crowd sees this as the main event fight but sees Liddell as the main event fighter. Real credit go UFC for marketing Griffin because Jardine beat Griffin and they don't see Jardine as a headliner but so see Griffin as one.
Griffin is bigger and in better shape than I've ever seen. Rua is bigger, but also softer. Very big reaction to Rua. Wouldn't you know it, come fight time, Griffin definitely got more cheers. Totally electric atmosphere.
Rua tried a takedown, Griffin got his back. Rua spinning to stomach. Rua took him down. Griffin holding his own on the ground. Griffin up and punching. Rua caught him with a good punch. Trading knees. Griffin with takedown. Griffin scored with punches on the ground. Griffin let Rua up. Rua with a takedown. Griffin reversed and finished strong. Griffin won the round with the flurry at the end but it was close.
Rua took Griffin down to start round two. Griffin is all bloody but scrambled to his feet. Griffin took him down and throwing rocked Rua with a punch and another punch. Griffin got his back. Rua going for a takedown but Griffin sprawled. Both guys are tired now. It's all guts. Griffin stopped another takedown. Rua now connecting with hard punches. Rua went for a takedown. Griffin on top and went for a cdhoke. Griffin doing damage from the top. Griffin working ground and pound. Griffin won the round in the last minute. Place going nuts.
Rua took Griffin down but Griffin trying for subs from the bottom, and not coming close. Griffin escaped and got Rua's back and punching. Rua tried a takedown but Griffin on top. Griffin scoring with ground and pound. Griffin connecting with punches. Punches, elbows and forearms to the throat by Griffin. Griffin got a choke and won clean by submission. He was about to win 30-27. Amazing.
Chuck Liddell vs. Keith Jardine is next. No way they can top that last match.
They are stnading and trading. Jardine backing up a lot. Liddell staggered him already. Jardinde has started to conected. Liddell is looking for the big punch. Jardine countered. Jardine bleeding and a goose egg near the right eye. Jardine is connecting again. Liddell staggered Jardine late to clinch the round.
Nice low kick by Jardine. He put Liddell down with a punch that stunned the crwod. Jardine connecting agaihn. Jardine bleeding from the nose now. But he's picked up cohnfidence. A flurry ahnd Jardine doing better. Liddell tiring. Jardine now bleedding from the ear, eye and nose. Liddell stagged Jardine to one knee and a hard knee. Jardine back with a punch. Liddell scored with another big punch. Jardine with a good punch. Liddell went to the wrong corner when the round ended. I think Jardine won the round.
Jardine with a leg kick and a right cross did some damage. Another low kick by Jardine. Body kick by Jardine. Jardine rocked him with a punch. Liddell's ribs onthe left suide all all raspberried up. Another solid punch by Jardine. Jardine rodked him with a left on the chin. Liddell better lose if this goes to a decision. Liddell with a high kick. Tremendous fight. Liddelll raised his hands and peoiple booed. I've got it 30-27 Jardine.
Crowd thinks Jardine. 29-28 Jardine for Peoples, Rosales 29-28 Liddell crowd booed 29-28 Jardine by split decision. The right guy won. There are people booing the decision but most are cheering.
Now they're booing Jardine heavily as he does his promo.