For the first time the UFC came to
Dan Miller, badly in need of a win came in strong as a last minute replacement against John Salter. A rocky start on the feet saw Miller a bit wobbled but a trademark Miller guillotine earned him the first round victory and saw him back on track in the UFC. I for one was rooting for Miller because he is an exciting fighter and a fourth loss would have certainly resulted in his walking papers.
The Spike TV portion of the card got off to a slow start when two fighters known for their striking went to an uneventful decision. Andre Winner and Nick Lentz spend the majority of the fight against the cage, with Lentz’s average wrestling being slightly better than that of Winner. The third round saw Lentz’s first real time in solid top position but the pressure and control earned him all three rounds. It was a tough fight to sit through as Spike TV’s lower than normal ratings will attest to.
However, to the rescue came hometown hero Joe Lauzon in an incredible fight that had the
After a rousing transition into the main card, the pay per view portion opened with another action packed bout as lightweight transplant Nate Diaz stepped up in the welterweight division against the always tough Marcus Davis. The home field advantage did not persist however as
Gray Maynard kept his undefeated record attack and added Kenny Florian to his list of wins which includes current champion Frankie Edgar. Florian seemed a bit tentative when standing, likely due to the threat of Maynard’s D1 level wrestling. It proved to be a valid concern as Maynard’s takedowns and top control earned him a unanimous decision win. This sets up the rematch with Frankie Edgar which will be for the title this time.
In one of the nights most anticipated bouts, Randy Couture came out to thunderous applause from the pro MMA crowd while boxing great, James Toney entered into hostile territory. The odds makers and pundits alike gave Toney no chance but an obvious apprehension pervaded the MMA community leading up to the fight. Couture looked vulnerable standing his past few fights and a knock out blow was certainly possible from a heavyweight boxing champ wearing four ounce gloves. Couture however quickly put any fears to rest as a low single put Toney on his back with Couture immediately mounting his opponent. The takedown elicited an eruption from the crowd who stood throughout the entire barrage until the fight ending choke which only elevated the decibel level. There are a select few fighters for me that elicit such emotion and CaptainLast but not least, Frankie Edgar not only repeated his win but did so more decisively than the first time. Better takedowns and slick combinations earned him another decisive victory over the pound for pound great BJ Penn. Edgar’s boxing was fluid and he mixed in body kicks very well. One takedown saw Edgar kick Penn’s legs right out from under him freezing the crowd in a brief momentum of silent disbelief. It was an impressive performance that showed that the title had further motivated Edgar to keep improving. Such a marked improvement makes for a very interesting rematch against Gray Maynard.
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