UFC Heavyweight Championship Main Event
Junior dos Santos (14-1) TKO RD 1 (Strikes) Cain Velasquez (9-1)
Time of Stoppage: 1:04 RD 1
The historical magnitude of this fight notwithstanding the fact that this fight was for the UFC heavyweight title seemed almost inconsequential and in the end the whole event was over in a flash. With the stakes incredibly high for not only the fighters, but the UFC itself, it’s hard not to have a bit of an emotional letdown following the incredible build up and then extremely brief climax. Still, Junior dos Santos did what he does best, seized an opportunity and used his boxing to put Velasquez on spaghetti legs. With the concussive right hand of dos Santos landing right behind the ear of Velasquez, the former champion hit the canvas in a fog. The resulting salvo from dos Santos to the head of Velasquez left referee “Big” John McCarthy no other option but to stop the fight. In a flash, Junior dos Santos is the new UFC heavyweight champion.
“I have no words to say what I’m feeling,” said a clearly emotional dos Santos following his title winning performance. “I was not 100% for this fights so I was scared.”
“I want to say sorry to all the fans,” said a dejected Velasquez. “I will come back and I will get this belt back, for sure. I waited too much for him and he went in and did what he was suppose to do.”
UFC Lightweight Fight Co-Main Event
Benson Henderson (15-2) vs Clay Guida (29-9)
Scores: 29-28, 30-27, 30-27
Where there ever two fighters more destined to face each other than Henderson and Guida? The accomplished wrestlers with cardio for days were simply meant to fight each other. In their fight as the co-main event on the UFC on Fox neither fighter disappointed making the fight an entertaining battle of attrition.
In the opening round it appeared that Henderson’s all around game and strength were a perfect foil to the unorthodox wrestling of Guida. In fact, Henderson was able to floor Guida twice in the opening round but try as he might Henderson was unable to do much to capitalize on a hurt Guida. Guida would rally back to regain his senses and rock Henderson. The same ebb and flow took place in the second round as both fighters traded submission attempts and punches. The third round mirrored that of the first two as this fight boiled down to a closely contested battle. Guida’s bread and butter is his takedowns but he was unable to perform this as Henderson’s takedown defense was exemplary. Toward the end of the round it was Henderson who was looking for the takedown. But again, Guida showed his tenacity and and managed to nearly choke Henderson out with a guillotine that quickly turned into a Henderson reversal as the two fighters scrambled to the end.
Needless to say, it was a great fight but in the end it was Henderson who earned the decision. With the win Henderson gets a shot at the lightweight title against champion Frankie Edgar.
“Frankie Edgar, we’ve got a date,” said Henderson after the fight. “Let’s do it baby.”
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