Keep it locked on The MMA Manifesto all night long for live results and analysis of UFC 117. Please refresh this page often for updates. And feel free to use the comments section to chat about the fights.
Preliminary Card:
Ben Saunders vs Dennis Hallman
Hallman wins via unanimous decision (plus he entered he Octagon to ‘Man in the Mirror’ – double win!)
Stefan Struve vs Christian Morecraft
Struve wins via second round TKO (punches).
Tim Boetsch vs Todd Brown
Boetsch wins via unanimous decision.
Johny Hendricks vs Charlie Brenneman
Hendricks wins via second round TKO (punches).
Phil Davis vs Rodney Wallace
Davis wins via unanimous decision.
Dustin Hazelett vs Rick Story
Story wins via second round TKO (punches).
Main Card
Roy Nelson vs Junior dos Santos
dos Santos wins vis unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
This one turned out to be the fight everyone expected it to be – a slugfest. Nelson came out cautious, covering up well and getting dos Santos in the clinch and up against the cage. dos Santos eventually started sneaking in huge uppercuts through the defense, rocking Nelson in the process. Despite absorbing numerous heavy blows, Nelson stayed conscious and made it through Round 1. Round 2 both fighters were gassed, and the pace slowed considerably. While Big Country got a few shots in in Round 2 and 3, the fight was controlled by the Brazilian, who continually rocked Nelson with uppercuts. By the end of the fight, Nelson was more than gassed, barely able to keep himself on his feet. But he did stay on his feet, and in the process earned himself even more respect than he had before.
Analysis– Roy Nelson proved once and for all what I have been saying for a long time – his chin is second to none. It also is more than apparent that Big Country needs to improve his conditioning considerably, especially if he plans on fighting in longer championship fights someday. As for the winner, Junior dos Santos, this victory has to have him feeling a little less than confident going into his next match, which will be for the UFC Heavyweight Title. He wasn’t able to knock out Nelson, and he showed himself to be a one trick pony, basically only using his fists to pepper Nelson. While his opponent was doing a good job covering up his head, dos Santos should have been battering him with leg kicks and body shots – anything to mix things up. While his takedown defense looking real good – which will come in handy in his next fight, which will be against a top-rated wrestler – dos Santos showed with this performance that his fighting game has a lot of room for growth.
Ricardo Almeida vs Matt Hughes
Hughes wins via submission (first round)
The fight started off slow, with each man feeling each other out. A few minutes in, Hughes caught Almeida with a big left hook, flooring the Brazilian. Before his opponent had a chance to get his bearings and get back to his feet, Hughes locked in a front headlock, using his strength to apply an arm-in guillotine choke. Almeida passed out before he had the opportunity to tap. Submission of the night?
Analysis – WOW. That pretty much sums it up. Matt Hughes is still a threat, apparently. Not only did he show he has heavy hands, he wowed everyone with his unique choke hold that won the match for him. While a win over an over-the-hill Renzo Gracie isn’t that impressive, a victory over the young up-and-comer like Almeida is. Maybe the Hall-of-Famer still has some gas in the tank. Country strength, y’all.
Clay Guida vs Rafael dos Anjos
Guida wins via submission (third round)
A rather non-descipt fight, especially for a Clay Guida fight. Both men exchanged some shots and attempted takedowns throughout the first two rounds. Guida finally scored a takedown in Round 2, then another in Round 3 where dos Anjos ended up tapping out due to a broken jaw he obtained in Round 1. It might have been called a submission, but Guida had no hold locked in.
Analysis – Is Guida ready for another run to the upper-reaches of the lightweight division? This match didn’t really show that either way. However, Guida has put together back-to-back wins versus tough opponents – hopefully he’ll get a big name, top-rated fighter next and we’ll see if Guida is finally able to put it together.
Jon Fitch vs Thiago Alves
Fitch wins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Another fight that went pretty much the way everyone expected it, much to the chagrin of the crowd. Fitch won ugly, like he always does, continually taking down Alves and grinding out the win. No fighter did significant damage to the other, and no fighter was ever in danger at any point in the match.
Analysis – First, for Alves – this is the second time (third if you count the time he got busted for diuretics) that he couldn’t make weight as a welterweight. He either has to get consistent in his weight cut or move up to middleweight. Not to mention his attempts at making weight for this fight seemed to contribute to his lackluster performance. A fighter that just over a year ago seemed destined for stardom now appears to be crashing and burning. As for Fitch – he’s not pretty, but he’s effective. Fitch appears to be next in line for a welterweight title shot after teammate Josh Koscheck gets taken apart by Georges St-Pierre later this year. Unfortunately for Fitch, that will more than likely be his fate also.
Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen
Silva wins via submission (fifth round)
This match was all about Chael Sonnen. The challenger dominated the fight, rocking Anderson Silva in the first round and ground and pounding him for the duration of the fight. Until, of course, Silva caught Sonnen in a triangle choke and forced him to tap. An unbelievable ending to an unbelievable fight. Rematch, please.
Analysis – WOW (Part 2). This was an incredible fight. Anderson Silva is human, after all (just like Fedor). Chael Sonnen can talk it, but he can also walk it. What a heartbreaking ending for Sonnen. Despite not being a very likeable guy, Sonnen deserves a rematch. Especially when after the match Silva blamed his performance on a training injury to his ribs.
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