The following is a play by play of UFC 79: Nemesis’ main card. Enjoy.
Huzzah the operatic opening which means we have bought the pay-per-view properly. That heavy metal song, which you would only listen to if it is accompanied by the UFC introduction plays as the various highlight reels of the participating fighters shows.
Mike Goldberg kicks us off with his usual intro and wishes us a happy new year. He bring in his “partner as always” Joe Rogan and they are both sporting (quite obviously) watches from one of their major sponsors.
After a bunch of Goldberg segues from sponsor names and Joe Rogan’s usual array of over the top hyperbole we get into the first fight of the main card.
Melvin Guillard vs. Rich Clementi
The introduction features both fighters exchanging insults while Mike Goldberg gives as many differing words for Bad Blood as he can. Clementi enters the Octagon first, followed by Guillard who classfully gives Clementi the finger. “No Love” in return gives Clementi a “right here” motion by grabbing his crotch.
Round 1
The first round is brought to you by Harley Davidson. Seriously it is the only motorcycle worthy of being in the octagon…
Fight starts as they circle. Feeling each other out. Gullard throws a wild pointless punch. Clementi throws a good inside left kick. They continue to circle. Another pointless punch by Guillard followed by a good couple of punches and then another wide punch that missed by a mile. Another good kick by Clementi. Another good leg kick by Clementi which caused Guillard to run in throwing wild punches… none of which connected. They engage and Clementi picks up Guillard with a body lock. It is kind of awkward for a second as Clementi keeps Guillard in the air but finally takes him down. Clementi has Guillard’s back in a weird position but they eventually stand up and go down and then up again. Guillard breaks free and lands some heavy punches. They go to the canvas with Guillard on top and Clementi reverses with an omaplata. Clementi is in side control and grabs Guillard’s back when he tries to stand. He flattens Guillard out with a body triangle and sinks in the rear naked choke. Guillard taps, Clementi does his “right here” motion above Guillard’s head, Guillard doesn’t take to it too kindly. Rich Clementi is victorious via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 4.40 of the first round.
Good performance by Clementi, but Guillard turned in a typical Guillard performance. That being, he talked a big game, didn’t deliver and then was classless in defeat.
Lyoto Machida vs. Sokoudjou
Now there’s an awesome walk in. Sokoudjou walks in, in a predator mask. The crowd definantly seems to like him. As Machida walks in Joe Rogan states, “Machida has the style that can make a big guy look slow and silly”… he he David Heath.
Round 1
Fight starts as they stand tentatively in front of each other. Machida comes in with a straight left. Sokoudjou lands a good right hand and then scores a takedown but is immediately swept and Machida has Sokoudjou in half guard. Machida is holding around his head as he attempts to pass to side control. Machida is attempting to lock up a kimura, but Sokoudjou is calmly holding on. That kimura is starting to look more and more dangerous but it is then given up and Machida tries to pass guard again. Ground action becomes rather stalled as Machida keeps attempting to pass guard and throws the occasional punch. Sokoudjou looks “lost” according to Joe Rogan as Mario Yamasaki stands them up. Rogan debates the stand up but it was definantly worthy. They trade kicks as Sokoudjou tries in vain to catch Machida. He eventually gets a hold of him and takes him down. They stand again and clinch as the round ends. Round 1 goes to Machida 10-9 for simply controlling the action. Although slightly uneventful, its probably one of the more exciting Machida rounds.
Round 2
To start the second round, Sokoudjou looks a little wary. A decent leg kick by Machida followed by a good body kick. Sokoudjou appears to have no idea what to do with the elusiveness of Machida. He continually throws wild punches but by the time they get to their destination Machida is no longer there. Sokoudjou attempts some kicks but they land nowhere near Machida. Good front kick by Machida as they stand apart looking at each other. Sokoudjou gets caught with a left hook coming in and looks in trouble as Machida jumps into his guard with strikes. Machida passes to half guard and attemps to lock up an arm triangle choke. Machida abandons the arm triangle to gain mount and then returns to the arm triangle and Sokoudjou bucks and Machida lands in half guard. Machida lands a good elbow and couple of punches. He once again goes for the arm triangle and this time jumps to side control and tightens it. Forcing the tap. Lyoto Machida is victorious via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 4.20 of the 2nd round.
Eddie Sanchez vs. Soa Palelei
You have got to wonder why the hell this fight is on the main card. Eddie Sanchez isn’t exactly the most technically gifted fighter and Palelei is an unknown who has fought once in three years. The UFC must have been hoping for an all out slug fest.
Round 1
The fight starts as they touch gloves and off of that touch Eddie immediately starts swinging, forcing Soa into the fence. Soa turns Sanchez into the fence and then attempts a take down. It turns into one of the longer take down attempts in history and once the Australian finally gains it, Sanchez immediatley stands up and knees Palelei in the balls or thereabout. The rest of the round finishes in the clinch with nothing really happening. Sanchez gets the round 10-9 because he landed occasionally.
Round 2
I’m just going to sum this one up quickly. Soa clinches and does nothing and Sanchez gets the occasional uppercut. 10-9 for Sanchez. This is really turning into a piece of shit fight.
Round 3
Soa just doesn’t want to fight anymore. You can see in his face that the fight is over. Nevertheless he comes in and clinches and Sanchez continuously uppercuts him until Palelei complains about his eye and Mario spares us anymore of this terrible heavyweight fight. Eddie Sanchez is victorious via TKO(strikes) at 3.24 of the 3rd round.
Post fight interview shows that Eddie Sanchez shouldn’t be allowed to talk.
Finally it is here…
Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei enters first, looking his normal focused and violent self. Chuck enters looking determined and doesn’t appear to have his normal pot belly. Wanderlei Silva eyeballs the in-octagon camera and then does his traditional Muay Thai grip and the whole MMA world wets themselves with glee. The staredown is pretty intense… I think Chuck won it.
Round 1
They comes in and circle. Chuck throws a couple of lazy leg kicks. Wanderlei throws a couple of punches that miss followed by a leg kick attempt. After another 30 seconds Wanderlei lands a good leg kick. Chuck connects on a punch and Wanderlei walks back like he was rocked and when Chuck came in he landed a good one two that partially connected. Chuck lands a great left hook in a great exchange on the cage. They seperate and the a couple of more punches and kicks are landed by both fighters. Two minutes left in the round. Good leg kick by Silva. Good one two by Liddell. Wild punches that could of ended the fight if they connected by both fighters. Round ends with a couple of decent exchanges that don’t really connect. Good round. 10-9 for Liddell for connecting more cleanly.
In between rounds, David Spade is shown and I convulse.
Round 2
second round starts as they go toe to toe in a wild exchange where Silva connects a couple of times. Liddell lands a good right hand. Xhuxk tries a leg kick and Wanderlei counters with a good right hand. Wanderlei lands a good left hook. Inside lef kick by Chuck. Good body kick by Wandy… and another. Follows up with a good right hand. Body kick by Chuck causes him to fall to the canvas, but he gets up immediately. Good left hook by Wanderlei. Chuck falls to the canvas after getting hit when off balance, but it could possibly have been a knockdown. Good left hook by Chuck. Followed by a leg kick from Silva. They clinch and Wandy gets a good knee to the body. Chuck connects with a left on the break and Wanderlei is pissing blood out of his face. An awesome exchange on the fence ensues with Wanderlei getting the best of it. Awesome right hand by Chuck knocks Wandy back and follows up with another one. Wanderlei counters with a left hook which forces Chuck to do the unthinkable. He drops down for a takedown and scores the double leg. Round ends with Wanderlei thinking about kicking Chuck in the head on the ground. 10-9 for Wanderlei in one of the greatest rounds of the year.
Silva has a nasty cut over his right eye. If this fight is stopped because of it there will be a riot. Thank god it continues.
Round 3
Chuck gets into the range of exchanges and scores a double leg takedown. Wanderlei instigates a scramble and gets to his feet. Inside lefg kick by Silva. Wanderlei is swinging wildly. Overhand right by Chuck lands partially. Left hand from Wanderlei. Spinning back fist from Chuck rocks Wanderlei. A good one two sends Wanderlei to the fence. Chuck is unloading on Wanderlei on the fence. How Silva is still standing, no one knows. Wanderlei is badly shaken up and is moving a lot more slower. A good left from Wanderlei. A good right from Chuck on the fence. A one two from Wanderlei lands. Chuck might be a little weakened from trying to finish Silva. A couple more sloppy exchanges and both men are now exhausted. Chuck looks at the clock to see 20 seconds remaining and decides to double leg him. Fight ends with Chuck standing over Wanderlei but not in the way Chuck probably envisaged. 10-9 for Chuck Liddell.
Chuck Liddell is victorious via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Believe it or not, there is a fight after Silva and Liddell.
Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes
Round 1
The 70’s Porn star, Mazzagati tells the two combatants to bring it on and the two touch gloves. Matt Hughes starts in southpaw, in my opinion an attempt to throw off St.Pierre mentally or most likely more obviously to help his takedowns. St. Pierre looks confident and Matt Hughes isn’t willing to exchange in order to set up a takedown and keeps shooting from outside with no success. Missed high kick from St. Pierre. Hughes goes for a takedown but St. Pierre’s great takedown defense prevents it easily. They clinch and St Pierre lands a couple of good knees and then effortlessly takes Hughes down and lands in his full guard. Georges gets to half guard and Hughes grabs a hold of a leg looking for a sweep. Hughes puts St Pierre back into full guard. Georges passes to half guard again and rains down a couple of good punches. St Pierre achieves mount and attempts to break Hughes body lock by slamming him constantly into the ground. St. Pierre lands some good shuts and as the round ends, St Pierre gets Hughe’s back. St. Pierre is dominating, 10-8.
Round 2
The two once again touch gloves and St. Pierre fires a high kick that misses. They clinch and St. Pierre double legs Hughes easily and lands in Hughes’ guard. St. Pierre passes to half guard but Hughes almost instantly puts him back into full guard. Good elbow from St. Pierre. Georges attempts a neck crank which I found funny. Action is slowing a bit as St. Pierre strikes from the guard. St. Pierre gets to half-guard and then effortlessly passes to mount and then takes Hughes’ back. Hughes instigates a scramble and sits up against the fence as Georges lands some knees to the body. They stand and Hughes gets in deep on a double leg takedown, but somewhat easily St. Pierre gets rid of it and then judo flips Hughes majestically into side control. St. Pierre pins Hughes’ left arm to his head in a triangle position and steps over going for a kimura. Hughes rolls to avoid but St. Pierre transitions to an arm bar and Hughes yells “Tap Tap, I’m Tapping!”. Georges St. Pierre is victorious via Submission (Arm Bar) at 4.54 of Round 3.
Matt Serra looks to be in for a world of hurt.
