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Hello and good morning to all the folks tuning in.
We’re in for a rollicking bunch of fights today, starting with a potentially show-stealing fight between Dustin Poirier vs Bobby Green, followed by a throwdown between two knockout artists in Dan Henderson and Hector Lombard.
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Max Holloway versus Ricardo Lamas is next, in a Featherweight fight bearing much implication on the title picture going forward which is then topped off by the co-main event of the evening, where Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz defends his title in a rubber match against bitter rival Urijah Faber.
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The main event, of course, is a Middleweight Title bout between Michael Bisping and Champion Luke Rockhold.
We kick off the event with a tribute to Muhammad Ali who passed away last night. RIP the true GOAT.
Dustin Poirier vs Bobby Green
Round 1: They circle each other and both men aren’t shy to initiate here as they find their rhythm on the feet. Green taunts Poirier but gets clipped and goes down. Poirier swarms him but Green recovers. Close call there. Poirier is landing at will here. Green looks to be hanging on although he keeps talking to Poirier. And it’s all over. Poirier lands one too many clean left hooks and Green goes down. This time, he stays down as the referee calls the fight.
Green never really got going here, and coming up against Poirier who has looked at home in Lightweight, the ring rust from over a year was too much to shake off.
Result: Dustin Poirier by TKO in 2 mins 53 seconds of Round 1
We see a tribute video for Muhammad Ali as the Forum is on its feet chanting for the great man. Heartwarming moment. As Ali said, the world would indeed be a better place if we loved everybody else the way we loved him.
Up next, Henderson vs Lombard. Should be an entertaining fight as well.
Dan Henderson vs Hector Lombard
Round 1: Bruce Buffer makes the introductions as Hendo and Lightning take centrestage. They touch up and get it going. Henderson, as always, has the right hand cocked and ready to unload the H-Bomb. Lombard looks to be more mobile. But both men respecting the other’s power here and being cautious.
Hendo lands a nice right and Lombard is rocked, but as he moves in he gets caught with a left hook and Lombard takes him down and ends up on top in a crucifix. He locks in a painful looking straight armbar but Henderson fights out of it.
They scramble and get back up to the feet. Lombard starts teeing off as Henderson hangs on and survives. But Lombard gases himself out and ends the round on top of Hendo as he takes him down and plays the clock down.
Crazy round
Round 2: They engage again, and Hendo lands a head kick followed by a beautiful back elbow. Lombard is out COLD as Henderson follows up with a further two elbows just to make sure. Those last two elbows were completely unnecessary, but WHAT A KNOCKOUT by Henderson!
Result: Dan Henderson by K.O in 1 minute 21 seconds of Round 2
Henderson announces that this might possibly be his last ever fight. If so, what a way for him to finish a legendary career.
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT: Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor 2 CONFIRMED for UFC 202
Up next, Max Holloway versus Ricardo Lamas.
Max Holloway vs Ricardo Lamas
Round 1: Max Holloway and Lamas square off, as Lamas throws kicks both low and high to test the range. He follows up with a couple of body kicks as Holloway seems to have found his range as well. He is walking Lamas down, and reeling off nice combinations. Oh! Holloway momentarily stuns Lamas but he recovers and shoots for a takedown that is stuffed by Holloway.
They get back up to the feet and circle each other as Lamas shoots for a single leg and refuses to let go, as Holloway again displays excellent takedown defence. They break and circle each other again. This round has been mostly Holloway walking Lamas down as the Hawaiian lands a beautiful wheel kick that Lamas eats! He looks okay though as the buzzer brings an end to the round.
Round 2: Round 2 begins in the same vein that Round 1 ended in. Holloway is walking down Lamas but is still maintaining distance appropriately so that he can land at will but still strafe out of Lamas’ offence. Lamas tries closing the distance with kicks but Holloway has all the answers till now. Holloway moves in and lands a few really smooth combinations but Lamas manages to land a few punches of his own that looked like it hurt Holloway. Lamas tries to take him down but Holloway reverses it and tries a North South choke, or a variation at least, but they scramble and get back up to the feet.
Holloway manages to close the distance and get on Lamas’ back as he attempts to lock in a rear naked choke. Lamas is on the defensive here as Holloway ends the round landing shots from his back.
Round 3: Holloway has looked so smooth and fluid tonight. He’s in control as we begin the third round. Lamas tries a flashy Capoeira kick that Holloway easily gets out of the way of. Not too much action here as both men try to establish their range again. Not much action here in the third round as neither fighter is landing combinations. A lot of single shots either way as their clinch against the cage and Holloway lands a couple of knees.
Lamas looks more comfortable in this round but Holloway gets him up against the cage and starts landing a flurry of punches, but Lamas gets out of there. The clock is ticking down but it looks like Holloway has had enough. HE POINTS TO THE GROUND as though to indicate “Let’s stand and bang!” and they GO AT IT for the final 10 seconds. WHAT AN EPIC MOMENT!
The fight goes the distance but another impressive performance by Max Holloway.
Decision: Max Holloway (30-27,30-27,30-27) by U.D
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR UFC 200: BROCK LESNAR TO FIGHT AT UFC 200. OPPONENT TO BE DECIDED.
Co-Main event up next as Dominick Cruz looks to defend his belt against Urijah Faber.
Dominick Cruz vs Urijah Faber
Round 1: Expectedly they don’t touch up, and the fight starts. They circle each other but Cruz straight up goes for a takedown and lands it. He’s doing a great job in controlling Urijah here as they stand with Cruz still on Urijah’s back. Beautiful scramble and Cruz lands on his way out when they break. Urijah tries to take him down as Cruz again reverses. They break again and circle. A round, perhaps surprisingly dominated by grapppling scrambles rather than a stand-up exhibition. But Cruz arguably takes the round.
Round 2: Dominick Cruz knocks Faber down with a left hand and tries to swarm him but Faber recovers. Dominick Cruz in control as Faber is on the back foot here. Cruz is landing nice jabs mixed in with the occasional leg kick while making Urijah miss. Faber goes in for a takedown attempt but its stuffed easily. Dom walking Faber down and working those angles brilliantly as Faber doesn’t seem to have any answers. Clearly Cruz’s round.
Round 3: Cruz maintains the distance with left jabs and circles the octagon. He continues his attack with a leg kicks and combinations of punches. Faber on the other hand tries to find a way to land a decent attack. Cruz is landing and making Urijah miss. He showcases excellent footwork and movement by dodging Faber’s attacks. Cruz’s round again it would seem.
Round 4: Cruz is cruising here, as he is landing while Urijah just doesn’t know when to pull the trigger. Cruz is putting on a masterclass here as he stuns Faber and has him on his knees and covering up as he looks to finish him but the California Kid hangs in there again. Normal service is resumed again as Cruz’s evasive footwork on display. Faber is attempting so hard to hit Cruz but is JUST ISN’T HAPPENING. What a fighter Dominick Cruz is.
Round 5: Faber comes out more aggressive but all he hits is air. Cruz on the other hand is getting Urijah to over commit and is landing at will. Urijah presses forward again as Cruz takes him down and takes his back. They stand back up and Cruz goes for a beautiful kneetap takedown again, as he attempts to get the finish. But Urijah fights out of it and they resume on the feet as the clock ticks down. Easy victory for Dominick Cruz in a fight he dominated. He put on a clinic today. He’s just on a whole another level. Can TJ Dillashaw stop him? Or will a superfight against Demetrious Johnson be the only way Dominick Cruz would be pushed?
Whatever the answer is, it certainly isn’t Urijah Faber.
RESULT: Dominick Cruz (50-45,50-45,49-46) via U.D
The main event is up next, when Luke Rockhold will put his Middleweight Title on the line against Michael Bisping.
Luke Rockhold vs Michael Bisping
Round 1: Both fighters are cautious initially, but soon they are happy to stand in the pocket and throw as neither fighter with the upper hand in the first round. Bisping with obilique kicks to maintain distance, and Rockhold replies with a head kick that is blocked. Rockhold is throwing a front push kick to the body and is landing at will. BISPING KNOCKS ROCKHOLD DOWN WITH A LEFT CROSS AND FOLLOWS UP WITH A NASTY LEFT HOOK TO FLOOR HIM AGAIN AND KEEP HIM THERE. I DON’T BELIEVE IT. MICHAEL BISPING IS THE NEW UFC MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION!
RESULT: MICHAEL BISPING by TKO at 3 minutes 36 seconds of ROUND 1
