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Georges St. Pierre Dominates Jon Fitch

UFC 87 Results & Recap

by Robert Sargent

In their first foray into Minnesota, the Ultimate Fighting Championship put on a very solid event at UFC 87: Seek And Destroy, culminating in a successful and dominant title defence by UFC Welterweight Champion Georges "Rush" St. Pierre.

Both Brock Lesnar and Kenny Florian picked up decision victories in their contender fights, while Demian Maia submitted Jason MacDonald in a back-and-forth battle.

UFC Welterweight Championship

Georges "Rush" St. Pierre vs Jon Fitch

Listed before the fight as St. Pierre's toughest test to date, Fitch suffered his first UFC loss when he was soundly dominated by St. Pierre for 25 minutes, losing a clear-cut decision to the champion.

St. Pierre scored a takedown to begin round one, then landed punches and elbows from Fitch's guard. Fitch looked for submissions, but St. Pierre avoided the attempts and moved to Fitch's half-guard. Fitch regained guard, then stood up, only to be taken down again. Fitch stood once again, but was drilled with a right cross. Fitch fell and tried desperately to grab the legs of St. Pierre, but St. Pierre continued the punishment and fell into Fitch's guard. St. Pierre teed off with punches and elbows from Fitch's guard, then punished Fitch with more strikes as he tried to stand up. Fitch got to his feet, only to be knocked down again. St. Pierre threw more punches and elbows to the downed Fitch, then passed to side-control. St. Pierre mounted a bloodied Fitch in the final seconds, but Fitch regained half-guard before the bell. 10-8 St. Pierre.

Round two was much closer, as Fitch came out aggressively with strikes. Fitch blocked a takedown attempt and both fighters continued to trade strikes, with Fitch landing effective punches to the head and body. St. Pierre countered with a variety of kicks and a solid jab that kept Fitch from doing much damage. Fitch landed a hard right that had St. Pierre backing up momentarily, but St. Pierre came back with punches and a spinning back kick, which narrowly missed. Fitch landed two more solid combinations, then stuffed a takedown attempt. St. Pierre continued to land kicks in the final minute, but could not take Fitch down. Fitch opened up a cut on St. Pierre's forehead with his punches, but St. Pierre continued to be the aggressor. An extremely close round that could have gone to either fighter.

Fitch landed a solid right early in round three, but was dropped by a counter right from St. Pierre, and St. Pierre promptly took his back and looked for a rear naked choke. Fitch, bleeding badly from the cut below his left eye, defended the submission attempts well and managed to reverse into St. Pierre's guard, where he landed punches to the body. However, Fitch tried to move to mount and St. Pierre reversed, then landed strikes from Fitch's guard before Fitch got to his feet. Fitch threw a couple of quick punching combinations, but St. Pierre came back with kicks and punches, then pressed Fitch against the cage. After a clinch, St. Pierre dropped Fitch with a punch-kick combo, then pounced on his turtling opponent. Fitch managed to survive and got back to his feet, but was rocked with more punches and taken down before the bell. 10-9 St. Pierre.

The fighters exchanged strikes in the opening stages of round four, with both landing kicks and defending takedowns from the clinch. Fitch opened up a bad cut above St. Pierre's left eye, but St. Pierre continued to press forward. Both fighters continued to throw kicks, and Fitch tried a looping hook that just missed. St. Pierre stuffed a takedown attempt from Fitch, then went back to kicks that kept Fitch off-balance. St. Pierre landed a series of jabs and two overhand rights, then defended another takedown attempt from Fitch. St. Pierre then promptly took Fitch down with ease and landed punches and elbows from his guard. Fitch's left eye was now badly swollen, but he held on and escaped a last-second heel hook attempt from St. Pierre before the bell.

In a show of respect, the fighters embraced to start round five, then immediately went back to throwing punches, and both landed solid shots. St. Pierre landed numerous kicks to the legs and body, then scored a takedown. Fitch kept St. Pierre in his guard, but St. Pierre landed dozens of elbows and punches from top position and easily defended an armbar attempt from Fitch. St. Pierre battered Fitch with more strikes from the top, but Fitch eventually managed to get up. St. Pierre scored another takedown and landed more strikes, as Fitch tried desperately for submissions. Fitch turtled and ate a series of knees to the body, then fell to his back again. St. Pierre retained top position until the bell and scored a dominant decision victory in the process.

After the fight, BJ Penn entered the Octagon and congratulated both fighters, then requested a rematch with St. Pierre for St. Pierre's Welterweight Championship. St. Pierre said that he would give a shot to anyone who deserved it. With Penn as the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion, and with their first fight shrouded in controversy and many feeling that Penn was robbed by the judges, a second fight between the two would be one of the greatest fights in UFC history.

Winner: Georges St. Pierre by Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-43) after five rounds. He improves to 17-2-0 and remains the UFC Welterweight Champion.

Brock Lesnar vs "The Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring

Lesnar controlled this fight from start to finish, but was unable to mount much offence in the second and third rounds, after dropping Herring with a vicious right just seconds into round one.

Lesnar dropped Herring with a huge right cross early in round one, and Herring was forced to roll backwards to get to his feet. Lesnar charged in and grabbed Herring in a headlock against the cage. Herring, bleeding badly from below the eye, escaped the clinch and ducked another huge right from Lesnar, only to be taken down. Unlike with most of his opponents, Herring was unable to scramble back to his feet, as Lesnar's massive size and strength allowed him to keep Herring in a turtling position throughout the round. Though Lesnar landed very few shots on the ground, he prevented Herring from rolling free or getting back to his feet, and dominated position until the bell. 10-8 for Lesnar.

Rounds two and three were more of the same, with Lesnar taking the fight to the ground and preventing Herring from doing much of anything. Aside from some solid hammerfists and a few punches, Lesnar did very little damage to Herring, but easily controlled the remainder of the fight. Lesnar opened up with knees to the body throughout the second and third rounds, both standing and on the ground, and Herring was unable to secure the submission that he so desperately needed. In the end, Lesnar mounted Herring just before the end of round three and Herring, with his eye swollen almost completely shut, had no answers for the massive strength of Lesnar.

Winner: Brock Lesnar by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26) after three rounds. He improves to 2-1-0.

Rob "The Saint" Emerson vs Manny "The Anvil" Gamburyan

This fight really had no business being on the main card, but it ended so quickly that it really didn't matter, as Emerson caught an overly aggressive Gamburyan with a huge right, then finished the fight with a left just 12 seconds in.

Gamburyan came rushing forward with short punches, but got caught with a looping right hook from Emerson that dropped him. Emerson followed up with a big left that put Gamburyan out, and the referee quickly stopped the fight. A foolish strategy for Gamburyan and a big win for Emerson.

Winner: Rob Emerson by KO (Punches) at 0:12 of round one. He improves to 8-6-0, 1 NC.

Kenny "KenFlo" Florian vs Roger "El Matador" Huerta

Using a tactical strategy, Florian managed to evade the wild strikes of Huerta and emerged with a clear decision victory in this #1 contender's bout.

Florian scored with low kicks early in round one, keeping his distance from Huerta and his wild combinations. Florian continued to use kicks as Huerta tried to find his range with kicks and punches of his own. Florian scored a takedown and quickly moved to mount. Huerta gave up his back and Florian sunk in both hooks and flattened Huerta out, then tried to lock on a rear naked choke. Huerta escaped and got back to his feet, and both fighters traded kicks and punches. Huerta eventually tried for a takedown of his own, but he could not take Florian down and the two traded strikes in the clinch. Florian landed Thai clinch knees and more kicks, and both fighters landed punches in the final 30 seconds. 10-9 Florian.

Florian continued to use leg kicks to hit and move, as Huerta pressed forward but landed little. Huerta eventually tried for a takedown against the cage, but could not take Florian down and the fighters separated. Huerta again pushed forward with kicks and wild punches, so Florian tried for a takedown. Huerta countered with a standing Kimura attempt, but Florian evaded and used an ankle pick to take Huerta to the mat. Florian took Huerta's back and looked for a rear naked choke, but Huerta once again escaped back to his feet. Huerta came forward with punches once again, but Florian continued to circle and use kicks to avoid damage. A clinch saw neither fighter land anything effective, and both fighters traded strikes before the bell. 10-9 Florian.

The fighters touched gloves to begin round three and Florian promptly drilled Huerta with a front kick to the face. Huerta partially defended a takedown attempt, but wound up in a weak standing guillotine choke. The fighters separated and Florian landed a kick and took Huerta down. Florian landed strikes from Huerta's guard until Huerta got back to his feet and landed knees in the clinch. Huerta came forward with a punching flurry and Florian continued to evade. Florian scored with jabs and low kicks, then just missed a standing elbow strike. The fighters continued to trade strikes in the final 90 seconds, with Florian scoring a late takedown and landing knees before the bell. Another 10-9 round for Florian.

Winner: Kenny Florian by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 10-3-0.

Demian Maia vs Jason "The Athlete" MacDonald

With Wanderlei Silva in his corner, Maia scored yet another impressive submission victory, but MacDonald put on an incredible display himself, escaping countless submission attempts in what was surely Fight of the Night.

MacDonald clinched early on and surprisingly took Maia to the ground. He could do little in Maia's guard, and Maia soon locked on an extremely tight triangle choke which most fighters would have immediately submitted to. MacDonald, however, survived the hold for well over a minute and then squirmed free and took Maia's back. Maia escaped MacDonald's rear naked choke attempts and MacDonald wound up back in Maia's guard. MacDonald prevented Maia from getting back to his feet and landed a series of punches from the top. He then locked on a tight guillotine choke, but a bloodied Maia managed to escape. In the final 45 seconds, Maia tried non-stop for rear naked choke attempts, but MacDonald again somehow escaped all of them. An extremely close and entertaining round.

MacDonald rushed forward in round two and tried for a takedown, but could not get Maia down. After a lengthy clinch, Maia landed some Thai clinch knee strikes and used a trip to take MacDonald down. Maia moved to mount and punished MacDonald with a relentless barrage of elbow strikes, cutting MacDonald on the nose. MacDonald repeatedly tried to roll to escape, but Maia had none of it and continued to land elbows. Maia then rose up and threw a long flurry of glancing punches. MacDonald finally managed to regain half-guard with a minute left in the round, but Maia once again got mount and then tried for an armbar late in the round. MacDonald escaped and landed a few strikes from Maia's half-guard, but Maia easily won round two.

Maia scored a takedown early in round three, and MacDonald tried to counter with a guillotine choke. Maia looked to pass MacDonald's guard, but MacDonald used the opportunity to sweep and reverse position. MacDonald could do little from Maia's guard, but managed to take Maia's back and again looked for a rear naked choke. MacDonald moved to mount, but Maia reversed and quickly took mount himself. After landing some elbows, Maia took MacDonald's back and finally managed to lock on a rear naked choke that MacDonald could not escape from, and MacDonald submitted. A very impressive victory for Maia, but an excellent performance from MacDonald as well.

Winner: Demian Maia by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:43 of round three. He improves to 8-0-0.

Cheick Kongo vs Dan "The Viking" Evensen

Kongo returned to his winning ways in this bout, dominating Evensen and finishing him with a huge punch late in the first round.

The fighters traded low kicks and jabs early in round one, then clinched against the fence. Kongo scored a takedown, then stood and landed kicks to the legs and an axe kick on his downed opponent. Evensen got up and the fighters clinched against the cage again. Kongo could not take Evensen down, and Evensen tried to lock on a guillotine choke. Eventually, Kongo finally managed to score a takedown and landed some strikes from the top. The fight was brought back to the feet and Evensen missed a roundhouse kick. Kongo replied with a hard kick to the body, then dropped Evensen with a huge right cross. Follow-up strikes on the ground were academic, and the fight was quickly stopped.

Winner: Cheick Kongo by TKO (Strikes) at 4:55 of round one. He improves to 12-4-1.

Undercard Fights:
Tamdan "The Barn Cat" McCrory dominated "The Silent Assassin" Luke Cummo with strikes and a series of submission attempts en route to a Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) victory after three rounds. McCrory improves to 9-1-0 with the win.


Jon "Bones" Jones won a battle of unbeaten fighters, as he defeated former IFL standout Andre Gusmao by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 6-0-0 with the win, with all six fights amazingly coming within the last four months.


Chris "The Professor" Wilson got back on the winning track by scoring a clear-cut Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) victory over Steve "Hollywood" Bruno after three rounds. Wilson improves to 14-4-0, 1 NC.


Ben "Killa B" Saunders won a battle of awful nicknames over Ryan "The Tank Engine" Thomas, as he defeated Thomas by Submission (Armbar) at 2:28 of round two. He improves to 6-0-2 with the win.

 


Though the event received less fanfare than other recent cards, UFC 87 turned out to be a successful night for the UFC, with many fights ending in decisions but nearly all keeping the crowd cheering throughout.

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