UFC 92 Results & Recap
by Robert Sargent
Ending the year in dramatic fashion, UFC 92 saw two titles change, as Rashad Evans became the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Frank Mir captured the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship, while Quinton Jackson defeated Wanderlei Silva.
All three main events ended with stoppages, as Evans dismantled Griffin, Mir stopped Nogueira and Jackson knocked out Silva with a left hook in the first round.
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
"Sugar" Rashad Evans vs Forrest Griffin
After starting slow and losing the first two rounds, Evans came back strong in round three and scored a takedown, then finished the fight moments later with vicious ground and pound strikes to become the new champion.The fighters circled each other early on and both connected in a brief exchange. Griffin began to open up with kicks, as he had done against Quinton Jackson in their title fight, and Evans replied with an overhand right. Leg and body kicks landed for Griffin, who started to find his range as the crowd chanted his name. Evans connected with two punches, but ate a pair of leg kicks in return. Griffin landed a trio of quick flurries, and Evans fired back with a body shot. Evans switched stances and Griffin attempted a high kick. Evans scored with a quick one-two, but Griffin came back with a leg kick and overhand right. Both fighters landed shots in the final 20 seconds. 10-9 Griffin, in a close round.
Round two began with Griffin once again throwing leg kicks, as Evans seemed content to stay on the outside and land jabs. Griffin landed a big right hand, then followed up with two more punches and a series of knees in a clinch. Evans replied by taunting Griffin and throwing a left hook. Griffin continued to alternate between leg and body kicks, which kept Evans guessing. Two flurries landed for Griffin, as well as a pair of grazing head kicks. Evans landed a left that opened up the scar tissue below Griffin's right eye, but Griffin continued to be the aggressor. A big combination landed for Evans, but Griffin seemed to be unfazed. Griffin outstruck Evans in the final minute with varied kicks and punches, and landed a solid punch to the eye just before the bell. 10-9 Griffin.
Griffin scored with punches and kicks early in round three, but Evans caught a body kick from Griffin and threw him to the mat. He immediately blasted Griffin with a series of hard punches and hammerfists, but Griffin held on. Griffin looked for a triangle choke, but Evans escaped and also evaded a follow-up omoplata attempt. Evans landed a few elbows, then postured up and landed one big right that seemed to rock Griffin. Evans followed up with non-stop punches, as Griffin's arm flailed against the mat and he appeared to be tapping out. Finally, referee Steve Mazzagatti stepped in and put a stop to the mauling. Rashad Evans becomes the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
Winner: Rashad Evans by TKO (Punches) at 2:46 of round three. He improves to 13-0-1 and becomes the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship
Frank Mir vs Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira
Continuing what is easily one of the biggest comebacks in MMA history, Mir outstruck Nogueira and dropped him numerous times before eventually doing the impossible and stopping the Brazilian legend with strikes in round two to become the new UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion.Mir opened up with kicks early on and seemed to find his range right away. Quick combinations landed for Mir, and he followed up with a knee and a takedown. After landing a few punches, Mir stood back up. More punches and kicks landed for Mir, who seemed to have a surprising advantage in the striking. Nogueira began to push forward with strikes, but Mir dropped him with a left hook. Nogueira recovered and got back to his feet. The fighters clinched and Mir landed knees, then followed up with more strikes. Nogueira finally managed to land a solid combination with 20 seconds left, but Mir fired back and dropped the Brazilian a second time right at the bell. 10-8 Mir.
Mir scored with more kicks and punches in the opening seconds of round two, but Nogueira replied with punches and a leg kick. Seconds later, Mir landed a big left hook and followed it up with a second one that dropped Nogueira. Mir pounced and landed a series of lefts and rights until referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight. Though it could certainly be argued that Nogueira had been hurt much worse in previous fights and often went on to win them, he was quite wobbly when he got to his feet and the stoppage - the first stoppage loss of Nogueira's storied career - did seem to be fairly justified. Mir becomes the new UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion in a stunning upset.
Winner: Frank Mir by TKO (Punches) at 1:52 of round two. He improves to 12-3-0 and becomes the new UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion.
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs "The Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva
Competing against each other for the third time, it was Jackson who finally managed to gain a measure of revenge after being defeated in the pair's first two bouts in PRIDE, as he knocked Silva out with a left hook in round one.Jackson immediately pressed forward and looked to be the aggressor with a wild right hook. Silva replied with a quick flurry and a leg kick. More single punches and kicks landed for Silva, as Jackson looked to pick his spots. Silva stuffed a takedown attempt with a knee, then landed another leg kick. More punches and leg kicks landed for Silva, but Jackson landed a hard right as Silva threw a kick. Silva pressed forward with a combination, but Jackson ducked under and drilled him with a vicious left hook that knocked Silva out instantly. Jackson followed up with three completely unnecessary punches on the ground, which was very much uncalled for, but the result was a mere formality. Jackson finally gains revenge for his previous knockout losses.
Winner: Quinton Jackson by KO (Punch) at 3:20 of round one. He improves to 29-7-0.
CB "The Doberman" Dollaway vs "The Master of Disaster" Mike Massenzio
Despite sporting a massive bandage on his left leg that was likely to protect one or more torn ligaments, Massenzio took control of the fight early on and nearly submitted Dollaway, but Dollaway managed to reverse and take Massenzio's back and earned a stoppage soon after.Dollaway landed a nice body kick early on, then followed up with a knee to the stomach as Massenzio looked for a takedown. More knees landed for Dollaway, and he followed up with a flurry. Massenzio landed three consecutive left hooks that rocked Dollaway and sent him falling into the cage. Massenzio locked on a very tight guillotine choke that seemed to have Dollaway in trouble, but Dollaway held on and somehow managed to escape. Masssenzio went for a triangle choke, but Dollwway escaped and passed to side-control. Massenzio regained guard, but Dollaway moved to side-control again and then to mount. After Dollaway landed elbows from the top, Massenzio rolled over and gave up his back. Dollaway flattened him out and drilled him with punches to the head until referee Yves Lavigne stopped the fight.
Winner: CB Dollaway by TKO (Punches) at 3:01 of round one. He improves to 8-1-0.
Cheick Kongo vs Mostapha al Turk
Aside from a retaliatory low blow that seemed to be intentional, Kongo fought a very smart fight and dropped al Turk late in the round, then followed up with some of the most vicious ground and pound ever witnessed in the UFC to earn a brutal stoppage victory.Kongo staggered al Turk with the first punch of the fight, and he caught a kick from al Turk soon after. Kongo kicked the legs of al Turk, then stuffed a takedown attempt after al Turk got back up. Al Turk continued to try unsuccessfully to take Kongo down, as Kongo's takedown defence seemed to be considerably improved. Kongo landed numerous elbows to the head of al Turk, then knees in a clinch. Time was called after an unintentional low blow from al Turk, and al Turk looked for a takedown after the action resumed. Kongo landed what appeared to be an intentional low blow in retaliation to the earlier strike, and al Turk was given time to recover. Referee Steve Mazzagatti warned both fighters to keep the fight clean.
After the restart, Kongo pressed forward and rocked al Turk with a series of punches that sent al Turk to the mat. Kongo kept al Turk pressed against the cage and teed off with some ridiculous punches on the ground. Kongo eventually switched to elbows and opened up a gigantic gash on the forehead of al Turk. At this point, the fight absolutely should have been stopped, but Mazzagatti allowed the beating to continue for several more seconds before finally and mercifully putting a stop to the fight. The cuts on al Turk's head were among the largest and deepest in MMA history.
Winner: Cheick Kongo by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 4:37 of round one. He improves to 13-4-1.
Undercard Fights:
Yushin "Thunder" Okami defeated Dean "The Boogeyman" Lister by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. The fight, or lack thereof, was a terrible one that saw Lister repeatedly flop on his back and pull guard, while offering little to no offence. Okami, to his credit, tried to mount as much offence as possible, while Lister seemed content to do absolutely nothing. Lister is now gone from the UFC. Okami improves to 23-4-0 with the win.Antoni Hardonk defeated Mike "The Juggernaut" Wessel by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 2:08 of round two. Hardonk controlled most of the first round and took advantage of a badly fatigued Wessel in round two by first taking Wessel's back and then mount, where he rained down punches and elbows for the stoppage. Hardonk improves to 8-4-0 with the win.
Matt "The Hammer" Hamill defeated Reese "Riptide" Andy by TKO (Punches) at 2:19 of round two. Andy did a decent job in a relatively uneventful first round, cutting Hamill below the eye and trying for submissions, but completely gassed in round two and was overrun by dozens of strikes on the ground from Hamill. Andy likely won't be back in the UFC. Hamill improves to 5-2-0 with the win.
"Bad" Brad Blackburn defeated Ryo "The Piranha" Chonan by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. The fight was extremely close, and both of the first two rounds could have gone either way. Round three was all Chonan, as he rocked Blackburn late in the round and controlled the action, but Blackburn had done just enough in the opening rounds to take the close decision. Blackburn improves to 13-9-1, 1 NC with the win.
Pat "HD" Barry defeated Dan "The Viking" Evensen by TKO (Leg Kicks) at 2:35 of round one. This fight was one of the most lopsided battles of the night, as Evensen looked positively terrible and spent much of the short fight lumbering awkwardly around the cage or being thrown to the mat. Barry, who was making his UFC debut, looked very impressive and has yet to have a fight make it out of round one. Evensen will likely never see the inside of a UFC ring again. Barry improves to 4-0-0 with the win.
Packed with explosive fights and shocking endings, UFC 92 was a great year-end event for the UFC, but the chaos at the top of a number of divisions has only increased with wins from Mir, Evans and Jackson.
