UFC Fight Night 18 Results
by Robert Sargent
The Ultimate Fighting Championship's first trip to Nashville, Tennessee featured great fights, terrible fans and bizarre judging, with Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann defeating "The Natural Born Killer" Carlos Condit in the night's main event.
Controversy was a central theme with Junie Browning on the card, but questionable judging awarded Kampmann and Tyson Griffin with victories that they arguably did not deserve.
Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann vs "The Natural Born Killer" Carlos Condit
In a highly competitive and entertaining bout, the action went back and forth for fifteen minutes before Kampmann spoiled the final WEC Welterweight Champion's UFC debut with a controversial Split Decision.Condit landed a one-two to the body early in round one and the fighters clinched. Condit landed knees, but Kampmann scored a takedown. A scrambled ensued, and Kampmann locked on a tight guillotine choke. Condit reversed position and escaped the choke, then secured a brief guillotine of his own. The fighters stood and clinched again, and Condit scored a trip takedown. Another scramble resulted in Kampmann taking top position. Kampmann landed small strikes from the top as Condit looked for submissions. Kampmann tried unsuccessfully for a heel hook and gave up position in the process. Condit landed a big punch from the top and cut Kampmann badly below the left eye. He drilled Kampmann with a knee as Kampmann stood up. Condit strung together punching combinations on the feet, then added in kicks to the body. He landed a flying knee and clinched against the cage. Kampmann scored a brief takedown and Condit reversed, then survived a last-second guillotine choke from Kampmann. Excellent round, 10-9 Condit.
Both fighters landed kicks and punching combinations in the opening seconds of round two, and Kampmann scored a takedown from the clinch. Kampmann stood up and landed punches from the top, then mixed in elbows. Condit landed a nice elbow from the ground and continued to prevent Kampmann from doing any damage. Condit got back to his feet and the fighters traded short elbows in a clinch. Condit scored with a quick combination and a flying knee to the body. More punches landed for Condit, and he followed up with a body kick and a front kick to the face. Condit scored a takedown and escaped a weak guillotine choke. The fighters stood and traded strikes again. Condit scored another takedown and once again had to work free of a Kampmann guillotine. Condit rolled and took Kampmann's back, then looked for a rear naked choke. Kampmann twisted and wound up in Condit's guard, then landed weak strikes from the top until the bell. Another great round that was very close, but Condit appeared to do more damage. 10-9 Condit.
Condit attempted a flying knee to begin round three and inadvertently poked Kampmann in the eye. Time was briefly called, but action quickly resumed. The fighters traded strikes and clinched, where Condit landed knees to the head and body. Kampmann scored a takedown and landed small strikes from Condit's guard. Condit landed punches of his own and looked for submissions. Kampmann postured up and landed two big punches, but Condit countered with a pair of elbows from the bottom. More strikes landed for Kampmann, but Condit fought back to his feet. Kampmann dragged him down and took his back, then worked from guard again. Condit attempted a Kimura from the bottom, but Kampmann escaped. Condit rolled for a kneebar and a heel hook, but could not secure a submission. The fighters stood up and Condit dove for another kneebar. Kampmann tried for an arm-triangle choke from half-guard, but Condit escaped and stood up. Condit jumped and locked on a tight guillotine choke, then dragged Kampmann to the mat, but the bell sounded and saved Kampmann. Fantastic fight. 10-9 Kampmann.
Two judges saw Kampmann as the winner of one of the opening rounds (likely the second), which was enough for him to take an ultra-close Split Decision victory. Condit appeared to have done more damage throughout the fight, but Kampmann's top control ultimately sealed the deal. Regardless, both fighters put on great performances.
Winner: Martin Kampmann by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 15-2-0.
Ryan "Darth" Bader vs Carmelo "The Fury" Marrero
Using numerous takedowns and effective control in the clinch, Bader dominated the fight and walked away with a lopsided Unanimous Decision win.The fighters traded punches and Bader scored a quick takedown. He moved to half-guard and nearly passed directly to mount. Bader looked for a Kimura on Marrero's left arm, but Marrero escaped. Bader used a front choke to push Marrero back to the mat, then worked from Marrero's guard. Bader moved to side-control and trapped Marrero's arms, then used a beautiful transition into an armbar. Marrero clasped his hands to avoid danger, then reversed position. Marrero landed short strikes from Bader's guard, but Bader got up and landed a stiff leg kick. Bader scored another takedown and moved to side-control. Marrero squirmed free and stood up, and the fighters traded punches and body kicks. Bader managed to secure a takedown against the fence, then landed elbows from half-guard. Bader maintained top position until the bell, but did little damage. 10-9 Bader.
Both fighters landed big overhand rights in the opening seconds of round two, and Marrero began to find a home for his jab. Bader countered with a leg kick and a Superman Punch, then stuffed a takedown. Bader muscled Marrero to the ground and worked from half-guard, then looked to take Marrero's back. The crowd began booing for absolutely no reason. Bader used big right hands to try to soften Marrero up for a rear naked choke, but Marrero escaped and stood up. Bader dragged him back down and worked from half-guard. The ignorant crowd should really stop booing. Marrero regained guard and looked for a triangle choke, but Bader passed to half-guard again and landed elbows. Bader moved to mount and landed big punches from the top, but Marrero squirmed and regained guard. Bader briefly attempted an arm-triangle choke, then landed short elbows until the bell. The crowd continued to boo for no reason, which is really quite annoying. 10-9 Bader.
Round three began with an exchange of punches and leg kicks. This is apparently not enough for the Nashville audience, as more boos can be heard. Bader scored a takedown and worked from half-guard, where he looked to secure an arm-triangle choke. Marrero managed to escape, but gave up mount in the process. Bader took Marrero's back, but Marrero rolled forward and regained guard. Marrero looked to set up an armbar, but Bader continued to apply pressure with elbows. The referee stood the fighters up and both landed jabs. Marrero landed a hard leg kick and stuffed a takedown. Bader clinched and landed an elbow, then tried for another takedown. Marrero kneeled down and avoided the takedown, but Bader pushed him to the ground anyway. Marrero attempted a kneebar just before the bell, as the horrid crowd continued to boo. Embarrassing display from the audience, as this was a solid fight. 10-9 Bader.
All three judges agreed and unanimously awarded the fight to Bader, who looks to be a potential contender in the light heavyweight division.
Winner: Ryan Bader by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 9-0-0.
Tyson Griffin vs Rafael dos Anjos
After somehow surviving a vicious calf slicer in round one, Griffin battled back and finished the fight strong, but terrible scoring from the judges was the central theme of this fight.Griffin opened up round one with a series of leg kicks, then landed a solid right cross. Dos Anjos countered with kicks of his own, but Griffin held an advantage early on. Dos Anjos began to find his range with kicks, then mixed in a quick combination and a Superman Punch. A wild exchange saw neither fighter land cleanly. Griffin staggered dos Anjos with a right cross, then clinched and scored a takedown. Dos Anjos looked to roll for a kneebar, but Griffin spun free. Dos Anjos once again locked onto Griffin's left leg, but this time he trapped it in a calf slicer. Dos Anjos wrapped his arms around Griffin and applied serious pressure to the leg of Griffin, as Griffin appeared to be in significant pain. Griffin eventually managed to get up, but could barely put any weight on his left leg. Dos Anjos landed a one-two and jumped in with a flying switch knee to the face. Dos Anjos landed more punches before the bell and stuffed a takedown. 10-9 dos Anjos.
Dos Anjos rocked Griffin with a left cross early in round two, but Griffin quickly recovered. Dos Anjos began to target Griffin's left leg with kicks, but Griffin continued to press forward. Griffin landed a knee to the body and stuffed a takedown. Dos Anjos countered with a body kick and the fighters exchanged punches. Dos Anjos attempted a Superman Punch and continued to circle away from Griffin while landing counters. Griffin threw a head kick and dos Anjos replied with one of his own. Griffin looked for a takedown, but dos Anjos locked on a standing Kimura. He wrenched it completely behind Griffin's back, but Griffin somehow survived and backed away. The fighters exchanged punches and Griffin staggered dos Anjos. Both fighters swung wildly with strikes, but neither could do any significant damage. Griffin clinched and landed knees, and both fighters landed big punches just before the bell. Very close round, but dos Anjos held a slight edge. 10-9 dos Anjos.
Griffin appeared to be moving better on his leg in round three, and he landed a pair of combinations early in the round. Dos Anjos pushed forward with a big one-two, but Griffin countered with a flurry of his own. Griffin landed a leg kick and a big overhand right. The fighters continued to exchange punches and leg kicks, and dos Anjos attempted a flying knee. Griffin set up punching combinations with quick leg kicks, but dos Anjos fired back with punches of his own. Dos Anjos began to attempt standing elbow strikes, but came up short. More leg kicks landed for both fighters, as a wild exchange of punches ensued. Griffin looked to land head kicks in the final minute, but dos Anjos countered a takedown attempt with another Kimura. He once again wrenched the arm fully behind Griffin's back, but Griffin escaped and landed punches from the top until the bell. Round three was definitely Griffin's, but dos Anjos seemed to have won at least one of the opening two rounds.
The judges, in what can only be described as yet another controversial decision in the career of Griffin, instead unanimously awarded all three rounds to Griffin, even though he spent nearly one-third of round one stuck in a calf slicer. Round two was close enough to go either way, but this was highly questionable scoring.
Winner: Tyson Griffin by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 13-2-0.
Cole "Magrinho" Miller vs Junie "The Lunatic" Browning
Following early striking exchanges, Miller pulled guard and locked on a tight guillotine choke that forced the controversial TUF alum to quickly submit. Miller, who had been the brunt of some pre-fight trash talk from Browning, stood over his fallen foe and asked, "Who's overrated now?" after the fight.Miller landed a series of jabs early in round one, then attempted an uppercut and clinched against the cage. He landed knees from a Thai clinch and attempted a Kimura as Browning looked for a takedown. Browning got Miller to the ground and took his back, but Miller remained calm and regained half-guard. Miller stood up and rocked Browning with a right cross. Miller secured another Thai clinch and landed two knees, then locked on a standing guillotine choke. He pulled guard and torqued the neck of Browning, which forced Browning to quickly submit. Very impressive win for Miller.
Winner: Cole Miller by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:57 of round two. He improves to 15-3-0.
Undercard Fights:
Gleison Tibau defeated Jeremy "Lil' Heathen" Stephens by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. In a fight that featured more unjust booing from the terrible Nashville crowd, Tibau used effective takedowns and ground control, and nearly finished the fight late in round two with an arm-triangle choke. Tibau improves to 17-6-0 with the win.Ricardo "Big Dog" Almeida defeated Matt "Suave" Horwich by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. Almeida's takedowns and control on the ground were too much for the former IFL Middleweight Champion, who was unable to trap Almeida in any threatening submissions. Almeida improves to 10-3-0 with the win.
Brock Larson defeated Jesse "Iron Jaw" Sanders by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:01 of round one. Larson scored an early takedown and took Sanders's back, then unleashed a flurry of strikes that cut Sanders. He quickly sunk in a rear naked choke and Sanders was forced to submit. Larson improves to 25-2-0 with the win.
"Crazy" Tim Credeur defeated Nick Catone by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 3:45 of round two. Credeur dominated the first round and appeared to have made Catone tap to an armbar in the opening minutes, but it made no difference in the end, as he trapped Catone in a fight-ending guillotine choke late in round two. Credeur improves to 12-2-0 with the win.
Jorge "El Conquistador" Rivera defeated Nissen Osterneck by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. Rivera rebounded after a shaky first round and dropped Osterneck in round two, then battled through fatigue to finish the final five minutes. After the fight, Rivera broke down in tears while talking about the recent loss of his daughter, and the crowd showed a rare moment of respect on the night by giving Rivera a standing ovation. Rivera improves to 16-7-0 with the win.
Rob "The Rosedale Reaper" Kimmons defeated Joe "The Doctor" Vedepo by Technical Submission (Standing Guillotine Choke) at 1:54 of round one. Vedepo came out extremely aggressively with strikes and a takedown, but found himself caught in a standing guillotine choke and was promptly choked unconscious. Kimmons improves to 22-4-0 with the win.
Aaron "A-Train" Simpson defeated Tim "Wrecking Machine" McKenzie by TKO (Punches) at 1:40 of round one. McKenzie managed to battle back to his feet after an early takedown from Simpson, but Simpson floored him with punches seconds later and the referee quickly stopped the fight. Simpson improves to 5-0-0 with the win.
With an incredible main event, UFC Fight Night 18 was filled with potential, but questionable judging and one of the worst audiences in UFC history all but ensures that Nashville will never house the Ultimate Fighting Championship again.
