The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the Bell Centre in Montréal, Québec, Canada tonight for UFC 113: “Machida vs Shogun 2.” The event was headlined by a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship rematch between Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Also on the card, welterweight standouts Paul “Semtex” Daley and Josh Koscheck clashed in a number one contender’s bout, while former street fighter Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson made his UFC pay-per-view debut. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida

Round 1:
Rua opened the fight with a leg kick and a lunging flurry, then scored with a kick to the body. Another combination of punches landed as Rua rushed in, but Machida was unfazed. He took Rua down, but Rua quickly worked back to his feet. Rua landed knees to the legs and backed away. He rushed in with punches and stunned Machida with a right hook, but Machida took him down again.

Once more, Rua battled back to his feet and landed knees to the legs as Machida bled from the nose. Machida landed a knee of his own and the fighters separated. A big knee to the body scored for Machida, but Rua dropped him with a counter right hook. Machida was badly hurt as Rua swarmed with punches. He unleashed a barrage from mount that knocked Machida out cold. Huge win for Rua, who finally becomes the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion seven months after he was robbed at UFC 104.

Winner: Mauricio Rua by KO (Punches) at 3:35 of round one. He improves to 19-4-0 and becomes the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Josh Koscheck vs Paul “Semtex” Daley

Round 1:
Daley rushed right in with a flying knee that missed wildly. The fighters circled and Daley jabbed to the head and body. As expected, Koscheck took Daley down, then slammed him back down to the mat again seconds later. He worked from side-control and landed short elbows and a knee. Daley tried to scramble to his feet, but could not. Koscheck threw strikes from the top as the crowd booed. Daley tried to kick Koscheck off, but Koscheck took his back.

Koscheck worked for a rear-naked choke and secured it. He had Daley in all sorts of trouble, but Daley escaped and threw an illegal knee that just barely grazed Koscheck’s head. Koscheck immediately went into theatrics mode and time was called. Replays showed that the knee missed Koscheck’s head and the crowd voiced their extreme displeasure. The fight continued and the round soon came to an end. 10-9 Koscheck.

Round 2:
Koscheck landed a nice right hand in the second round and took Daley down. The crowd booed heavily, then chanted “GSP!” as Koscheck worked from Daley’s half-guard. He briefly moved to mount, but Daley regained half-guard. Koscheck threw knees to the body and a short elbow. The action slowed and Daley threw an elbow from the bottom.

Koscheck tried to move to mount again and Daley quickly regained half-guard. Koscheck postured up and landed punches and elbows. He took Daley’s back and threw punches to the side of Daley’s head. He could not secure a choke and switched to punches before the uneventful round came to an end. 10-9 Koscheck.

Round 3:
Daley opened the final round with single punches and connected with a left hook. Another left hook, a one-two and a knee all landed for Daley, but Koscheck clinched and tried for a takedown. He managed to get Daley down and landed in half-guard. Koscheck peppered Daley with short punches from the top. Bleeding from the nose, Koscheck threw elbows and moved to mount.

Daley tried to buck to escape, but Koscheck stayed on top and landed punches. Daley briefly regained half-guard, but Koscheck moved back to mount immediately. Daley rolled to his side as Koscheck threw short elbows. Daley regained half-guard and tried to scramble free. Koscheck seemed content to maintain position and do almost nothing. 10-9 Koscheck.

After the lacklustre round ended, Daley walked up behind Koscheck and drilled him with a left hook to the eye. Koscheck probably deserved it for his horrible acting job in round two, but striking after the bell will obviously earn Daley a suspension and is not something that should ever be happening. The crowd showered Koscheck with boos after the judges’ verdict was read.

Winner: Josh Koscheck by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 15-4-0.

Jeremy “Lil’ Heathen” Stephens vs Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout

Round 1:
The fighters traded strikes early on and Stephens scored a takedown. Stout defended well and scrambled to his feet, but ate a knee on the way. A big right hand staggered Stout, but he immediately recovered. He scored with leg kicks and body shots, but Stephens dropped Stout with another big right. Stout stood up and ate another knee. A left hook landed for Stephens and a bloodied Stout countered with a pair of kick-punch combos.

The fighters teed off in an exchange and Stout went back to leg kicks. Stephens caught a kick and countered with a right hand. Both fighters continued to land punches in combinations and Stout scored with a left hook to the liver. Stephens finally landed a kick and Stout answered with one of his own. A one-two and a leg kick landed for Stout and Stephens replied with a body kick before the bell. 10-9 Stephens.

Round 2:
A body kick and jabs landed for Stout early in the second round, but Stephens cracked him with a counter right hand. More leg kicks scored for Stout, but Stephens caught one and sent Stout to the mat. Stout recovered and locked on a Kimura on the ground. Stout let it go and the fighters stood. Stout threw a one-two and a body kick. More leg kicks and a quick combination followed for Stout.

Stephens appeared to slow down as Stout picked his shots with leg kicks and quick punches in flurries. Two punches over the top scored for Stephens and he sidestepped a pair of leg kicks. Stephens landed two more punches and Stout immediately replied with inside leg kicks. Stephens landed a big left hand and Stout countered with a right cross that bloodied Stephens’s nose. Very, very close round. 10-9 Stephens.

Round 3:
Time was called early in the final round after an inadvertent low blow from Stout. The fight resumed and Stout landed a body kick, but Stephens drilled him with a vicious right hook and a body kick of his own. Stephens clinched, then backed away and just missed with a jumping knee. Stout bloodied Stephens again with a one-two, but Stephens pushed forward and landed two right hooks. Stephens snapped Stout’s head back with a jab, then followed with a knee.

Stout badly hurt Stephens with a kick to the leg. Stephens doubled over and fell to the mat. Stout swarmed with punches, but Stephens recovered and the fight soon returned to the feet. Stephens landed a jumping knee and a right hand. Another right cross landed for Stephens and he looked for a knockout with haymaker right hands. Stephens scored a very brief takedown before the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Stout by a slim margin.

Winner: Jeremy Stephens by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 17-5-0.

Matt Mitrione vs Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson

Round 1:
Mitrione opened the fight with a glancing head kick and Slice countered with a right hand. Mitrione threw another head kick and Slice caught it. He slammed Mitrione to the ground, but Mitrione locked on a triangle choke in a scramble. Slice fought his way out and wound up in side-control. Mitrione regained half-guard and worked back to his feet. Slice scored another takedown and looked to strike from Mitrione’s guard.

Mitrione went for another triangle choke, but let it go. The fighters stood and Slice landed a right hand. Mitrione tried for another head kick, then drilled Slice with a knee and a hard leg kick. Another knee-kick combo landed and Mitrione dropped Slice with a leg kick and a punch. He secured an Anaconda Choke and had Slice in trouble, but Slice made it to the bell. 10-9 Mitrione.

Round 2:
Mitrione landed a big left hand to open round two and Slice answered with a right cross. He clinched and tried for a takedown, but Mitrione defended. Mitrione landed a knee and a left, then a leg kick. And another. Slice appeared to be fatigued as Mitrione teed off on his left leg. Slice fell and Mitrione briefly looked for another Anaconda Choke. He let it go and stood up. Another leg kick and big power punches landed for Mitrione. Slice tried for a takedown and wound up on his back.

Mitrione locked on a Brabo Choke, then released it and punished Slice with knees to the body and leg. Slice seemed to be ready to quit and Mitrione moved to mount. He threw punches from the top as Slice covered up. More big punches landed for Mitrione and he moved into a keylock. Slice refused to submit, so Mitrione returned to punches until referee Dan Miragliotta finally rescued Slice.

Winner: Matt Mitrione by TKO (Punches) at 4:24 of round two. He improves to 2-0-0.