The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 114: “Rampage vs Evans.” The event was headlined by a long-awaited grudge match between bitter rivals and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “Suga” Rashad Evans.

Elsewhere, middleweights Michael “The Count” Bisping and Dan Miller squared off, while Antonio Rogerio “Minotoro” Nogueira faced Jason “The Hitman” Brilz. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the event.

 

“Suga” Rashad Evans vs Quinton “Rampage” Jackson

Round 1:
Evans staggered Jackson with a looping right hand very early in the fight, but Jackson recovered and Evans clinched against the cage. Jackson landed a knee and Evans tried for a takedown. Jackson defended and landed another knee. The fighters were separated and Evans scored a takedown. He landed in side-control.

Jackson tried to scramble out and regained half-guard in the process. Evans kept him pressed against the cage and landed punches as Jackson stood up. He followed with a knee to the body and more to the legs. The fighters were separated again and Jackson stuffed a takedown. He landed three punches before the bell. 10-9 Evans.

Round 2:
Jackson blocked a right hand and fired off a three-punch flurry in round two, but Evans clinched and backed him up to the cage. Evans landed knees to the legs, but Jackson punched free of the clinch. Again, Evans shot in for a takedown and the fight returned to a clinch against the cage, as the crowd voiced their displeasure.

Referee Herb Dean separated the fighters and Jackson missed with a lunging left hook. Evans stayed one step ahead and picked his shots with single punches. He landed an uppercut in close and clinched. The fighters traded knees against the cage and Evans tried for a takedown. Jackson defended until the bell. 10-9 Evans.

Round 3:
Jackson landed a glancing right hand and stuffed a takedown in the final round. Seconds later, Jackson dropped Evans with a short left hook and pounced with more punches. Evans barely held on as Jackson struck from the top against the cage. Jackson tried to isolate an arm, but Evans worked back to his feet. Evans appeared to be wobbly and circled to the side.

Evans began to recover and Jackson allowed him to circle around the cage. Evans scored a takedown and pinned Jackson against the cage. He landed punches from the top and moved to side-control briefly. Jackson gave up his back and stood. Evans scored another takedown and continued to punch until just before the bell. Evans steals it late. 10-9 Evans.

Winner: Rashad Evans by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-1-1.

 

Michael “The Count” Bisping vs Dan Miller

Round 1:
Miller jabbed his way forward and cracked Bisping with a left hand. Time was called after an accidental low blow from Miller, but the fight quickly resumed. Bisping missed with a right hook, but landed one seconds later. An uppercut scored for Miller and he countered a right hook with a looping left. Miller landed a right cross and both fighters landed jabs.

A solid right hand landed for Miller, but Bisping countered with a one-two. Miller switched to leg kicks and Bisping landed a counter hook. Miller forced Bisping to circle away with punches and the fighters traded right hands. More leg kicks scored for Miller, but Bisping cracked him with an overhand right. A stiff jab snapped Bisping’s head back and both landed at the bell. Very even round. 10-10.

Round 2:
The fighters exchanged punches in round two and Miller mixed in leg kicks. Bisping bloodied his nose with a right hand and almost caught a Miller leg kick. Bisping scored with an overhand right and a big one-two. He backed Miller up with more punches, but Miller held strong. A left hook sent Miller off-balance and Bisping landed a head kick.

Bisping stuffed a takedown and landed a haymaker right hook. Miller shook it off and landed a leg kick. Bisping began to find a home for his straight right hands and he landed two more in close succession. Bisping caught two kicks from Miller and shrugged him off. Both fighters landed punches and Miller, bleeding from beside the right eye, drilled Bisping with a big right hand just as the bell sounded. 10-9 Bisping.

Round 3:
Miller pushed forward in round three and Bisping stunned him with a one-two, but Miller promptly rocked Bisping with a big right hand. Bisping backed up, then landed a solid counterpunch. The fighters exchanged right hands and Miller landed a leg kick. Bisping answered with jabs and an overhand right. Miller targeted the body with two rights as Bisping circled back.

Finally, Miller took Bisping down and struck from the top. Bisping used the cage to work back to his feet and Miller landed another shot to the midsection. Both fighters landed jabs and Miller connected with a hard kick to the body. Bisping landed a right hook and Miller clinched for a takedown. Bisping stayed on his feet and both landed right hands. Miller landed punches as the round came to a close. 10-9 Miller.

Winner: Michael Bisping by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 19-3-0.

 

Mike Russow vs Todd Duffee

Round 1:
Russow ate a left hand early on and Duffee kept the pressure on with more punches. He stunned Russow and dropped him briefly with another right hand. Russow displayed a solid chin as Duffee drilled him with lefts and rights. Duffee stuffed a takedown and landed two more punches. He sidestepped another takedown attempt and cracked Russow with hooks and uppercuts.

More hard punches landed for Duffee and Russow could do little more than throw single punches in defence. Duffee backed Russow up with a left to the body and a right hook to the jaw. Duffee remained the aggressor and landed one-twos. He continued to find a home for uppercuts in close and a big one stunned Russow. He survived, but began to bleed from the face. 10-9 Duffee. Maybe a 10-8 because Russow mounted little offence.

Round 2:
Russow threw a big right hook in the second round, but Duffee ducked under and countered with two punches. Duffee picked his shots as the pace slowed. Russow landed a stiff jab and Duffee replied with an uppercut and a straight right hand. Russow connected with another right, but Duffee backed him up with a flurry. Russow landed a right hook behind the ear and Duffee briefly switched stances.

The pace slowed way down as Duffee stayed on the outside and threw single strikes. A jab landed for Duffee as the crowd grew restless. Duffee ducked under a looping hook and connected with an uppercut. He shrugged off a takedown attempt and the crowd began to boo heavily. Duffee landed another uppercut and a left hook in the final seconds. 10-9 Duffee.

Round 3:
Uppercuts landed for Duffee in close in the final round, but Russow was unfazed. He backed Duffee up with a lunging one-two, but Duffee circled away. Duffee stuffed a takedown and Russow landed a right. Duffee put the pressure on with looping hooks, but was unable to land anything cleanly. Another right hand landed for Russow and Duffee replied with a jab. A split second later, a massive right hand landed for Russow. Duffee was out cold before he even hit the mat. Amazing comeback win for Russow.

Winner: Mike Russow by KO (Punch) at 2:35 of round three. He improves to 13-1-0, 1 NC.

 

Antonio Rogerio “Minotoro” Nogueira vs Jason “The Hitman” Brilz

Round 1:
The fighters looked to find their range early on and Nogueira landed a leg kick. He followed with a knee and another kick to the leg. Brilz tried to shoot in for a takedown and Nogueira easily stuffed it. Another knee and a leg kick landed for Nogueira, but Brilz took him down. Nogueira worked for a triangle choke from the bottom and Brilz moved to half-guard. Nogueira swept and Brilz took his back in a scramble.

Brilz wound up on top in Nogueira’s half-guard and Nogueira tried to sweep again. He escaped out the back and tripped Brilz to the mat. Nogueira took Brilz’s back, but Brilz stood. He threw a leg kick and tried to clinch. Brilz attempted a takedown and Nogueira escaped the clinch. The fighters exchanged punches and Nogueira landed a left hand before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Brilz.

Round 2:
Brilz landed a leg kick and took Nogueira down in the second round. Nogueira latched onto a guillotine choke, but Brilz managed to escape. Nogueira swept and Brilz secured a guillotine choke of his own. Nogueira refused to submit, despite being in a ridiculous amount of danger. Brilz eventually released the choke and worked from the top. He landed short elbows and secured a guillotine, but Nogueira swept. Nogueira tried for an Anaconda Choke as the fighters worked to their feet and Brilz escaped.

Brilz tried for a takedown, then switched to knees in the clinch. A right hand scored for Brilz as Nogueira backed away. Brilz landed a hard one-two and Nogueira replied with a left hook. Nogueira stepped out of a takedown attempt and stuffed another one. A hard right landed for Brilz, but Nogueira was unfazed. He landed a knee and a left hand. Brilz stunned Nogueira with three big punches. Nogueira backed up until the bell. Great round for Brilz. 10-9 Brilz.

Round 3:
Nogueira landed a stiff jab in the final round, but Brilz took him down. He escaped a guillotine choke attempt and landed short elbows. Nogueira swept and struck from the top. Brilz scrambled to his feet and clinched against the cage. He tried for an ankle pick and Nogueira punished him with punches. Nogueira stepped out and backed away. Nogueira landed a knee and kept the pressure on.

Brilz dove for another takedown and Nogueira stuffed it. Nogueira worked for a Brabo Choke, but let it go. The fighters returned to their feet and Nogueira landed a knee. He followed with more punches and reversed a takedown. Nogueira took partial back control and secured a back crucifix. Brilz ate hammerfists, but managed to escape and took top position. Nogueira swept and stayed on top until the bell. 10-9 Nogueira.

The crowd showered the arena with boos after the judges’ scores were read.

Winner: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 19-3-0.

 

John “The Hitman” Hathaway vs Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez

Round 1:
Sanchez punched his way into a clinch early on and tried for a takedown. Hathaway defended and stayed on his feet against the cage. Hathaway reversed and landed an elbow over the top. Sanchez scored a very brief takedown and Hathaway immediately returned to his feet. The fighters separated and Hathaway landed a leg kick and a counter left. He followed with a solid right hand.

Hathaway floored Sanchez with a huge knee and blasted him with punches and elbows on the ground. Sanchez managed to hold on and survive as Hathaway continued to strike from the top. Hathaway landed hammerfists and elbows, then smashed Sanchez’s head off of the canvas with punches. Hathaway struck from Sanchez’s guard all the way until the bell. 10-9 Hathaway. Could be 10-8.

Round 2:
Hathaway landed a nice right hand and a glancing head kick in the second round. A one-two backed Sanchez up and Sanchez began to bleed from the nose. Sanchez landed a right hook and Hathaway replied with one of his own. A left cross stopped Hathaway’s momentum, but he landed a counter one-two. Sanchez caught a kick and took Hathaway down. Hathaway worked back to his feet.

Sanchez maintained a clinch against the cage and tried to take Hathaway down again. Hathaway used an elbow to break free and landed a right cross. Sanchez answered with leg kicks and both fighters landed right hands. Hathaway pushed Sanchez backwards and drilled him with a hard hook. He threw a head kick as well and the fighters exchanged punches. Hathaway landed more punches and a knee before the bell. Very close round. 10-9 Hathaway, barely.

Round 3:
Hathaway opened the final round with jabs and the fighters exchanged quick punches. A one-two and a leg kick landed for Sanchez and Hathaway answered with counterpunches. Sanchez tried for a takedown and Hathaway stuffed it. He just missed with two looping hooks. Sanchez landed a right hook and Hathaway snapped his head back with a jab. Again, Sanchez tried for a takedown and Hathaway easily stuffed it.

Hathaway backed Sanchez up to the cage and landed a knee. Sanchez replied with a right hand. A big right hand stunned Sanchez, but he bloodied Hathaway’s nose with a jab. Two jabs and a head kick landed for Hathaway and Sanchez turned up the pace. Hathaway took Sanchez’s back briefly and dragged him to the mat with punches, but Sanchez stood. Hathaway landed punches in the final seconds. Another close round. 10-9 Hathaway.

Winner: John Hathaway by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 14-0-0.

 

(Photo Credit: UFC.com)