Dong Hyun “Stun Gun” Kim vs Amir Sadollah

Round 1:
Kim opened the fight with a leg kick and Sadollah countered a kick with a right hand. Kim took him down and worked from Sadollah’s half-guard. Kim tried to set up an arm-triangle choke, but Sadollah regained guard. Kim landed short elbows and stood, then landed more elbows.

Sadollah threw an elbow from his back and held on, but Kim moved to half-guard. A scramble followed and Sadollah once again regained full guard. Kim moved back to half-guard and threw punches as he tried to pass to mount. Kim took Sadollah’s back and tried for a rear-naked choke. Sadollah defended until the bell. 10-9 Kim.

Round 2:
Kim landed a quick leg kick in the second round and Sadollah answered with a head kick. Kim took him down and moved to side-control. Kim worked into a crucifix, but Sadollah used the cage to get back to his feet. The fighters clinched against the cage and Kim landed a knee. He took Sadollah down briefly, then landed more knees in a second clinch.

Kim tripped Sadollah to the mat and worked from his guard. He moved to half-guard and threw short elbows to the body. Kim tried to move to mount and trapped Sadollah’s left arm. He teed off with his free left hand and elbow. Kim released Sadollah’s arm and moved to mount. He landed punches, then took Sadollah’s back at the bell. 10-9 Kim.

Round 3:
Kim scored a takedown early in the final round and landed an elbow from the top. He pushed Sadollah up against the cage and Sadollah tried to set up a triangle choke. Sadollah attempted to use the cage to stand, but Kim moved briefly to mount in the process. Sadollah regained guard, but Kim kept him in place.

Kim stood over Sadollah, then returned to Sadollah’s guard and landed two elbows. He avoided a triangle choke from Sadollah and took his back as the fighters stood. Sadollah reversed and backed away from a clinch. Kim tried for a takedown and failed. A second attempt was successful, but Sadollah worked back to his feet. The fighters exchanged punches in the final seconds. 10-9 Kim.

Winner: Dong Hyun Kim by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 13-0-1, 1 ND.

 

Efrain “Hecho en México” Escudero vs Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon

Round 1:
The fighters immediately exchanged punches and Lauzon threw kicks to the leg and body. A flurry scored for Escudero and Lauzon countered with a one-two. Both fighters displayed impressive head movement in avoiding strikes from the other. Escudero landed a knee and backed Lauzon up to the cage. He followed with more knees including one of the flying variety. Lauzon covered up and defended.

Escudero punched free of a clinch and cracked Lauzon with a counter one-two. He landed a leg kick and Lauzon missed with a Superman Punch. Escudero threw another flurry and Lauzon ducked under most of the punches. The crowd grew restless as the fighters threw sparse strikes. Escudero landed a hard leg kick before the bell. 10-9 Escudero.

Round 2:
After a brief exchange of quick punches, Escudero switched to leg kicks and Lauzon missed with another Superman Punch. Escudero unleashed a barrage of punches and knees and Lauzon backed up to the cage. Lauzon survived the onslaught of strikes and Escudero backed away. Lauzon tried for a takedown, but Escudero stayed on his feet. Neither fighter held an advantage in the clinch and Lauzon soon stepped away.

Escudero landed a hard kick to the upper thigh and followed with another one. Lauzon appeared to slow down and missed with a weak right hook. Escudero pushed forward with punches and a flying knee. Another leg kick landed for Escudero. And another. Lauzon fell after a punch from Escudero and Escudero allowed him to stand. Lauzon caught a kick and landed a counterpunch, but Escudero replied with punches of his own. 10-9 Escudero.

Round 3:
Escudero landed leg kicks in the final round and sidestepped a left hook from Lauzon. Time was called after an accidental low blow from Lauzon, but the fight resumed and Escudero countered a left hand with a one-two. A hard leg kick landed for Escudero and he stopped Lauzon’s forward momentum with a pair of quick flurries. Escudero backed Lauzon up to the cage and landed knees to the legs. In a Thai clinch, Escudero landed punches and a flying knee.

The pace slowed and Escudero landed single leg kicks. Lauzon answered with a one-two, but missed. A body kick landed for Lauzon and he tried to set up an overhand left. The fighters exchanged punches and Escudero landed a pair of kicks to the upper thigh. The second one caught Lauzon in the groin and time was called. Escudero was deducted one point. The fighters absolutely teed off in the final ten seconds. 9-9.

Winner: Efrain Escudero by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) after three rounds. He improves to 13-1-0.

 

“The Young Assassin” Melvin Guillard vs Waylon Lowe

Round 1:
Guillard landed a nice lead left hand early in the fight and shrugged Lowe off as he closed the distance. Lowe clinched and picked Guillard up, but Guillard maintained his balance. Lowe scored a brief takedown and Guillard immediately got to his feet. He drilled Lowe with a knee, then a second one soon after. Lowe continued to try for a takedown and Guillard punished him with another knee and big hammerfist strikes.

Lowe scored with a one-two and backed away. Guillard landed leg kicks and stuffed a takedown. He landed a huge knee to the body and Lowe melted. Referee Yves Lavigne immediately stopped the fight. Solid victory for Guillard.

Winner: Melvin Guillard by KO (Knee To The Body) at 3:28 of round one. He improves to 24-8-2, 1 NC.

 

Cyrille “The Snake” Diabate vs Luiz “Banha” Cane

Round 1:
Diabate opened with hard leg kicks and a solid left hand, but Cane dropped him with a counterpunch. Diabate recovered and swept and the fighters stood. Cane landed short knees to the legs in a clinch, but Diabate kneed his way free. Hard punches landed for Diabate and he staggered Cane with a left hand. He floored him with a right and followed with more as referee Herb Dean stopped the fight.

Winner: Cyrille Diabate by TKO (Punches) at 2:13 of round one. He improves to 16-6-1.

 

Aaron Riley vs Joe Brammer

Round 1:
Brammer pressed forward with a knee to the body and a one-two early in round one. Riley clinched and Brammer landed more knees. Riley backed away and caught a kick from Brammer. He tried unsuccessfully for a takedown and missed with a flurry. Riley clinched and pressed Brammer up against the cage. The fighters traded short knees in close.

Riley tried for a takedown, but Brammer stayed on his feet. The fighters separated and exchanged punches. Riley missed with a haymaker left hand and clinched again. Time was called after a low blow from Riley, but the fight resumed. Little happened late in the round and Riley landed a body kick before the bell. 10-9 Riley.

Round 2:
Both fighters missed with strikes in the second round, but Riley connected with a leg kick and a vicious kick to the body. Brammer backed up and kept his distance. Riley clinched and backed Brammer up to the cage. The crowd voiced their displeasure as Riley threw occasional knees in close.

Riley tripped Brammer to the mat and worked from Brammer’s half-guard. Brammer regained butterfly guard and tried for an armbar, but Riley escaped. The fighters stood and Riley missed with a left hook. A right hand staggered Riley, but he recovered. Brammer took his back while standing shortly before the bell. 10-9 Riley.

Round 3:
Brammer opened the final round with leg kicks, but Riley knocked him down with a front kick. Brammer stood and the fighters exchanged punches. Riley fell and Brammer dove into his guard. A scramble followed and Riley clinched against the cage. Riley scored a slam takedown and landed in side-control.

Brammer defended well and got back to his feet. He landed a knee and Riley clinched once more. Riley took Brammer down and a scramble followed. Brammer managed to work back to a standing position and very little transpired in the final minute. Brammer landed a head kick late in the fight, but the bell sounded soon after. 10-9 Riley.

Winner: Aaron Riley by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 29-12-1.

 

Ryan Jensen vs Jesse “Kid Hercules” Forbes

Round 1:
Big punches landed for both fighters early on and Forbes rocked Jensen with a left hook. Jensen recovered and landed a right hand. A clinch followed against the cage and Jensen locked on an arm-in guillotine choke. He dragged Forbes to the mat and Forbes was forced to submit.

Winner: Ryan Jensen by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:06 of round one. He improves to 15-6-0.

 

While the main event grudge match lacked a decisive knockout finish, UFC 114 was an excellent event overall. From Mike Russow’s incredible comeback victory to John “The Hitman” Hathaway’s dominant win over Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez, UFC 114 signalled the emergence of new stars in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.