The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada tonight with UFC 115: “Liddell vs Franklin” at General Motors Place. The event was headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former UFC champions Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and Rich “Ace” Franklin.
Also on the card, hard-hitting kickboxers Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović and Pat “HD” Barry squared off in an excellent heavyweight bout, while Paulo Thiago faced Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann in a battle of welterweight contenders. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the debut B.C. card.
Rich “Ace” Franklin vs Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell
Round 1:
Liddell pushed forward early and looked to set up a big right hand, but Franklin kept him at bay with leg kicks. Liddell answered with a leg kick of his own and Franklin cracked him with a left hook. Franklin clinched and Liddell punched free. He threw a head kick and landed a hard kick to the body. Franklin threw another leg kick and a nice right hook. Liddell drilled him with two punches in close and Franklin backed away.
Liddell, bleeding from the forehead, caught a kick and took Franklin down against the cage. Franklin worked back to his feet as blood began to drip into Liddell’s left eye. Both fighters threw hooks at the same time and Franklin followed with a combination. He landed a body kick, but got rocked by a Liddell right hand. Franklin fired back with a looping left hook and another body kick.
A punch-kick combo landed for Liddell and he rocked Franklin with a right hand, but Franklin recovered. Liddell landed an elbow over the top, but melted to the canvas from a counter right hand. Franklin landed more punches before referee Herb Dean waved him off. Huge win for Franklin, who stated that his left forearm was broken. It indeed appeared to be.
Winner: Rich Franklin by KO (Punches) at 4:55 of round one. He improves to 28-5-0, 1 NC.
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović vs Pat “HD” Barry
Round 1:
Barry landed right hands early on and followed with a leg kick. Filipović missed with a left and was dropped by a right. He got up and Barry landed another leg kick. And another. And a third. Filipović threw a side kick and a hook kick, but ate another leg kick. Barry missed with a head kick and dropped Filipović with another right hand. Filipović stood again, but his jaw appeared to be broken.
Barry threw a head kick, but Filipović blocked it. His face began to badly swell and Barry connected with another leg kick. Filipović missed with a left and clinched. He threw Barry to the mat briefly and landed punches, but Barry got back to his feet and just missed with a head kick. The fighters smiled and embraced, then went back to punching each other. Barry scored with another leg kick and threw a head kick at the bell. 10-9 Barry.
Round 2:
Barry jabbed in round two and Filipović threw a pair of head kicks. He landed a liver kick and flurried with punches. Barry circled away and returned to leg kicks. Filipović missed with a side kick, but landed a left hook. The fighters clinched and Filipović threw hammerfists to the thigh. Barry stayed on his feet as Filipović threw short punches. The fighters were separated and Filipović threw a one-two.
Both fighters landed leg kicks and Filipović followed with a combination. Filipović countered a missed head kick with a guillotine choke as Barry fell to the ground. He worked from Barry’s half-guard and landed short elbows. Filipović punched to the body and moved to mount. Barry rolled and Filipović tried for a rear-naked choke. He threw short punches with both hands and continued to try for the choke until the bell. 10-9 Filipović.
Round 3:
Filipović landed a head kick in the final round, but Barry stayed on his feet. Filipović followed with an axe kick and Barry smiled. Filipović ducked under a punch and secured a clinch. Barry broke free and tripped Filipović as he threw a head kick. Filipović stood and Barry landed three leg kicks. He tried to set up combinations and Filipović connected with a left hook. The fighters traded quick punches and both landed lefts.
Filipović punched into another clinch and backed Barry up to the cage. Barry landed an elbow over the top, but Filipović peppered him with quick strikes. Referee Yves Lavigne separated the fighters and Filipović teed off with punches. He floored Barry with a combination and continued to strike on the ground. Barry held on, but ate more punches and an elbow. Barry tried to work back to his feet, but Filipović secured a rear-naked choke and Barry was forced to tap out. Incredible battle.
Winner: Mirko Filipović by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:30 of round three. He improves to 27-7-2, 1 NC.
Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann vs Paulo Thiago
Round 1:
The fighters looked to find their range early on and Kampmann landed a stiff jab. He cracked Thiago with a counter right hook, but Thiago was unfazed. Another right hand counter landed for Kampmann and Thiago answered with a quick one-two. Kampmann ducked under two looping hooks from Thiago and connected with a right hand, then a one-two soon after. Thiago clinched and tried for a takedown, but Kampmann stuffed it.
A kick-punch-kick combo partially landed for Thiago, but Kampmann dropped him with a lead right hand. Thiago immediately recovered and grabbed onto Kampmann’s leg. The fighters stood and Thiago tripped Kampmann to the mat. A bloodied Kampmann locked on a guillotine choke, but Thiago escaped to his feet. He briefly tried for a Brabo Choke, but let it go. Kampmann secured a very tight guillotine choke and Thiago rolled to escape. Good round. 10-9 Kampmann.
Round 2:
The second round began tentatively as the fighters once again tried to find their range. Kampmann landed a nice leg kick, which set off an exchange of wild hooks. Thiago landed a leg kick of his own and Kampmann punched his way into a clinch. Thiago defended and connected with a looping left hand. Another left landed for Thiago, but Kampmann stuffed a takedown and took Thiago’s back. Thiago rolled and Kampmann worked for an arm-triangle choke.
Thiago escaped the choke and attempted a Kimura from his back. Kampmann stayed in place and defended as a stalemate followed. Thiago used the Kimura to sweep and wound up in side-control. He landed an elbow and tried to move to mount. Kampmann stood and landed big knees late in the round. He tried for a guillotine choke just before the bell. 10-9 Kampmann.
Round 3:
Both fighters connected with left hands in the final round and Thiago landed a second one soon after. Thiago missed with a haymaker right hand and Kampmann took him down. Kampmann landed punches to the body, then stood over Thiago. He moved back to Thiago’s half-guard and then mount. Kampmann secured an arm-triangle choke and Thiago rolled to his side to defend. Kampmann tried to take Thiago’s back and a scramble followed.
Kampmann wound up on top and landed punches, then tried again to take Thiago’s back. He gave it up and landed a knee. Thiago stood, but fell to his back and Kampmann worked for another choke. Kampmann switched to punches as Thiago got to a knee. Back on the feet, Kampmann stuffed a takedown and Thiago wound up on his back again. Kampmann tried for an arm-triangle choke and got it with ten seconds left. Thiago held on until the bell. 10-9 Kampmann.
Winner: Martin Kampmann by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 17-3-0.
“Big” Ben Rothwell vs Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel
Round 1:
Rothwell rushed in right away with big punches, but Yvel held on and tried to pull guard with a guillotine choke. Rothwell easily escaped and passed to side-control. He moved to mount, but Yvel immediately reversed and landed punches. Rothwell stood and slammed Yvel to the mat in the corner. He moved to side-control again and worked for a far-side keylock, but quickly let it go.
Rothwell attempted a crucifix, but Yvel escaped and stood. Rothwell took him down again and moved to mount against the cage. Yvel tried to buck him off, but Rothwell landed elbows. Rothwell scrambled and tried for a leglock. He secured a crucifix and landed punches from the top, but Yvel escaped. The fighters stood and Yvel landed a big knee and punches. Rothwell staggered, but held on until the bell. 10-9 Rothwell.
Round 2:
A fatigued Rothwell took down an equally tired Yvel in the second round and fought off a half-hearted triangle attempt. He tried to move to mount, but Yvel maintained half-guard. Yvel scrambled and Rothwell got to mount. He isolated Yvel’s arm and rained down punches. Rothwell allowed Yvel to stand and landed punches on the way up.
Rothwell took Yvel down again, but Yvel used a keylock to sweep. He landed big punches from the top that had Rothwell in danger. Rothwell hung on and survived as Yvel continued to tee off with big shots. Rothwell worked back to his feet and took Yvel down. He landed strikes until the bell. Extremely difficult round to score. 10-9 Yvel, barely.
Round 3:
Yvel tried for a takedown early on, but wound up on the bottom. He attempted a triangle choke, but Rothwell passed to side-control. Rothwell landed short elbows and tried to move to mount, but wound up in Yvel’s half-guard. He returned to side-control and worked for a keylock on Yvel’s right arm.
Rothwell gave up the hold and went back to short elbows. He secured another crucifix and landed sparse punches and elbows from the top. Rothwell, exhausted, continued to throw single elbow strikes and prevented Yvel from doing anything. Rothwell managed to land a handful of short punches in the final 30 seconds. 10-9 Rothwell.
Winner: Ben Rothwell by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 31-7-0.
“The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit vs Rory “The Waterboy” MacDonald
Round 1:
MacDonald caught a kick from Condit early on and dropped him with a left hand. He allowed Condit to stand and the fighters traded punches. They clinched and exchanged knees until MacDonald slammed Condit to the ground. Condit tied MacDonald up well and prevented him from doing anything. The fighters stood and MacDonald just missed with a looping haymaker. Condit cracked him with a counter right hand. Two hard rights landed for MacDonald and he took Condit down.
Condit once again tied MacDonald up and MacDonald stood. Condit followed and MacDonald punched his way into a clinch. Both landed knees and MacDonald broke free with a right hook. A punch-kick combo scored for Condit, but MacDonald answered with a counter one-two. MacDonald caught a body kick and landed a right hook and both fighters landed leg kicks. MacDonald scored a takedown before the bell. 10-9 MacDonald.
Round 2:
MacDonald landed a stiff jab in the second round and both fighters scored with body kicks and punches. Condit fell to his back and MacDonald worked from the top. He moved to side-control, but Condit scrambled and stood up. Condit landed a knee in close and MacDonald drilled him with three quick punches. The fighters continued to trade strikes and Condit landed a leg kick. MacDonald tried for a takedown, but wound up on his back. He used an ankle pick and swept. Condit used partial rubber guard to keep MacDonald in place.
MacDonald stood over Condit and landed a kick to the leg. Condit stood and missed with a spinning crescent kick. The crowd began to chant loudly for MacDonald, who rocked Condit briefly with a flurry. Condit recovered and tried unsuccessfully for a takedown, but landed a big knee. He kept MacDonald at bay with kicks, but MacDonald landed a stiff jab and a right hook. Condit got wild with spinning strikes and MacDonald floored him with a front kick to the chest. 10-9 MacDonald.
Round 3:
MacDonald caught a kick early on and rushed in with punches, then drilled Condit with a head kick and two big punches. Condit landed a hard counterpunch that prompted MacDonald to shoot in for a takedown. He wound up on his back and Condit cut him with elbows. Condit kept the pressure on with punches and moved to mount. MacDonald regained half-guard, but Condit punished him with more punches and elbows. MacDonald worked back to his feet and ate a flurry of punches.
MacDonald fell to his back and Condit landed more elbows as MacDonald’s eye swelled badly. He held strong and pushed Condit off, but Condit dove back into MacDonald’s half-guard. He tried to move to mount, but MacDonald defended. He kicked Condit off again and Condit moved back into half-guard. Condit landed hammerfists until the referee controversially stopped the fight with mere seconds to go. Very questionable stoppage in a fight that should have been a 28-28 Draw.
Winner: Carlos Condit by TKO (Punches) at 4:53 of round three. He improves to 25-5-0.
(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)