Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub vs Chris “The Crowbar” Tuchscherer
Round 1:
The fighters kept their distance early on until Schaub connected with a trio of right hands. Seconds later, Schaub floored Tuchscherer with a big right hand. He followed with punches and hammerfists as a dazed Tuchscherer rolled over. Referee Herb Dean rescued Tuchscherer from further punishment.
Winner: Brendan Schaub by TKO (Punches) at 1:07 of round one. He improves to 6-1-0.
Ricardo Romero vs Seth “The Silverback” Petruzelli
Round 1:
Petruzelli landed quick leg kicks and punches early in the fight and stuffed a takedown attempt from Romero. Big left and right hooks scored for Petruzelli and he followed with a jumping head kick. Petruzelli fell while throwing the kick, but got back to his feet and attempted a throw. Romero defended and Petruzelli landed more punches. He threw a spinning back kick, but Romero clinched and took him down. Romero attempted a Peruvian necktie on the ground, but Petruzelli escaped and landed big punches from the top.
Petruzelli stood over Romero and continued to punish him with hard strikes. Romero swept and Petruzelli wound up on the bottom. Romero passed to mount and tried for a keylock. Petruzelli gave up his back and Romero went for a rear-naked choke. He settled for elbows from the top and spun for an armbar, but Petruzelli used the opportunity to get back to his feet. He floored Romero with an uppercut, then blasted him with double hammerfist strikes. Romero tripped Petruzelli and locked on a rear-naked choke right at the bell. Great round. 10-9 Petruzelli, barely.
Round 2:
Both fighters appeared to be fatigued in the second round and Petruzelli threw a jumping knee and a head kick. Romero circled back to the cage and Petruzelli landed punches. He stuffed a takedown from Romero and tried for an armbar as Romero turtled. Romero, bleeding very badly from the face, escaped the armbar and worked from Petruzelli’s guard. Petruzelli answered with elbows from his back.
Petruzelli locked on a triangle choke, but Romero was too slippery due to the blood and he quickly escaped. He took top position and isolated Petruzelli’s arms. Romero locked on a far-side straight armbar and Petruzelli screamed out in pain as he tapped out. His arm appeared to be badly injured.
Winner: Ricardo Romero by Submission (Straight Armbar) at 3:05 of round two. He improves to 11-1-0.
Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove vs Goran Reljic
Round 1:
The fighters traded punches early in round one, then mixed in kicks. Reljic threw a one-two and Grove answered with a lunging counterpunch. Leg kicks landed for both and Reljic threw a head kick that was blocked. Both fighters continued to throw quick kicks and punches, but neither landed anything cleanly. Reljic finally connected with a solid body kick and Grove replied with a front kick.
A one-two landed for Reljic and Grove blocked a head kick. Reljic took Grove down, but Grove threw elbows from his back. Reljic stood and Grove drilled him with a vicious upkick. He stood and landed a knee in a Thai clinch. Both fighters landed knees to the body against the cage and Grove landed one to the face before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Grove.
Round 2:
Reljic scored with a hard right hand and a knee in the second round, but Grove took him down. Reljic tried for an armbar and a Kimura from his back and used them to sweep. He stood over Grove and kicked at his legs. Grove landed two upkicks and Reljic returned to Grove’s guard. Reljic threw punches and short elbows from the top and Grove stayed busy with elbow strikes as well.
Grove looked to set up a submission, then returned to elbows from his back. Reljic threw punches to Grove’s ribs as the crowd grew restless. Short strikes were exchanged until referee Mario Yamasaki stood the fighters up. Grove landed a lead left hook and little transpired in the final 20 seconds. Very close round. 10-9 Reljic, barely.
Round 3:
Grove scored with a flurry in the final round that forced Reljic to backpedal, but he recovered and threw a head kick. Grove landed a right hand and stuffed a takedown. Reljic blocked a head kick, but Grove landed a kick to the leg. Reljic scored a takedown, but Grove countered with a guillotine choke and stood up. He landed a knee to the face along the way.
Reljic threw two head kicks, but both were blocked. A leg kick landed, but Grove immediately answered with a right hand and two knees. Reljic clinched and tried for a takedown. Grove elbowed the side of Reljic’s head and stayed on his feet. Reljic finally managed to take Grove down and landed in Grove’s half-guard. He moved to side-control and then to North-South. Grove got to his feet before the bell. Another razor-thin round. 10-9 Grove, despite the late takedown.
Winner: Kendall Grove by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 12-7-0, 1 NC.
Gerald “Hurricane” Harris vs Dave Branch
Round 1:
Harris stayed low early on and appeared to be looking to set up a takedown. Branch threw leg kicks and a head kick and kept his distance. Harris rushed in with a big left hand, but Branch answered with a hard knee and another head kick. The fighters traded strikes and Branch landed a combination. Harris fired off a one-two and Branch stumbled as he backed up.
Harris threw a pair of lunging punches, but Branch sidestepped and threw a leg kick. A three-punch flurry scored for Harris and he clinched against the cage. Branch defended well and stayed on his feet, but Harris was relentless with takedown attempts. Branch threw elbows until Harris finally managed to slam him to the mat. Very close round. 10-9 Harris.
Round 2:
As in the first round, the fighters were cautious early in round two and Harris backed away from a quick flurry. Branch threw a head kick and Harris took him down. Branch tried for a triangle choke from his back and Harris drilled him with two big right hands. Branch held on and defended from his back, then worked back to his feet.
Harris backed Branch up to the cage, but Branch reversed. He landed knees to Harris’s thigh until Harris spun and dove for a double-leg takedown. He picked Branch up and tripped him to the mat against the cage. Harris briefly struck from the top and landed a hard right hand as Branch stood. Branch connected with an overhand right, but ate a stiff jab in return. 10-9 Harris.
Round 3:
Branch landed a head kick early in the final round, but Harris took him down. Branch immediately locked on a triangle choke and Harris slammed his way free. A left hand landed for Harris as both fighters stood up. Branch tried for a takedown and Harris stuffed it. The fighters clinched and Branch held onto the fence.
Referee Herb Dean separated the fighters and Branch landed a knee-punch combo. He tried to pull guard with a flying triangle, but Harris violently slammed him to the mat. Branch was out cold on impact and Harris refrained from throwing any further punches. Big knockout win.
Winner: Gerald Harris by KO (Slam) at 2:35 of round three. He improves to 17-2-0.
Undercard Fights:
Daniel “Ninja” Roberts defeated Forrest “The Meat Cleaver” Petz by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 10-1-0 with the win.
Jon Madsen defeated Karlos “The Terminator” Vemola by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 6-0-0 with the win.
Capped off by Brock Lesnar’s dramatic come-from-behind submission victory in the main event, UFC 116 was one of the best cards that the Ultimate Fighting Championship has put on in the past few years. Lesnar retained his UFC Heavyweight Championship, while middleweight contender Chris “The Crippler” Leben came back from the brink of defeat to submit Yoshihiro Akiyama late in the third round.