The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its way to the Honda Center in Anaheim, California tonight for UFC 121: “Lesnar vs Velasquez.” The event was headlined by a UFC Heavyweight Championship bout between Brock Lesnar and unbeaten challenger Cain Velasquez.
Also on the card, former EliteXC and Strikeforce champion Jake Shields made his UFC debut when he took on Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann in a welterweight bout, while Tito Ortiz faced Matt Hamill. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for all of the fights on tonight’s main card.
UFC Heavyweight Championship
Cain Velasquez vs Brock Lesnar
Round 1:
Lesnar rushed right in with knees and an uppercut, then threw a flying knee as well. The fighters traded punches and Lesnar took Velasquez down. Velasquez scrambled to his feet and threw elbows to the side of Lesnar’s head as Lesnar attempted another takedown. Lesnar continued to try to get Velasquez down and did so for all of half a second. Velasquez broke free of the clinch and the fighters traded more punches. Velasquez took Lesnar down and landed punches from back control. Velasquez threw punches and hammerfists until Lesnar got to his feet.
Lesnar missed horribly with a takedown attempt and went rolling across the cage after a right hand from Velasquez. More big punches and a knee scored for Velasquez and Lesnar collapsed to the canvas. Velasquez blasted him with punches, but Lesnar weathered the storm. More punches landed for Velasquez, who moved to knee-on-belly position and continued to batter Lesnar. A bloodied Lesnar got back to his feet, only to be immediately dropped. More punches followed and referee Herb Dean rescued Lesnar from further punishment. Total domination. Lesnar’s face was completely covered in blood from the punches.
Winner: Cain Velasquez by TKO (Punches) at 4:12 of round one. He improves to 9-0-0 and becomes the new UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Jake Shields vs Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann
Round 1:
Shields pushed forward with a one-two and clinched against the cage. He took Kampmann down and quickly moved to side-control. Kampmann regained half-guard and the fighters traded elbows. Shields used a partial arm-triangle choke to try to pass back to side-control, but could not. He did pass to mount soon after, however, but Kampmann scrambled all the way back to his feet. Kampmann landed knees to the body and countered a takedown with a guillotine choke.
Shields escaped the choke in a scramble, but Kampmann stood. Shields maintained the clinch until Kampmann circled free. Shields threw a body kick and a stiff jab. More kicks landed for Shields and Kampmann countered with a jab. He stuffed a takedown and Shields connected with two more body kicks. Kampmann tried to stuff another takedown late in the round and partially did so. 10-9 Shields.
Round 2:
Kampmann stuffed a takedown early in the second round and the fighters battled for position against the cage. Kampmann landed a huge knee and Shields dropped to his knees. He easily fought off a Brabo Choke attempt and put Kampmann on his back. Kampmann tried for a guillotine choke and Shields again escaped with ease. Kampmann stood and landed three knees. Shields backed up and appeared to be tired.
Kampmann scored with another big knee and Shields dropped for another takedown. He managed to get Kampmann down and threw elbows to Kampmann’s thigh. Shields briefly moved to mount and landed an elbow, but Kampmann regained half-guard and answered with elbows from his back. Shields returned to mount, but Kampmann bucked him off and stood up. An exchange of short strikes closed out the round as Shields appeared to be fatigued. Very close round. 10-9 Shields.
Round 3:
Kampmann landed a head kick and a knee in the final round, then sprawled out of a takedown. The fighters stood and Kampmann landed a knee to the body. Shields appeared to be exhausted and failed miserably in a takedown attempt. Kampmann took his back and landed punches, then sprawled out of another takedown. Kampmann attempted a Brabo Choke and Shields rolled to his side. He narrowly escaped the choke and allowed Kampmann to take top position.
Kampmann threw short elbows from Shields’s half-guard and tried for another Brabo Choke. Shields worked free and moved to side-control. Kampmann regained half-guard briefly, only for Shields to move right back to the side. Shields threw short knees to the body and hammerfists, then took Kampmann’s back in a scramble. He secured a body triangle and worked for a rear-naked choke. Shields threw weak punches with his right hand until the bell. The late rally from Shields stole the round. 10-9 Shields.
Winner: Jake Shields by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 26-4-1.
Paulo Thiago vs Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez
Round 1:
Sanchez landed a one-two in the early stages of the first round and Thiago answered with a body kick. Thiago stuffed a takedown and landed a series of knees. Short strikes were exchanged in a clinch against the cage and Sanchez broke free. He landed a leg kick, but Thiago clinched soon after and tripped him to the mat.
Thiago struck from the top in half-guard and looked to set up a variety of chokes. He secured a Brabo Choke, but Sanchez stood. Thiago maintained the choke until Sanchez managed to scramble out. Sanchez landed a right hook to the body and a combination as Thiago fired back with a right hand. Sanchez clinched and tried for a takedown. Thiago stuffed it and landed punches and a kick. 10-9 Thiago.
Round 2:
Sanchez missed with a one-two, but landed a leg kick in round two. The fighters teed off and Thiago got the better of the punching exchange. Sanchez missed with more wild punches and tried for a takedown. Thiago fought out with punches and a rolling kick, but Sanchez wound up on top in a reverse mount position. He threw punches to the body until Thiago scrambled and regained butterfly guard. Thiago threw elbows and looked for a Kimura. Sanchez escaped the hold and time was called after an illegal elbow to the back of Sanchez’s head.
The fight resumed without penalty and Thiago tried for another Kimura. Sanchez stood to escape, then rained down punches to the body and followed with elbows. Thiago kicked Sanchez off and a scramble ensued. The fighters stood and Sanchez picked Thiago up. He slammed him down near the cage and spun out of a heel hook attempt. Sanchez tried for a neck crank and threw punches to the sides of Thiago’s head. Thiago escaped and landed punches and a head kick. Excellent round. 10-9 Sanchez.
Round 3:
An exhausted Thiago clinched in the final round, but wound up on the bottom of a takedown. Sanchez threw a knee to the body, but Thiago secured a Kimura. Sanchez escaped and took Thiago’s back. He sunk in both hooks and tried to set up a rear-naked choke. Sanchez threw punches to the sides of Thiago’s head and once again looked for the choke as Thiago rolled to his side. Sanchez threw punches to Thiago’s back and ribs, then moved to mount.
Thiago rolled and escaped out the back, but lost his balance and fell back down. He landed an upkick as Sanchez rushed in, but Sanchez resumed his assault from the top in half-guard. Thiago attempted a kneebar and stood as Sanchez threw punches. Thiago briefly secured a Brabo Choke and fell to his back. He landed another upkick and Sanchez responded with punches and elbows from the top. Sanchez stacked Thiago and landed more punches, then moved to mount and teed off with punches until the bell. 10-9 Sanchez.
Winner: Diego Sanchez by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 22-4-0.
Matt “The Hammer” Hamill vs “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz
Round 1:
Ortiz rushed in very aggressively with a head kick and a knee to the body. He followed with punches and a body kick, but Hamill opened a small cut on the side of Ortiz’s head with a counterpunch. Hamill caught a kick and took Ortiz down. Ortiz scrambled back to his feet and threw another head kick. He landed a leg kick and shrugged off a clinch. Ortiz landed another body kick, but began to bleed from under the right eye from a punch.
Hamill threw a kick-punch combo and Ortiz answered with a leg kick. Ortiz jabbed and the fighters exchanged left hooks. Both landed kicks and Ortiz missed with a spinning backfist. He landed a one-two, however, and circled away. Hamill landed a hard right and Ortiz jabbed in. He scored with an uppercut, but Hamill stepped free of a clinch. Both landed jabs and Ortiz connected with a right hook. Hamill landed a right at the bell. 10-9 Ortiz.
Round 2:
An exchange of kicks opened the second round and Ortiz landed a right cross. Both landed punches and Ortiz shrugged off a takedown. He landed a knee and Hamill fired back with a one-two to the body. Ortiz scored with a left to the liver and Hamill jabbed. Ortiz landed a nice combination and a knee in close against the cage.
Hamill took Ortiz down and threw short elbows. Ortiz answered with punches from the bottom and both fighters threw elbows. Ortiz tried to posture for a triangle choke and Hamill countered with more elbows. Ortiz rolled for a kneebar and Hamill used the opportunity to move to side-control. He isolated Ortiz’s arm and threw elbows from a partial crucifix. Ortiz rolled to his side and regained half-guard. 10-9 Hamill.
Round 3:
Hamill opened the final round with a stiff jab and a one-two that backed Ortiz up. Hamill followed up with a kick and a combination, but Ortiz cracked him with a right hand. More jabs landed for Hamill and an uppercut also found the mark. A lunging left uppercut scored for Hamill and he landed a punch-kick-punch combo. Hamill threw two jabs and a leg kick, then sidestepped a counter flurry from Ortiz.
Hamill landed another one-two and missed with an uppercut. He caught a kick and stuffed an Ortiz takedown. Hamill threw a combination that partially landed and Ortiz fired back with one of his own. An emphatic takedown from Hamill ended with him on top in Ortiz’s half-guard. Hamill threw short elbows and punched with his left hand. More punches and elbows scored for Hamill and he secured a guillotine choke seconds before the bell. 10-9 Hamill.
Winner: Matt Hamill by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-2-0.
Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub vs Gabriel “Napão” Gonzaga
Round 1:
The fighters circled for the opening 30 seconds and Schaub landed two punches. Gonzaga replied with a hard leg kick and the fighters resumed circling. Schaub jabbed and caught a kick from Gonzaga. He drilled him with three straight right hands, then followed with another moments later. Gonzaga threw a body kick and ate another flurry. Schaub continued to get the better of the exchanges and landed two more combinations.
Gonzaga landed a leg kick and Schaub answered with a one-two. Gonzaga threw a head kick and Schaub blocked it with his forearm. A leg kick scored for Gonzaga and he tried for a takedown, but Schaub stuffed it. Schaub landed a flurry and followed with straight rights and jabs. Gonzaga threw another head kick, but Schaub rocked him with a right. Schaub swarmed with punches as Gonzaga covered up and Schaub dropped him with a right hook at the bell. 10-9 Schaub.
Round 2:
Schaub jabbed to open the second round and countered a leg kick with lunging punches. A hard leg kick scored for Gonzaga. And another. Gonzaga punched free of a clinch and landed a leg kick, but fell. Schaub took advantage by rushing in with punches, but Gonzaga returned to his feet and circled away. Schaub landed a right to the body and backed Gonzaga up with a series of left jabs.
Another leg kick landed for Gonzaga, whose nose was bloodied from Schaub’s punches. Gonzaga threw a leg kick and Schaub teed off with punches to the head and body. He landed a knee to the body and backed away. Gonzaga connected with a right hook and Schaub resumed jabbing. More jabs landed for Schaub as Gonzaga appeared to slow down. Both fighters landed right hooks just before the bell. 10-9 Schaub.
Round 3:
Schaub landed a right hook and a left jab to start off the final round and the fighters exchanged punches. Gonzaga sprawled out of a takedown attempt and the fight returned to the feet. Schaub pawed out with jabs and Gonzaga replied with a pair of his own. The pace slowed as the fighters traded single punches and Gonzaga finally landed another hard leg kick. He followed with a head kick, but Schaub blocked it.
Schaub scored with a combination and Gonzaga answered with two leg kicks. Gonzaga missed with a lunging right and Schaub jabbed again. Gonzaga landed another leg kick and the fighters exchanged stiff jabs. Gonzaga connected with one of his best punches of the fight with a lead left hook and he followed with a kick. Both teed off with punches in the final seconds and Gonzaga countered a takedown attempt with a rear-naked choke. The bell sounded to end the fight. 10-10.
Winner: Brendan Schaub by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 7-1-0.
(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)