Court “The Crusher” McGee vs Ryan Jensen

Round 1:
Jensen avoided takedown attempts early on and floored McGee with a left, but McGee got back to his feet. Jensen took him down and landed hard right hands as McGee tried to work back to his feet. Knees also scored for Jensen, but McGee stood and backed away. Jensen threw a head kick and ducked under a combination. He tagged McGee with a counter flurry and another one-two soon after.

McGee could not find his range as he struggled to land anything and Jensen continued to score at will with punches and body kicks. McGee countered with a kick and a one-two, then ducked under a looping head kick. Jensen scored with two straight right hands and McGee responded with one of his own. The fighters traded leg kicks and Jensen missed with a wild overhand right. Both landed punches in the final ten seconds. 10-9 Jensen.

Round 2:
An exchange of kicks opened round two and McGee landed a right hand to the body. He followed with a hook to the jaw and Jensen fired back with a one-two. McGee rocked Jensen with a left hook, but Jensen stayed on his feet. McGee stuffed a takedown and ducked under a Jensen right hand. He threw a one-two to Jensen’s ribs and flashed out a head kick. McGee landed a leg kick and a flurry in close, then clinched.

Jensen countered a throw, but seemed to be fatigued and could not capitalise. McGee stood and Jensen connected with a right cross. More punches landed for Jensen as the crowd erupted in boos at the sight of Josh Koscheck walking towards cageside. McGee bloodied Jensen’s nose up quite badly and began to take over the striking exchanges. Jensen landed a leg kick and McGee countered with punches. McGee clinched and took Jensen down with ease just before the bell. 10-9 McGee.

Round 3:
McGee still appeared to be fresh in the final round and he landed a leg kick and a huge left hand. It stunned Jensen and McGee took him down. McGee moved to mount and battered him with punches and elbows. He locked on a modified arm-triangle choke from the top and Jensen tapped out. Impressive comeback for McGee.

Winner: Court McGee by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 1:21 of round three. He improves to 13-1-0.

 

“Filthy” Tom Lawlor vs Patrick “The Predator” Côté

Round 1:
The fighters clinched immediately and exchanged quick punches over the top. Lawlor backed Côté up to the cage and stomped at Côté’s feet, then took him down. Côté tied Lawlor up and prevented him from landing much of anything, but Lawlor managed to connect with a solid right hand. Côté postured for submissions, but found no success and continued to hold on.

Lawlor landed an elbow and short punches from the top. He stood over Côté and passed to side-control. Côté regained half-guard, but Lawlor punished him with punches from the top and looked to set up an arm-triangle choke. Lawlor secured it, but Côté managed to roll out with the aid of grabbing the cage. Lawlor locked on a rear-naked choke and Côté spun out. He landed punches before the bell. 10-9 Lawlor.

Round 2:
Lawlor opened the second round with leg kicks and backed Côté up again. Côté briefly held onto a standing guillotine choke, but let it go as Lawlor stomped at his feet. Lawlor took Côté down against the cage and worked from the top in Côté’s guard. As in the first round, he threw occasional punches and elbows, then passed to half-guard.

Lawlor landed more punches until Côté battled back to his feet. Lawlor took him down again and punched to the head and body. Côté tried for a Kimura from the bottom, but Lawlor punched his way out and returned to Côté’s guard. Referee John McCarthy stood the fighters up and both landed a handful of punches before the bell. 10-9 Lawlor.

Round 3:
Lawlor rushed forward and landed two solid punches to open round three, then took Côté down and worked for an arm-triangle choke. Côté escaped, but Lawlor moved right to side-control. Côté got back to half-guard and Lawlor threw elbows to the side of Côté’s head. Lawlor used a front crucifix to move to mount, but Côté managed to scramble back to half-guard again. Lawlor tried for a Kimura, but Côté spun out and regained full guard.

Lawlor punched and elbowed from the top until John McCarthy again stepped in way too early to stand the fighters up. Lawlor clinched and scored another takedown against the cage. Côté’s left eye was badly swollen from the strikes that Lawlor had landed during the previous takedown and Lawlor stayed busy with elbows to the head and body. Lawlor tried for an arm-triangle choke, then pushed Côté to his back and finished the round strong with punches. Dominant performance. 10-9 Lawlor.

Winner: Tom Lawlor by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 7-3-0, 1 NC.

 

Daniel “Ninja” Roberts vs Mike “Joker” Guymon

Round 1:
The fighters circled early on and Roberts landed a body kick. He sent Guymon off-balance with a hard leg kick and followed with punches as Guymon pushed forward. Roberts locked on a standing guillotine choke near the cage. He threw Guymon to the mat with it and rolled into an Anaconda Choke. Guymon had nowhere to go and was forced to submit. Very impressive win for Roberts.

Winner: Daniel Roberts by Submission (Anaconda Choke) at 1:13 of round one. He improves to 11-1-0.

 

Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout vs “Relentless” Paul Taylor

Round 1:
Stout landed a hard leg kick to open the fight and countered a kick from Taylor with a one-two. Taylor recovered and began to land kicks to the body, but Stout countered effectively with a series of hooks and overhand rights. Taylor landed a flurry of punches including a hard right hand. Stout slipped while throwing a kick, but got up and took Taylor down before the bell. Very close round. 10-9 Stout, barely.

Round 2:
Both fighters landed leg kicks early in the second round, then traded hard punches in a series of exchanges. Stout landed a flurry and a left hook to the liver. Taylor countered effectively with hooks and single punches including a strong right hand. Stout caught a kick and sent Taylor to the mat with a right. Taylor got back up and landed a right hook as Stout targeted the body again. Stout caught another kick and sent Taylor down a second time, but Taylor stood again. Taylor attempted two takedowns, then landed a knee and a flurry. Another close round. 10-9 Taylor by a small margin.

Round 3:
Taylor opened the final round strong with a punching flurry and a body kick. Both landed punches and Taylor threw a head kick. A one-two and a leg kick scored for Taylor, but Stout answered with a leg kick of his own that dropped Taylor to a knee. Taylor stood and landed a hard right hand, then a pair of uppercuts in close. Stout countered with a left hook and tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. Taylor landed kicks and punches late in the round, but was unable to take Stout down. Another razor-thin round. 10-9 Taylor.

Winner: Sam Stout by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 16-6-1.

 

Chris Camozzi vs Dongi “The Ox” Yang

Round 1:
Yang opened the fight with leg kicks and Camozzi answered with a combination. Another kick landed for Yang and Camozzi looked to counter with one of his own, but Yang caught it and took Camozzi down. Yang landed hammerfists from the top, but Camozzi attempted a triangle choke, then reversed and took top position. Both fighters stood and Camozzi secured a Thai clinch. He landed some hard knees and followed with right hooks. Yang fired back with lead left hooks and closed out the round with a hard left cross. 10-9 Yang, barely.

Round 2:
Camozzi landed a kick to open the second round, but ate a left cross for his efforts. Yang took him down and quickly transitioned to back control, but lost the position and the fighters returned to their feet. A clinch followed, but little transpired and the referee separated the fighters. Yang landed a one-two and a knee as the pace slowed and Camozzi answered with a knee of his own. Camozzi looked to clinch and landed another knee, but Yang landed a punch over the top. Camozzi shot for a takedown and Yang defended. He drilled Camozzi with a right hook late in the round. 10-9 Yang.

Round 3:
Camozzi jabbed to begin the final round and Yang scored with a nice counterpunch. He tried for a takedown, but Camozzi landed a knee to the body. Camozzi staggered Yang with a left cross and defended a throw attempt, then bloodied Yang’s mouth with more punches. Camozzi stuffed a takedown and landed a knee and a right hook. He threw an uppercut and Yang responded with a right hook of his own. Yang took Camozzi’s back while standing, but Camozzi attempted a Kimura and escaped the position. Camozzi landed knees in the final seconds and Yang fired back with punches. 10-9 Camozzi.

Winner: Chris Camozzi by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 14-3-0.

 

Jon Madsen vs Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel

Round 1:
The fighters circled each other for the first minute until Madsen scored an emphatic takedown against the cage. He stood over Yvel and rained down heavy punches. Hard right hands scored for Madsen and he threw Yvel’s legs to the side. Madsen unloaded with a barrage of punches as Yvel turtled on the ground against the cage and referee John McCarthy stopped the fight.

Winner: Jon Madsen by TKO (Punches) at 1:48 of round one. He improves to 7-0-0.

 

Capped off by Cain Velasquez’s total destruction of Brock Lesnar to capture the UFC Heavyweight Championship, UFC 121 was a solid event that featured a number of competitive bouts. While Jake Shields’s long-awaited UFC debut was not as exciting as some would have hoped, he walked away with a close decision victory over a very game Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann and could find himself in a title fight when he next competes inside the Octagon.