Duane “Bang” Ludwig vs “Slick” Nick Osipczak
Round 1:
Osipczak scored with a leg kick to start the fight, but Ludwig immediately countered with a head kick. More kicks were exchanged as Osipczak continued to target Ludwig’s lead leg. A nice left hook landed for Ludwig and he backed Osipczak up with a head kick. Ludwig swarmed with punches, but Osipczak held on and clinched. The fighters exchanged strikes in close and Ludwig backed away. He landed another head kick and big punches that stunned Osipczak.
More punches and a variety of kicks all landed for Ludwig and he mixed in standing elbows as well, but Osipczak floored him with a counter punch. Ludwig stood and was dropped again. Osipczak dove right into mount and punched from the top. Ludwig, cut badly above the right eye, managed to scramble out and stood, but Osipczak took him back down. Osipczak stayed in Ludwig’s guard until the bell. Excellent round. 10-9 Osipczak.
Round 2:
Kicks were exchanged in the second round and Ludwig scored with a left hook counter. He targeted the body with both punches and kicks, but Osipczak held his ground with leg kicks and single punches. Ludwig began to land leg kicks of his own and the fighters traded knees to the body in a clinch. Osipczak broke free with a left cross and missed with a head kick. Ludwig began to bleed from above the left eye.
Body kicks scored for both and Ludwig returned to the head kicks that worked well in round one. Osipczak took Ludwig down and worked from the top, but Ludwig held him in place and prevented Osipczak from doing much of anything. The fighters were stood up with 20 seconds to go and Ludwig tried unsuccessfully for a takedown of his own. 10-9 Osipczak.
Round 3:
After a brief break to get Osipczak his mouthpiece, the final round resumed and Ludwig landed punches and a body kick. Osipczak clinched and Ludwig defended with a knee to the body. He avoided a takedown attempt and the fighters traded punches. Ludwig attempted a takedown and failed badly, but Osipczak appeared to slow down. Ludwig put together combinations of leg kicks and punches, then two knees to the body. A head kick and a one-two also landed for Ludwig.
Osipczak seemed to have nothing left as he slowed way down and ate a variety of strikes against the cage. Ludwig landed knees to the body as Osipczak appeared to be paralysed. A big knee and punches to the head and ribs scored for Ludwig and he followed with a big combination. Ludwig began to slow down as well, but remained the aggressor with punches and kicks. Ludwig landed a head kick and a flurry, then clinched late in the round. 10-8 Ludwig.
*Note: Judge Chris Watts’s scorecard was initially read as 30-28 for Osipczak, but was reportedly clarified to read 29-28 following the fight. The final round was clearly all Ludwig, so a 10-10 score seemed out of place.
Winner: Duane Ludwig by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 20-11-0.
Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko vs Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira
Round 1:
Matyushenko jabbed early on and defended a takedown, but Ferreira pulled guard. A scramble followed and the fighters returned to their feet. Matyushenko landed punches to the body in a clinch and Ferreira answered with two knees. They separated and Ferreira landed a looping left hook. Matyushenko replied with a right and stepped out of another takedown attempt. Matyushenko got Ferreira down and teed off with punches. Ferreira rolled to his side and Matyushenko moved to mount. He threw more punches and a pair of elbows and the fight was stopped.
There was brief controversy following the fight as a handful of Matyushenko’s punches had struck the back of Ferreira’s head. Regardless, Matyushenko’s victory stands. Solid win for the veteran.
Winner: Vladimir Matyushenko by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 2:20 of round one. He improves to 25-5-0 with the win.
Pascal “Panzer” Krauss vs Mark “Scanno” Scanlon
Round 1:
Scanlon landed a combination early in the fight and Krauss countered with a leg kick. Scanlon took Krauss down and tried for a guillotine choke, but Krauss escaped and the fight returned to the feet. A brief clinch followed and the fighters exchanged punching combinations soon after. Krauss stuffed a takedown and scored one of his own. He tried to move to mount, but Scanlon scrambled and escaped to his feet. Krauss took Scanlon down again and landed punches and elbows before the bell. 10-9 Krauss.
Round 2:
As in the first round, Scanlon scored with a flurry in round two and Krauss responded with a leg kick. Scanlon backed Krauss up to the cage, but it was Krauss who scored a takedown. Krauss punched to the body as Scanlon held on and prevented him from posturing up. Scanlon regained full guard and attempted a kneebar, but Krauss used the opportunity to move to mount. He scored with solid punches from the top and Scanlon gave up his back. Krauss attempted a rear-naked choke, but Scanlon escaped. Krauss finished the round with more punches. 10-9 Krauss.
Round 3:
Krauss jabbed in the final round and this time it was Scanlon who answered with a leg kick. Scanlon landed a combination and took Krauss down. Krauss stood and Scanlon took him down again. The fighters stood and Scanlon defended a takedown attempt with a guillotine choke. Krauss got Scanlon down and landed punches to the body from the top. Scanlon attempted to sweep, but Krauss moved to side-control in the process. He rained down punches and an elbow before the end of the close round. 10-9 Krauss due to the late rally.
Winner: Pascal Krauss by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 10-0-0.
Kyle “KO” Noke vs Rob “The Rosedale Reaper” Kimmons
Round 1:
The fighters traded punches right away and Noke took Kimmons down. Kimmons immediately worked back to his feet, only to be taken down again. Noke worked from the top in Kimmons’s half-guard with elbows. Kimmons regained full guard, but ate more punches and elbows for his efforts. Noke moved back to half-guard, but Kimmons swept and wound up on top in side-control. Kimmons landed elbows to Noke’s side and back and a battle for position continued until the bell. 10-9 Noke.
Round 2:
Both fighters landed combinations in the second round and Noke clinched. He took Kimmons down and moved right to mount. Noke tried for an armbar and took Kimmons’s back seconds later. He secured a rear-naked choke and Kimmons was forced to submit. Good win for Noke.
Winner: Kyle Noke by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:33 of round two. He improves to 18-4-1.
Karlos “The Terminator” Vemola vs Seth “The Silverback” Petruzelli
Round 1:
Wild punches were exchanged right away and Vemola slammed Petruzelli to the mat. He unleashed some hard punches from the top, but Petruzelli got back to his feet. Vemola ducked his head and blasted Petruzelli with more punches, then slammed him down again. Petruzelli locked on a triangle choke, but Vemola escaped and stood up. He returned to Petruzelli’s guard and threw hammerfists from the top. Petruzelli elbowed from the bottom and attempted a triangle choke and an armbar.
The fighters stood and Vemola took Petruzelli’s back. Petruzelli landed reverse elbow strikes and fell to the ground. Vemola struck from the top in Petruzelli’s guard and avoided an armbar. Vemola scored with a series of hammerfists, then stood up and rained down some heavy shots. Petruzelli, bleeding badly, rolled to his side and turtled as Vemola unleashed a barrage of hammerfists until the fight was stopped.
Winner: Karlos Vemola by TKO (Punches) at 3:46 of round one. He improves to 8-1-0.
Carlos Eduardo “Ta Danado” Rocha vs Kris “The Savage” McCray
Round 1:
Jabs and quick kicks were exchanged early on and McCray scored a takedown. Rocha reversed and wound up on top in side-control against the cage. McCray battled back to his feet and fought off a guillotine choke. He took Rocha down again and wound up on top after a scramble. McCray threw knees to the body and quickly transitioned to Rocha’s back. Rocha escaped and rolled into a kneebar. He torqued back on McCray’s leg and McCray quickly tapped out while in obvious pain. Impressive submission for Rocha.
Winner: Carlos Eduardo Rocha by Submission (Kneebar) at 2:21 of round one. He improves to 9-0-0.
With judging controversies becoming more and more prevalent in mixed martial arts, cageside judges at UFC 122 got the main event right today when Yushin “Thunder” Okami was rewarded with a hard-fought victory over Nate “The Great” Marquardt in a close fight. Elsewhere, Dennis Siver displayed his knockout power in front of the fans in his home country of Germany. Siver dropped Andre Winner in the co-main event and secured a rear-naked choke for the victory.