The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the Bell Centre in Montreal, Québec, Canada tonight for UFC 124: “St. Pierre vs Koscheck 2.” The main event featured a five-round rematch for the UFC Welterweight Championship between champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre and Josh Koscheck.

Also on the main card, unbeaten heavyweight Sean “Big Sexy” McCorkle faced Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve, while TUF season winners Mac Danzig and Joe “Daddy” Stevenson squared off in a pivotal lightweight showdown. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s UFC card.

 

UFC Welterweight Championship

Georges “Rush” St. Pierre vs Josh Koscheck

Round 1:
St. Pierre jabbed early on and took Koscheck down against the cage. Koscheck worked back to his feet and ate another jab. A one-two and more jabs landed for St. Pierre, but Koscheck stuffed a takedown. St. Pierre continued to control the striking exchanges with jabs and inside leg kicks, then ducked under a right hook. A right landed for St. Pierre, but Koscheck stuffed another takedown and countered with a knee.

Two more stiff jabs snapped Koscheck’s head back and St. Pierre followed with right hands and a grazing head kick. A kick-punch combo landed for St. Pierre and Koscheck just missed with a looping right. More jabs landed to Koscheck’s right eye, which began to swell. Koscheck shot in for a takedown against the cage and St. Pierre defended. Koscheck finally got St. Pierre down with 15 seconds left, but the round ended. 10-9 St. Pierre.

Round 2:
Quick punches landed for St. Pierre in the second round as Koscheck’s badly swollen right eye began to close completely. St. Pierre scored with a combination and mixed in kicks to the legs and body. St. Pierre pawed out with more jabs and Koscheck struggled to find his range.

Jabs, a leg kick and a Superman Punch all landed for St. Pierre and he blocked a pair of overhand rights. A body kick and more punching combinations backed Koscheck up as St. Pierre continued to control the striking. Koscheck finally landed a flurry that was punctuated by an uppercut. St. Pierre returned to jabs and a leg kick, then threw a lead right hook before the bell. 10-9 St. Pierre.

Round 3:
St. Pierre opened the third round with quick jabs and a right hook. He followed with kicks and a Superman Punch. Koscheck looked to land a big right handand St. Pierre shot in for a takedown. Koscheck defended and the fighters clinched against the cage. Koscheck reversed briefly, but St. Pierre put him against the fence again. St. Pierre kneed Koscheck’s thigh and the fighters separated.

St. Pierre immediately returned to jabs and inside leg kicks. Koscheck tried to jab as well, but St. Pierre clinched and landed knees. The fighters broke free and St. Pierre landed a hard leg kick. A three-punch flurry scored for St. Pierre and Koscheck just missed with a knee. Left hands and leg kicks kept Koscheck off-balance and St. Pierre continued to land until the bell. 10-9 St. Pierre.

Round 4:
The fourth round was delayed as the cageside doctor checked on Koscheck’s eye, but the fight continued and St. Pierre landed punches and kicks. He took Koscheck down and secured back control, but Koscheck stood and rolled for a leg submission. St. Pierre escaped and the fighters returned to their feet. St. Pierre took Koscheck’s back and landed knees, then pressed him up against the cage. Referee Herb Dean separated the fighters and St. Pierre scored with a variety of left hands.

Koscheck missed with overhand rights and ate more stiff jabs for his efforts. St. Pierre countered a right hook with a short left of his own, then sent Koscheck off-balance with a right. Another left hook and a leg kick landed for St. Pierre, as well as an overhand right seconds later. St. Pierre jabbed at will and followed with looping hooks and leg kicks. Koscheck was unable to land anything before the bell. 10-9 St. Pierre.

Round 5:
St. Pierre opened the final round with a trio of lead left hooks and a leg kick. Koscheck missed with a wild overhand right and St. Pierre easily sidestepped a takedown attempt. An inside leg kick and a left hook backed Koscheck up. More jabs landed for St. Pierre and he countered a right hook with a leg kick. A hard right hook scored for St. Pierre and Koscheck backed up. St. Pierre ducked under an overhand right and clinched against the cage.

The swelling around Koscheck’s right eye began to bleed from the upper cheek area and St. Pierre took him down. Koscheck stood and was taken down again. St. Pierre took Koscheck’s back briefly, but Koscheck scrambled out and got back to his feet. The fighters separated and Koscheck missed with a spinning back kick. St. Pierre landed a stiff jab and a combination. Dominant performance by the champion. 10-9 St. Pierre.

Winner: Georges St. Pierre by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) after five rounds. He improves to 21-2-0 and remains the UFC Welterweight Champion.

 

Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve vs Sean “Big Sexy” McCorkle

Round 1:
Struve landed a nice right hand early on, but McCorkle picked him up and slammed him down. McCorkle secured a Kimura from half-guard and tried to wrench it behind Struve’s back, but Struve managed to push off of the cage and escaped back to guard. Struve tried to scramble out, but McCorkle kept him down. Punches to the head and body landed for McCorkle and Struve nearly locked on an armbar.

McCorkle stayed calm and escaped, then returned to punches and hammerfists from the top. McCorkle used a can opener to break Struve’s guard, but Struve attempted a Kimura and swept. Struve rained down punches from mount that bloodied McCorkle’s nose. He continued to batter McCorkle until referee Yves Lavigne stopped the fight.

Winner: Stefan Struve by TKO (Punches) at 3:55 of round one. He improves to 21-4-0.

 

Jim Miller vs Charles “do Bronx” Oliveira

Round 1:
Oliveira landed a glancing head kick early in the first round and followed with more kicks to the leg and head. Miller took him down and Oliveira looked to counter with a guillotine choke. Miller escaped and Oliveira attempted a variety of submissions. Oliveira tried for armbars, triangle chokes and then a heel hook. Miller escaped and moved into a heel hook of his own.

Oliveira punched away to Miller’s ribs, but Miller torqued back on a kneebar and Oliveira immediately tapped out. Impressive submission attempts from Oliveira early on, but an even more impressive finish to the fight for Miller.

Winner: Jim Miller by Submission (Kneebar) at 1:59 of round one. He improves to 19-2-0.

 

Mac Danzig vs Joe “Daddy” Stevenson

Round 1:
Danzig circled around early on and picked his shots while Stevenson landed kicks and jabs. Stevenson missed with a right hook, but landed to the body. A leg kick landed for Danzig, but Stevenson drilled him with an overhand right that sent him backwards. Mere seconds later, Danzig landed a short left hook while moving backwards that left Stevenson face-first on the canvas, unconscious. Huge win for Danzig, who was on the verge of being cut.

Winner: Mac Danzig by KO (Punch) at 1:54 of round one. He improves to 20-8-1.

 

Thiago “Pitbull” Alves vs John “Doomsday” Howard

Round 1:
Alves landed a nice right hand early on, which set off an exchange of big punches. Howard looked for a takedown, but Alves easily shrugged him off. A one-two staggered Howard, but he quickly recovered and answered with two punches of his own. Alves threw him to the mat and moved to side-control. He isolated Howard’s arm in a partial crucifix position and landed punches, but Howard scrambled and attempted a heel hook. Alves spun out and both fighters stood.

Alves connected with a pair of crisp one-twos as Howard answered with leg kicks. A vicious leg kick and a trio of punches and knees all landed for Alves, but Howard held strong and scored with a leg kick of his own. Alves found a home for his lead left hook and snapped Howard’s head back. Howard caught a body kick and clinched. Alves landed leg kicks and a glancing head kick. Leg kicks and power punches landed for both before the bell. Good round. 10-9 Alves.

Round 2:
More leg kicks were exchanged in the second round and time was briefly called after Howard was kicked in the groin. The fight quickly resumed and both fighters landed punches and kicks. Howard checked a leg kick and scored with a nice counter flurry. Another hard leg kick scored for Alves and the fighters traded punches in close.

Alves flashed out a head kick and slammed Howard to the mat. He targeted Howard’s ribs with punches from the top until Howard regained guard. Alves postured up and rained down some big hammerfists that forced Howard to scramble. Alves remained in Howard’s guard and threw short punches. He landed more strikes in the final seconds. 10-9 Alves.

Round 3:
The final round opened with more leg kicks from Alves, who appeared to be in excellent shape for the fight. Howard responded with two kicks and clinched against the cage. Alves broke free and landed a body kick and a lead left hook. Howard responded with a leg kick and pushed forward with punches, but ate another left hand. Alves floored him with a counter hook, but Howard immediately recovered and got back to his feet.

Two more leg kicks landed for Alves and he blocked a one-two from Howard before landing one of his own. More crisp punches scored for Alves and he put together a combination of hooks and a leg kick. Both fighters missed with head kicks and Alves cracked Howard with a left hook. Kicks to the leg and body followed for Alves and he scored with another punch-kick combo. Alves landed a knee and the fighters exchanged huge punches in the final seconds. 10-9 Alves.

Winner: Thiago Alves by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 18-7-0.

 

 

(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)