Dan Miller vs Joe “El Dirte” Doerksen

Round 1:
Doerksen looked for a knockout right away with big punches, but Miller took him down. Miller moved to half-guard and tried to set up a Kimura. Doerksen scrambled to his feet, but Miller secured a guillotine choke and used it to put Doerksen back on the mat. Miller worked from the top with short punches and elbows and Doerksen answered with elbows of his own.

Miller stood and Doerksen scored with an upkick. Miller returned to his guard and threw more short strikes, but seemed content to remain in place. Miller landed hammerfists and a nice right hand. Doerksen tried to posture for an armbar or a triangle choke, but met with no success and ate a handful of punches from Miller before the bell. 10-9 Miller.

Round 2:
Doerksen took the fight to the mat in round two and stood over Miller before raining down some hard right hands. He entered Miller’s guard and Miller looked to set up an omoplata. Miller battled back to his feet and ducked under a punch before scoring a takedown of his own. As in round one, he threw short punches from the top, but made little effort to pass Doerksen’s guard.

Doerksen tried for a Kimura on Miller’s right arm and managed to wrench it behind Miller’s back, but the New Jersey native escaped and wound up on top in Doerksen’s guard. Miller landed strikes from the top and Doerksen answered with elbows from his back. Miller again made no effort to escape Doerksen’s guard and stayed on top until the bell. Close round. 10-9 Doerksen.

Round 3:
Doerksen opened the final round aggressively with kicks, but fell while throwing a head kick. Miller stood over him and Doerksen tried for an armbar. Miller escaped and Doerksen, bleeding from the nose, threw elbows from the bottom. Miller resumed his strategy from the first two rounds by keeping busy with short strikes from the top as Doerksen looked for openings to set up submissions.

Doerksen eyed a Kimura on Miller’s right arm again and tried to get back to his feet, but Miller kept him down. The action remained sparse as Miller peppered Doerksen with occasional punches and hammerfists while Doerksen stuck to elbows from the bottom. Doerksen bloodied Miller, but was unable to get back to his feet and a triangle choke attempt late in the round was unsuccessful. 10-9 Miller.

Winner: Dan Miller by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 13-4-0, 1 NC.

Mark Bocek vs Dustin “McLovin” Hazelett

Round 1:
Bocek shot in early on and scored a takedown near the cage. Hazelett looked to counter with a triangle choke from his back, but Bocek easily avoided it and moved to side-control. Hazelett managed to regain half-guard briefly, but Bocek transitioned to mount and then instantly into a top-side triangle choke. He rolled over into a conventional triangle and Hazelett tried to hold on. Bocek pulled back on Hazelett’s right arm just as Hazelett tapped out.

Winner: Mark Bocek by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 2:33 of round one. He improves to 9-3-0.

Sean Pierson vs Matt Riddle

Round 1:
The fighters exchanged quick punches early on and Pierson landed a solid right hook. He followed with a left hand and a leg kick. More punches and a knee scored for Pierson and he backed Riddle up to the cage. Pierson punished Riddle with knees to the thighs and both fighters landed knees to the body. Pierson broke free of the clinch with a right hook and dropped Riddle with a huge right hand. He dove in with another right, then tried for a choke.

Riddle escaped the choke attempt, but Pierson blasted him with punches, then picked him up and slammed him down. Riddle scrambled and tried for an inverted triangle choke. Pierson easily evaded danger and landed knees to the body. He took Riddle’s back and tried for a rear-naked choke, but lost the position and the fighters stood. Pierson landed jabs and a left hook. Pierson threw more punches and Riddle answered with a head kick. 10-9 Pierson. Could even be a 10-8.

Round 2:
Riddle landed a nice combination and a grazing head kick in the second round, but Pierson fired back with a big flurry and sprawled out of a takedown. Pierson looked briefly for a Brabo Choke, but let it go and stood up. The fighters traded leg kicks as Pierson appeared to slow somewhat. Both landed quick punching combinations. Riddle landed a one-two and a hook, but ate a solid left hand counter from Pierson.

Lunging jabs landed for Pierson and both scored with looping hooks. Riddle tried to pull guard with a guillotine choke, but Pierson escaped and stood. Riddle landed a combination and Pierson ran away. He turned around and shot in for a takedown, but Riddle reversed and wound up on top. Riddle punched all the way until the bell. Nice rally from Riddle late in the close round. 10-9 Riddle.

Round 3:
Both fighters landed lead right hooks in the final round and Riddle scored with two more soon after, but Pierson sent him off-balance with counterpunches. Leg kicks were exchanged and Pierson snapped Riddle’s head back with more right hooks. Riddle walked through Pierson’s punches and opened a cut below Pierson’s eye. Another combination scored for Riddle and Pierson answered with a one-two.

The pace remained high as Riddle pressed the action with punches, but Pierson landed the more effective counter strikes. Pierson scored with a leg kick and continued to jab. Riddle came up short with many of his punches and tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. Pierson tried to scramble and take Riddle’s back, but abandoned it and tried for a guillotine choke. Riddle stood and the fighters teed off until the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Pierson.

Winner: Sean Pierson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 11-4-0.

Undercard Fights:

Rafael “Sapo” Natal and Jesse “Water” Bongfeldt fought to a Majority Draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28) after three rounds. Natal moves to 12-3-1, while Bongfeldt is now 21-7-1.

Ricardo “Big Dog” Almeida defeated TJ Grant by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 13-4-0 with the win.

John “The Bull” Makdessi defeated Pat “Awesomely Awesome” Audinwood by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 8-0-0 with the win.

Capped off by a dominant five-round decision win for UFC Welterweight Champion Georges “Rush” St. Pierre, UFC 124 was a successful return to Canada for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Jim Miller took another big step towards a lightweight title shot, while Thiago “Pitbull” Alves put on one of the best performances of his career.