Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout vs Yves “Thugjitsu Master” Edwards
Round 1:
Stout opened the fight with jabs and a leg kick. He just missed with a right cross and followed with another leg kick, as Edwards looked to counter with lead right hooks. Edwards threw a leg kick and Stout immediately countered with a three-punch flurry. More combinations of punches and a head kick followed for Stout, but Edwards landed an upper body kick of his own. Edwards took Stout down and tried to pass to side control.
Stout kept Edwards in his butterfly guard and tried to scramble to his feet. Edwards stood and Stout followed. Stout landed a leg kick and a front kick to the body. Edwards fell while throwing a head kick, but got back to his feet seconds later. Stout ducked into a right hook from Edwards and melted him with a counter left. Edwards was instantly unconscious and fell flat on the mat.
Winner: Sam Stout by KO (Punch) at 3:52 of round one. He improves to 17-6-1.
“All-American” Chris Weidman vs Jesse “Water” Bongfeldt
Round 1:
Bongfeldt landed two big head kicks that appeared to stun Weidman early in round one, but Weidman clinched and tried for a takedown. Bongfeldt reversed, but Weidman rolled through and wound up on top in side control. Weidman landed short elbows until Bongfeldt regained full guard. Weidman postured up and punched from the top, then moved to side control again.
Weidman worked for a Kimura, but lost the position and Bongfeldt got back to guard. Weidman punched and passed to half-guard. More short punches and elbows allowed Weidman to mvoe to side control, where he attempted a keylock. Bongfeldt powered out and got back to his feet, but ate a knee to the body. Weidman latched on a standing guillotine choke and Bongfeldt tapped out.
Winner: Chris Weidman by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:54 of round one. He improves to 6-0-0.
Krzysztof “The Polish Experiment” Soszynski vs Mike Massenzio
Round 1:
Massenzio scored a takedown right away, but Soszynski used a Kimura to fight back to his feet. Massenzio looked for another takedown and the fighters clinched against the cage. Soszynski broke free and landed a one-two, but Massenzio took him down near the cage. Soszynski stood and jabbed, then stuffed a takedown and landed a pair of right hands.
Soszynski landed a hard leg kick, but Massenzio caught it and took him down. He looked to move to side control, but Soszynski rolled and escaped to his feet. The fighters were immediately separated and Soszynski stuffed a takedown. Soszynski landed two big punches and Massenzio shot in for another takedown. 10-9 Soszynski despite the takedowns.
Round 2:
Massenzio looked to take the fight back down to the mat in the second round, but Soszynski stayed on his feet and threw elbows and punches to the body. Soszynski sprawled out of a takedown and continued to throw punches and knees to Massenzio’s body. The fighters stood and Massenzio clinched against the cage.
A bloodied Massenzio walked forward and tried for a takedown, but Soszynski sprawled again and briefly looked to take Massenzio’s back. Back on the feet, Soszynski landed a one-two and Massenzio backed him all the way up to the cage. Soszynski worked for a standing Kimura until the fighters were separated. A flurry of punches scored for Soszynski before the bell. 10-9 Soszynski.
Round 3:
Soszynski reversed a takedown in round three and wound up on top. He landed short strikes and used elbows to try to transitioned to back control. Soszynski looked to set up a Kimura and Massenzio wisely defended by maintaining his grip on Soszynski’s wrist. Soszynski unleashed a series of hard knees to the body and right shoulder.
More knees scored for Soszynski and Massenzio had nowhere to go to escape. Soszynski stayed active with knees and mixed in punches. He tried for a Bulldog Choke, but lost it and Massenzio worked for a guillotine choke in a scramble. The fighters were separated and Soszynski sprawled out of a takedown. Massenzio tried unsuccessfully for another takedown at the bell. 10-9 Soszynski.
Winner: Krzysztof Soszynski by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 26-11-1.
Nick “The Promise” Ring vs James Head
Round 1:
Quick kicks and punches landed for both fighters early on and Ring landed big knees in a Thai clinch. Leg kicks followed from both and Ring scored a takedown. He landed on top on side control and briefly moved to North-South position, but Head regained guard. Ring punched from the top, then allowed Head to stand up. Head landed a knee and Ring countered with a one-two.
Head floored Ring with a counterpunch, but Ring recovered on the ground and stood. Head unloaded with knees and more punches, but Ring landed a front kick. More knees and a pair of standing elbows scored for Head and Ring took him down. Ring landed short elbows before the bell. Back and forth round. 10-9 Head due to damage.
Round 2:
Ring scored a takedown in round two and moved to a top-side inverted triangle choke. He let go, but remained in side control. From North-South position, Ring punched to the body, but Head scrambled back to full guard. Head got back to his feet, only to be immediately taken down again near the cage.
Ring opened a big cut on Head’s nose with an elbow and tried to take his back. Head scrambled out, but wound up on the bottom. Time was called to check Head’s cut, but action resumed on the ground with Ring on top in side control. Ring landed short elbows as Head bled all over the place. Ring mixed in punches before the bell. 10-9 Ring.
Round 3:
Ring walked forward with punches in the final round and took Head down. He struck from the top until Head rolled over and tried to stand. Ring landed hard punches, then followed with elbows to the face after Head fell to his back. More elbows scored for Ring as an exhausted Head struggled to defend.
Ring alternated between side control and North-South position, and used elbows to force Head to give up his back. Head defended a rear-naked choke, but Ring punched away and took his back again. This time, Ring secured the choke and Head was forced to submit.
Winner: Nick Ring by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:33 of round three. He improves to 12-0-0.
Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier vs Jason “Shotgun” Young
Round 1:
Young landed a one-two early on, which set off a violent exchange of leg kicks and power punches. Poirier clinched and Young attempted a standing Kimura. Bleeding from the face, Young reversed the clinch and landed knees to the body. Poirier broke free of the clinch with a big flurry and Young fired off a head kick. Body kicks and a right hook followed for Young soon after.
Poirier landed a hard kick to the body and Young responded with a knee. Hard punches stunned Young briefly, but he quickly answered back with a right hook. Young missed with a fastball right hand, but fell while throwing a kick. Poirier landed a one-two as Young stood, but Young answered with one of his own. Leg kicks were exchanged in the final seconds. Very close round. 10-9 Poirier.
Round 2:
Young landed leg kicks and a jumping switch kick to the face in round two. He mixed things up with more kicks and secured a Thai clinch, but Poirier threw him off. Time was called after a kick from Poirier strayed low. The fight resumed and Young landed a series of leg kicks. Poirier answered with a lead right hook, but ate more leg kicks for his efforts.
Poirier connected with a nice left cross, but Young continued to damage Poirier’s lead leg with kicks. Poirier missed with wild punches and Young landed a counter right. Big punches landed for both fighters and Poirier countered a knee with a vicious kick to the body. Young threw more knees, but Poirier scored a takedown before the bell. 10-9 Young.
Round 3:
Quick punches landed for both fighters in the opening minute of round three and a clinch followed soon after. Poirier looked for a takedown against the cage, but Young defended well. Poirier eventually tripped Young to the mat, but Young battled back to his feet and stuffed a takedown attempt.
Poirier managed to take Young down again, but Young landed short elbow strikes from his back. Young stood, but was dragged down yet again. Young got to his feet and attempted a standing Kimura, but Poirier tripped him and tried to pass to side control. Young defended well with hammerfists from the bottom. 10-10.
Winner: Dustin Poirier by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-1-0.
Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran vs Aaron Rosa
Round 1:
After a brief exchange, Beltran backed Rosa up to the cage and landed short strikes. Rosa tried to back away, but Beltran tagged him with a lunging flurry of punches and clinched again. Both fighters landed short uppercuts and Beltran connected with a hard one-two. The fighters separated and teed off with punches in two exchanges that drew cheers from the crowd.
Another exchange of punches followed and Beltran landed a leg kick. Both fighters continued to score with punches and Beltran mixed in more kicks to the leg and body. Beltran backed Rosa up to the cage once more and threw a series of standing elbows. The final 10 seconds of the round closed out with a non-stop exchange of punches, with Beltran appearing to get the better of it. Great round. 10-9 Beltran.
Round 2:
Jabs and leg kicks landed for both fighters in the second round and Beltran followed with a right hook. He clinched and threw knees to the thigh. Rosa answered with short knees of his own and Beltran backed up. He scored with a left hook, right hook combo and Rosa answered with a one-two and a knee. Once more, the fighters exchanged hard punches and Beltran clinched.
Time was called after a vicious knee to the groin from Beltran, but the fight resumed a minute later and Rosa landed kicks to the leg and body. Rosa backed Beltran up with a big flurry, but this time it was him who struck Beltran low with a knee. Action resumed and Rosa landed a one-two. A counter left hook and an uppercut scored for Rosa, and Beltran clinched. The fighters teed off throughout much of the final 30 seconds and Beltran clinched again. 10-9 Rosa, barely.
Round 3:
The fighters traded punches in the final round and Beltran used a knee to counter a clinch. More punches followed and Beltran dragged Rosa to the mat. He unloaded with knees to the body and huge left hands that nearly ended the fight, but Rosa held on. Beltran took Rosa down again and teed off with punches and elbows until the fight was finally stopped.
Winner: Joey Beltran by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 1:26 of round three. He improves to 13-5-0.
Darren “The Damage” Elkins vs Michihiro Omigawa
Round 1:
The fighters traded jabs and Elkins landed a pair of overhand rights early on. Omigawa answered with a left cross and switched stances repeatedly. Elkins continued to find a home for his right hand as Omigawa targeted the body with counter lefts. A hard left cross scored for Omigawa and Elkins answered with a right. Elkins landed a nice flurry in close and Omigawa dropped to a knee.
Another combination dropped Omigawa to one knee a second time, but he appeared to be unfazed and the fighters traded jabs. Elkins scored a takedown, but Omigawa used a leg submission attempt to get back to his feet. Elkins landed quick one-twos and circled. Both fighters landed single punches and Omigawa began to push forward. Elkins tried unsuccessfully for a takedown, but landed a nice right hook before the bell. 10-9 Elkins.
Round 2:
Omigawa scored with punches early in the second round and Elkins was forced to circle backwards. Omigawa remained aggressive and cut Elkins above the right eye. He landed another combination, but Elkins responded with a flurry of his own. Elkins landed a one-two and missed with a knee, and Omigawa answered back with a hard leg kick. The fighters traded punches in close and Omigawa tried for a trip takedown.
Elkins remained on his feet and attempted a Superman Punch. He missed, but landed an overhand right. A big left hook backed Elkins up, but he recovered quickly and landed a nice flurry of his own. Elkins continued to close the distance and throw three- and four-punch combos in close, but Omigawa fired back with a right hook. Omigawa’s counterpunches found the mark again in the final seconds. Close round. 10-9 Omigawa.
Round 3:
Omigawa threw a trio of lead left hooks to open the final round, then ducked under an Elkins right hand and scored a takedown. Elkins managed to regain full guard, but Omigawa postured up and landed a hard right hand. Omigawa landed two more punches and fought out of a triangle choke. A scramble ensued and the fighters returned to their feet. Omigawa landed a three-punch counter flurry as Elkins moved forward.
Elkins scored with a nice one-two that backed Omigawa up momentarily, but Omigawa continued to mix things up with lefts and rights from both a southpaw and orthodox stance. A bloodied Elkins landed a right hook in close, Omigawa found success with more short left hooks. The fighters circled for the final 20 seconds and exchanged single punches just before the end of the round. 10-9 Omigawa.
Winner: Darren Elkins by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 13-2-0.