The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 137: “Penn vs Diaz.” Despite late changes to the card, the event was headlined by a welterweight bout between former UFC champion “The Prodigy” B.J. Penn and Nick Diaz.
In the co-main event, Matt “Meathead” Mitrione looked to keep his unbeaten record intact when he faced Cheick Kongo, while Japanese featherweight star Hatsu Hioki made his long-awaited Octagon debut against George Roop. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s UFC card.
Nick Diaz vs “The Prodigy” B.J. Penn
Round 1:
Penn landed a combination to open the fight and a clinch followed. Both fighters landed knees and short punches and Penn circled out. Penn threw an uppercut and Diaz answered with two punches over the top. He followed with a right hook and Penn answered right back. Penn took Diaz down and scrambled out of a guillotine choke. He moved to Diaz’s back and then to side control.
Diaz scrambled to his feet and the fighters again traded knees and punches in a clinch. Diaz backed away and Penn landed a combination. He connected with an uppercut and Diaz countered by pushing forward with a three-punch combo. Penn landed a one-two and a jab. Diaz replied with a right hand, but Penn peppered him with a quick flurry before the bell. 10-9 Penn.
Round 2:
Penn landed another quick combination in the second round and Diaz clinched against the cage. Diaz threw punches over the top and Penn backed away. Both fighters jabbed and Penn looked for a takedown. Diaz stuffed it and scored with knees. Diaz, bleeding from near the right eye, unleashed a flurry to the head and body. More punches to the head and ribs scored for Diaz.
Penn remained on the defensive as Diaz landed punch after punch to the body and he tried to take Penn down. Penn stayed up, but ate a combination to the face. Diaz rocked Penn and swarmed with strikes. Penn retreated and Diaz landed at will. Penn simply covered up as Diaz punched away with uppercuts and hooks to the liver. Dominant 10-9 round for Diaz.
Round 3:
Penn landed to the body to open round three, but Diaz went right back to pressuring him with punches. Penn tried for a takedown and Diaz stuffed it. Diaz battered Penn’s face with jabs and left crosses. Penn’s left eye continued to swell and Diaz teed off with another combination. Penn tried to fire back with punches of his own and he landed a nice right hand.
Diaz jabbed and Penn connected with another right. He backed up and Diaz landed punches to the face and body. The fighters clinched and both scored with powerful punches after breaking away. Diaz landed a body kick and a looping right hook. Penn began to connect with harder punches, but Diaz landed more of his own and forced Penn to circle away. Diaz landed more punches in the final seconds. 10-9 Diaz.
After the bout, Penn stated that he had competed for the final time and plans to retire.
Winner: Nick Diaz by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 26-7-0, 1 ND.
Cheick Kongo vs Matt “Meathead” Mitrione
Round 1:
The fighters were cautious in the opening two minutes and neither was willing to commit. A brief exchange of punches followed and Kongo clinched against the cage. He landed knees to the thighs until referee Herb Dean called for a break. Mitrione avoided right hands from Kongo and threw a quick flurry. Kongo landed a leg kick and followed with another soon after. Mitrione caught a body kick and tripped Kongo, but allowed him to stand. Mitrione landed punches late in the uneventful round. 10-10.
Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of strikes and both fighters landed punches at the same time. Leg kicks were exchanged and Kongo looked for a right hook knockout. More leg kicks landed for both fighters and Kongo unleashed a lengthy flurry of punches. Mitrione defended and answered with a one-two. He connected with another two-punch combo and Kongo circled away.
Mitrione remained the aggressor and the fighters continued to trade leg kicks. Kongo scored with three punches and Mitrione backed him up with two lead hooks. Mitrione pushed forward with punches, but Kongo landed counters. Mitrione walked Kongo down and both landed leg kicks. Mitrione forced Kongo to circle away twice with one-two combinations. Close round. 10-9 Mitrione.
Round 3:
Mitrione landed punches in the final round, but Kongo answered back with a combination and took him down against the cage. Mitrione tried to roll for a kneebar, but gave up his back in the process. He was bloodied up by Kongo’s punches, but managed to scramble back to his feet. The fighters clinched against the cage and Mitrione’s left eye began to swell.
Kongo took Mitrione back down again and worked from half-guard with elbows to the body. The crowd booed the lack of action as Kongo threw occasional punches. He mixed in effective elbow strikes, however, and Mitrione tried to scramble up. Mitrione rolled for a leg, but Kongo took his back and landed punches until the bell. 10-9 Kongo.
Winner: Cheick Kongo by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 17-6-2.
Roy “Big Country” Nelson vs Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović
Round 1:
Nelson looked to close the distance with punches early on and he took Filipović down against the cage. Nelson landed short elbows from the top, but Filipović scrambled back to his feet and landed a nice left hand. Filipović fired off a body kick and a left cross that forced Nelson to retreat.
Nelson threw a big haymaker, but Filipović was unfazed and answered back with two punches. Filipović landed a powerful uppercut and circled away from Nelson’s counters. Punches were exchanged in close and Filipović continued to move. He landed a body kick before the bell. Close first round. 10-9 Nelson.
Round 2:
Nelson hurt Filipović with a big hook to start the second round, but Nelson slipped and Filipović took advantage by swarming with punches against the cage. Nelson began to bleed from the nose, but he weathered the storm and circled away from the fence. Nelson missed with a winging right hand and Filipović threw a head kick. Nelson blocked it and landed a combination.
Filipović clinched against the cage, but Nelson scored a takedown and landed on top in side control. He moved to a top-side crucifix and landed short punches with his left hand. Nelson landed more punches as time ticked down and Filipović was unable to move. Filipović freed one arm and tried to buck out, but could not. He made it to the bell, but Nelson stole the round. 10-9 Nelson.
Round 3:
Nelson connected with a hard right cross in the final round that backed Filipović up. He landed a brief flurry that forced Filipović to dive for a leg. Nelson took Filipović’s back and landed punches until the fight was stopped. Abrupt ending to a good fight.
Following the bout, Filipović announced his intentions to retire from the sport.
Winner: Roy Nelson by TKO (Punches) at 1:30 of round three. He improves to 16-6-0.
Scott “Young Guns” Jorgensen vs Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran
Round 1:
Curran was effective with jabs early on, but Jorgensen took him down and punched to the body. Curran tried to set up an armbar from the bottom, but Jorgensen punched to the head and ribs. Jorgensen managed to sneak in a pair of nice right hands, but had to stand to defend an omoplata attempt.
Jorgensen returned to Curran’s guard and landed another right hand. Curran stood and was taken right back down. The fighters were stood up after a lull in the action and Curran threw looping punches. Jorgensen took him down before the bell. 10-9 Jorgensen.
Round 2:
Curran looked for a knockout early in round two with a head kick and a big right hook, but Jorgensen blocked them and stuffed a takedown. Jorgensen landed knees and backed Curran up to the cage. A clinch battle ensued and Jorgensen slammed Curran down to the mat. Curran stood and secured a guillotine choke as Jorgensen took him down.
Jorgensen spun out and locked on a front headlock as the fighters stood. Jorgensen took Curran back down against the cage, but Curran landed a left hand from the top and tried to set up a triangle choke. Curran attempted an inside shoulder lock and nearly swept Jorgensen, but Jorgensen latched onto a leg until the bell. 10-9 Jorgensen.
Round 3:
Curran jabbed and landed a combination in the final round. Jorgensen blocked a right hook and an uppercut, but offered little offence in return. Curran landed a right hook and a leg kick and followed with a body kick. Jorgensen connected with a counter one-two and Curran’s nose began to bleed, but Curran remained active with kicks and punches.
Jorgensen closed the distance with a trio of punches and clinched, then followed with knees to the body. Jorgensen landed more knees, but could not take Curran down. The fighters separated and Curran fired off a looping one-two. Jorgensen scored with a quick right hand and Curran answered with a leg kick. Jorgensen stuffed a takedown and wound up on top in side control. 10-9 Curran, barely.
Winner: Scott Jorgensen by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 13-4-0.
Hatsu Hioki vs George Roop
Round 1:
Hioki landed a head kick and a left hook to open the fight and Roop answered with a head kick of his own. Roop connected with a nice right hand and a leg kick. He remained active with his strikes and landed a punching combination. Time was called after a kick from Roop strayed low. Hioki recovered and threw a quick flurry. He caught a kick from Roop and clinched soon after. The fighters exchanged knees and battled for position.
Roop landed a knee to the face and Hioki responded with three to the body. He nearly got Roop down, but Roop stayed on his feet against the cage. Hioki tried to take Roop’s back while standing, but Roop shrugged him off. Hioki threw Roop to the mat and landed in side control. Roop managed to get back to full guard in a scramble and landed elbows, then got back to his feet. Roop landed a punching flurry and Hioki answered with knees. Very close opening round. 10-9 Roop, barely.
Round 2:
Right hands landed for both fighters in the second round and Roop followed with a head kick. Roop targeted the body with right hands as Hioki threw leg kicks. Hioki clinched and tripped Roop to the mat. Hioki landed in mount and transitioned to side control as Roop tried to buck him off. Hioki tried for a far-side keylock and moved back to mount.
Hioki landed elbows from the top and prevented Roop from rolling by trapping him in a lower body triangle. Hioki continued to throw short punches and elbows and tried for another keylock. He let it go and postured up with punches, but Roop scrambled to his feet after two upkicks and rushed forward with punches as the round concluded. 10-9 Hioki.
Round 3:
Roop took Hioki down to begin the final round, but Hioki immediately returned to his feet. Roop missed with a flying knee and a head kick, but sprawled out of a takedown from Hioki. Roop clinched and Hioki reversed against the cage. The fighters exchanged knees to the body until referee Josh Rosenthal separated them.
Roop scored another takedown and pressed Hioki’s head up against the cage. Hioki tried to posture for an armbar, but Roop avoided it and landed short punches with his left hand. Hioki tried for a triangle choke and remained active on the bottom, but Roop stayed out of danger and landed a handful of strikes before the bell. 10-9 Roop.
Winner: Hatsu Hioki by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 25-4-2.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)