The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California tonight for UFC 139: “Shogun vs Hendo.” The card was headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former UFC champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and former PRIDE and Strikeforce champion Dan “Hendo” Henderson.
In one of two co-features tonight, former WEC titleholders collided when “The California Kid” Urijah Faber took on Brian Bowles in a bantamweight bout, and Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva squared off with Cung Le at middleweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s card.
Dan “Hendo” Henderson vs Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
Round 1:
Rua landed leg kicks and a glancing right hand early on, but Henderson countered with a right uppercut. Rua dropped for a takedown and Henderson trapped him in a front choke. Rua escaped, but not before Henderson landed big punches that cut Rua near the left eye. The fighters separated and Henderson landed another hard right hand that dropped Rua to a knee. Henderson threw Rua to the mat and calmly walked away. Rua stood and landed a knee and a right hook.
Henderson prevented Rua from circling away, but Rua landed a leg kick and clinched. He tried for a takedown and Henderson stuffed it. Rua backed away and narrowly avoided an overhand right. Rua landed a right hook behind the ear and Henderson dropped to a knee. He held onto Rua’s leg and got back to his feet. Rua scored with an uppercut and ate a right hook. Rua clinched and Henderson countered with knees. 10-9 Henderson.
Round 2:
The second round opened with an exchange of jabs and Rua defended against a takedown attempt. He backed Henderson up to the cage and both fighters landed knees. They separated and Henderson landed a big combination to the head and body. Rua covered up and fired back with a left hook. Rua circled and Henderson jabbed. A flurry connected for Rua, but Henderson answered with a hook and the fighters clinched again.
Rua threw an elbow over the top, but Henderson reversed the clinch and a big exchange of power punches followed. Rua continued to bleed from multiple cuts on his face, but he defended well against Henderson’s knees and the fighters were eventually separated. Rua jabbed and landed a one-two. Both unloaded with punches and Rua circled to the side. He kept his distance until the bell. 10-9 Henderson.
Round 3:
Rua landed right hands in the third round, but appeared to be slowing down. Henderson closed in with a flurry and an uppercut, but Rua sent him off-balance briefly with a right hand. Henderson clinched after a body kick from Rua, but could only get Rua down for a split second. Henderson dropped Rua with a leg kick, right hook combo and swarmed with punches. Rua somehow survived on the ground, but Henderson continued to punish him with punches and elbows.
Rua latched onto Henderson’s left leg and attempted a heel hook. Henderson escaped and the exhausted fighters stood. Rua was bleeding heavily from near the eyes and Henderson landed a knee to the body. Rua tried for a takedown, but could not get it. The pace slowed as Rua tried to get Henderson down. Henderson unleashed a series of elbows, but Rua got him to the mat. Henderson stood and both fighters landed punches. 10-9 Henderson. Possibly 10-8.
Round 4:
Rua looked for a takedown in the fourth round and got Henderson to the mat. Henderson took partial back control, however, and secured a crucifix. Henderson tried for a rear-naked choke and moved to mount, but Rua scrambled out and the fighters stood up. Henderson took Rua back down and landed in side control. He attempted a guillotine choke from the top, but Rua got back to full guard. Henderson landed punches from the top, but Rua got back to his feet and scored with an uppercut.
Rua rocked Henderson with a one-two and Henderson staggered away. He smiled and cracked Rua with a right cross, then dropped for a takedown. Rua stuffed it and landed more punches late. Rua clinched up and took Henderson down. He moved to mount and unloaded with punches. Henderson gave up his back and Rua tried for a rear-naked choke. Henderson spun and escaped to top position. Incredible round. 10-9 Henderson, barely, but Rua may have stolen it late.
Round 5:
Henderson clinched in the final round, but Rua took him down and landed knees to the body from side control. He moved to full mount and landed punches as Henderson tried to cover up. Henderson held on and blocked many of the strikes. He got back to half-guard and attempted a weak guillotine choke. Rua returned to mount and punched away. Henderson rolled to his side and Rua worked for an arm-triangle choke.
Henderson briefly regained half-guard, but Rua wasted little time in moving right back to mount. He scored with punches and Henderson rolled to his side again. Rua switched between punches and elbows as Henderson did everything he could to hold on and limit damage. Rua flurried and Henderson scrambled to half-guard. Rua passed back to mount and smothered Henderson, but Henderson made it to the bell. 10-8 Rua.
After five incredible rounds, the fight went to the judges’ scorecards. No 10-8 rounds were awarded, but all three judges saw the fight for Henderson, who takes a well-earned decision in a Fight of the Year candidate.
Winner: Dan Henderson by Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) after five rounds. He improves to 29-8-0.
Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva vs Cung Le
Round 1:
Le closed the distance early on with front kicks and landed a one-two. He walked Silva down, but Silva staggered him briefly with a counter flurry. Le regained his footing and remained the aggressor. A spinning backfist hurt Silva, but he quickly recovered. Le missed with a front kick, but dropped Silva to a knee with another spinning backfist. Silva recovered and was sent backwards by a spinning back kick.
Leg kicks were exchanged and Silva continued to backpedal. He landed a one-two in close and followed with another one as Le walked in. Le threw a spinning back kick to the chest and Silva countered with punches. A big right hook snapped Silva’s head back, but it did not stop his forward momentum. Both fighters landed kicks and Silva landed one to the head. A bloodied Le answered with punches and the fighters teed off. Silva scored with punches late. Close round. 10-9 Le, but just barely.
Round 2:
Silva slipped early in the second round after punches from Le, but got back to his feet and landed a leg kick. Big right hands landed for both fighters at the same time, but both stayed on their feet. Silva landed a nice right hook and another leg kick. Le kicked to the body and Silva responded with a left hook. Power punches were exchanged again and Le landed two front kicks. Le remained active with kicks, but Silva landed some of his own.
Two right hands backed Le up momentarily and Silva began to take control of the striking exchanges. Le landed another side kick to the body and followed with a leg kick. Silva rocked Le with a head kick and a knee and dropped him with a right hand. Le got to his feet, but ate a series of punches and knees on the way up. Another knee forced Le to dive for a takedown and Silva landed hammerfists for a stoppage that may have been premature.
Winner: Wanderlei Silva by TKO (Punches) at 4:49 of round two. He improves to 34-11-1, 1 NC.
“The California Kid” Urijah Faber vs Brian Bowles
Round 1:
Faber landed an uppercut early on as Bowles threw a left cross. A flurry landed for Faber and he remained aggressive. Faber fired off powerful right hands, but Bowles blocked them and tried to counter with hooks of his own. A knee to the body landed for Bowles, but Faber immediately countered with two combinations of hard punches.
Bowles flurried to the head and body and Faber countered with kicks. A winging overhand right connected for Faber and he tried for a throw. Bowles fought it off and landed a knee. Faber slammed Bowles to the mat and escaped a guillotine choke. He stood over Bowles and avoided upkicks. Bowles landed one, but Faber answered with a diving elbow before the bell. 10-9 Faber.
Round 2:
Faber rocked Bowles with a big right uppercut and a knee in the second round and Bowles fell to the mat. Faber swarmed with punches and tried for a guillotine choke. Bowles defended, but Faber blasted him with vicious elbows. He secured a guillotine choke and rolled to mount. Bowles had nowhere to go and tapped out.
Winner: Urijah Faber by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:27 of round two. He improves to 26-5-0.
Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann vs Rick “The Horror” Story
Round 1:
Big power punches were exchanged immediately in the first round and Story teed off to the head and body. Kampmann wobbled briefly, but circled out of a clinch and fired off a head kick. Right hooks landed for both at the same time and cuts were opened on both fighters’ right eyebrows. Story once again targeted the body and he landed a lead right hook to the jaw after a body kick from Kampmann.
Kampmann mixed up his strikes with kicks and Story continued to alternate between punches to the head and body. A hard one-two scored for Story, but Kampmann landed two solid right hands. More punches connected for both and Story clinched. He tried for a takedown and broke away from the clinch with a right hook. Kampmann countered a one-two with a knee to the body and stuffed a takedown. 10-9 Story.
Round 2:
Kampmann opened round two with a kick to the upper body and Story answered with a big left cross. Kampmann began to find a home for his right hand and Story retreated. Another right landed for Kampmann and Story returned fire with two hooks. Story scored with a left-right to the body and head and pushed forward with a combination. Kampmann circled away and threw kicks to the upper body.
Story landed a right hook to the ribs and Kampmann clinched for a takedown. He got Story down and worked for an arm-triangle choke from the top in half-guard. Story defended and prevented Kampmann from securing the choke. Story held on and kept Kampmann from passing to the side. A stalemate followed in the final 15 seconds until the bell. 10-9 Kampmann.
Round 3:
Kampmann scored with a counter right hook as Story clinched in the final round and circled away. Story clinched again and Kampmann reversed. He took Story down briefly and moved to his back as the fight returned to the feet. Story spun out and the fighters separated. Story threw one-twos to the body and Kampmann answered with kicks. Story stuffed a takedown and got one of his own.
Kampmann stood and secured a Thai clinch. He landed a series of knees and took Story’s back again. Kampmann suplexed Story, but was unable to keep him down. The fighters traded knees and Kampmann tripped Story very briefly. Story stood and got a takedown of his own. Kampmann used the cage to get to his feet and tripped Story once more. He landed punches and worked for a rear-naked choke. Story survived until the bell. 10-9 Kampmann.
Winner: Martin Kampmann by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 18-5-0.
“The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar vs Kyle “Kingsbu” Kingsbury
Round 1:
The fighters clinched and traded knees early on. Bonnar backed away and landed a powerful hook, but time was called after Kingsbury was kicked in the groin. Action resumed and another clinch followed. Knees were exchanged again and Kingsbury backed Bonnar up to the cage. Bonnar tried for a throw, but Kingsbury defended and landed punches. Bonnar stood and scored with punches of his own.
Knees and uppercuts landed for both in close and Bonnar backed Kingsbury up with jabs. He clinched and tried for a takedown. Kingsbury fell to his back and Bonnar struck from the top. He moved to mount late in the round and scored with some solid punches. Kingsbury rolled to his side and Bonnar continued to punch until the bell. Good round. 10-9 Bonnar.
Round 2:
Kingsbury landed a one-two in the second round and blocked a head kick. Bonnar took his back and tried to trip him to the mat. He got Kingsbury down and moved to side control and then a top-side crucifix. Bonnar punched and elbowed with his right hand, but Kingsbury managed to scramble to North-South position. Bonnar returned to side control and landed more punches.
Bonnar mixed in knees to the body as well and continued to land punches with his free hand. A big elbow scored for Bonnar, who tried to move to mount while locking up a guillotine choke. Kingsbury scrambled all the way back to half-guard, but ate elbows for his troubles. Bonnar postured up with punches as the round came to a close. 10-9 Bonnar.
Round 3:
Bonnar caught a body kick and took Kingsbury down in the final round. He secured back control and tried to move to mount against the cage. Bonnar wound up on top in half-guard, but soon moved to side control and looked to set up a North-South Choke. Kingsbury defended and Bonnar returned to side control. He eyed a Kimura on Kingsbury’s right arm and a keylock on the left.
Kingsbury covered up and defended well, so Bonnar switched to punches from the top. The crowd grew restless as Kingsbury was unable to escape or do anything. Bonnar landed a series of elbows to the body and pinned Kingsbury down as Kingsbury attempted to scramble to his feet. Bonnar looked to set up a Kimura in the final seconds and punched until the bell. 10-9 Bonnar.
Winner: Stephan Bonnar by Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 14-7-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)