The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to the United Center in Chicago, Illinois tonight for UFC on FOX 2: “Evans vs Davis.” The promotion’s second appearance on the FOX network was headlined by a light heavyweight bout between ex-champ “Suga” Rashad Evans and Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis.
In tonight’s co-main event, the ever-outspoken Chael Sonnen faced British standout Michael “The Count” Bisping in a middleweight contender’s bout, while jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia battled “All-American” Chris Weidman. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s UFC on FOX 2 card.
“Suga” Rashad Evans vs Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis
Round 1:
The fighters traded punches early in the fight and Davis landed leg kicks. He lost his balance while throwing a kick and clinched. He circled away, then shot in for a takedown. Evans sprawled out and stayed on his feet. Davis landed a right hook and stayed on the outside. Punches were exchanged and Evans stuffed another takedown.
Evans ducked under a head kick and avoided a right hand from Davis. Evans caught a kick and tripped Davis to the mat. He worked from the top with short punches from half-guard. Evans tried to get his leg out to pass to side control and managed to do so. He pinned Davis down in a crucifix and landed punches until the bell. 10-9 Evans.
Round 2:
Evans ducked under a looping head kick to start round two and landed a combination. The fighters clinched briefly before separating. Davis threw push kicks from the outside and Evans answered with knees in another brief clinch. Evans backed away, then closed the distance again with punches.
Evans kept Davis on the defensive as Davis circled backwards. Davis landed a knee, but Evans closed in with punches. Two more knees scored for davis and he broke free of Evans’s grip. Evans caught a body kick and took Davis down in the final 30 seconds. He landed elbows from side control. 10-9 Evans.
Round 3:
Davis looked to land kicks to the body and kept his distance in round three. He shot in for a takedown, but Evans stuffed it and sprawled out. Evans landed punches,b ut Davis refusedto relinquish his grip on Evans’s leg. Davis managed to get Evans down and held onto his ankle to prevent him from standing. Evans swept and reversed, then landed punches from a partial mount.
The fighters returned to their feet and Evans pressed Davis up against the cage. Davis dropped for a takedown and Evans easily avoided it with a pair of right hands. Evans flurried and Davis began to retreat. Davis countered with a one-two and took Evans down. Evans got back to his feet and Davis held him against the fence. Close round. 10-9 Evans.
Round 4:
Jabs were exchanged in the fourth round and Davis threw body kicks. EVans landed a right hook and more stiff jabs. Davis looked to shoot in for a takedown, but Evans easily avoided it and continued to find success with jabs. He put together a nice combination and stuffed a takedown with a front headlock and punches.
Davis dropped down to a knee to try to get Evans to the mat, but he could not. The fighters clinched and both landed knees to the body. Davis backed up, then shot in for a takedown. Evans sprawled and took partial back control. He landed punches as Davis got back to his feet. Davis backed away after a one-two from Evans and the round ended with an exchange of punches. 10-9 Evans.
Round 5:
Davis threw more kicks from the outside in the final round, but Evans checked many of them and countered with right hands. Quick jabs and more right hands scored for Evans and he caught a body kick. Evans landed a series of uppercuts and Davis fell to the mat. Evans moved from half-guard to a top-side crucifix and landed short punches.
Davis rolled and gave up his back. He stood as Evans continued to punch the sides of his head. Evans landed a hard right hook and Davis backed away. The fighters traded jabs and Evans stuffed a takedown. He backed Davis up to the cage and both fighters landed knees. Davis connected with a right cross, but Evans continued to outstrike him in the final minute. 10-9 Evans.
Winner: Rashad Evans by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) after five rounds. He improves to 17-1-1.
Chael Sonnen vs Michael “The Count” Bisping
Round 1:
Sonnen took Bisping down right away, but Bisping quickly returned to his feet. Bisping landed a counter hook, but Sonnen pushed forward and clinched again. He refused to allow Bisping to create any space and took him down again against the cage. Sonnen landed punches as Bisping stood up. The fighters traded knees to the body and Sonnen circled away.
Sonnen clinched once more and Bisping reversed against the fence. Punches were exchanged and Bisping missed with a spinning wheel kick. Sonnen closed in and the fighters battled in the clinch again. Both fighters landed hard punches in an exchange before clinching yet again. The close round ended with punches from both fighters and Bisping got the better of it. 10-9 Sonnen, barely.
Round 2:
More clinchwork kicked off the second round and it was Bisping who pressed Sonnen against the cage. Knees were exchanged and Bisping landed punches over the top. Sonnen finally scored another takedown and flattened Bisping out against a corner post. Sonnen landed a flurry as Bisping got to his feet.
Bisping answered with a knee and more punches were exchanged. He pressed Sonnen up against the fence and punched over the top again. Sonnen held on and looked to counter with knees to the body. He mixed in punches of his own, but could not break away from the cage. The fighters finally broke apart and traded punches at the bell. 10-9 Bisping.
Round 3:
Sonnen took Bisping down right away in the final round and tried to pass his guard. Bisping would not let him and Sonnen was forced to settle back into Bisping’s full guard to land punches. Bisping postured for an armbar and Sonnen used the opportunity to take his back. He moved to mount and punched to the body.
Bisping tried to posture up to land more damaging punches, but Bisping scrambled and got back to half-guard. He kicked Sonnen off and used the cage to work back to his feet. Sonnen would not let him stand, however, and kept him down against the fence. Bisping finally stood and dumped Sonnen to the mat. Bisping landed elbows just before the final bell. 10-9 Sonnen.
Winner: Chael Sonnen by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 27-11-1.
Demian Maia vs “All-American” Chris Weidman
Round 1:
The fighters traded cautious punches early on and Weidman fired off right hooks. Both landed jabs and Weidman stayed out of range of most of Maia’s strikes. Maia managed to land a knee and Weidman countered with a right cross. Maia landed an overhand left, but ducked into a knee. A quick combination scored for Maia and the fighters traded punches in close. Maia landed a knee to the body and a right hook. Weidman took him down, but Maia immediately stood up. Both fighters landed knees and punches in the final seconds. Very close round. 10-9 Weidman.
Round 2:
Weidman scored a brief takedown early in round two, but Maia scrambled to his feet and the fighters resumed exchanging punches. Both landed jabs and Weidman mixed in leg kicks. Maia scored with a knee and continued to throw short, peppering punches. Weidman jabbed in return and Maia landed an uppercut. He began to target the body with punches and Weidman tried for a head kick. He clinched and backed Maia up to the cage. The fighters separated and Weidman took Maia down late in the close round. 10-9 Weidman.
Round 3:
Weidman looked to clinch early in the final round, but Maia shrugged him off. After a brief exchange of strikes, Weidman got Maia down and worked from his butterfly guard. Maia battled up and both fighters landed punches and knees. The pace slowed and Maia failed in an attempt to take the fight to the mat. Weidman scored with punches, but Maia stood and landed a knee. He tried to get Weidman down, but Weidman countered with two knees of his own. Maia began to bleed from above the right eye and the fighters exchanged stiff jabs. Little transpired in the final seconds. 10-9 Weidman.
Note: Scores for this bout were initially announced incorrectly.
Winner: Chris Weidman by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 8-0-0.
Evan Dunham vs Nik “The Carny” Lentz
Round 1:
Punches were exchanged right away and both fighters landed hooks. Lentz tripped Dunham to the mat and secured a front headlock as Dunham stood. Dunham broke away and landed a combination. Lentz answered with one of his own and took Dunham down against the cage. Dunham tried to scramble up and Lentz trapped him in another front headlock.
Lentz landed a grazing head kick as the fighters separated and Dunham replied with a left cross. Both fighters remained active with punches and Dunham attempted to counter a takedown with a guillotine choke. Lentz escaped and he could not get Dunham down. Lentz landed a knee and a right hook. Dunham dumped him to the mat and punched from the top until the bell. Close round. 10-9 Dunham.
Round 2:
Dunham took Lentz down early in round two and moved to side control. Lentz pushed off of the cage to try to escape, but Dunham kept him down. The fighters scrambled and eventually stood up. Lentz fired off punches in close and Dunham kept him pressed up against the cage. The fighters separated and Dunham punched his way into a clinch. Both fighters landed big shots and backed away.
Dunham took Lentz down again and punched from his guard. He nearly secured a guillotine choke, but Lentz managed to spun to free himself. Dunham landed punches as the fighters stood and Lentz began bleeding badly from below the left eye. He pushed forward with punches, however, and clinched for a takedown. Both landed punches in the dying seconds. Good round. 10-9 Dunham.
Between rounds, the fight was stopped due to Lentz’s badly swollen left eye. Dunham takes the victory.
Winner: Evan Dunham by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 5:00 of round two. He improves to 13-2-0.
Mike Russow vs John Olav “The Viking” Einemo
Round 1:
Russow rushed in with punches right away and took Einemo down. He briefly struck from the top, then stood and allowed Einemo to follow. Russow pushed forward with three more punches and clinched. The fighters separated and Einemo landed a quick combination. Russow replied with punches of his own and tripped Einemo to the mat. Russow struck from the top, but Einemo swept late in the round and wound up in mount as time expired. 10-9 Russow.
Round 2:
Russow closed the distance again right away in round two and took Einemo down to the mat. He settled into Einemo’s guard and landed short strikes. The pace slowed as Russow alternated between standing over Einemo and punching from his guard. Action remained sparse as Russow landed a handful of punches and did just enough to keep the bout from being stood up. The fighters were finally stood up and Russow wasted no time in taking a bloodied Einemo down before the bell. 10-9 Russow.
Round 3:
After a brief exchange of strikes, Russow tripped Einemo to the mat and resumed his attacks from the previous rounds. Russow looked to work from Einemo’s guard, but Einemo momentarily reversed and tried to take his back. Russow defended and threw occasional punches from the top. After a lull in the action, the fighters were stood up and Einemo landed knees. Russow took him down and peppered him with punches until the bell. 10-9 Russow.
Winner: Mike Russow by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-1-0, 1 NC.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)