The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the Bell Centre in Montréal, Québec, Canada tonight for UFC 158: “St. Pierre vs Diaz.” The event was headlined by a long-awaited UFC Welterweight Championship bout between Georges “Rush” St. Pierre and former Strikeforce titleholder Nick Diaz.
Also on the card tonight, former UFC Interim Welterweight Champion “The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit took on fast-rising star Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks, and Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger battled Nate “The Great” Marquardt. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC 158 card.
UFC Welterweight Championship
Georges “Rush” St. Pierre vs Nick Diaz
Round 1:
Diaz closed the distance with punches right away and St. Pierre took him down. St. Pierre landed an elbow from the top and tried to postured up to land more damaging strikes. Diaz rolled and gave up his back. St. Pierre landed short punches and prevented Diaz from standing up. Diaz returned to guard and St. Pierre landed more elbows from the top. Diaz tried to stand against the cage and finally did, but St. Pierre dragged him back down. St. Pierre landed punches until Diaz stood again. He slammed Diaz on his face before the bell. 10-9 St. Pierre.
Round 2:
St. Pierre jabbed and landed a counter left hook in round two before taking Diaz back down. Diaz tried to set up a submission and St. Pierre punched from the top. Diaz gave up his back again and St. Pierre continued to throw punches. Diaz tried to scramble and St. Pierre wound up in his guard, where he landed elbows to the forehead. Diaz got up and landed a leg kick. He began taunting and St. Pierre responded with a Superman Punch. Left hands landed for both fighters and Diaz attempted a spinning back kick. 10-9 St. Pierre.
Round 3:
Diaz taunted more in round three and St. Pierre landed jabs and kicks in return. He tried for a takedown, but Diaz stuffed it. St. Pierre got him down on his second try and Diaz crawled forward to the cage. The fighters stood and St. Pierre jabbed. Diaz scored with a right hook to the body and both fighters landed leg kicks. A right cross landed for St. Pierre and he looked for a takedown. Diaz stayed up and St. Pierre lunged forward with a right hand. A combination from Diaz sent St. Pierre off-balance briefly. Diaz landed more punches and a bloodied St. Pierre took him down. He punched from the top until the bell. 10-9 St. Pierre.
Round 4:
The fourth round began with an exchange of jabs. Diaz put together a quick one-two and he stuffed a takedown. St. Pierre cut Diaz with a right cross, but Diaz fired back with a combination. Diaz stuffed another takedown and blocked a head kick. He punched and kneed to the body in the clinch. A flurry to the head and body scored for Diaz and he began to walk around the cage.
St. Pierre closed the distance with jabs and took Diaz down. Diaz stood, but St. Pierre took his back and slammed him back down to the mat. Once again, Diaz got up and he tried for a Kimura. St. Pierre took him down in the process and fought free of the hold. In the final 30 seconds, St. Pierre landed short punches and an elbow. Close round. 10-9 St. Pierre, barely.
Round 5:
St. Pierre countered a left cross from Diaz with a hook and two jabs in round five. Diaz landed knees to the body in close and St. Pierre backed away. St. Pierre jabbed and Diaz fell while throwing a head kick. St. Pierre took his back and landed short punches. Diaz rolled and got back to his feet. He kicked to the body and St. Pierre landed a knee. Diaz landed knees of his own and the fighters separated. St. Pierre took Diaz down and he landed punches and elbows until the end of the fight. 10-9 St. Pierre.
Winner: Georges St. Pierre by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) after five rounds. He improves to 24-2-0 and remains the UFC Welterweight Champion.
Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks vs “The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit
Round 1:
Hendricks landed a hard left hook right away and swarmed with punches, but Condit defended and circled away. Another left hook and more punches scored for Hendricks. Condit answered with a knee, but Hendricks threw him to the mat. Condit stood and the fighters traded hard shots. Hendricks took Condit back down and fought off a kneebar attempt. Hendricks wound up in Condit’s guard and landed short strikes until Condit scrambled up.
Hendricks rushed in with punches and took him back down. Condit began to bleed from the nose as Hendricks held him in a front headlock. Condit escaped and stood up again. Hendricks landed hard left hands to the head and body. He attempted a takedown, but Condit took his back. Hendricks stood and Condit landed a front kick. Both fighters landed huge punches in the final seconds and Hendricks took Condit down as the bell sounded. Excellent round. 10-9 Hendricks.
Round 2:
Hendricks pressed forward and countered a right hand from Condit with a big left hook. He took Condit down soon after and fought off a Kimura attempt. Condit got to his feet and landed a nice right hand and two kicks. Hendricks fired back with more left hooks and clinched. He dumped Condit to the mat, but could not hold him there for long. Condit stood and landed two knees.
A left hook to the body scored for Condit and he followed with a flying knee. It landed, but Hendricks caught Condit in mid-air and slammed him down. Condit scrambled and worked back to his feet. Hendricks countered a knee with a combination and he took Condit down again. Condit used elbows to try to get back up and he did so just before the end of the round. 10-9 Hendricks.
Round 3:
Condit flurried with punches in the final round until Hendricks took him down. Hendricks punched from the top and Condit threw elbows from his back. Condit stood up and teed off to the body and head. Hendricks, despite appearing to have broken his left hand in round two, kept throwing left hooks anyway. He clinched and took Condit’s back.
Hendricks dragged Condit down, but Condit remained active from his back with elbows and he quickly got back to his feet. A nice combination scored for Condit and he just missed with a head kick. A combination from Condit was countered by a takedown from a bloodied Hendricks. Condit stood up and landed a front kick and a left hook. Hendricks briefly took him down, but Condit got up and landed knees. Fantastic fight. 10-9 Condit.
Winner: Johny Hendricks by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-1-0.
Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger vs Nate “The Great” Marquardt
Round 1:
Ellenberger landed a hard leg kick early in the fight and Marquardt answered with one of his own, but fell in the process. He stood and landed more leg kicks, then backed Ellenberger up with a flurry. Ellenberger regained his footing and scored with a right hook. Marquardt began to bleed from below the left eye and he briefly looked for a takedown. He threw a series of leg kicks, but Ellenberger backed him up to the cage and countered a body kick with a looping one-two. Marquardt fell to the mat and Ellenberger teed off until Marquardt went face-down on the canvas.
Winner: Jake Ellenberger by KO (Punches) at 3:00 of round one. He improves to 29-6-0.
Chris Camozzi vs Nick “The Promise” Ring
Round 1:
Both men landed quick leg kicks and one-two combinations in the opening minute. Camozzi used his jab to set up right hands and Ring circled on the outside with more kicks. Camozzi scored with an overhand left and he rushed in with a three-punch flurry soon after. Ring stood with his hands down and kicked at Camozzi’s lead leg. Camozzi answered with more punches. He backed Ring up with looping hooks, but Ring answered back with a leg kick and a hard right hook. Camozzi connected with another one-two in the final seconds. 10-9 Camozzi.
Round 2:
Ring began to have more success with his punches in round two, but Camozzi landed counterpunches and kicks. Camozzi landed a hard knee and a right hand. He jumped in with a flying knee and clinched, but Ring broke free. Ring jabbed to the body and mixed in kicks. Camozzi slowed way down, but he managed to land a spinning backfist and a brief combination. Jabs and right hooks were exchanged and Camozzi stunned Ring with a knee. Ring recovered and threw leg kicks and right hands. Camozzi began to bleed heavily from the nose and Ring remained a step ahead in the exchanges. Camozzi scored with one more knee before the bell. Closer round. 10-9 Ring.
Round 3:
Camozzi was aggressive with jabs and left hooks in the final round. Ring continued to mix up his strikes with leg kicks and quick lefts. The fighters traded combinations and overhand lefts. Camozzi took Ring’s back and tried to drag him to the mat. Ring stayed up and broke free of the clinch. Camozzi landed a combination and Ring answered with right hooks. Ring targeted the body and Camozzi flurried in return. Ring slowed down and tried for a weak takedown. Camozzi shrugged it off and landed a stiff jab. He remained aggressive with punches and tried for a knee as time expired. 10-9 Camozzi.
Winner: Chris Camozzi by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 19-5-0.
Mike “The Martian” Ricci vs Colin “Freakshow” Fletcher
Round 1:
Ricci threw a grazing head kick early in the fight and Fletcher answered with body kicks. Ricci landed a series of left crosses and the fighters continued to trade body kicks. An overhand left scored for Ricci and he followed with a one-two. Fletcher answered with a right hand and Ricci connected with a spinning back kick. Ricci landed a stiff jab and more body kicks. Time was called after Ricci was kicked in the groin. The fight continued and Ricci immediately landed a right hook. Fletcher landed a knee and a right hand. He caught a kick and clinched before the bell. 10-9 Ricci.
Round 2:
The second round began with both fighters aggressively throwing kicks. Ricci landed one to the head and he took Fletcher down. Fletcher rolled for a toe hold and Ricci punched free. He took Fletcher’s back and landed more punches that cut Fletcher below the right eye. The fighters stood and Fletcher broke away with a nice right hand. He kicked from a distance and stayed out of range of Ricci’s jabs. The crowd grew restless as the fighters traded single kicks. Fletcher attempted a spinning backfist that partially landed. 10-9 Ricci.
Round 3:
Fletcher clinched in search of a takedown in round three. The fighters battled in the clinch and Fletcher looked to set up a guillotine choke. Ricci easily avoided danger and broke away. He continued to target the midsection with kicks and Fletcher answered with right hands and a spinning backfist attempt. Ricci halted a Superman Punch from Fletcher with a stiff jab. Ricci used a body lock takedown to get Fletcher down. He threw punches from the top to the head and body, then took Fletcher’s back. Ricci worked for a rear-naked choke and switched to an armbar, but Fletcher elbowed his way free. 10-9 Ricci.
Winner: Mike Ricci by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 8-3-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)