JONES MAKES QUICK WORK OF VLADIMIR
San Diego, CA– Jon Jones, 206 lbs, Rochester, NY TKO 1 Vladimir Matyushenko, 206, Retchisa, Belarus (24-5, 7 KOs, 7 SUBs). The dynamic Jones (11-1, 7 KOs, 2 SUBs) was quick to let Matyushenko know that he is the real deal as he blasted the Belarus native out in less than two minutes. Jones capitalized on a takedown and gained great position which allowed him to unleash vicious unanswered elbows until referee Herb Dean stepped in and stopped the beating.
EXPERIENCED OKAMI NOTCHES WIN
Yushin Okami, 185, Kanagawa, Japan SD 3 Mark Munoz, 185, Sacramento, CA. Try as he might, Munoz (8-2, 4 KOs, 1 SUB) just could not seem to secure a solid takedown on Okami (25-5, 9 KOs, 4 SUBs). On the rare occasion he was able to get Okami down, it was for only a second or two as Okami would pop right back up. Although Munoz dropped his man once in the second round, it was Okami who got the better of the stand up game throughout the bout.
TOUGH GUY HOWARD SUFFERS SETBACK
Jake Ellenberger, 170.5, Omaha, NE TKO 3 John Howard, 170.5, Boston, MA. Although Howard’s (14-5, 4 KOs, 6 SUBs) win streak came to an end, he showed a lot of heart and determination fighting through a horribly swollen eye until the fight was stopped at the suggestion of the ringside physician. Ellenberger (23-5, 15 KOs, 5 SUBs) seemed to have gotten the better of the fight until the stoppage as he was able to score with takedowns and effective ground and pound in the first two rounds of the fight.
BROTHER OF FOREST GRIFFIN DRILLED!
Takanori Gomi, 156, Tokyo, Japan KO 1 Tyson Griffin, 154, Santa Rosa, CA. The fireball kid Gomi (32-6, 12 KOs, 6 SUBs) wasted little time in dispatching the very tough Griffin (14-4, 6 KOs, 3 SUBs) to start things off Sunday night. Both guys began the fight trading shots but it was Gomi whose dynamite laced fists landed flush first. The bout was over just a few ticks past the first minute mark giving Gomi his first UFC victory.
Matt “All Meat” Grizzle