EX-UFC CHAMP “HANDLED” IN MAIN EVENT
Portland, OR– Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1, 2 KOs, 20 SUBs) UD3 Randy Couture (16-10, 7 KOs, 2 SUBs) Two things caught up with Randy Couture Saturday night, one was Minotauro Nogueira, and the other was father time. Nogueira looked very good, and Couture finally began to show his age. I didn’t like the way he looked, as he was somewhat sluggish and his chin was very soft. Couture survived several submission attempts and was dropped on a couple of occasions, but was unable to gain any momentum of his own throughout the fight. Couture hinted in the post fight interview he planned to continue to fight on. Let’s just hope he doesn’t turn into the MMA version of Evander Holyfield.
SILVA POUNDS “DEAN OF MEAN” INTO SUBMISSION
Thiago Silva (14-1, 11 KOs, 2 SUBs) KO1 Keith Jardine (14-6-1, 6 KOs, 2 SUBs) Silva made a successful comeback and did so in impressive fashion by knocking out Keith Jardine. Silva looked strong and focused and used good head and foot movement to take advantage of openings in Jardine’s defense. Jardine has now lost three of his last four and will have to go back to the drawing board or retire.
LEBEN BEATEN BY EX-NCAA CHAMP
Jake Rosholt (6-1, 4 KOs, 2 SUB) SUB3 Chris Leben (18-7, 10 KOs, 4 SUBs)
Chris Leben came back to fight in his hometown of Portland, Oregon for the first time since 2004. Unfortunately, it was not a successful comeback as the three time NCAA Division I wrestling champ from Oklahoma State University, Jake Rosholt, choked out the hometown favorite via an arm triangle choke in the third stanza. Rosholt looked solid and Leben appeared somewhat tentative throughout the fight.
Nate Marquardt (29-8-2, 7 KOs, 15 SUBs) KO1 Demian Maia (10-1, 1 KO, 8 SUBs) Marquardt wasted little time introducing Mr. Maia to his fist, knocking him silly in just 21 seconds. Maia is going to have to VASLTY improved his stand up skills if he wants to get to the next level in mixed martial arts. Marquardt quite possibly has earned himself a rematch against middleweight (185 lbs) kingpin Anderson Silva (25-4, 15 KOs, 4 SUBs).
Brandon Vera (11-3, 7 KOs, 1 SUB) UD 3 Krzysztof Soszynski (18-9-1, 6 KOs, 9 SUBs) Vera was able to out strike and frustrate Soszynski by using masterful foot movement mixed in with sharp kicks and punches. Vera looked renewed and looks to be back on the path to the top.
PRELIMINARY BOUTS
Gabriel Gonzaga (11-4, 5 KOs, 6 SUBs) TKO1 Chris Tuchscherer (17-2, 7 KOs, 6 SUBs)
Aaron Simpson (6-0, 6 KOs) TKO 2 Ed Herman (15-8, 4 KOs, 7 SUBs)
Michael Russow (12-1, 2 KOs, 8 SUBs) UD 3 Justin McCully (9-5-2, 5 SUBs)
Todd Duffee (5-0, 5 KOs) KO 1 Tim Hague (10-2, 5 KOs, 3 SUBs)
Mark Munoz (6-1, 3 KOs) SD 3 Nick Catone (6-2, 3 KOs, 2 SUBs)
Evan Dunham (8-0, 2 KOs, 5 SUBs) SD 3 Marcus Aurelio (18-8, 4 KOs, 11 SUBs)