UFC 129 Results (4/30) – GSP/Shields + Couture/Machida!

Event: UFC 129 Pay-Per-View
Airdate: Saturday, April 30th, 2011 (Pay-Per-View)
Location: The Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario
Results by MMASCOOPS.COM

Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin
Round 1
Jabouin is damaging Garza with leg kicks until midway through the round, when Garza ties up and jumps guard suddenly. The lanky “Scarecrow” has a triangle, but it’s loose. Garza adjusts and it’s looking tight now. He elbows at Jabouin’s head and rolls on top. Garza is trying to tell referee Yves Lavigne that Jabouin is out, but Jabouin signals that he’s okay. A moment later, Garza pulls down hard on the head of Jabouin, forcing the tap at 4:31 of the opening round.

Kyle Watson vs. John Makdessi
Round 1
The lightweights lob tentative punches in the opening minute, the longer Watson flicking out leg kicks. Makdessi times a low kick and socks Watson with a straight left; two minutes in, it’s the hardest offense of the fight. Watson looks to go low for a double momentarily, then thinks otherwise. Another leg kick is countered with a Makdessi left hand. Watson leaps inside to clinch and gets one knee off, but eats a quick flurry from Makdessi as they split. Makdessi turns into a side kick that grazes Watson’s midsection. Hook kick from Makdessi, but it’s off the mark. Makdessi gets off another pair of stiff lefts in the last minute; Watson thuds a kick to his body at the horn.

Round 2
Makdessi getting busy with low and front kicks early in the second. The grappler Watson is still trying to hang on the feet, but despite his reach advantage, just can’t find the range. Makdessi is wheeling backward, picking Watson apart with counter left hooks and straight right hands. Watson gets off a slapping head kick, but Makdessi doesn’t fall. Makdessi goes back to the turning side-kicks and Watson tries to emulate, with less success. Two minutes left in the round and “The Bull” is still playing matador to Watson. Watson misses a spinning back fist and Makdessi lands one seconds later. Big, close-quarters left hook from Makdessi buckles Watson’s legs. He stays up and Makdessi decks him again, this time right under the jaw. Makdessi starts pushing forward with kicks in the last 15 seconds and zaps Watson with a nasty right, and another one-two just before the horn.

Round 3
The lightweights touch gloves to begin the final round and Makdessi whips Watson with another turning kick shortly after. Finally, Watson ties up and muscles Makdessi into the cage. They disengage and Watson seems to be cut under the eye. As he’s checking the damage, Makdessi blitzes. Punches land, further leg kicks and then it happens. Makdessi fakes a right leg kick and drills a spinning left back-fist directly into Watson’s bloodied cheek. Watson falls to his back, out cold, and referee Dan Miragliotta steps in for the save. It’s a highlight reel knockout for John Makdessi at 1:27 of the third round.

Jason MacDonald vs. Ryan Jensen
Round 1
Herb Dean is the referee for this middleweight bout. Jensen rushes right in with straight punches and MacDonald goes low for a takedown. Jensen’s back is to the fence and he jumps guard with a guillotine. The Canadian extracts his head and the Toronto crowd likes the turn of events as MacDonald climbs onto Jensen’s back. Jensen twists into his foe and tripods up in MacDonald’s guard at the base of the cage. MacDonald throws up a triangle and it must be tight, because Jensen immediately tries to slam his way free. He can’t, and the slam only helps MacDonald to tighten the choke. Jensen throws a few punches in vain before tapping out at the 1:37 mark.

Ivan Menjivar vs. Charlie Valencia
Round 1
Valencia comes out with kicks to the body and then the bantamweights start sniping. Menjivar lands a solid one-two down the pipe and the pair clinch up. Menjivar fires hard left elbow in the clinch. The first doesn’t drop Valencia, but the second elbow crushes his nose and sends him dropping to the floor. Menjivar follows up with punches from above and referee “Big” John McCarthy rescues the helpless Valencia just 90 seconds into the first round.

Claude Patrick vs. Daniel Roberts
Round 1
Roberts comes straight at Patrick, who changes levels and puts “Ninja” on his back. Roberts is leaning to his right, looking for an arm as Patrick scoots him around the cage. One minute in, he finds it and Patrick is forced to slow his roll and defend. Patrick opts to stand and the southpaws go back to throwing. Roberts lands a pair of short knees, but Patrick is controling the action from the clinch. Patrick is chopping away with knees now. Roberts breaks away. Roberts throws a superman punch but whiffs. Patrick lands a nice straight left over the top, then rushes in and lands an elbow before clinching. An outside leg trip from Patrick puts Roberts on his back once again. Patrick lands in half guard. Roberts has rubber guard with 30 seconds left and Patrick backs out. The Canadian drills Roberts with a left hook and Roberts is in trouble. Patrick rushes him with uppercuts, maybe half a dozen to the head and body, but can’t finish before the horn.

Round 2
Roberts absorbs more punches and leg kicks from Patrick for 30 seconds before taking Patrick down. They don’t stay on the mat for long, as Patrick gets to his feet and Roberts clinches him into the cage. Patrick digs a few punches to Robert’s ribs over the shoulder. They split and Patrick connects with a step-in knee with the Thai plum. Roberts misses a Superman punch, then lands a solid kick to the gut of Patrick, who answers with a chopping leg kick. Patrick floors Roberts with a high double-leg and Roberts is sitting against the cage, where he finds a guillotine. Ninja can’t finish the choke, but uses it to sweep and take side control with two minutes to go. Roberts is looking for an arm-triangle choke, but he’s in a tricky spot at the base of the fence. Patrick regains half-guard and open-hand slaps Roberts three times to the back of the head. Roberts looks at ref Dan Miragliotta, to no avail. Patrick regains full guard and then stands, but has his back taken in the scramble. Roberts brings him to the floor, but can’t hold Patrick down. Patrick lands a leg kick and a solid one-two in the last 30 seconds, while Roberts wings a dozen tired punches that don’t connect.

Round 3
Roberts looking exhausted as he lands another thudding body kick in the opening minute. Patrick catches the next one and shoves Roberts into the cage, where he pops the American with a short left and trips him to the floor. Patrick takes full mount without much space to work, driving a left hand or two into Roberts’ face before being stuffed back to full guard. Roberts shrimps after another left hand and gets to his feet. More tired punches from Roberts until he gives up and goes for a takedown. Patrick defends it and grabs a guillotine, then gives it up and puts Roberts’ back to the cage. Patrick obeys the Toronto crowd hollering for knees and throws a few up the middle. Roberts reverses Patrick into the fence and stalls out. Miragliotta restarts them with 50 seconds to go. Patrick is letting Roberts punch from a mile away but not throwing anything of his own. Roberts tries for a takedown with 20 seconds left and it’s stuffed. Patrick tries a guillotine that allows Roberts to get on top and finish the round with weary punches to the body.

Official scores: All three judges have it 29-28 for the winner by unanimous decision, Claude Patrick.

Sean Pierson vs. Jake Ellenberger
Round 1
Herb Dean referees the show’s first televised prelim. Tentative trading in the early going, with Ellenberger sticking the hometown favorite with a pair of solid left hands. Ellenberger plows Pierson down with a double-leg, but Pierson hops right back up. Right hook lands for Ellenberger, then a left, and Pierson clinches up. They split quickly and Pierson’s bleeding under his right eye. A massive left hook from Ellenberger spins Pierson around. Two more punches come from Ellenberger as Pierson falls limply to the canvas. Herb Dean calls the stop at 2:42 and it’s a vicious knockout win for Jake Ellenberger.

Rory MacDonald vs. Nate Diaz
Round 1
The southpaw Diaz assumes his rangy, pawing stance as MacDonald flicks slapping kicks to the head and body. After a minute of tentative exchanging, Diaz holds his arms out in the typical style and implores the Candian to come forward. MacDonald lands a nice one-two as Diaz comes in to tie up. He shoves MacDonald’s back into the cage and throws a few hands to the gut. MacDonald gets an underhook and reverses, then goes low for a takedown. Diaz defends, but MacDonald tries to pull him into guard. Nothing doing and the welterweights go back to the feet. MacDonald with a Superman punch, a left jab, then just misses with a head kick. Diaz keeps coming forward and MacDonald begins finding success with counter-punches. They clinch up again with neither getting the upperhand, and MacDonald exits with a knee at the 70 second mark. Diaz ducks a MacDonald left and goes for a single. The Stockton, Calif., native can’t execute and changes to a double as MacDonald puts his back to the fence. Knee to the body from Diaz is answered by a right hand from MacDonald. The horn sounds and ref John McCarthy steps between the fighters as Diaz keeps jawing.

Round 2
More clinching early. They split and Diaz catches a front kick from MacDonald, lets it go, and taunts his Canadian opponent. MacDonald bullies Diaz against the cage and tries to trip him down as Diaz punches to the body and head. MacDonald succeeds with the trip, but Diaz quickly gets back to his feet. Now, MacDonald slams Diaz to the mat in the center of the cage. MacDonald stands and dodges upkicks, then socks Diaz with a nice right hand as Diaz stands. Diaz still coming forward, trying to find his range, and he puts a straight left on MacDonald’s cheek. Another clinch and MacDonald snaps Diaz’s head back with an uppercut. Face reddened, Diaz resists a MacDonald single-leg and takes the power position in the clinch. Diaz shrugs his right shoulder into MacDonald’s jaw and trips him down, but MacDonald just stands back up. Diaz pushes forward with a slapping one-two. MacDonald leaps in with a flying knee and then tries a single-leg, but abandons it when Diaz looks for a standing kimura. MacDonald snaps off another one-two-leg kick combo before the horn.

Round 3
MacDonald just misses on a right high kick. Diaz continues coming forward, whereupon he’s clinched into the cage by “The Waterboy.” Diaz tries to pick the ankle of MacDonald and instead eats a hard punch from his knees. MacDonald hops onto Diaz’s back and twice ragdolls him to the floor with huge power. Big punches from MacDonald on top before he backs out. Diaz still on the mat, MacDonald comes back in with more shots, then suplexes Diaz once again for good measure. Two minutes to go and MacDonald stuffs a trip attempt from Diaz as they clinch against the fence. Diaz’s single-leg is sprawled on and MacDonald connects with more punches, elbows. MacDonald winds up on top with a minute to go. He stands and dodges upkicks in the last minute before the horn sounds on what should be a unanimous decision for the Canadian prospect.

Official scores: The scores are 30-27 and 30-26 (twice) in favor of Rory MacDonald, who takes a unanimous decision before a raucous Rogers Centre crowd.

Benson Henderson vs. Mark Bocek
Round 1
Bocek puts a straight right on Henderson and the pair clinch, with Henderson reversing to take dominant position. The former WEC champ has double underhooks as he tries to trip Bocek to the ground. Bocek resists and eats a knee to the gut, but answers with one of his own. The lightweights jockey for position and aren’t active enough for ref Yves Lavigne, who restarts them in the center. Bocek puts another right hand on “Smooth” and they clinch again. Left elbow comes over the top from Henderson, then a right leg kick. Henderson pumps his right jab in Bocek’s face and then comes forward with a Superman punch and a hard leg kick. Another punch-kick combo from Henderson and Bocek shoots for a single leg. Henderson gets a half dozen hard punches off as he hops on one leg, but eventually succumbs to the takedown. Bocek works from Henderson’s butterfly guard with less than a minute to go. He can’t pass before the horn, while Henderson lands some elbows from the bottom.

Round 2
Henderson resists a Bocek single-leg and elbows to the Canadian’s body as they clinch against the fence. Henderon with a takedown now; Bocek gets up and is tripped straight back down. Bocek looks for a leg or arm as Henderson sits atop in half-guard, punching away. Henderson’s leg slips loose as Bocek gets up and clinches. Henderson soon has underhooks, though, and goes back to punishing Bocek against the cage. Knees inside from Henderson until Bocek grabs a front headlock and drags him to his knees. Bocek has a guillotine and he’s switching to an anaconda. Bocek rolls, can’t finish, stands back up and adjusts the choke. It’s a standing guillotine now, but Bocek rolls again to try and finish. Henderson pops loose and goes wild, blasting Bocek with vicious elbows and knees to the body. When the round ends, Bocek is busted wide open with red blood staining his hairline and forehead.

Round 3
Bocek is patched up and toweled down with a great gob of Vaseline on his cut. He brings Henderson down and finds himself in the American’s tight, closed guard. Henderson is keeping active with short punches from underneath and then throws his legs up for an armbar. It doesn’t come, but does allow him to sweep and pummel Bocek from the standing position. Bocek drives forward and jumps on Henderson’s back standing, but soon slips off. Henderson takes underhooks and knees Bocek inside. Bocek’s bleeding again as he elbows the ribs of Henderson, who’s looking for a double-leg. Henderson gets it and sprawls on a counter-shot while driving elbows to the head and punches under the arm. Bocek stands and takes more damage in the form of knees to the midsection and punches up top. With 40 seconds remaining, Bocek charges forward and gets a takedown. Henderson shrimps to his knee, nearly gets caught in a guillotine, but escapes. He slams Bocek with more knees against the cage just before the end of the bout.

Official scores: It’s a unanimous decision with all three judges’ scorecards reading 30-27 in favor of Ben Henderson.

Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Jason Brilz
Round 1
Matyushenko throws first, big bunches of punches as Brilz ducks low. A big right uppercut cracks Brilz on the temple, and a forearm finds its mark as he goes down. Brilz’s lights go out as Matyushenko blasts him with hammerfists and Dan Miragliotta is forced to intervene. Brilz comes to right away and protests, but replays show the stoppage was righteous. The official time is 20 seconds of the first round.

Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida
Round 1
Couture whips his head from side to side, dodging Machida’s first punches. The wrestler shoots for the waist of Machida and then dips back out. Machida sneaking some solid right hands through as the 205-pounders feel one another out. Couture pushes forward and Machida wings counterpunches, clipping “Captain America” with an uppercut in the clinch. Couture punches to the body of Machida, who replies with a sharp one-two to the mush. Couture still inching forward, but Machida is being Machida and staying out of range. Machida leaps into the pocket with a knee and Couture tries to bully him into the cage, but the Brazilian won’t have it. Couture tries a waistlock, can’t get it, and settles for clinching on the fence. They don’t stay there long, as Machida circles out and kicks Couture in the gut. Machida lands another knee to the gut in the closing seconds.

Round 2
Couture fakes a few shots, but is clearly cautious of coming inside on Machida, who continues to counter with big hooks and push kicks. Out of nowhere, in center cage, Machida plants a jumping front kick straight out of “The Karate Kid” on Couture’s chin. Randy goes down, the end coming at 1:05 of the second round. Speaking to Joe Rogan after the fight, Couture confirms that he is now retired.

UFC Featherweight Championship
Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick
Round 1
John McCarthy is the referee for the first featherweight title bout in UFC history. Aldo stares at the ground during final instructions, only looking up at Hominick as they retreat to their corners. The Brazilian looks relaxed, the Canadian twitchy as they touch gloves and circle. Aldo fires a one-two, a leg kick, an uppercut, another leg kick. He dodges a big right hand from Hominick and then drives a left hand to the gut. Another leg kick buckles the left knee of Hominick. Left hand from Hominick finds it mark; Aldo replies with another leg kick. Hominick catches a front kick and Aldo falls down, but hops right back up. Aldo is going after the left leg of Hominick, who’s now checking the strikes. Aldo plows Hominick down with a double-leg and avoids an armbar attempt. Working from Hominick’s closed guard, Aldo lays a forearm across his challenger’s throat and slams him with short staples. Aldo postures up, can’t find space, and goes back down. Hominick’s doing well to tie up and avoid punishment, prompting McCarthy to tell the pair to get busy. Aldo responds by dropping elbows on Hominick’s face. Some more strikes come from on top and Hominick is bleeding from the nose and cheek, looking lumpy around the forehead. They’re not active enough for McCarthy, who stands them up with 30 seconds left. Hominick pops the champ with a left hook, but eats another leg kick and is taken down again by Aldo. That’s where the first round ends.

Round 2
Hominick comes out the aggressor, looking for uppercuts and left hooks. He drives a particularly hard left to Aldo’s body. Right uppercut from Aldo and he ducks a left hook. Hominick stuffs a shot and punches to the body again. Aldo has slowed significantly and is not dodging Hominick’s punches as well as he did in the first frame. Just after he eats a one-two, he uses head movement to avoid about six consecutive Hominick shots. Aldo gets a takedown with three minutes to go and Hominick goes back to tying up. The Canadian uses his feet to push off the fence and further neutralize Aldo. The champ drops a few hard punches from on top. McCarthy warns Hominick for grabbing the fence with his hands and pushing off, an infraction Hominick has repeated a few times now. They’re stood up with a minute to go, but Aldo soon floors Hominick with another double-leg. Hominick is pushing off the cage with his feet again with Aldo in side control. Again, Aldo can’t get space to do damage and the round ends in a stalemate.

Round 3
Hominick looks the much fresher fighter at the start of the third. He circles the champion and flicks out his left jab while Aldo tries to counter and lobs leg kicks. Aldo ducks in behind an uppercut and tries a takedown, but Hominick slips it. Aldo’s head movement still looks good, as he dodges punches while standing almost stock still. Another chopping leg kick from the champ, then a straight one-two down the pipe. Hominick snaps Aldo’s head back with a jab. Both men dig to the body at the same time. Aldo gets a single-leg takedown, but Hominick’s right back up, jabbing away. The Brazilian’s face is reddened, even as he continues to move out of the way of a number of Hominick’s punches. Aldo throws a right that clips Hominick behind the ear and a follow-up hook sends the challenger to his back. Aldo pounces and lands a few flush shots, but can’t finish and settles down into Hominick’s guard with a minute to go. Aldo drops a few elbows; Hominick boxes his man’s ears with open palms.

Round 4
Hominick’s left eye looks to have sustained serious damage as the championship rounds begin. Aldo gets back to his leg kicks and then cracks Hominick with a left that stumbles the challenger. Aldo thinks an inside thigh kick catches Hominick low and offers to stop, but Hominick wants to keep going. Twenty seconds later, Aldo steps in with a knee and does clip Hominick’s cup. Hominick is ready to get going seconds after and they go back to swinging. A few more kicks from Aldo and Hominick’s left leg is looking like rubber. Left hands from Aldo find their marks on the badly moused cheek of “The Machine.” Another direct hit to Hominick’s left leg. Double jab from Hominick is answered by an Aldo right straight and Hominick falls to his back. Aldo goes into the Canadian’s guard and tries to elbow. Hominick ties up but now has a giant, Hasim Rahman-sized knot on his right forehead. McCarthy allows them to fight on for 20 seconds before calling for the cageside physician. The doctor surprisingly clears Hominick to continue and they resume with 40 seconds left. Aldo scores another takedown before the end of the frame.

Round 5
Just as the final round is set to begin, McCarthy calls for the doctor again. The doctor performs some eye checks and clears the challenger for battle once more. The featherweights slap hands to begin the last frame and Aldo goes to his leg kicks. He slips a one-two from Hominick and drills an uppercut to the gut that seems to hurt the Canadian badly. Hominick gets a takedown and tries to punish from top position. Aldo eats a few left hands before trying to tie up with Hominick, who’s now bleeding profusely from the left side of his face. Short right hammerfist bounces off Aldo’s face. The champion is shrimping, but weary and unable to escape the punishment. Still 2:30 to go as Hominick works from the Brazilian’s open guard. Aldo covers his head and Hominick punches to the body. Zero offense coming from the champion on the bottom and plenty coming from Hominick on top in the form of elbows, forearms, punches. Dozens of unanswered strikes come from Hominick with Aldo helpless to prevent it. Aldo hangs on for dear life with 30 seconds to go. Hominick stands and tries to dive past Aldo’s guard. He lands a few left hands on the way in, but can’t pass. It’s right down to the buzzer and it looks as though Aldo will hold on. He does and Hominick helps him up at the final horn. The pair embrace before Hominick drops down for some push-ups; Aldo follows suit and the Toronto crowd laughs.

Official scores: Judge Douglas Crosby scores it 50-43, while Nelson Hamilton has it 48-46 and Sal D’Amato 49-46, all in favor of the winner and still UFC featherweight champion, Jose Aldo.

UFC Welterweight Championship
Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean is in charge of this welterweight title tilt. Shields is flicking the jab out early, throwing body kicks which St. Pierre blocks. The challenger catches a kick from GSP and shoves him into the fence, where he lets the let go in favor of over-unders. St. Pierre spins him around and then disengages. Shields still trying to jab, but he’s not in range. St. Pierre stings him with a right straight, misses a spinning back-kick. Left jabs starting to get through for GSP. Another side-kick finds Shields’ midsection. St. Pierre with a right hand over the top just before the two-minute mark. A stiff left jab from St. Pierre coincides with a Shields kick, sending Shields toppling to the mat. He’s stung, but pops right back up and goes toe-to-toe with GSP again. St. Pierre is mixing right leg kicks with his left jabs in the last minute, already putting marks on his challenger’s face as the first round ends.

Round 2
Blood comes from the mouth of Shields as the second round begins and St. Pierre paws with more jabs. Shields gets off a right straight, but that’s about it in the first 60 seconds. GSP, meanwhile, lands jabs and leg kicks, occasionally throwing an overhand right to back Shields up. One right hand lands behind Shields’ ear and the Cesar Gracie protégé tilts before circling out. St. Pierre stalks, hunting for the big, right-handed haymaker now. Turning back-kick goes straight to the gut of Shields, who is looking off-balance and unstable as St. Pierre picks his punches. St. Pierre dances and feints, chopping Shields down with leg kicks. Shields shoots, but there’s nothing there.

Round 3
St. Pierre is still looking for the big right hand, keeping out of range of Shields, who stands flat-footed and moves in straight lines. Neither man finding much success in the first half of the round, but the champion undoubtedly looks the better and more in-control fighter. He sprawls all over a shot from Shields, lands a leg kick, then a right hand. Shields gets a kick to the body through, but eats a right hand in return. St. Pierre catches the next kick and drives a straight right down the pipe. St. Pierre doubles up on a jab and slams Shields to the ground, finishing in half-guard. The champion is clearly bothered by a small mouse under his left eye as he walks back to his corner at the end of the period.

Round 4
St. Pierre gets another takedown early, but doesn’t want the fight there. He lets Shields back up and goes back to jabbing, kicking, Superman-punching. With 2:40 to go, a left head kick hurts Shields badly. He recovers quickly on the ground and St. Pierre wants to keep it on the feet. St. Pierre’s left jabs and straights are coming in at will. Shields throws his arms up in frustration, taunting the champion in the manner of teammate Nick Diaz. St. Pierre is bleeding on the left side of his face now, cut on the bridge of his nose.

Round 5
St. Pierre looks to keep his rage as the final round begins, jabbing and switch-kicking as Shields inches in to close the gap. The champ catches Shields coming in with a combo and staggers him with a counter right hand. Halfway through, the last round is still up for grabs, but Shields likely needs a finish here. St. Pierre’s left eye looks a mess, now streaming blood, and Shields is trying to target it with straight rights. St. Pierre lands a left jab with 40 seconds left that has Shield pawing at his right eye. Shield’s nose is badly busted up now. At the 10-second mark, GSP tries for one last takedown, but Shields stuffs it. The men embrace at the final horn.

Official scores: It’s a unanimous decision, with judge Douglas Crosby scoring it 50-45, Nelson Hamilton 48-47 and Richard Bertrand 48-47, all in favor of the reigning UFC welterweight champion, Georges St. Pierre.

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