Event: UFC 155 Pay-Per-View (Junior Dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez II)
Airdate: Saturday, December 29th, 2012 (Pay-Per-View)
Location: The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
Results by Sherdog.com
Chris Cariaso vs. John Moraga
Round 1
Chris Tognoni is the referee for tonight’s flyweight opener. Cariaso hunts for head kicks early but it’s Moraga who strikes first with a straight counter. Lots of feinting and range-finding while Moraga looks to repeat with another catch-kick counter. Moraga puts Cariaso on the fence but can’t pin him there for long. Cariaso comes with a kick to the body but he’s on his back foot with Moraga trying to catch it again. Moraga lands a nice hook to the breadbasket, takes a counter from Cariaso and drives in the right hand again. Cariaso lands an outside leg kick and a snappy right hand just before the horn.
Round 2
Cariaso starts to string together combinations early in round two but Moraga again muscles him into the fence and works some dirty boxing. Moraga is finding his left-handed counter for Cariaso’s body kick with increasing regularity as Cariaso throws the kick again and again. Moraga catches one and socks Cariaso with a straight right, can’t trip him down. Cariaso comes back with a left high kick. Moraga uses underhooks to toss an off-balance Cariaso to the mat, so Cariaso squirms and flashes nasty upkicks until he creates enough space to stand.
With 30 seconds to go, Cariaso chases down Moraga and drags him to the canvas, but Moraga closes up his guard and they’re still working for position at the horn.
Round 3
Moraga is on the offensive early in the final round and chases Cariaso toward the fence. Cariaso turns around and works for a single-leg, but in doing so, leaves his neck exposed for a deep, standing guillotine. Moraga brings Cariaso down to his knees and cranks the choke, and Cariaso is forced to tap out at 1:11 of the third frame.
Leonard Garcia vs. Max Holloway
Round 1
Kim Winslow is in charge of this featherweight affair. Garcia takes the center of the cage with the longer Holloway on the outside, kicking at the legs of the “Bad Boy.” Garcia gives him a stiff leg kick in return and gets backed up by a teep kick to the body. Garcia rushes forward, winging punches, but Holloway uses good head movement and front kicks to keep the distance. A hard leg kick from Holloway now and Garcia tries to clinch; Holloway shoves him off. Garcia sneaks through a straight left, then another, but they’re glancing blows as Holloway turns away. A big left hand from Garcia stuns Holloway, but the Hawaiian stays vertical. The noses of both men are bloodied now as they enter the last minute. Holloway tags Garcia with a spinning kick to the body, but Garcia comes inside and mugs him with punches in the clinch.
Round 2
Holloway snaps off some leg kicks and punches in the early going. Garcia eats a knee on his way in but hits a takedown at the 3:00 mark; Holloway quickly posts up and stands. The featherweights exchange jabs with Holloway picking off the shorter man by virtue of his longer limbs. Garcia keeps throwing to the body and head with mixed results, but he’s got Holloway on the back foot nonetheless, and the Hawaiian’s output has slowed down. They clinch with 30 seconds left and Holloway uses knees to get out. Garcia is just throwing arm punches now but they’ve got Holloway on the retreat, pinned against the fence at the end of the frame.
Round 3
Garcia is throwing and yelling but doesn’t appear to be landing much in the opening minute of round three. Holloway is popping the Greg Jackson charge with occasional counters, but he’s forced to stay on his bicycle as Garcia keeps pressing forward. The attack finally slows and Holloway socks Garcia with a straight right, only to be warned by ref Winslow to keep his fingers tucked. Garcia keeps pressing, throwing bombs and eating up Holloway’s counter right hooks. Midway through the frame, Garcia changes levels and hits a double-leg against the fence. Holloway posts up and scrambles to his feet, where he’s again forced to retreat under the relentless arm-punch assault of Garcia. Holloway works the body with some good hooks. Garcia is just relentless and keeps after Holloway, who gets taken down one last time and slammed back to the ground after a last-ditch kick attempt.
Official result: Max Holloway def. Leonard Garcia via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) R3 5:00
Todd Duffee vs. Philip De Fries
Round 1
Yves Lavigne is the ref for this heavyweight tilt. Duffee kicks the leg out from under De Fries and hustles the Englishman into the fence. De Fries turns it around after eating some punches in the clinch and single-legs Duffee to the base of the fence. De Fries explodes with some hard right hands but Duffee weathers them and gets back to his feet. Duffee uses an underhook to turn De Fries around, then grabs the Thai plum, looking for a knee that doesn’t come. They disengage and Duffee sticks a one-two in De Fries’ face. Another uppercut and De Fries is stunned, staggering backwards.
Duffee smells blood and follows up with a barrage of right hands, then finishes off the dazed De Fries with another uppercut. Ref Lavigne has seen enough and steps in to rescue De Fries at 2:04 of the first round.
Myles Jury vs. Michael Johnson
Round 1
Referee Herb Dean gets the assignment for this lightweight bout. Johnson is working some good leg kicks early, staying on the outside of the larger man. The move along the perimeter, feinting and measuring while drawing faint boos from the Vegas crowd, less than 90 seconds into the bout. Jury hits a takedown, moves to full mount but Johnson gives up his back to get out of the bad spot. Johnson puts his back on the mat and Jury is in half-guard, posturing up and slamming Johnson with nonstop left hands as “The Menace” gives up his back again. Johnson finally gets back to a deep half-guard and the punches stop, but a few seconds later it’s Jury dropping heavy elbows from left to right. Jury works from a kimura from the top and Johnson is warned by ref Dean not to grab Jury’s trunks. Jury gives it up and takes full mount again with about 15 seconds left. He bombs with punches and tries for a last-second rear-naked choke which doesn’t come.
Round 2
Jury gets Johnson’s attention with a right high kick to the cheek but can’t get underneath for the takedown. Johnson snuffs out the first attempt, but when Jury changes levels a second time, he’s puts Johnson on his back away from the fence. Tight closed guard from Johnson as Jury tries to posture up and throw elbows. Jury stands and drops one big strike but that’s all he can muster before being wrapped up again. Unable to get any space for his ground-and-pound, Jury grinds his forearm on Johnson’s face, stacks him up and crashes back down with more shots. Jury stays heavy on top through the final minute and keeps Johnson on his back.
Round 3
Johnson comes toward Jury swinging punches but gets tied up and shoved into the fence, then tripped down to the ground less than a minute into the round. Jury works to clear his legs and pass to full mount, has to settle for side control, leaning from Johnson’s right to left. Jury loses the position going for a kimura and now drops short elbows from half-guard. Midway through the round and Johnson turns over, allowing Jury to sink one hook in. Jury drops left hands until Johnson bails out, away from the cage but still on his back with Jury all over him. Down the stretch and it’s all Jury, elbows and right hands bashing Johnson almost all the way, save for a last-second scramble and guillotine pull.
Official result: Myles Jury def. Michael Johnson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00
Melvin Guillard vs. Jamie Varner
Round 1
Varner hops around the outside while Guillard stands looking to throw his right straight and leg kicks. The low strikes from Guillard are landing well through the first minute as the lightweights find the range. Outside thigh kick from Guillard is followed by a left straight that pulls up short. Varner is trying to time Guillard’s outside low kick but Guillard is quick to move out of the way and dodge the right hand. Varner getting his punches through a little more now. Varner sparks Guillard with a shot to the body and a big left hook up top with just seconds remaining in the round. Guillard hits the deck but pops back up just as quickly and dodges the follow-up shots. Varner tries to pull a guillotine but the clock runs out as he’s cinching it up.
Round 2
Varner hits an early takedown and looks to have Guillard in trouble, but the “Young Assassin” flips his way out and threatens with a guillotine to force Varner back to the feet. Guillard keeps the leg kicks coming and now starts to snap off his jab in Varner’s face. Varner misses with a right uppercut, connects with the next combo though, and then plows Guillard to the base of the fence about midway through the bout. Guillard is back on his feet with 90 seconds remaining and back to jabbing. Varner steps in with an overhand right but Guillard takes it this time and resumes jabbing. The lightweights throw simultaneous low kicks and Guillard takes one on the cup. He takes a moment to compose himself and they’re back to finish out the last half-minute, getting off a good step-in knee to the body at the horn.
Round 3
Varner has Guillard back down on the ground inside the first minute, hunched against the base of the fence. Varner goes for a choke, but loses it as he leans back and allows Guillard to set up in top position. Varner overtakes him and works to take Guillard’s back, sinking in one hook before Guillard clambers back to his feet with 2:00 left on the clock. Ten seconds later, it’s another easy double-leg for Varner, who gets busy right away throwing short punches through guard. Guillard swings his hips and tries an armbar, can’t finish but gets top position anyway. Varner hits the switch and he’s back on top with a minute left in the fight, grinding in Guillard’s open guard. Guillard kicks him away with 30 seconds left and stands. Guillard catches Varner coming in with a knee to the body; Varner goes underneath and drops Guillard on his head just before the final horn. The lightweights embrace and tumble on the ground after the wild finish.
Official result: Jamie Varner def. Melvin Guillard via Split Decision (30-27, 27-30, 30-27) R3 5:00. TERRIBLE DECISION!!!
Byron Bloodworth vs. Erik Perez
Round 1
Perez comes straight in with a right hand and then proceeds to rough Bloodworth up with rugged knees and elbows in the clinch. Perez goes to the body as Bloodworth looks to throw an arm over top of Perez’s head. A knee to the body wilts Bloodworth and Perez follows him to the floor. Closed, tight guard for Bloodworth but Perez is nonetheless able to sit up and drop some solid ground-and-pound. Bloodworth’s guard opens up more and more as Perez keeps the punches and elbows coming. Perez has him trapped against the fence, sits up and shucks the legs to blast away with unfettered right hands. Now bloodied, Bloodworth covers up under fire and ref Kim Winslow steps in to wave it off.
Brad Pickett vs. Eddie Wineland
Round 1
Pickett gets in with a left hand over the top but Wineland answers with a strong right hook and another behind it. Wineland is upright, trying to pick off Pickett. A corking right hand from Wineland buckles Pickett’s legs, and another hard punch follows. Pickett manages to stay upright, but with 2:00 to go in the round, another right hook buckles him. Again, Pickett pops back up. The Englishman is coming forward, throwing punches, but still taking right hands from the taller man as he walks in. Wineland’s punches are taking the shorter route while Pickett tries to loop around the outside, and that’s how the first frame finishes.
Round 2
Pickett ducks low and then comes over the top with a right hand. Wineland is quick to circle out and resume his diet of long punches, including a few more good straight rights down the center. A few slow inside leg kicks from Pickett as “One-Punch” tries to navigate inside. Wineland just keeping his punches long, even without a lot of steam behind them, keeping Pickett at bay. The bantamweights stand in the pocket momentarily and both connect with right hands. Wineland starts sticking and moving again, changing angles and stepping around the outside. Pickett gets a left hand through and it’s enough to open a cut on the outside of Wineland’s right eye. As he heads back to his corner, Wineland is sporting another cut on the bridge of his nose.
Round 3
They pick up where they left off, with Pickett moving forward and Wineland cutting angles, sniping at the Brit from the outside. Pickett manages a solid left hook and musters a couple solid leg kicks. Wineland responds by sticking his left hand in Pickett’s face repeatedly, then swipes a long right across. Wineland catches a kick and socks Pickett with a straight right. Pickett turns away a shot from Wineland and slugs him with a short right hand. Pickett keeps marching forward but just can’t get inside on Wineland, who circles out almost as soon as Pickett wades into striking range. Wineland closes out the fight appropriately by backing up, pawing his jab and then coming off the cage to hit Pickett with a quick three-piece combo.
Official result: Eddie Wineland def. Brad Pickett via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27) R3 5:00
Chris Leben vs. Derek Brunson
Round 1
Brunson wraps up Leben early and trips him to the mat with the help of underhooks. Leben swings his legs up for a triangle and Brunson drops him back down, trying to advance from half-guard on the right, then the left, before settling into Leben’s closed guard. Leben looks for the triangle again but this time Brunson goes to the side, frames up an arm-triangle and briefly moves to mount. Leben stuffs him back but is greeted by some rough elbows to the face. Brunson is back in Leben’s closed guard now as he scoots him toward the fence. Once there, he breaks the posture and gets off some good ground-and-pound. As Leben stands, Brunson gets the waistlock and pins “The Crippler” on the fence for the final few seconds, save a final punch from Leben.
Round 2
Leben fends off the first takedown attempt from Brunson, who finds success with the second effort and puts Leben on his back, right side flush to the cage. Leben pops his hips out, puts his back on the fence and stands, shoving Brunson away before a guillotine can get too deep. Brunson is landing his left cross but Leben is pressing forward and scoring with uppercuts. Leben turns down another shot and Brunson is looking very tired now, just covering up and moving backward to avoid Leben’s power punches. Brunson clinches him against the fence with underhooks, can’t find the takedown and releases. Leben comes forward throwing slow leg kicks and thwarts another shot before the round expires.
Round 3
Brunson still can’t hit his takedown at the start of the third despite a strong try. A minute into the round, he goes after it again and puts Leben on his back near the fence. Leben posts and stands, taking a knee to the gut from Brunson as he staggers up. Leben’s best offense now seems to be his leg kicks as neither man looks to have anything left in their arms. Leben just strings together a few punches before he’s plowed to the ground with a big double-leg. Leben is warned for landing an illegal upkick to the face while Brunson was grounded, but the shot doesn’t seem to hurt the Strikeforce import and they’re allowed to finish out the round.
Official result: Derek Brunson def. Chris Leben via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00
Yushin Okami vs. Alan Belcher
Round 1
Okami knocks Belcher to the ground with a short punch as Belcher slips on a high kick. When Belcher pops back up, it’s Okami muscling him against the fence. Not a lot going on as they clinch, Okami controlling the position with underhooks while Belcher tries to shoot knees up the middle. Belcher loops his arm around Okami’s head and pulls guard, but loses the choke and winds up with Okami in his closed guard. Short ground-and-pound from Okami as he works to extract his right leg from half-guard and move to side control. Okami gets the leg loose and now leans from Belcher’s right to left in full side control. Belcher gets to his knees and Okami goes to take the back, but can’t secure it before the end of the round.
Round 2
Okami wastes no time in getting inside and dragging Belcher down with a waistlock. Belcher nearly takes top position in the scramble but it’s Okami who comes out on top in half-guard, pinning Belcher’s right leg down. Okami has control of Belcher’s right arm now, too, making it easier to drop punches, posture up and work to advange. Referee Chris Tognoni issues a baffling stand-up order from side control. No matter — Okami has Belcher back on the ground in short order and is right back in the same position. Again, Tognoni orders the middleweights back to their feet with Okami in the dominant position, but this time there are only a few ticks remaining in the round.
Round 3
Okami goes down from a Belcher right hand early in round three and it’s got Belcher on the hunt, stalking forward. Okami shoves him toward the fence, dodges a punch, clinches up and hits another takedown. Belcher lands on top in the scramble and this time maintains the position, moving into full mount. Okami stands up with Belcher on front of him and slips his head out of a threatened guillotine. Okami turns Belcher toward the fence and Belcher tries the guillotine again, basically losing any chance at the choke as they hit the ground. Okami moves to full mount but doesn’t really open up, staying close to Belcher and punching at the American’s body. Belcher bucks and shifts his hips, trying to make something happen as the last minute of the fight approaches. Belcher turns over and Okami sinks in both hooks before looking for the rear-naked choke.
Official result: Yushin Okami def. Alan Belcher via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) R3 5:00
Tim Boetsch vs. Constantinos Philippou
Round 1
Straight to the fence goes Boetsch, roughing up Philippou along the outside, switching levels for a double-leg try. Philippou is held there for the better part of the opening two minutes but fires some elbows off when Boetsch is bent low and gets away. Philippou is on the outside, looking for his range and eventually socking the incoming Boetsch with a crisp uppercut. Boetsch gets inside anyway and drags Philippou to the floor, where he’s able to control the latter half of the frame with grinding ground-and-pound. Ref Kim Winslow stands them up with about 30 seconds left in the frame and Philippou strings together a few good shots. Boetsch ends the round strong with a front kick to the jaw of Philippou.
Round 2
An accidental clash of heads has Boetsch bleeding from his forehead early in the second round. Boetsch has nothing on a long shot and is repeatedly warned to let go of Philippou’s trunks as he goes for the takedown. Just as Philippou looks to be getting comfortable, he catches Boetsch with an accidental finger to the eye. Boetsch shoots from a mile out and once more Philippou denies it. The next time, Boetsch stays down and pulls guard. Boetsch is clinging to half-guard as Philippou kneels on his left side, unloading with heavy right hands and elbows, worsening Boetsch’s already bloodied face.
Round 3
Boetsch is still going after the takedown but has nothing on the shots. More punches from Philippou have worsened the cut on the forehead of “The Barbarian,” whose face is now stained red. One more time Boetsch flounders on a takedown and Philippou takes the opportunity to follow him down and administer some brief ground-and-pound. He wants Boetsch back up, and the sequence repeats. Ref Winslow is watching closely this time as Boetsch turtles up and Philippou pours on the ground-and-pound. It only takes another half-dozen hard right hands for Winslow to decide that Boetsch has had enough. Philippou takes the TKO win at 2:11 of round three.
Jim Miller vs. Joe Lauzon
Round 1
Lauzon takes the outside while the southpaw Miller presses out from the center. An inside leg kick trips up Lauzon, and Miller follows it with a knee to the body and a series of close-quarter punches. Miller rushes Lauzon toward the fence, again attacking the body with knees and going over the top with punches. Lauzon backs Miller off with a short right hand, but Miller storms right back, drilling “J-Lau” with a knee in the Thai plum. Miller tries a standing arm-triangle, can’t get it. When the fighters separate, Lauzon’s face is red with blood, but a quick check from the doctor confirms he’s fit to continue. Another knee from Miller, one to the head now, a series of punishing left hands and a knee to the body but Lauzon stays standing. Miller is relentless, just sizing up his bloodied opponent and assaulting him with punches. For his part, Lauzon is sticking with it, covering up but not cowering and he makes it back to his stool to see round two.
Round 2
More of the same from Miller to start the second, just harassing Lauzon with left hands and knees before bullying him to the ground. Miller is in half-guard on Lauzon’s right side, trying to free his other leg and pass to full mount. He gets there with 3:00 remaining in the round but Lauzon quickly traps the leg again. Lauzon sweeps on top but ref Yves Lavigne is forced to pause the action to remove a lengthy piece of tape hanging from Lauzon’s right glove. Lavigne resumes the action in the same position and Miller pulls rubber guard, staying tight on Lauzon from underneath. Lauzon tries to step into mount, loses it and instead falls back for a heel hook try, which also goes by the wayside. He catches Miller coming forward and tries a brabo choke setup but runs out of time.
Round 3
Lauzon improbably looks the fresher of the lightweights at the start of round three, but a chopping leg kick from Miller halts his momentum. Miller kicks at him for a moment, then allows him back up. Miller is staying in Lauzon’s face now, throwing leg kicks and short left hands inside with success. Lauzon backs him away with a knee to the body, walks him down and lands a strong left. Miller gives him a hook right back and a few inside leg kicks for good measure. The pace slows as the fight enters its final two minutes, jockeying for position in the Thai clinch. Miller roughs up his man with short standing elbows and left hands. A knee up the middle from Miller and then a right hand wallops Lauzon. With 30 seconds to go, Lauzon drops for a heel hook. He can’t get it, straining as he might, his forehead painting the mat with a thick red stain. He gives up and goes for a guillotine choke but the horn sounds and this one is headed to the scorecards. Easy pick for “Fight of the Night” here.
Official result: Jim Miller def. Joe Lauzon via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00
Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez
Round 1
Herb Dean is the third man in the cage for tonight’s main event. There’s no touch of gloves as the challenger comes straight at the champ, grabbing hold of dos Santos and wrestling him to the ground. The Brazilian reverses and hops back to his feet with little effort, then sidesteps the next shot. Another single-leg try from Velasquez fails and Cigano turns him around again, sticking jabs all along. Velasquez gets dos Santos against the cage and shoots the single again, and again dos Santos sidesteps him. Cheers of “Cigano” ring out around the arena as the champ stays on his bike, moving backward from the jabs and shots of the challenger. Velasquez is getting off with his left inside, marking up the champ as he muscles him into the fence with an underhook. Left hands in the phone booth from Cain until dos Santos can circle out. Velasquez gives chase with a leg kick, bombing punches, keeping pressure on the champ and finally dropping him along the fence. Dos Santos is dazed, kneeling with his right side to the fence, with Velasquez just unloading dozens of nasty left hands. Dos Santos survives, improbably, and even rides out the next barrage of ground-and-pound to finish out the brutal first frame.
Round 2
Dos Santos tries to greet his challenger with an uppercut to start round two and is met with another flurry of nasty punches, followed by another rugged takedown. Velasquez is styling all over dos Santos on the ground, keeping control of the champion with a waistlock. Dos Santos gets back up to his rubbery legs and staggers backward to the other side of the cage, where Velasquez spins him down with an easy single-leg. Again, Velasquez controls dos Santos on the ground until the champion is able to clamber back up. It’s only a momentary change as Velasquez roughs dos Santos up on the cage and then puts him on the ground again. Dos Santos pops his hips and shoves Velasquez off the top, so Velasquez goes for an armbar instead. Dos Santos pops his arm free and has top position for a brief second until Velasquez decides to stand. Velasquez nearly hits another takedown but dos Santos saves himself by grabbing the fence. Knees inside the clinch from Velasquez, who steps back and throws a few punches before the horn.
Round 3
His right eye now badly swollen, Dos Santos goes for the uppercut again to start round three and hits it this time. He gets off a couple punches to the body as well before Velasquez gets in range and plows him to the canvas. Dos Santos struggles up and is bullied on the fence until he backs off, connecting with a couple good lefts as he moves to the other side of the cage. Once he gets there, Velasquez traps him against the fence and starts grinding with work in the clinch, now focusing on dos Santos’ body. Dos Santos pulls the challenger’s head down toward a knee; Cain answers with short, brutish punches up the middle. He walks dos Santos along the outside, slugs him with some more right hands until Cigano turns him around. Velasquez tries to trip him down but dos Santos stays up in the whizzer position. Velasquez takes the outside again, peppers dos Santos with punches, has a single-leg turned away. Dos Santos slugs Velasquez in the breadbasket with a strong uppercut and it looks like we may have ourselves a fight here after all.
Round 4
Velasquez pursues the champ around the perimeter with leg kicks, looking to clinch and presumably for another takedown. Dos Santos just keeps backing up, backing up, throwing punches and eventually gets taken down against the fence. He pops back to his feet and denies the next single-leg attempt, then turns Velasquez around against the cage. Uppercuts to the body and head from Velasquez now as he gets to the outside with half the round remaining. They come off the fence and it’s Velasquez walking down the champ, back toward the fence, where he can’t come up with a takedown.
Round 5
Velasquez comes right at dos Santos, looking for the takedown. Dos Santos is warned for grabbing the fence again but manages to break free of his challenger’s grasp. Velasquez keeps on him and grabs another single-leg, which dos Santos defends by hopping on one leg and socking Velasquez with short punches. Two more takedown attempts from Velasquez fail, but midway through the round he finally gets dos Santos to the floor. Velasquez works to secure the back with one hook in but dos Santos twists around and Velasquez instead grinds away with his right elbow from half-guard. Dos Santos crawls toward the fence, giving up his back again. He stands and Velasquez stands with him, shouldering him against the cage. Dos Santos keeps throwing punches in the last minute but Velasquez is just too strong, holding the Brazilian on the fence and mugging him with punches inside to the final horn.
Official result: Cain Velasquez def. Junior dos Santos via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-43, 50-44) R5 5:00