As with every major show, Bloody Elbow will be here to bring you live results, play by play and commentary for UFC on Fox 5. Our live coverage will start with the one prelim fight on Facebook, currently scheduled for 4:20pm ET/1:20pm PT, and continuing through the six-fight portion of the preliminary card that will air live on FX. That kicks off at 5pm ET/2pm PT. The four-fight main card will air on Fox and begins at 8pm ET/5pm PT.
This post will cover live commentary and play-by-play for the main card on Fox, which is probably the best card of the year that you can watch on free TV. The card is headlined by the lightweight title fight between Ben Henderson and Nate Diaz.
Ben Henderson vs. Nate Diaz
Round 1 – Henderson went to the leg kicks right away. The fighters clinched up and jockeyed for position against the fence. Both men looked for takedowns without success. They finally broke after 2 minutes and Nate landed a bit. Henderson scooped him up and took him to the floor, then fell into his guard with some hammerfists. Nate gave up his back but used it to get up. Henderson chopped him down with a leg kick and landed some strong strikes on the ground. Diaz got up and looked to box. Nice combination from Bendo. Diaz moved him against the fence but couldn’t get anything going. 10-9 Henderson.
Round 2 – Henderson got a body lock and threw Diaz down. He landed a few shots on the ground and Diaz got up just as Henderson threw a head kick that landed. Henderson got him against the fence and grinded away, frustrating Diaz. Henderson landed a nice elbow as they broke. Henderson landed a nice low leg kick. Henderson started jabbing his knee and thigh, which was weird. Then he landed a big shot that backed Diaz up and eventually Diaz went down. Henderson jumped him and looked for some GnP, and Nate gave up his back again. He used it to get up once again. Henderson pressured against the fence, using shoulder checks and short punches. Nate looked for a takedown but couldn’t get it, and he picked up a cut. He finally hit the throw, but Henderson popped up immediately. Henderson landed another low leg kick. 10-9 Henderson.
Round 3 – Back to the leg kicks right away. Diaz just can’t find him with his punches, but Bendo cracked him in return. Henderson scored another takedown. Diaz looked for a leg lock, but ate a few punches before they returned to the feet. Diaz goes to his back once again, looking to frame up a triangle. Henderson just backed out of his guard. Diaz landed a couple of nice kicks from his back. Henderson jumped back in. Diaz rolled around and looked for a leg lock, then a toe hold. Great scramble, and Henderson took Nate’s back. Diaz looked for another leg lock. Henderson is just doing the splits and avoiding punches. They got back up, and Henderson dropped him with a big right! Diaz is okay, looking for a leglock again. Unreal. Henderson escaped and landed an axe kick to end the round! Amazing! 10-9 Henderson
Round 4 – Henderson landed a kick, then they clinches. Henderson threw Diaz down, and took his back. A knee to the body and a punch in the head encouraged Nate to get up, but he got dragged right back down. Diaz got right back up, then went right back down. And again. Henderson finally settled into Nate’s guard. Bendo landed two solid elbows while Nate tried to lock up a kimura. Henderson turned up the GnP. Henderson backed out of guard, and Henderson punched him in the leg a few times. Nate tried to goad him into guard and Henderson faked it a few times, but he let him up. Diaz’s eye looks bad. 10-9 Henderson again.
Round 5 – Henderson leads with…a punch to the thigh. So weird. Henderson pushed Nate up against the fence and they clinched up for an extended period. Nate turned his back to him, so Henderson picked him up and threw him to the ground. Nate ate a bunch of shots on the bottom looking for a miracle leg lock, but it wasn’t there. Diaz got back up and they clinched again. Nate looked for a standing kimura, but Henderson put him on the floor again and he gave it up. Nate got up and almost got Ben down, but missed his opportunity. Henderson landed a huge punch as soon as they returned to the feet, which got some blood out of Nate’s nose. All Bendo. Henderson threw a ton of body shots against the cage. They separated and Nate probably landed his best punch of the fight with about 5 seconds to go, but it didn’t even phase the champ. Shutout. 10-9 Henderson, and 50-45 overall.
Ben Henderson defeated Nate Diaz by unanimous decision (50-43, 50-45, 50-45)
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Mauricio Rua
Round 1 – Gustafsson looked to strike punch early, Shogun looked to kick. All of a sudden Gustafsson dropped Shogun and attacked, but Shogun went for a leglock! Damn! Gustafsson got out though! What a start. Shogun grabbed Alex’s back and landed knees to the legs. He rolled down for another leg lock but missed. Gustafsson just ragdolled him to the ground, but let him up. Now Shogun got a takedown. Gustafsson got up though, and looked to use his length effectively. Shogun with a nice right, and another. The two men grinded against the cage for the rest of the round. 10-9 Gustafsson.
Round 2 – Gustafsson ate a shot early, then another couple as well. Shogun is dealing with the reach advantage well early in the second. Gustafsson looked for a takedown but was rebuffed. After 20 seconds against the cage, the ref reset them. Shogun landed again, and Gustafsson almost hit a hip toss. Then then took a shot low, but didn’t need a break. Shogun looked for a takedown, but Gustafsson ended up on top instead. He landed one good punch in guard, then let Shogun up. Shogun landed a big two-punch combination. Shogun’s eye is swollen. Gustafsson ducked a right and got a takedown. They got back up immediately though. Gustafsson hit a nice trip takedown., but again they returned to the feet. Gustafsson landed a nice clinch knee, then an uppercut and another nee. Shogun responds with a right and a leg kick. Tough to score, but probably 10-9 Gustafsson.
Round 3 – Shogun landed two rights and Gustafsson responded with a knee. Gustafsson looked for a takedown, and got Shogun’s back briefly. Shogun rolled for a kneebar, and they got back up. After some near misses, Gustafsson got another takedown. After a few seconds in guard, he let him up again. Gustafsson landed a body shot that seemingly hurt Shogun. Gustafsson landed a big right and a knee. Gustafsson clinched up on the fence and drained Shogun’s dwindling tank a little more. Shogun landed an upppercut, but Gustafsson landed a huge front kick right to the grill. Gustafsson got another takedown at the end of the round. 10-9 Gus, and 30-27 on my card.
Alexander Gustafsson defeated Mauricio Rua by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn
Round 1 – Penn came out aggressive right away, looking for a takedown, but Rory held him off. Rory landed a nice standing elbow and grinded away on the fence. Rory landed a nice left and two leg kicks. Rory with a high kick that landed, but BJ landed with a right over the top. Penn kept looking for the looping right counter over the top. Slick left from Penn landed, and again. Penn dragged Rory down against the cage twice, but Rory popped up both times. MacDonald moved BJ’s mouthpiece with a standing elbow. Rory landed a nice gut shot. MacDonald scooped a single but couldn’t get it down. Rory hurt BJ with a stiff jab and had him walking in potholes. Rory didn’t go crazy though and kept pressing patiently. MacDonald landed a huge standing elbow and a nice left. 10-9 MacDonald.
Round 2 – Rory went back to the leg kicks early in round 2. BJ landed a nice right over the top. Rory responded with two huge jabs. Rory started picking Penn apart, landing combinations. Penn’s output was way down already. Penn got back in it with a solid right. MacDonald landed a big bidy kick, and more body shots, and a head kick. Penn just stood there and took it, with no response. MacDonald beat him up some more, and Penn came back with a nice right. BJ’s eye was messed up. MacDonald was landing at will. His shots to the body were pretty deadly. MacDonald got a takedown, probably just to prove he could. Rory just held him there for the rest of the round. 10-9 MacDonald, bordering on 10-8.
Round 3 – The docs looked at Penn’s eye, but deemed him fit to continue. Penn came out aggressive, working against the fence. He couldn’t get the takedown though. Rory reversed and held Penn against the fence until the referee separated them. MacDonald looked for a flashy kick but missed. Rory landed a nice right and a big kick to he body. MacDonald started to clown a bit, which earned the ire of the crowd. Rory responded by backing BJ up against the fence and just holding him there until Herb Dean separates them again. Penn was looking for the hail mary right but was nowhere near landing it. Rory landed a superman punch and a left hook. More lefts to the body. Clowning again. Total domination. 10-9 MacDonald, and 30-27 on my card. I expect at least one 30-26 though.
Rory MacDonald defeated B.J. Penn by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Matt Brown vs. Mike Swick
Round 1 – Both men got off to a cautious start, but loosened up a bit after a minute or so. Brown scooped Swick up and deposited him on the ground, looking for a front choke. He locked up what looked like a D’Arce, but Swick was patient and escaped. Swick steadily looked to pass Brown’s guard, but Brown locked up a triangle. Swick tied up Brown’s head with his own legs and the two men look…well, kind of weird. Swick finally escaped, and looked for a guillotine. Nothing there though and they returned to the feet. Brown landed a few strikes before the bell. 10-9 Brown.
Round 2 – Brown was looking to close the distance and strike early, and landed a nice standing elbow. Swick landed some knees with the thai clinch. Both men jockeyed against the fence and Brown landed another nice elbow. And then out of nowhere, Brown knocked Swick out with a huge left hook and a followup right! Crazy! Matt Brown defeated Mike Swick by knockout (punches), 2:31 of round two
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