The UFC makes it’s debut tonight on Fox Sports 1 with a card headlined by a light heavyweight bout between former champion Mauricio Rua and former multi-time title challenger Chael Sonnen. The action kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET with three preliminary bouts on Facebook, continuing with four prelim bouts on Fox Sports 1 at 6 p.m. ET and finishing up with a six fight main card, also on Fox Sports 1, at 8 p.m. ET.
Serving as the co-main event to Sonnen vs. Shogun, Alistair Overeem returns to the cage for the first time since his brutal knockout loss to Bigfoot Silva as he takes on Travis Browne. Urijah Faber is also back in action, taking on Yuri Alcantara.
Matt Brown takes on Mike Pyle, Uriah Hall tries to bounce back against John Howard and Joe Lauzon is in action against Michael Johnson to round out the card.
Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments as the fight goes down.
Joe Lauzon vs. Michael Johnson – Round 1 -Johnson working some straight punches from the outside. Good combination by Johnson. Big left hand by Johnson drops Lauzon. Joe is up but he’s still hurt. Big uppercuts by Johnson. Lauzon looks like he’s regained his composure but he’s still getting tagged. Johnson blitzes him again and Lauzon is down again. Johnson drops him again. Wow, impressive. 10-8 Johnson.
Round 2 – Johnson landing again and Lauzon is desperately trying for a takedown. Johnson stays standing. Johnson spends the round winning the stand-up but Lauzon does better than the first round. Johnson with a takedown at the end of the round. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 3 – Johnson bombs him with a huge combination. Lauzon is getting handled here. I can’t believe how good Johnson looks. 10-9 Johnson as he blitzes him again and scores a big takedown.
Official scorecards: 30-27, 30-27, 30-25. Michael Johnson wins by unanimous decision.
John Howard vs. Uriah Hall – Round 1 – Hall with a quick takedown. Hall on top but doesn’t do much before they’re back to the feet. Howard lands a nice shot now but Hall pushing him against the cage again. Howard with a nice inside elbow. Leg kick by Howard lands well. Knee by Hall lands. 10-9 Hall round I suppose.
Round 2 – Howard working the leg kicks, Hall returns with one of his own. Head kick by Hall and another. Left hand lands for Howard. Hall shoots and Howard tries to lock up a guillotine but gives up and just throws a flurry of punches. Howard shooting in again. Hall ends up spinning to the back standing at one point, Leg kick by Howard and now a combination of punches. Howard with a takedown now. 10-9 Howard.
Round 3 – Hall getting off with some good knees and leg kicks. Hall with a takedown attempt but it gets stuffed. Hall with another knee but Howard with a takedown. Hall trying hard to get back to his feet. Hall gets back up. Howard has him down again and ends the fight with a bizarre jumping tamahawk chop of sorts. 10-9 Howard I guess? But could see Hall also. Dana White calls the fight “horrible” and “high 5 fight of the night WTF”
Official scorecards: 30-27 Howard, 29-28 Hall, 29-28 Howard. John Howard wins by split decision.
Matt Brown vs. Mike Pyle – Round 1 – Brown with a good leg kick. Brown with some big shots that drop Pyle and a few more that put him out cold. Matt Brown wins by KO (punches), round 1.
Urijah Faber vs. Yuri Alcantara – Round 1 – Alcantara with a big throw to start the round, into mount and he almost has an armbar. Faber out and he attacks a leg, Alcantara keeps good position and is attacking. They get to their feet and Faber with a huge slam and now an elbow from the top. Faber really opening up with elbows from inside Alcantara’s guard.Great round 10-9 Faber.
Round 2 – Faber looks to have started taking the fight over, Alcantara much more on the defensive. With 2 minutes left it’s a 37-1 strikes landed advantage for Faber in round 2 according to the Fox graphic. 10-9 Faber.
Round 3 – More of the same as Faber simply smothers Alcantara and doesn’t let him do anything at all effective. 10-9 Faber.
Official scorecards: 30-26, 30-26, 30-27. Urijah Faber wins by unanimous decision.
Alistair Overeem vs. Travis Browne – Round 1 – Overeem hard to the body and he’s clinching Brown and trying to keep working to the body. Body punch by Overeem hurt him. Flying knee by Browne and he throws a wild punch and slips to the mat. Overeem looking for a front choke but gives up on it. Knee to the body and Browne is hurt. Overeem pounces and is throwing hard shots. Browne stands up somehow even after an illegal knee to the head while he was down and he’s trying to fire back now. Browne has survived that onslaught now and they’re clinched against the cage. FRONT KICK FROM BROWNE AND OVEREEM GOES DOWN AND IT’S OVER! OHHHH MY! Travis Browne wins by TKO (front kick, punches) Round 1.
Chael Sonnen vs. Shogun Rua – Round 1 – Sonnen runs out and gets an immediate takedown. Shogun gets up and now he gets the takedown, ending up on top. Chael gets up now and pushes Shogun into the cage. Good reversal and throw by Sonnen. He locks in a guillotine and it’s over. I did not see that coming. Chael Sonnen wins by submission (guillotine choke), round 1.
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