LAS VEGAS - Rashad Evans dethroned light-heavyweight prizewinner Forrest Griffin at UFC 92 Saturday night, delightful away the deed with some unprincipled territory and throb in the third volley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Griffin reach-me-down his square footage and kicks to control Evans at bay in the to begin two rounds of a contest of winners of Seasons 1 and 2 of "The Ultimate Fighter" genuineness TV show. But Evans took the conqueror down in the third, scratched him with a big rectify to the head and then unleashed four more rights and seven lefts to the steer and it was over.
Elsewhere on the "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008" adulterated soldierly arts card, Quinton (Rampage) Jackson knocked out Wanderlei (The Axe Murderer) Silva with one belt in the at the outset spherical of their light-heavyweight animosity compare and bygone heavyweight champion Frank Mir looked leading in upsetting interim title-holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via second-round TKO. Evans, 29, made US$130,000, including a $65,000 overcome bonus, while Griffin earned $100,000, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. At 6-3, Griffin had four inches on Evans and cast-off his peg kicks to goodness signification in the from the start candid as he did in engaging the subtitle from Jackson. Evans (18-0-1) came tight to connecting with some heartfelt knack shots but never really found his range.
Griffin (16-5) came on take a shine to a man driven in the second round, with Evans hanging on for a time. Griffin continued to impaired Evans with kicks. Evans caught Griffin with a laudatory right-hand but seemed to get injure in the eye with a punch deceased in the round.
Grabbing a leg, Evans took Griffin down primordial in the third and hammered him with punches. Griffin in one way survived the opening onslaught but Evans kept going. Referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the turn at 2:46.
"I'm fine, I'll be back," said the 29-year-old Griffin, a damp squib in his opening entitle defence. Jackson and Silva entered the enclosure with evil intentions. The two don't match each other and it shows. Silva give Jackson twice on the Pride ambit in Japan in 2003 and 2004, brutally stopping Jackson both times with a barrage of knees.
Vengeance at length belonged to Jackson (29-7). He came out stalking Silva, then hung back and waited for the Las Vegas-based Brazilian to come to him. Silva (32-9-1 with one no contest) attempted a combo and, his defences down, was floored by a crushing progressive nab to the jaw. He went down as if hit by a wrecking ball.
As Montreal referee Yves Lavigne moved in to arrogate Jackson to layover any more punishment, a rancorous Jackson threw two more punches at the lying down Silva for all right judge before it ended at 3:21. The immoral ending was reminiscent of the approach Jackson knocked out Chuck (The Iceman) Liddell to get the head at UFC 71 in May 2007. Liddell was ringside Saturday to comprehend the replay. "Rampage is back, baby.
I ain't succeeding nowhere," said Jackson. It was Jackson's meeting since losing his right to Griffin at UFC 86 in July. Jackson had a meltdown days after and has charges on hold over a resulting highway run after with police. The UFC blamed the incident on delirium, brought about by a prolonged fast. Jackson isn't talking about it.
Jackson, 30, made $325,000, including a $100,000 procure bonus, while Silva composed $200,000, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Silva boasted at the pre-fight statement symposium that he would get the triumph of the vespers bonus. Instead he got cephalalgia of the night. Silva, 32, has now buried two of three fights since coming over from Pride.
Mir was a big loser but hurriedly took the more recent ovation in the chief succession of the matchup of match coaches from Season 8 of "The Ultimate Fighter." Showing surprising standup skills, he knocked Nogueira down twice and took the 4-1 preference down once in a principal first-round performance. In the second, Mir (12-3) drove Nogueira back with a larboard and then sent him to the canvas with another, finishing him off with a commotion of blows before the close was stopped at 1:54.
Mir, fighting as if his individual depended on it, dominated Nogueira (31-5-1 with one no contest) on the feet. The craggy Brazilian, known for his comebacks, looked unpunctual and outmatched and had no answers this time. Mir joins Fedor Emelianenko, Dan Henderson and Josh Barnett as the only men to form Nogueira. Emelianenko did it twice. The prevail sets up a rematch with Brock Lesnar for the heavyweight title.
Mir submitted Lesnar at UFC 81 in February before Lesnar stopped Randy Couture at UFC 91 in November to victory the championship. Mir made $90,000, including a $45,000 carry the day bonus. Nogueira got $250,000, missing out on a $150,000 glean bonus. Those figures do not with the unscathed fiscal allegory since the UFC does not rat other bonuses and payments that may be in a fighter's contract.
The organization's marquee fighters also may collect a helping of the lucrative pay-per-view take. Earlier, French heavyweight Cheick Kongo showed a intermediate run in stopping UFC settler Mostapha Al Turk of the in front round. Kongo (23-4-1) took a knee in the groin primitive on and didn't appreciate it. Later in the round, he returned the side with - doubling over Al Turk (6-4). Al Turk's chance was sealed when he appeared to get poked in the eye.
He pawed at his daring and Kongo nailed him several times, sending the big Brit to the canvas. Kongo carved the quondam pharmaceutical rep out with repeated elbows and punches until Mazzagatti at moved in. Japanese middleweight Yushin (Thunder) Okami won a listless firmness over Dean (The Boogeyman) Lister, charming all three rounds. Okami had been considered the No. 1 contender in the 185-pound upset and was headed for a designate swig at backer Anderson Silva until breaking his hand.
He in fought in March at UFC 82 when he knocked out Evan Tanner. Okami (24-4) didn't further his championship cause with this performance, a dismal 15 minutes that did dollop for Lister's occupation prospects either. Dutch heavyweight Antoni Hardonk stopped UFC stranger Mike (The Juggernaut) Wessel, a ex- wound replacement, at 2:05 of the stand-in round. The 260-pound Wessel, whose rifle belied his earlier occupation as an underling stamina and conditioning guide at the University of Arkansas, was big, regatta and came out capable but could not cope with Hardonk's more finish game. Middleweight C.B. Dolloway (9-2) stopped Mike Massenzio (11-3) via TKO at 3:01 of the outset round.
Light-heavyweight Matt (The Hammer) Hamill (7-2) started off sluggishly but won by TKO at 2:19 of the backer circumnavigate when Reese (Riptide) Andy ran out of steam and was pummelled at the fence. Former IFL welterweight (Bad) Brad Blackburn (14-9-1 with one no contest) won a judgement over Japanese warhorse Ryo (Piranha) Chonan to revive to 2-0 in the UFC. The 29-28 verdict seemed meet but was greeted with boos from the crowd. UFC debutant Pat Barry (4-0) showed off his kickboxing distance by chopping down heavyweight Dan (The Viking) Evensen in the commencement vicinity or of the toe stint of the night.
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