We're here live in Vegas at UFC ILL WILL~! and will be doing running play-by-play from this point forwards.
I missed the second fight, but in the opener Shane Corwin, who physically looks like a monster, killed Christian Wellisch. Knocked him into next week with a shot. Scary man that Corwin.
In the second fight, Dong Hyun Kim beat Jason Tan via ground and pound. Just dominated him.
Also a note for those wondering about audio, we'll definitely be doing some sort of post-UFC show tonight after the press conference, and likely another show later this weekend with survivors of the Vegas trip.
3. Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Jon WAR MACHINE Koppenhaver. Yoshida just beat him in about 30 seconds with a guillotine. Jon held on and held on and held on and then, just like in pro-wrestling, went unconscious rather than tap. Herb Dean kinda sorta even raised his hand and let it drop a few times like an old school wrestling sleeper spot. Jon didn't get it up at the last second, though.
Watching the live feed of Joe Rogan rules. They're trying to set up an interview segment with Jens Pulver and Urijah Faber, and it's taking forever because apparently in the background there is an empty seat or two and the director wants it filled up before they start. Rogan is screaming that it's an empty seat and nobody gives a fuck and they need to get this show on the road. "What are people going to do, change the channel?"
4. Terry Etim vs. Rich Clementi. Etim came out to PHIL COLLINS. Hmm. Etim has some really fast hands and feet. Main show doesn't start for over an hour and this crowd is already really hot. Clementi got a takedown early in the second and Etim caught him in a half-guard guillotine. That's tough to finish and Clementi escaped. He almost got it again from full closed guard but Clementi got his head out. Rich has been stood up twice for inactivity during periods where he wasn't all that inactive and he's not happy. Fight even going into the third. Clementi took him down and is grinding him. It went to the judges and Clementi got the unanimous decision 29-28.
5. Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Sokoudjou. This is one of those fights with interesting odds. Sokoudjou should win, but I'm not sure he should be such a heavy favorite against Nakamura. His right knee is all taped up. Something is definitely wrong with him. He didn't do a lot overall until the very end of the round when he dropped Nakamura with a shot and followed it up with a pummeling on the ground. Nakamura was saved by the bell, but his knee fell underneath him and he was unable to come out for round two. This was actually Sokoudjou's first victory in the Octagon.
6. Ivan Salaverry vs. Rousimar Palhares. Palhares with a takedown immediately. Salaverry is no geek but Palhares took him down immediately, mounted him, got his back and then maneuvered him into rear naked choke position. Rogan did, in fact, note during this match that when you take the back you SHOULDN'T CROSS YOUR FEET! Indeed. He didn't get the choke so Palhares slipped into an armbar and got it. Palhares looked like the real deal here with some fucking GREAT jiu-jitsu.
7. Antonio Mendez vs. Thiago Silva. Fight went 2:24. Silva had some problems early, almost being knocked out by a blocked kick, but then made his big comeback, took him down, got his back, and punched him until the ref stopped it.
8. Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida. Time for the RING THE FUCKIN BELL~! match. Tito is coming out first. It's a big reaction but not earth-shattering or anything. Judging from the video montage early, it looks like Penn is so far the most popular guy on the show. At the weigh-ins and such it was definitely Wanderlei. Lyoto got a lot of boos. I'm thinking Sherk is getting super mega heat tonight. Tito has been stuffed on two takedowns so far, and really not much is happening here. There are chants for Tito, crazy loud chants, but also some light chants for Machida and some light boos as a few people see this as inaction. Lyoto got a takedown and started pounding on him and the ref stopped it, which looked like MONTREAL ALL THE WAY~!, but as it turns out it was just the end of the round. Good thing, too, this would have been a riot. Giant pop for the takedown, I should note. People are booing what they see as inactivity in round two. Round two was more of Lyoto avoiding everything and being elusive and Tito is losing his mind with anger. He's also going to lose this fight on points if he doesn't calm down. We're into round three and as God is my witness we just got a fucking REFEREE BUMP! Yves Lavigne tripped and fell on his ass, which got a giant pop. They had the most heated clinch in history but nothing was happening so Lavigne separated them. Tito then took a shot to the gut and went down and Lyoto pounced to try to finish it, but couldn't do it. Finish was awesome. Tito took a shot to the gut and went down and Lyoto pounced to finish it, but was unable to. Tito then clamped him in a triangle and the building EXPLODED, but Lyoto escaped. It's going to the judges. This should be something else. Lyoto got the unanimous decision 30-27. Tons of heat for that. They may be interviewing Tito believe it or not. They haven't gotten rid of him yet.
In a totally classy move, UFC let Tito Ortiz cut a farewell promo. No joke. He said he had personal issues with Dana and it was all bullshit, but he loved the Fertittas and planned on fighting for several more years even if it wasn't for UFC. He also said he wasn't positive he was leaving and would take two weeks off and decide what to do.
3. Wilson Gouveia vs. Goran Reljic. This place is dead quiet after the last fight. Reljic is throwing some hard kicks. Crowd here is like what you'd hear in a Fight Night prelim. Not a great fight. Pretty boring overall and the most exciting part was a fight in the crowd. Reljic finally dropped him in the second and laid in the ground and pound until Herb Dean stopped it.
4. Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine. Aside from looking like a 45-year-old Kurt Angle (he's almost ten years younger), Wanderlei physically looks very good. Wanderlei got a monster reaction. Wanderlei just beat the holy living fuck out of Jardine. Went like 20 seconds. He decked him, then became the Wanderlei of old, pouncing and landing shot after shot after shot until the referee stopped it. Looked way, way later. Jardine is moving, but he's hurt. He's been on the ground for awhile now and people look concerned. Jardine is up at least, and very shaky. That was a BEATING that guy took.
5. BJ Penn vs. Sean Sherk for the 155 pound title. BJ is mega over and Sherk is hated. We're getting "STEROIDS!" chants. Aside from one failed takedown attempt by Sherk, this round was all on the feet. Pretty even overall. BJ took the second, landing a lot of jabs and a few hard leg kicks. Sherk tried a takedown and couldn't get it. Sherk is taking shots, but he's also holding BJ into the later rounds. The fight is over amidst much confusion live. Hold on a second. OK, BJ hit him with a shot and then followed it up with a flying knee and more punches on the ground. It was so close to the end of the round that live, everyone didn't know whether the fight was stopped or Sherk was saved by the bell. They ended up saying, "Sean Sherk was unable to continue." So BJ wins and retains the title.
We'll be back later tonight with a radio show of some sort running down this program and all the highlights from the press conference. Thanks for joining us! {plug}
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