By Dave Meltzer

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Welcome to the live coverage of tonight's UFC 91 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

A few notes on Lesnar vs. Couture.  There was some kayfabing going on during the week regarding Lesnar and his weight.  He cut from 277 to 265 yesterday and will be in the 277 range tonight, so a 57-pound weight difference.  I believe it's the biggest weight difference in UFC in many years.  Well, aside from Thiago Alves matches.

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Matt Brown b Ryan Thomas with a takedown and armbar at the start of the second round

Mark Bocek vs. Alvin Robinson

First round saw Bocek get the takedown early.  He was swept at one point but got back in control late and did more damage with ground and pound and tried a North-South choke late.

Second round saw Bocek again get the takedown and went for a guillotine choke and tried another North-South choke (almost a dragon sleeper at one point).  Fairly dominant round two, should be 20-18 for Bocek.

Third round saw another takedown and ground and pound.  Very good Jiu Jitsu, with Bocek finally putting it awway with a choke midway through the round.

Jeremy Stephens vs. Rafael Dos Anjos

Love that nickname, Jeremy "Little Heathen" Stephens.  Steve Maz as ref.  Dos Anjos, neither wearing a mask nor from Mexico, connected eaerly with a punch and low kick.  He's pretty the action.  Trying a bodyslam but Stephens blocked the throw.  Dos Anjos settled for a takedown.  Waistlock takedown by Dos.  Dos on top in the guard with 2:15 left in the round.  Stephens swept him and Dos went for an uma plata and got his back.  Working for a choke at the end of the round.  Dos Anjos took the round 10-9.

Stephens with a right glancing blow.  Knee and punch by Stephens.  Good low kick by Stephens .  Anjos back but Stephens right back.  Another good punch by Stephens.  Dos is suddenly wary.  Another good low kick by Stephens.  Anjos right back with one.  Dos Anjos going for a takedown and got him with a hard slam.  He has his back punching the side of a head to work for a choke.  Got a figure four body triangle and punching.  Now working for an armbar but Stephens got out and is on top.  Stephens with some punches from the top.  Two hard punches from the top by Stephens.  Real good punches from the top.  Elbow by Stephens.  Close round but the final flurry gives it to Stephens so I've got it 19-19. 

Stephens unloaded with punches, creamed him with an uppercut and Dos Anjos went down and out.

Absolutely awesome uppercut for the all-time highlight reel.  Stephens then sprinted headfirst into the cage.  He said that knockout was for his girlfriend.  I don't think he meant it the way it sounded.  Good match.  Don't know if the match will make the PPV because it went three rounds, but that finish better.

Backstage when they took Dos Anjos' mouthpiece out, blood was pouring out of his mouth. 

Shane McMahon is here. 

Jorge Gurgel vs. Aaron Riley

Mike Goldberg in the package talked about Gurgel making a run for the title in 09.  Don't know about that. 

Good body kick by Gurgel.  Riley kicked Gurgel low.  I mean Arena Mexico quality.  The whole place popped for that .  Called   a time out.  Both guys are trading hard shots.  Riley connected with hard shots and a kick to the face.  Gurgel back with puchesl.  Back-and-froth punches.  Gurgel kicked him in the nose.  Riley's nose is bleeding.  Body kick by Gurgel.  Another body kick by Gurgel.  Lots of good body kciks by Gurgel.  Gurgel is destroying Riley's rib cage.  Both kicked at the same time.  High kick by Gurgel.  Great series of punches and kicks by Gurgel.  Real good first round.  10-9 for Gurgel.

Riley can't stop that kick by the left side of the body.  Another slugfest.  Riley looks like he's got a nasty sunburn all over the right side of his body, arms  and ribs because of all the kicks.  Now Riley back with a high kick.  Gurgel's left side is pretty bad but you don't notice it as much with the tan.  Riley got Gurgel down and pulled out of an armbar attempt.  Riley dropping punches while standing to Gurgel on his back.  Now Riley went to the ground.  Both men back up.  Trading punches.  Gurgel looks like he's tiring now.  Both don't have the power at this point. Riley with a nice kick to both sides of he head.  Riley hurt Guirgel with punches.  Gurgel with a nice takedown at the end of the round.  Not enough to win it.  I've got Riley winning round and 19-19 score.

Riley with a sick to the side of Gurgel's head.  Trading high kicks Riley's landed harder. Riley taking over with punches and a hard knee.  Bothg grading punches in close.  Gurgel in bad shape.  Riley clocked him with two more punches.  Hard knees to the body by Riley.  Crowd popped for Gurgel surviving.  He took a punch and nearly slipped.  Gurgel is close to done.  Riley throwing more punches to Gurgel's face.  Gurgel threw a kick and was tripped down.  Riley throwing some blows from the top.  Now both are up.  Both throwng blows.  Riley with a knee to the head at the buzzer.  Standing ovation.  One hell of a fight.  29-28 for Riley.  Too bad this went three rounds because this could win fight of the night.

All three judges have it 29-28 for Riley.

Gate is in the $4.6 to $4.8 million range.  A few empty seats.  Probably less than 200.  

Intermission until the PPV starts. 

This crowd is jakked big-time. 

Demian Maia vs. Nate Quarry opens the show.

Quarry refuses to let him take him to the ground.  Maia has practiced his boxing to set up his takedowns.  Pretty good reaction to Quarry.  Quarry defended the takedown for a second but Maia got him on his back.  Not good for him.  Got his back, body triangle.  This guys' JJ is so aweseome.  Quarry trying to defend the choke while Maia pounded him.  Got the choke and the tap.  He made it look way too easy.

Lesnar big-time heel.  Couture huge reaction as they show him entering.

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Josh Hendricks is next. 

For some reason, Gonzaga is twice the star he was a year ago and the only thing he's done was be a part of the Randy Couture highlght reel and lose to Fabricio Werdum.  I know he beat Jason McCulley.  Hard knees to the body and short right KO punch by Gonzaga and the place goes wild.  Only 1:01.  That leaves more time to show one of those three round prelims.

Gonzaga said it's impossible to pick the main event, so then picked Randy.  There's a lot of that going around.  

Dustin "I'm not Fitch" Hazelett vs. Tamdan "I Get No Groupies" McCrory is up now.  McCrory is among the world's tallest 170 pounders.  Crowd loved Hazelett's music.  Bad Moon Rising by Credence Clearwater Revival.  Somebody e-mail Bruce Mitchell and tell him it's like a combination of high school and Bruno vs. The Russian Bear.  I wonder if Brock wins if the place goes silent.  rFor the record, McCrory's real nickname is The Barn Cat.  Steve Maxis your referee.

McCrory came out swinging.  Hazelett with a front kick and missing a flying knee. Hazelett has the tribute to Evan Tanner beard.  Hazelett slipped on a kick and immediately and got McCrory in a wacky Lucha submission but McCrory escaped.  Hazelett's still got the uma plata on.  Hazelett used a sort of Fujiwara armbar type thing that Undertaker is probably going to steal next week because that was one great submission.  I think submission of the night. 

Hazelett said his career goal is to set the UFC record for most submission of the nights.  That was a sly one.

Brock is backstage in this room with a look on his face that makes you feel pity with the first person he sees when they open the door.

Kenny Florian vs. Joe Stevenson is up now.  Joe Stevenson is upset because "I am not the underdog in this fight."

Both  men got very large reactions.  Florian the bigger reaction of the two.  Floridan with a high kick and a good knee.  Joe chasing Florian and trapped him against the cage.  He wants it down and burning up a lot of energy  but got him down and Florian is already back up.  Stevenson picked him up and got him down and Florian immediately back up.  Another high kick by Florian.   Florian took Stevenson down.  Full mount by Florian.  He's pounding Steenson out. Stevenson gave up his back.  Florian got the choke and Stevenson tapped.  

Lesnar and Couture are going to have to really stink up the joint to make this a bad show.

Kenny wants B.J.'s belt.  Kenny gets it.

Ricky Hatton is at ringside. 

UFC fans had it 54-46 for Couture.  However, huge money in the casinos came in on Lesnar.

Lesnar came out to Enter the Sandman.  Man are they booing him.  He's got so much more natural charisma here than he ever did in pro wrestling.  Brock just standing there, put his right foot on top of the octagon.  He's a 280 pound gumby.  Mario Yamasaki is the referee.

Brock looks gigantic next to Couture.  Heat is unreal.  Randy got Brock in the Greco clinch excactly where he wants him.  Knee bhy Lesnar.  Psychological edge for Randy because Brocke can't take him down.  Good elbow by Couture.  Good left by Couture.  Brock missed a wild punch.  Brock went for a double leg.  Randy defending.  Brock got him  down but he's in guard wth 2:50 left in the round.  Randy reversed and got Brock's back.  Brock got Randy back down.  Heat is unreal here.  Brock on top but not doing any damage.  Brock trapped the arm and threw a few punches.  Randy back up.  Place explose every time Randy gets up.  Randy with knees to the thigh.  Brock grabbed the fence.  to avoid a tkaedown.  Randy out.  Very close round.  Place is going bannnas even more than  even Silva vs.Liddell.  I think 10-9 Lesnar. 

Couture backed Lesnar against the cage.  Back in the Greco clinch.  Lensar with a knee, Randy  with two punches.  Lesnar with a good shot.  Lesnar's right eye is busted.  Good uppercut by Lesnar.  Couture thinking  about a takedown.  Both traded knees.  Lesnar looks worried and at that moment decked Randy and is pounding.  Too many unanswered punches and Mario Yamasaki stopped it.  Lesnar is the new champ.

Crowd cheered the finish.  Sable hit the ring.

Crowd is booing Lesnar which is b.s.  He's got a lot of balls to take a year off and fight a guy like me.  I believe in hard work and it pays off.  I may come across as cocky, but I'm confident.  The lord gave me this body  and my mind.

Crowd cheering for Couture like crazy.  "That's some big ass hands coming my way."

"I still feel like I'm getting better as a fighter.  This performance wasn't my best.  I didn't feel rusty. I don't think rust is an issue.  He's just a big guy and he caught me with a good shot."