Goodnight from UFC 74
Good night from Las Vegas, NV.
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viagra without prescription commented on UFC 74
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Good night from Las Vegas, NV.
For more fight coverage, go to presstelegram.com/mixedmartialarts
UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture defends against Gabriel Gonzaga
Gonzaga comes out quick with some strikes but Couture gets the early take down of Gonzaga 20 seconds into the fight. Gonzaga works his way up as the crowd chants “Randy, Randy!” Gonzaga gets neutral however Couture still has a hold on him. Couture almost gets another take down, but Gonzaga is able to withstand the attack. But Couture gets the crowd up again with a stand up take down. Gonzaga gets back up and again throws some punches. Blood is coming out of top of the nose of Gonzaga as again the crowd chants for Couture. Couture has Gonzaga pinned against the wall of the octagon, not letting Gonzaga do much. Gonzaga is breathing out of his mouth as the round ends.
Couture again gets the advantage in this match, pinning Gonzaga against the fence. Chants for Couture again spring up, as Gonzaga breaks free. Both fighters swing wildly and Couture again gets an advantage. Gonzaga asked for a break for a doctor to check on the nose as the crowd boos that. After the doctor leaves, referee Herb Dean orders the fighters back in the position where they paused the match. Gonzaga is then deducted one point for a low blow. Couture takes it to Gonzaga raining punches on Gonzaga in bunches. Gonzaga finally turns the advantage over, but Couture gets it right back. While it looks like the blood over Gonzaga’s nose may have stopped, he is still breathing through his mouth as the second round ends.
Gonzaga lands a kick to the head of Couture, but Couture shrugs it off and gets Gonzaga pinned against the fense then a take down landing blows to the head of Gonzaga for more than 15 seconds before Dean stops the match at 1:37 seconds of the third round.
Couture retains his UFC heavyweight title and improves to 16-8 while Gonzaga falls to 8-2.
Georges St-Pierre looks to climb back up the UFC welterweight rankings as he takes on Josh Koscheck who has been on a roll.
Chants of “GSP” begin the match as both fighters dance around the ring. Koscheck goes for some punches early giving GSP an opportunity for a take down, which he does. Koscheck can only hold GSP close to him giving GSP limited room to work. More chants of “GSP” break out through out the arena as all Koscheck can do is hold GSP close. Koscheck eventually works his way back up to his feet and has one of GSP legs and after a while takes GSP down. GSP is now holding Koscheck close. Koscheck gets a few punches in but nothing really serious as the round ends.
GSP goes for a take down and gets it 20 seconds into the second round. GSP is trying to gain some sort of leverage and gets an arm but cannot lock it into any hold but still maintains position. With 3:20 left in the second round, GSP goes for a kimura but Koscheck fights out of it, but is still being controlled by GSP. Koscheck tries to break free with two minutes left in the round but GSP will not relinquish his position. GSP again goes for a kimura and has Koscheck’s head underneath him, sitting on it basically. However Koscheck will not let go of the arm and all GSP can do is land punches on the ribs of Koscheck.
The round begins with both fighters standing tall in the middle of the ring, exchanging punches and kicks. GSP seems to making the better of this neutral battle as his blows are landing a little more than Koscheck’s. However, Koscheck gets in close enough to grab a leg of GSP for a take down and it appears that he will be taken down. But GSP is able to gain his balance and roll Koscheck on his back to get the take down. Koscheck is again on the defensive trying to cover up against GSP. The round ends with a flurry of punches and a possible heel lock from GSP.
The decision is a unanimous one for GSP as he goes to 14-2 while Koscheck falls to 11-2.
Lightweights Alberto Crane takes on Roger Huerta in this swing bout
Both fighters are using their legs early and they go for several kicks. Huerta gets a takedown and almost secures a rear naked choke before Crane breaks free and reverses his position. Crane is attempted his own choke but Huerta gets free and gets back on top of Crane. Huerta is not in complete control and Crane is able to get on top but is unable to do much. Huerta eventually works back to his feet and puts Crane on his back and lands some punches from above before Crane pulls him in. There is some swelling under Crane’s left eye and the round ends with Huerta on top.
Huerta gets an early take down begins to pound on Crane to begin the second round. Crane tries his best to tie up with Huerta and eventually will reverse his position. Huerta eventually works his way free but makes a mental mistake by just walking away from Crane. Crane pounces but Huerta recovers in time to dodge and land some kicks to back on top. Crane tries to take an arm away from Huerta but just cannot get enough of the arm to force a submission. Huerta maintains control for the rest of the round.
Crane begins the third round by trying a take down, but Huerta is to fast. Crane has a leg of Huerta but not much more. All Huerta can do is strike behind him and uses the big monitors around the arena to guide him to the locations of Crane’s head. Huerta eventually gets on top and pounds away making referee Steve Mazzagatti call the match at 1:50 into the third round.
Huerta is now 5-0 while Crane drops to 8-1.
Kurt Pellegrino takes on Joe Stevenson in a lightweight bout.
Both fighters lock up and Pellegrino gets a take down but Stevenson almost sniches in a guillotine choke before Pellegrino slips out. Stevenson score a hugh take down on Pellegrino and again goes for the choke and after a while Pellegrino slips out. Pellegrino gains control of the round by slowing down Stevenson by keeping him on his back.
Both fighters begin the second round mostly neutral. Stevenson gets a quick advantage by landing a punch that knocks Pellegrino down. Stevenson lands some punches but Pellegrino gets up and both fighters are back to their feet. Stevenson knocks Pellegrino down again. After a while, Stevenson gets Pellegrino’s back and hits him several times in the back of the head. Pellegrino is able to reverse his position and rains one punch down on Stevenson. Stevenson is working his way back to his feet as the round ends.
Pellegrino gets the first advantage of round 3 scoring a quick takedown. Stevenson quickly locks up making it hard for Pellegrino to do any striking. Referee John McCarthy gets both fighters up and Pellegrino locks in a guillotine choke of his own. After 15 seconds, Stevenson slips out and lands some punches on Pellegrino. Stevenson has Pellegrino’s head pinned against the wall and is landing punches on Pellegrino who gets up after absorbing a number of hits to the head. Pellegrino goes for a roundhouse kick that is ducked by Stevenson who is in control of Pellegrino as the round expires.
Stevenson is declared the winner by unanimous decision. Stevenson improves to 33-7 while Pellegrino is 16-3.
UFC 74 begins with middleweights Patrick Cote vs. Kendall Grove.
Cote begins the bout backing up Grove into the fence. Cote goes for a take down of the six inch taller Grove, but is unable to land him. Cote catches Grove with a right that floors him. Cote goes in and at first tries to pound him, than goes for a choke, then goes back to pounding him. Referee Herb Dean decides that’s enough for Grove and stops the bout at 4:45 in the first round.
Light heavyweights Renato "Babalu" Sobral takes on David Heath.
Sobral scores a take down 30 seconds into the match. Heath is ablee to coverup well for more than 50 seconds before Sobral is able to land some punches and elbows. Heath does what he can to cover up but Sobral finds holes in the defense and pounds away. Heath then breaks free and is able to catch Sobral off guard long enough to score a take down of his own. Sobral is able to fight well on his back up until the very end when Heath lands two good elbow shots to Sobral's head.
Sobral takes it to Heath. After a take down, Sobral pounds Heath to open a cut on the top of his head. The cut so bad that Sobral's tape and gloves where it says UFC are pink. Blood has spilled onto the mat, especially around where Heath's head is. Sobral continues to pound away. Heath eventually gets up a little before being put in an anaconda choke and tapping out at 3:30 of the second round. It took a while for refeere Steve Mazzagatti to break the hold. In the post fight interview Sobral said he intentionally left the choke on to teach Heath a lesson.
Fans booed Sobral as he left the arena and threw back a hat Sobral threw into the crowd.
Press-Telegram staff writer James Melroy says he doubts Sobral will be in the octogon again.
Sobral improves to 28-7 while Heath is 9-2.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir takes on Antoni Hardonk.
Mir scores a take down 15 seconds into the fight but does has his left arm in a bad spot for an armbar. Mir fights through and is bending Hardonk right arm in a Kimura. Hardonk rolls but Mir is relentless and Hardonk has no option but to tap out at 1:17 off the first round.
Mir improves to 10-3 while Hardonk is 5-4.
Middleweights Ryan Jensen takes on Thales Leites.
Jensen comes out with two big kicks that are blocked by Leites. Both fighters take little time to feel each other out. Jensen seems to be the agressor early and gets a take down but Leites defends it well. Leites takes a solid punch from Jensen but gets a take down. Jensen gets up and defends several take donws. Both fighters again go down and Leites is able to grab an armbar forcing Jensen to tap out at 3:47 of the first round.
Leites imporves to 11-1 while Jensen is 11-2.
Marcus Aurelio makes his UFC debut against Clay Guida in this lightweight bout
Both fighters deance around each other for the first minute before some real contact is made with a Guida kick. Fans seems more behind Guida than Aurelio as they begin some chants during the round. Guida lands with a hard left that knocks Aurelio down, but Aurelio is able to recover and almost lock in an armbar forcing Guida to back off. The round ends with some hard punches and a take down by Guida.
Guida slouched stance is making it hard for Aurelio to get close and land some punches or score a take down. It's clear that Guida does not want to be on the ground as he is able to get Aurelio on his back but can't do much as Aurelio gets loose and tries to gain some sort of submission hold. Guida against scores a take down with less than two minutes left in the round and is able to land some hard blows to the face of Aurelio, whose only defense is to pull Guida close to avoid big blows.
Chants for Guida begin again in the arena as he is able to attack better than Aurelio from the standing position. Aurelio goes for a take down is more than 90 seconds left but it is blocked by Guida who is still defending well. The match ends with both fighters in the neutral position.
Guida is declaired the winner by split decision. Guida improves to 22-5 while Aurelio lost his UFC debut and is now 14-4.
Welcome to the Press-Telegram's coverage of UFC 74: Respect live at the Mandalay Bay Event Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The preliminary bouts will begin after 5 p.m. The PPV will begin 7 p.m.
The first prelim will feature Lightweights Marcus Aurelio (14-4) vs. Clay Guida (21-5) followed by middleweights Ryan Jensen (11-1) vs. Thales Leites (10-1-0). Former UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir (9-3) will take on Antoni Hardonk (5-3). The Prelims will end with Light Heavyweight Renato "Babalu" Sobral (27-7) vs. David Heath (9-1).
Staff writer James Melroy predicts Guida, Leites, Hardonk, Sobral to win in the undercard.
The PPV will start with middleweights Patrick Cote (10-4) vs. Kendall Grove (10-3). Lightweights Kurt Pellegrino (16-2) will take on Joe Stevenson (32-7). Former UFC Welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (13-2) begins his road back to the title against up and comer Josh Koscheck (11-1). The swing bout will feature lightweights Alberto Crane (8-0) against Sports Illustrated cover boy Roger Huerta (4-0). The main event is for the UFC Heavyweight title as Randy Couture (15-8) defends his title against Gabriel Gonzaga (8-1).
Melroy predicts wins for Cote, Stevenson, Koscheck, Huerta and Gonzaga.
Please check in after 5:30 p.m. for updates and you are welcomed to leave questions and/or comments for Melroy.
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