UFC 120 Results: Mike Pyle Dominates John Hathaway

Mike Pyle brought the John Hathaway hype train to a full stop, taking a unanimous 30-27 win over the young Brit.

Hathaway came out and took center cage as Pyle showed lateral movement. Pyle landed first with a leg kick. Hathaway backed Pyle up with pawing jabs. Pyle then shot in and put Hathaway down but Hathaway worked to walk up the fence and get back to his feet. Then Hathaway reversed and forced Pyle to sit down against the cage. They returned to their feet around the 3 minute mark. Pyle fired knees, Hathaway answered with punches and leg kicks. Pyle tagged Hathawy with a right and then another, forcing Hathaway to initiate a clinch where Pyle scored with elbows. Pyle began to time Hathaway's mechanical striking and landed to the body with rights. Pyle shot in and got a take down to end the round, battering Hathaway from the guard as the buzzer rang. 

Pyle came out mixing it up in the second and continued to land. He shot in and couldn't get a take down, but scored with punches on the break. Hathaway then initiated a clinch but got nowhere, though he landed an elbow-punch combo off the break. Hathaway began to score with knees and punches, forcing Pyle to reset. Pyle then countered with his own punches and then landed a great throw to side control where he kneed Hathaway's body and elbowed his face hard. Pyle then went for a mounted triangle -- but he never went for the complimenting arm bar, aka the Lytle -- and fired punches to the head. But he was unable to finish a game Hathaway and the round ended with Pyle battering the trapped Hathaway's face.

Hathaway came out swinging in the third, knowing he was behind on the score cards. He landed a body kick then shot for a take down that Pyle evaded. Hathaway landed a looping right and shot in again. Pyle reversed the clinch and went for a single leg and got it. Pyle mounted but Hathaway fought to his feet. Pyle then threw him down again. Again Hathaway fought part way back up, only to get put down flat on his back. Hathaway tried for an arm bar but Pyle used the opening to pass to half guard. Pyle forced him against the fence and began a sustained assault of ground and pound, landing hard elbows and punches to Hathaway's face. 

Undefeated British standout John Hathaway came into his UFC 120 fight against Mike Pyle(20-7-1, 2-2 UFC) heavily favored. Hathaway made a big impression on fans and bettors by dominating veteran Diego Sanchez at UFC 114. 

Pyle came in as a late substitute for the highly regarded Dong Hyun Kim who was injured in training. Pyle is coming into this contest with a win over Jesse Lennox at UFC 115 under his belt, a small confidence boost for Pyle after being knocked out by Jake Ellenberger at UFC 108.

Full results after the jump.