Ok fizzels, the gig begins at 11 p.m. EST, so ladies grab your men and fellas grab your women and join me here in about 15 minutes while we kick this off.
So far, so normal. Mauro and Quadros are doing what the normally do. I'm not sure why Quadros seems so phony here. He never did this smiling act on the PRIDE broadcasts, but whatever.
And Frank Shamrock is here now. Let's see if he has any jokes about Josh Thomson. They're hyping the Le vs. Shamrock fight, which is good.
I already like this better than the over produced UFC shows.
Kala Kolohe Hose vs. Frederic Belleton
ROUND 1 - This is a middleweight fight. Fighters touch gloves. Hose is looking to counterpunch early. Belleton is shockingly taller than Hose. Nasty choping outside leg kicks early by Belleton. Hose attempts a flurry and lands a right. Hose is punshing Belleton against the fence with positional control and heavy shots to the body and head. Belleton is trying to counter with by establishing a Thai plum. Hose attempts a Superman punch, but misses and slips. Belleton still landing leg kicks late in the fight. HUGE right hand over the top from Hose - even though gassed - puts Belleton completely to sleep. Hose wins by KO at the 4:32 mark of the first round.
Julie Kedzie vs. Tonya Evinger
ROUND 1 - This is a 140lbs fight. fighters touch gloves. Evinger gets double under hooks and lands a takedown going immediately to side control. Evinger attempts the mount but takes the back instead looking for a rear naked choke. Kedzie staying calm looking for a way out, but not working 2 on 1 hand control. Out of nowhere, Evinger cinches the choke and submits Kedzie at 1:43 of the first round.
SIDE NOTE: Bill Goldberg isn't here and it's refreshing. They've also got Ken Shamrock in the middle of the cage talking about his March 9 Cage Rage fight. He claims he's staying at heavyweight rather than light heavyweight.
Now they're hyping the Kimbo Slice vs. Tank Abbott fight. The ad is decidedly better than the "street certified" themes we've been treated to thus far. That's Feb. 16 for that fight for those keeping track.
Bobby McMaster vs. Bao Quach
ROUND 1 - This is a lightweight fight. Fighters touch gloves. Quach comes out with legkicks, both inside and outside. Fighters still finding their range and timing as the circle. Quach is the aggressor early landing heavy leg kicks and taking center of the cage AND pressing the pace and time of the exchanges. McMasters throws a heavy overhand right but misses and Quach lands inside the clinch and transitions to a trip takedown. Quach passes guard into side control and is execising excellent shoulder pressure and also working GNP. Fighters return to the feet. Fighters working 50/50 over under clinch and searching for control against the fence. Fighters now circling exchanging leg kicks. McMaster lands a beautiful high crotch slam and works GNP. Round ends, BloodyElbow.com scores is 10-9 for Quach.
ROUND 2 - Round 2 begins the same with fighters setting up angles and distance. Quach threatened a standing guillotine and McMasters lands a big slam but avoids the submission. McMasters avoids Quach's submission attempts, but both fighters scramble and return to their feet. Quach lands another right hand and stumbles McMasters. McMasters lands a hard windmill shot of his own with his right hand. Quach lands a beautiful body kick during the clinch break. Quach working the Thai plum beautifully landing brutal knees to the body. McMasters looks extremely fatigued. Quach lands another leg kick before the round ends. BloodyElbow.com scores the round again for Quach, 10-9.
ROUND 3 - Quach comes out throwing leg kicks and circling, but he's not setting them up with fake shots or punches. Yet more leg kicks for Quach even though they're telegraphed. Fighters circling from the outside, likely due to fatigue, but Quach is controlling the position, timing and action. McMasters lands an overhand right. Fighters exchange a few punches in the middle of the cage, but it's simply an exchange with no set-ups or angles. Due to an over committed left, Quach lands another takedown and begins to work from half guard. McMasters reclaims full guard but is working open guard with no offense. Quach stands up out of the guard in the final seconds and lands a body kick to end the round. Easily 10 - 9 for Quach.
Judges see the fight 29-28, 30-27, 30-27 for Boa Quach.
SIDE NOTE: Whatever judge thinks McMasters took any single round is out of his mind. Bank on it.
Frank Shamrock is back in the cage and they're hyping the Cung Le vs. Frank Shamrock fight on March 29th in San Jose. Shamrock is showered with a smattering of boos.
Paul Daley vs. Sam Morgan
ROUND 1 - This is a welterweight fight. Morgan lands a nice double leg to start the round, but Semtex gets the fight back to the feet. Morgan transitions from the top to a lateral drop. Semtex now against the fence and Morgan working GNP. Referee stands them up due to lack of activity and Morgan bulls into Semtex to land a takedown. Morgan fighting again for the takedown after eating two hard jabs. Morgan still attempting the takedown but can't finish through Semtex's takedown defense. In the clinch breaks Semtex is landing nice in-line elbows and knees. A big elbow drops Morgan and the referee stops the action as Morgan covers up and shows Semtex his back at 2:10 of the first. Winner is Paul "Semtex" Daley.
Update [2008-1-26 9:37:2 by Nick Thomas]: The Paul Daley vs. Sam Morgan fight:
Eddie Alvarez vs. Ross Ebanez
ROUND 1 - This fight is at a catch weight of 165lbs. Fighters touch gloves and begin cirlcing. Ross is standing southpaw but Eddie is showing incredible in and out footwork. Alvarez looking for a single leg off the fence and lands it now working from half guard. Ebanaz recovers full guard after a short scramble. Ebanaz stands up and off the front headlock Alvarez lands beautiful knees to the face. Now fighters exchanging in the middle. Alvarez controlling Ebanaz with a clinch against the fence landing a huge right knee and right hand to the face. Alvarez is stalking Ebanaz and drops him with a hard right against the fence but Ebanaz recovers for now. Alvarez lands a nice inside leg kick and works the 50-50 clinch. The round ends with Alvarez throwing kicks and punches with Ebanaz's back against the fight. BloodyElbow.com EASILY scores that round 10 - 9 for Alvarez.
ROUND 2 - fighters are circling but Ebanaz is reaching on his jabs. Fighters clinch and Ebanaz lands a left on Alvarez on the clinch break. Ebanaz seems to have found the right distance. Alvarez lands a nice right high kick and works the single leg for a takedown, Ebanaz in half butterfly. Alvarez trying to work a Hughes-Newton position, but his ass is too high in the air. Fighters scramble to the top with Eddie with a front head lock. In the scramble as the fighters returned to their feet of a single leg trip Alvarez lands a devastating right hand punch that Ebanaz never saw right on the jaw. Alvarez wins by KO and celebrates with a backflip off of the top of the cage a la Crazy Horse Bennett. Winner at of the 2:32 mark of the second round is Eddie Alvarez