The Showtime broadcast is live. First bout up shortly.
Cory Devela vs. Luke Rockhold - Round 1 -Rickhold drops him with a right hand right away. A bunch of shots from Rockhold and Devela is cut badly, now sinks in the rear naked choke and it's a night. Luke Rockhold wins by submission (rear naked choke), round 1.
Sarah Kaufman vs. Shayna Baszler - Round 1 - Kaufman lands a shot but Baszler hits an uppercut of her own. Tie up and Baszler gets an inside trip takedown. Deep choke using the knee and one arm by Baszler but Kaufman is able to roll and is now on top and out. Postures up and lands a few left hands and gets to half guard. They're working and get warned multiple times for action and then are stood up. This ref is bad. Kaufman's straight ahead punching style is just getting her locked up and allowing Baszler to not have to deal with getting into a striking war. They clinch against the cage and as they struggle for postition are restarted by the ref again. 10-9 Baszler in a relatively close round. Round 2 - Kaufman is working the jab early rather than rushing in which is key. They exchange shots but nothing hard. Kaufman now has Baszler pushed against the fence. The ref warns for action 6 seconds after they clinch up. Right hand lands for Sarah now and Shayna didn't like it. Three punch combo for Kaufman now. Another big right for Sarah. Another flurry connects for Kaufman. It's getting increasingly one sided as Baszler isn't able to get inside and is getting picked apart with hard shots. The round ends with a huge flurry from Kaufman. 10-9 Kaufman to even the fight up. Round 3 - Right hand by Sarah and Shayna shoots for a single but has to pull half guard. Kaufman is landing right hands. After 3 seconds without a punch the ref is calling for action. Left, right combo lands flush on Baszler's face. As Baszler is working for a throw she is warned for action but Kaufman takes her down and lands a punch and stands back up. Kaufman is really working distance, closing in when she wants to land and then getting right back out. It's been a really impressive performance since the start of round 2. Right hand lands flush again for Kaufman. They're still going hard with a minute left, this is a clear indication that women deserve 5 minute rounds. Kaufman with a big flurry. Baszler rolls for a kneebar and Kaufman is stuffing it. The fight ends and it seems like it should be a clear 29-28 decision for Sarah Kaufman. Official Scorecards: 29-28, 30-27, 30-27 all for Sarah Kaufman. Sarah Kaufman wins by unanimous decision.
Conor Heun vs. Jorge Gurgel - Round 1- Leg kick from Gurgel. Right hand lands flush for Jorge and another leg kick. They clinch and each land a series of body shots. Right hand hurts Heun. Right hand now for Gurgel. Right hand sends Heun stumbling. It's clear this is going to be a standup fight if Gurgel has his way. They exchange shots and no one lands much of anything. Left hook lands for Jorge now. They each land right hands. Conor is grimmacing after eating a few more leg kicks. Gurgel goes straight back and eats a shot for using such bad technique. The round ends and it was clear 10-9 Jorge. Round 2- More leg kicks and Heun is hurting from them. Tie up and an uppercut lands for Heun. Head kick lands for Gurgel. Flurry for Gurgel and Heun is hurt. For some reason every time he looks hurt Gurgel doesn't attack. More big shots from Gurgel. It's a technical disaster, but it's an action fight so there is that going for it. Heun land a few shots of his own now as Gurgel goes straight back again. Huen is coming on and has Gurgel bleeding. Heun with a body shot. Big shot for Gurgel and Huen is rocked. Flurry by Gurgel and Heun is really rubber legged. Gurgel with some power shots again and a head kick as the round ends. 10-9 Gurgel again. Round 3 - It's really more of the same Gurgel landing more shots and more power but Heun landing every now and then to give some hope. Spinning back kick misses for Heun and then a body kick drops Gurgel but he stands right back up fron under Heun. Gurgel throws a kick and Heun caches it. Gurgel is on top and Heun has mission control. he's working off bottom and of course the ref is in his face screaming for action. They end up back standing and Heun with a right hand. Head kick from Gurgel is met with a counter right from Heun. 10-9 Heun round on my card. My card reads 29-28 Gurgel. Official Scorecards: 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27 for Jorge Gurgel. Jorge Gurgel wins by unanimous decision.
Nick Thompson vs. Tim Kennedy - Round 1 - Right hand by Kennedy. Takedown attempt by Kennedy and Thompson grabs an arm to look for a kimura. Kennedy taks his back but Thompson has a straight armbar with his back taken which is very hard to finish. The arm is out and now Kennedy is looking for the rear naked choke. Thompson defends and now Kennedy is in his half guard. Now back to back control and Kennedy lands a shot to the side of Thompson's head. They go to standing and Thompson looks for the kimura but gets taken down and Kennedy is in side control. Quick transition to mount but Thompson gets half guard back right away. Now in a scramble and Kennedy takes his back again but then back to half guard. North sound back to half guard and the round ends. 10-9 Kennedy on positional control. Round 2- Kennedy misses a head kick. Right hand for Tim lands. Takedown by Kennedy and he is in side control. Transition into the mount. Kennedy has his back and is landing a flurry of shots and Thompson taps out and is upset over something in the corner after the fight is over. Tim Kennedy wins by submission (strikes), round 2. Looks like Thompson thinks he was fouled (hit behind the head?) during the ending flurry.
Joey Villasenor vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos - Round 1 -Leg kick from Cyborg and a wide hook misses in return for Joe. They exchange and Cyborg is working counterpunching and is very measured. Left hand lands for Cyborg and he just misses a follow-up uppercut. Big leg kicks from Cyborg land hard. Left hook from Villasenor. Takedown by Joe now and Cyborg gets him in his guard. As Cyborg is working for a triangle Joe passes to half guard and the ref from the women's fight calls for action. Joe in half guard looking to improve position and another call for action. Side control for Joe and Cyborg is able to roll to his stomach and stand up. 10-9 round for Joe. Round 2 - high kick just misses for Cyborg. Cyborg goes straight back and eats a left for his mistake. They're in close and exchange power shots. Joe with a takedown attempt is struffed. Uppercut lands for Cyborg. More low kicks from Cyborg. Joe is looking like his leg is hurting. Left hand for Joe lands. Now a solid body shot from Villasenor. Left hand lands for Cyborg. Villasenor with a left hand again. Another big low kick by Cyborg and a spinning back kick to the thigh. Cyborg lands a flurry of lefts and rights. Joe is throwing back but he got the worse of the exchange. 10-9 round for Cyborg and I've got it even going to the last round. Round 3 - Cyborg hurts him with a few more leg kicks and then stuffs a takedown attempt. Now Cyborg gets the takedown. Cyborg lands some nice shots. Villasenor scrambles and they're back to standing. Four punch combo from Cyborg. Leg kick for Cyborg and a return punch from Joe. Both guys are gassing heading into the last half of the last round. Right hands by both men land hard. Right hand by Joe. Cyborg is gassed and it's opening things up for Joe. Leg kick by Villasenor. They close out with both men landing shots. 10-9 Villasenor in a very close round to make it 29-28 "Smokin Joe" on my card. Official Scorecards: 29-28 Villasenor, 29-28 Cyborg, 29-28 Villasenor. Joe Villasenor wins by split decision.
