The UFC rolled into Nottingham on Saturday night for only its second trip to Europe of 2012 here’s our report including analysis of Gunnar Nelson’s debut fight.
After a packed night of action the largest MMA promotion in the world committed to returning more regularly in the coming years. The Capitol FM Arena was packed from the opening fight with fans from the UK, Sweden, Iceland, Ireland, the US all leaving happy at the end of the night.
Heavyweight: Stefan Struve vs. Stipe Miocic
This was the classic fight of two halves. In the first half it was all Miocic as he threw strikes with incredible fury trying to force an early finish.
Struve was the one looking to close the distance to tie up Miocic in the hope of taking the fight to the floor. At the break between rounds, Struve’s corner must have told him to keep Miocic at the end of his punches and utilise his massive reach advantage.
Struve, who had looked a little gun shy in the first came out and landed some hard strikes on a weary Miocic who had tired from his effort in the first. Miocic got caught against the cage allowing Struve to land hard shots and force the finish.
Welterweight: Dan Hardy vs. Amir Sadollah
This fight was a triumphant return for Nottingham’s MMA hero. The loudest roar of the night was for Hardy’s entrance. Sadollah started well but by the middle of the first round Hardy had his timing down and was working the counter punches well. Sadollah had been pressing the action but backed off when Hardy started landing. Hardy mixed the striking with takedowns well and never let Sadollah get into a rhythm.
At points the old ‘Outlaw’ would have kept swinging in search of the finish, but the ‘Outlaw 2.0’ showed a measure of maturity to score points with his strikes and seal the round with takedowns. Hardy was well worth his unanimous points win.
Bantamweight: Brad Pickett vs. Yves Jabouin
Both fighters went to war from the get-go landing some of the hardest shots of the night. The noise of the punches as they landed was scary and suggested it would be a short nights work for the victor. It could have gone either way but the end came from a beautiful uppercut that landed right on Jabouin’s button. Pickett followed Jabouin to the floor as referee Leon Roberts leapt in to call a halt taking a haymaker to the head in the process from Pickett. Roberts did well to get back to his feet quicker than Jabouin. Pickett took the ‘KO of the Night’ bonus and thrust himself back into title contention.
Lightweight:- Paul Sass vs. Matt Wiman
Sass started quickest landing a catch-kick takedown a within seconds of the fight starting. He seemed to be comfortable on top of Wiman landing strikes and looking to pass. Wiman threw up a triangle that brought a few laughs from the crowd. Surely Sass, with 12 of his 13 wins by submission, wasn’t going to get caught with his own signature move? Well, as it turned out, moments later Wiman had Sass in an armbar, tapping. Good win and ‘Submission of the Night’ bonus after a long lay-off for Wiman.
Welterweight:- John Hathaway vs. John Maguire
“That fight absolutely sucked” was Dana White’s analysis back stage when we chatted after the event. Both fighters are much better than their performance suggested on the night. Maguire seemed to think he best chance of victory was by trying to lure Hathaway to the ground and submit him.
Hathaway knew this and use striking to stay at range. Hathaway began to coast as Maguire became more determined at the beginning of the third. With only half a round left, Maguire got the fight where he wanted it but couldn’t manufacture a submission.. Hathaway won all three rounds on all 3 judges scorecards.
Welterweight:- Che Mills vs. Duane Ludwig
We were robbed of a potential war as Ludwig crumpled under a blown out knee. Mills had got the better of the first exchange, drew blood and landed a trip-takedown.
He looked comfortable on top and dropped some elbows and punches. In the scramble to get up, Ludwig hurt his knee. Mills showed a touch of class by recognising Ludwig was in distress and didn’t drop any cheap shots. He then stayed with Ludwig and helped him back to his feet. Class act.
Catchweight (183 lbs.) DaMarques Johnson vs. Gunnar Nelson
“Wow!! Gunnar Nelson is awesome” tweeted Dana White during the event last Saturday.
Gunni was the picture of calm as he touched gloves with DaMarques Johnson in the centre of the Octagon. He assumed the praying mantis stance of the karateka and looked the more competent striker. As his coach John Kavanagh told us, once he got the clinch the fight was more or less over. Johnson threatened briefly with an omoplata that was never really locked on. Gunni calmly passed into side control, then into mount. He smoothly transitioned to take Johnson’s back as he looked for an escape. Using strikes to distract, Gunni sunk a rear naked choke. Afterwards Gunni was pleased for all parties, “The fight went great, pretty much as good as it could have been, I didn’t take any damage and the fight finished early, and I don’t think he took too much damage either so I’m very happy”. And so begins a promising UFC career for the Icelandic fighter and the Irish coach.
- Heavyweight – Stefan Struve def. Stipe Miocic TKO (punches) Round 2
- Welterweight – Dan Hardy def. Amir Sadollah Decision (unanimous) (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Bantamweight – Brad Pickett def. Yves Jabouin KO (uppercut) Round 1
- Lightweight – Matt Wiman def. Paul Sass Submission (armbar) Round 1
- Welterweight – John Hathaway def. John Maguire Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Welterweight – Che Mills def. Duane Ludwig TKO (knee injury) Round 1
- Light Heavyweight – Jimi Manuwa def. Kyle Kingsbury TKO (doctor stoppage) Round 2
- Featherweight – Akira Corassani def. Andy Ogle Decision (split) (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
- Middleweight – Brad Tavares def. Tom Watson Decision (split) (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
- Catchweight (183 lbs.) – Gunnar Nelson def. DaMarques Johnson Submission (rear naked choke) Round 1
- Featherweight – Robbie Peralta def. Jason Young KO (punches) Round 1
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