FACEBOOK TWITTER RSS APP PODCAST Opinion & Analysis : Staff Columnists UFC 110 RESULTS - The Repercussions : A look at how each of the main card PPV fights played out

Feb 22, 2010 - 4:23:15 PM

Australia's first UFC event did not disappoint as 110 had the crowd up in their seats and roaring approval. From vicious main event knockouts to non-stop action on the ground, the local fans were rewarded for their loyalty to the sport. With a crowd like that, it's no wonder Dana White has promised to schedule an annual trip to AUS.

Overall, on a scale of 0-10, I would rate this event a 7, which means I would definitely watch it again. You can certainly expect Zuffa to show UFC 110 for free on SpikeTV very soon as a counterprogram to Strikeforce's next big event.

Main Event: Cain Velasquez dominated Rodrigo Nogueira in ways that few MMA analysts though possible, completely outclassing the older, more experienced veteran on the feet. Cain's striking was crisp and powerful and showcased some great combinations that handed Minotauro his first ever career Knockout loss and gave Velasquez a well-deserved $60,000 KO of the Night bonus. Nogueira's chin is now in question as his many hard-fought wars and accumulated damage seem to be catching up to him, even at only 33 years of age.

Co-Main Event: Michael Bisping failed in every aspect against a very comfortable Wanderlei Silva. This new weight looks perfect for the old Pride legend as he pretty much did what he wanted against the Brit. Bisping's gameplan seemed to be to takedown Silva and he was partially successful at this, although Wanderlei simply stood up every time he went down, obviously frustrating his UK counterpart. I think Bisping was seriously intimidated by whom he was fighting, especially after the intense staredown at the weigh-ins, which reminded fans everywhere of the old "Axe Murderer." Bisping seemed extremely hesitant to let his hands go for fear of one of those monster hooks and he paid the price for his tentativeness. Great unanimous decision win for Wanderlei that puts him right back in the standings.

Joe Stevenson vs. George Sotiropolous: The native Australian Sotiropolous looked very impressive taking on tough competition in Joe Stevenson. Many questioned who would be the better grappler. Sotiropolous proved to be absolutely dominant, especially as a Lightweight being noticeably larger and stronger. This earned Fight of the Night honors and rightly so considering it was nonstop action on the ground. This is what MMA grappling should look like - two fighters constantly working to improve position and make submission attempts. Rather than one wrestler merely using his weight to lay on top of another and eek out a decision, both of these fighters were actually trying to finish. Sotiropolous could have easily sat on top of Joe to win a boring unanimous decision, but he instead took a lot of risk trying for submissions and sometimes ending up on the bottom. Though he was unable to finish, he really showcased the true progression of MMA grappling for his home crowd.

Ryan Bader vs. Keith Jardine: This was a pretty entertaining fight but Jardine didn't have much to offer Bader. In a sport that's all about progression, Jardine's bizarre, hercky-jerky style looked exactly the same as it did years ago. Bader looked better standing up and had the ability to take the fight down at almost every attempt. Though well on his way to a unanimous decision win, "Darth" Bader actually finished the fight by connecting with a huge left-hand uppercut that crumpled Jardine's legs underneath him to force the referee stoppage. Back to the drawing board for Keith, while Bader will hopefully take on a contender next, maybe even Jardine's teammate Rashad Evans.

Chris Lytle vs. Brian Foster: With everyone expecting a slug fest, Chris Lytle surprised the world by showcasing his underrated ground game and pulling off an early, first round kneebar. With Foster dishing out heavy hands and crafty, whirling high kicks, Lytle seemed to have little to offer as his signature hooks were being thrown to slow, to late. With nothing going his way in the standup, Lytle grabbed Foster's ankle from the bottom, locked it up tight, and used his hold to secure a Submission of the Night, $60,000 kneebar.

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