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FLASHBACK (3 YRS AGO): Keller's UFC 69 Report with Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra, Koscheck vs. Sanchez, Huerta vs. Garcia
Mar 22, 2010 - 3:50:01 PM FLASHBACK (3 YRS AGO): Keller's UFC 69 Report with Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra, Koscheck vs. Sanchez, Huerta vs. Garcia

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UFC 69: SHOOTOUT
APRIL 7, 2007
LIVE FROM HOUSTON, TEX.

-Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan introduced the show from ringside. Rogan said Georges St. Pierre is by far the best welterweight. Rogan also said he is looking forward to Josh Koscheck vs. Diego Sanchez as much as any fight ever. They showed a clip of Sanchez shoving Koscheck almost off the stage at the weigh-in because Koscheck wouldn't take off his sunglasses and headphones.

1 - KENDALL GROVE (24, 6-6, 185.5 Hawaii) vs. ALAN BELCHER (22, 6-2, 184, Biloxi) -- Welterweight Division

PRE-FIGHT: Belcher talked himself up in the prematch interview, saying he's a legel above grove. Grove said he prays to God that Belcher underestimates him because he's bringing it. Rogan said Belcher is a future star. Goldberg pointed out he's now able to train full time.

ROUND ONE: Rogan said Belcher believes he'll march right through Grove. He said he didn't get picked for The Ultimate Fighter, and now he gets the winner and can leapfrog him instantly. Belcher took Grove down in the opening minute and went to side mount. Grove got up and began doing to Belcher was Anderson Silva did to Rich Franklin with the clasped fingers behind his head. He did it two more times in the next two minutes, then Belcher went to the mat defensively. It slowed down with Grove in control, but not doing damage. Tito Ortiz was shown shouting advice to Grove from the floor. Good first round. I'd give Grove the round easily despite being taken down early.

ROUND TWO: Rogan said Grove's reach may be throwing Belcher off a little. Grove got on top of Belcher and threw elbows. Belcher went for a takedown, but then just slid to the floor. Grove began throwing a series of elbows; Belcher blocked them, but he looked winded. Grove ended up on top with side control. Grove went on a flurry at 2:30 with punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. Grove lifted and slammed Belcher to the mat, which popped the crowd. Goldberg said Grove was "looking spectacular." Belcher bled from the top of his head, leaving considerable blood on the mat. Grove then put Belcher to sleep at 4:36. When Grove released the sleeper, Belcher was out cold.

RESULTS: Grove via sleeper in round two.

STAR RATING (**+): If one-star is a basic, forgettable fight, and three stars is a very entertaining, memorable fight, this was definitely closer to three than one for entertainment value and overall quality, with some nice strikes, takedowns, and slams, plus a really strong finish.

POST-FIGHT: Belcher congratulated Grove after the fight and lited him into the air briefly. In the post-fight interview, Grove watched the finish replayed and predicted, "Submision of the night!" Goldberg said another validation that The Ultimate Fighter produces formidable fighters. There's no reason to continue to be defensive about TUF competitors being "mere reality TV products." They're fighters who happen to be filmed for a TV series, but nothing about the series or how the fighters are cast would necessarily make them any less qualified or likely to succeed than through the other means UFC has of finding fighters to add to UFC events.

-A commercial plugged UFC 70 on Apr. 21 featuring Mirko Cro Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzanga in Manchester, England in a battle for a shot at heavyweight champ Randy Couture, plus Michael Bisbing vs. Elvis Sinosic.

2 -- MIKE SWICK (27, 6-1, 184, Houston) vs. YUSHIN OKAMI (25, 6-2, 184, Japan) - Middlweight Division

PRE-FIGHT: Rogan said this fight means so much to him because it's in his hometown. He said he's trained so hard for the fight and realizes it's the toughest fight of his career. Rogan pointed out that Swick is probably better off at 170 than 185.

FIRST ROUND: They fought in open stances with Swick leading with the left, Okami leading with the right. The spent two minutes testing distances with punches and round kicks and not connecting with much. Okami wrapped up Swick and pushed him into the cage. He then powered him to the mat and just pounded on him while looking for submissions. Swick looked to be outclasses and overpowered in the opening round. With 15 seconds left in the round, Okami also got an arm submission. Okami easily wins the round. In his corner between rounds, Swick noted how strong Okami is. He almost seemed mentally beat already and his cornerman tried to talk him out of the defeatist attitude.

SECOND ROUND: Swick threw a reverse sidekick to open round two which didn't connect. Goldberg said the winner of this fight may in line for a Middlweight Title match later this year. Goldberg noted that Pride and UFC is under "similar ownership" leading to some great dream matches. Rogan said there'd be a big announcement later from Dana White regarding that situation. The fight slowed down with Okami on top. At 3:10 the ref stood them up. The ref stood them up again with 30 seconds left in the round. Swick went right after Ogami with a flurry of punches that rocked him. Okami collapsed and went for a takedown as the round ended. Wow, close call. Okami controlled 4:30 but never seemed on the verge of a win, instead waiting things out. Swick left a real impression at the end of a round and looked to have rocked Okami. It was a confidence booster, if nothing else, and woke up the crowd. Super close round, but I'd give it to Swick.

THIRD ROUND: At 1:30 Swick landed another flurry of punches, but Okami countered and then took Swick down. Okami got Swick into a full mount with 3:00 left. Swick had nowhere to go, so he turned his head. Okami teased a choke. Swick turned again and took a nonstop series of rights, but they weren't landing hard. Swick gave him his back again for another potential choke. Swick rotated between taking punches or exposing his neck several times. The ref told Swick he had to move. He gave up his back again. If Okami had anything behind his punches, the fight would be over, but he had nothing behind them. Swick escaped and rolled on top of Okami. He had 45 seconds left to try to finish the fight, because he was way behind in the round obviously. Swick slipped to half guard, but he had nothing left to throw any punches. Okami could barely stand, not from pain, but from exhaustion. Swick also lay on his back afterward. Round easily to Okami, but great tease of another late round comeback by Swick.

WINNER: Okami (with two judges scoring it 29-28 and one 30-27).

STAR RATING (**): The high points in the fight were really exciting, but most of it wasn't particularly compelling. The fact that Okami couldn't finish Swick despite having him down, exhausted, and a full guard for over two minutes was amazing. Swick's comeback at the end of round two could ended the fight if he had an extra minute, as Okami was gassed and taking punishment.

-Rogan interviewed White inside the Octagon. White said that since they bought UFC in 2001, they've been on a mission to bring fans the best fights ever. He said they've always strived for the Super Bowl of Fighting. He announced the signing of Antonio "Monotauro" Nogueira. Nogueira came out to very little crowd reaction. Rogan said he's recognized as the best heavyweight submissions specialist and is a former Pride champion. He said he is excited to fight for UFC. He said pretty soon he wants to fight for the title and show the fans his best.

3 -- ROGER HUERTA (23, 5-9, 155, Minnesota) vs. LEONARD GARCIA (27, 5-10, 154.5, Texas) -- Lightweight Division

PRE-FIGHT: Lots of talk by Goldberg and Rogan of his tough upbringing and being abaondoned twice as a kid in foreign lands. Huerta was a heavy, heavy favorite by oddsmakers. Goldberg said Garcia is "very, very good."

FIRST ROUND: Wide-open swings by both early, followed by a wild pair of roundhouse kicks by Huerta. They ended up on the mat with Garcia applying a guillotine. Huerto ended up getting Garcia's back, then a full mount. Garcia came up striking. Huerto fired back with kicks. Really fun opening two minutes. Rogan said this is why you have to love the 155 pound division. Huerto threw a barrage of punches on the mat. Back on their feet, they again exchanged wild punches briefly, then went back to the mat. Garcia smiled at 4:00. Garcia threw some punches from the bottom; Huerto eventually won out that battle. Rogan said getting into a slugfest on the bottom isn't a good idea. Garcia then maneuvered on top. Really entertaining round. Garcia sat in his corner, drank water, seemed ffresh, and smiled again. His cornermen told him that was the worst he's going to do to him. Garcia said he has no power. His cornerman calmly told him to calm down, throw better punches two at a time, and not get into a wild swing-fest. The corner eaves dropping has been good tonight.

SECOND ROUND: More of the same early in round two. Garcia kept eating punches and smiling, but they added up and he finally seemed to be affected negatively half way into the count. Garcia went down and looked to be winded. He kept smiling, though. Rogan said Huerta looked to be in better shape. At 3:30 they stood up and Garcia seemed fresher again. More wild swings by both men. "This is a big time shoot-out!" said Goldberg. Huerta ended up on top, but when the horn sounded, Garcia was smiling again. Goldberg talked over the corner talk for Garcia, unfortunately.

THIRD ROUND: The crowd cheered the start of the third round. The two fighters shook hands. Huerta scored early and often, but Garcia was resilient. Rogan and Goldberg talked about a potential 145 division and the acquisition of WEC to help build it. At 2:30 Garcia slipped behind Huerta and went for a rear choke, but seemed to be resting more than working to get the grip. Huera ended up back on top and throwing a barage of punches. Garcia tried to roll out of the way, but Huerta met him quickly with more punches. Garcia tried to cover up as he ontinued to get battered - just not quite enough for a ref stoppage. It ended with Huerta on top. When the horn sounded, they both went forehead-to-forehead on their knees in mid-ring in a sign of huge respect. Rogan said it was a great display of heart and skill. Goldberg said you don't see that in some of the other combat sports. Huerto and Garcia walked around the ring raising each other's arm. Rogan called it one of the best fights he's seen.

RESULT: Huerta via unanimous decision (30-27 by all three judges).

STAR RATING (****-): Just a blast to watch. The only thing missing was a decisive KO or submission finish, or some doubt over who the winner would be. Huerta clearly won, yet Garcia showed such spirit and resilience. It belongs on a Best of UFC DVD.

POST-FIGHT: Rogan interviewed both men. Garcia said he had one month to train and got as ready as he could. He said that fight deserves a rematch and he'll go back and train even harder for it. Huerta grabbed the mic from Rogan after the interview to add a point, which is that in his last quick win he didn't use an illegal knee, but now he proved he "not the shits." He stopped, worried about swearing. Rogan said, "Just say it!"

4 -- DIEGO SANCHEZ (25, 5-11, 168.5, New Mexico) vs. JOSH KOSCHECK (29, 5-10, 170.5, Frezno) -- Welterweight Division

PRE-FIGHT: A mariachi band played live for Diego's entrance. Rogan said Sanchez has a bullet-proof belief in himself and he truly believes he'll retire undefeated as champion. He said he's told him he's willing to die in the ring and that's his destiny. He said he focuses on his fights with meditation. Rogan said he's probably the strongest mental fighter. Rogan said, "If you believe in the law of attraction, Diego is doing all the right things." Jeez, who saw a reference to "The Secret" coming on this show?

FIRST ROUND: They circled each other and tested distance for three minutes. It began feeling like the Ken Shamrock-Dan Severn debacle whhere both guys refused to take any chances. Every time Sanchez charged at Koscheck with a flurrry, Koscheck just quickly backed away and stayed out of range. At 4:00 the crowd booed out of restlessness. Koscheck shot in and took Sanchez down at 4:30, which could give him the round. Diego escapede a guillotine attempt and stood. He had Koscheck's back as the horn sounded. Koscheck scored with a right early and a takedown late. It's tough not to give him the round, even though otherwise he was more defensive. Sanchez just didn't land anything or put Koscheck in any jeopardy.

SECOND ROUND: More of the same early-round hesitation here. At 2:00 Koscheck scored again with a punch. He threw a high right roundhouse that hit Sanchez's hand, but showed some power. At 3:00, more boos from the fans. Koscheck threw a left leg kick. At 4:00 Koscheck scored another overhand right. Koscheck won that round. Sanchez looked to be in trouble. Koscheck shot Sanchez a comment after the horn.

THIRD ROUND: More booing in the opening minute as Sanchez wasn't aggressive. At 2:30, the boos got heavy. Diego went for some punches, but remained conservative. Goldberg said, "Sometimes the fight doesn't live up to the hype." As soon as the horn sounded, Koscheck celebrated, and deservedly so. The crowd schanted, "Bullsh--!" afterward.

RESULT: Koscheck via decision (all three judges 30-27).

STAR RATING (*-): Major disappointment. Koscheck, as the heavy underdog, did what he should have because a win means more than being exciting for him. If all fights were like this, UFC would be out of business instantly, thbough.

POST-FIGHT: Koscheck mocked the booing of the fans. He said, "Love me or hate me, I don't care. He's 19 and 1! Whooo!" Sanchez didn't stick around for a post-fight interview. One of the most disappointing fights in UFC history, and the only saving grace was that the upset was major news.

5 -- GEORGES ST. PIERRE (25, 5-10, 169.5, Montreal) vs. MATT SERRA (32, 5-6, 169.5, New York) -- Middleweight Title Match

PRE-FIGHT: Randy Couture joined Rogan and Goldberg for this match. Both guys are nice guys was the theme of the hype. Rogan and Goldberg chatted about how St. Pierre got to know Serra well on The Ultimate Fighter show.

FIRST ROUND: The big height and huge reach advantage for GSP was clear from the opening minute. Some nice body shots by Serra early on. Serra grabbed a GSP kick and then went for a quick left that didn't land. Goldberg said that every minute that goes by, Serra gains confidence. That's not necessarily true. GSP slipped and Serra seized the opportunity with a flurry. He took him down. GSP got up again. Serra landed a couple more. GSP was hurt, took a dozen-plus punches, and stopped defending himself. The ref stepped in. They showed Matt Hughes smiling and celebrating at ringside. "This sport is so crazy," said Rogan. "You just never know what's going to happen." You could see GSP mouth the word, "Oh, f---, man" about a minute after he came to and realized what happened.

RESULT: Serra by TKO at 3:25 to win the Middleweight Title.

POST-FIGHT: Serra asked Rogan if he and Dana White have some humble pie. Rogan gave him credit for doing what he said he was going to do, which was shock the world. Serra broke down as he thanked his trainer. Serra said George is the future of the sport. He said it might have been the biggest upset in UFC history. Rogan said it's up there.

STAR RATING (***): About as memorable an upset as there is in UFC. The historical significance and shock value of the win, and decisiveness of it, makes this a must-see fight and worthy of three-stars despite ending in the first round. GSP slipped twice, but the real first damaging punch came after he regained his footing. He slipped again as he tried to regain his footing; both feet slipped. When he went for the takedown, he was already stunned. GSP gave a gracious post-fight interview and said Serra beat him fair and square. He said he is very sad right now, but he lost to the better fighter tonight. Just amazing. Courture said he was still in a state of shock and disbelief because Serra wasn't known to be a striker of that level. They showed GSP walk up to Serra and congratulate him personally. He just comes across as such a class act and nice guy. Rogan said he's curious to see what he's like in his next fight because this is a confidence booster for him to be sure. Rogan said he'd love to see a fight between Serra and Hughes, who exchanged some words.

PRELIM: LUKE CUMMO vs. JOSH HAYNES

PRE-FIGHT: Both were finalists in their weight class on The Ultimate Fighter.

FIRST ROUND: Cummo took a stiff blow to the jaw early. Rogan pointed out there was an unusual swelling the right of Haynes's jaw after taking a hook. Cummo rocked him a couple times and won the round.

ROUND TWO: Before the round, Haynes's corner man told him to "stop f---ing around" several times. Rogan pointed out that Cummo drinks his own urine a couple of times. When Goldberg said that's crazy. Rogan said he's done that a few times when he's been sick. Goldberg couldn't believe it and threatened to leave, jokingly. Cummo knocked Haynes down hard. When the ref moved in to stop the fight, Haynes took the ref down by the legs thinkiing the ref was Cummo.

RESULTS: Cummo via TKO.

STAR RATING (*+): Decent fight.

-Rogan and Goldberg discussed the card, focusing primarily on the Serra win. They stressed that Serra didn't win because of a slip. That's true and false. Had GSP not slipped twice, he might not have been vulnerable for that first punch that rocked him, but it came several seconds after he slipped. But there's no asterisk next to the win by Serra.

MMA TORCH STAR RATING SYSTEM (By Wade Keller)

We have created a star rating system for use at MMATorch.com as a courtesy for readers looking for a quick reference to decide which DVDs to rent or purchase, and as a subject for discussion among MMA followers.

Our star rating system is not judging the performance of fighters, whose job it is to win their match, not entertain. If a fighter can win in a few seconds, he's doing his job as he should, yet the match would not receive a high star rating because it wasn't substantial enough to be considered a "must see" or "go out of your way to see" match.

We have a basic five-star rating system, with no quarter or half stars, but instead a plus (+) or minus (-) to indicate whether it was a strong or weak version of two-star or four-star match, etc.

The criteria is based primarily on "drama" or "entertainment value" - the primary reason anybody watches any sport, but with a healthy dose of consideration (20 percent) on strong technique being shown by fighters and a final dose of consideration (10-20 percent) on whether the fight is "significant" in the sense of history (a dream match between known fighters, an upset by a newcomer over an established fighter), or changing the title picture. In other words, a **+ match might become a ***- because it has major ramifications or a surprising finish. A * match might move to **- because the technique of the submission or knockout was noteworthy.

ONE STAR: Every fight gets one star for merely taking place, so a *- would indicate the least entertaining fight possible (Severn-Shamrock draw debacle or a sloppy one minute submission). A *+ rating would go to a match that was forgettable and perhaps mostly boring, but with a redeeming quality, such as a few good punches, reversals, or a submission of note.

TWO STARS: This is your typical average MMA fight that you might forget about within minutes, if not for one or two decent rounds or a memorable knockout or submission or historical significance. (Sylvia vs. Arlovski III as an example might be considered **- because the title being at stake added drama, but otherwise it was a *+ propped up only by a solid first round; Liddell vs. Sobral would be probably ranked only two-stars because it was so short, but I'd add a plus because it was a Liddell title match and Sobral had a strong winning streak and a title was at stake, adding elements of drama to it going in and ramifications afterward.)

THREE STARS: This is good fight, where if there were three of them on an event, it'd make it an event worth seeing with some good technique, although not superior. (Hughes vs. Gracie might arguably reach three-stars because of the stature of the fight, the drama of the armbar, and historical significance, although I'd be tempted to have it **+ because it was so short.)

FOUR STARS: This is an elite fight, where it can carry a show on its own or come close to it, or a good match between two name fighters. If it's one dimensional with no ground fighting, or all ground fighting with no stand-up, that can work against it, unless the stand-up or ground fighting is compelling throughout.

FIVE STARS: This happens maybe twice a year, and would be up for MMA Fight of the Year. It could be an awesome undercard match between two up-and-comers, but more often will be a match with something at stake, high interest going into the fight to add drama, and a match that exceeds expectations and goes at least two rounds. (Griffin-Bonner I would be five-stars as it fits much of the criteria perfectly, only falling short in not being a showcase for any ground fighting - but that's a small factor. Another potential five-star level match this year was Diego Sanchez vs. Karo Parisyan from the Aug. 17 Ultimate Fight Night Live.)

We will track on MMATorch.com a list of four-star and five-star matches during the year, as graded by our official contributors reviewing live events, TV shows, and DVDs. We will also compile over time a list of top rated match from past years, as they are reviewed for MMATorch.com by our contributors, and a note of their availability on DVD.