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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
UFC 175
JULY 5, 2014
LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
=====UFC Fight Pass Prelims=====
-Kevin Casey def. Bubba Bush via KO at 1:01 of the first round
(Note: Casey knocked Bush down quickly, then beat him up with punches and elbows, putting him out cold on the ground. Much better than he showed on TUF and in his only other UFC bout with Josh Samman.)
(Note: Zachrich used his range well along with superior footwork and out-struck Vasconcelos for most of the bout.)
=====Fox Sports 1 Prelims=====
-Goldie and Rogan open up the broadcast discussing the Weidman-Machida matchup and Rousey's latest fight. Then it's on to our prelims.
PRELIM FIGHT ONE: GEORGE ROOP VS. ROB FONT (BANTAMWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Font caught Roop's first kick. He fired back a strike and a couple of kicks. He connected with a right hand at the end of a missed combination. Font caught another kick. Roop went high with a kick that was blocked. Font rushed in with a combination but missed and Roop clinched him to the cage. Font got in a nice elbow and got separation. Font landed a jab. Roop grazed him with a left hook. Roop got in a right hand. Then a jab. Font landed a solid leg kick. Font landed a huge right hand and Roop was wobbled. He went down and Font followed up with a strike on the ground, bringing the ref in to stop it. Huge overhand right from Roop.
WINNER: Font via KO at 2:19 of the first round
STAR RATING: (**+) Really nice debut from Font. He looked comfortable against a longtime UFC vet, and got through the length of Roop just fine to score that stoppage.
PRELIM FIGHT TWO: CHRIS CAMOZZI VS. BRUNO SANTOS (MIDDLEWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Camozzi opened up with a hard kick to the body. He continued to throw out front kicks. Camozzi avoided a couple of rushes from Santos and landed some strikes of his own. Camozzi connected on some more kicks to the body and legs. He connected on a few strikes in combination. Santos landed a leg kick. Camozzi connected on a hard right hand, then clinched and got in a knee. Santos went for a body lock, but Camozzi held him off. They separated briefly, then Santos came back in for another clinch. Camozzi again held him off at the cage. Santos threw some knees to the legs. Camozzi held off his attempts, connecting on a few strikes with his back to the cage before the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Camozzi. Santos not having much success with anything.
ROUND TWO: Santos opened with a strike. Camozzi landed a kick. Santos shot in and scored a takedown. Camozzi landed some elbows from the bottom. Camozzi continued to work from the bottom while blocking strikes from Santos. Santos lost his mouthpiece from the top while missing strikes, and the action was halted. As it restarted, he passed out of guard to side control easily. Camozzi tried to turn into him, and got back to half guard. Camozzi opened Santos up with an elbow from the bottom. Santos passed to side control again, but he's doing very little from the top. Camozzi worked up to his feet, but as he tried a trip he fell to his back and Santos landed a couple of strikes. Missed opportunity for Camozzi to take the round back there. He landed an elbow from the bottom.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-10. Santos is probably going to get it, but he did so little from top position while Camozzi was attacking from the bottom and actually did damage. That said, he was on his back for four minutes that round as well.
ROUND THREE: Camozzi landed a right hand. Santos connected with a right hand. Camozzi landed a couple of hard leg kicks inside. Camozzi missed a couple of strikes. Santos landed a right hand. He got in another to the body. Camozzi again missed a strike and got grazed by a counter. Camozzi landed the jab several times in a row, using his reach well. Santos missed several strikes. Santos moved in, picked him up, and took him down despite Camozzi grabbing the top of the cage. He got a warning for that. Santos held onto him and held him down. Camozzi tried to attack for a kimura, and used that to get to a knee, but he got dragged back down again. Rogan railed against fighters looking to refs to stand them up because it's up to them to get off their back if a guy takes them down. Camozzi got back to his feet and separated. He landed a couple of strikes, then Santos took him down again. Santos again just held him there without doing anything. Camozzi tried to score a couple of strikes to the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-10. Another very similar round, probably edging to Santos. He didn't do anything on the ground, but Camozzi didn't do as much as the second offensively himself. Bad fight.
WINNER: Santos via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
STAR RATING: (*-) Just a really bad fight. Takedowns winning fights when nothing else is done isn't shocking, but it's no fun to watch, and Camozzi has no one to blame but himself for not doing more to stop them or get back up.
PRELIM FIGHT THREE: KENNY ROBERTSON VS. ILDEMAR ALCANTARA (WELTERWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Robertson opened with a leg kick and looked to rush in. He scored a clinch and tried to drag Alcantara to the ground. He landed some hard knees to the legs. Alcantara held him off. Alcantara tried for his own trip but Robertson countered and threw him to the ground. Robertson sat in half guard and landed some ground and pound. He trapped an arm and landed some strikes. He went for a D'Arce but it wasn't there so he let it got and landed some strikes. He landed some hard elbows to the body. Robertson sat up and landed a right hand. Alcantara moved him back to guard. Robertson dropped down a bunch of hard strikes in the guard. Alcantara tried to get some wrist control, but Robertson continued landing punches and elbows from the top. Robertson was working some real nice ground and pound. Alcantara tried to get Robertson off, but Robertson got back into his guard and continued landing strikes. Robertson posted up and landed several strikes. He continued landing to the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Robertson. Very good start for Robertson. He looked for some submission attempts early, but turned it to ground and pound the last half of the round. He's likely to work for more submissions again if he brings Alcantara back down.
ROUND TWO: Alcantara threw a high kick that was blocked. Robertson tossed out a couple of leg kicks. He blocked another high kick. Robertson missed a strike high. Robertson missed a few more. Robertson connected on a right hand. Robertson finally shot in, but got stuffed. However, he stayed on his feet and scored a takedown. He went for a crucifix from the back, landing a few strikes. Alcantara got to his feet and landed a knee to the body. Robertson got back to a single leg and dragged Alcantara back down into half guard. He moved quickly into mount. He rained down a bunch of strikes from the top. He sat up and continued landing strikes. He took his time and picked his spots. He went for an Americana, gave it up, and landed more elbows. Robertson closed out the round with more elbows to the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Robertson. Slower start, but tons of damage once on the ground. He's getting opportunities to finish this, perhaps he'll take advantage in the third.
ROUND THREE: Robertson scored a step-in elbow. He landed another strike. He grabbed a clinch and threw a knee that landed low. Alcantara milked it and the crowd booed him a little. Alcantara connected on a kick to the body after the restart. He got in again. Robertson landed a nice straight right. Nice outside kick from Robertson. Robertson shot in and Alcantara sprawled. They got up and Robertson landed another low knee. They threw knees simultaneously, which left him open for it. The ref warned Robertson that if it happens again he'll take a point. They restart again. Robertson landed the right hand again. And again. Robertson just barely missed a spinning back fist attempt. He grabbed a clinch and Alcantara took him down. Robertson tried to reverse and got himself on top with a minute and a half. Robertson landed a couple of strikes. Robertson continued landing strikes on the ground, where the graphic they posted showed he was up 100-4 in that regard. They were stood up with 15 seconds left. Alcantara tried to rush him and tripped him down, landing a right hand at the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Robertson. Alcantara just didn't have much success offensively in this fight.
WINNER: Robertson via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
STAR RATING: (**) There were some nice moments in that fight, and it was a solid overall performance from Robertson.
PRELIM FIGHT FOUR: URIJAH FABER VS. ALEX CACERES (BANTAMWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Both missed a couple of strikes early on. Faber caught a kick and shot in, but Caceres nicely got back to his feet. Faber kept on the clinch, but Caceres did well to stay on his feet. Faber stayed on him at the cage and landed a hard knee to the body. Caceres landed a right. Faber sent him tumbling, then took him down at the cage. Faber landed a right hand to the body. He got in a few more. Faber landed a hard elbow as he patiently worked from the top. Caceres tried to scoot to the cage but Faber continued to work in strikes from the top. More punches and elbows from Faber. Faber picked him up slightly and slammed him down. Caceres tried to get his legs up, but Faber stood and dropped down a right hand. Caceres tried to attack with a triangle. Faber stood and Caceres threw some upkicks. He scrambled up and Faber got in a clinch knee at the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Faber. Solid round, though a bit more tentative on the ground than expected.
ROUND TWO: Faber opened with a big overhand right that rocked Caceres, then he shot in and took him down. Caceres tried to attack from his back, and managed to kick Faber off to get to his feet. Caceres landed a hard two-punch combination. Faber popped in with a couple of strikes. Caceres got in a good knee as Faber shot in. Faber took him down but Caceres scrambled up. They worked in the clinch and Caceres got in a knee to the body. Faber took him down again. Caceres again escaped to his feet. Faber landed an elbow as they separated. Caceres threw a high kick but it was blocked. They traded strikes. Caceres threw a side kick. He spun with a kick and threw a couple of strikes. Faber clinched and pressed him to the cage. Caceres turned him around. Faber pulled off a beautiful throw, but Caceres again got to his feet. Faber missed the overhand right. Faber grabbed another clinch, which he held to the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Faber. Caceres faring much better than expected. He's not letting himself be kept down right now, and he even landed a couple of hard strikes of his own.
ROUND THREE: Caceres landed a couple of counter strikes as Faber faked a shot. They clinched, with Caceres pressing him in. They separated. Faber caught a kick, landed a couple of hard punches, drove Caceres down, trapped his arm with a leg as he snuck behind, and locked on the rear naked choke. Caceres was stuck and had no choice but to tap. Faber gets the expected win.
WINNER: Faber via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:05 of the third round
STAR RATING: (***) Good fight. Caceres wasn't expected to be on Faber's level, and he equated himself better than expected through ten minutes. Still, Faber was the better fighter, and remains elite at 135 lbs.
=====Pay-Per-View Main Card=====
-Just before the first fight, reports are emerging that Stefan Struve fainted in his locker room and his fight with Matt Mitrione's been scratched. That's just awful.
MAIN CARD FIGHT ONE: MARCUS BRIMAGE VS. RUSSELL DOANE (BANTAMWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Doane scored an early takedown after some tentative striking work. He landed some hard strikes as he took Brimage's back. He locked up one leg. If he could sneak under Brimage's arm he'd be on his way to a twister. He switched and got his second hook in. Brimage continued to defend. Doane held position for a while, but Brimage eventually exploded out to his feet. They squared off a bit more, but neither got in much of anything.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Doane. Good ground work, but nice defense from Brimage.
ROUND TWO: Brimage opened with a couple of leg kicks. Brimage dropped Doane back with a strike and Doane reactively shot in for a single leg. He got stuffed and they stood. Brimage landed a hard leg kick inside and Doane tripped up. He landed another inside leg kick. Doane timed a shot well and scored a takedown. He again worked to Brimage's back. Brimage escaped after Doane had hooks in and he got to his feet. Doane shot again but Brimage stuffed it and separated. Brimage engaged, and Doane got in some hard knees to the body. Brimage landed a right hand. Doane shot in for a single leg. Brimage rolled out as Doane tried to get him down and to his back. Doane got in a hard knee standing. Brimage landed a kick at the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-10. Tough round to score. Brimage did damage, Doane had some positional superiority and got in some big knees.
ROUND THREE: Doane threw a high kick, but Brimage caught it and took him down. He quickly got off the ground as Doane attacked for an omoplata. Brimage landed another hard leg kick. Brimage landed that leg kick again, and Doane is hurting. Doane threw a nice straight kick. Brimage went back inside. Things slowed down for a while. Doane shot in but got stuffed. Doane landed a solid two punch combination. He went high with a kick and his leg almost gave out. They traded kicks. Brimage landed a solid knee. They traded shots late.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Brimage. Leg kicks got the job done there. Comes down to that second round.
WINNER: Doane via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
STAR RATING: (**-) Not all that great of a fight. Had a few moments, nothing more; don't agree with 30-27 Doane at all.
MAIN CARD FIGHT TWO: URIAH HALL VS. THIAGO SANTOS (MIDDLEWEIGHT)
ROUND ONE: Hall threw a couple of spinning strikes immediately, but was out of range. Santos tossed out several strikes. Hall continued to move forward as Santos pawed out some strikes. Santos got in some good leg kicks inside. Real tentative action for a bit. Hall caught a kick and tripped him up. He landed a strike, but Santos got up to his feet. Hall landed a hard right hand. He connected on a nice left hook and started walking him down. He landed a right hand and backed off. Hall showboating a little bit as he walked Santos down. Hall missed a spinning kick. The round ended with Santos getting in another leg kick.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Santos. Hall turned it up a bit late, but not enough to take over. His toe looked broken in between rounds, but he's still fighting.
ROUND TWO: Some flashy movements early, but neither connected in the first 40 seconds. Hall pawed out some strikes. He landed a left. Just lots of moving back and forth and so very little happening. Santos landed a nice leg kick, left hook combo. Hall threw a spinning jump kick that grazed the body. Hall's tentativeness continues to be a disappointment. He caught a kick and dropped Santos, but let him right back up after a punch. Santos landed another leg kick. Hall missed another spinning kick. Santos went high with a kick and it was blocked. Hall shook his head but he's doing nothing at all himself. Hall slipped and popped up. He blocked a strike from Santos. Santos threw a spinning kick that grazed him. Hall threw a right hand that was countered. Hall rolled with a kick that missed. This fight is bad.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Santos. Hall doesn't have any offense here right now. He's walking and occasionally throwing while out of range. Santos not doing much more. But still, more.
-The doctor talked to Hall for awhile about his toe, but let him fight. He's limping, and it looks bad, but he's still fighting. The picture they showed looked like the bone was poked through like Jon Jones against Chael Sonnen, just the second toe instead of the big toe.
ROUND THREE: Lots of inaction through the first half of the round. Very little happening. Hall got in a spinning back kick to the body with two minutes left, then a double kick and a left hand. Rogan called this round the "Uriah Hall Show," but I'm not sure you can call five thrown strikes a "show." Santos threw a jumping kick that hit Hall in the groin and he was given five minutes to recover. After the restart, Santos scored a takedown. Hall tried for a kimura but didn't have it on. Santos ended the round with a couple of strikes. Just so little happening in this fight outside of the broken toe.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-10. Hall's minimal offense, Santos' takedown. that's what we had that round.
WINNER: Hall via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
STAR RATING: (*) Awful fight with very little happening. Even worse decision. Fight should have been stopped as the bone was sticking out of Hall's toe. All sorts of stuff wrong with that one.
MAIN CARD FIGHT THREE: RONDA ROUSEY VS. ALEXIS DAVIS (WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP)
ROUND ONE: Rousey opened with a few strikes. Davis landed a strike. Rousey landed a huge right hand, landed a knee to the face, Rousey pulled off a nasty throw, and just peppered her with right hands. Davis went out and came to during the strikes. She tried to grapple with the ref after he stepped in to stop it. Wow! On replay, her hands went limp.
WINNER: Rousey via KO at :16 of the first round
STAR RATING: (****) Yeah, it was 16 seconds. 16 fantastic seconds. Rousey's just so far ahead of the rest of the pack at 135 lbs. right now.
-Joe Rogan asked Rousey after if she'd step up to fight on Aug. 2 after Aldo-Mendes was called off. Rousey said she's scheduled to get a minor knee surgery but she'd check with her coaches. Dana looked pissed off that it was asked afterward and seemed to say it isn't happening. That card may not happen anymore. The truck asked Rogan to ask the question, so someone's in the dog house on that end.
MAIN EVENT FIGHT FOUR: CHRIS WEIDMAN VS. LYOTO MACHIDA (MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP)
ROUND ONE: Weidman took the center and threw a spinning kick but Machida was out of range. But of a feeling out process on the range early here. "Machida" chant hits the crowd. Weidman playing the aggressor early, but not over-engaging. Machida landed a hard body kick and Weidman shot in. Machida stuffed it and turned him around. Weidman pushed him off. Weidman landed an inside leg kick. He connected to the body. Weidman landed a combination and Machida circled around the cage. Machida tried to counter a kick. Machida avoided kicks from Weidman. Weidman kept up the pressure and didn't let Machida get his timing on the outside. Weidman barely missed a right hand at the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Weidman. Strong round for the Champion. Pressing Machida down continuously and avoiding the counters.
ROUND TWO: Machida opened with an inside leg kick. He circled to the center. Machida switched stances and threw a front kick. Weidman blocked it and walked him down. Machida avoided a couple of right hands. He tried to pop in. Weidman rushed in and grazed Machida with a couple of strikes. Machida landed a nice counter left. He landed a hard body kick after avoiding a strike. Weidman connected on the leg kick. They traded body kicks. Machida just missed a right hand as he stepped in. Weidman threw a jumping kick that just pressed Machida back a bit. Machida landed a punch to the body. Machida went high with a kick but it was blocked. Machida landed the overhand left but Weidman backed up enough. Weidman shot in and scored a takedown at the cage. Weidman landed some strikes on the ground as Machida rolled to a knee. Machida got to his feet. Weidman grabbed a headlock and landed a knee. They clinched to the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Weidman. Machida was starting to get in some good strikes there in the round and Weidman turned it back in his favor with the takedown and some strikes there.
ROUND THREE: Weidman pressed in and landed a jab. Machida threw some strikes that were blocked. Weidman shot but Machida stepped out of it. Machida landed a couple of kicks to the body. Weidman continued to walk him down, but Machida popped in with a couple of strikes. Machida stuffed another takedown attempt. Weidman connected on a right hand, then shot in and scored a takedown. Machida worked well defensively and Weidman was a bit neutralized. Machida rolled and got to his feet. Weidman threw a knee but it didn't land flush and Machida escaped. Weidman landed a combination as he backed Machida up. He had Machida continuously circling. He landed a big right hand and Machida was cut. He landed another combination and kept Machida backed up. Machida got in a knee to the body but Weidman shot in and took him down. Machida turned to his knees again. Weidman landed strikes to the side of the head. Machida got to his feet, but Weidman picked him up and slammed him back down, landing more strikes. Weidman got in some strikes to the back of the head as Machida escaped to his feet. Machida threw a kick that was blocked at the horn.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Weidman. He's proving just how good he is tonight. Not sure we've seen Machida manhandled like that outside of Jon Jones rocking him and choking him out.
ROUND FOUR: Weidman kept the pressure on, cutting off the cage and stalking. Machida landed a couple of hard kicks to the body, but Weidman stayed on him. Weidman landed a couple of strikes. Machida landed another hard kick. He landed a combination. Weidman came right back. Weidman shot in but Machida fought him off to the cage. Weidman stayed on the attempt but Machida broke out. Back to the body for Machida. Weidman landed a left hook. Machida landed a big left hook. But Weidman kept coming forward. Machida landed another left. Weidman's slowed down off those two punches. Machida landeda right. He connected at the cage and had him hurt. He stayed patient. He went high with the kick but missed. He landed a hard body kick. Another to the body. Machida with another left hand. Weidman stood in front of him. Machida with another left. Machida landed a right, stuffed a takedown, and fired another strike. the challenger back in this fight. Big "Machida" chant again. He threw a straight kick. Weidman pressed in but Machida avoided and landed a body kick. Weidman shot in and got stuffed. Machida landed another combination. He pressured in and missed a cartwheel kick. Weidman threw a knee and Machida landed another left at the horn. This fight ain't over, folks.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Machida. A knockdown would have made it a 10-8, but we've got a fight here into the fifth round.
ROUND FIVE: Machida landed an inside leg kick after stuffing a takedown. He landed a body kick. Machida pressed in with a combination. He landed a front kick. Weidman tried to press him back, but he circled and moved back in. Weidman missed a kick and Machida countered with a left. Machida landed a big left hand. He stuffed another takedown attempt. He landed a few strikes at the cage. Machida landed a right hand. Weidman landed a right hand and pressed in. Machida landed a right and they traded strikes. Weidman missed a kick but landed a right hand counter. Machida missed a couple of strikes as Weidman landed a leg kick. Weidman got in a knee. He landed a hard elbow. Machida fired back and they traded strikes. Weidman landed a left and Machida fired back. Weidman shot in and scored the takedown with just over a minute and a half left. He landed a hard elbow. Weidman got Machida's back with both hooks in. Weidman flattened him out. Machida escaped, but he's run out of time now. He got to his feet and broke free with only 25 seconds left. Machida landed a right hand. He landed a big flurry. He landed a huge flurry again at the cage but it wasn't enough. Holy shit that fight.
Penick's Scorecard: 10-9 Weidman. Wouldn't be upset at 10-9 Machida, but that is Weidman's fight regardless. Nice response after letting Machida back in during the fourth round. Fantastic fight.
WINNER: Weidman via unanimous decision (49-45, 48-47, 49-46)
STAR RATING: (****+) The first ten minutes were a bit slow and methodical, but the final 15 minutes were as good as it gets. Weidman looked like he was walking away with the fight in the third, then Machida had him hurt in the fourth, and they were both doing everything they could to win in the fifth. Incredible finish down the stretch and that's going to stick around as a top "Fight of the Year" candidate for sure.
-The broadcast went backstage to show Ronda Rousey, who got several stitches in her hand. Somehow got a nasty gash on one of the knuckles of her right hand, so even if the UFC had any intention of getting her to August 2 - and to be clear it seems they don't - she's not fighting in a month.
-Thanks for sticking with us here in the live report tonight! The weekend's action isn't over yet, either, as we'll be back with live coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale and B.J. Penn vs. Frankie Edgar tomorrow night, plus lots more reaction!
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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