The Ultimate Fighting Championship runs its first event in Washington, DC Saturday night, headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Title fight between champion Dominick Cruz and challenger Demetrious Johnson. It is the first UFC title fight on free television since Quinton Jackson and Dan Henderson battled for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title in 2007. Cruz has a unique speed oriented striking attack while Johnson is another exceedingly quick athlete with a wrestling background.
Walel Watson vs. Joseph Sandoval
Sandoval is an undefeated prospect making his UFC debut. Watson is also making his UFC debut and has an 8-2 record.
Round 1. Watson lands a beautiful right head kick that drops Sandoval. He pursues Sandoval around the cage with punches and kicks as Sandoval tries to get out of danger. Eventually Sandoval goes down again to a series of punches and the referee calls an end to the fight.
Winner: Walel Watson, TKO, round 1.
Josh Neer vs. Keith Wisniewski
Neer and Wisniewski are well traveled veterans of the sport. Neer sports a 4-6 record in the UFC and 31-10-1 overall MMA record. Wisniewski fought once for the UFC, lost, and proceeded to lose an additional four consecutive fights. His career at a high level appeared to be over, but he rallied to win his next six fights and earn another chance in the UFC.
Round 1. They trade punches at the start of the fight, with Wisniewski grabbing a clinch and throwing a few knees to Neer's body. Neer throws a series of punches to the body while Neer mostly targets the head with his punches. Neer pushes the action a little more as the fight progresses, although Wisniewski is able to counter effectively as well. Neer leads with his jabs and then throws big overhands that are mostly missing. Neer throws a pair of elbows from distance, an unusual tactic that finished a fight in Strikeforce last month. Neer connects with one of his big overhands and Wisniewski is bleeding. Neer continues to throw elbows from the standing position. Good round. 10-9 Neer.
Round 2. Neer throws a few jabs and snaps Wisniewski's head back with a straight right. Wisniewski clinches and Neer throws a few elbows while blocking any attempt at a takedown. Wisniewski continues to pursue a takedown unsuccessfully while Neer continues to use elbows. Wisniewski lands some heavy punches to the body and a big hook. However, Neer is bloodying his face badly with punches and elbows from close distance. Neer keeps throwing up short range elbows and mixes in some uppercuts. Wisniewski is bleeding very badly from the face. Neer loses his mouthpiece and they spend an inordinate amount of time trying to find it as it apparently slipped through the cracks at the corner of the Octagon. After action is started, Neer goes back to work with elbows from the clinch. Neer is taking Wisniewski apart with elbows against the cage and punches when they separate. Neer grabs a standing guillotine choke but can't get the submission as the round concludes. 10-8 Neer. The doctor stops the fight between rounds. Wisniewski's face was a complete mess.
Winner: Josh Neer, TKO, round 2.
In an amusing scene in the postfight interview, Joe Rogan asks Neer about saying between rounds that he suffered a broken rib. Neer denies saying this and Rogan says they have tape of it. Neer devotes the fight to his grandfather who is suffering from cancer.
Shane Roller vs. T.J. Grant
Roller is an exciting fighter to watch with solid wrestling and aggressive striking and submissions. Grant sports a 3-3 UFC record with some tough decision losses to high quality opposition.
Round 1. They start off tentatively. Roller lands a nice punch combination and Grant looks for a takedown. A wild scramble ensues with Grant ending up on top in side control. Roller scrambles out from under, takes top position, and looks to grab a guillotine from top position. He simultaneously tries to get out from Grant's half guard and retain top position. Grant works his way out and ends up on top in Roller's guard. Grant postures up and throws punches down from a high position, although it gives Roller the chance to answer with upkicks. Grant works into side control and throws some shoulder strikes and elbows. Grant is able to lock up one of Roller's arms and throw punches for the remainder of the round. Fun, competitive ground battle. 10-9 Grant.
Round 2. Grant lands a nice head kick that is partially deflected by Roller. Grant moves in with punches and lands a series of knees to the head that appear to stun Roller. Roller looks to take Grant down up against the fence. Roller gives it up and lands a nice uppercut. He goes back to it and connects with another two. Roller grabs a guillotine and looks to submit Grant as Grant slams him down. However, Grant gets out of the guillotine and passes guard. Grant looks to secure full mount but is unable to. Roller looks to work his way into top position and he manages to pull it off. Roller again looks for a guillotine choke from the top but Grant somehow manages to take his back and look for a rear naked choke. Grant then looks to extend an armbar as the round concludes. Very close round. 10-9 Grant.
Round 3. Grant lands the best punch of the round thus far about a minute in with a bit of a looping right hand. Roller pushes for a takedown. Roller gets it but Grant grabs a guillotine choke. Roller pops out his head and Grant immediately transitions to an armbar. Grant is able to extend it pretty well and the referee stops the fight. Roller protests the stoppage. The decision is announced as a verbal tapout, due to Roller screaming out, which is considered a submission. Roller claims he didn't cry out but was simply grunting trying to get out.
Winner: T.J. Grant, technical submission, round 3.
Mike Easton vs. Byron Bloodworth
This is a fight with particular local interest, as Easton is a DC native and considered a fighter on the rise. Easton gets a superstar reaction from the live crowd. Bloodworth is a UFC newcomer who failed to make weight for the fight yesterday. Easton has a huge cheering section with 1,000 Lloyd Irvin students buying tickets and showing up in matching black and green shirts. It's as large of a cheering section as you'll ever see at a UFC event. They immediately start chanting "Easton" loudly.
Round 1. Bloodworth throws a flying knee at the onset of the fight. Easton moves around a lot but doesn't throw much. Easton moves in with some hooks from close distance and then backs off. Bloodworth throws a kick to the body and then a kick to the leg. Bloodworth shoots for a takedown and moves Easton all the way across the Octagon looking to get it. Easton defends and pushes Bloodworth against the cage. The referee separates them. Easton lands a nice leg kick. He keeps pushing forward but he is throwing very little. Bloodworth looks for a takedown but doesn't come close. Close, bad round. 10-9 Bloodworth.
Round 2. Both men start off much more active, throwing punches and kicks in the center of the Octagon. Easton pushes Bloodworth back towards the cage and begins to circle him around the cage like in the first round. Easton throws a few snapping leg kicks to the thigh and chases Bloodworth down. Bloodworth looks for a takedown that is easily defended. Easton lands a nice hook to the jaw. Easton's confidence seems to be rising as he lands more leg kicks. Bloodworth lands a nice counterpunch as Easton walks in. Easton keeps throwing leg kicks while Bloodworth is mostly using jabs and straight punches. Easton loves mean mugging. Easton clinches against the cage and looks for a takedown but Bloodworth quickly reverses and presses Easton up against the cage. Easton lands some hard knees from the clinch, Bloodworth goes down, and Easton finishes the fight with punches. Easton was landing knees to the head. Bloodworth concentrated on those, at which point Easton went to the body with heavy knees and that's what ended Bloodworth's evening.
Winner: Mike Easton, TKO, round 2.
Michael Johnson vs. Paul Sass
Johnson was the runner up on the 12th season of the Ultimate Fighter. He has a wrestling background and natural strength, although he can fade as fights progress. Sass is an undefeated British fighter with eight wins in eleven fights via triangle choke.
Round 1. Sass doesn't mess around with the standup and immediately wildly shoots for a takedown. Johnson avoids the takedown and throws out a few jabs and straights to keep Sass at bay. He catches Sass with a big knee to the head as Sass is coming in. Sass tries to move in again and is caught with an uppercut. Sass tries to pull guard and go for straight takedowns. He just wants the fight on the ground. Sass is finally able to pull guard but Johnson looks to stand up. Sass grabs his ankle to keep him from getting up. Sass looks for a heel hook and finally gets the submission. Sass isn't well rounded, but he's got a dangerous ground game. Johnson limps to the back and his leg may be in bad shape.
Winner: Paul Sass, submission, round 1.
--Todd Martin
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