By: William Holmes
The UFC’s makes their long awaited return to England with a main event of Chris Leben against the Philippine Wrecking Machine Mark Munoz in a middleweight affair. English natives Brad Pickett and Terry Etim also will be looking for victories to make their country proud, and as usual the UFC tries to put European fighters in their events in England as Cyrille Diabate and Papy Abedi are also featured on the main card. The crowd in Birmingham, England looks packed and excited as the action
Terry Etim (14-3) vs. Eddie Faaloloto (5-2); Lightweight
Round 1:
The crowd is chanting Etim’s name, and Etim lands a spinning back fist and locks Faaloloto in a very tight guillotine and gets the tap. Etim with a very quick submission victory over Faaloloto and gets the crowd revved up. Impressive guillotine submission victory for Etim.
Terry Etim wins by 0:17 in round one by tapout due to a guillotine choke in the first round.
Cyrille Diabate (17-7-1) vs. Anthony Perosh (11-6); Light Heavyweight
Round 1:
Perosh and Diabate come out and touch gloves. Perosh is circling towards Diabate’s right. Diabate throws out a push kick and a two punch combination but Perosh stays just out of range. Diabate lands a left hand while lunging forward and stunds Perosh. Diabate comes forward with a three punch combination and lands a right hand. Perosh looks for a takedown but Diabate moves out of the way. Perosh already has a cut from one of Diabate’s punches. Diabate lands a left kick to the body. Perosh hits Diabate with a left hook as he comes in. Perosh shoots in on a single leg but Diabate easily avoids the takedown. Perosh lands a straingt right hand and Diabate lands two punches to Perosh and Perosh pulls guard. Diabate lands some blows from top position and lets Perosh get back to his feet. Diabate lands a hard left kick to the body of Perosh, but Perosh gets the takedown and gets side control on Diabate. Perosh is in side control on Diabate with head and arm control. Diabate is able to lock Perosh in half guard. Perosh lands two right hands to Diabate’s head from top position. Perosh momentarily postures up and throws a few punches but doesn’t connect. 10-9 round for Diabate.
Round 2:
Diabate lands an early knee to the body of Perosh. Perosh shoots in for a double leg takedown but Diabate is able to sprawl out and avoid it. Diabate lands a two punch combination but Perosh ducks under and gets a takedown. Perosh in the full guard of Diabate and Diabate lands some strikes from his back. Perosh gets full mount on Diabate. Diabate begins to squirm and Perosh lands some ground and pound. Perosh gets the back of Diabate and locks in a choke, but Diabate is able to turn towards the choke and avoid the submission. Perosh loses back control and lands some strikes from the bottom. Perosh back from side control into full mount. Perosh locks in an arm triangle, but is unable to close it off. Perosh lands some more ground and pound from the top, and Diabate gives up his back again. Perosh raining down right and left hands on Diabate with back control. Perosh locks in a rear naked choke and gets the tapout. Excellent ground work by Perosh.
Anthony Perosh wins by tapout due to a rear naked choke 3:09 of round 2.
Thiago Alves(18-8) vs. Papy Abedi (8-0); Welterweight
Round 1:
Abedi and Alves come out to the center of the octagon and Alves lands a leg kick and a body kick. Alves lands a straight right hand and an inside leg kick. Alves throws a left hook and a straight right but misses. Abedi throws a straight right hand but misses. Alves lands an outside leg kick, and follows it up with another one. Abedi lands a straight right hand and a straight left hand, and gets Alves clinched and lands a vicious elbow strike. Abedi lands a knee to the body of Alves. Alves lands a knee to the body and seperates from the clinch. Abedi lands an inside leg kick, and Alves answers with a straight right hand, and lands a hard right kick to the body of Abedi. Alves throws a high kick but is partially blocked, but Alves lands an inside leg kick. Alves lands a superman punch, and Abedi answers with a straight right hand. Alves throws an overhand right but Abedi ducks under it and gets a clinch. Alves lands two straight right hands and a left hook that hurts Abedi. Abedi falls to the ground and Alves gets full mount and begins to rain down some hard ground and pound. Abedi is holding on for dear life and is cut badly on his forehead. Abedi gives up his back and Alves locks in a rear naked choke and gets the tap. Alves was able to weather some heavy strikes from Abedi and get the victory.
Alves wins by tapout due to a rear naked choke at 3:32 of round 1.
Brad Pickett (20-5) vs. Renan “Barao” (26-1); Bantamweight
Round 1:
Barao lands an early inside leg kick, and they exchange furiously and Barao catches Picket with a few solid shots. Barao throws a spinning back kick that glances, and Barao lands a straight left hand and anoutside leg kick. Pickett catches Barao with some hard punches. Pickett lands a quick jab. Barao rushes in with a front kick but misses. Barao lands a body kick on Brad Pickett. The crows begins to loudly chant Pickett’s name. Pickett lands an overhand right. Barao shoots in but Pickett is able to stuff it. Barao lands a jab and a left hook. Barao lands a push kick. Pickett lands another quick jab. Barao lands another jab and an inside leg kick. Pickett throws an uppercut to the body and momentarily loses his balance. Pickett lands a solid body shot. Pickett lands a two punch combination. Barao lands a right cross to the body. Pickett lands an overhand right. Barao throws a beautiful combination and connects with a straight right hand at the end. Barao lands a very hard knee and follows it up with some vicious ground and pound. Barao rushes in and takes the back of Pickett. Pickett trying to fight off the choke attempts of Barao and Barao locks in a seemingly tight choke. Barao forces Pickett to tape with a rear naked choke. Very impressive showing for Barao, and he dominated a top ten contender for the bantamweight title.
Renan Barao wins by tapout due to a rear naked choke at 4:09 of round 1.
Chris Leben (22-7) vs. Mark Munoz (11-2); Middleweight
Round 1:
Leben comes out and takes the center of the octagon and Munoz is on the outside. Munoz lands an early inside leg kick. Munoz ducks under a Leben punch and takes Leben down. Leben tries to lock in a guillotine but Munoz is able to get his head out. Munoz is in the half guard of Chris Leben. The crowd in England begins to chant Leben’s name. Munoz lands two hard kidney shots to Leben while on the ground. Leben gets back to his feet and Munoz lands some hard body punches while clinched. Munoz in on an outside single leg and Leben lands some short shots. Munoz lands a straight right hand but Leben gets the takedown. Leben tries to land some ground and pound but Munoz gets back to his feet. Leben lands some hard right hands from the clinch. Munoz’s back is against the cage but her reverses position and lands some body shots. The fighters separate and go back to the center of the octagon. Leben pushes forward and gets into a clinch with Munoz. Leben lands some short body shots, and Leben catches a knee attempt from Munoz and drops him. Munoz gets back to his feet and takes Leben down. Munoz is in the half guard of Chris Leben, and lands two short left hands. Munoz lands two hard body shots and two hard head shots. Leben back to his feet and Munoz gets Leben in a front headlock. Munoz lands three to four very hard right hands on the chin of Chris Leben, but Leben acts like it doesn’t affect him at all. Leben looks tired and is taking deep breaths. Lots of action in round 1, 10-9 for Munoz.
Round 2:
Fighters touch gloves at the start of round 2. Munoz throws an overhand right that partially connects and Leben misses with an uppercut. Munoz misses with a left hook and Leben comes forward with a combination. Munoz has a body clinch locked in and takes Leben down. Munoz lands some hard body shots from the top position. Munoz lands several hard right hands from in the guard of Chris Leben. Leben has blood coming out of the side of his face, but Leben gets back to his feet. Munoz has a clinch on Leben agaist the cage and takes him down again. The crowd is chanting the name of Leben again, but Munoz silences the crowd with some more heavy ground and pound. Munoz lands some more hard right hands to the head of Chris Leben. Munoz lands some short left hands, but Leben gets to his feet and takes the neck of Mark Munoz and is trying to work a choke. Leben loses the choke and Leben’s face is streaming blood. Doctor comes in to check the eye of Chris Leben and Leben tells the referee that he can see. Leben comes forward and throws a body kick and three punches. Leben is looking for the guillotine choke again, but Munoz shrugs him off and takes full mount on Leben. Munoz lands some very hard body punches on Leben and another very hard right hand. Munoz back into full mount position and lands some more ground and pound. 10-9 round for Munoz.
Round 3:
Chris Leben fails to come out and answer the bell for round 3, as he tells his corner that he can’t see out of his left eye. Munoz wins by TKO at 5:00 of round 2.
