This was one of the best ppv in a long time. The xcitment around this was insane.
UFC 57: Couture vs. Liddell 3 Play by Play Results
by Cbear, February 4, 2006
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From the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Show opens with a silent graphic tribute to Carlson Gracie.
Diaz vs. Riggs is up first. Riggs is looking quite a bit bigger than Diaz.
Nick Diaz (170 lbs) vs. Joe Riggs (169.5 lbs)
Round 1: Good stand up and grappling by both. Fast takedown with Riggs in the guard but they are back up in the standing clinch. Riggs throws Diaz off and they circle. Diaz presses the action with Riggs circling and countering. Riggs lands some nice short punches and a knee or two. Diaz might have a bloody nose and seems much stronger. Diaz traps him on the fence standing and lands a huge shot to Riggs' face. They hit the ground with Diaz looking for the submission and he lands another huge punch to Riggs. Diaz clowns some with the swinging arms and he looks like a lion. Riggs lands a nice punch and they circle. Both landing punches, but Diaz seems to be hurting Riggs more. They are saying Riggs is 30 lbs heavier than at the weigh in--and he looks it. Diaz and Riggs circle around the octagon. Diaz is looking fresher. Both throw hay makers that miss. Riggs lands a few short punches while Diaz continues to push the action. Diaz on top in Riggs guard as Riggs tries to tie him up. Diaz goes for the ribs while Riggs throws from the bottom. End round 1.
Charles Barkley is shown in audience.
Round 2: Diaz is bleeding from the face. Diaz is pressing the action. Nick has Riggs leg looking for takedown but doesn’t get it. Riggs lands big punches to Diaz face but he counters with a knee. Diaz has a rock hard chin and Riggs is holding up well too. Riggs landing some big punches but Diaz counters nicely. Diaz cut under right eye. Riggs is starting to gas. Nice left high kick by Diaz. They are both punching hard and countering. Diaz is walking through punches looking for the opening. Diaz is bleeding from the forehead in the Ric Flair position. They hit the ground and Diaz working for the sub. Diaz loses a triangle and Riggs drops an elbow. Riggs punches are doing more damage but Diaz isn’t even feeling it. Diaz goes for knee bar but loses it. Riggs doing ok with elbow and had Diaz bleeding but it’s only a matter of time till Diaz subs him.
Paris Hilton is in the audience.
Round 3: Diaz bloody but looks much fresher than Riggs. Riggs keeps looking up--at the clock? Clinch at the fence, they separate and circle in the middle. Diaz presses but Riggs lands a punch. Riggs keeps looking for the big haymaker KO but Diaz either slips them or eats them and comes right back. My money is on Riggs gassing and Diaz subbing him. I think the fight is a bit more even than Rogan is making it--he says Diaz is dominating. I've got Diaz ahead but not a blowout. Riggs seems to be clinching to hold on at the 2 minute mark while Diaz presses. Punch counterpunch but slowing down. Nice right by Riggs but Diaz doesn’t blink. Looking like a decision fight at 1 minute left. ON the ground, back up. Riggs landing more punches in rd 3 but he looks like he needs oxygen. Nice Van Damme kicks by Diaz but Riggs answers with a kick.
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Joe Riggs wins the unanimous decision. (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
The Ultimate Fighter boys are shown in the crowd with their Xyience tee shirts.
Now they have celebrities giving their picks for Liddell vs. Couture.
Renato "Babalu" Sobral (205 lbs) vs. Mike Van Arsdale (205 lbs)
Babalu looks like a semi-dead zombie ready to eat horse shoes and spit out nails. Mike looks almost collegiate in comparison.
Round 1: Carefully feeling each other out. Babalu clutches on the fence as Mike watches the knee. They are holding each other. Babalu throws small knees. Referee breaks them apart for lack of action. Mike punches and Babalu answers with a kick. Clinch on the fence and they hit the ground. Mike in side control but Babalu gets his side/back and drops a fist. Double underhooks at the 2 minute mark, Mike is in a choke. Mike is in a very dangerous situation. Babalu lets go but and gets a rear naked choke locked in for the win at approximately 3 minutes of the 1st round.
Renato "Babalu" Sobral wins by rear naked choke submission.
Babalu called for a shot at the belt and no doubt he is next in line for the winner of Chuck/Randy. Rogan interviews Babalu. I can't understand a thing Babalu is saying but he wants the belt.
Mir vs Cruz next.
Footage of Chuck warming up. Randy is warming up looking half Chucks age.
Recap of Frank Mir to remind fans who he is. Mir says he wants Arlovski. Cruz says Mir picked the wrong guy to make a comeback against. Mir was huge at the weigh in and I suspect he will step in the cage close to 270. Mir hasnt fought since June of 2004.
Cruz out first and looks very tall and gangly. He trains with Babalu and has lots of wins despite only 1 mma fight. The feed for this ppv sucks, its blinked several times.... Mir walks out very calm and looks like a WWE wreslter with his bulk. Gassing is his question mark.
Frank Mir (257 lbs) vs. Marcio Cruz (233 lbs)
Round 1: Mir punches and Cruz goes for Mir’s leg. Mir eats some punches. Drop to the ground as Mir drops a shot but Cruz keeps going for the right leg. Mir on ground going for arm bar while Cruz drops rib punches. Cruz gets lose and is in Mir’s half guard and opens Mir’s left eyebrow bleeding. Mir bloody and cant see very well. Ref stop to check cut on Mir left eye. Mir looks like Ric Flair bleeding all over the place. Frank can’t see out of his left eye but says he will fight. They restart in same position. Bloodbath as Cruz elbows the cut. Mir is getting torn up--blinking hard like he can’t see. Mir eats every punch and trying for an arm. Mir eats several elbows and strikes. Cruz wins rd 1 by a huge margin. They need to stop the fight. Mir isn’t doing anything but bleeding. Referee Herb Dean should NOT let this keep going. It’s over....Mir’s face is a crimson mask of gore. Looks like a 2" cut right on the left eyebrow. Cruz wins by ground and pound and crowd hates it.
Marcio Cruz wins by referee stoppage.
Randy’s mouthpiece says "Natural" while Rogan calls him his hero. Chuck Liddell's team clowns for the camera where Hackleman falls down after Chucks hits the bag. Both guys seem very loose and relaxed.
Props to the UFC for keeping the show moving quickly .Liddell will appears on the new Blade television show starring Kirk "Sticky" Jones on Spike TV.
Brandon "The Truth" Vera (226 lbs) vs. Justin Eilers (232 lbs)
Round 1: Eilers connects with two punches as Vera clinches on fence. Vera hangs on, they both hang on, the fence hangs on, and referee Mario Yamasaki hangs on...the crowd is tired of hanging on. Thank god for the referee break. Low kicks by Vera as Eilers eats them. Left high kick ala Cro Cop has killed Eilers. Holy cow Eilers isn’t moving.
Vera cuts a promo that is pretty funny and the crowd likes it. He’s coming back for sure. Eilers now has been TWICE knocked out for the highlight reel where he does the Ric Flair face first canvas kiss. Wow.
Vera won't shut up and crowd loves it. He’s getting married tomorrow and invites the entire crowd to the wedding! Great mic work by a young guy and the crowd is eating it up. His fiancée does a run in on the ring as Rogan now interviews her. She’s even a better interview than Liddell. What a crazy, funny, great interview. Hell, if I was in Vegas, I'd hit their wedding too.
They are going to show Monson vs. Hinkle next. Good move.
Jeff Monson (239 lbs) vs. Brandon Lee Hinkle (206 lbs)
Round 1: They immediately hit the ground and squirm around. Monson is on top with Hinkle against the fence. No real striking yet as they are bulling each other. Monson in side control as Hinkle tries not to eat knees. Reversals with Hinkle on top--nice! Unfortunately, neither guy seems to know a submission or what to do once they gain control. No damage at all from either guy with minimal ground n pound. It’s a wrestling match. Back up as Monson eats a punch but throws Hinkle off like its nothing. Clinch at fence as Hinkle grabs a guillotine but it’s broken up. Monson back on top as Hinkle loses the mouthpiece. Monson has been in control the most and leads. Monson had an arm but doesn't seem to know how to do an arm bar. Hinkle bloody nose as Monson gets a neck choke. Hinkle is choked unconscious! Monson wins in round 1 due to neck choke that looked to me similar to the Anaconda. Hinkle is pissed and jumped up like he is going to keep fighting but is waved off. Once again the Hammer House does a world class job in teaching fighters how to get subbed. Congrats to Jeff Monson--dead ringer for old Brute Bernard from the wrasslin' world.
Main event is next.
Chuck Liddell (204 lbs) vs. Randy Couture (203 lbs
Randy Couture walks out first to ACDC's "Thunderstruck" with Arlovski behind him. The crowd is deafening! No BS, this is one of those Rocky moments where even Herb Dean is smiling and patting Randy. Damn I hope the old man can pull it out one more time. What a history making event that would be.
Chuck out next to another loud crowd ovation--and some crappy ass Undertaker type music. Chuck desperately needs better music. He does his hip hop non-rhythmic dance to the ring. Maybe I'm prejudiced but the ovation doesn't seem as loud as Randy’s. Now the crowd lights up as Chuck enters the cage (but they died on his crappy music intro). Chuck would be better served to dish up Nugent's Stranglehold than his current stuff.
Both guys look very good and rd 1 next.
Round 1: Randy is grinning and Chuck is serious. Ken Shamrock is at ringside. Man, I can't believe the great crowd ovation for Randy. Chuck does the X arm sign for Xyience (I'm not kidding) and gets a good crowd response. Tito Ortiz is at ringside.
Here we go!!!!!!!!
They are circling in the center with Randy stalking. Crowd chanting huge for Randy and nothing has happened. Chuck feels out Randy with short lefts and Randy covers up. Randy lands a left jab. Both fighters are tentative and measuring up. Chuck throws a miss. Randy is covering up high. Chuck misses a jab, Randy misses a right. Right by Randy, no damage. Left by Randy, no damage. Chuck misses uppercut. Both are patient as crowd chants for Randy. Chuck lands a right. Randy is not shooting in, but is boxing tight like the first fight. Left by Randy. Left kick by Chuck. Chuck feints hoping randy comes in; Randy does and lands a right. Both tag each other, Chuck lands a big uppercut and Randy takes Chuck down! Chuck bounces right back up, but has Chuck in side contr4ol on the fence! Crowd chanting Randy huge.
Randy is bleeding badly. No punch looked bad but there is blood all over Chuck from Randy. End round 1, and I give rd 1 to Randy. Small cut over Randy's left eye.
Round 2: Now crowd chants for Chuck.
Randy lands a right as Chuck circles the outside. Nice left by Randy, big right by Chuck. Chuck has landed a couple of hard hands in the fight but Randy hasn't flinched. Randy is down and out. Chuck lands a huge punch just like the second fight and finishes it on the ground. Chuck wins in round 2 by KO. Randy slipped while shooting in, Chuck nailed a hard right hand and finished it on the ground.
Randy is retiring tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy cow...... He is hanging up the gloves. The crowd is going nuts for him. Once again Randy cuts a great promo (while Chuck just thanked sponsors). Randy has a full ring thanking him.
Paul Buentello (254 lbs) vs. Gilbert Aldana (257 lbs)
Aldana looks like the kind of guy you do not want to run into at the corner bar. Buentello looks like he always does but gets points for coming out to the Pulp Fiction speech by Sam Jackson about calling down the fury of the lord.
Round 1: Spinning back kick by Buentello, but Aldana closes and it’s a slug fest! This is a slobber knocker with both throwing huge punches and a few knees. Huge left high kicky Buentello and he pushes Aldana down. Buentello standing as Aldana gets back up. Another spinning back kick by Buentello as Aldana tired but they threw bombs. Another left high kick by Buentello lands but Aldana can take them. The beer drinking slobber knocker fans should love this one. Aldana falls down throwing a haymaker but back up. Another left high kick by Buentello (makes 3) but Aldana nails Buentello or he slips....but on ground with Aldana on top. These guys might need oxygen if it makes it to the bell. Aldana gets Buentello back but loses it. Standing clinch. Wow, these guys are eating everything. Another spinning back kick by Buentello and he is getting uppercuts. Blood from someone. Rd one ends with Aldana bleeding from face. Buentello wins the round but Aldana might be Cabbage part 2 on taking a whipping and still swinging for the rafters. Not bad for a slugfest.
Round 2: More spinning back kicks by Buentello and Aldana is gassed but clinching. Aldana lands some punches but is tired. Arm bar attempt by Buentello fails. Buentello looks for a submission but keeps losing it. Aldana eats several elbows to the ribs and the referee stops it. Buentello dominated but Aldana was wayyyyyyy tougher than he expected. Aldana wasn't going to quit.
Buentello cuts promo 3 levels better than Liddell. It is turning out that Chuck might be the only guy who can't cut a decent promo anymore. Buentello gives big props to Arlovski yet still gets himself over. That was a smart promo and he gets 3rd place on tonight’s mic award--behind Vera and his fiancée.
End of the pay per view. 7 fights shown, 3 good mic segments and a legend retires.
OTHER PRELIMINARY BOUTS:
- Mike Whitehead (206 lbs) defeated Keith Jardine (206 lbs) by unanimous decision after 3 rounds.
- Alessio Sakara (205 lbs) defeated Elvis Sinosic (205 lbs) by unanimous decision after 3 rounds.
