GSP attacks Hardy's arm to keep the 170lbs belt. Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa
Despite Shane Carwin’s jaw-dropping knockout of Frank Mir, grappling marked UFC 111 this Saturday in New York. George St-Pierre demonstrated a well-refined Jiu-Jitsu game, while Ricardo Almeida, Kurt “Batman” Pellegrino and Rousimar Toquinho came up with clinical finishes. The big winner was Renzo Gracie, whose toothy smile said it all, as he watched on from ringside.
Arm of rubber
Georges St. Pierre’s superiority on the ground was apparent throughout his five rounds against Dan Hardy, ending in a unanimous decision. However, what marked the welterweight-title dispute was the elasticity of Hardy’s arms. In the first round the Englishman survived a cringe-worthy armbar. He also impressed with his resistance to the kimura lock in the fourth, which looked ready to snap. A Bruno Fernandes black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, GSP showed just how sharp his wrestling and BJJ are. He got the takedown in every which way and demonstrated polished ground skills. Hardy held in there, but he’ll have some sore arms. GSP, by the way, headed straight to locker room afterwards to practice submission adjustment with John Danaher.
Carwin takes a joy ride
Frank Mir dreamed of facing Brock Lesnar for a third time. He’ll have to wait. His fight with Shane Carwin was worth the interim belt and was thus scheduled for five rounds. It lasted but a few minutes, though. After getting pressed up against the fencing by Shane, Mir took a powerful punch and felt it. Carwin followed up with a merciless beating until the referee intervened, all in the very first round.
Pellegrino spot on
If the fight were to hit the ground, who would have said that the advantage would not be Fabrício Morango’s, a black belt from Gracie Humaita? Morango started better, applying a beautiful takedown and taking the local star’s back. But Ricardo Almeida’s former student rallied and prevailed. Batman mounted, choked and, after taking the back, finished off his Brazilian counterpart with a rear-naked choke. All in the second round.
Walk in the park for Fitch
Substituting Thiago Alves, who was vetoed by the athletic commission a few days before the event, Ben Saunders did his best to hold out against Jon Fitch. However, his enthusiasm and energy weren’t enough to win. Fitch came in and unleashed his striking and takedown power to punish his opponent from top position, dropping an onslaught of elbows in the final round. In the end he took a well-deserved victory by unanimous decision.
First-rate Jiu-Jitsu
Two Jiu-Jitsu black belts entered the octagon and left victorious. Rousimar Toquinho allowed Tomasz Drwal no breathing room, slapping on a heel hook 45 seconds into the affair. Ricardo Almeida, though, had a little more work to do, but also got the finish against Matt Brown, with a rear-naked choke in the second round. On the way to the submission hold, “Big Dog” adjusted a body triangle from Brown’s back that was key in his not losing the position. Great display of ground technique from both fighters in Jim Miller’s close victory over Mark Bocek.
Check out the complete results:
UFC 111
New Jersey, USA
March 27, 2010
-Georges St. Pierre defeated Dan Hardy via unanimous decision
-Shane Carwin defeated Frank Mir by TKO at 3:48min of R1
– Kurt Pellegrino submitted Fabricio Strawberry via rear naked choke at 4:20min of R2
-Jon Fitch defeated Ben Saunders via unanimous decision
-Jim Miller defeated Mark Bocek via unanimous decision
-Nate Diaz defeated Rory Markham by TKO (strikes) at 2:47, R1
-Ricardo Almeida submitted Matt Brown finished via rear-naked choke at 3:30 of R2
Rousimar Palhares submitted Tomasz Drwal via heelhook 0:45 min into R1
Jared Hamman defeated Rodney Wallace via unanimous decision
-Matt Riddle defeated Greg Soto by disqualification at 1:30 min of R3