Minotauro with his arm in a sling on his way to the hospital / Photo: Jorge Guimarães
The UFC returned to Toronto, Canada, this Saturday with a show for the ages.
In the UFC 140 main event of the evening, Jon Jones successfully defended his title against Lyoto Machida.
Lyoto looked to be in great form as he entered the octagon to try and recapture the light heavyweight title that was once his. Facing Jones, the karate stylist did well to evade his opponent’s strikes and close the distance landing some menacing flurries of punches on his lengthier opponent in the first round, even staggering him at one point. The strategy served him well until early in the second, when a big right hand from Jones found its mark and seemed to stun Machida, clearing the way for the champion to take the fight to the ground, where he landed an elbow that opened a gash on his Brazilian challenger’s forehead. After a brief pause for the doctor to check the cut, the fight was restarted and Jones landed another right that dropped his opponent on all fours, where the champion sunk a guillotine that ended with Machida choked unconscious while trying to defend on his feet up against the fencing.
Minotauro vs. Frank Mir
That the rematch between Rodrigo Minotauro and Frank Mir would be a thriller no one doubted, but no one could imagine it would be resolved in such impression fashion. After landing some strikes and a knee that dropped Mir, Minotauro followed up with punches, and it looked like the referee was going to step in at any moment. Suddenly the Brazilian black belt decided to stop punching and try finishing with a guillotine – a poor choice, as the hold didn’t stick and the kimura armlock Mir countered with did. Besides breaking the Brazilian’s arm, Mir earned the distinction of being the first and only person ever to get Minotauro to tap out. The first time they met, Mir became the first man ever to knock out the star from the days of Pride FC.
Minotouro vs. Tito Ortiz
This week here on GRACIEMAG.com you read about how Rogério Minotouro was confident he would get the knockout against Tito Ortiz, and it wasn’t that the Brazilian totally overwhelmed the “Bad Boy” of old. Tito did start out well, managing to land a hook that staggered his opponent. But Minotouro wouldn’t give his foe a chance to build on it, as he found his range and landed solid strikes and a knee that crumpled Ortiz to the ground, where Rogério followed up by mixing up shots to the body and face, until the referee stepped in because Tito was unable to defend.
Main card
Mark Hominick was coming off a loss to José Aldo at UFC 129, and he added another one to his record at UFC 140, against Chan Sung Jung. Practically at the sound of the opening bell, the South Korean Jung rocked Hominick with a straight punch to the chin, before firing off another two that put the Canadian’s lights out, obliging Herb Dean to step in just seven seconds into the bout. In the other main card fight, Brian Ebersole beat Claude Patrick by split decision.
Under card
While there was no shortage of excitement in the fights on the main card, the under card was spectacular itself. The seasoned Dennis Hallman, with over 60 career fights, took on John Makdessi, and this time he left his blue Speedo at home. Now fighting at lightweight, Hallman took Makdessi down and soon landed a rear-naked choke that ended the encounter two minutes and 58 seconds into the opening round. Another to walk through his opponent on the night was Constantinos Philippou. The Greek landed a series of strikes that dismantled Jared Haman, and he followed up with a massacre on the ground until the ref stepped in. Now Croatia’s Igor Prokrajac needed just 35 seconds to pound Krzysztof Soszynski unconscious.
UFC 140
Toronto, Canada
December 10, 2011
Main card:
Jon Jones submitted Lyoto Machida via guillotine in R2;
Frank Mir submitted Rodrigo Minotauro via kimura in R1;
Rogério Minotouro defeated Tito Ortiz via TKO in R1;
Brian Ebersole defeated Claude Patrick via split decision;
Chan Sung Jung defeated Mark Hominick via KO in R1.
Under card:
Igor Pokrajac defeated Krzysztof Soszynski via KO in R1;
Constantinos Philippou defeated Jared Hamman via KO in R1;
Dennis Hallman defeated John Makdessi via rear-naked choke in R1;
Yves Jabouin defeated Walel Watson via split decision;
Mark Bocek defeated Nik Lentz via unanimous decision;
Jake Hecht defeated Rich Attonito via TKO in R2;
John Cholish defeated Mitch Clarke via TKO in R2.