UFC 98 Live Post - Rashad Evans vs Lyoto Machida, May 23 (May 24, Manila Time)

24 May 2009  10:11am, Manila time

UFC 98 has begun ... at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  

Sean Sherk vs Frankie Edgar

10:13am Frankie Edgar is now being introduced ... now, Sean Sherk, former UFC lightweight champion, is introduced.

10:14am Start of Round 1. Head kick by Frankie Edgar.  The two box and wrestle ... they're now in the middle of the octagon, 3:37 remaining.  One, two combination by Frankie Edgar, 3:03 remaining. Leg kick by Frankie Edgar, 2:30 remaining.  Plenty of movement by Edgar. Left hook by Sean Sherk, 1:50 remaining.  Sean Sherk down, his neck held by Frankie Edgar, 1:06 remaining, Sherk stands up.  Nice kick by Frankie Edgar and a hook, ending the round.  Frankie Edgar wins Round 1.  

Round 2

10:22am Kick to the body by Frankie Edgar.  Knee to the body by Edgar, 3:30 remaining.  Leg kick by Edgar :227 remaining.  Combination by Edgar, 1:37 remaining.  Another combination by Edgar, 1:11.  Exchange with a combination by Edgar, apparent low kick by Edgar; 20 seconds, Edgar gets hit by returns with a right.  Frankie Edgar wins Round 2 as well.

Round 3

10:27am

Sherk becoming aggressive, takes Edgar Down, 4:15.  Frankie got up, 4:00.  Sherk now bleeding on the left brow.  Right straight by Edgar, 2:25.  Sherk with a knee.  Edgar shakes a Sherk takedown attempt, 1:57.  Sherk hits Edgar who responds with a combination, 0:50.  Combination by Sherk, 0:25.  10 seconds to go, Sherk attempts a takedown, gets caught with a guillotine attempt Frankie Edgar.  Frankie Edgar wins Round 3.

10:33am, 30-27 Frankie Edgar wins over Sean Sherk by unanimous decision, announced by Bruce Buffer. 

10:36am They're now showing Rashad Evans and ... Lyoto Machida.  I'm picking Lyoto Machida to win this historic fight because of his ability to avoid being hit. But Rashad Evans is one extremely talented fighter.  If he beats Machida, he becomes an instant legend.

1038am Matt Hughes is being shown in his locker room.  Now, Matt Serra is shown doing some calisthenics.

10:38am Evans and Macheda are shown having their hands taped.

Next fight, 10:39 am

Dan Miller vs.  Chael Sonnen

10:43am Sonnen now entering the octagon.  10:44 Bruce Buffer announcing the match and introducing the fighters, Miller first followed by Sonnen.

10:45am This fight is on.

Round 1

10:45am Exchange kicks.  Takedown by Sonnen, he;s now in a guillotine choke by Miller 4:15 he gets out of the guillotine, trying to ground and pound Miller, 3:55 remaining.

10:47am 3:32 fight still in the gound, Sonnel with an elbow, 3:12.   Successive shots by Sonnen, 3:02.  Side control by Sonnen with brutal elbows, 2:15.  Half guard, Sonnen landing punches, 1:51.  Elbows by Sonnen and big punches left and right, 1:00.  Half guard, 0:51.  Elbows, 0:29. Sonnen overpowering winner of Round 1.

Round 2

10:52am Knee by Miller, 4:42am.  Takedown by Sonnen, 4:23am, guillotine choke by Miller, Sonnen escapes, 4:03.  Miller now on his back 3:39. Elbow by Sonnen, 3:29.  Ground and pound ongoing, 2:35 although not as brutal as before but it is continuing.  1:57, triangle attempt by Miller, Sonnen gets out.  elbow by Sonnen, 1:16.  This round will finish with Miller on his back with Sonnen landing successive punches, the last a left hook.  Sonnen's overpowering performance continues, takes Round 2.

Round 3

10:55 Good combination by Miller but he's in the ground again, 4:22.  Successive Sonnen blows to the side of the body, 3:59.  Right elbow by Sonnen, 3:40.  Elbows by Sonnen again, 3:12.  The punishment continues, 2:20.  Left elbow to the face by Sonnen, 2:00.  It's all Sonnen in Round 3.  The one-sided contest ends, 11:03am.  

11:04am It will be a unanimous decision win for Chael Sonnen over Dan Miller and Bruce Buffer has just made that announcement.

Next fight

Xavier Foupa-Fokam vs. Drew McFedries

11:07am Xavier Foupa-Pokam is shown doing some dance moves and he's now entered the octagon, 11:09 am warming up.

11:09am Drew McFedries walking towards the octagon.  

11:11am Bruce Buffer introducing the fighters, Xavier "Professor X" Foupa-Pokam first then Drew "The Massacre" McFedries.

11:13am Round 1 is on

4:38 McFedries catches Pokam with punches, left and then a powerful right,  4:24am it's over, McFedries knocks out Xavier Foupa-Pokam.  

37 seconds into Round 1 and the massacre's all over.  Drew McFedries is one awesome hitter.

11:20am Rashad Evans shown warming up, headphones over his head.  Machida is shown just sitting.

11:21am

They're now showing the fight between Gusmao and Soszynski

Gusmao and Soszynski

Gusmao, front kick to the body.  3:01.  Inside leg kick, gusmao, 2:35. 2:08 left and a vicious right hook by Soszynski rocks Gusmao. Gusmao is knocked by what appears to me a straight right by Soszynski.  All of a sudden when Gusmao was apparently winning, he gets tagged and knocked out by Soszynski.

11:25am At 3:17 of the first round, its a knockout win by Kristof Soszynski over Gusmao.

11:26am Iron Mike Tyson, one of history's greatest boxing heavyweights, is shown to applause by fans.

Matt Hughes and Matt Serra

11:27am They're showing preliminaries of Matt Hughes and Matt Serra.

11:29am Matt Serra now walking towards the octagon. He's now in the octagon, 11:31am.

11:32am Future UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes is now approaching the octagon. He's now in the octagon, 11:34am.

11:36 Bruce Buffer is now annoucing the co-main event of the evening, Matt Serra first and then Matt Hughes.

11:38 Round 1

Fighters sizing each other, 4:24.  Matt Hughes is down 3:52 after being down before apparently by Matt Serra right hands.  The first knockdown is apparently because of a head butt.

The two are grappling, 3:00 remaining.  Inside leg kick Serra, 2:12.  Hughes takes Serra down, 1:35.  He's now trying a rear naked choke, 1:o5.  Serra pulls up, 0:37.  I believe Serra just barely won Round 1.

Round 2  11:44am

Left hand by Hughes start of round. Left hand by Serra, 4:17.  Grappling, 3:51, Serra now on his back... Serra still on his back, 1:19, elbow by Hughes ... punches by Hughes to Serra's face, 1:00 remaining.  Hughes attempting side control or a full mount.  Referee stand them up.  End of the round.  Clear Hughes win in Round 2.  

Round 3

Right hand by Hughes, 4:12 grappling, take down by Matt Hughes, 4:04.  Hughes left arm trapped 3:44.  Matt's arm is free, 3:12.  Hughes lifts Serra, escapes an arms bar.  Serra on his back, 2:07.  Referee stand them up, 1:35.  Hughes right hand to Serra's face, 1:20.  Serra takes down Hughes, 0:43.  Scores with a punch, Serra.  They embrace at the end of Round 3.

11:57am Serra might have won the fight with that takedown.

11:58am Bruce Buffer announces Matt Hughes the winner.

11:58am 

12:00 Joe Rogan interviewing Matt Serra. "I'm a positive person, I take my hat off to him," Matt Serra speaking of Matt Hughes.  This Matt Serra is a nice guy.

12:01 Rashad Evans still with headphones on and Machida now in a karate kimono doing so kicks.

12:04 They're showing voting by UFC fans Rashad Evans 36%  Lyoto Machida 64%. I go along with this fan vote, Machida to win. But as I said, if Rashad Evans wins, if he can catch the phantom Machida, he will secure for himself a name and a place in MMA legend.  That's a big if.

12:07pm Lyoto Machida in karate kimono with Brazilian colors approaching the octagon.  

12:09pm Machida enters the octagon.  6-0 in the UFC, 14-0 in MMA, Lyoto, "The Dragon" Machida.

12:10pm Here's Rashad Evans smiling approaching the octagon in a playful mood.

12:13pm Rashad Evans enters the octagon in a running crawl and now running around the octagon.

12:13pm Bruce Buffer announcing the UFC bout that will make MMA history.  12:14 Introducing the referees, physician and referee Mario Yamasaki.

12:15 Bruce Buffer, "It's time ... 5 rounds for the undisputed UFC light heavyweight championship of the world."   Lyoto Machida, the challenger is introduced first, 12:16pm then Rashad Evans, the reigning and defending champion, 12:16pm.

This could end quick.

12:17pm It's on.

Round 1

Southpaw stance Machida, 4:44.  No contact yet, 3:56.   Audience starting to get impatient, 3:25.  Kick to the face by Machida, 3:04.  Machida eludes punches by Evans, 2:50.  No contact again, 2:10.  Kick by Machida, 2:00.  Grapple, 1:24.  Evans down, 1:00.  He's up, 0:50.  Machida draws first blood. Kicks by Machida before end of first round. Several hits by Machida, no clear hit by Evans. Machida wins Round 1.

Round 2

Several shots by Machida, around 3:20.  left hand by Machida, 3:27.  Kick by Rashad to Machida's body, 2:12. EVans down, 1:26.  1:04 Lyoto Machida knocks out Rashad Evans.

We have just seen UFC history,  "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Machida era," says Joe Rogan, 12:28pm.  Against the Phantom Dragon, Rashad Evans' quickness evaporated.   

The replay shows Rashad Evans crumbling after a Lyoto Machida left hook.

12:30pm  Lyoto "The Phantom Dragon" Machida in a kimono is announced by Bruce Buffer as the new UFC light heavyweight champion of the world.  Joe Rogan is now interviewing him.

12:31pm "I'm very, very happy.  Thank you for my fans ... thank you for coming," says Lyoto Machida.

"Karate is back!  If you have a dream, go ahead!" shouts new UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, 12:32pm, "Thank you, Joe Rogan!"

 

Joe Rogan interviewing Rashad Evans, "I take my hat off to him," says Rashad Evans of Lyoto Machida.  "He has excellent timing... You have to keep going forward ... just smile ... maybe next time I'll do better," says Rashad Evans.  Dana White shakes Rashad Evans' hand.

UFC 98 is now history and as Joe Rogan predicted, "If Machida wins, expect karate to pick up."