| UFC 72 Results |
Cbssportsline.com reports - Former UFC middleweight champion Rich "Ace" Franklin survived a late scare against Yushin Okami in the main event of UFC 72 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Saturday. Franklin emerged with his second consecutive win since dropping the title, and the promise of another shot at the gold now held by Anderson Silva.
Okami (21-4-0 overall, 4-1 UFC) and Franklin (24-2-0, 9-1 UFC) spent the majority of the first two rounds circling and waiting to counterpunch. There was audible booing from the crowd due to lack of action. Franklin landed more strikes than Okami and appeared to have clearly won Rounds 1 and 2.
"He was trying to suck me into something big and counter it," Franklin said.
The pace picked up in Round 3 as Okami nearly won the fight with a tight kimura attempt. Franklin rolled through the kimura once to relieve the pressure on his shoulder and eventually slipped out of it and held on for the rest of the round.
Before the fight, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva confirmed that if Franklin defeated Okami, he would earn a rematch with UFC middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva and a chance to regain the title he lost in November 2006. Silva must first get past Nathan Marquardt, who will challenge for the belt at UFC 73 on July 7.
When UFC interviewer Joe Rogan asked Franklin about earning a shot at regaining the middleweight title, Franklin was very business-like in his response.
"If that’s what’s next, then that’s what’s next," Franklin said.
In the semi-main event, UFC crowd favorite Forrest Griffin returned to action for the first time since losing via knockout to Keith Jardine at UFC 66, and he also returned to the win column with a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) over Hector Ramirez.
Griffin used more strategy against Ramirez than he has been known for in past fights. After the loss to Jardine, Griffin said he had lost confidence in his chin, which resulted in changing his fight style for the better. Formerly known for barreling forward against his opponents and slugging it out, Griffin used plenty of combinations against Ramirez, and then retreated to make Ramirez chase him rather than standing toe to toe.
"I got knocked out in my last fight, and I’m kind of afraid now that I’m going to get knocked out some more," Griffin said after the fight. "He caught me with one decent shot, and I played hide-and-go-seek for the rest of the round."
The fans in Ireland cheered Griffin loudly during the fight. Griffin said the location of the fight might have helped him to victory.
"I’m Irish and I’m fighting in Ireland," he said. "I deserve a little bit of luck."
Griffin even returned to his wise-cracking ways after the fight, poking fun at himself for his newfound stick-and-move approach to the standup game.
"I want to thank Hector for coming out here and fighting me," Griffin said. "I know it’s hard to fight a guy that’s running from you."
Griffin and Ramirez duked it out while standing in Round 1, with Griffin landing better combinations — even mixing in some high kicks — and leading Ramirez into chasing him.
Griffin caught Ramirez with an accidental knee to the groin in Round 2, causing referee Herb Dean to allow Ramirez the mandatory five minutes to recover. Ramirez took only a fraction of the allowed time before the fight resumed. Like in Round 1, Griffin and Ramirez stood the entire time, with Griffin landing plenty of combinations and Ramirez, more often than not, chasing Griffin, who proved very adept at anticipating — and avoiding — Ramirez’s offense.
Griffin seemed close to putting Ramirez away near the end of the third round, but a weary Ramirez weathered the storm, losing via unanimous decision.
Also returning to the win column was Jason MacDonald, as "The Athlete" earned a TKO win over UFC reality series alum Rory Singer in Round 2, advancing his self-appointed legacy as "The TUF Killer."
Singer dominated MacDonald in Round 1 and appeared to have the fight under control, but MacDonald overwhelmed him in Round 2 with a ground-and-pound stoppage. MacDonald admitted after the fight that his Round 1 performance was underwhelming.
"I’m a bit of a slow starter," MacDonald said.
Singer came out aggressively in the first round, attempting takedowns and landing two knees before taking guard on the mat. Singer stood with MacDonald briefly before MacDonald slipped and Singer took control of his back, trying for a rear naked choke. The first round ended with Singer thwarting MacDonald’s attempt to pass guard and trying for a triangle choke.
The second round was a much different story, with MacDonald controlling Singer on the mat the entire round and eventually landing enough unanswered strikes to force the referee to stop the fight.
In the fight of the night, Tyson Griffin defeated Clay Guida in a fast-paced, three-round war that featured both lightweights attacking from the feet, the ground and even from the air.
Griffin and Guida started the fight with a technical clinic, full of reversals and counters. The majority of the first round was grappling, with both men jockeying for submission attempts. In a spectacular Round 2, Guida earned a hard-fought takedown, and after a series of reversal attempts that included a belly-to-back German suplex, Guida sunk in a deep kneebar. Griffin worked his way out and Guida ended the round on Griffin’s back, going for a rear naked choke. Guida kept the back control through the end of the round, even as Griffin stood up with Guida still hanging on his back.
The third round ended with Guida on top on the ground, attempting to pass Griffin’s guard, raining down strikes.
Despite both men putting on a fantastic performance and neither being able to finish off their opponent, it appeared Guida deserved the nod. Many in the audience booed upon the announcement of Griffin’s split-decision victory.
"That’s how decisions go," Griffin said after the fight. "You can’t expect them to go your way. I was just fortunate enough to get this one to go my way tonight."
Guida was gracious in defeat, accepting full responsibility for the loss despite many thinking he won.
"I should have learned my lesson last time against Din Thomas," Guida said. "I lost a close decision (to him) too. You know what, it’s a learning process. Fighting’s my life, and I’m already back in the training room, so that’s all that matters."
Ed "Short Fuse" Herman continued his momentum from defeating Chris Price in January, tapping out Scott Smith with a rear naked choke in Round 2 of a dominating performance.
Herman controlled the action early, using knees and fists to maintain his advantage. With Herman controlling Smith on the mat, Herman unloaded with a ferocious elbow that busted Smith wide open. Referee Herb Dean temporarily stopped the fight so a physician could examine the cut. When the fight resumed on the ground, Smith escaped and threw strikes down at Herman before ending the round with a leglock attempt.
Early in Round 2, Smith nearly choked out Herman with a tight guillotine, but Herman was able to slip out. Herman continued working on Smith’s face with elbows. Smith attempted to reverse his position, and Herman ended up getting Smith’s back in the process, sinking in a rear naked choke for the tapout.
Complete results from Saturday’s UFC 72 in Belfast, Northern Ireland:
1. Rich Franklin defeated Yushin Okami via unanimous decision after three rounds.
2. Forrest Griffin defeated Hector Ramirez via unanimous decision after three rounds.
3. Jason MacDonald defeated Rory Singer via technical knockout due to strikes 3:18 of Round 2.
4. Tyson Griffin defeated Clay Guida via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) after three rounds.
5. Ed Herman defeated Scott Smith via submission to a rear naked choke at 2:35 of Round 2.
6. Marcus Davis defeated Jason Tan via technical knockout due to strikes at 1:15 of Round 1.
7. Eddie Sanchez defeated Colin Robinson via technical knockout due to strikes at 32 seconds of Round 2.
8. Dustin Hazelett defeated Steve Lynch via submission to an anaconda choke at 2:50 of Round 1
| " | "I got knocked out in my last fight, and I'm kind of afraid now that I'm going to get knocked out some more," Griffin said after the fight. "He caught me with one decent shot, and I played hide-and-go-seek for the rest of the round." |
