UFC 101: Declaration
August 8th, 2009 – Philadelphia, PA
Report by www.MMAWeekly.com
-B.J. Penn vs. Kenny Florian
R1 – Florian goes for a kick to start things off, Penn tags him with a punch and then the clinch but they separate. Florian throws another head kick misses, and Penn rushes in looking for a big uppercut. The fighters trade punches against the cage and separate again. Florian goes for a takedown but can’t land it, and they start to exchange again. Penn tags Florian with a good shot just before the end of the round.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for B.J. Penn
R2 – Florian engages with a good leg kick and then grabs the clinch against the cage. Florian shoots in for another single leg, Penn defends well and they exchange shots instead. Florian dives for a Superman punch but misses. Florian again initiates the clinch looking for a takedown, but can’t land it. Penn hits a good uppercut on the way out as they separate. Florian lands a few leg kicks before the round ends. Close round, not much action.
MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Kenny Florian
R3 – Florian opens with a good head kick, but Penn blocks it effectively. Florian goes for the clinch against the cage as they exchange knee strikes. Florian keeps trying for the takedown, but Penn is defending well. Florian throws an elbow on the way out as they go back to standing. Florian shoots in for a single and Penn raises him back up with the underhook again. Florian hits Penn with a solid shot, goes for the takedown, but Penn reverses and goes for a flurry but doesn’t land anything solid.
MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for B.J. Penn
R4 – Penn hits Florian with a good shot early on in the 4th round and after an exchange, Penn takes Florian to the mat. Working from Florian’s half guard he starts opening up punches and elbows. Penn continues the assault from the top as Florian struggle to maintain position. Penn moves to mount and then takes Florian’s back. Penn works the body and eventually slaps on a rear naked choke that Florian cannot fight out of and he taps out.
B.J. Penn def. Kenny Florian by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:54, R4
-Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin
R1 – Griffin throws shots early, Silva catches a kick and fires back. Silva catches Griffin with a big right hook that stuns him and sends him backwards. Silva tags Griffin with a straight jab that sends him crashing to the mat, but he lets him back up again. Griffin steps forward and Silva plants another big jab, Griffin falls down and waives the referee off and the fight is over.
Anderson Silva def. Forrest Griffin by KO at 3:23, R1
-Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley
R1 – Riley throws some heavy shots to open the fight as Nelson counters. Riley and Nelson work against the cage with both throwing close elbows trying to gain the upper hand. Riley goes for a kick, but Nelson catches it but he rolls away before any ground action ensues. Riley catches a kick from Nelson and fires back a head kick of his own, but misses. Clinch again as the round comes to close of a very tight first round.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 Aaron Riley
R2 – Riley hits a few shots in the early going as the fighters start clinching again, but soon separate. Riley fires a good head kick that looks to land partially as he keeps pushing forward on Nelson, and eventually takes him down. Riley controls from the top, but not much action and the referee steps in to stand them up. Riley keeps throwing shots and actually tosses Nelson to the ground as the round ends.
MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 Aaron Riley
R3- Nelson shoots in for a takedown, but can’t finish and Riley keeps moving forward. Back into the clinch and Riley ends up on top throwing shots as Nelson defends. Riley keeps moving with short hammer fists and elbows, trying to soften up his opponent. Riley keeps busy enough, and doing damage to stay on top as the fight comes to a close.
MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 Aaron Riley
Aaron Riley def. Shane Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
-Johnny Hendricks vs. Amir Sadollah
R1 – Sadollah jumps in for punches early and Hendricks catches him with a big series of uppercuts and Sadollah drops to the mat. Hendricks starts throwing shots as referee Dan Mirgliotta steps in to stop the action, but the Philly crowd does not agree.
Johnny Hendricks def. Amir Sadollah by TKO (ref’s stoppage due to punches) at :29 seconds, R1
-Ricardo Almeida vs. Kendall Grove
R1- Almeida is quick to get the clinch as Grove battles back with small shots from inside. The fighters separate and Almeida jumps across with a nice right hook. Almeida shoots in again going for a single leg, Grove defends well as they move across the cage. Almeida gets the trip takedown and works from inside Grove’s guard. Almeida dives in for a punch and works for elbows on Grove as he moves to half guard. Almeida lands some nice knees to the body before the fight moves back up before Almeida slams Grove back down again.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Ricardo Almeida
R2 – Almeida gets the clinch and goes for the takedown. Grove goes for a guillotine, and then from the bottom locks on a tight armbar, but Almeida battles out and gets back to top position. Grove goes for a body lock as Almeida keeps landing peppering shots from the top. Almeida lands a few more punches before Grove gets back to his feet. As Almeida shoots in, Grove throws a knee but Almeida continues to drive for the takedown and lands it just as the round ends.
MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Ricardo Almeida
R3- The fighters exchange a few shots before Almeida clips Grove with a nice punch, moving in and then taking the fight to the ground. Grove is able to get back up as the fighters continue to clinch. Almeida goes to jump guard,but Grove resists and stands back up as they start to throw punches again. Almeida looks to be losing steam as Grove presses him against the cage. Almeida rushes forward and lands another nice takedown and starts to work from inside Grove’s guard once again. Grove springs to life late in the round, but can’t land anything big.
MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for Ricardo Almeida
Ricardo Almeida def. Kendall Grove by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
-Kurt Pellegrino vs. Josh Neer
R1 – Pellegrino lands a big slam to open the fight as Neer starts to work off his back. Neer goes for an armbar, but Pellegrino slams him down to get out of it. Pellegrino continues to work from the top, landing elbows and keeping a strong top position for the remainder of the round.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 Kurt Pellegrino
R2 – Neer opens up with a nice leg kick, as the two fighters exchange blows, and Pellegrino eventually shoots in for a takedown. Pellegrino continues to maintain top control as Neer tries to work his way out from the bottom, but can’t seem to escape. As the fighters scramble, Pellegrino gets to mount and then moves to take Neer’s back. Pellegrino continues to work for the choke as the round comes to a close
MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Kurt Pellegrino
R3 – Neer goes for a knee as round three begins, but Pellegrino catches him and takes him to the mat. Neer works for an omo plata, but Pellegrino escapes and moves back into Neer’s butterfly guard. Pellegrino continues to grind away at Neer trying to improve his position, as Neer battles from his back. Pellegrino moves into mount, but Neer slips out, reverses and tries to fire off shots, but Pellegrino shoots in immediately. As time runs out, Neer slams Pellegrino with a series of elbows that opens a good sized cut, but it looks to be too little, too late.
MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for Kurt Pellegrino
Kurt Pellegrino def. Josh Neer by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
-John Howard vs. Tamden McCrory
R1 – R1 – McCrory grabs Howard early in a guillotine, but Howard gets out and lands in McCrory’s guard. Back on the feet, McCrory does a good job of getting the clinch and landing a nice takedown as Howard tries to wrap him up. McCrory goes for a jumping guard pull, but misses and Howard ends up on top. The fight is stood back up by referee Mario Yamasaki, as the fighters scramble for another takedown, the round ends.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Tamden McCrory
R2 – Howard gets McCrory down early, but doesn’t do much with the position on the ground. McCrory gets a little too aggressive with his stand-up once back on the feet and gets taken down again. Howard goes for a guillotine of his own, but McCrory slips out and now lands on top of Howard. As the fighters move back towards the feet, McCrory goes for another guillotine and Howard slips out before they even hit the ground. Howard maintains position without many strikes landed as the round comes to an end.
MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for John Howard
R3 – A few strikes thrown, but Howard again shoots in and gets a takedown. As McCrory works for a rubber guard defense, Howard picks him up and slams him down to the mat. Howard decides to back out and let McCrory back up to the feet. McCrory gets a clinch and lands a great throw, but Howard is quick to his feet and McCrory falls to his back. Howard stands up and throws a good hard shot before McCrory gets back to full guard. The fight is stood up, and Howard goes for another takedown, landing a nice slam this time as he moves to side control. McCrory battles back and slips in a takedown of his own. Time expires before any real damage is done.
MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for John Howard
John Howard def. Tamden McCrory by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
-Alessio Sakara vs. Thales Leites
R1 – Slow start as Sakara tries to feel out his reach and Leites looking for the shot. Leites eventually grabs a leg and throws Sakara to the ground, but he scrambles and gets back to the feet. Sakara seems content to counter, but when Leites engages he backs up. Leites again goes for Sakara’s leg, but misses and Sakara throws a good 1-2 combo, but doesn’t connect. Leites tries for a flying knee late in a lackluster round overall.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Thales Leites
R2 – After a brief exchange on the feet, Leites eventually lands a nice takedown and starts to work to take Sakara’s back, but the Italian battles out and gets back to the feet. Sakara is starting to get his range as he opens up with a few punches before being taken down again. Leites tries to move and take Sakara’s back, but slips out and Sakara stands back up. Sakara gets overly aggressive again after going for a knee strike and is taken down with Leites moving to mount, but then back into half guard. Leites gets back to mount and lands elbows as the round ends.
MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Thales Leites
R3 – Not much action in the third, Sakara doesn’t seem to want to engage, as Leites tries for a takedown, but doesn’t land it. Leites steps forward as Sakara moves from side to side to avoid him. The referee pulls both fighters in and demands action. Leites shoots in right after and gets a nice takedown, taking Sakara’s back, but he slips out and back to the feet. Leites gives chase, but Sakara moves away and literally runs as the time expires.
MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for Thales Leites
Alessio Sakara def. Thales Lietes by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
-Matt Riddle vs. Dan Cramer
R1 – Riddle goes for the clinch and the takedown, but Cramer does a good job of getting out and takes the fight back to standing. Cramer goes for a takedown of his own, but Riddle is quick back to his feet and pushes his opponent against the cage as he goes for a double leg and gets caught in a guillotine choke. Riddle tucks his chin and works his way free as he stars to work shots to the body. Cramer starts to working his way to the cage, but eats some punches to the face for his trouble as Riddle maintains a strong position. Riddle hits a good punch and shoots for another double as the horn sounds.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Matt Riddle
R2 – The fighters clinch quickly to start the 2nd and Riddle lands another takedown as he works from Cramer’s half guard. Riddle works and eventually takes Cramer’s back as he starts to land shots. Cramer rolls and gets Riddle back into his half guard, but is struggling with Riddle’s strength so far. Riddle works his way to take Cramer’s back again, and goes for a choke, but can’t land it but does hit some nice elbow shots instead.
MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Matt Riddle
R3- Cramer tags Riddle early on and quickly lands on top of his opponent, but Riddle quickly goes for an armbar. Cramer slips out, but Riddle moves and attacks again, landing in half guard. Riddle is relentless with his movement, and eventually lands a strike that opens Cramer up as the blood starts to flow. Riddle keeps moving and eventually gets mount, where he lands several heavy shots, before Cramer can roll again and get back to half guard. Riddle just keeps peppering away as the fight comes to a close. Strong debut for Riddle at 170lbs.
MMAWeekly scores R3 10-9 for Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle def. Dan Cramer by unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-26)
– George Sotiropolous vs. George Roop
R1 – Roop is going after his opponent early and tries to land a kick, but Sotiropoulos is quick to catch him and take the fight to the ground, and move to side control. Sotiropoulos moves to mount and starts to go for punches. Roop wiggles around and pushes off the cage and gets a beautiful reversal, before moving back to the feet. Sotiropoulos lands a big left-right combo that staggers Roops, and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage. Sotiropolous drags his opponent down and ends up in half guard, then side control. Sotiropoulos goes for a kimura, transitions to an armbar, and ends up taking Roop’s back, but he manages to escape as the round ends.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for George Sotiropoulos
R2 – Sotiropolous takes control early in the round, getting a takedown and the moving to full mount once again. Roop does a good job of getting out againt, but Sotiropolous will not be deterred. He gets back on the ground, locks in a kimura and wrenches Roop’s arm behind his back forcing the tap.
George Sotiropolous def. George Roop by submission (kimura) at 1:59, R2
-Jesse Lennox vs. Danillo Villefort
R1 – Lennox goes for a takedown early, Villefort grabs the cage to stop the momentum, and ends up reversing and taking Lennox down. Villefort takes side control, before Lennox gets back to his feet. The fighters trade shots on the feet, with neither taking a clear advantage but Villefort lands the crisper shots. Just before the round ends, Lennox lands a takedown and one big punch before the horn sounds.
MMAWeekly scores R1 10-9 for Danillo Villefort
R2 – Lennox opens up his offense in the 2nd round tagging Villefort with several big shots in the exchanges as his opponent starts to back off. Lennox lands a heavy punch that staggers Villefort, but he recovers nicely before retreating to an opposite side and getting tagged again. Lennox continues to put the pressure on, but Villefort battles back with some good knee strikes of his own. Both fighters look tired late in the round. Lennox is winging some wild shots, but goes for a nice Superman punch late.
MMAWeekly scores R2 10-9 for Jesse Lennox
R3- Lennox hits a thunderous body kick as round 3 begins, and Villefort falls to his back, but quickly the two fighters are back standing again. Lennox is staying very aggressive as Villefort looks to avoid and move away. The crowd lets Villefort hear it for avoiding the action. Villefort goes for a throw, but Lennox gains top position and starts to reign down shots. Just as he looks to take advantage, Villefort swivels his hips and works for an armbar, but Lennox battles out and stands back up. Villefort has a cut over his eye and tells the referee he can’t see and as the doctor looks at it, the fight is stopped due to the cut.
Jesse Lennox def. Danillo Villefort by TKO (doctor’s stoppage due to cut) at 3:37, R3
UFC 101 QUICK RESULTS:
Main Card Bouts:
-B.J. Penn def. Kenny Florian by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:54, R4
-Anderson Silva def. Forrest Griffin by KO at 3:23, R1
-Aaron Riley def. Shane Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
-Johnny Hendricks def. Amir Sadollah by TKO (ref’s stoppage due to punches) at :29 seconds, R1
-Ricardo Almeida def. Kendall Grove by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
-Kurt Pellegrino def. Josh Neer by unanimous decision (30-27 on all score cards)
Preliminary Bouts:
-Aaron Riley vs. Shane Nelson
-John Howard def. Tamden McCrory by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
-Alessio Sakara def. Thales Lietes by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
-Matt Riddle def. Dan Cramer by unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-26)
-George Sotiropolous def. George Roop by submission (kimura) at 1:59, R2
-Jesse Lennox def. Danillo Villefort by TKO (doctor’s stoppage due to cut) at 3:37, R3
