Ultimate Fight Night 1/07 Final Card

[LWPD]

Ultimate Fight Night 1/07 Final Card

Thursday, January 25th Live on Spike TV 8 PM EST

Rashad Evans vs Sean Salmon

Jake O'Brien vs Heath Herring

Hermes Franca vs Spencer Fisher

Dean Lister vs Nate Marquardt

Chad Reiner vs Josh Burkman

Clay Guida vs Din Thomas

LWPD (this is a very strong card...especially for the more knowledgeable hardcore fan base...a lot of pick em's in these match ups)

[LWPD]

It's a shame that there isn't a chance of an overrun this time...I'd love to see some of the fights on the undercard.

Courtesy of Wrestling Observer

--Match order for tomorrow night's UFC Ultimate Fight Night on Spike
Preshow matches
Ross Pointon (4-8) vs. Rich Clementi (22-6)
Clay Guida (21-3) vs. Din Thomas (21-7)
Ed Herman (13-4) vs. Chris Price (8-1)
Chad Reiner (13-1) vs. Josh Burkman (18-3)
Dean Lister (9-4) vs. Nathan Marquardt (27-6-1)

Live matches
Hermes Franca (17-5) vs. Spencer Fisher (20-2)
Jake O'Brien (9-0) vs. Heath Herring (26-11-1)
Rashad Evans (14-0) vs. Sean Salmon (9-1)

They will air at least one of the undercard fights on tape, but Spike wants them off the air by 10 p.m. so Pro's vs. Joe's debuts on time. There are a lot of potentially good fights on this show, most notably Franca-Fisher and Guida-Thomas, but it's the weakest UFN from a star power standpoint so I don't see much of a rating out of this one.

--Brian Fritz reported several things from the weigh-ins that just ended. The show is sold out, which is a hell of an impressive deal with the high tickets prices and the line-up. The biggest weigh-in news is that Chris Price weighed 192 for a 185 pound fight. He had been in the sauna all day and was shocked he was so far off. Ed Herman agreed to take the fight anyway. Everyone else made weight on the nose, aside from Din Thomas, who came in a few pounds under and wasn't happy he did so. There was a near pull-apart for the main event weigh-in. Evans put his head on Salmon as they were posing together. Somebody whispered something to the other and Dana White separated them as it appeared someone was about to shove the other. In the heavyweight match, O'Brien came in at 237 and Herring at 250. Herring had his hair rainbow-colored while Franca did the Ann Calvello look with green hair. Randy Couture, Diego Sanchez and Keith Jardine are already there. Dean Lister cut from 215 to make the 185 pound weight class.

[LWPD]

Moments away...

Courtesy of BettorMMA.com

Rashad Evans and Sean Salmon both made weight as the Main Event for UFN is on. Not all fighters made weight though as Chris Price weighed seven pounds over the limit...

Official Weights – UFC Fight Night – Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena – Hollywood, FL

Rashad Evans (205.5) vs Sean Salmon (206)
Heath Herring (250) vs Jake O’Brien (234.5)
Hermes Franca (155) vs Spencer Fisher (154.5)
Dean Lister (185) vs Nate Marquardt (185.5)
Chad Reiner (171) vs Josh Burkman (171)
Ed Herman (186) vs Chris Price (192)*
Clay Guida (154) vs Din Thomas (154.5)
Ross Pointon (168.5) vs Rich Clementi (169.5)

* Herman agreed to face Price despite the Indiana fighter being seven pounds over the middleweight limit of 185 pounds. When Price thanked Herman for still agreeing to fight, “Short Fuse” responded, “You weren’t getting off that easy.”

[dukedave]

Well, with that perfomance, Herring will become up and comer fodder. When a gut is on the rise Herring will come in to face them. I'm guessing this kind of screwed UFC. They probably wanted Herring to face Cro Cop next as a final tune up for Timmay (I want Randy to win but don't think it'll happen)

[LWPD]

A good show all around. Rashad was composed and showed diversity with the finish. Sammon seemed winded from the get go but gave a good effort...he deserves to be brought back. Hermes Franca earned a title shot even with his unorthodox stand up. The value on Herring just plummeted...as did all the build up work surrounding him. When you invest in promoting someone it's always a roll of the dice...hopefully he can be slowly rebuilt in a quieter manner during the remainder of his contract.

Courtesy of Wrestling Observer

Rich Clementi b Ross Pointon with a choke at the end of the second round. Most of the fight was standing, with Clementi getting the best of it, particularly using leg kicks. He finally went for a takedown late in the second round and got a rear naked choke.

Din Thomas b Clay Guida by unanimous 29-28 scores after three rounds. Was told it will be a shame if this doesn't air, but because it went the distance, it is unlikely to air. Thomas dominated the stand-up, but Guida took him down frequently and it was a close action-packed fight.

First round went to Guida, who did damage with ground and pound. Second went to Thomas with his boxing. He was taken down once but defended better. Third round both were tired and it was all standing. Guida tried many takedowns and couldn't get any. Was told the round could have gone either way. Have now talked with three people who were at the show, all three had it for Thomas, but all three said very close and the best match on the undercard.

Tentative match is Diego Sanchez vs. Josh Koscheck on the 4/7 PPV.

Ed Herman b Chris Price in the first round with an armbar.

Josh Burkman b Chad Reiner by unanimous decision by scores of 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27. Burkman got takedowns in every round. He also pulled off a cool looking German suplex in round one. Told he was the clear-cut winner here.

Nathan Marquardt b Dean Lister by unanimous decision by scores of 30-27, 30-25 and 30-25.

Complete domination by Marquardt who gave Lister a terrible beating. Marquardt knocked Lister down several times and would just let him get up. Even when it was on the ground, Marquardt was on top giving Lister a beating. In the third round, Marquardt knocked him down twice with knees. Lister was hanging on most of the feet but never damaged quite bad enough to have it stopped.

Spencer Fisher vs. Hermes Franca in the TV opener is up now.

First round saw Franca get two takedowns and went for a heel submission. Fisher was better on the stand-up. Very close round until the last 30 seconds when Franca did some damage with his ground and pound so I have him winning the round.

Second round was a surprise. Franca got a takedown early but after a stand-up, it was like a pro vs. amateur in boxing as Franca throws crazy arm punches, turns his head, basically does everything wrong. Then Franca threw this crazy windmill arm punch and knocked Fisher him silly. Franca then unloaded with punch after punch before it was stopped. Not a big upset, but something of an upset, but I'd have never thought Franca would take it by punches.

Franca did the Terry Funk getting on his knees and begged Dana White for a title shot. He learned it from St. Pierre.

Hulk Hogan & Brooke were at ringside.

Heath Herring vs. Jake O'Brien is next. Trivia note: Herring & Terry Funk once formed a tag team on a Tokyo Dome show.

Herring knocked O'Brien down once, but O'Brien ended up on top and was working for a choke. After Herring escaped, O'Brien scored a strong takedown and outwrestled him for the rest of the round. O'Brien took the round and he was supposed to be the guy to lose.

Herring gassed and he's getting tooled on the ground. O'Brien took him down twice, swept him once, got his back a few times and Herring is just looking bad here. Even Joe Rogan is ripping on Herring for his lack of sprawl and ground defense. 20-18 for O'Brien at this point. Herring is bleeding from the left eye from an elbow.

Crowd hated this fight because they wanted to see Herring punch, but O'Brien kept taking him down. He largely schooled him again. Herring did get a few punches in late, but not enough to overcome O'Brien taking him down several times, and reversing, getting the mount, his back, etc. Any score but 30-27 would be a mistake.

Scores were 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27. Fans booed him and booed the decision. Not sure if they just didn't see the fight or were just unhappy that it was largely wrestling. Herring complained that he was trying to entertain the fans and give them a fight and O'Brien beat him in a wrestling match. I think he was hoping for more stand-up calls. You know, if you don't want takedowns when you see MMA, and you don't want the fight to go to the ground, there is a sport called kickboxing.

They are going to air Ed Herman vs. Chris Price before the main event. It was the only prelim fight short enough.

Rashad Evans vs. Sean Salmon is next.

Salmon scored a few takedowns, which wasn't a surprise, but also connected with the best punches to win the round. Salmon thus far is the better wrestler and Evans looks confused as to what to do. But Salmon may be more tired.

Early in the second round Evans threw a right high kick to the side of the head for what will end up being one of this year's highlight knockout clips. Salmon dropped like a a tree.

UFC officials reported after tonight's Ultimate Fight Night show in Hollywood, FL, that Sean Salmon was okay.

Salmon suffered a devastating knockout from a kick to the head by Rashad Evans in the main event of the show.

It was a scary looking situation, as Salmon didn't move for approximately seven minutes in the ring, nor as he was carried out on a stretcher. They went off the air without acknowledging the extent of the knockout. Evans, in his post-match interview, only indicated being uncomfortable that Salmon was down and not moving. They never shot near where Salmon was, so the television viewers would not have known the seriousness of the situation.

He was rushed to a local hospital where it was reported that he was conscious and talking, and seemed to be fine.

[MikeMcKinney]

yea that was a crushing kick that Evans hit him with..He was out cold.

[LWPD]

Courtesy of Wrestling Observer

"UFC rating was a 1.7. A number everyone is extremely happy about."

LWPD (I saw some high-end sponsors last night along with the 'right' demo...Spike TV execs must be pleased)