UFC 98 – Notable Rounds
DAVE KAPLAN VS. GEORGE ROOP: Round 3 – Kaplan takes the center of the cage, waits for Roop and lands a nice leg kick. Roop again telegraphs a head kicks that his opponent easily dodges. Kaplan continues having some success with a punch-low-kick combo before grabbing a leg and forcing the fight to the ground. Kaplan quickly takes sidemount, drops some short punches and then hops into full mount. Roop ties him up, shoves and knees Kaplan to create distance and gets back to his feet. Kaplan again shoots for the double, but Roop easily sprawls free. Fatigue sets in as the fighters trade sloppy blows. Kaplan dips for a single leg, presses Roop against the cage and works for nearly a minute before a failed judo toss. Back to the center of the cage, both fighters swing wildly with heavy arms and deep breaths. Roop eats a low kick but finally lands a head kick. Kaplan easily shakes it off, dips for a single leg and presses Roop against the cage. The action stalls before Kaplan steps away and misses with a wild right. The crowd cheers loudly as we enter the final seconds of the fight.
ANDRE GUSMAO VS. KRZYSZTOF SOSZYNSKI: Round 1 – Soszynski is all smiles as the fighters touch gloves. He then bumrushes Gusmao, puts him against the cage but then eats a few knees to the body. The action briefly stops when Gusmao lands a low blow. Gusmao drops Soszynski and follows with a punch (might’ve been a trip). Soszynski is fine, and the action is stopped when it’s Soszynski who lands the low blow this time. Soszynski becomes the aggressor, but Soszynski sidesteps the advances. Back to the center of the cage, and Gusmao lands a nice front kick to the body. The pace slows a bit as both fighters circle. Gusmao delivers a nice straight right before Soszynski lands a nice left cross. Soszynski throws a flurry as Gusmao backs up and then slows Soszynski with a body kick. Soszynski unloads a combo and connects on a right hook that stuns and then drops Gusmao. Gusmao briefly appears out cold as Soszynski delivers the final blows before a TKO stoppage.
FRANKIE EDGAR VS. SEAN SHERK: Round 2 – Sherk stalks Edgar and backs him up with a right. Sherk doesn’t have the reach to land any jabs, and Edgar sidesteps his blows. Edgar tries to clinch and eats a right before backing up. Edgar takes to the center of the cage and pops Sherk with a body kick. The fighters again trade blows in the center of the cage. Edgar shoots, Sherk sprawls, but Edgar connects with a knee to the body before they split. Sherk continues to stalk as Edgar slowly circles around the cage. Edgar sets up a nice right, but Sherk shows no ill effects and lands a looping right of his own. Sherk goes low then high with a combo and then gets through a left. Edgar again goes low-high to connect. The fighters collide in the center of the cage and trade blows. Edgar lands the best shot, but Sherk connects on consecutive strikes. A low blow from Edgar briefly stops the fight. Edgar shoots, Sherk sprawls and Edgar whiffs on a head kick that forces him off balance.
DAN MILLER VS. CHAEL SONNEN: Round 3 – Miller misses with a head kick but backs up Sonnen with a nice combination of punches. Sonnen shoots, picks up Miller and quickly takes him back to the mat. Working from full guard, Sonnen works punches to the body and hammerfists to the face. The assault continues for a good minute as Miller has little to offer from his back. Sonnen postures up, but his punches are blocked as he comes back down. Sonnen drops some sort elbows, frees a leg and tries to secure mount. Miller, though, forces him back into guard. The boo birds return as the pace to Sonnen’s dominance slows. With Miller pressed against the cage, Sonnen postures up and pops him consecutive punches to the head. He then drops to guard and continues battering Miller with his head and neck bent into the fence. The crowd mostly boos.
MATT HUGHES VS. MATT SERRA: Round 1 – As expected no touch of gloves. Steve Mazzagatti didn’t even bother asking. We’re underway, and Hughes misses wide with his first punch. Both fighters are patient and take turns backing the other away with punches that don’t land. After a clinch, Hughes drops to his back. Not sure if it was a slip or head butt or punch. But Hughes is dazed. Serra continues attacking and chasing Hughes. Hughes grabs a single leg to try to stall and then pushes Serra into the cage. Serra with a couple soft knees to the body from the clinch. The pace slows big time as the fighters clinch, allowing Hughes time to recover from what seemed to be a heat butt. The fighters break apart, and we start at the center of the cage again. Hughes telegraphs a leg kick that misses before clinching with Serra. Hughes initiates a textbook trip takedown, takes sidemount, and then takes Serra’s back. Hughes rolls to his back and locks in his hooks, but he doesn’t have the choke, and Serra uses the cameras to help him watch what Hughes is doing from below. Serra rolls free and escapes, drawing a big ovation. A right hand nearly connects, but Hughes backs away. An exciting first round.
CHAMP RASHAD EVANS VS. LYOTO MACHIDA (for light-heavyweight title): Round 1 – No touch of the gloves as tonight’s title fight gets underway. Machida stays in the center of the cage as Evans circles. Machida with a quick and ineffective leg kick 40 seconds in for the bout’s first bit of offense. The boo birds already come out of the nest. Evans isn’t getting sucked in and remains as patient as Machida. A minute a half in, and we have one strike thrown. Evans creates distance with a jab. Machida charges forward and knocks Evans off balance with a blocked head kick. Evans laughs it off. The pace again slows to a crawl as Evans continues circling. Machida finally provides some action with a body kick. Evans jabs from distance but no dice. Machida again charges in for a body kick, but Evans blocks it this time. Machida lands another body kick and drops Evans, and he swarms in. Evans gets back to his feet, the fighters briefly clinch, and then they each retreat. Nice blow by Machida, who misses on a following head kick. Not many shots but the ones that landed counted.
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