Let’s take a look at what went down in San Jose on Saturday night.

Henderson survives Shogun in epic clash

If this non-title fight had been slated as a 3 rounder, as it would have until recently, Henderson would have won in convincing fashion and we would now be debating Shogun’s ability to beat the upper echelon light heavyweights.  But Dana White made sure that feature fights on any UFC card would go 5 championship rounds whether or not there was a title at stake.  May I be the first one to say thank you Mr. White!

Dan Henderson was right at home last night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose as this has always been a Strikeforce hotbed while the UFC was considered a distant relative.  But all that changed last night when the UFC (who purchased Strikeforce and absorbed them under the Zuffa banner) invaded the Strikeforce stronghold and gave the folks a show they won’t forget.  Henderson went into the Octagon like a caged panther and Shogun looked like a big fat T-bone waiting for him to devour. 

Henderson dominated the first two rounds and then unleashed a fusillade of punches and elbows upon a stunned and virtually defenseless Shogun who somehow exhibited enough life to avoid getting TKO’ed by the referee.  It was all Hendo and it looked as though the 4th round might be the final round before he put Shogun away for good.  But a funny thing happened.  A bloodied and battered Rua would not concede and came out with a vengeance.  Shogun proved he is as tough as anyone in MMA when he began to punish an obviously fatigued Henderson through a veil of crimson.  The final two rounds belonged to Rua but when the judges’ scorecards were read, it was Henderson who got the nod.

Henderson by unanimous decision 48-47, 48-47, 48-47 (Co-Fight of the Night)

 

Wanderlei Silva TKO’s Cung Le

I guess there’s a reason why Dana White does what he does so very well.  While I and other alleged pundits wagged our finger at the White’s decision for allowing Silva back into the cage where he had taken such hellacious beatings recently, White said “one more time.”  And so the 35 year old Silva, loser of 3 of his last 4 and 6 of his last 8, was invited back into the ring to take another swing.  The Axe Murderer made it count but he was clearly vexed early on by Cung Le’s unorthodox array of Jackie Chan style kicks and punches. 

Round 1 belonged to Cung Le but Silva’s patience in the 2nd round led to Le’s undoing.  Silva began to time his counterpunches perfectly and finally scored cleanly with a furious right hand that staggered the fading Le.  Silva seized the opportunity to pummel his dazed opponent and unloaded his full arsenal before the referee had seen enough of what used to be Cung Le’s nose.

Silva TKO’s Le at 4:49 of Round 2 (Co-Fight of the Night)

 

Urijah Faber submits Brian Bowles

Urijah Faber had it all working at UFC 139.  He was superior in all facets and even slammed his opponent, whose one major advantage in the bantamweight division has always been his strength, to the canvas.  Faber displayed a slick combination of boxing, speed and grappling which ultimately led to a seamless guillotine choke that put Brian Bowles away for good and cleared the path for a rematch with bantamweight king Dominick Cruz.  Faber better hope his luck changes as his last 4 title matches have all been losses.

Faber submits Bowles at 1:27 of Round 2 (Submission of the Night)

 

In other action:

      Catchweight (158 lb) bout: Shamar Bailey vs. Danny Castillo

      Castillo defeated Bailey via TKO (punches) at 4:52 of Round 1.

      Welterweight bout: Matt Brown vs. Seth Baczynski 

       Baczynski defeated Brown via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:42 of Round 2.

       Catchweight (141 lb) bout: Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace 

       Torres defeated Pace via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

       Lightweight bout: Gleison Tibau vs. Rafael dos Anjos

       Tibau defeated dos Anjos via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

      Middleweight bout: Tom Lawlor vs. Chris Weidman

      Weidman defeated Lawlor via technical submission (D'Arce choke) at 2:07 of Round 1.

      Bantamweight bout: Michael McDonald vs. Alex Soto

       McDonald defeated Soto via KO (punches) at 0:56 of Round 1

       Light Heavyweight bout: Ryan Bader vs. Jason Brilz

       Bader defeated Brilz via KO (punch) at 1:17 of Round 1

       Light Heavyweight bout: Stephan Bonnar vs. Kyle Kingsbury

       Bonnar defeated Kingsbury via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-27)

       Welterweight bout: Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story

       Kampmann defeated Story via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).