Getty Georges St-Pierre answers questions before the upcoming fight.
Heavy.com is live at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to fill you in on all the action from “UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck II” this evening.
The Ultimate Fighting Championships final event of 2010 features a welterweight title bout between champion Georges St. Pierre and top contender Josh Koscheck, who was previously defeated by the Canadian at UFC 74 back in August of 2007, as well as 10 other contests.
Preliminary Card
John Makdessi d. Pat Audinwood by unanimous decision
In his UFC debut, Makdessi did not fail to disappoint. His kickboxing allowed him to dictate the fight from the start, and Audinwood just never found the answer. Unfortunately for the man nicknamed “Awesomely Awesome”, the jump to the UFC may have been premature and he could very well be packing for a smaller promotion after consecutive losses.
Ricardo Almeida d. T.J. Grant by unanimous decision
The second bout of the evening was much like the first, as one fighter took control early and never looked back. Almeida, who was submitted in his last bout against Matt Hughes, came back seeking redemption. He immediately displayed his grappling superiority, and Grant just could not stay off his back long enough to do much of anything.
Sean Pierson d. Matthew Riddle by unanimous decision
Pierson and Riddle put on a bout that was well worth watching, which is why the UFC elected to put it on the Pay-Per-View broadcast. Pierson displayed his top-notch wrestling early and felt it necessary to mix in surprisingly good striking as well. Riddle struggled throughout the contest, but with his high level of intensity and incredible cardio, he was more than willing to stand and bang when he wasn’t on the floor.
Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Rafael Natal ends in a majority draw
Natal came out of the gates in this one like lightning, scoring points throughout the first and second round. However, the third round was an entirely different story. Bongfeldt brought the fight to his extremely exhausted performance and, in doing so, managed to walk away with a draw after falling behind early.
Mark Bocek d. Dustin Hazelett by submission, round 1
Hazelett dropped down to the lightweight division after consecutive devastating knockouts at the 170lb. mark. However, it now appears that he may be dropped by the UFC, as he was dominated by submission ace Bocek in the opening round. Bocek earned a quick takedown, followed by a transition to mount. From there, he wasted no time in locking on a beautiful triangle choke to force the stoppage.
Dan Miller d. Joe Doerksen by unanimous decision
The final fight before the main card was not exactly the ideal fight the Canadian fans were looking for. Each round saw Miller earn the takedown, ward of submission attempts, and mix in ground and pound here and there. Doerksen attempted multiple submissions in each round, but Miller’s high level of Brazilian jiu-jitsu allowed him to avoid any serious danger throughout.
Main Card
Jim Miller d. Charles Oliveira by submission, round 1
Miller, who has long been just on the outskirts of contender status, took a big jump into contention tonight, defeating the young and dynamic Oliveira by submission in the opening round of their lightweight bout. Oliveira, who threw out several submission attempts in a row early in the fight, made a mistake when looking for a leg lock. Miller saw an opening, grabbed a leg, and took a big leap up the lightweight ladder after forcing the tap.
Mac Danzig d. Joe Stevenson by knockout, round 1
Oh, how far Joe Stevenson has fallen. In a battle of former “Ultimate Fighter” winners, Stevenson just never got his timing and feel down, as Danzig danced about, confusing the former top contender. When Stevenson over-committed with a combination, Danzig caught him with a devastating hook moving backwards. “Daddy” dropped to the floor, out cold. Saying this was a big win for Danzig would be an incredible understatement.
Thiago Alves d. John Howard by unanimous decision
Between his loss to UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100 and his constant weight-cutting problems, things weren’t exactly looking up for Alves. However, after tonight’s performance, those mishaps are much easier to forget. Alves battered Howard for all three rounds, earning a unanimous decision. To Howard’s credit, he can sure take a punch and keep on coming.
Stefan Struve d. Sean McCorkle by technical knockout, round 1
After a serious amount of trash talk from McCorkle, Struve was out for blood. “Big Sexy” earned a quick takedown to start off the action and immediately worked for a kimura. While he nearly locked one on, when he couldn’t finish the fight, Struve turned things up a notch. The young heavyweight reversed his older opponent and landed in full mount. Once there, Struve pounded his way to what must have been a very satisfying technical knockout victory.
Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre d. Josh Koscheck by unanimous decision
Koscheck entered this fight hoping St. Pierre would stand with him. Be careful what you wish for. St. Pierre brutalized Koscheck early with a crisp lead jab, causing the challenger’s right eye to swell within the first five minutes of action. While Koscheck defended several takedowns nicely, as well as earning one of his own, he just could not challenge St. Pierre on the feet. It was 25 minutes of phenomenal striking, courtesy of St. Pierre, proving once again that he is one of the best in the world, if not the best.