October 26, 2009 (Part 1); Machida retains title amidst controversy

Yesterday morning Manila time, UFC 104 was shown LIVE via Balls Channel 33, which featured the much anticipated Light Heavyweight title match between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and the champion, Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida, inside the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Now here are the match-by-match results from yesterday's fights!

Preliminary card (Non-televised)
Heavyweight bout: Stefan Struve vs. Chase Gormley
Struve defeated Gormley via submission (triangle choke) at 4:04 of round 1. Although on the preliminary card, this bout aired on the Spike TV Prelims special. This bout also aired on the pay per view broadcast after the main event.

Light Heavyweight bout: Kyle Kingsbury vs. Razak Al-Hassan
Kingsbury defeated Al-Hassan via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

Middleweight bout: Jorge Rivera vs. Rob Kimmons
Rivera defeated Kimmons via TKO (strikes) at 1:53 of round 3.

Middleweight bout: Yushin Okami vs. Chael Sonnen
Sonnen defeated Okami via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Although on the preliminary card, this bout aired on the pay per view broadcast following the Stevenson vs. Fisher fight.

Preliminary card (Spike TV)
Heavyweight bout: Antoni Hardonk vs. Patrick Barry
Barry defeated Hardonk via TKO (strikes) at 2:30 of round 2.

Light Heavyweight bout: Ryan Bader vs. Eric Schafer
Bader defeated Schafer via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-26, 30-27).

Main card
(176 lb) Catchweight bout: Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Johnson defeated Yoshida via TKO (punches) at 0:41 of round 1.

Lightweight bout: Joe Stevenson vs. Spencer Fisher
Stevenson defeated Fisher via Submission (elbows) at 4:03 of round 2.

(157lb) Catchweight bout: Gleison Tibau vs. Josh Neer
Tibau defeated Neer via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).

Heavyweight bout: Cain Velasquez vs. Ben Rothwell
Velasquez defeated Rothwell via TKO (punches) at 0:58 of round 2.

Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Lyoto Machida (c) vs. Mauricio Rua
Machida defeated Rua via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) to retain the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.

Despite a unanimous decision, great controversy arose with Lyota Machida's victory over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Dana White admitted that he believed Shogun had outscored Machida in the first 1st, 4th, and 5th round, winning the fight. A Fightmetric analysis of the fight indicated that Rua was more aggressive, landed more blows to the head and legs than Machida, and had overall controlled the pace of the fight. At the post fight conference, Dana White confirmed that he had scheduled an "immediate rematch" to be held at an unannounced date.

Definitely another must-see fight in the near future!

The upcoming UFC card would probably be the proudest for all Filipino MMA fans as our very own, Brandon "The Truth" Vera will headline UFC 105 from the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England. He will face the most popular and decorated UFC fighter in history, the hall-of-famer, and whom I call "The Hulk Hogan of MMA", Randy "The Natural" Couture.

It will emancipate on November 15, 2009, to be shown via satellite here on Balls Channel 33 at 7:00 AM.

So there you have it! You guys have just been fed!

God bless you guys! Stay safe! Peace out! The Wizard was here...:)

Comments, questions and suggestions are highly appreciated! :)