Notable Rounds during UFC 94

By Diego Penn

JAKE O'BRIEN VS. CHRISTIAN WELLISCH: Round 2 - After trading more punches to open the round, Wellisch lands a body kick and follows with a leg kick. O'Brien avoids subsequent blows and counters Wellisch with three consecutive jabs. Wellisch lands a nice leg kick. O'Brien works jabs as Wellisch swings and misses wildly. O'Brien lands a nice left- overhand right combination, but Wellisch shakes it off and attempts a takedown. O'Brien, though, dips for the double-leg takedown and slams his opponent to the mat. Wellisch rolls free and quickly gets to his feet and lands a left-right combo. O'Brien counters with an uppercut, but Wellisch continues to push forward. O'Brien counters a low kick-jab combo with an easy takedown and again slams Wellisch to the mat. Wellisch, though, again gets to his feet quickly and land a nice combo of low kicks and punches just as the round ends.

JAKE O'BRIEN VS. CHRISTIAN WELLISCH: Round 3 - Wellisch goes on the offensive as O'Brien looks to counter. Wellisch chases with some lunging rights and eats a shot that opens his nose and causes a steady flow of blood. O'Brien shoots and scores the takedown, but Wellisch rolls free and easily gets to his feet. The fighters trade jabs and Wellisch again throws wildly and lands with a left. O'Brien patiently awaits to counter and forces the fight to the ground again. Wellisch quickly gets to his feet and throws left-right combinations. O'Brien deflects most of them. Wellisch sneaks through an overhand right. Wellisch swings wildly and just misses with a knee to the head. O'Brien shoots and again gets the takedown, but again, he can't keep his opponent there. Wellisch, now gushing blood from his nose and mouth, stalks after O'Brien but is again easily taken to the mount. O'Brien stands over him and tries to rain down a blow, but Wellisch easily deflects it and gets to his feet. The fighters battle for ground position as the round ends. Jake O'Brien def. Christian Wellisch via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28).

JOHN HOWARD VS. CHRIS WILSON: Round 3 - As the third round gets started, random "B.J. Penn!" and "GSP!" chants randomly break out. Wilson opens with a knee to the body, but Howard checks it, takes his opponent's back, locks in a body triangle and looks for the rear-naked choke. Wilson successfully defends, but Howard maintains the dominant position and delivers some blows from behind. After a flurry of the punches, Wilson gives Howard the opening he needs, and he sinks in the rear-naked choke. Wilson rolls just enough to break free and eats some punches. Howard again goes for the rear-naked choke, but he can't get it under Wilson's chin. Two minutes into the position, Howard continues fighting with Wilson's long limbs and then tries to soften him up with punches from behind. Wilson finally escapes and takes top position to avoid the choke threats. Wilson delivers punches from above, but after standing, he's taken to the mat when Howard secures a leg and trips him. Both fighters look for submissions with the other's leg, but they give up the positions and return standing. Howard shoots and after a few efforts trips Wilson to the mat. Wilson delivers elbows from below and Howard throws a few wild punches as the round ends. John Howard def. Chris Wilson via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

JON FITCH VS. AKIHIRO GONO: Round 1 - Gono and his corner "men" enter the cage in drag, complete with silver dresses, jewelry, sunglasses, wigs, sequined gloves and high heels. The two drag- tastic back-up dancers are in the same get-up. The cageside dance routine delights the crowd. Fitch's Johnny Cash ballad doesn't have the same effect. We're underway, and Fitch fires a combination and immediately looks for the takedown. Gono, pinned against the fence, refuses to go down, and he tries to sprawl free. Fitch briefly takes his back before pinning Gono back against the fence while trying to improve his position. Gono escapes and eats a knee in the process, but no harm appears done. Fitch fires a head kick and knees before Gono closes the distance and pushes him into the fence. Fitch does some damage from the Muay Thai clinch before Gono breaks free. Fitch eats a right hand as he shoots in, and after jockeying for position, finally wrestles Gono to the mat. Fitch then takes his opponent's back and struggles to secure the body triangle. Fitch then attempts the rear-naked choke, but Gono defends well. Fitch peppers him with punches from behind and finally secures his hooks. Gono covers up, but Fitch gets through a series of punches. Gono gets to his feet, but he can't shake Fitch from his back before the round ends.

NATE DIAZ VS. CLAY GUIDA: Round 2 - Diaz works the jab as Guida continues swinging wildly. After a clinch against the fence, Diaz looks for the takedown. Guida defends and attempts the trip takedown, but Diaz easily avoids it. With Diaz's back against the fence, Guida now looks the takedown. Guida tries on two separate occasions, but Diaz's stellar balance keeps him upright. Guida finally pulls Diaz's leg out from under him. Diaz, though, quickly gets back to his feet and then wrestles Guida to the mat. Guida reverses the position during a scramble and tries to take Diaz's back. Diaz, though, does just enough to stay out of trouble and then uses a judo throw to take Guida to the mat. Guida remains on his back but has to give up the position when Diaz secures an arm and looks for a kimura. However, when Diaz gets to his feet, Guida quickly follows. Diaz again throws him to the mat, and Guida again takes the top position. Diaz nearly secures a triangle choke as the round ends, but Guida escapes.

NATE DIAZ VS. CLAY GUIDA: Round 3 - The fighters furiously trade punches and leg kicks to start the round. Diaz has trouble connecting, which causes Guida to smile. Diaz pushes his opponent into the fence and peppers Guida with punches when he tries to create distance. Diaz connects with a kick and showboats while trying to throw follow-up punches. The crowd boos him. Diaz starts to tee off on Guida, who's pinned against the fence. Guida quickly closes the distance and puts Diaz against the cage. Guida slows the pace to catch his breath, and Diaz tries to throw Guida to the mat after securing an arm. Guida quickly takes his opponent's back, but again, he can't lock in his hooks and instead settles for a single-leg drag takedown. Diaz quickly gets to his feet, but Guida works tirelessly to take it back to the ground. Guida won't allow any distance between them, and Diaz is forced to battle for position. Guida hops on Diaz's back, but he slips off and eats a punch as the round ends. Clay Guida def. Nate Diaz via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

STEPHAN BONNAR VS. JON JONES: Round 2 - Jones tries to create distance with some front kick, but Bonnar gets through a punch and then throws some body kicks. Bonnar whiffs on a right, and Jones quickly takes his back. As Bonnar tries to get up, Jones hits him with knees to the body. Bonnar then throws a body kick and eats a body punch at the same time. The jolt sends Bonnar to the mat, and Jones takes side control. Bonnar reclaims one leg, but he can't shake Jones from the dominant position. However, he eventually muscles his way back to his feet. Jones lands a leg kick, a right hand and then is pushed into the fence by Bonnar. Bonnar dips for a takedown, but Jones backs him off with a footstomp and a right hand. Bonnar connects on an uppercut and pushes Jones back into the fence and follows with a knee to the bodu. Jones answers with one of his own, and the fighters return to the center of the cage. Jones tosses Bonnar to the mat, but he quickly returns to his feet.

LYOTO MACHIDA VS. THIAGO SILVA: Round 1 - Little action early before Machida connects on a leg kick and then partially connects on a flying knee to the body. Silva shows no damage and pushes forward. An accidental knee to Silva's groin forces a halt in the action. Silva needs little to recover, but Machida quickly trips him to the mat. However, he quickly returns to his feet. Machida is working a stick-and-move approach, but Silva continues to stalk. However, two quick blows from Machida send Silva to his back. Machida follows and works from inside his opponent's guard. Machida stands over his opponent, kicks his legs and then tries to land a diving right. Silva avoids the blow, and ties up his fellow Brazilian. Machida allows Silva to stand and then tries a head kick that's blocked. A left-right combination drops Silva, and Machida pounces on him and lands in side control. Machida easily transition to mount, but Silva bucks free. Machida quickly goes back in and takes his opponent's back as Silva gets to his feet. Silva then pins Machida against the cage to catch his breath. Machida lands some dirty boxing, shoves Silva to the mat and blasts him with a diving right hand just as the round ends. Silva's knocked out cold. Lyoto Machida def. Thiago Silva via knockout (punch) -- Round 1, 4:59.

B.J. PENN VS. GEORGES ST. PIERRE: Round 4 - The doctor check on Penn but allow the fight to continue. Dean gets things started, and we now enter a championship fourth round. St. Pierre goes high a left and low with a righ kick, and Penn's then forced to the mat with a double-leg takedown. St. Pierre easily secures side control and puts Penn in the crucifix position to rain down a few blows. The blows continue as St. Pierre presses his elbow into Penn's mouth. The referee warns them about something, and Penn's head is bounced off the mat like a basketball. St. Pierre then takes the mount position and eats additional blows and the ref keeps watchful eye on things. Now working from side control, St. Pierre delivers knees to the body and returns to the crucifix position for more punishment. Back to the mount, St. Pierre tags Penn with elbows. Penn reclaims one leg, but he can't stop the punishment or St. Pierre's return to side control. Penn is gasping for breath, and St. Pierre continues a series of short punches before hopping back into mount. With a minute to go, St. Pierre continues the assault, and Penn's head bounces off the mat with a thud. The ref considers jumping in to stop it, and after St. Pierre kicks up the energy, he looks to the ref. A final left elbow pops Penn just as the round ends. After conferring with the doctor, referee Heb Dean puts a stop to the fight. Penn sits on the floor gasping for breath as St. Pierre takes a victory lap around the cage. Georges St. Pierre def. B.J. Penn via TKO (doctor's stoppage) - Round 4, 5:00 - 31491

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