UFC 92

December 27, 2008
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada



Wanderlei Silva versus Quinton "Rampage" Jackson





World Light Heavyweight Championship

Forest Griffin versus Rashad Evans

The Dream Match: De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao

12 Rounds Welterweight 147

Oscar De La Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs) vs. Manny Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs)

De La Hoya 145 vs. Pacquiao 142







My head says it will be the Golden Boy but my heart says it will be the Pacman. Anyway, may the best fighter win…

But I do pick Manny to win via a 10th Round TKO. Go Pacman! He-he.



Update 12.06.2008: Pacquiao was relentless in pummeling Oscar de la Hoya from the opening bell forcing the Golden Boy to quit on his stool in the 8th round of the fight scheduled for 12.



Here's a compilation of Pacman's greatest fights as he gobbles one great Mexican fighter after another-

UFC 91: Lesnar walloped Couture in 2

In just fourth MMA match, Lesnar reaches top of the sport
Dave Deibert, TheStarPhoenix.com
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008
The future of mixed-martial-arts has arrived. His name: Brock Lesnar.

In just his fourth career MMA match, Lesnar (3-1) captured the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title in spectacular fashion, scoring a TKO over UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture (16-9) at 3:07 of the second round of the main event of UFC 91 on Saturday night, stunning a capacity crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Lesnar caught Couture with a right hand to the side of the 45-year-old's head, sending the five-time champion staggering to the mat. Lesnar quickly pounced and rained two dozen unanswered shots down; referee Mario Yamasaki gave Couture as much time as possible to defend himself and recover but eventually had to jump in and stop the bout.


Many critics sounded off against the raw but athletic Lesnar, a former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar, getting a title shot so soon in his career. But the decision by UFC proved justified; with just 25 minutes of ring time in his career, Lesnar has reached the mountain top: UFC heavyweight champ.

"That sounds really good. I can't believe it. I can't believe it," Lesnar, a former NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion, said in the ring following the bout.

With the crowd buzzing in anticipation - UFC 91 could wind up as the most successful pay-per-view in company history - the two went toe-to-toe in the first round, with Couture scoring some good shots and Lesnar using his size to control Couture.

Midway through the second round, Lesnar - looking much improved in the stand-up game - drilled Couture with a big right hand. As Couture fell to the mat, the crowd rose to its collective feet, feeling the end was near. Couture tried to regain his senses but Lesnar was all over him, forcing the finish.

"I just believe in hard work and that it pays off," said the 6-foot-3 Lesnar, who entered the Octagon with a roughly 60-pound weight advantage over the 220-pound Couture.

Couture, who stayed down on the mat for several minutes following the match, gave full credit to Lesnar and his powerful XXXL fists.

"It's hard to get out of the way of those," Couture said.

It was Couture's first fight since August 2007; he had been in a year-long legal dispute with UFC that kept him out of the ring until returning for this title defence. Still, he said he didn't feel ring rust was an issue.

"That's just a big son of a bitch," said Couture.

"I felt good. He's just a big guy, he caught me with a big shot."

Up next for Lesnar: the winner of next month's match-up between interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir. Noguiera was crowned interim champion during Couture's absence. Mir, meanwhile, defeated Lesnar via submission in 90 seconds in Lesnar's UFC debut.

In other matches:

- Kenny Florian (13-3) scored an impressive win over Joe Stevenson (29-9) in a battle of lightweight title contenders, forcing Stevenson to tap out to a rear naked choke 4:03 into the first round.

The two went back and forth for most of the round before Florian floored Stevenson. Florian followed him to the mat and scored with several big shots, and as Stevenson tried to turn away, Florian caught him in a choke and made him submit.

- In a match that wasn't originally scheduled for the main card but got bumped after another fight was cancelled, Dustin Hazelett (12-4) beat Tamdan McCrory (10-2) via armbar submission at 3:59 of an entertaining welterweight battle.

- Heavyweight title hopeful Gabriel Gonzaga (10-3) gave Josh Hendricks (15-5-1) a rough welcome to UFC, scoring a TKO victory just 1:01 into Hendricks's UFC debut.

- In the pay-per-view opener, Demian Maia (10-0) made short work of Nate Quarry (10-3), forcing the alumnus of The Ultimate Fighter reality TV show to tap out to a rear raked choke just 2:13 into the first round of a middleweight bout.

FIGHT NOTES: Up next is UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008, one of the most stacked cards in recent memory - light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin defends against Rashad Evans; Nogueira takes on Mir; and light heavyweight contenders Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson go head-to-head . . . On the undercard of UFC 91, Canadian Mark Bocek defeated Alvin Robinson via rear naked choke at 3:16 of the third round.

ddeibert@sp.canwest.com

The Right Formula: Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton finally became the youngest Formula One champion in history (albeit his coronation was delayed by a year) when he finished fifth at the Brazilian Grand Prix to edge the season ending race winner Felipe Massa of Ferrari by a point by winning the final championship point on the last lap when he passed Toyota’s Timo Glock.



It was sweet vindication for Hamilton who also led in the points a year ago but was beaten by a mere point by Kimi Raikkonen for the 2007 championships in the last race of the season.

It was sweet vindication for the young British driver to finally win the biggest trophy in racing after being the subject of racist slurs by Spanish fans of his erstwhile teammate and bitter rival Fenando Alonso who left Mclaren for Renault this year because of certain issues with the team and teammate.



Aside from being the 2008 Formula One World Champion, he has the hot Filipina- American Pussy Cat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger by his side. Now, Mr. Hamilton can really proclaim that he’s on top of the world!



How lucky can a guy really get, huh?

Bute- Andrade Fight: Mr. Wright was Wrong!

Marlon B. Wright, the referee of the IBF Super Middleweight fight held in Montreal, Canada between current champion Lucien Bute and challenger Librado Andrade did the unthinkable when he made the very looooooooong count in order to save the champion’s ass after being knocked down by the challenger in the 12th round despite dominating the fight earlier.

Thus, Bute who fell on his butt after catching a wicked right in the waning seconds of the final round retained his belt via an infamous hometown decision cooked by Mr. Wright, the referee.

It was a blatant display of bias for the hometown boy and wrong judgment by the supposed to be neutral third man in the ring.

I say, fire Mr. Wright for his wrongdoings in order for him not to commit wrong decisions inside the square ring in the future.



Watch the clip of the last minute of the 12th round and You be the judge--

ESPN's Manny Pacquiao Special

E:60, ESPN's primetime newsmagazine is set to air Tuesday, a 60-minute television special on Manny Pacquiao’s iconic rise in the sport of boxing.

ESPN reporter Jeremy Schaap will take an inside look on Pacquiao’s overcoming poverty to become the Philippines' national icon through boxing.

Pacquiao is the only Asian boxer to win four world titles in different weight divisions. He is the current holder of the WBC Lightweight title, and previously won the WBC Super Featherweight, IBF Super Bantamweight and WBC Flyweight title diadems.

He is currently the Ring Magazine's top pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Here's Episode I of the HBO Special...

Unstoppable: Kelly Pavlik versus Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins completely outclassed and dominated the WBC/WBO/The Ring Middleweight champion of the world in their Light Heavyweight non-title fight and showed the stuff on why even at age 43, he is still considered an elite fighter.


UNSTOPPABLE: Kelly Pavlik versus Bernard Hopkins


Round I- Pavlik left jab. Hopkins countered with a left hook to the body and then a right to the face. Pavlik stalking Hopkins but ineffective. 10- 9 Hopkins.

Round II- Pavlik began by stalking Hopkins but Hopkins is beating him to the punch. A left hook on the face from Hopkins momentarily stunned Pavlik. A swelling in Pavlik's right eye. 10- 9 Hopkins

Round III- The two fighters preferred to mix it up inside. Pavlik's jab is neutralized by Hopkins. They traded blows, Hopkins getting the better of the exchange. Hopkins 10- 9.

Round IV- Pavlik starts the round with pressure. Hopkins still beating him to the punch and is getting the better end of the exchange with clean punches. 10- 9 Hopkins.

Round V- Pavlik continues his pressure of Hopkins but still he is being beaten to the punch by Hopkins. Good exchange, still the round goes to Hopkins. 10- 9.

Round VI- This is Pavlik's best round. He landed several body shots and Hopkins is slowing down a bit but still won the round, 10- 9.

Round VII- Pavlik trying to establish his jab early but Hopkins is an elusive target. Hopkins is ripping Pavlik with his hand speed and is showboating in the process. Hopkins 10-9.

Round VIII- Same old story. Hopkins is getting the better of the exchange. Pavlik looks tired. Pavlik deducted a point for holding while hitting. Hopkins 10-8.

Round IX- Pavlik is getting outwork and outpunch. He needs a knock out to win fight. A point was taken away from Hopkins for holding. 10-9, Pavlik.

Round X- Good round for Pavlik. Still it's Hopkins' round. Pavlik's getting desperate but slow. Hopkins 10-9.

Round XI- Both fighters elect to fight close and inside. Pavlik is getting schooled by Hopkins on defense and getting hammered too. There's bleeding from a cut on his right eye. Hopkins 10-9.

Round XII- Hopkins lands a combo that rocks Pavlik. Pavlik is a ghost of his old self. The Executioner executed his game plan and taught Pavlik a neat lesson in boxing as he completely dismantled the myth of Kelly Pavlik. Hopkins 10-9.


OTHER RESULTS FROM ATLANTIC CITY....


Unbeaten junior bantamweight prospect Qa'id Muhammad (3-0, 3 KOs) TKO'd Samuel Gutierrez (3-4)in the fourth round. Time was 2:29.

Unbeaten welterweight prospect Danny Garcia (8-0, 7 KOs) dropped Deon Nash (5-6, 1 KO) twice in round three and stopped him at 2:14 of the same round.

Unbeaten junior middleweight contender Yuri Foreman (26-0, 8 KOs) won via a unanimous decision over Vinroy Barrett (22-7, 11 KOs). Scores were 100-90.


Unbeaten super middleweight Daniel Jacobs (11-0, 10 KOs) demolished Tyrone Watson (7-6, 3 KOs)with brutal body shots in just 2:29 of the first round.

Marco Antonio Rubio (43-4-1, 37 KOs) won a twelve round split decision over Enrique Ornelas (28-5, 18 KOs) in a WBC middleweight eliminator, thus earning a shot at a future fight against Kelly Pavlik. He won 115-113 116-112 on two scorecards while Ornelas prevailed 115-113 on the third card.

WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano (36-1-1, 15 KOs) retained his title with a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten challenger Billy Dib (21-1, 11 KOs). Scores were 116-112, 115-113, 117-111.