The fight: Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans
The date: July 7, 2007
The location: Arco Arena, Sacramento, Calif.
The event: UFC 73 "Stacked"
Why it was memorable: The crowd at Arco was buzzing as Bruce Buffer started his introductions of the fighters. As the two met in the center of the cage, the crowd chanted "Tito" as Ortiz opened up with a high kick and took Evans down 10 seconds into the fight. Evans would rise to his feet with no damage done. "Rashad looks very tentative," Joe Rogan said, noting the initial takedown by Ortiz might've caused this. Evans stuffed two takedown attempts from Ortiz and landing some punches and Ortiz started bleeding near his right eye, which, on replay, was caused by Evans' thumbnail. More clinching against the cage. Ortiz would try a single-leg takedown but Evans would use some nice balance to fend it off. Clearly Ortiz's round.
Evans comes out of the gate in the second round with a lot more movement, looking a bit looser than he did in the first round. Evans would try a takedown, but Ortiz saw it coming and was able to stuff it. Evans would push Ortiz against the cage, briefly break and land a punch and then go back for a double leg. Evans would look to have Ortiz in good position for a takedown but Ortiz held the fence, earning a warning from referee John McCarthy. Ortiz would try a takedown with 90 seconds left and would hoist and put Evans on his butt. Evans would counter and end up on top and then Evans would get a takedown even though Ortiz held the fence. In the confusion, Ortiz would lock in a guillotine choke that was deep, earning him another round, but with the point deduction, it's only a 9-9.
Ortiz looking a bit tired as the third round begins. Ortiz with a takedown attempt. He has Evans' butt on the canvas, but not his back. Ortiz would briefly mount in a strange position but Evans escapes. Ortiz tries another single but Evans lays in some punches. He briefly transitions to a double but Evans fights it off and they are separated with two minutes left. Evans would continue to stand in front of a weary Ortiz and not do much until just more than a minute left when he opened with some nice punches. Ortiz would shoot in but Evans fought it off and put Ortiz's back on the cage with 40 seconds left. Evans would break off with some nice punches and slam Ortiz into side control and work some ground-and-pound until the horn sounded. Evans wins his first round and it's 28-28 on my card.
Eddie Bravo's scoring agreed and so did the three judges, who also all scored the bout 28-28.
"Please, Dana, Tito-Rashad II," Evans said.
"Since it's a draw, Rashad, we can do it again," Ortiz said.
And they will this Saturday at UFC 133 in Philadelphia.