Walel Watson vs. Joseph Sandoval - Both bantamweights were making their UFC debut. Watson landed a huge head kick while Sandoval was coming in that dropped him briefly. Watson followed up with three head kicks in a row and some solid punches and Sandoval hit the deck once again. Two punches and it was over at 1:17 of round one via TKO. Extremely impressive debut by Watson that might very well make the Versus broadcast tonight.
Josh Neer vs. Keith Wisniewski - Both of these guys were making their UFC return after long absences. The first round was an impressive display of varied techniques by two veterans, but Neer probably got the best of it with elbows, uppercuts, and leg kicks. Neer thought that he suffered a broken rib near the end of the first round, but carried on.
The second round was one of the most unique I've ever seen. Neer threw dozens of standing elbows that cut Wisniewski to mincement, but he was given a reprieve when Neer's mouthpiece somehow fell under the cage just before the doctor checked his cuts. Yes, under. Neer unloaded even more after the restart, and was busting Keith up. A late standing guillotine made blood pour out of Wisniewski's head like a faucet. After the round was over, the doctor had no choice but to stop the fight. Neer won by TKO at the end of the second, but it was a massive display of toughness from both men and a great fight.
Shane Roller vs. T.J. Grant - Grant opened up the fight with some excellent grappling, putting the decorated wrestler on his back multiple times. It was definitely Grant's round. The second round featured some excellent grappling, with the fighters alternating positions a few times. The third round saw Grant taking over to a degree and he was probably cruising to a decision victory anyway, but a quick transition from a guillotine to an armbar caused the referee to stop the fight late in the third. There was no tap though, and whether there was a scream in pain was a bone of contention between the two fighters. Strange ending to a great fight.
Mike Easton vs. Byron Bloodworth - Easton was extremely popular with the DC crowd and came out with a ton of energy, but neither fighter showed a lot of offense in the round. Easton threw a nice spinning back kick and a couple of leg kicks, but ate some jabs as well.The second round was all Easton, with some thundering leg kicks that wobbled Bloodworth. Near the end of the round Bloodworth had him clinched up against the cage, but Easton landed three straight high knees to the head then buried one in Bloodworth's gut, which dropped him. Easton finished it shortly thereafter. Slow start from Easton (which Luke Thomas of MMA Nation says is the norm for him), but he devastated Bloodworth in the second. Impressive.
Michael Johnson vs. Paul Sass - Johnson opened up with some good striking and appeared to have hurt Sass early, but he soldiered on. Sass was all about getting it to the ground and when he finally did, he latched on a heel hook and got the submission at the three minute mark. He might be a tad one-dimensional, but what a dimension it is.
Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira - Oliveira came out with a ton of energy and landed a bunch of shots early, but Edwards settled in and controlled the second half of the round. Oliveira shot in for a takedown late and almost at it, but ate a big knee on the way out. The second started with some spirited exchanges, but Edwards landed a beautiful counter right that crumpled Oliveira. Somehow Tractor was able to survive the Thugjitsu onslaught and got back to his feet, but a huge Edwards headkick and about 20 straight punches to the face finally earned the finish.
Overall, it was an excellent undercard.
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