Notable Rounds in UFC 98
DAVE KAPLAN VS. GEORGE ROOP: Round 1 - Kaplan works kicks and Roop punches, but little lands early. Roop misses with a head kick. Roop partially connects on a combination of punches and follows a bit later with a nice body kick. Roop scores one of his own. Kaplan has a trickle of blood coming from the bridge of his nose. Kalplan lands an overhand right as Roop moves in. The fighters continue trading punches and kicks with no sense this fight will go to the ground. Roop with a nice front kick to the body, but Kaplan connects on the second part of his combination with a left. Kaplan becomes the aggressor and punches through Roop's reach. Roop throws a head kick that partially connects, but Kaplan shakes it off. Roop lands an uppercut and body kick, and Kaplan shoots, scores the takedown and backs Roops into the fence. Kaplan stands and eats an upkick and then backs off and allows his opponent to do the same. Both fighters get in a few more licks before the end of the round.
PAT BARRY VS. TIM HAGUE: Round 1 - All smiles as the fighters touch gloves. Hague throws the first punches and forces Barry to retreat before he charges forward with a looping right that partially connects. Barry, a smaller heavyweight, showing the speed and elusiveness he talked about. Barry stuns Hague with a combo and head kick and has his dazed. But Hague grabs hold and forces the fight to the mat to regroup. Barry takes to his knees, and Hague blankets him and locks in a guillotine choke when Barry pops out his head. After locking in the body triangle, Barry is forced to tap.
FRANKIE EDGAR VS. SEAN SHERK: Round 3 - Sherk swings with a sense of urgency, but Edgar patiently waits for an opening while circling away. Edgar throws a lazy hook, and Sherk makes him pay with a lightning-quick double-leg takedown. Edgar, though, quickly gets back to his feet. Both fighters look to shoot and knock noggins. Edgar goes high with a head kick that basically just lands as a face slap. Back to the center of the cage, and the pace slows a bit. Edgar shoots, Sherk quickly sees it coming, and we restart in the center of the cage. This time Sherk shoots. Edgar sprawls and easily defends from the takedown. The fighters trade punches again, and Edgar counters with a solid three-punch combo that lands. He then stuffs Sherk's shot and makes him pay with a quick right. With 10 seconds left, Sherk shoots one final time, but Edgar locks in a deep guillotine and pulls guard before the horn sounds.
DAN MILLER VS. CHAEL SONNEN: Round 3 - Miller misses with a head kick but backs up Sonnen with a nice combination of punches. Sonnen shoots, picks up Miller and quickly takes him back to the mat. Working from full guard, Sonnen works punches to the body and hammerfists to the face. The assault continues for a good minute as Miller has little to offer from his back. Sonnen postures up, but his punches are blocked as he comes back down. Sonnen drops some sort elbows, frees a leg and tries to secure mount. Miller, though, forces him back into guard. The boo birds return as the pace to Sonnen's dominance slows. With Miller pressed against the cage, Sonnen postures up and pops him consecutive punches to the head. He then drops to guard and continues battering Miller with his head and neck bent into the fence. The crowd mostly boos.
MATT HUGHES VS. MATT SERRA: Round 1 - As expected no touch of gloves. Steve Mazzagatti didn't even bother asking. We're underway, and Hughes misses wide with his first punch. Both fighters are patient and take turns backing the other away with punches that don't land. After a clinch, Hughes drops to his back. Not sure if it was a slip or head butt or punch. But Hughes is dazed. Serra continues attacking and chasing Hughes. Hughes grabs a single leg to try to stall and then pushes Serra into the cage. Serra with a couple soft knees to the body from the clinch. The pace slows big time as the fighters clinch, allowing Hughes time to recover from what seemed to be a heat butt. The fighters break apart, and we start at the center of the cage again. Hughes telegraphs a leg kick that misses before clinching with Serra. Hughes initiates a textbook trip takedown, takes sidemount, and then takes Serra's back. Hughes rolls to his back and locks in his hooks, but he doesn't have the choke, and Serra uses the cameras to help him watch what Hughes is doing from below. Serra rolls free and escapes, drawing a big ovation. A right hand nearly connects, but Hughes backs away. An exciting first round.
CHAMP RASHAD EVANS VS. LYOTO MACHIDA (for light-heavyweight title): Round 1 - No touch of the gloves as tonight's title fight gets underway. Machida stays in the center of the cage as Evans circles. Machida with a quick and ineffective leg kick 40 seconds in for the bout's first bit of offense. The boo birds already come out of the nest. Evans isn't getting sucked in and remains as patient as Machida. A minute a half in, and we have one strike thrown. Evans creates distance with a jab. Machida charges forward and knocks Evans off balance with a blocked head kick. Evans laughs it off. The pace again slows to a crawl as Evans continues circling. Machida finally provides some action with a body kick. Evans jabs from distance but no dice. Machida again charges in for a body kick, but Evans blocks it this time. Machida lands another body kick and drops Evans, and he swarms in. Evans gets back to his feet, the fighters briefly clinch, and then they each retreat. Nice blow by Machida, who misses on a following head kick. Not many shots but the ones that landed counted.
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Tags: boxing, fight, Fighting, Martial Arts, mixed martial arts, mma, ufc, ufc 98, ultimate fighting championship
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