Rashad Evans defeated Phil Davis by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45).

In a downright dominant performance that saw him get the last word in a rivalry with Davis, Evans finally earned his chance to fight former training partner and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

Evans caught Davis kicks and took the fight to the ground in each of the first two rounds. From there, Evans moved to the mounted crucifix on both occasions and ended the rounds in that position.

Davis fought back with two takedowns in the third round, but it was enough for him to even win the round, as Evans' more well-rounded attack led him to an important victory in the UFC on Fox main event.

The first loss of Davis' career came in a fight that showed he still has a lot of growing to do as a mixed martial artist. The former NCAA champion wrestler still had trouble setting up his takedowns with strikes, especially against a former wrestler as experienced in MMA as Evans.

With his fourth straight victory, Evans became the second fighter of the night to set up a future blockbuster event. At UFC 145, Evans will meet Jones in a long-awaited grudge match.

 

Chael Sonnen defeated Michael Bisping by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).

In the co-main event of UFC on Fox 2, Sonnen walked away with a victory in a grueling, grinding fight. The win secured Sonnen an epic rematch wtih UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva later this year.

The opening round saw Sonnen secure two takedowns, but Bisping scored points of his own on the scorecards by quickly escaping and landing shots as Sonnen rushed in.

By pressing Sonnen against the fence and landing hooks to side of his opponent's head, Bisping likely earned the second round on two judges' scorecards. 

The final frame was the most decisive of the bout, as Sonnen took Bisping down and mounted the Englishman. A late escape and takedown for Bisping wasn't enough to even up the round on the scorecards, leaving him just short of his first UFC title shot.

The fight brought an end to Bisping's four-fight winning streak, but it set up what will undoubtedly be one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history. 

The Sonnen show has just begun.

 

Chris Weidman defeated Demian Maia by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Taking the biggest fight of his life on 11 days notice led to a tough weight cut for Weidman and it showed in the opening bout of the UFC on Fox 2 main card. Weidman faded quickly as the fight rolled along.

What was really surprising was that Weidman's opponent, Maia, looked equally gassed. Maia's telegraphed takedowns and predictable striking allowed Weidman to keep his spotless record in decision.

A two-time All-American at Hofstra University, Weidman secured takedowns in each of the three rounds. Although he didn't do much from the top position, Weidman's takedowns and counter-striking were enough to move him into a position to fight another elite 185-pound fighter. 

Maia has now lost two of three fights, and considering this disappointing performance on network television, it could be awhile until the jiu-jitsu ace gets another blockbuster fight.

 

Evan Dunham defeated Nik Lentz by technical knockout (cut) at 5:00 of the second round.

With a brutal assault on Lentz's face in the second round of his fight at UFC on Fox 2, Dunham picked up his second straight win by causing a cut and major swelling under the left eye of his opponent.

The bout saw a seesaw battle in the first round turn into a more lopsided second frame, as Dunham was able to best Lentz on the ground with damaging ground and pound.

With improved striking under the tutelage of kickboxer Ray Sefo, Dunham appears ready to make another run at the top ten lightweight in the UFC.

Lentz has now lost fights in back-to-back months, meaning it may be time for him to take some time off and go back to the drawing board to make improvements.

 

Mike Russow defeated John-Olav Einemo by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

Despite his opponent's noted grappling credentials, Chicago police officer Russow did not hesitate whatsoever in taking Einemo to the ground.

Russow secured multiple takedowns in each of the three rounds, but a sweep to full mount in the final seconds of the first round was the only offense Einemo could mount on the canvas.

Exhausted in the final frame, Russow ate a few big knees from Einemo, but the 35-year-old policeman was able to take his equally tired opponent back to the ground and secure a decision victory.

With two straight losses to start his UFC career, and because of the lack of conditioning he showed at UFC on Fox 2, don't be surprised if this turns out to be Einemo's final fight inside the Octagon.

Russow, on the other hand, has won 11 consecutive fights and is considered by many one of the top 10 heavyweights in the UFC.

 

Cub Swanson defeated George Roop by technical knockout (punches) at 2:22 of the second round.

After a back-and-forth first round, Swanson turned up the tempo in the second frame and put Roop away with a jab-overhand right combination. 

Swanson was at his best when charging forward and overwhelming Roop. With his long reach, Roop was unable to counter Swanson on the inside.

Prior to this fight, Roop had made a move into some pundits' featherweight rankings with a narrow defeat against Hatsu Hioki. However, his second straight loss could prove a major setback for the towering 145-pound fighter.

Coming off of a loss to Ricardo Lamas in his UFC debut, Swanson's victory at UFC on Fox 2 was much-needed for the former WEC contender to secure his spot on the UFC roster.

 

Charles Oliveira defeated Eric Wisely by submission (calf slicer) at 1:23 of the first round.

After running into a rough patch at lightweight, Oliveira made an impressive featherweight debut by submitting Wisely with a rare calf slicer.

Early on, Oliveira caught a Wisely kick and tossed his opponent to the ground. Shortly after, "Do Bronx" looked to secure a heel hook. After losing the hold, Oliveira had a figure-four on Wisely's leg and looked to take his adversaries back.

With a massive amount of torque applied to his calf, Wisely was forced to tap in his UFC debut due to an unorthodox submission. For the 27-year-old Strikeforce veteran, a loss to the very talented Oliveira is not something to be ashamed of, but he will need to put on a betteer performance in his next fight.

The 22-year old Oliveira has cemented himself as one of the brightest young stars in the UFC. By moving to featherweight, Oliveira is no longer at a size disadvantage and could make a run at the 145-pound title.

 

Michael Johnson defeated Shane Roller by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Although he found himself stuck in a body triangle for most of the third round, former TUF runner-up Johnson showed progression in his skills at UFC on Fox 2.

In the first two rounds of his bout against Roller, Johnson easily shut down the takedown attempts of the three-time All-American and looked much more smooth on his feet than in past fights.

In a desperate attempt to take the fight to the ground, Roller pulled guard midway through the second round. However, the former Oklahoma State University wrestler was unable to attack with any submission attempts and quickly found himself getting picked apart on his feet again. 

The 25-year-old Blackzilian avoided a second straight loss with the victory and showed that he is ready to start climbing the 155-pound ranks.

The future is now in question for Roller, who has lost three straight fights. Considering the level of competition those losses came against, Roller may get one more shot in the UFC, but that is far from a given.

 

Lavar Johnson defeated Joey Beltran by knockout (uppercuts) at 4:24 of the first round.

At UFC on Fox 2, losing almost 20 pounds proved detrimental to Beltran's ability to fight at heavyweight, as he was steamrolled by UFC newcomer Johnson.

In the opening minute of the fight, Johnson buckled Beltran with a body shot. Then, Johnson proceeded to bully Beltran around the Octagon until a series of uppercuts left "The Mexicutioner" unconscious.

A loser of four of his past five fights, Beltran's UFC career may depend on being able to lose another 20 pounds to compete at light heavyweight. 

For Johnson, finishing a durable fighter like Beltran was about as impressive a UFC debut as a heavyweight can have. The 34-year-old became the first fighter to ever knock out Beltran and will now look to climb the heavyweight ranks while representing the soon-to-be-defunct Strikeforce heavyweight division. 

 

Chris Camozzi defeated Dustin Jacoby by submission (guillotine choke) at 1:08 of the third round.

Coming off of a loss in his return to the UFC, Camozzi was in a must-win situation heading into his UFC on Fox 2 bout against Jacoby.

In the early going, Jacoby kept Camozzi at bay with kicks. However, a late right hand from Camozzi left Jacoby stunned as he went to his corner between the first and second rounds.

Camozzi carried the momentum into the later rounds, as Jacoby appeared slower to the punch after being rocked at the end of the opening frame. After knocking Jacoby to the canvas with a leg kick early in the final round, Camozzi locked up a guillotine choke and secured his spot on the UFC roster.

For the 23-year-old Jacoby, the loss marked back-to-back defeats to start his UFC career. Unfortunately, such a rough start in the world's premier MMA organization could lead to a return to regional promotions until Jacoby can gain some more experience and improve. 

Originally scheduled to fight Chael Sonnen at UFC on FOX 2, Mark Munoz was forced out of the event due to an arm injury.

Munoz's loss turned into Michael Bisping's gain, as the British fighter ditched his fight with Demian Maia to meet Sonnen in a bout that will determine the next middleweight contender.

Though Sonnen's fight with Munoz would have been an interesting fight itself, a bout between long-winded middleweights Sonnen and Bisping is arguably more intriguing to fans and should provide some interesting back-and-forth banter in the days leading up to UFC on FOX 2.

Before Sonnen and Bisping step into the Octagon for a fight to determine who will get the next shot at Anderson Silva, let's take a look at how this middleweight matchup could play out in all areas.

 

Striking

When predicting a fight between Sonnen and Bisping, most would jump to the conclusion that the outcome depended on whether or not Sonnen is able to take the Englishman to the ground.

While that could turn out to be the case, it might not be as much of a given as it might seem. For a fighter so known for his wrestling, Sonnen has shown some solid boxing over the course of his career, even landing some solid shot against middleweight champ Anderson Silva.

Bisping is a volume puncher with great accuracy, so he does have an advantage over Sonnen in the striking department, but a stand-up fight would not result in a sure win for the pride of British MMA. 

Edge: Bisping

Chin

Sonnen and Bisping both have very solid chins, so it's doubtful that we'll see any one-punch knockouts in this matchup.

Many point to Bisping's brutal knockout loss against Dan Henderson as reason to believe he can't take a punch, but Bisping has otherwise never been finished, and Henderson could also probably knockout an adult male rhino with his right hand.

That being said, Sonnen does deserve a slight advantage over Bisping in his ability to take a punch. Though he has two knockout losses on his record, those results came via cut and corner stoppage. Sonnen has never technically been knocked out in any of his 38 professional fights.

Edge: Sonnen

Takedowns/Takedown Defense

One of the first English fighters to display a really well-rounded game in MMA, Bisping has developed good takedown defense to allow himself the opportunity to stand with opponents.

Unfortunately for Bisping, good takedown defense isn't good enough against an elite wrestler like Sonnen. Even with a full training camp of preparing for Sonnen's explosive takedowns, Bisping would have had his hands full in trying to keep this fight standing.

Since Bisping has likely been working more on submission defense for a previously scheduled fight with Demian Maia, his takedown defense probably won't be nearly where it needs to be in order to stuff Sonnen's attempts.

It's inevitable that this fight will go to the ground with Sonnen on top of Bisping.

Edge: Sonnen

 

Grappling/Positioning/Control

Sonnen may have his lapses on the ground from time to time, but they're never related to his ability to keep his opponent's back on the canvas.

Once Sonnen has a fighter on the ground, it's likely that the fight will stay there until the end of the round unless the Team Quest product gets caught with a submission.

When, not if, Bisping gets taken down, his best bet is to attack Sonnen with submission attempt after submission attempt rather than spending energy trying to escape.

Edge: Sonnen

 

Submissions/Submission Defense

Obviously, given my above take on the grappling aspect of this fight, Bisping holds a significant advantage in the submission realm, as many opponents do against Sonnen.

Every loss Sonnen has ever had inside the Octagon has been a result of an opponent submission off of their back.

Bisping has never recorded a submission in his UFC career, but he does have an underrated ground game and forced a handful of opponents to tap prior to joining the UFC.

In order to win this fight and earn the first title shot of his career, Bisping may have to capture his first submission victory under the UFC banner.

Edge: Bisping

 

Ground Striking

Sonnen and Bisping are excellent at landing a high percentage of their strikes on the ground. Both fighters have finished their fair share of fights with ground-and-pound.

Though he has finished a number of opponents with punches on the ground, Sonnen has never finished a UFC opponent with strikes. Instead, Sonnen has used his ground-and-pound to set up guard passes and the occasional submission attempt.

For Bisping, ground striking likely won't come into play in this fight. If Sonnen is on his back at an point in this fight, he has bigger problems than worrying about Bisping's ground-and-pound.

Edge: Push

 

Experience/Game Plan

Although Sonnen has competed in 13 more MMA fights than Bisping, there comes a point when fighters who have competed in as many big fights as Bisping aren't at any disadvantage in terms of experience.

Bisping has competed in some of the biggest events in UFC history and has never seemed to fold under the pressure.

Both Sonnen and Bisping come from solid camps at Team Quest and Wolfslair. Since there is no secret what either fighter will want to do during the fight on Saturday, this matchup should simply come down to skill and the matchup of styles. 

Edge: Push

 

Strength/Quickness/Reach

In terms of pure athleticism, Sonnen and Bisping are fairly evenly matched. 

With the ease in which he tossed Brian Stann around the Octagon in his previous fight, it's probably safe to say that Sonnen is the stronger competitor heading into this fight. Bisping, though, is much lighter on his feet and possesses a modest reach advantage.

On Saturday, both fighters will attempt to use their own unique attributes to exploit the other fighter's weaknesses.

Edge: Push

 

Conditioning

One thing you definitely won't see in this fight between Sonnen and Bisping is an out-of-gas fighter. Both middleweights are well-conditioned, world-class athletes ready to go hard for even longer than the maximum of 15 minutes this fight will last.

Both fighters have gone to their fair share of decisions over the years, but neither has ever seemed to fade in the late rounds of their fights.

Edge: Push

 

If Bisping had even one submission against a high-level opponent, this would be an extremely tough fight to call. However, Bisping doesn't seem to have the submission game off his back that he would need to deter Sonnen from taking this fight to the ground.

Even in the off chance that Bisping does keep this fight standing, it wouldn't be safe to count Sonnen out of a stand-up fight. Sonnen found success against in the striking department against middleweight champ Anderson Silva, who is widely considered the best striker in all of MMA.

If Bisping is somehow able to stuff Sonnen's takedowns, his chances of victory would increase greatly. Though, with Sonnen's outstanding wrestling and ability to stand toe-to-toe with other excellent strikers, he's the safe bet to walk away with the win in this fight.

Sonnen has dismissed the idea that Silva will ever take a rematch with him, but a win over Bisping on Saturday will force the UFC to step in and make the fight happen.

 

Sonnen defeats Bisping by unanimous decision.

At UFC 138, Mark Munoz may have picked up his second straight victory over an elite middleweight opponent, but his performance was not enough to propel him past Chael Sonnen as the middleweight most deserving of a fight with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

After Chris Leben's corner stopped the bout due to a cut over their fighter's left eye, Munoz campaigned for a title shot in his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan. While Munoz may be very near the top of the 185-pound division, the are a plethora of reasons why Sonnen should be given another shot at Silva before Munoz.

Aside from the fact that he recently dominated and submitted Brian Stann, a fighter who knocked Leben out in even more impressive fashion than Munoz, Sonnen is simply the contender that fans would rather see in a matchup with Silva. Sonnen has been promoting his rematch with Silva for more than a year, and his impressive win over Stann was probably all the proving he had to do to convince the UFC to put that fight together.

Conversely, having lost to Yushin Okami in 2010, Munoz has only recently separated himself as one of the top contenders in the division. While he may pose some of the same threats to Silva that Sonnen does, a fight between Munoz and Silva wouldn't provide fans with the same exciting rivalry that a second meeting between Sonnen and Silva would.

For a new contender, the 33-year-old Munoz doesn't have a ton of time left in his career, but he still has some proving to do in order to earn a fight with the best fighter in MMA history. Sonnen, on the other hand, has already proven he can hold his own against the middleweight king inside the cage.

 

 

Before the fights started, UFC 136 was pegged as one of the most talent-rich fight cards of 2011. The UFC and its fighters didn't disappoint the fans in attendance at Houston's Toyota Center. From start to finish, UFC 136 was one of the best MMA events of the year. Continue reading for results from every bout on the card.

 

Frankie Edgar defeats Gray Maynard by knockout (punches) at 3:54 of the fourth round.

The first round of the third meeting between Maynard and Edgar could have been a replay of the opening stanza of their second bout. After rocking Edgar multiple times in the first round, the only difference in Maynard's approach was his patience, which he didn't have at UFC 125.

Despite conserving energy, Maynard once again wasted an excellent start to a title fight with Edgar. Just like he did in the last fight, Edgar recovered and rallied back. This time, Edgar was able to erase any doubt by finishing Maynard via technical knockout in the fourth round.

With the incredible ending to UFC 136, Edgar closed the book on one of the most memorable trilogies in UFC history. With plenty of fight left in the careers of both men, it wouldn't be shocking if we saw a fourth fight between Edgar and Maynard somewhere down the line. 

 

Jose Aldo defeats Kenny Florian by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46).

In what many called his final chance to win a UFC title, Kenny Florian entered UFC 136 with an excellent game plan for his featherweight title fight against Jose Aldo. Although he lost on the scorecards, Florian kept more than one of the rounds very close.

In the end, Aldo was simply too talented and athletic for Florian to keep up with for five rounds. With an unsuccessful move to featherweight, Florian's future in the sport now appears cloudy. The 35-year-old has now lost in three UFC title fights, so he may never get another chance to become champion.

For Aldo, this was a second straight fight where the Brazilian featherweight wasn't overly dominant. If Aldo wants to be mentioned along with Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre in pound-for-pound rankings, he will need to outclass opponents from start to finish.

 

Chael Sonnen defeats Brian Stann by submission (arm triangle) at 3:51 of the second round.

Despite being away from the Octagon for more than one year, Sonnen showed no signs of ring rust at UFC 136. In his classic style, Sonnen took Stann to the ground and beat up the war hero with ground and pound for three rounds.

Not only did Sonnen beat Stann, but he finished an opponent for the first time since October 2007. With UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva sitting ringside, Sonnen may have earned his rematch with the greatest pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

In his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan, Sonnen called out Silva offered up a bet for their next meeting. According to the terms of the potential deal, Sonnen said he would leave the UFC if he loses to Silva, while Silva would have to leave the 185-pound division if he loses to Sonnen.  

 

Nam Phan defeats Leonard Garcia by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Another wild fight between Phan and Garcia went to the judges.

In a rematch of one of the most controversial fights of 2010, Phan avenged his loss to Garcia by picking apart the Greg Jackson-trained fighter in the first two rounds. Phan came out firing on all cylinders and dropped Garcia in the opening moments of the fight.

In the third round, Garcia caught Phan with a left hook and started unloading. Phan weathered the storm and came away with the victory on the scorecards, though. Still, the incredibly exciting bout left the door open for a third meeting between the two featherweights. 

 

Joe Lauzon defeats Melvin Guillard by submission (rear naked choke) at 0:47 of the first round.

Athleticism isn't everything.

Heading into UFC 136, Lauzon was a massive underdog in a matchup against fast-rising contender Guillard. In his recent fights, Guillard used his God-given talent to dominate opponents, but an experienced and intelligent Lauzon outsmarted Guillard in the Octagon.

Early in the fight, Lauzon rocked Guillard with a left hand. Instead of working to finish Guillard with punches, Lauzon smartly used the strongest part of his game to put his opponent away. Lauzon quickly took Guillard's back and locked up a rear naked choke.

Constantly on the brink of breaking through, Lauzon repeatedly ended up on the losing end of pivotal fights. With his win over Guillard, though, Lauzon finally proved to be a legitimate lightweight contender. 

 

Demian Maia defeats Jorge Santiago by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Maia, arguably the best grappler in the middleweight division, used takedowns and top control to secure a victory over Santiago at UFC 136. As usual, Maia showed some holes in his striking, but Santiago couldn't take advantage and keep the bout standing.

While it wasn't a spectacular win by any means, Maia's win over Santiago was his third in four appearances. Maia's only loss during that time was a controversial decision against middleweight contender Mark Munoz.

Santiago has now lost his first two fights since returning to the UFC, A former Sengoku champion, Santiago was expected to show improvement in his second stint inside the Octagon, but back-to-back losses may show that his success over recent years had been due to lesser competition.

 

Anthony Pettis defeats Jeremy Stephens by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

In a fight that was expected to be a stand-up war, the ground game largely determined the outcome of Pettis' first UFC victory. After being taken down twice in the first round, Pettis changed up his game plan and secured takedowns of his own in the later rounds. 

After it played a major part in a loss to Clay Guida in his UFC debut, Pettis worked on his wrestling with Bellator champion Ben Askren. That practice appeared to pay off, as Pettis' ability to control where this fight took place was a major factor in the judges' decision to award him the victory.

The last WEC lightweight champion, Pettis saw a previously promised UFC title shot slip away after his loss to Guida. However he earned it, this win over Stephens was an important first step for Pettis to prove he deserves a shot at the lightweight belt.

 

Stipe Miocic defeats by Joey Beltran by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28).

Once again, Beltran's toughness was on full display at UFC 136. The undefeated Miocic proved to be the more technical fighter than Beltran in the first round. However, Beltran forced Miocic into a brawl in the second round, which made the decision much closer than it probably should have been.

Beltran took some huge shots from Miocic, but "The Mexicutioner" showed off his granite chin in a three-round war. Despite taking a lot of punishment, Beltran avoided being finished for the first time in the Octagon.

While most of his success was found when standing, Miocic took Beltran down with ease on multiple occasions. An excellent amateur wrestler, Miocic's well-rounded game makes him a promising addition to the UFC's heavyweight division. 

 

Darren Elkins defeats by Tie Quan Zhang by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27).

Coming off of a highly controversial decision victory in his featherweight debut against Michihiro Omigawa, Elkins showed an outstanding ground game in his second straight victory inside the Octagon. 

Forced to fend off Zhang's dangerous guillotine choke in the opening moments of all three rounds, Elkins slipped his head out and took the top position on every occasion. Elkins took Zhang's back several times and attempted to secure a rear naked choke. 

Zhang fought off Elkins' submission attempts, but suffered a lopsided decision loss in the process. While he might have been gifted a decision in his first featherweight bout, it could be time for Elkins to receive a big step up in competition in the 145-pound division.

 

Aaron Simpson defeats Eric Schafer by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

The 37-year-old Simpson showed that he still has plenty left in the tank at UFC 136, as he picked up his third win of 2011 in a dominating performance over Schafer. Using his excellent wrestling background to keep the fight standing, Simpson picked Schafer apart with powerful punches.

After losing back-to-back fights against Ryan Bader and Jason Brilz, Schafer was released from the UFC in 2010. However, an injury to Nick Catone, Simpson's originally scheduled opponent, allowed Schafer to return to the Octagon as a middleweight.

A training partner of Bader, Simpson rudely welcomed Schafer back to the UFC by dropping his opponent twice during the three-round bout. An uppercut dropped Schafer in the first round, while an overhand right nearly put an end to the fight in the closing second of the second frame.

However, Schafer displayed a granite chin and amazing toughness by battling it out to a decision. Simpson may never contend for a middleweight title, but his exceptional wrestling and dangerous punching power makes him a tough opponent for anyone.

 

Mike Massenzio defeats Steve Cantwell by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28).

Entering this matchup, both Cantwell and Massenzio were well aware that they could be fighting for their spot on the UFC roster. Coming into UFC 136, Cantwell had lost three straight fights, while Massenzio lost four of his last six bouts.

Despite a slow start, Massenzio may have sent the 24-year-old Cantwell back to the regional circuit by picking up a decision victory. Massenzio, who was making his middleweight debut, came out strong before fading in the later rounds.

An overhand right had Massenzio hurt with two minutes in the first round, but the 28-year-old recovered and made a great adjustment between rounds. In the second frame, Massenzio came out much more aggressive and broke Cantwell's nose with a left hand. 

Unable to find an answer for the pressure Massenzio was putting on him, Cantwell fell short on the scorecards. Cantwell is still very young and has room to improve, but he will likely have to make those improvements outside of the UFC in the near future.