Marcus Aurelio vs. Clay Guida
Round 1
The first round resembles a boxing match, with Guida teeing off with his right hand. Aurelio pumped a stiff jab to his opponent's jaw several times early. Near the end of the opening period, Guida dropped the Brazilian with a left hook but he was unable to capitalize. Sherdog.com scores the first 10-9 for Guida.
Round 2
More of the same in the second. Guida kept up relentless pressure with his hands, while Aurelio attempted to pull guard several times. With two minutes remaining, Guida reversed an Aurelio takedown and took the top position, where he threw punches and elbows from the Brazilian's guard for the duration of the round. Clear 10-9 for Guida.
Round 3
The final stage is a carbon copy of the first, with the whole round spent on the feet. Guida launched haymakers with few finding their range, and Aurelio was content to do little. Sherdog.com scored the round 10-9 for Guida, while the judges saw it 30-27 (twice) for the American and 29-28 for Aurelio. Clay Guida wins by split decision.
Ryan Jensen vs. Thales Leites
Round 1
Excellent action in this one. Jensen repeatedly fired high kicks early, with none finding their target. Jensen then landed a right hand that briefly sent Leites to the canvas, but the Brazilian worked to his feet. Shortly after another Jensen right hand sent Leites falling. The Brazilian recovered and scored a takedown, where he looked for a rear naked choke and an inverted arm-traingle from the back. Jensen escaped but was quickly taken back down, where Leites slapped on an armbar and forced his opponent to tap at 3:47 of the first.
Antoni Hardonk vs. Frank Mir
Round 1
Hardonk threw a lazy left kick that Mir caught in the opening minute. From here, the former champion dragged Hardonk to the mat. Hardonk attempted an ugly omaplata which Mir saw coming from a mile away. Mir passed to side-control and locked up a fight ending Kimura at 1:17 of the opening stanza.
David Heath vs. Renato Sobral
Round 1
Sobral scored an early double-leg, where he looked for a can opener. Heath was able to reverse position and notch a takedown of his own. The rest of the round saw Heath in the Brazilian's guard. Sherdog.com sees the uneventful round 10-9 for "Babalu."
Round 2
Sobral dragged the fight to the floor about 20 seconds in, and unloaded a barrage of punches and elbows to the face of Heath for the next several minutes. Heath escaped, but "Babalu" immediately locked on a guillotine, where he switched and rolled to an anaconda choke that forced Heath to tap. "Babalu" then squeezed his opponent's neck for an extra 5-7 seconds, forcing referee Steve Mazzagatti to desperately pull Sobral off of Heath. The crowd was not pleased and showered the Brazilian with boos. The official time is 3:30 of the second.
Patrick Cote vs. Kendall Grove
Round 1
Cote takes the center of the cage and unloads with a right hand. The Canadian pushes Grove against the fence and in true Cote fashion, does nothing. Referee Herb Dean separates the fighters and restarts the action. Grove lands a solid kick to the midsection. Cote, again against the fence, tries to lift Grove into the air but the TUF winner has none of it. Grove separates and lands a punch combo followed by a kick to the body. Cote then unleashes a big right hand that drops Grove to the mat. Cote pounces and after giving up on a rear-naked choke, pounds away until Dean steps in to save Grove at 4:45 of the first.
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Joe Stevenson
Round 1
Pellegrino moves gracefully around the cage, pumping a stiff jab to the head of Stevenson. Joe moves forward and pulls guard with a guillotine choke, but Pellegrino has none of it. Stevenson sweeps and gets to his feet. Massive back suplex slams Pellegrino to the mat. Pellegrino recovers and takes the top position. Close round, but Sherdog.com sees it 10-9 for Stevenson.
Round 2
Pellegrino lands a short right uppercut to get things started in the second. Stevenson answers with a one-two. Stevenson stuffs a takedown and roughs his opponent up with several right hands. Just when Pellegrino seemed to have found a rhythm with his jab, Stevenson scores a takedown. Stevenson now on Pellegrino's back, looking for a rear-naked choke. Pellegrino reverses and takes the top. Huge right hand for Kurt. Another close frame 10-9 for Stevenson.
Round 3
Uppercut and a right hook land for Pellegrino. Pellegrino uses head movement to avoid a Stevenson right hand and follows it up with a strong double-leg. Big John McCarthy separates the fighters and restarts the action. Pellegrino locks up a guillotine with full guard. Stevenson pops his head out and unleashes some elbows to his head against the cage. Pellegrino, now on his knees, eats a series of unanswered punches. Strong right elbow for Stevenson. Pellegrino again escapes and looks for a leg lock as time runs out. 10-9 for Stevenson. The first two rounds were extremely close, but it was all "Daddy" in the final frame. The judges score the contest 30-27 (twice) and 29-28, all for Joe Stevenson.
Alberto Crane vs. Roger Huerta
Round 1
Huerta chases Crane around the cage, while Alberto throws wild kicks. Crane dives in for a leg but Huerta takes his back. Huerta spins for an armbar but Crane escapes and takes Huerta's back. Huerta reverses and pounds away with strikes. A near finish as Crane goes for an arm. Crane now works from the top in half-guard. Crane hopped on his back and looked for a rear-naked choke but Huerta escaped and rained down more punches. Crane now sports an ugly mouse under his left eye. His eye is nearly shut. 10-9 for Huerta.
Round 2
Crane dives for a heel hook but eats lots of punishment in the process. Crane attempts an omaplata and locks on an ankle lock. Huerta gets out but now Crane works from side-control. Great fight. Huerta gets to his feet and knocks Crane down with a side kick to the body. Crane's left eye is a big mess. Crane rolls for an armbar and has it. The crowd goes wild. Again Huerta escapes and gets to his feet. Huerta engages on the ground and takes the mount. Crane gives up his back and eats more leather. 10-9 for Huerta.
Round 3
Crane throws a body kick and flops to the ground. Huerta stands over him and unloads with punches. Crane scrambles and takes the back. Huerta, showing amazing alertness, watches the Arena monitor as he elbows Crane from behind. Huerta turns around and scores with punches until Steve Mazzagatti steps in at 1:50 of the third.
Josh Koscheck vs. Georges St. Pierre
Round 1
Koscheck starts out throwing heavy leather. St. Pierre looked rattled. GSP shoots in and muscles Koscheck to the floor. St. Pierre works from half-guard. Two elbows land for GSP. Koscheck defends well as the Canadian controls him from the top. Koschek works to his feet and explodes into a takedown. Though GSP gripped fence, he still finds himself on his back. Koscheck lands an elbow of his own. Close round. 10-9 for Koscheck.
Round 2
GSP lands a left hand followed by a leg kick. St. Pierre shoots in and takes the fight to the floor. St. Pierre works on a Kimura from half-guard but Kos has none of it. Again the Canadian goes for the arm. Koscheck escapes. St. Pierre now in side-control. Now in half-guard, an elbow lands for GSP. St. Pierre goes back to the arm, but he can not finish before the horn sounds. 10-9 for Georges.
Round 3
Koscheck comes out firing. St. Pierre answers with a left hook and a solid low kick. Koscheck now throwing one strike at a time, looking for the knockout. St. Pierre stands in the pocket and score with a right hand and a head kick. St. Pierre turns it in with a left straight low kick combo. Koscheck shoots in but GSP stuffs it. Two minutes remain in the bout. Koscheck again drops levels for a takedown but GSP takes the top position. Elbows land for the Canadian. 10-9 for St. Pierre. The judges score it 29-28 (twice) and 30-27 for Georges St. Pierre.