UFC News and Results
1/25 UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Mallory’s Ongoing Coverage of the Show
By Mallory Mahling
Jan 25, 2007, 22:29

Welcome to tonight's ongoing real time coverage of UFC Fight Night. You may need to hit "refresh" from time to time to see the latest update.


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Tonight's show is live from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. 

Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan welcomed viewers to the show.

Jake O’Brien and Sean Salmon were shown warming up in their respective dressing rooms.

(1)  Lightweight Match:  Hermes Franca vs. Spencer Fisher.  Franca had won seven fights in 2006 and was ready to start 2007 with another win.  Franca will have a slight reach advantage.  Bruce Buffer made the introductions, and Jorge Alonso was the referee for this match.  Although Franca was identified as being in the black trunks, it would have been more appropriate to just say he was the guy with the purple hair; he was making a definite fashion statement.  Franca took Fisher to the ground fairly early.  Fisher made it back to his feet and they stood and threw punches at each other.  Franca got Spencer back to the mat where they stayed for the rest of the round.  Franca finished the round with a flurry of punches to Fisher’s head.

(Commercial break)

Round two and Franca took it back to the mat and was in control.  The referee got them back to their feet in mid-round and each threw their share of punches.  Then Franca turned up the intensity and he started throwing his “crazy punches,” as Rogan called them.  Franca is known for his punches and they serve him well.

(Commercial break)

Hulk Hogan and Brooke were in da house.

Buffer announced the official decision, Franca via TKO.

Rogan interviewed Franca after the match.  He praised his opponent then had a message for UFC President Dana White.  He got down on his knees and begged White for a title match.  White was shown smiling in the audience.

Rashad Evans was warming up in his dressing room.

(Commercial break)

Heath Herring was shown sparring in his dressing room as O’Brien paced the floor in his.

(2)  Jake O'Brien vs. Heath “The Texas Crazy Horse” Herring.  Herring is an international superstar, having been based in the Netherlands for a number of years.  O’Brien is looking to make his name in the sport.  Herring’s ring entrance would rival that of The Undertaker’s.  Big John McCarthy was the referee.  The statistics were similar, but experience is everything, noted Goldberg, and Herring has a boatload.  The announcers have done a superb job of setting up this fight and making Herring seem like a rock star. 

Round one started and it went to the mat; O’Brien had Herring’s back briefly.  The round ended with O’Brien in control.            

Round two started with O’Brien taking Herring down.  He had Herring’s back again and was looking very, very good.  Goldberg speculated that all the hype had put pressure on Herring, who’d been bloodied up by O’Brien.  Zero defense by Herring, who appeared gassed, observed Goldberg.

Round three started with Herring immediately in O’Brien’s guard.  O’Brien has never been defeated, and he’s on his way to another win.  McCarthy got them to their feet and O’Brien took it right back to the mat.  Kimura by O’Brien.  Herring nailed O’Brien with a big right, but it wasn’t enough to stop him.  Herring started raining big punches down on O’Brien as the clocked ticked down to the end of the match. 

Even rock stars have bad nights.

Bruce Buffer announced the official decision--O’Brien by unanimous decision.  It sounded like boos from the crowd, which were not deserved.  In his interview with Rogan, he said the take-downs had been key to the fight. 

Rogan asked Herring about the possibility of the pressure getting to him.  He wasn’t terribly gracious about his loss, then apologized to the crowd for disappointing them.

O’Brien may have started the match as the Jobber Du Jour, but he finished the match with a phenomenal upset win over UFC’s Next Big Thing.

Evans and Salmon were warming up in their respective dressing rooms.  Chuck Liddell and Andre Rison were in the crowd.  Rison would be one of the Joes in the upcoming “Pros vs. Joes.”

Rogan was with Randy Couture in the audience.  Couture said it was an honor for UFC to be represented with the other Pros on “Pros vs. Joes.”  At UFC 68, Couture would be challenging Tim Silvia for the Heavyweight title.

(3)  Middleweight Match:  Ed Herman vs. Chris Price.  Herman has changed his look at bit since his Ultimate Fighter 3 days, but he still talks a good game.  Jorge Alonso was the referee for this match.  Rogan noted that Price had come in way over the weight limit, but Herman took the match anyway.  Good takedown by Herman.  Interestingly, both of these opponents had been defeated by Kendall Grove, TUF 3 winner.  Impressive arm bar finish by Herman, and a tap-out by Price.     

Buffer announced Herman as the winner by tap-out.  He told Rogan that the victory felt very good after a couple of disappointing losses.

(4)  Light Heavyweight Match:  “Sugar” Rashad Evans vs. Sean Salmon.  Evans is unbeaten, but Salmon intends to change all that.  The two had words at the weigh-in, so there is a feud brewing.  Couture said that people underestimate Rashad’s hands.  Rogan said all the pressure would be on Salmon.  Troy Waugh was the referee.  After about 2 ½ minutes of dancing around each other, Salmon took Evans down.   Rashad with a kick, but Salmon grabbed his leg and took him down again.  As the round ended, Salmom was breathing hard.          

Round two started with Rogan acknowledging that Salmon deserved to be in the UFC octagon after his performance in the first round.  Suddenly, Evans threw a kick that landed on the button.  Salmon was knocked out COLD. 

(Commercial break)

Bruce Buffer announced that Evans was the winner via knock out.  Evans told Rogan that he was satisfied and thankful for the win. 

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Another excellent UFC Fight Night, with an upset victory and a kick to the chops that will be in highlight reels for years to come.

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Stay tuned for “Pros vs. Joes” featuring Randy Couture immediately following UFC Fight Night.

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