“UFC 99: The Comeback” takes place Saturday, June 13, 2009 in Cologne, Germany. As always, PRO MMA (promma.info) is providing live round-by-round updates and results. Due to the time difference, the pay-per-view portion of the card starts in the U.S. at 3:00pm ET/12:00pm PT.
In the main event, Rich “Ace” Franklin takes on “The Axe Murderer” in a catch-weight bout. Mirko Cro Cop makes his return against Mostapha Al-Turk, Spencer “The King” Fisher takes on Caol Uno, and Marcus “The Irish Hand-Grenade” Davis takes on England’s Dan Hardy in a highly-anticipated bad blood match.
Quick Results:
John Hathaway def. Ricky Story by unanimous decision
Stefan Struve def. Denis Stojnic by rear naked choke rd2
Paul Kelly def. Roli Delgado by unanimous decision
Paul Taylor def. Peter Sobotta by unanimous decision
Dennis Siver def. Dale Hartt by rear naked choke rd1
Terry Etim def. Justin Buchholz by D’arce choke rd2
Dan Hardy def. Marcus Davis by split decision
Spencer Fisher def. Caol Uno by unanimous decision
Mike Swick def. Ben Saunders by TKO (punches) rd2
Mirko Filipovic def. Mostapha Al-Turk by TKO (punches) rd1
Cain Velasquez def. Cheick Kongo by unanimous decision
Rich Franklin def. Wanderlei Silva by unanimous decision
Main Card
Dan Hardy vs. Marcus Davis
Round 1 – Davis gets the takedown and gets Hardy’s back. Hardy gets out and stands, lands some knees on the stand up and then delivers a huge elbow to Davis, follows with a right hand that rocks Davis. Davis gets a takedown but Hardy pops up at the bell.
Round 2 – Hardy grabs the plum and hits Davis with a huge left knee to the chin that drops Davis to his back. Hardy jumps in for the attack. Davis recovers and goes for an armbar attempt. Hardy lands some ground and pound.. Davis gets the takedown.
Round 3 – Davis gets a takedown and lands some ground and pound. Davis attempts a foot lock then a heel hook but no dice. Hardey gets up, the clinch, Hardy gets the takedown and lands a big elbow. Davis is cut. They stop the fight to check the cut and Davis has a hard time getting up, he’s wobbly. They restart the fight on the ground but ref soon stands them up. Hardy with a big leg kick, Davis wipes blood out of his eyes. Dan Hardy defeats Marcus Davis by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).
Hardy tries to shake Davis’ hand after the fight but Davis waves him away. Hardy, in the post fight interview, says he doesn’t need any more friends but he respects Davis and he was using the pre-fight talk to get a mental edge. Great fight and great showing from Hardy.
Spencer Fisher vs. Caol Uno
Round 1 – Spencer stuffs a takedown. They clinch and throw knees from the clinch. Ref separates them, leg kick from Fisher, right hook from Fisher. Unot shoots but stuffed again. They clinch and dirty box.
Round 2 – Leg kicks from Uno, then he shoots, Fisher stuffs but stays down and Uno reverses and gets on top in Fisher’s guard. Spencer gets up, dirty boxing from Uno. Fisher tries a throw but ends up on bottom. Spencer gets up, clinched. Knee to the head by Uno and then he pulls guard, They stand and clinch.
Round 3 – Clinch. Huge left hand from Fisher but Uno seems OK and shoots. Uno controlling Fisher against the cage, Fisher gets up, clinched. Ref separates them. Huge leg kick from Uno but falls to the ground. Fisher lands a right hook then gets a takedown. Unot gets up, clinch. Nice combo from Fisher, Uno gets the takedown and gets full mount. Uno with heavy ground and pound. Fisher covers up. Spencer Fisher defeats Caol Uno by unanimous decision.
The Fisher decision over Uno could very well be considered a bad decision.
Mike Swick vs. Ben Saunders
Round 1 – Ben Saunders is a tough dude, and Swick ain’t no bitch. This should be a great fight. Saunders clinches and pulls guard and controls from the bottom. Swick says, “You gonna hold me all night?” Saunders says, “We can stand back up bitch.” Swick stands and comes in swinging. Ref stands them up. Huge body kick by Saunders. Saunders is huge. They clinch.
Round 2 – Saunders with some kicks that are mostly blocked. Knee by swick, clinch, Swick gets the takedown then mounts. Saunders gets guard. Ref stands them up. Head kick by Saunders is blocked. Swick lands a right. Swick attacks and lands a few more shots and finally one that drops Saunders. Swick follows up and Saunders is done. Mike Swick defeats Ben Saunders by TKO (punches) in round 2 (3:47).
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Mustapha al Turk
Round 1 – Rogan just said Cro Cop has had “dozens” of knockouts by head kicks. Al-Turk attempts a takedown but Cro Cop shrugs him off. Leg kick by Al-Turk, clinched, they separate. Al-Turk throwing huge over hand righs. Leg kicks by Al-Turk, Cro Cop waiting, straight left by Cro Cop connects. Cro Cop attacks and knocks Al-Turk down with a few punches. Al-Turk covers up his face, it looks as though he poked in the eye. Cro Cop keeps pounding on him and the ref stops it. The replay shows Al-Turk was poked in the eye and that caused him to cover up. Cro Cop says after the fight he doesn’t think it made any difference. Cro Cop does not seem very happy about the win and it is hard to be happy for him. The ref clearly did not see the eye poke and let it go on. Once again UFC glory escapes Cro Cop. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic defeats Mostapha Al-Turk by TKO in round 1 (3:06).
Cain Velasquez vs. Cheick Kongo
Round 1 – Kongo with the jab lands a left. Kongo rocks Velasquez but Velasquez gets the takedown. Kongo gets up and then gets on top. Velasquez has Kongo’s back and takes him down and gets side control. Full mount by Velasquez. Kongo gives up his back and Velasquez goes for the rear naked choke. Kongo gets up but Velasquez gets the takedown immediately and gets mount, back control, Kongo gives up his back, Velasquez is pounding. Kongo defending well. Velasquez controlling Kongo gets up and gets slammed, mount by Kongo. Kongo gets up.
Round 2 – Kongo gets hit, then Kongo rocks Velasquez. They clinch, huge knee by Kongo. Velasquez with the takedown, pounding from the back, full mount. Kongo gives up the back. Huge shots from Velasquez. Kongo gets up but gets put right back down. Cain keeps up the ground and pound and Kongo survives.
Round 3 – Kongo with a huge right connects, Kongo gets a takedown but Cain gets out and takes his back. Cain just keeps pounding over and over. Kongo gets up and lands some knees. Kongo rocks Cain again but Cain gets the takedown again. Full mount from Velasquez and pounds away. Kongo survives. Cain Velasquez defeats Cheick Kongo by unanimous decision (no scores given).
Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva
This is Wanderlei’s first fight at 195 pounds. Wanderlei is on his way to middleweight and this is his first fight moving down.
Round 1 – Rich throws two straight punches a la Anderson Silva. Overhand right by Wanderlei. Rich lands a body kick. Head kick from Wanderlei that grazes Rich’s head. Franklin throws a kick, Wandy catches it and takes Rich down. Wandy is in Rich’s guard. They get up and Wandy goes for a guillotine but misses it. Franklin mounts but Wandy gets up.
Between rounds Rich said he thinks he broke Wandy’s nose. Wandy looks tired.
Round 2 – Wanderlei looks tentative. They exchange shots. Leg kick from Franklin, and again. Right hand by Franklin connects. Rich knocks Wandy down with a punch but Wandy gets up, he’s OK. Leg kick by Franklin. Right then left by Franklin, Wanderlei swings but misses. Rich picking him apart. Wandy connects hard and Rich’s legs buckled, another shot by Wandy. Rich is hurt but he recovers and seems OK.
This is a GREAT fight.
Round 3 – Leg kick by Rich. Wandy looks very tired. Franklin lands a kick to the body. Franklin moving in and out with punches and kicks. Right hand lands from Rich. Wanderlei gets a plum and lands a knee to the head. Franklin connects with some punches. Franklin with a takedown, Wandy gets up and they clinch. Rich Franklin defeats Wanderlei Silva by unanimous decision.