“UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort” takes place Saturday night, Sept. 19, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Headlining the card will be a 195 lbs. match-up between former middleweight champ Rich Franklin and former light heavyweight champ Vitor Belfort making his return to the UFC. As always, PROMMA.INFO will be providing live play-by-play commentary and results. Fight updates will begin at approximately 6 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. PT.
Quick Results
- Rafael dos Anjos def. Robert Emerson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Vladamir Matyushenko def. Igor Pokrajac by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Eliot Marshall def. Jason Brilz by split decision (30-28, 27-30, 30-27)
- Ricky Story def. Brian Foster by submission (arm-trinagle choke) Rd 2 (1:09)
- Nik Lentz def. Rafaello Oliveira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Jim Miller def. Steve Lopez by TKO (injury) Rd 2 (0:48)
- Thomasz Drwal def. Drew McFedries by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 2 (1:03)
- Efrain Escudero def. Cole Miller by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (3:36)
- Tyson Griffin def. Hermes Franca by knockout (punches) Rd 2 (3:26)
- Josh Koscheck def. Frank Trigg by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (1:25)
- Paul Daley def. Martin Kampmann by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (2:31)
- Junior dos Santos def. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic by submission (verbal) Rd 3 (2:00)
- Vitor Belfort def. Rich Franklin by knockout Rd 1 (3:02)
Spike TV Fights
Drew McFedries vs. Tomasz Drwal
Round 1 – Leg kick by Drwal. Well, after some crazy technical difficulties the guys are now clinching. Leg kick by McFedries. McFedries has a cut over his right eye. Leg kick by Drwal. Huge uppercut by McFedries but Drwal clinches him up from his back and throws him to the ground. McFedries gets up but Drwal has a bod lock from the back with knees to the thighs and face. They break, and exchange punches. Drwal shoots but is stuffed. McFedries swings away with punches but misses. Dwal fires back and connects with a couple of shots. Nice inside leg kick by McFedries. Drwal connects with a nice right hand. He calls McFedries in to come on. Right hand by Drwal, he pushes McFedries to the mat. Drwal stands over him and lands some shots. McFedries gives up his back, Drwal puts in the hooks but the bell sounds.
Round 2 – One two three by Drwal lands some nice punches. He locks McFedries up and puts him on the ground and moves to side control. Drwal gets full mount and has McFedries back. Drwal locks in a rear-naked choke and McFedries taps out. OFFICIAL RESULT: Thomasz Drwal defeats Drew McFedries by submission (rear-naked choke) in Round 2 (1:03).
Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Miller
Round 1 – Cole looks pumped. Leg kick by Cole. Nice right hand by Miller. Nice left jab by Cole. Uppercut by Efrain. Efrain catches Cole’s kick and punches him, cole falls down but Efrain lets him up. Nice right hand by Miller. Leg kick by Efrain. One two by Miller followed by a knee from Efrain. Left hook by Efrain. Nice left jab still being worked by Miller. Head kick misses by Miller and Efrain picks him up high and drops him. Miller comes in swinging and Efrain connects right on the button and Cole Miller drops to the canvas, he is out. Cole was out cold. It was a big right hand followed by three more on the ground. OFFICIAL RESULT: Efrain Escudero defeats Cole Miller by TKO (punches) Round 1 (3:36).
Pay-Per-View
Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca
Hermes rockin the purple afro. They said he called Joe Silva about fifteen minutes before weigh-ins and told him he was not going to be able to make weight. The fight was then moved to a catch-weight of 159 lbs. Joe Rogan said we still don’t know if he was injured or what the reason was for him not making weight. Hermes does look a bit soft.
Round 1 – Big leg kick by Tyson. Tyson’s ankles are heavily taped. Another leg kick by Griffin. Inside leg kick by griffin. Another leg kick. Jab by Griffin. Body shot by Griffin. Another leg kick by Griffin. Right hand by Tyson. Nice left hand by Tyson. Left hook by Tyson. right hand followed by a head kick by Griffin, then a leg kick. Hermes not doing much. Leg kick by Griffin again. Leg kick is caught by Hermes. Left jab to the chin by Griffin. Nice left shot by Hermes lands on the chin. Crowd not happy with the pace. Hermes not doing anything. Some woman is screaming her head off in the back ground. Left hand by Griffin buckles Hermes momentarily. Left jab by Tyson followed by a couple of leg kicks. Tyson much more active in round one. Something isn’t right about Hermes. PROMMA.INFO scores the round 10-9 for Tyson Griffin.
Round 2 – Over hand right by Hermes followed by a leg kick. Punch to the chin by Tyson. Hermes swinging away and Tyson throws back. Hermes holds Tyson’s kick and starts swinging away trying to connect. A good exchange by both guys. Hermes was swinging for the fences and so was Tyson. If either had landed perfectly they would have been asleep. Tyson landed a good jab to the chin. Wow, great combination from Tyson. Tyson’s striking has improved tremendously. Leg kicks by Hermes. Tyson has taken a book out of Machida’s book. Wow, tyson with some very unique inside leg kicks. Inside leg kick followed by a huge punch that drops Hermes. Tyson follows him, stands above him and punches away for about ten seconds and fifteen punches that knocks out Hermes Franca!! Very important victory for Tyson Griffin. Griffin’s striking just jumped a few levels. OFFICIAL RESULT: Tyson Griffin defeats Hermes Franca by knockout (punches) in Round 2 (3:26).
Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg
Round 1 – Holy crap I’m nervous for this fight. they touch gloves. Trigg working a jab. Josh punches and misses. Both fighters taking their time, Trigg lands a good right that rocks Kos’s his head back. Trigg looking good. Kos can’t seem to connect with his punches. But then Kos lands a weird shot and Trigg turns his side to Kos for some reason and drops his hands, at that moment he leaves his chin wide open and Koscheck nails him, drops him to the canvas and follows up with three big shots until the ref steps in. OFFICIAL RESULT: Josh Koscheck defeats Frank Trigg by TKO (punches) in Round 1 (1:25).
Martin Kampmann vs. Paul Daley
Round 1 – Kampmann is Trigg’s training partner hopefully he will look a bit better. Daley lands a nice left hand. Kampmann shoots but gets stuffed. Daley lands a cuple of good shots. Kampmann better be careful here. Daley has some heavy heavy hands. Kampmann eats a hard elft hook. How Kampmann is standing I have no idea. Daley lands a shot himself though. Daley lands a left and a right again. Every time Daley comes in he is landing some hard shots. Kampmann has a HELL of a chin. Nice knee by Kampmann. Daley wobbles Kampmann with some big shots. Kampmann is out on his feet and the ref steps in to stop it. It may have been stopped a little early but hard to say. Kampmann was getting worked no doubt about it. OFFICIAL RESULT: Paul Daley defeats Martin Kampmann by TKO (punches) in Round 1 (2:31).
Junior dos Santos vs. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
Round 1 – Uh oh. Juniorl looks huge compared to Cro Cop. Dos Santos moves in swinging. Cro Cop is doing a good job so far of evading Junior’s strikes. Left head kick by Cro Cop is blocked. Dos Santos trying to crowd Mirko. Mirko styaing away. Big combination by Junior. Junior lands a good uppercut. Cro Cop covers up and is rocked momentarily. Cro Cop’s punches just don’t look right. And for defense he’s ducking his head and sticking his hands straight out. Cro Cop tries for a trip but doesn’t get it. Cro Cop with a left hand and another left righton the chin that rocks Junior. Another straight left by Cro Cop connects. Dos Santos is cut near both eyes. Dos Santos threw a huge left hook that would have taken Cro Cop’s head off but he ducked. Knee to the body by Dos Santos. Left hand again by Cro Cop. Wow. Good fight and a damn close round. I will give the edge to Cro Cop 10-9.
Round 2 – Can Cro Cop make him forget about that left kick. Right hand by dos Santos. Left high kick misses by Cro Cop. Leg kick by Mirko. And again. Lef hook by dos Santos. Left straight hand by Mirko. Body shot by Junior. Left punch again twice by Cro Cop. I cannot believe the crowd just booed. Two big uppercuts by dos Santos and Cro Cop pushes him off. Cro Cop wants that head kick. Body shot by dos Santos. Cro Cop has very little lateral movement. Knee to the body by dos Santos. Crowd boos. Cro Cop lands a low blow to the nuts. This is becoming a habit for Cro Cop. You have to wonder if he purposely has started doing this. I mean you don’t get in trouble for it and it gives you time to rest and hurts your opponent. Who knows. Cro Cop is cut over his left eye. Dos Santos looks for that big uppercut but misses. I give that round to dos Santos 10-9.
Round 3 – Cro Cop’s forehead is worked. Cro Cop looks serious now. Big left by Cro Cop but dos Santos eats it. Uppercut by dos Santos. Big knee to the body by dos Santos. Knee to the chin and a left hook to the chin by dos Santos. Cro Cop is rocked. Big knee and then a left to the chin. Muay Thai plum by dos Santos and is throwing knees to the body. Cro Cop says he can not see and quits. There’s blood in his eyes. An anti-climatic ending but Mirko caught a huge finger in the eye. Cro Cop walks out of the cage. OFFICIAL RESULT: Junior dos Santos defeats Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic by submission (verbal) Round 3 (2:00).
Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort
Round 1 – Here we go. Leg kick by Vitor. Leg kick by Rich. Leg kick by Vitor. Vitor catches Rich’s leg then lets it go. Right hand by Rich. Rich trying to get in strike and get out. Vitor connects as Rich comes in, connects with a shot on the chin and Rich goes face first into the canvas like a turtle. Rich is out. It was a left hook follwed by three more big shots while Rich was turtled. Rich is up and appears to be OK. OFFICIAL RESULT: Vitor Belfort defeats Rich Franlin by knockout (punch) Round 1 (3:02).