All bouts but the main and co-main event of UFC Fight Night 75 have Japanese fighters competing. Headlining this Pride-style throwback card is Pride legend “I’m big in Japan” Josh Barnett taking on Big Country Roy Nelson. Gegard Mousasi faces late replacement Uriah Hall in the co-headliner. Both those fights should no doubt be entertaining.
UFC Fight Night 75: Barnett vs. Nelson takes place this evening from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Preliminary card action kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 2, then moves to the main card at 10 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
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Also, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the fights in the comments section below. Yes, we care what you think, is that surprising? We might even mention you in the live blog if you have something clever to offer. Gracias. Now enjoy the fights. … Or at least hopefully enjoy me relaying the fights to you as I see them
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UFC FIGHT NIGHT 75 QUICK RESULTS:
Main Card (Fox Sports 1)
- Heavyweight: Josh Barnett def. Roy Nelson via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 50-45)
- Middleweight: Uriah Hall def. Gegard Mousasi via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 0:25
- Flyweight: Kyoji Horiguchi def. Chico Camus via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Bantamweight: Takeya Mizugaki def. George Roop via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Featherweight: Diego Brandao def. Katsunori Kikuno via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:28
- Featherweight: Mizuto Hirota vs. Teruto Ishihara ruled a draw (29-28, 28-29, 29-29)
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 2)
- Welterweight: Keita Nakamura def. Li Jingliang via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 2:17
- Lightweight: Nick Hein def. Yusuke Kasuya via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Lightweight: Kajan Johnson def. Naoyuki Kotani via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Welterweight: Shinsho Anzai def. Roger Zapata via TKO (injury) – Round 3, 0:47
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UFC FIGHT NIGHT 75 ROUND-BY-ROUND UPDATES:
Mizuto Hirota vs. Teruto Ishihara
Round 1 – Ishihara with a body kick, head kick and low kick follow. Left check hook from Ishihara, another. Low kick. Ishihara with a straight left and a takedown, but Hirota is up quickly. Quick low kick and body kick from Ishihara. Left hook. His striking is just on another level than Hirota. Left counter from Ishihara again. Hirota stuffs a takedown. More lefts from Ishihara. Oh, nice head kick from Hirota. Ishihara has some really nice head movement at times. Body kick. Inside leg kick and a straight left. Leg kick from Hirota, and a sweet left hook connects, then a right. Body shot from Ishihara. Straight left. Right from Hirota but then he gets dropped with a counter at the bell. This is a damn good fight. I score it 10-9 Ishihara.
Round 2 – Left straight and a leg kick from Ishihara. Hirota stalking and gets dropped with a left. Ishihara with a high kick and punches. Hirota still in his face though. Ishihara continues to outbox Hirota until about the halfway mark when he drops Ishihara with a right. He gets back up but has slowed a lot. Right from Hirota. Ishihara firing back. Takedown from Hirota. But Ishihara gets right up and they square up again. Hirota lands a punch combo and goes for the takedown but gets shoved off. Left counter from Ishihara, body shot. Hirota backs him to the cage with punches, they throw down in the pocket then clinch up. Hirota backs up before the bell. Hirota 10-9.
Round 3 – Ishihara drops Hirota with a big left. Hirota is able to get up but gets wobbled with another, he shoots in out of desperation but it’s stuffed. Hirota still stalking unbelievably. And he’s landing punches. Left from Ishihara. Knee to the body initiates a clinch for Hirota. He nails Ishihara with a left as he tries to retreat. He presses him to the cage but Ishihara breaks free. Ishihara with a low kick. Half the round down as Hirota stalks and gets the double leg. He lands some shots as Ishihara tries to get up. He finally does but paid for it. Hirota pushes him to the cage looking for a takedown. Nice right from Hirota but eats a counter left. They slug it out in the pocket as the final seconds count down for the most exciting fight of the night so far. That was a real treat for the Saitama fans. Hirota 10-9 to take the fight, as I see it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Mizuto Hirota vs. Teruto Ishihara ruled a draw (29-28, 28-29, 29-29)
The crowd went silent after the scores were announced and everyone just looked at each other asking in effect, “What the fuck just happened?” Apparently there was supposed to be a fourth round to determine a winner but both fighters were awarded six figure contracts.
Katsunori Kikuno vs. Diego Brandao
Round 1 – Kikuno gets dropped with a big overhand right at about the 12 second mark. Somehow Kikuno gets back to his feet but Brandao is all over him with punches and the ref stops it. Impressive.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Diego Brandao def. Katsunori Kikuno via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:28
Takeya Mizugaki vs. George Roop
Round 1 – Mizugaki with a nice body shot, then a right to the head. Roop comes back with a nice left, pressing Mizugaki to the cage. He turns Roop around and gets underhooks. He finally turns Mizugaki around and backs out. He shoots in but gets tagged pretty good. Mizugaki presses him to the cage. They turn each other around a couple times before they separate. Right hook from Mizugaki but Roop is all over him trying to overwhelm the Japanese fighter. Mizugaki gets a little space and unloads on Roop before the bell. 10-9 Mizugaki.
Round 2 – Mizugaki counters a high kick with a right hook then a big left haymaker. Roop presses him to the cage. Mizugaki turns him around and Roop’s nose paints his shoulder. The fight in the clinch for some time before Roop backs out. Couple low kicks from Roop. They exchange punches, both landing solid shots. Back to the clinch for a moment, then they engage once again. Mizugaki lands a nice right before the bell. Close round, leaning toward Mizugaki.
Round 3 – Uppercut from Roop scores underneath Mizugaki’s arm as he’s throwing a punch. They clinch up and Roop presses him to the cage. … They stay clinched up for quite a time off and on, mostly on. … Stiff jab from Mizugaki and it’s back to the clinch. 10 seconds left and Mizugaki lands a knee to the chin but doesn’t seem to do anything. Ehhhhhhh. First round was good.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Takeya Mizugaki def. George Roop via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Chico Camus
Round 1 – Body kick from Horiguchi. Camus pursuing. Body shot from Horiguchi. Right from Horiguchi but Camus lands one in return. These guys are QUICK. Horiguchi misses a spinning backfist and Camus presses him to the cage, but can’t hold him long. Nice knee to the body from Horiguchi, thrown like a roundhouse kick. Right counter from Camus. Brief clinch. Lead left hook from Horiguchi skims Camus’s face. Camus backs him up with a punch combo, just missing. Body kick from Horiguchi, may have been low. Pretty close round.
Round 2 – Great footwork by both these guys. Nice body kick from Horiguchi. Camus busted up a bit on his face. Jab from Camus, uppercut from Horiguchi. Hard right hand from Horiguchi. He’s getting the better of this round so far. Right counter hook from Horiguchi. Then a right straight and another shot in the final seconds snaps Camus’s head back. 10-9 Horiguchi.
Round 3 – Right from Horiguchi, high kick. He’s basically picking Camus apart right now. Horiguchi’s footwork still looking great. Camus looking confused. Low kick from Horiguchi with about half the round down. Camus shoots for a single but Horiguchi slips out easily. Body kick from Kyoji. Left counter from Camus. Step in knee from Horiguchi. He shoots but it’s stuffed. He hurts Camus with punches but Camus fires back as the bell sounds. 10-9 Horiguchi.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Kyoji Horiguchi def. Chico Camus via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Gegard Mousasi vs. Uriah Hall
Round 1 – Mousasi with a high single takedown early. Stacks him. Mousasi gets to side mount, goes for full mount but Hall recovers with full guard. Nice elbow from Mousasi. He passes to half guard, looking for an arm triangle. Hall gets free but is still being controlled from the top. Mousasi takes full mount. Hall goes for a leglock. Mousasi avoids it and takes top control. Hall attacks with a kimura, now looking at an armbar with over a minute to go. Mousasi gets free. Mousasi back to mount, Hall gives up his back and Mousasi has both hooks in with 30 seconds to go. Hall survives the round. 10-9 Mousasi.
Round 2 – Leg kick from Mousasi. Hall hits him with a leaping spinning back kick heel to jaw and Mousasi starts to go down and Hall runs into him with a leaping knee to put him down hard and he finishes him off as the ref stops it. Super impressive win on short notice from Hall. Biggest win of his career for sure!
OFFICIAL RESULT: Uriah Hall def. Gegard Mousasi via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 0:25
Josh Barnett vs. Roy Nelson
Round 1 – Low kick from Barnett. Head kick from Barnett. Roy surprisingly gets a takedown on Barnett. This could be a fun grappling match. Roy on top in half guard with his arms around Barnett’s neck and arm, holding him and trying to work ground and pound. Ref stands them up. Barnett stalking, lands a knee to the body, jabs, Thai plum and knees to the body. Nelson just punching, or tying to. Another knee to the body from Barnett. Roy backs out. Big body kick from Barnett. Josh pushes him to the cage, knee to the body, uppercut, knee to body. Roy gets a body lock and presses him to the cage. Knees to inside thighs from Roy. Body lock takedown from Roy. Barnett trying to just hold him again. Roy in half guard, lands some shots before the bell. Barnett got the better of the standup by far. Depends on how they look at it but I’m going with Barnett 10-9. Roy did little on the ground.
Round 2 – Overhand right from Roy. He backs Josh up with a big punch combo that lands. Big inside leg kick from Barnett. Uppercut counter from Roy. Jab from Josh. Another. Roy with his own jab. Straight left from Barnett, but Roy lands a much harder one. Barnett hurts him and Roy tries to shoot in, stuffed, Josh backs him up to the cage with big punches and knees. The crowd loves it. Roy’s mouthpiece comes out and he picks it up and puts it back in while taking shots the whole time. LOL. Barnett pressing him to the cage. Body shots. Short uppercuts from Roy. Dirty dirty boxing going on now. Barnett keeping the pressure on but eats a head kick that wobbles him, but he fires right back. GEEZUS that was a hard kick to the face that he just ATE. These guys are nearly killing themselves for our entertainment.
Round 3 – Uppercut, jab from Barnett before they clinch up. Roy turns him to the cage. Knees to thigh from Roy. Ref breaks them up. Barnett comes in with jabs and a knee to initiate the clinch. Knee to body. But Roy turns him around to the cage. Roy backs out. Jab from Barnett. Knee to body. Nice uppercut inside. Dirty fight, grueling. Especially for heavyweights. Barnett stalking now. They exchange some hard punches and Roy shoots for the single. Roy picks Barnett up for a slam attempt but Josh lands on his feet. Ref breaks them up as Roy walks way looking exhausted. Huge body kick from Barnett, then a knee from the clinch as Roy fires off body shots at the bell. 10-9 Barnett.
Round 4 – Uppercut from Barnett as he presses Roy to the cage. Elbow. Body shots as Roy’s belly absorbs the shots. Barnett puts some knees on that gut. Roy with a takedown but Barnett reverses and is right back to his feet. Hard elbow from Barnett. Barnett keeping up a fast pace and is overwhelming Nelson against the cage with punches and knees and elbows. How the fuck is Nelson still standing? Knee to the face from Josh, elbows. Elbow and backfist from Nelson, who then gets a takedown. Josh goes for a heel hook but Roy pulls out and tries to hold him down. Barnett back to his feet. Roy presses him to the cage looking for a single. Ref separates them. Josh touches him up with a punch combo and then the clinch with 30 seconds to go, and that’s where it stays. 10-9 Barnett.
Round 5 – Spinning back kick to the gut from Barnett. Body kick from Nelson. They clinch up and fight it out here in more of that dirty grinding grueling style that only the toughest men on Earth know anything about. Roy gets another takedown but Josh gets right up. He backs Roy to the cage, lands a big knee. Uppercut from Josh. Just over a minute to go. Roy leaning on him against the cage. Josh turns him around. Body shot and head shot from Roy. He backs Barnett to the cage with a couple punches before the bell. Barnett should be the victor.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Josh Barnett def. Roy Nelson via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 50-45)
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Diego Brandao goes #beastmode in #saitama #ufcjapan #ufc #MMA A video posted by Jack Bratcher (@jackbratcher) on