LAS VEGAS — Well, take your pick. What’s the biggest story coming out of “Sin City” for UFC 81 that was held here Feb. 2 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center?

• There were the crazy rumors swirling around that Zuffa was going to unload the UFC.
• Could a WWE wrestler (Brock Lesnar) defeat a former UFC champ (Frank Mir)?
• Was Tim Sylvia going to become the first three-time UFC heavyweight champ?
• Will Randy Couture defend his title against the new heavyweight champ?

In sequential order, the answers are not true, no, no and time will tell.

LESNAR, MIR
Lesnar, the former four-time All-American collegiate wrestler and former WWE superstar, came out super aggressive and took it to Mir. For about a minute, it looked like Lesnar would reign supreme, as he reigned down punches on Mir.

The momentum seemed to change when the referee stopped the action and deducted a point from Lesnar for striking Mir to the back of the head. Moments later Mir locked on a leglock, and question No. 2 was answered.

SYLVIA, NOGUEIRA
Like Lesnar, Sylvia, the former UFC heavyweight champ, came out super aggressive and took it to Nogueira, the former PRIDE heavyweight champion. Sylvia dominated Round 1 and even sent his Brazilian opponent to the canvas with a monster punch, but he could not put him away.

Sylvia, while not as dominating, also controlled Round 2. In Round 3, however, Nogueria earned the belt when he planted a guillotine choke on Sylvia.

COUTURE
While both Nogueira and UFC president Dana White would like to see Couture fight Nogueira, that possibility remains in limbo, while the UFC and Couture resolve their contractual differences in court.

MAIN CARD RESULTS
The Fighters: Gleison Tibau (27-4) vs. Tyson Griffin (11-1)
Division: Lightweight
The Winner: Griffin (decision)

The Fighters: Ricardo Almeida (9-2) vs. Rob Yundt (7-1)
Division: Middleweight
The Winner: Almeida (choke)

The Fighters: Jeremy Horn (88-17-5) vs. Nate Marquardt (29-7)
Division: Middleweight
The Winner: Marquardt (choke)

The Fighters:  Frank Mir (11-3) vs. Brock Lesnar (1-1)
Division: Heavyweight
The Winner: Mir (leglock)

The Fighters: Antonio Nogueira (31-4-1) vs. Tim Sylvia (26-4)
Division: Interim Heavyweight Title Fight
The Winner: Bog Nog (choke)

THE UNDERCARD
The Fighters: Keith Nakamura vs.  Rob Emerson
The Winner: Emerson (split decision)

The Fighters: Marvin Eastman (15-7-1) vs. Terry Martin (18-4)
The Winner: Eastman (unanimous decision)

The Fighters: Tim Boetsch (7-1) vs. David Heath (9-3)
The Winner: Boetsch (TKO)

The Fighters: Kyle Bradley (13-5) vs. Chris Lytle (35-15-4)
The Winner: Lytle (TKO)

MAGAZINE COVERAGE
For a comprehensive report, check out the May issue of Ultimate Grappling.asdf