ATLANTA, Georgia — “Ohhh, my goodness! Ohhhhh, my goodnessss!”

By the time the reporter near Ultimate Grappling magazine had said that twice, he was on his feet, staring into the Octagon at Chuck Liddell’s motionless body.

Rashad Evans’ big overhand right, whipped Liddell’s head grotesquely to the side, buckled his legs and sent the former light-heavyweight champ to the canvas in a heap here at UFC 88 on Sept. 8, where he lay, surrounded my medical personnel for several minutes.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Liddell was helped to his feet and eventually stood, but Evans was the man who stood taller on this night, as he scored a convincing knockout over Liddell and earned the right to face Forrest Griffin for the light-heavyweight title.

“I’m fine; I just got caught,” said Liddell, to reporters in the post-fight press conference. “I don’t know what to say. I am not worried about it.”

Evans, who earned an additional $60,000 for knockout of the night, said he believed his strategy worked.

“I figured I had him frustrated [by making Liddell unsuccessfully chase him] by the end of the first round,” he said.

Before the second round ended, Evans had Liddell flat on the canvas, delaying “The Iceman’s” journey back to the light-heavyweight belt.

“I still want the belt,” said Liddell. “Now it’s just going to take a little longer [to get there].”  

THE MAIN CARD
The Fighters: Rashad Evans (17-0=1) vs. Chuck Liddell (21-6)
Division: Light heavy
The Winner: Evans
How: KO

The Fighters: Matt Brown (10-7) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (11-0)
Division: Welterweight
The Winner: Kim
How: Split Decision

The Fighters: Nate Marquardt (30-8) vs. Martin Kampmann (15-2)
Division: Middleweight
The Winner: Marquardt
How: TKO
The Fighters: Rousimar Palhares (17-2) vs. Dan Henderson (23-7)
Division: Middleweight
The Winner: Henderson
How: Decision
Highlights of the Fight: They touched gloves and then stalked each other almost in slow motion. When the action went to the ground, Henderson dropped huge punches on him. Palhares threw a beautiful spinning kick that missed. At one point, Henderson sent him to the canvas, attacked, backed off and then told him to stand.

In Round 2, Palhares scored a big takedown and went for a leglock. Henderson fought out of it, got to his feet and jogged away. In Round 3, Henderson continued to swing big … and do some damage.

The Fighters: Matt Hamill (6-1) vs. Rich Franklin (25-3)
Division: Middleweight
The Winner: Franklin
How: TKO
Highlights of the Fight: Franklin sustained a cut near his right eye in Round 1. In Round 2, a ringside physician checked Franklin’s eye and allowed the fight to continue. Ultimately, in Round 3, Franklin dropped Hamill with a massive roundkick to the body.


What Did PPV Miss?
• In a room just off the fighter’s entrance, Bruce Buffer got prepped prior to the bouts.

• Urijah Faber conducted a slew of interviews in the media room.

• Joe Rogan in the media room prior to the fights.


The Undercard
Ryo Chonan vs. Roan Carneiro (12-8)
Division: Welterweight
Winner: Chonan by decision

Jason MacDonald (21-1) vs. Jason Lambert (23-8)
Division: Middleweight
Winner: MacDonald by rear naked choke
The Fight: Mac connected with some punches and then forced Lambert against the cage. MacDonald then dropped some big elbows on Lambert, who was wedged up against the fence. Lambert got MacDonald’s neck with less than 10 seconds to go, but the Canadian fighter held on.

In Round 2, they both came out in a fury. Punches were flying and connecting. MacDonald took Lambert down and ended up in half guard. MacDonald mounted him, got his back and scored a rear naked choke.

Michael Patt vs. Tim Boetsch (8-2)
Division: Light Heavy
Winner: Boetsch by TKO
The Fight: The fighters came out with some aggressiveness and landed some big punches. Gurgel, in Patt’s corner, yelled instructions and encouragement virtually the whole time. A big right sent Patt down and Boetsch ended it with nasty ground and pound.

Kurt Pellegrino (18-4) vs. Thiago Tavares
Division: Lightweight
Winner: KP
The Fight: It didn’t take long for Pellegrino to open a cut on Tavares, who then bled all over Pellegrino. In Round 2, Tavares came out extremely aggressively. Later in the round, Tavares seemed to tap to a Pellegrino armbar, but the action continued, as the ref apparently didn’t see it.

For more coverage of UFC 88, check out Ultimate Grappling magazine.



 

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