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LAS VEGAS — Go ahead. Tell Randy Couture he can't do something. I dare ya.
Going into his UFC heavyweight title defense bout last night (August 25) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center here, Couture, 44, was a slight underdog to Gabriel Gonzaga. So, apparently, Couture had him right where he wanted him.
"I guess that is what happens when you fight at 44," said Couture. "It [being an underdog] does not bother me at all. I have come to expect it. I operate well when no one expects me to come through. He is younger, bigger and stronger. This puts me in a spot that I have been several times so I will have to go out and prove everyone wrong."
And boy did he.
Couture, who scored a TKO at 1:37 of Round 3, took control from the beginning of the fight and kept the pressure heavy throughout. When Couture tied Gonzaga up against the fence, he'd break, throw some heavy leather and drive him back up against the fence. Or, Couture would blast him with some nasty elbows.
Gonzaga unleashed some high round kicks, similar to what he used to KO Mirko Cro Cop Filopovic, but they didn't have the same impact on Couture. In Round 1, Couture took the bigger fighter down. When they hit the canvas, Couture's head smashed into Gonzaga's face, opening a huge gash across the Brazilian's nose. From that point on, blood flowed freely from his face.
GSP'S NEW LOOK
You expect a fighter to be confident, but there was something different in Georges St-Pierre's confidence this weekend. He had an aura of invincibility about him that signaled he was back.
In fact, at the weigh-in, before UFC commentator Joe Rogan even finished introducing him, GSP was on the platform, practically on the scale.
And St-Pierre, who earlier said he's back better than ever, certainly was. He defeated Josh Koscheck and now will fight the winner of the Matt Hughes-Matt Serra fight, scheduled for December.
THE UNDERCARD
Fighters: Clay Guida and Marcus Aurelio
Division: Lightweight
The Winner: Guida
How/When: Split decision
The Fighters: Ryan Jensen (11-2) vs. Thales Leites (12-1)
Division: Middleweight
The Winner: Leites
How/When: Submission (armbar); 3:47 of Round 1
The Fighters: Frank Mir (10-3) vs. Anthony Hardonk (5-4)
Division: Heavyweight
The Winner: Mir
How/When: Submission at 1:17 of Round 1
The Fighters: David Heath (9-2) vs. Renato "Babalu" Sobral (28-7)
Division: Light heavyweight
The Winner: Babalu
How/When: Choke/Round 2
Highlights of the Fight: Massive amounts of blood poured from Heath's face, drenching the canvas with the red liquid. The ref had to pry Babalu's arm from Heath's neck, as the Brazilian fighter refused to let go.
Note: After the fight, Babalu said Heath deserved that because he had disrespected him.
THE MAIN CARD
The Fighters: Patrick "The Predator" Cote (12-4) vs. Kendall "The Spider" Grove (10-4)
Division: Middleweight
The Winner: Cote
How/When: KO at 4:45 of Round 1
The Fighters: Kurt "Batman" Pellegrino (16-3) vs. Joe Stevenson (33-7)
Division: Lightweight
The Winner: Stevenson
How/When: By Unanimous Decision
The Fighters: Alberto Crane (8-1) vs. Roger Huerta (21-1)
Division: Lightweight
The Winner: Huerta
How/When: TKO at 1:50 of Round 3
Raw Highlights of the Fight: Huerta came out with an array of kicks. The fight went to the ground in less than a minute and Huerta tried for a RNC. It was a ground fight for the first three minutes. Huerta got in a brief bit of G and P with less than a minute to go.
Round 2: Huerta, like his last fight, came out with anger in his eyes. The fight went to the ground, and Huerta administered more G and P. Huerta continued to drop some bombs on Crane, who attempted an omoplata. Huerta delivered a kick that dropped Crane. Crane's left eye was almost shut. Huerta dropped more punches into Crane's face, and Crane seemed gassed.
Round 3. Huerta came out strong again with a big kick. When the fight went to the ground, Crane got Huerta's back. Huerta, looking at the screen, threw some elbows at Crane.
The Fighters: GSP (16-3) vs. Josh Koscheck (11-2)
Division: Welterweight
The Winner: St-Pierre
How/When: Unanimous Decision
The Fighters: Gabriel Gonzaga (8-2) vs. Randy Couture (16-8)
Division: Heavyweight Title Bout
The Winner: Couture
Top Moments
To get all the details of UFC 74, check the November issue of Ultimate Grappling. Here's a preview of the Top Moments …
• Which high-profile NBA player was booed loudly when showed on the big screen? Here's a hint … he plays guard for the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Which actor, who starred in the movie about a runaway bus, was cheered loudly?
• Which former champ got a huge ovation?
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