Penn Dominates Diego "The Nightmare" Sanchez, Retains UFC Lightweight Title

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — It was a fitting way to end a dominating fight.

BJ Penn unleashed a right round kick that caught challenger Diego "The Nightmare" Sanchez directly in the forehead, opening a gash that had blood cascading down his face. On the advice of the ringside physician, the ref stopped the bout in Round 5 here at the FedEx Forum before more than 13,000 fans.

When it was over, Penn retained his UFC lightweight championship belt, and Diego Sanchez is the one who experienced the nightmare.

“He’s as busted up as I have seen a guy,” said Dana White, UFC president, about Sanchez.

At the same time, White quickly pointed out that Sanchez, despite the loss, fought with the heart of a champion.

“He took some big shots and hung in there,” said White. “He showed a lot of heart. He hung in and kept coming forward.”

Penn also impressed White, who recounted a conversation he had with Penn in which he said now is the time to work hard because that window of opportunity is closing.

“He coasted for 10 years,” said White. “Now he’s taken it seriously.”

Mir, who hopes Lesnar recovers quickly so he can get another shot at the heavyweight title, said Penn also impressed him.

“He’s a tough one of the best fighters in the world,” said Mir.

On this night, no one, especially Diego Sanchez, would dispute that.

THE MAIN CARD
Fighters: Diego Sanchez (23-3) vs. BJ Penn (15-5-1)
Division: Lightweight Title Fight
Fight Highlights:
• Neither fighter bolted out of his corner like he said he would.
• In Round 1, Penn dropped Sanchez with a right and drilled him repeatedly with punches. Through the onslaught, Sanchez managed to get to his feet and did a forward roll out of danger.
• In Round 4, Sanchez unsuccessfully attempted several takedowns. Penn, like the previous rounds, controlled the action with his punches and prevented Sanchez from scoring any takedowns.
• Just before the start of Round 5, Penn bounced around and slapped his face, which drew a huge ovation from the fans.
• Sanchez attempted another single-leg at 4:20, but all he could do is drive Penn up against the fence.
• Penn attacked at 3 minutes with the right round kick to the head that opened the nasty cut on Sanchez’s head. Penn then threw several uppercuts from the clinch. With blood flowing down Sanchez’s face, ref Herb Dean stopped the fight and had the ringside physician check the cut.

Fighters: Cheick Kongo (24-6-1) vs. Frank Mir (13-4)
Division: Heavyweight
Notes: The fighters did not touch gloves before the fight.
The Fight: Mir dropped Kongo with a left hook at and then submitted him with a guillotine (submission) at 1:12 of Round 1.

Fighters: Mike Pierce vs. Jon Fitch (24-3)
Division: Welterweight
Winner: Fitch by unanimous decision
Post-Fight Press Conference Quotes: “He’s very tough. He has a good base, and it was hard to break him down and get him where I could do damage.” — Fitch

Fighters: Clay Guida (25-8) vs. Kenny Florian (14-4)
Division: Lightweight
Notes: In his last fight, Guida lost a decision to Diego Sanchez. Florian, who had a six-inch reach advantage, is a jiu-jitsu black belt.
The Fight: Guida came out and moved and danced at 100 mph. Florian threw a high round kick, fell and Guida pounced. Florian, however, defended nicely from his back and scrambled up. At 2:30, the crowd chanted “Guida.” Florian dumped Guida against the cage. When they stood, Florian unleashed some nasty elbows. The ref stopped the fight and had the ringside physician check the cut.
In Round 2, Florian, at 2:54, dropped Guida with a right cross. When Florian saw Guida was hurt, he threw another punch, scrambled for his back and then finished the fight with a rear naked choke.
Winner: Florian
How: 2:19 of Round 2

Fighters: Stefan Struve (23-3) vs. Paul Buentello (25-11)
Division: Heavyweight
Notes: Buentello, who has 17 wins by knockout, came into the fight having won five of his last six. Struve had a 6-inch reach advantage.
Winner: Struve
How: Majority decision

THE UNDERCARD
Fighters: TJ Grant (15-3) vs. Kevin Burns (8-4)
Division: Welterweight
The Fight: The fighters came out and engaged right away. Moments into the fight, Burns dropped Grant and drilled him with several hard punches, but somehow Grant survived and got back on his feet. At the 3-minute mark, he took Burns down and drove him into the fence. Grant drilled Burns with a front kick to the groin, which delayed the fight for several minutes.
When the fight resumed, Grant countered with a right, which dropped Burns, he then pounced on him and finished the fight with a slew of punches on the ground.
After the ref called the fight, Grant got up, ran around the cage seemingly at 80 mph, jumped up, banked off the fence and kept running.
Winner: Grant
How: 4:57 of Round 1 by TKO

Fighters: Edgar Garcia (7-2) vs. Demarques Johnson (15-7)
Division: Welterweight
Winner: Johnson
How: 4:03 by triangle (submission)

Fighters: Lucio Linhares (3-5) vs. Rousimar Palhares (19-2)
Division: Middleweight
The Fight: Palhares scored a takedown right away and worked Linhares back to the canvas when he tried to stand. Palhares worked Linhares up against the fence where the action stayed for a minute before the ref stood them up. Palhares went for a leglock, but Linhares spun and eventually worked his way out. Palhares dominated this round from start to finish.
In Round 2, following two wild punches by Linhares, Palhares scored a takedown and ended the bout with a heel hook.
Winner: Palhares
How: 3:21 of Round 2 by heel hook

Fighters: Ricardo Funch (7-1) and Johny Hendricks
Division: Welterweight
Notes: Hendricks is a two-time NCAA wrestling champ.
Winner: Hendricks
How: Unanimous decision

Fighters: Shane Nelson (13-5) vs. Matt Wiman (11-5)
Division: Lightweight
The Fight: In a fast-paced, action filled fight, Nelson delivered a good combination that rocked Wiman, who then scored with a good combination moments later. Wiman, with a little more than a minute to go in the round, hurt Nelson with a punch and ended up in his guard, where he threw some elbows. During the action, Nelson suffered a cut on his forehead, just below his hairline, compliments of a Wiman elbow. The round was non-stop action from start to finish.
In Round 2, the action initially picked up right where it left off. After a little bit of a lull through the middle of the round, Wiman scored a takedown and added some elbows to the mix. Nelson, with less than 20 seconds, went for a leglock.
In Round 3, Wiman connected squarely with a direct kick to Nelson’s groin. When the ref yelled, “Stop, stop,” Wiman, who was in the process of throwing a huge right, pulled up. With less than 30 seconds to go in the round, Wiman got Nelson’s back and pounded away with ground and pound.
Winner: Wiman
How: Unanimous decision

Fighters: Wilson Gouveia (12-7) vs. Alan Belcher (14-5)
Division: Catchweight
The Fight: Gouveia, countering a Belcher punch, drilled the hometown fighter with several punches, rocking his head back once. At the 3-minute mark, they stood toe-to-toe and just unloaded on each other. Belcher, with less than two minutes to go, rocked Gouveia with an uppercut that dropped the Brazilian fighter. Belcher finished him off with a few additional punches, as the ref, Herb Dean, rushed in and stopped the action.
Winner: Belcher
How: 3:03 of Round 1 by TKO

Quick Facts
WHAT: UFC 107
WHERE: FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee
WHEN: December 12, 2009
ATTENDANCE: 13,896
GATE: $1.5 million

An Extra $65K
• Submission of the Night
Demarques Johnson

• Fight of the Night
Gouveia and Belcher

• KO of the Night
TJ Grant

In Their Words
The Post-Fight Press Conference

“It’s a whole new preparation, and I am learning a new striking system. I’m still learning.” — Florian, on his new training camp.

“I want Brock to get healthy. If he watched the fight, maybe he does not want to get too healthy.” — Mir.

“The great thing is the heavyweight division has never been more interesting than it ever has been right now.” — White.

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