UFC 82 Preliminary Card

What could be Andrei Arlovski‘s final fight in the UFC began with a whimper but finished with a bang. After going on the defensive to stuff Jake O’Brien‘s takedown attempts, the former UFC heavyweight champion eventually scored his own takedown in the second. Arlovski immediately landed in full mount and unloaded a dizzying storm of ground and pound until the stoppage at 4:17. With his UFC contract fulfilled, Arlovski is now free to negotiate with rival organizations. However, he wasn’t about to get a free advertisement during Saturday’s event; Arlovski was the only fighter not awarded a post-fight interview.

After showing marked improvement during recent back-to-back victories, Luke Cummo came out flat in his fight with Luigi Fioravanti and was taken down with ease. Fioravanti scored a couple dozen takedowns to control the fight en route to a unanimous-decision victory. All three judges had it 30-27 in his favor.

Josh Koscheck, who fought the last fight of his current UFC contract, made his case for a pay raise with a come-from-behind victory over local fighter Dustin Hazelett. Although known as a grappler, Hazelett used his reach advantage to win a first-round stand-up war. However, when Koscheck did revert to his wrestling skills for a takedown, Hazelett nearly ended it with a triangle choke. In the second round, though, Koscheck connected on a head kick that sent Hazelett stumbling to the mat. A few follow-up punches on his dazed opponent was all it took for Koscheck to earn the TKO victory at the 1:24 mark of the second round.

Diego Sanchez looked — and fought — like a man possessed, dominating UFC newcomer David Bielkheden and overpowering him to take the mount position. The Swede initially kept his opponent tied up, but Sanchez postured up and rained down a fight-ending ground-and-pound barrage late in the first. Sanchez earned the submisson victory (via strikes) at 4:42 of the first round to snap a two-fight losing streak. The fighter, who publicly contemplated a move to lightweight in recent moves, said he’ll stay at welterweight for future fights.

In the night’s opening bout, local fighter and Brazilian jiu-jitu black belt Jorge Gurgel grinded his way to a unanimous-decision victory over Iowa fighter John Halverson. The judges had it 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 in Gurgel’s favor.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Anderson Silva def. Dan Henderson via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 2, 4:52
Heath Herring def. Cheick Kongo via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Chris Leben def. Alessio Sakara via TKO (strikes) — Round 1, 3:36
Yushin Okami def. Evan Tanner via KO (knee) — Round 2, 3:00
Jon Fitch def. Chris Wilson via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Andrei Arlovski def. Jake O’Brien via TKO (strikes) — Round 2, 4:17
Luigi Fioravanti def. Luke Cummo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Josh Koscheck def. Dustin Hazelett via TKO (strikes) — Round 2, 1:24
Diego Sanchez def. David Bielkheden via submission (strikes) — Round 1, 4:42
Jorge Gurgel def. John Halverson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)