UFC 85 Recap

After failing to make weight for his first-ever UFC main event, Thiago Alves (15-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) redeemed himself by defeating one of the most dominant welterweight fighters in MMA history -- while launching himself into the thick of the division's title picture.

After a close first round, Alves dominated the second, tagging former longtime champ Matt Hughes (42-7 MMA, 15-4 UFC) with a flying knee to the body and a clean punch to the head to force the stoppage 62 seconds into the second round.

The fight capped off Saturday's "UFC 85: Bedlam" event, which took place at the 02 Arena in London, England. The main card aired live on pay per view.

After the stoppage, Alves apologized to the organization for failing to make weight a day earlier. The American Top Team fighter weighed 174 pounds, forcing Hughes to accept the bout at the catchweight.

"I had sprained an ankle before the fight, so I couldn't run or train or do much," Alves said.

With the victory -- the biggest of the 24-year-old's career -- Alves has now won six straight fights. With Hughes, Karo Parisyan, Chris Lytle and other notables left in his wake, he now has one thing on his mind.

"Mr. Dana White, I've been a good boy," Alves said. "I never choose my opponents. ... Please give me a title shot."

White, sitting ringside, simply smiled.

As for Hughes, he had no excuses for the loss.

"Man, he's a good fighter," Hughes said. "He got me. No doubt about it."

In the night's unofficial co-main event, Michael Bisping (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) dominated Jason Day (17-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) from the opening bell until the referee's stoppage three minutes and 42 seconds later.

Perhaps in the best shape of his four-year career, Bisping posted his second straight victory since dropping from light heavyweight to middleweight.

After an early trip-takedown, Bisping battered his Canadian opponent with power shots from above. Day had no answer as the British fighter continually rained down blows from the standing position and then in full mount. Bisping even ignored a few obvious submission openings to continue the heavy-handed assault.

With Day offering no defense as the frequency of shots intensified, the referee came to his rescue soon after.

Bisping earned his second-straight first-round TKO -- and his fifth knockout victory in his past six wins.

In an intriguing welterweight bout, Mike Swick (12-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) got his first definitive victory in nearly two years -- and he snapped Marcus Davis's (14-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) 12-fight, three-year winning streak in the process.

Swick used the clinch to set up takedowns and phenomenal ground control. And although he never had Davis in serious trouble, the formula won Swick all three rounds. A third-round point deduction for grabbing the fence resulted in winning scores of 29-27 for Swick on all three judges' scorecards.

Davis, a former standout boxer in New England, did damage with dirty boxing from the clinch. However, Swick continually forced the fight to the ground, where Davis was smothered and couldn't escape. A few cuts, likely the result of his substantial scar tissue, provided a further obstacle that Davis was forced to combat during the fight.

Swick, a former middleweight contender, made his welterweight debut in January and earned a lackluster majority-decision victory over Josh Burkman. However, he said his victory over Davis solidified his decision to remain in the 170-pound division.

Christened "Quick" after two lightning-quick knockouts to begin his UFC career, Swick now hasn't posted a knockout victory in nearly three years. However, he's complemented his solid striking skills with a proficient ground game -- one that set up his victory over Davis.

In a hugely entertaining middleweight bout that had everything from illegal blows to point deductions to a fight-ending power-driver, Thales Leites (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) out-pointed Nate Marquardt (26-8-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) to pick up a split-decision victory.

Two costly point deductions -- one in the second round for an illegal knee to the face and a questionable one in the third round for an alleged blow to the back of his opponent's head -- cost Marquardt the fight. Two judges gave Leites the fight by scores of 28-27, and the third had it 28-27 for Marquardt.

Seeing how the final two rounds resulted in tying scores (Marquardt won both rounds but had to settle for 9-9 scores because of the point deductions), the fight was ultimately decided in the first round. The winner was Leites, who floored Marquardt midway through the round with a stiff right. However, despite being mounted, Marquardt avoided further damage and even staggered Leites later in the round with a clean uppercut.

Ultimately, though, two judges gave the round to Leites, which set up the victory.

The night's televised main card kicked off in controversial fashion as Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) earned a late-first-round TKO stoppage over Brandon Vera (8-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC).

Vera staggered his opponent with crisp striking midway through the first round, but Werdum weathered the storm, scored a trip-takedown, and then secured the mount position to rain down a barrage of punches. Despite just 20 seconds remaining in the round, referee Dan Miragliotta -- the same official responsible for last week's controversial third-round stoppage in EliteXC's "Kimbo Slice" vs. James Thompson main event -- halted the bout.

Vera immediately sprung to his feet and protested the decision.

In a confusing post-fight exchange with UFC broadcaster Joe Rogan, Werdum and Werdum's translator, Werdum claimed that he thought Vera was asking for the fight to be stopped.

"Are you kidding me?" Vera said. "I'm not going to [expletive] quit. ... There was 15 seconds left in the round. Let me take my ass kicking and get to the next round."

Vera, once one of the heavyweight division's most promising prospects, has now lost his past two fights. Werdum, meanwhile, moves ever so close to the top of a short list of heavyweight contenders.

PRELIMINARY CARD


Martin Kampmann def. Jorge Rivera via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 1, 2:44
Matt Wiman def. Thiago Tavares via KO (punch) -- Round 2, 1:57
Kevin Burns def. Roan Carneiro via submission (triangle choke) -- Round 2, 2:53
Luiz Cane def. Jason Lambert via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 2:07
Paul Taylor def. Jess Liaudin via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Antoni Hardonk def. Eddie Sanchez via TKO (strikes) -- Round 2, 4:15