UFC on Versus 3: Brian Bowles Chokes Out Damacio Page

Filed under: UFCStepping into the cage for the first time since losing his bantamweight title a year ago, Brian Bowles choked out Damacio Page Thursday at UFC on Versus 3 — and likely felt some deja vu in the process.

Bowles finished Page with a firs…

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Stepping into the cage for the first time since losing his bantamweight title a year ago, Brian Bowles choked out Damacio Page Thursday at UFC on Versus 3 — and likely felt some deja vu in the process.

Bowles finished Page with a first-round guillotine choke at 3 minutes, 30 seconds when the two fought in a WEC bout in 2008. That’s exactly how Bowles won this time as well: He choked Page out at the 3:30 mark.

It was an intense, action-packed fight. Page, who’s known for his exciting fighting style, came out swinging wildly, and he connected with some hard shots in the early going. Bowles, however, took control when he caught Page’s kick and knocked him down with a punch, and when Bowles followed Page to the ground he sunk in a guillotine choke.

It was a good showing for Bowles, who improves his record to 9-1 and has to be considered among the elite bantamweights in the sport. And it was a solid showing in defeat for Page, who falls to 15-6 but showed just how exciting the little guys can be — even when their fights don’t last very long.

Diego Sanchez: Heart Led to Win over Martin Kampmann at UFC on Versus

Filed under: UFCLOUISVILLE, Ky. – When both the winner and loser wind up at the hospital after their main event, it’s pretty hard to argue against Fight of the Night.

Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann slugged their way to a bloody 29-28 unanimous dec…

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – When both the winner and loser wind up at the hospital after their main event, it’s pretty hard to argue against Fight of the Night.

Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann slugged their way to a bloody 29-28 unanimous decision for Sanchez to close out the UFC’s debut in Kentucky, UFC on Versus 3, on Thursday. When the scores were read, many in the crowd appeared to be stunned at the decision. But perhaps no one was more surprised than Kampmann.

“Yes I did – I thought I won the fight,” Kampmann told Joe Rogan after the fight. “I think I won all three rounds. If you take a look at his face … I definitely feel I won the fight. I was throwing way more clean shots. Diego’s a tough warrior, but I’m very disappointed.”

Sanchez vs. Kampmann Earns Fight of the Night at UFC on Versus 3

Filed under: UFC, NewsLOUISVILLE, Ky. – The UFC handed out its customary post-fight bonus awards on Thursday following UFC on Versus 3. Four of its fighters are a little richer.

Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann each took home $60,000 extra for their…

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The UFC handed out its customary post-fight bonus awards on Thursday following UFC on Versus 3. Four of its fighters are a little richer.

Diego Sanchez and Martin Kampmann each took home $60,000 extra for their Fight of the Night performance in the main event at the KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville, Ky. The event was the UFC’s debut in Kentucky. Those totals were $20,000 extra, decided by UFC president Dana White.

Brian Bowles and Shane Roller each won $40,000 for their stoppage wins – Bowles for Submission of the Night, Roller for Knockout of the Night.

State of the UFC Bantamweights

Filed under: UFC, WECNovember is a month without any title fights, which makes it a good time to take a long view of the future title picture in each weight class. Today we look at the bantamweight division.

The decision to fold World Extreme Cagefigh…

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November is a month without any title fights, which makes it a good time to take a long view of the future title picture in each weight class. Today we look at the bantamweight division.

The decision to fold World Extreme Cagefighting into the UFC will have a big impact on the smallest fighters, and the talent-rich 135-pound division might soon be considered one of the deepest in the UFC. Our look at the state of the UFC bantamweights is below.

WEC 52 Confirmed for The Pearl in Las Vegas; Faber vs. Mizugaki in Main Event

Filed under: WEC, FanHouse Exclusive, NewsUrijah Faber’s planned next march to the top will begin in Las Vegas.

November 11’s WEC 52 card — featuring Faber’s WEC bantamweight debut — will take place at The Pearl at The Palms, WEC general manager Re…

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Urijah Faber’s planned next march to the top will begin in Las Vegas.

November 11’s WEC 52 card — featuring Faber’s WEC bantamweight debut — will take place at The Pearl at The Palms, WEC general manager Reed Harris confirmed to MMA Fighting on Tuesday.

MMA Top 10 Bantamweights: Dominick Cruz Tightens His Hold

Filed under: WEC, Rankings, BantamweightsIf there was any doubt that Dominick Cruz was the best bantamweight in mixed martial arts, he erased that doubt Wednesday night by defeating the tough but ultimately overmatched Joseph Benavidez in a split decis…

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If there was any doubt that Dominick Cruz was the best bantamweight in mixed martial arts, he erased that doubt Wednesday night by defeating the tough but ultimately overmatched Joseph Benavidez in a split decision that gave Cruz his second victory over the No. 2 fighter in the division.

Benavidez is a great fighter (he’s 12-0 when fighting anyone other than Cruz), but it’s his friend and training partner Urijah Faber who has handed Cruz his only career loss, and is likely to fight Cruz again some time early next year, this time for the bantamweight title.

Once Faber makes the move down to bantamweight, I think he’ll be a Top 10 fighter in the class — and he might just beat Cruz again and move to the top. For now, he’s absent from the Cruz-dominated bantamweight rankings, which are below.