411's UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine Report 3.07.09

Posted by Jeremy Lambert on 03.08.2009

Quinton Jackson earned a UFC Light Heavyweight title shot at Rashad Evans by defeating Evans training partner, Keith Jardine by unanimous decision. Elsewhere, Shane Carwin proved that he's a threat in the Heavyweight division by knocking out Gabriel Gonzaga and Matt Hamill scored the KO of the night with a big head kick on Mark Munoz. Click for the full report.

UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine
Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio
Live on PPV

-Warrior opening video. Gonzaga wants to finish the fight, Carwin says, "no more Mr. nice guy." Jardine says he's tougher, Jackson says he's dangerous.

-Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan are the hosts. Rogan talks about Jardine's leg kicks against Jackson's lack of leg kick defense. Rogan has an orange shirt that makes it look like he just escaped from prison. UFC has also debuted new PPV graphics.

-Maynard vs. Miller hype video

Lightweight Fight: Jim Miller (13-1) vs. Gray Maynard (7-0-1)

Round One: Maynard doing well with a straight right. They clinch with Maynard's back against the cage. They break. Body head combo by Maynard. Big straight right by Maynard followed by a body shot. Body kick by Miller. Miller grabs a single but Maynard stays on his feet. They clinch. Maynard throws a knee and Miller grabs another single. Miller looks to have a busted nose from punches ate while trying for the takedown. They break. Miller pressing forward but missing with punches. Counter right by Maynard lands. Big right hand by Maynard as the round ends. 10-9 Maynard.

Round Two: 1-2 combo by Maynard scores. Maynard loading up on the right but just missing. Crowd boos. Inside leg kick by Maynard. Body shots by Maynard after a good right. Another inside leg kick by Miller. More good body shots by Maynard. Maynard doing a good job changing levels and connecting. Miller goes for a single and pulls guard. Maynard gets out and up to his feet. Big counter right by Maynard. Miller has a big cut under his left eye. Maynard scoring with the left jab. Miller presses forward and just misses. Round ends. 10-9 Maynard.

Round Three: Miller scores with a good 1-2. Uppercut, hook combo by Maynard. Body kick by Maynard. Crowd boos the lack of action. Straight right by Maynard scores. Another body kick by Miller. Miller starting to counter the straight right with a 1-2. Big takedown by Maynard. Miller goes for a knee bar but Maynard pulls out and gets back to his feet. Straight right by Maynard. Miller grabs a single and Maynard sprawls. Miller trying hard to complete the takedown but Maynard sprawling well. Miller pulls guard. Big punches by Maynard. Maynard in half guard coming down with punches. Maynard stands back up. Maynard moving away as the round ends. 10-9 Maynard.

Official Decision: Gray Maynard by Unanimous Decision (30-27 across)

-Maynard says the gameplan was to keep it on the feet. Maynard brings in his boxing coach to explain the replay.

-UFC 97: Redemption promo featuring Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites and Chuck Liddell vs. "Shogun" Rua.

-Hype video for Hamill vs. Munoz

Light Heavyweight Fight: Mark Munoz (5-0) vs. Matt Hamill (7-2)

Round One: Munoz shoots and Hamill sprawls. Hamill scoring with the lead left jab. Munoz shoots and Hamill sprawls again. Back on the feet. Body shot by Munoz. Uppercut by Munoz. Another body shot by Munoz. Hamill scoring with the left jab followed by the big right. Knee in the clinch by Munoz. Leg kick by Hamill. Munoz scoring with the right hook. Munoz really winging the right hand. Sprawl by Hamill. Head kick by Hamill knocks out Munoz.

-Munoz is out cold after the kick.

Official Decision: Matt Hamill by KO at 3:53 in Round One

-They're bringing in a stretcher for Munoz as Hamill cuts his post fight promo. Hamill is happy to fight in Ohio.

-Frank Mir joins Mike Goldberg for an interview. Mir talks about his knee injury. Mir says he wants to push the fight with Lesnar back to July 11th (UFC 100) so that he'll be 100%

-Goldberg announces that Rashad Evans will main event UFC 98 against Quinton Jackson (if he wins tonight) or Lyoto Machida (if Jackson loses). Evans says that Jardine is going to win tonight.

-Hype video for Sell vs. Brown

Welterweight Fight: Pete Sell (8-5) vs. Matt Brown (11-7)

Round One: Superman punch by Brown. Big right hand by Brown drops Sell. Confusion as the ref looked like he stopped it but didn't. They continue on the feet. Knees in the clinch by Brown and Sell goes down again. Brown pounces on him but Sell survives. Back on the feet. More knees in the clinch by Brown. Sell is out on his feet. Sell just falls down. Brown hits him again and the ref finally stops it.

-Weird fight with the non-stoppage. Sell took a lot of unnecessary punishment as he was out the first time Brown dropped him.

Official Decision: Matt Brown by TKO at 1:32 in Round One

-Brown thought the fight should have been stopped earlier. Sell didn't even know he was out.

Middleweight Fight (Preliminary): Kendall Grove vs. Jason Day

Round One: Day pressing forward byt Grove moving away. Leg kicks by Grove. Dirty boxing by Day. Straight right by Grove drops Day. Grove pounces on him and pounds him out as the ref jumps in.

Official Decision: Kendall Grove by TKO at 1:32 in Round One

-Grove says that he thought he was going to lose his job if he lost.

-Hype video for Carwin vs. Gonzaga

Heavyweight Fight: Shane Carwin (10-0) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (10-3)

Round One: Carwin pressing forward but missing. Big right hands by Gonzaga. Gonzaga grabs a single and gets the takedown. Gonzaga in the guard of Carwin. Carwin gets back up to his feet. Big right by Carwin drops Gonzaga with a right. Carwin pounds him out. The ref pulls him off.

Official Decision: Shane CARWIN by KO 1:09 in Round One

-Carwin says he has a thick head and can take a punch.

Welterweight Fight (Preliminary): Ryan Madigan vs. Tamdan McCrory

Round One: McCrory gets a quick takedown. McCrory passes to side control. McCrory stands above Madigan and lands some good punches. McCrory back in the guard. McCrory passes back to side control and then to mount. McCrory tries a top triangle but Madigan gets him back in side control. Madigan almost gets a leg lock but McCrory gets out and back to mount. Heavy ground and pound by McCrory. The ref stops it.

Official Decision: Tamdan McCrory by TKO at 3:35 in Round One

-McCrory cuts the greatest post-fight promo ever, cursing and talking about his walk in music.

-Trailer for Crank 2

-Rogan breaks down the main event. Jackson lands 81% of clinch strikes and successful on 67% of clinch takedowns. Rashad Evans joins the commentary booth. Jardine lands 86% of leg kicks and 92% of body shots. Evans says he won't fight Jardine in the Octagon.

-Hype video for Jackson vs. Jardine

Light Heavyweight Fight (Main Event): Keith Jardine (14-5-1) vs. Quinton Jackson (29-7)

Round One: Clinch right away. Jackson presses Jardine against the cage. Ref breaks them. Jardine pressing forward. Body kick by Jackson. 1-2 by Jardine. Inside leg kick by Jardine. They clinch and Jardine grabs a leg. Body lock by Jardine. They break. Jackson looked to be poked in the eye. The fight on. Right hand by Jackson looked to stumble Jardine. Body kick by Jardine. Uppercut by Jackson. Inside leg kick by Jardine. Push kick by Jardine. Big hook by Jackson. Round ends. 10-9 Jackson.

Round Two: Leg kick by Jackson. Body kick by Jardine. Left hook by Jackson. Jardine answers with a left. Leg kick by Jardine. Straight left by Jardine after a leg kick. Big right by Jackson. Big left drops Jardine. Jackson pounces on him. Jardine survives and gets to his feet. Jackson punished him on the way up. Takedown by Jackson. Jardine easily up. Jardine with a cup kick. Quick break and back to action. Jardine pressing forward and rocking Jackson. Jackson survives. Body kick by Jardine. Leg kick by Jardine, Jackson counters with a right. They clinch as the round ends. 10-9 Jackson.

Round Three: Stiff jab by Jackson. Body kick by Jardine. Straight right by Jardine. Takedown by Jackson as Jardine moves in. Jackson in half guard. Jardine quickly up. Leg kick by Jardine. Jardine throwing a lot of leg kicks now. Body kick by Jardine. Straight right by Jardine. Left hook by Jackson. Another leg kick by Jardine. Left hook by Jackson stumbles Jardine. Jardine goes for a takedown by Jackson stays on his feet. Big swings and misses by both fighters. Jackson rocking Jardine with the left hook. Left hook drops Jardine as the round ends. 10-9 Jackson.

Official Decision: Quinton Jackson by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

-Jackson said he felt some of the pressure in this fight. Jackson says he needed to go 3 rounds. Jackson says he wants his belt back.

-Jackson and Evans have a staredown in the middle of the cage and talk a lot of smack.

-Evans says that Jardine would have won if Jackson didn't knock him down in the final seconds.

Light Heavyweight Fight (Preliminary): Mike Patt vs. Brandon Vera

Round One: Leg kicks by Vera. Vera pressing forward and finishing with leg kicks. Counter uppercut by Vera. Straight left by Vera. Body kick by Vera. Another leg kick by Vera. Vera destroying the lead leg of Patt. Leg kick by Vera drops Patt. Head kick by Patt that is partially blocked. Body kick by Vera. 1-2 leg kick by Vera. Straight left by Vera. Round ends. 10-9 Vera.

Round Two: Leg kick by Vera. Crowd starting to boo. Three leg kicks drop Patt. Patt gets to his feet. Another leg kick and the ref stops it.

Official Decision: Brandon Vera by TKO at 1:27 in Round Two

-Vera says he's back and training hard.

Light Heavyweight Fight (Preliminary): Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz

Round One: Boetsch connects with a big knee early. Good dirty boxing by Brilz. Brilz gets the takedown as Boetsch throws a leg kick. Boetsch is up quickly. Boetsch pressing forward and scoring with the right hand. Crowd booing a bit. Boetsch with a good uppercut. Big exchange as the round ends. 10-9 Boetsch.

Round Two: Good right by Brilz and Boetsch answers with his own right. Brilz gets the takedown and is in the guard. Brilz passes to half guard and then to side control. Boetsch trying to scramble but Brilz has very good control and never gives up the side control. Short elbows by Brilz. Brilz goes for a guillotine but can't finish it. He still maintains side control. Boetsch scrambles to his feet but Brilz has his back on the feet. Knees to the legs of Boetsch. The ref breaks them. The round ends. 10-9 Brilz.

Round Three: Brilz clinches and tries to drag him to the ground but Boetsch stays on his feet. Brilz constantly clinching and looking for the takedown but Boetsch staying on the feet. Knee up the middle by Boetsch. Brilz clinches and gets his back. Brilz drags him to the ground. Brilz has one hook in. Boetsch rolls to half guard. Brilz passes to side control but Boetsch gets to his feet. A lot of swings and misses. Brilz gets a single and drags him down. Brilz in half guard and easy pass to side control. Knees to the side by Brilz. Brilz passes to the mount and drops some good elbows. Boetsch is cut. More ground and pound by Brilz. The round ends. 10-9 Brilz.

Official Decision: Jason Brilz by Unanimous Decision (29-28 across)

-Turning Point of the Night: Shane Carwin knocking out Gonzaga.

-Rogan and Goldberg recap the card.

-End Show.