411’s UFC Fight Night XII Report 1.23.08

Posted by Larry Csonka on 01.23.2008

Mike Swick wins the main event to cap off Fight Night XII.

Feel free to send in your thoughts on the show! If you do, please include your BEST and WORST fight, and score the PPV from 0-10!

Welcome!
Welcome back to the 411 MMA Zone! As promised when I scaled back as far as MMA work goes, I am back to deliver to you the recap for the UFC Fight Night 12 card! We're just days out of UFC 80, and close to UFC 81 with the debut of Brock Lesnar! But before we get there, we have to see the exploits of such fighters as Mike Swick, Kurt Pellegrino, Corey Hill, Gray Maynard, Cole Miller and more! Quite honestly it's a card that doesn't have a lot of hype behind it, but is important for the guys on the card because a lot of them need wins to move up and get on PPV. Let's see the card and my PICKEMZ and get onto the show!

UFC Fight Night XII PICKEMZ
Justin Buchholz vs. Matt Wiman
Buchholz, SUB, RD1

Joe Veres vs. Corey Hill
Veres, SUB, RD2

Jeremy Stephens vs. Cole Miller
Miller, DEC

Dennis Siver vs. Gray Maynard
Maynard, STRIKES, RD1

Alberto Crane vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Pellegrino, DEC

Michihiro Omigawa vs. Thiago Tavares
Tavares, SUB, RD1

Alvin Robinson vs. Nate Diaz
Nate Diaz, DEC

Patrick Cote vs. Drew McFedries
Cote, STRIKES, RD2

Mike Swick vs. Josh Burkman
Swick, STRIKES, RD1

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UFC FIGHT NIGHT 12~!

-We get some video to begin, hyping Mike Swick vs. Josh Burkman and then go into the opening video, featuring all of the fighters.

-From the Pearl at the Palms Casino!

-Mike Goldberg welcomes us to the show.

-Joe Rogan joins the show and they discuss Swick‘s move to welterweight. Burkman is motivated and wants to make an impact against Swick.

-They then hype Michihiro Omigawa vs. Thiago Tavares and Patrick Cote vs. Drew McFedries.

-Alvin Robinson vs. Nate Diaz will kick off the show after a commercial break.


-Back from commercial and we get a hype package for Alvin Robinson vs. Nate Diaz.

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT - Alvin Robinson (10-2) vs. Nate Diaz (7-2):

ROUND ONE: The official is Steve "THE STASH" Mazzigatti! Quick combo and a clinch to begin, Diaz takes Robinson down and has him against the cage. Diaz in the guard and lands some good elbows from the top and is working for side control. Robinson tries for a guillotine, Diaz stand up and slams him down and is stuck in a guillotine. Diaz works rib shots, and escapes the choke. He lands some short shots, into the guard and starts getting more shots from the top. Diaz works for side control again, gets it and Robinson tries to spin off of the cage, but Diaz controls and tries an omoplata, transitions to a shoulder lock and Robinson escapes. Robinson into the guard, Diaz with a body triangle now and Robinson is landing some solid shots. Diaz now locks in a triangle, and Robinson taps.

-THE RESULT: Nate Diaz via RD 1 (3:39) submission

Joe Rogan is with Nate Diaz. Nate is happy about the win and feels good. Nate says he knew it was going to be a hard fight, and he wants contenders. He then walks us through the replay. He is coming for the other lightweights and thanks his team and brother.

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-Goldberg sends us to a hype video for UFC 81 and the debut of Brock Lesnar.

-After a commercial, we will see Michihiro Omigawa vs. Thiago Tavares.


-We get a video hype package for Michihiro Omigawa vs. Thiago Tavares.

LIGHWEIGHT BOUT - Michihiro Omigawa (4-5) vs. Thiago Tavares (16-1):

ROUND ONE: The official is Josh Rosenthal. They touch and circle. Omigawa in, and Tavares works for a single, gets the takedown and into the guard. He works Omigawa against the cage, Omigawa to his knees and Tavares picks him up and slams him down. Tavares into the guard again, stands and back in. Omigawa looks for an arm bar, gets some short elbows and Tavares escapes that punishment, gets a waist lock and leaps on the back of Omigawa, sinks both hooks in and has the back easily. Tavares gets some shots and looks for the choke, he keeps landing some short shots and does a good job of defense. Omigawa works to his feet, but back down as Tavares hangs on, but slips off and they are in a more neutral position. Tavarez works the waist lock, slams Omigawa down and goes for the back again and looks for an arm bar, but Omigawa slides into his guard. Elbows by Tavares from the bottom, rights now and Omigawa stands and down with a good right. Omigawa stands again, kicks to Tavares and up kicks by Tavares and the round ends.

LARRY'S SCORECARD: Omigawa was able to escape and actually go on the offense, but I feel Tavares did enough early to take the round 10-9.

ROUND TWO: Round two begins as they circle, Tavares shoots and Omigawa sprawls and counters that. He shoots again, Omigawa avoids but falls to his back and Tavares works the half guard. Omigawa kicks him off, to the feet and Omigawa misses a spinning back kick. A good right by Tavares, he shoots and they go to the cage. They separate, a big right by Tavares and then a leg kick. They circle a bit, a good jab by Tavares and more circling. Leg kicks by Tavares, who is winning these short exchanges, but nothing much is happening. A good shot by Omigawa, but Tavares gets a takedown and is into the guard. Tavares with some short shots and to the feet they go and a knee by Tavares. A nice body kick by Tavares, Omigawa charging in with shots but nothing doing as the round ends.

LARRY'S SCORECARD: Tavares did enough to win the round, but nothing else. I have it 10-9 for Tavares, and 20-19 overall.

ROUND THREE: Round three begins and Omigawa charges in with shots, Tavares shoots and they go against the cage. Omigawa gets back to his feet, but Tavares takes him down and gets into his guard. Tavares tries to pass, on his feet and gets a right and back into the guard. Omigawa looks for an arm bar, almost gets it but Tavares escapes. Both trade shots from the guard, Tavares opens up with some hammer fists but Omigawa switches and gets into his guard. Tavares is controlling, Omigawa stands and gets some kicks and drops down with a good shot. Up kicks now by Tavares, and Omigawa stands and drops back down. Omigawa is busted badly now and is bleeding all over the back of Tavares. Tavares back to his feet and drops down with a very good shot. Back to the feet and Omigawa slams Tavares back down. I think Omigawa got busted on one of the up kicks. Omigawa starts to get some shots from the guard, lands another good shot and they get stood up. That's the round.

LARRY'S SCORECARD: I don't know, a close round but Omigawa got busted open badly and Tavares, while not overly impressive, was never in trouble. We'll give him the round 10-9 and the fight 30-27, but I could easily see 29-28.

-THE RESULT: Thiago Tavares via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Wow, that fight was so boring they didn't even do a post fight interview.

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-Back from commercial and Joe Rogan is with Sylvester Stallone. They hype the new Rambo flick, and how it has some roots in real life that people don't realize. He really believed that things changed and now was a good time to bring Rambo back. Rogan puts him over big as he marks out, and Sly says he loves working out. We get a fight in the audience and they joke about it. Sly has been digging the card, they hype the movie and that's that.

-Time for a special look at Rambo!

-After the commercial we'll see Patrick Cote vs. Drew McFedries!


-We get a hype video for Patrick Cote vs. Drew McFedries.

MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT - Patrick Cote (12-4) vs. Drew McFedries (6-2):

ROUND ONE: The official is Herb Dean. They come out throwing, leg kick by McFedries and then a kick by Cote. Nice uppercut by McFedries, an inside leg kick and then another. Body shot by Cote, and then a leg kick. They trade shots and Cote with the better of the combo. High kick by Cote blocked, gets a right and McFedries gets a solid right in return, which rocks Cote, but Cote then rocks McFedries off of that shot, gets a few rights, drops him, lands more shots and that's the fight!

-THE RESULT: Patrick Cote via RD1 (1:44) TKO

Joe Rogan is with Cote. Rogan says he has been on a roll and countered and got the win. Cote thanks Drew for doing the fight after all of the shit he went through, pretty classy. He just went for it and did his job.

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-EXTRA BOUT TIME~!

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT - Alberto Crane (8-1) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (16-3):

ROUND ONE: The official is Herb Dean. Crane drops Pellegrino with a sweet kick, looks for a guillotine but Pellegrino escapes. Crane still looks for a triangle, has an omaplata but Pellegrino works to escape as he is busted open from that initial kick. Crane keeps looking for an arm submission, but Pellegrino escapes and to the feet the go. They trade, Pellegrino with to good shots but is quickly backed off. A good combo by Pellegrino, and Crane back with a good shot. Pellegrino shoots, but Crane stops that. Some light kicks by Crane, but a good combo back by Pellegrino. Leg kicks by Pellegrino, and then a good combo follows that up. A body shot by Pellegrino, pumps the jab and is slowly picking Crane apart. A good uppercut lands now, a great knee by Pellegrino and to the ground they go and against the cage. Crane gets back to his feet, Crane slips off of a kick miss and he is bleeding now. A sweet slam by Pellegrino, more like a hip toss and Pellegrino in the guard and in control as the round ends.

LARRY'S SCORECARD: Pellegrino almost got his shit knocked out, but came back and ended up dominating the round. The round is 10-9 for Mr. Pellegrino.

ROUND TWO: Round two begins and Crane goes on the offensive, gets a single leg and tries to get this to the ground. Against the fence now, they get warning for grabbing the fence and Crane is just holding on as Pellegrino lands shots to the ribs and kidneys. Crane works for the back, slips off and Pellegrino lands a few good shots, including a good elbow. Pellegrino stands, gets a good drop shot and another and that is all. Herb said Crane wasn't defending because he closes his eyes and was covering.

-THE RESULT: Kurt Pellegrino via RD2 (1:55) TKO

Joe Rogan is with Pellegrino. His teeth went through his lower lip, damn, that is nasty. He and Crane shake and then he talks us through the replay. He thought he got rocked by a punch, not a kick. He says BJ and Stevenson had a great fight and wishes them well.

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-Joe Rogan is with some comedians; I don't care to be honest with you.

-More BROCK HYPE! "He broke Tim Sylvia's arm…SO WHAT?"

-Up next is Mike Swick vs. Josh Burkman!


-Rogan and Goldberg hype the main event of Burkman vs. Swick.

-We get a video hype package for Mike Swick vs. Josh Burkman.

WELTERWEIGHT BOUT - Mike Swick (10-2) vs. Josh Burkman (20-4):

ROUND ONE: The official is Steve "THE STASH" Mazzigatti! Chuck Liddell is in attendance. We're underway and they circle. Burkman rushes in, against the cage they go and knees by Swick. Burkman with some questionable knees there in my opinion, but no warning by the official. Swick turns him and they trade knees, and are broken up. Back center and Burkman fakes a kick, a combo by Burkman misses but he shoots and they go against the cage again. They trade more knees, and foot stomps by Burkman. Burkman slams him, but Swick is looking for a guillotine and Burkman escapes as they are back up already. They are separated and back center. Jabs by Swick, a back elbow shot by Burkman and then a body shot. Leg kicks by Swick and then a high kick that grazes Burkman. Great left hook by Burkman, Swick with a knee and Burkman misses a kick. WACKY jumping spinning kick by Burkman misses, they cinch and Burkman has him against the cage. Knees by Swick, shoulder shrugs by Swick and Burkman answers with knees. They separate on their own and the round ends.

LARRY'S SCORECARD: Burkman controlled and got the better of the exchanges, so we'll give him round one 10-9.

ROUND TWO: Round two begins and a hook by Burkman. High kick and then a body shot. A good spinning kick and spinning back fist, they clinch and against the cage they go. Knees by Swick, and they get separated by the official. High kick lands by Swick, Burkman is rocked a bit and Burkman is back with a combo, they clinch and foot stomps by Burkman. They trade knees and are get separated again. They trade combos, leg kick by Swick and they circle. Spinning kick again by Burkman misses, leg kick by Swick and then a body kick, which is blocked. They both land shots, Burkman rushes in and they clinch against the cage. Burkman tries for a double leg, gets turned and are separated. Back center and a hook by Burkman. He rushes Swick again, Swick turns him as they are against the cage again. Knees by Swick, they stay clinched and that's the round.

LARRY'S SCORECARD: Swick landed the good kick and looked much better, and overall had the better round. He wins it 10-9 and we're locked up 19-19 on my card.

ROUND THREE: Burkman comes out quickly in round three, they clinch and exchange questionable knees again. Swick is able to counter all takedown tries still, and they get separated. Crowd doesn't like that, they trade good shots and Burkman shoots, against the cage and knees by Swick. Swick was grabbing the cage there, and Burkman almost gets a takedown, and they trade shots. They circle and jabs by Swick miss. A great leg kick by Swick buckles Burkman, who answers with a good left. A knee by Swick, a combo follows and they circle again. Burkman rushes in with a combo, they clinch again and more knees by Swick. Burkman turns him and then Swick turns it again and gets knees. They are separated, back elbow by Burkman that barely lands and Swick misses a kick. A knee by Swick lands as Burkman shoots in, clinched against the cage once again. Swick knees out and misses a left. Burkman ruches him, clinch and the round ends.

LARRY'S SCORECARD: A really close round, but Burkman looked more tired and desperate, so I will go Swick 10-9 in the final round and 29-28 overall in a lack luster bout.

-THE RESULT: Mike Swick via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29)

Joe Rogan is with Swick. The crowd didn't like the decision. He apologizes for the lack of excitement, and didn't want to be taken down. He feels good at 170, but cut too much weight. He should do better next time and walks us through the replay.

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Feel free to send in your thoughts on the show! If you do, please include your BEST and WORST fight, and score the PPV from 0-10!

I'll be back with coverage of the SHOWXC show this Friday night!