UFC 146: Junior Dos Santos vs. Frank Mir live results

UFC 146 takes place Saturday night from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, headlined by a UFC heavyweight title fight between champion Junior Dos Santos and Frank Mir. Dos Santos will look to defend the title for the first time, while Mir will attempt to become UFC champion for a third time. The card is unique, the first time UFC has run a pay-per-view card comprised entirely of heavyweight fights.

Mike Brown vs. Daniel Pineda

Brown is the former #1 fighter at 145 pounds, but at 36 years old and having lost four of his last seven, his future at the UFC level is very much in question. Pineda is 10 years Brown’s junior and has won seven fights in a row including two in the UFC. Oddsmakers have this as a pick ‘em fight.

Round 1. Brown lands the best initial blows of the fight, a pair of overhand rights. Pineda staggers Brown with a couple straight punches and Brown responds by taking Pineda to the ground. Pineda powers up and takes top position. Pineda lands a few punches before Brown stands back up. Brown lands a nice knee and a punch, then backs up and returns to fighting at a distance. Pineda goes for a takedown but after a scramble Brown ends up on top. Very close round. 10-9 Brown.

Round 2. The round begins with a wild flurry. Each man wings big hooks and each man lands good shots in the process. Pineda takes Brown down. Brown gets up and slams Pineda down. Brown lands in north/south position and postures into side control. Pineda uses a beautiful sweep to lift Brown off him and looks for a guillotine choke. Against the cage, Brown takes over with heavy punches and knees to the head and body. That’s the best offense of the fight by either fighter but Pineda answers and Brown backs off. Brown takes Pineda down and drops some elbows and punches down for the final minute and a half of the round. Pineda does open up a cut on Brown with an elbow. Clearly, this was Brown’s round. He’s taking over the fight. 10-9 Brown.

Round 3. Brown drops Pineda with a knee to the body and goes to work with ground and pound from the top. Pineda is able to smoothly work around Brown from the bottom and take his back. Pineda secures a body triangle and throws some punches to the side of the head of the Brown while looking for a rear naked choke. Brown is able to defend the RNC for the remainder of the round. Another close round. 10-9 Pineda, 29-28 Brown.

Winner: Mike Brown, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Glover Teixeira vs. Kyle Kingsbury

Teixeira is a well traveled and highly respected veteran of the sport, having compiled a 17-2 MMA record with wins over five UFC veterans. This is his long awaited UFC debut. Kingsbury is an Ultimate Fighter veteran with a big fan following out of his native San Jose.

Round 1. Teixeira drops Kingsbury with an uppercut. Teixeira looks to finish on the ground and immediately moves into mount position. He begins dropping down heavy punches and elbows. Teixeira grabs an arm triangle choke and Kingsbury is forced to submit.

Winner: Glover Teixeira, submission, round 1.

Jacob Volkmann vs. “Sassy” Paul Sass

Volkmann is a powerful, control oriented wrestler with five straight wins in the UFC over tough competition. He has also attracted some negative attention from the Secret Service for directing repeated insults at President Barack Obama following recent fights. The undefeated Brit Sass has an undeveloped overall MMA game but is extremely dangerous with submissions, having submitted 11 opponents in compiling a 12-0 record.

Round 1. Volkmann takes Sass down and grabs Sass’s neck from the bottom. Sass avoids trouble and looks for an omoplata. Volkmann avoids trouble and moves back into Sass’s guard. Sass locks up a triangle choke with an armbar and Volkmann submits.

Winner: Paul Sass, submission, round 1.

Dan Hardy vs. Duane Ludwig

Hardy is a popular British slugger with an exciting style but he has lost four straight fights in the UFC to consistently excellent opposition. His most high profile bout was against Georges St. Pierre in the main event of UFC 111. Hardy badly needs a win to keep his UFC career alive. Ludwig is a high level technical kickboxer who fought for the first time in UFC almost ten years ago. In spite of very good striking, his chin has often been his Achilles’ heel.

Round 1. Ludwig lands a nice hook that stuns Hardy and a couple knees to the body. Hardy immediately clinches and pushes Ludwig against the Octagon. Hardy eventually backs away and connects with a pair of left hooks to the chin of Ludwig. Ludwig answers with a head kick that glances off Hardy. Hardy goes for a takedown but eats a series of knees to the head in the process. Hardy drops Ludwig with a left hook. He backs off momentarily as if to celebrate but then dives in and drops a few elbows to finish the fight.

Winner: Dan Hardy, KO, round 1.

Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. C.B. Dollaway

The colorful host of the television show “Bully Beatdown,” Miller returned to the UFC last year to coach on the Ultimate Fighter opposite Michael Bisping. Miller’s antics on the show entertained viewers but he turned in a terrible performance losing to Bisping in December following the show. He needs a much stronger performance in this fight. Dollaway entered the UFC with a strong wrestling background and plenty of hype. However, his UFC tenure has disappointed. Dollaway lost his last two UFC fights and like Miller is in need of a strong performance here.

Round 1. Miller staggers Dollaway with a straight right punch immediately. Miller looks to close the fight with a guillotine choke but Dollaway is able to get out of trouble and they end up back on their feet. Dollaway drops Miller with a looping right punch and throws a series of punches to the side of the head on the ground. Dollaway maintains control over Miller, holding Miller down while Miller continually tries to get back to his feet. Dollaway works his way into mount with 30 seconds left in the round. Miller gets out of that and is breathing very heavy as he works his way to his feet at the close of the round. 10-9 Dollaway.

Round 2. They exchange wild looping punches and Miller connects with one a minute in. Dollaway has trouble maintaining his balance and stumbles about ala Fedor Emelianenko/Kazuyuki Fujita. Dollaway eventually ties up Miller and tries to pull him to the ground. Miller eventually looks for a guillotine and goes down. The guillotine goes nowhere and Miller eats a few elbows. Dollaway is able to take over with punches as the round runs out. 10-9 Dollaway.

Round 3. Miller lands a few good punches but Dollaway again goes for a takedown. This time he is able to get it more quickly. Miller keeps trying to work his way back up with Dollaway focusing on tying Miller down. Dollaway keeps landing punches and eventually works his way into taking Miller’s back with 90 seconds left in the fight. Miller just lies down and eats punches with no defense. Dollaway keeps landing until the fight mercifully comes to a close. 10-8 Dollaway, 30-26 Dollaway. The crowd did not like this fight.

Winner: C.B. Dollaway, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-26, 29-28).

Edson Barboza vs. Jamie Varner

Barboza is a highly regarded lightweight prospect. He is undefeated and coming off a spectacular spinning wheel kick knockout of Terry Etim. Varner is a former WEC lightweight champion taking this fight on late notice. He hasn’t looked good in recent fights and is a heavy underdog.

Round 1. Barboza opens with a series of leg kicks, something he does very well. He throws a head kick that Varner catches and uses to take Barboza down. Barboza gets back up and immediately goes back to work with leg kicks. Varner answers with three consecutive right punches to the jaw. Varner staggers Barboza with some big punches and takes Barboza down. Varner lands heavy punches on the ground. Barboza tries to get up and eats more big punches. Varner drops Barboza with power punches and lands more punches on the ground until the fight is stopped.

Winner: Jamie Varner, TKO, round 1.

Diego Brandao vs. Darren Elkins

Brandao won the most recent season of the Ultimate Fighter and this is his first fight since. He is thought of more highly than his 14-7 record might indicate. Elkins is a lightly regarded featherweight from Indiana.

Round 1. Brandao lands a punch and a kick quickly. Elkins looks for a takedown. Brandao grabs a kimura and uses it to take top position. They stand back up and Brandao lands a running knee. They go to the ground but Brandao stands back up. Brandao drops Elkins with heavy looping punches and follows Elkins to the ground. He stands back up and drops down a huge punch from standing position, one of the strongest punches from that position you’re going to see this side of Mauricio Rua’s knockout of Alistair Overeem in Pride. Brandao stands up and lands two more big punches from similar distance. 10-8 Brandao.

Round 2. Brandao comes out at a more measured pace. He lands a knee to the body but in general isn’t opening up. Halfway through the round, Brandao slips while going for a strike and Elkins takes him down. Elkins is active from top position with punches. Elkins works into full mount and opens up with heavy punches. Brandao is just covering up as Elkins looks to close. Brandao is able to secure half guard and then guard as the round comes to a close. 10-8 Elkins.

Round 3. Elkins gets a takedown early in the round. He lands punches conservatively from the top with Brandao just lying on his back and doing nothing. Elkins works into mount but then loses it. He keeps landing punches and Brandao isn’t offering up even a shred of offense. Elkins looks for a guillotine choke but doesn’t have position. Finally with a minute left Brandao stands up. Brandao ends up on top of Elkins and drops down some heavy punches as the round runs out. 10-9 Elkins, 28-27 Elkins.

Winner: Darren Elkins, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Stefan Struve vs. Lavar Johnson

Struve is a unique fighter. Nearly seven feet tall, he possesses one of the longest reaches in the sport and hails from the kickboxing nation of the Netherlands. In spite of that, most of his wins come via submission and most of his losses come via knockout. Johnson is a heavy handed striker with a subpar ground game. He survived a random shooting at a family cookout to come back and win in Strikeforce and the UFC.

Round 1. Johnson immediately throws some big punches to the body and then the head. He presses Struve against the cage. Struve secures Johnson’s arm and pulls guard. Struve grabs an armbar and Johnson taps out. Johnson is clutching his arm and looks in a lot of pain.

Winner: Stefan Struve, submission, round 1.

Stipe Miocic vs. Shane Del Rosario

Miocic and Del Rosario are undefeated prospects. Miocic is an excellent athlete with a boxing and wrestling background. Del Rosario’s greatest strength is his kickboxing.

Round 1. Del Rosario opens with a few kicks from different angles. Miocic goes right up the middle with punches. Del Rosario is having the most success with kicks to the body while blocking Miocic’s punches. Del Rosario connects with a left/right combination then follows with a head kick that knocks Miocic back towards the cage. Miocic keeps throwing punches right up the middle and Del Rosario just blocks them with his gloves. Del Rosario lands a counter and pursues Miocic across the cage. Miocic recovers quickly. Del Rosario lands a left uppercut and right hook, followed by a pair of head kicks. Miocic takes Del Rosario down and lands a few punches and elbows. He lets Del Rosario up at the close. First round was clearly Del Rosario’s. 10-9 Del Rosario.

Round 2. Del Rosario lands a pair of leg kicks and a kick to the body. Miocic takes Del Rosario down and lands some punches from side control. Miocic looks for mount but ends up in half guard. He postures up and drops down some punches. Miocic continues with elbows and Del Rosario is bloody. Miocic keeps hammering away to the head with elbows and the referee stops the fight.

Winner: Stipe Miocic, TKO, round 2.

Roy Nelson vs. Dave Herman

Nelson is a popular fighter, famed for his ample belly and outgoing personality. He has powerful striking and his ground game is his greatest strength. Herman is a powerful striker in his own right but tends to fade as fights progress.

Round 1. Herman opens up in a very tall stance. Nelson throws a huge overhand right that drops Herman straight down and the fight is stopped. It looked very much like Nelson’s knockout of another tall man, Stefan Struve.

Winner: Roy Nelson, TKO, round 1.

Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva

Velasquez was the undefeated UFC heavyweight champion heading into his last bout, but Junior Dos Santos knocked him out in the first round to seize the title. Now, Velasquez looks to work his way back. Velasquez has excellent wrestling and is known for elite cardio as well. His striking is well developed as well. Silva, born with acromegaly, has unusually large physical features. He sports a 16-3 record with a win over Fedor Emelianenko and is making his UFC debut.

Round 1. As Silva goes for a kick, Velasquez takes him down. Velasquez throws a few strong punches but eats a powerful upkick as he is posturing up. Velasquez in response drops down to closer distance and throws a short elbow that badly bloodies Silva. Silva follows with punches and elbows. Silva is a mess. The referee stops the action to check on the cut. The doctor allows the fight to continue in the same position. Velasquez quickly goes back to work with rapidfire punches. Silva is squinting and having serious trouble seeing. Velasquez is just unloading and the referee mercifully stops it. Just an utter destruction and statement win.

Winner: Cain Velasquez, TKO, round 1.

UFC Heavyweight Title: Junior Dos Santos vs. Frank Mir

Dos Santos, the best boxer in the heavyweight division, has won all eight of his UFC fights and in the process disposed of a who’s who of heavyweight MMA. Mir is one of the most successful heavyweights in MMA history and a multi-time former UFC champion. His greatest strength is submissions but he also has knockout power. There is a personal issue here as well. Mir was the first opponent to knock out and the first opponent to submit Dos Santos’ mentor Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is shown watching the fight at ringside, after leaving UFC for WWE a few months ago.

Round 1. Mir immediately moves in for a takedown. He grabs a leg against the cage but Dos Santos pulls out. Dos Santos begins throwing some jabs but is largely tentative in the early going. Dos Santos lands a nice hook and body punch. Mir moves in with a punch and gets caught with a nice counter. Mir throws a number of leg kicks, letting those go more than his hands. Dos Santos lands a few punches to the body. Dos Santos dazes Mir with a right hook and opens up against the cage looking to finish the fight. Mir is able to survive as the round ends at a fortuitous point. 10-9 Dos Santos.

Round 2. Dos Santos drops Mir with a punch early but lets Mir stand back up. Dos Santos lands a heavy straight right punch moments later that drops Mir. Dos Santos looks to finish on the ground. Referee Herb Dean doesn’t stop the fight so Dos Santos stands back up. Mir can’t get back up and the fight is called off.

Winner: Junior Dos Santos, TKO, round 2.

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