For the first time ever, the UFC is streaming live UFC 131 preliminaries fights not only on Facebook, but on Youtube as well. The live steam begins at 5:50 pm ET/2:50 pm PT. Join us as the fights begin for live results and coverage. The fights being aired are listed below:
Krzysztof Soszynski def. Mike Massenzio via Unanimous Decision
Nick Ring def. James Head via Submission (rear naked choke), Round 3
Dustin Poirier def. Jason Young via Unanimous Decision
Joey Beltran def. Aaron Rosa via TKO, Round 3
Darren Elkins def. Michihiro Omigawa via Unanimous Decision
Live coverage and play-by-play after the jump!
Streams haven't started yet, Dana White said 6 pm ET on twitter, might have been changed, might just be a little late. We'll see. Alright, looks like Youtube is up, quality looks amazing.
Darren Elkins vs. Michihiro Omigawa:
Round 1 - Omigawa switching stances back and forth constantly, finding a home for the left hand. Elkins trying to work on the outside, occasionally landing well. Halfway into the round, Elkins is landing more, not having much difficulty dealing with the awkward striking of Omigawa. Take down by Elkins, Omigawa looks for a leg, Elkins stands quickly. Elkins looking to land harder punches now with 1:30 left in the round. Not a kick has been thrown at this point. Aaaand the stream cuts out. Switch to Facebook. Omigawa just not getting anything accomplished here, his reach disadvantage is hurting him. Omigawa gets a little more aggressive and lands a stiff right straight. Uppercut left hook combo by Elkins lands solid. Round ends with some circling. 10-9 Elkins
Round 2 - They begin to trade right out of the gate, Elkins lands that uppercut left hook combo. Rogan seems to think Omigawa won the stand up last round...not so sure about that. Omigawa has a bit of damage, and as I say this, Elkins is bleeding from the eyebrow now. Elkins pushing forward with punches. Omigawa throws a right hook, looks for a take down but doesn't nearly get it. They continue to trade, Omigawa landing the more jarring shots, but Elkins has volume. This round is looking like Omigawa's with 2 minutes left in the round. Big right hand by Omigawa. Another one after a little bit of cat and mouse. The crowd cheers as the two stand in the pocket and trade. Rogan hits the nail on the head saying this is almost completely a boxing match. Elkins lands a few solid shots with one minute left in the round, but he sure is bleeding now. Elkins dives for a take down after eating a punch. Flurry from Elkins misses. Round ends. 10-9 Omigawa.
Round 3 - Elkins corner lets him know he needs to win this last round, but aren't specific in how he needs to approach Omigawa. Elkins trowing punches in volume, but Omigawa secures a take down. Smart fighting by Omigawa. Omigawa looking to pass, finds himself in guard again though, looking to land ground and pound. And elbow and a right hand open Elkins up once again. Elkins throws up a triangle, Omigawa shrugs it off, they scramble, and stand. Elkins is the bloodiest his been yet. Omigawa stands still and shrugs at Elkins as he just circles away, Elkins begins to press forward again. I'm thinking a take down will come again once Elkins presses forward too much. Solid shots land to the jaw for both men. Big right hand by Elkins, but Omigawa isn't phased. Stepping left hand by Omigawa, 1:45 in the round left. They continue to circle, trading. Right hand by Omigawa. Elkins corner is telling him to go all out, but is getting peppered with punches. Right hand lands with 10 seconds left, they both miss a punch as the fight ends. 10-9 Omigawa.
Result: Darren Elkins def. Michihiro Omigawa via Unanimous Decision
I honestly don't know what to say about that decision...I don't see how all three rounds could possibly be scored for Elkins (one judge had it so), or how the other two judges saw the second round for Elkins.
Round 1 - Beltran makes Rosa work early, clinching, and just working for position. Around the 4 minute mark, Beltran unleashes some nasty punches, he chases Rosa down and clinches once again. Beltran working dirty boxing, and making Rosa carry his weight. The ref tells them to work, they separate and just start THROWING. Nothing really lands, but the crowd goes nuts. Rosa with a bloody nose as they clinch once again. Beltran working the body. They separate, Rosa lands a kick to the body. Rosa pushing forward with some punches, Beltran answers. Beltran feinting, can't land when he really throws. They exchange once again, Beltran lands the harder shots. Nice kicks by Beltran, they clinch again. More body shots by Beltran. Dirty boxing by both men. Elbows coming from Beltran, answered by uppercuts by Rosa. This is a scrappy fight. More body shots, they open up with 10 seconds left, they go nuts, just banging it out. Beltran landing more. This poor ref nearly gets his head taken off breaking them up. 10-9 Beltran
Round 2 - Rosa pushes forward, inside leg kicks by Beltran. Jabs exchanged, Beltran feinting his way inside to land another leg kick. Oh here they go again with the trading. Beltran clinches, and begins to work the body again. Ref tells them to work, and here come the bombs. Beltran still landing more than Rosa. Combo ends with an inside leg kick by Beltran. Rosa shakes it off and comes forward with punches of his own. They start to bang it out again, Rosa finally wins an exchange, landing a nice uppercut. Beltran grabs a muay thai clinch, and knees Rosa directly in the crotch. As Rosa dropped from the cup shot, he eats a knee to the head. Rosa looks hurt worse by the knee than the crotch shot. Rosa's up, and ready to go not long after. They touch gloves, two minute left in the round. Beltran coming forward, leg kick by Rosa, followed by a front kick. Rosa comes in, getting real aggressive, Rosa pours it on, but clinches and lands a crotch shot of his own. Woooo, that one hurt. Beltran is ready, and here we go again. Ref tells them to keep it clean. Beltran working his feints to come in again, Rosa has slowed, but lands a solid left hand. Beltran runs in to clinch, Rosa lands an uppercut. They get into a match of dirty boxing. They start to trade again, Beltran looks like he might have ate a shot that bothered him, and clinches. The round ends, they punch after the bell. These guys are wayyyy into this fight. 10-9 Beltran.
Round 3 - Beltran comes in, Rosa landing the power punches now. Leg kick by Beltran. Failed take down by Rosa, he pushes Beltran into the cage, clinching. Rosa lands a nasty punch, and looks for a take down. Beltran pushes in, and hurts Rosa. Rosa barely survives. Beltran gets a take down, opens up with some punches, and it's all over. Rosa looks really beaten and bloody.
Result: Joey Beltran def. Aaron Rosa via TKO, Round 3
Dustin Poirier vs. Jason Young:
Round 1 - A wild striking affair of a first round. Poirier was wild, aggressive, and winging power shots, he easily did the more damage in the round, but Young was answering with kicks and punches of his own, but the edge definitely went to Poirier on my card. 10-9 Poirier
Round 2 - In the second round, Poirier had noticably slowed, and Young began to open up with a variety of kicks, the inside leg kick finding a home repeatedly. Young's cleaner technique began to show through, Poirier not landing nearly the same amount of punches. Young remaining calm, not over extending. Right hands begin to find a home as Young counters Poirier's offence. Young throws a flying knee with 40 seconds left, it's deflected, and Poirier begins to unleash. They trade, nothing landing, bu Poirier begins to find a home for his shots, and then follows up with a take down, but can't accomplish anything with it. 10-9 Young
Round 3 - Between rounds, Poirier's corner says he's up 2-1...seems like most people disagree. I'm not sure that's the best advice to give a fighter who needs to win this last round. They touch gloves,and start to feel each other out once again. Poirier trying to throw more punches, but isn't landing much. Poirier lands a solid overhand, they clinch, and Poirier is looking for a take down against the cage. Young shrugs it off, but Poirier looks for another. The crowd is chanting something...no idea what it is. Poirier gets the take down finally, the crowd cheers. Just under 2:30 left. Young stands, is dragged down again, but pops right back up. Young's corner shouting for Young to lay it on him. Poirier looks for the take down again, and gets it. Short elbows from Young, but nothing significant going on here. Poirier looking to get Young away from the cage. Young stands again, and another take down is secured. Nice trip by Poirier, they're in the center of the cage, inside of Young's guard. Young just unleashes on Poirier's dome. 10-9 Poirier
Interesting to note, the two chat before the decision is announced. Poirier apologizes for stalling in the last round. Awesome.
Result: Dustin Poirier def. Jason Young via Unanimous Decision
Round 1 - Ring firing off leg kick after leg kick for the first two minutes. They clinched up, with Ring landing some nice knees in the muay thai clinch. Take down by Ring comes easy. Ring tries to go north south, Head gets him into his guard, punch by Ring, and they stand again. They begin to trade punches, Ring eats a hard punch and is dropped, but gathers himself, defending on the ground. Wow, great heart by Ring here. They stand, thai clinch by head, but Ring fires off some punches as Head lands some knees. They separate, then clinch again. Elbows from Head, take down by Ring. Half guard for Ring, working some ground and pound. This is a tough round to score. 10-10 round.
Round 2 - Ring with the early leg kicks once again. Take down comes easy for Ring, who is working in side control. Elbows from Ring, Nick in north south, might have been looking for a triangle, but loses it, and tries to keep control of Head. Head gets Ring into his half guard, then full guard, Ring standing, and Head stands and escapes. They trade, Ring looks for a take down against the cage, and it comes easy again. Head gets Ring into full guard, and looks for wrist control. Head loses control and is bloodied by some nasty ground and pound. Head rolls away, some more shots from Ring. Head stands, Ring tries to take his back, but falls off, they scramble, Ring ends up on top. Head is bleeding from the bridge of his nose, the ref cleans him up, and here we go again. They return to position, and the blood starts pouring into Head's eyes once again. Elbows from Ring, not sure if this fight is going to last the full 15 now. Head tries to roll away, but can't escape. Ring in half guard now, punching Head in the gut. North south position again, then crucifix for Ring. All Ring that round. 10-9 Ring, 10-8 depending on who you ask.
Round 3 - Head already bleeding from his nose as he comes out of the corner. Ring feeling head out, kick leads to a nice left hand. Ring lands the take down, working from full guard. This is where the damage was caused by Ring last round. Head looking for wrist control, Ring stands and tries to stack, but Head rolls away. Elbows from half guard by Ring now, this is nasty, but Head is fully aware still. Back to full guard, Ring stands, rolls head, and is in north south. Head tries to use the cage to roll himself away, Ring in side control. Ring tries to take Head's back, but can't get there. Man, Head is hanging on by a thread, but he's there. Oh. Ring manages to kind of get to the back, and sinks in a choke, Head taps.
Result: Nick Ring def. James Head via Submission, Round 3
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Mike Massenzio
Round 1 - Great reaction for K-Sos as Bruce Buffer announces him. Sos coming out with punches early, Masenzio lands a take down, but Sos gets right back up. Head kick misses for Massenzio. Massenzio dives for a leg, but can't get the take down this time. They clinch against the cage. Sos creates some distance and circles away. Sos looking for some punches, can't land anything because he's not trying to commit. Another take down by Massenzio. They stand right back up, diving body punch by Massenzio. Leg kick lands solid for Sos. Massenzio shoots, but it's stuffed, Sos follows him back up, lands two uppercuts and Massenzio scurries away. Leg kick by Sos countered by a take down. Massenzio looking to pass, but Sos manages to stand. They clinch, the ref separates them real quick. Sos really reaching. Another take down stuffed by Sos, lands a nice right hand as they stand. Massenzio shoots, Sos sprawls and makes Massenzio carry his weight on his back. 10-9 Sos, but it'll be interesting how the judges treat all of those take downs that accomplished nothing.
Round 2 - Massenzio diving for a take down again early, but it's stuffed. Sos hammers his ribs, nothing going on here. Sos sprawls, and starts looking for a standing guillotine. He lets it go, throws a body shot, Massenzio holds on to an arm, Sos knees to the body. They stand, and clinch against the cage. Knee to the body by Sos. Another take down defended. Massenzio starts to come forward with punches. Sos sprawls on another take down attempt, stands and steps away. Sos coming forward with some probing punches, left hand lands solid, might be the cleanest punch of the fight. Massenzio holding on an ankle, and he has accomplished very, very little with his wrestling. They clinch against the cage. Ref separates them. Sos comes in, lands two solid right hands, and sprawls a take down. Ugh this fight is dragging on... 10-9 Sos.
Round 3 - Another slow round, but at least it was a different story. Sos ended up on top on the ground early, and it was 3:30 seconds of punishment on the ground. As Sos started to do some damage, he went for a choke/neck crank, but Massenzio escaped. The rest of the round was more sloppy kickboxing, and failed take downs. 10-9 Sos.
Result: Kryzsztof Soszynski def. Mike Massenzio via Unanimous Decision