The show comes from Anaheim, California and the announcers are Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg.

Tyson Griffin and Thiago Tavares start off the show.

1. Tyson Griffin vs. Thiago Tavares

Griffin is the aggressor for the entire round. Tavares tries for submissions, but he didn’t really latch onto anything. Griffin won the round with heavy rights and knees to the body, while controlling Tavares when it went to the ground.

Tavares has early control of the round. He hits a flying knee that slightly wobbles Griffin and takes him down. He has Griffin’s back, but he stands up with him and eventually gets out of it. Griffin is aggressive on top with right hands, but Tavares gets his back again and again Griffin stands up. This time, Griffin dumps him right on top of his head and Tavares has a huge mouse under his left eye. Great round that I’d give slightly to Tavares.

Round three is tough to score. Tavares was persistent with the submissions, but never had anything tight. Griffin eluded them all and was the better striker of the round. Tavares ended up taking him down a couple times, but Griffin ended up in better position. I’d slightly give it to Griffin, but could see it going to a draw too.

Winner: Tyson Griffin by way of unanimous decision.

2. Lyoto Machida vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura

Machida looks bigger, faster, stronger, and no, that wasn’t meant to copy Daft Punk/Kanye West. He kept his distance with strikes and didn’t allow Nakamura to get inside. And when it went to the ground, he was in the top position and Nakamura didn’t even try to do anything from the bottom. Easily Machida’s round.

Machida wins about 4:15 of this round with strikes and a rear naked choke attempt. He had it in for several seconds. He also had strong ground and pound. Nakamura got one big punch in and had one takedown, but it wasn’t enough. Another easy round for Machida.

Nakamura knows he has to knock him out or submit him to win the round and he’s more busy. Machida seems to be willing to counter punch and fight defensively, but Nakamura presses on and they fight in the clinch for much of the second half of the round. They both score with hard strikes, but it’s too little to late for Nakamura. Another round for Machida.

Winner: Lyoto Machida by way of unanimous decision.

3. Jon Fitch vs. Diego Sanchez

This could be the fight of the night.

The first round was a feeling out process. Sanchez was testing Fitch’s wrestling and did take him down once, but Fitch exploded and took him back down. Fitch held him down and smothered him while Sanchez was trying for submissions, but Fitch never got caught. Fitch’s round, but neither guy really did much.

Fitch controlled the wrestling and Sanchez kept going for submissions. Fitch hit the more convincing blows and Sanchez never really locked in anything. There were some cool pro wrestling spots as Fitch had Sanchez’s by the legs and dropped him on his back. And then Fitch had Sanchez up, with Sanchez’s legs locked around his collar bone and dropped him on his back. Neither guy was close to finishing anything, but it was Fitch’s round again.

Sanchez went for submissions while Fitch tried to control from the top. Sanchez locked in a guillotine, went for multiple arm bars and kimuras, and went for a triangle late in the round, but Fitch got out of all of them. I have Sanchez winning this round, but still have Fitch winning the fight.

Winner: Jon Fitch by way of split decision.

One judge had it 30-27 for Fitch. I’m not sure which third round he watched. The other two judges has it 29-28, though one was for Sanchez and one was for Fitch.

4. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Forrest Griffin

They have some nice exchanges and both score. Rua doesn’t waste punches. They each took each other down, but Griffin had some nice reverses. The round is tough to score. But it seems to be at a manageable pace for Griffin.

Rua hits a big elbow on Griffin that splits him open. But then he gets tired. Griffin wins the second half of the round. Rua looks exhausted and simply covers up with Griffin on top. I’m not sure how you can give it to Rua with how tired he looked.

The round starts with a re-energized Rua, but who knows how long that will last? He gets on top but Griffin reverses position and it’s back to how the second round ended. Griffin with top position and Rua turtling up. Griffin gets Rua’s back and sinks in a rear naked choke. Rua taps out. Amazing.

Winner: Forrest Griffin by way of third round submission.

5. Keith Jardine vs. Chuck Liddell

Liddell gets a good reaction from the crowd, but they seem exhausted from the last fight.

Jardine sets the tempo, but Liddell is the aggressor. Jardine is setting up the kicks with his punches. He’s fighting more of a Liddell style of fight as Liddell is the aggressor, and Jardine is counter punching. Liddell catches Jardine with some hard shots, but Jardine was busier with the strikes and wins the round.

Jardine puts Liddell down but Liddell gets back up. Jardine is punishing Liddell with the body kicks. Liddell scores in the second half of the round as Jardine looked to be tired, but he was still able to score at will with the kicks. Jardine’s round again.

The third round was very much like the second. Jardine scored with kicks to the body and to the side. He was also landing left hooks at will. Liddell would react to the leg kick and drop his hands. Jardine would follow with the left. Liddell tried to turn it on in the end, but too little, too late. I have Jardine winning all three, but I can see how someone would give Liddell the first round.

Winner: Keith Jardine by way of split decision.

There’s a great camera shot showing Wanderlei Silva shaking his head watching all of the money go down the tube. It then went to Liddell, dejectedly dropping his body against the cage.

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