UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama Results and Summary

Main Card:

Michael Bisping def. Yoshihiro Akiyama via unanimous decision.

Carlos Condit def. Dan Hardy via KO R1 4:27.

Mike Pyle def. John Hathaway via unanimous decision.

Cheick Kongo and Travis Browne fought to a draw, caused by a point deduction from Kongo.

Claude Patrick def. James Wilks via unanimous decision.

Preliminary Card:

Fabio Maldonado def. James McSweeny via TKO R3 0:48.

Spencer Fisher def. Kurt Warburton via unanimous decision.

Paul Sass def. Mark Holst via submission (triangle choke) R1 4:45.

Rob Broughton def. Vinicius Krappke de Queiroz via submission (rear naked choke) R3 1:43.

Alexander Gustafsson def. Cyrille Diabate via submission (rear naked choke) R2 2:41. 

The night was off to a slow start, with Claude Patrick securing a solid victory over Wilks, and Kongo giving away an ugly decision by holding Browne's shorts repeatedly, causing a point deduction.  Mike Pyle methodically out boxed and out wrestled young Brit, John Hathaway, and what was a more exciting bout than seen earlier in the night.  Yet, as every card should, the top end was memorable.

Carlos Condit met Dan Hardy in the center of the cage and neither man backed down, both landing combinations, Condit utilizing kicks, while Hardy looked to land his hard left hand.  The round was still up for the taking, when both fighters threw left hooks at the same time, Condit's landing first, and cleaner, dropping the "The Outlaw" Dan Hardy. Condit pounced and landed two more shots while Hardy was down, and it was clear that Hardy just got KTFO'ed.  Both men were classy post-fight.  Hardy answered when Joe Rogan asked what went wrong with, "I got hit in the face."

In the main event of the evening, Michael "The Count" Bisping met judoka, and the ever so smexy, Yoshihiro Akiyama.  The first round saw Akiyama rock Bisping with a hard right hand, but Bisping defended long enough to regain his composure, and begin landing shots of his own.  With Akiyama headhunting, Bisping was caught a few times, but it couldn't overshadow his largely successful straight right.  The bout was almost called off in the third round when Bisping hit Akiyama with an inadvertent low blow, and Akiyama took nearly the full five minutes to recover.  From that point, Akiyama came out on fire, doing his best to catch Bisping, but no such luck.  The fight ended with an exchange, and Akyiyama falling to his knees in defeat.  

With so much hyping for next week's UFC 121, you'd think this was just an infomercial, but the top side of the card delivered two exciting fights that should please all the fans.  This was a quality free card, but next week is certainly where the hype is, Brock Lesnar defends his heavyweight title against Cain Velasquez.  I love Brocktober!