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Flawless Gegard Mousasi Evens Score, Routs Uriah Hall in UFC Fight Night 99 Headliner
- Updated: November 19, 2016
Gegard Mousasi made sure lightning would not strike twice for Uriah Hall. Mousasi avenged a September 2015 loss to the former Ring of Combat champion and did so in systematic fashion, as he dispatched Hall with first-round punches in their UFC Fight Night 99 “Mousasi vs. Hall 2” headliner on Saturday (online betting) at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Hall (12-8, 5-6 UFC) wilted 4:37 into Round 1.“The Dreamcatcher” left nothing to chance. Mousasi (41-6-2, 8-3 UFC) backed up “The Ultimate Fighter 17” finalist with a stinging jab, steered clear of his spinning attacks and executed a takedown with a little less than 50 seconds remaining in the first round. He then pinned Hall at the base of the cage and controlled his near-side leg and far-side wrist before cutting loose with a burst of right hands that prompted referee Marc Goddard to act. Mousasi has rattled off four straight victories since losing to Hall.Replacement Ray Upends Pearson Dinky Ninjas export Stevie Ray put a significant feather in his cap, as he claimed a split verdict from “The Ultimate Fighter 9” winner Ross Pearson in the three-round lightweight co-main event. All three judges scored it 30-27: Pawel Harasim and Takeo Kobayashi for Ray, Andreas Gruner for Pearson. A former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder who replaced an injured James Krause on short notice, Ray (20-6, 4-1 UFC) kept the Englishman out of his comfort zone for the duration. His kicks were the story, as he landed to the legs, head and body across the 15-minute fight. Pearson (19-13, 11-10 UFC) spent much of his time chasing the Scotsman around the cage, and though he connected on his share of strikes, none were particularly memorable or damaging. Pearson, 32, has suffered three straight losses for the first time in his 12-year career.Debuting Volkov Edges Johnson Former Bellator MMA and M-1 Global champion Alexander Volkov made a successful albeit somewhat controversial Octagon debut, as he eked out a contentious split decision over Timothy Johnson in a featured heavyweight duel. Judges Howard Hughes and Takeo Kobayashi scored it 29-28 for Volkov, while judge Peter Lavery cast a dissenting 30-27 nod on Johnson’s direction. Neither man established definitive superiority. Johnson (10-3, 2-2 UFC) sent the 6-foot-7 Russian to the canvas with a stinging right uppercut in the first round and unleashed his ground-and-pound. However, his inability to finish proved costly. Volkov (27-6, 1-0 UFC) capitalized in the second half of the fight, as Johnson’s pace slowed to a crawl. “Drago” did his best work in Round 3, where he made his move with kicks to the head and body, occasional knees and a draining clinch. Volkov, 28, has won three fights in a row.Lobov Springs Upset on Ishihara SBG Ireland mainstay Artem Lobov won for the second time in as many appearances, as he was awarded a unanimous decision over Teruto Ishihara in a three-round featherweight showcase. Lobov (13-12-1, 2-2 UFC) carried the scorecards with 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 marks from the judges. Ishihara (9-3-2, 2-1-1 UFC) obliged “The Ultimate Fighter 22” finalist with a standup battle. Lobov attacked the legs, body and head with vigor, pairing traditional strikes like uppercuts and leg kicks with unorthodox techniques like standing hammerfists. Ishihara had a brief glimmer of hope in the third round, where he knocked down the Russian with an overhand left. However, his attempt to finish went unrewarded. Lobov regained his faculties, surprised the Team Alpha Male rep with a takedown and advanced to full mount in the closing seconds.Marshman Hands Cedenblad First Loss Since 2012 Onetime Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder Jack Marshman took care of Magnus Cedenblad with second-round punches in an action-packed undercard tussle at 185 pounds. Cedenblad (14-5, 4-2 UFC) succumbed to blows 3:32 into Round 2, losing for the first time in nearly five …
