PREFIGHT Pride middleweight champion Dan Henderson comes out first. He looks confident as the crowd cheers in anticipation. UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva comes out next to the familiar sounds of DMX..."Ain't no sunshine when she's gone". He looks relaxed and ready for another day at the office.
ROUND 1 Henderson comes out to touch gloves, but Anderson is unwilling. Henderson stalking cautiously. Silva waits patiently for a chance to strike. Left leg kick lands for Henderson. Henderson continues to stalk as Silva circles the Octagon. Another leg kick lands for Henderson. A minute goes by and Silva still hasn't thrown a strike. Right hand from Henderson is blocked. Now Silva lands an inside leg kick. Henderson swings with a big right, but Silva gets out of the way. Leg kick lands for Silva. Front kick to the throat of Henderson lands for Silva. They clinch and Henderson gets the takedown. Silva raps the leg immediately. Henderson rakes him with a left. Silva holds him close. Henderson pounds on Silva's head with some hammerfist while he covers the mouth of Silva. Henderson rains down an elbow as Silva continues to cling tightly. Henderson continues to cover Silva's mouth to obstruct his breathing. Woooooo...big right just misses Silva's head while Henderson holds him down. Henderson in side contorl. Silva scrambles. Henderson gets backin guard. Henderson just misses with another right. Good round for Henderson.
Silva 9 Henderson 10
ROUND 2 Silva comes out looking to press the action. Henderson circles on the outside. Left uppercut lands for Silva. Henderson lands a right. Left kick from Henderson is caught and Silva lands a right. BIG right hand lands for Henderson. Silva lands a left kick upstairs. Henderson pulls Silva down into guard. Silva lands a right. Henderson gets it back up to his feet. Henderson lands some knees as they wrestle along the cage. Silva answering with right hands underneath while in the clinch. BIG right hand lands for Henderson. Silva just eats it, comes forward and gets him in the Muay Thai clinch and lands a big knee. Henderson is hurt. He's on the ground and scrambles to grab a leg. Silva rains down a big forearm. Henderson in half-gaurd. Silva lands some right hands to the body. Henderson rolls over. Nice knee to the body lands for Silva and he takes Henderson back. Silva rains down some right hands from all angles. He sinks the hooks in. More rights land for Silva. Henderson looking in trouble. Silva gets a body triangle in. Hednerson rolls over and eats more right hands. Silva sinks in a rear naked choke. It looks bad...Henderson in serious trouble...he can tap or go to sleep...ooooohhhhh....that's it. Henderson taps out. Impressive win for the champion.
THE WINNER BY TAPOUT DUE TO REAR NAKED CHOKE AT 4:52 OF THE SECOND ROUND...AND STILL UFC MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD....ANDERSON SILVA
POSTFIGHT "Thanks for your support Ohio...I love you Ohio...I love you America," stated UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva as he thanked the fans in attendance. "My hat's off to Anderson Silva, he was definitely the better fighter tonight," stated former champion Dan Henderson in defeat. "I needed to control the standup a little better, I didn't pressure him enough...I didn't execute well enough," he continued as he talked about his performance.
UNDERCARD RESULTS:
Heath Herring def. Cheick Kongo by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Chris Leben def. Alessio Sakara via TKO at 3:16 of round 1
Yushin Okami def. Evan Tanner via KO at 3:00 of round 2
Jon Fitch def. Chris Wilson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Andre Arlovski def. Jake O'Brien via TKO (strikes) at 4:17 of round 2
Luigi Fiorvanti def. Luke Cummo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Josh Koscheck def. Dustin Hazelett via TKO (strikes) at 1:24 of round 2
Diego Sanchez def. David Bielkheden via submission (verbal tapout) at 4:43 of round 1
Jorge Gurgel def. John Halverson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
NOTEWORTHY:
Andrei Arlovski's was the only winning fighter not to get a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
The first ever UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and will be Brock Lesnar's next opponent in August.
