UFC on FUEL TV 8 Results and Recap: Silva KO's Stann, Hunt KO's Struve, Both earn ,000 Bonuses

UFC on FUEL TV 8 Results and Recap: Silva KO's Stann, Hunt KO's Struve, Both earn $50,000 Bonuses

Written by Jason Gittens Saturday, 02 March 2013 23:08

silva wanderlei-arms-wide

UFC on FUEL TV 8 emanated live from Japan's Saitama Super Arena tonight featuring an array of exciting fights and featuring intriguing match-ups like Hector Lombard vs. Yushin Okami, Takanori Gomi vs. Diego Sanchez, Mark Hunt vs. Stefan Struve and the main event of Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann.

Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Dong Hyun Kim
This was your standard Dong Hyun Kim fight, where Kim controlled the striker Siyar Bahadurzada with his striking game and top level grappling skills, Bahadurzada seemed to be completely stifled by Kim's high pressure attack offering almost no offence for the full 3 rounds. At one point in the 3rd, Kim was urging on the crowd on as he was pounding Bahadurzada from full mount. Kim cruises to an easy 30-27 unanimous decision victory.

Mizuto Hirota vs. Rani Yahya
Mizuto Hirota made his UFC debut tonight in his homeland of Japan, the Sengoku and DEEP lightweight champion was looking to make an impact tonight against BJJ expert Rani Yahya, for the 1st two rounds Yahya dominated most of the action with his takedowns and his BJJ, in the thrd however, it was mostly Hirota as Yahya gome out flat and tired. Hirota tried in vain to find Yahya's button but just couldn't find his mark in the third, it was just not enough to swing the points in his favor. If this was PRIDE, Hirota would have won with his strong third round, but he loses via unanimous decision.

Hector Lombard vs. Yushin Okami
It was "Thunder" vs "Lightening" tonight where the two top level middleweight contenders squared off. Lombard started out aggressive as usual, but Okami was able to take him down a few times during the first round, which earned him the 1st round. The second was more of the same, but with Lombard looking a little tired from all the take downs. Okami took advantage and dominated Lombard for the entire round achieving Full mount with about a minute left. In the third Lombard came out on fire beating up Okami with some heavy punches, staggering him and forcing him to defend and try to recover. Lombard missed his golden opportunity when he chose to take it to the mat where Okami was able to make it through the third. Okami wins by split decision.

Takanori Gomi vs. Diego Sanchez
Sanchez enters the octagon with major concerns about ring rust after being out of action for just over a year, Gomi on the other hand has been fairly active, putting together a 2 fight undefeated win streak in 2012. Will Sanchez be re-jeuvenated after moving back down to lightweight? Will Gomi continue his resurgence in front of his home town fans?
Well we were treated to a entertaining fight by both fighters, but it was Gomi's performance that stood out tonight, displaying a massively improved grappling game, stopping almost every single take down attempt by Sanchez and keeping the fight on the feet for the whole fight where he controlled Sanchez and kept him on the defensive all night. Some how, some way as usual, the judges found a way to screw this up, turning what was a amazing performance by Gomi and what should have been his 3rd win in a row into a split decision loss.. even Dana white tweeted his amazement at the terrible decision saying "How did Sanchez win that fight, crazy shit".

Mark Hunt vs. Stefan Struve
This was an interesting match up on paper, the much shorter and stout striker in Hunt vs. the gigantic 7ft tall Struve. Tonight Mark hunt surprized everyone with yet another outstanding performance in his resurgence as a top heavyweight fighter, proving tonight that he belongs as a contender taking out a very tough and very dangerous opponent with a beautiful punch that dropped Struve KO'ing him early in the 3rd. Mark Hunt puts on the performance of his career here, showing really good takedown defence and submission defence, wehrer he was able to get out from under Struve to half guard on Struve several times. His game has taked a huge leap forward and it showed tonight.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Briuan Stann
Wow, what an incredible main event tonight, Silva returned to his second home tonight in Japan to a very receptive crowd, Silva returned the love with a performance reminicent of the old PRIDE days when he was a buzz saw of a fighter, tonight he was exactly that , Stann and Silva put together some absolutely incredible exchanges where they both dropped and stunned each other sevral times in the 1st but both showed incredible chins by recovering so quickly, in the second the two came out fighting a little more conservatively but still throwing hard shots. Silva caught Stann late in the second with a beautiful hook that dropped Stann and from there Silva jumped on him and Stan was out cold after a couple more shots. A great main event where Silva showed the world that the veteran is no where close to ben finished.

BONUSES:

Fight of The Night: Brian Stann vs. Wanderlei Silva = $50,000 each

Submission of The Night: None

Knock Out of The Night: Wanderlei Silva and Mark Hunt = $50,000 each

UFC on FUEL TV 8 results Summary: