UFC 126: SILVA VS. BELFORT
Live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 5th, 2011
Attendance: 17,320
Gate: $2,598,000

Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Bout: Mike Pierce vs. Kenny Robertson
-Pierce defeated Robertson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Bantamweight Bout: Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Demetrious Johnson
-Yamamoto deefeated Johnson via submission (armbar) at 2:27 of round 1.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Kyle Kingsbury vs. Ricardo Romero
-Kingsbury defeated Romero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Welterweight Bout: Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
-Ellenberger defeated Rocha via unanimous decsion (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).

Lightweight Bout: Paul Taylor vs. Gabe Ruediger
-Taylor defeated Ruediger via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

Lightweight Bout: Paul Kelly vs. Sam Stout
-Kelly defeated Stout via TKO (Strikes) at 1:00 of round 1.

The show begins with the standard PPV intro, featuring the night's fighters. The camera cuts to a view of the excited crowd at the event, before bringing us to Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.

Mike Goldberg: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort! We're here LIVE from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in beautiful Las Vegas in front of a sellout crowd. As always, I'm Mike Goldberg alongside my partner Joe Rogan. Big show tonight here Joe: Anderson Silva back in action with his title on the line against Vitor 'The Phenom' Belfort."

Joe Rogan: "Yeah Mike, huge matchup for Vitor Belfort here tonight. Coming off of a fight where he knocked out Rich Franklin, he looked very good in that performance - he's had some injury problems since then but he's back on track and is ready tonight."

Goldberg: "Belfort will look to be the first man to defeat Silva inside of the Octagon. Last time Silva fought, he was certainly made to look human by Chael Sonnen."

Rogan: "Yeah, Anderson Silva was very close to losing his UFC Middleweight Title, was actually behind in a big way on all three judges' scorecards, came back in the fifth round and got the submission. It really just goes to show you the heart of Silva after being dominated for so long."

Goldberg: "But before our main event Joe, we have two very important matchups in the Light Heavyweight division. Two very promising fighters in Jon Jones and Ryan Bader will go head-to-head, and later on Rich Franklin will take on the winner of the original Ultimate Fighter, Forrest Griffin!"

Rogan: "Jones versus Bader, HUGE matchup for both men. A loss will send you back to the middle of the pack but a win could very well net you a title shot. Meanwhile, Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin also looking to stay ahead of the pack in their fight. Really, both fights should be absolute dynamite."

Goldberg: "Of course, before we get to all of that we head to the UFC's new Featherweight division for the first fight at 145 pounds in the UFC on Pay-Per-View! Up next, the undefeated Chad 'Money' Mendes will look to kick off his UFC career with a win as he takes on Michihiro Omigawa!"

A hype video airs, showing Chad Mendes' success in the WEC, with his recent wins over Javier Vasquez and Cub Swanson. While no footage for Omigawa is available, his late-career resurgence is promoted as a benefit of dropping from Lightweight to Featherweight. Both men then make their way into the arena and enter the Octagon.

Rogan: "Very interesting fight and really a great way to officialy introduce the Featherweight division to the UFC. Chad Mendes, one of the WEC's brightest at 145 will be taking on a guy who we've seen before in Omigawa, who didn't have any luck in his first run with the UFC but has transformed his career since dropping the ten pounds, I mean the guy has been unstoppable beating some of the greatest Featherweights in the world such as Micah Miller, Hatsu Hioki, and Marlon Sandro."

Goldberg: "Certainly an important fight for both men who have the obvious goal of becoming champion. Let's run down the tale of the tape, brought to you by Bud Light, the sure sign of a good time, here we go!"

CHAD MENDES -- MICHIHIRO OMIGAWA
 ::BORN:: 
26 ::AGE:: 35
5'7" ::HEIGHT:: 5'6"
145LBS ::WEIGHT:: 145LBS
66" ::REACH:: 67"

Goldberg: "Alright, let's go inside the Octagon with Bruce Buffer for our official introductions!"

Bruce Buffer: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are LIVE from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. For our first bout of the evening we go to the UFC Featherweight Division.

Introducing first...FIGHTING out of the blue corner, this man is a wrestler, he holds a perfect record of nine wins and zero losses. Standing at five feet, seven inches tall, weighing in at one hundred and forty-five pounds, fighting out of Sacramento, California, ladies and gentlemen, Chad 'MONEY' Mendes!

Introducing his opponent...FIGHTING out of the red corner, this man is a mixed martial artist. He holds a professional record of thirteen wins, eight losses and one draw. He stands at five feet, six inches tall, weighing in at one hundred and forty-five pounds, fighting out of Chiba, Japan, he is Michihiro Omigawa!

And when our action begins, the man in charge of the Octagon will be Yves Lavigne."

Yves Lavigne: "Alright gentlemen, are you ready? FIGHT!"

Goldberg: "And here we go! First bout of the evening, first fight in the UFC at Featherweight on Pay-Per-View. Very exciting to have these men finally fighting under the biggest banner in the industry."

Rogan: "Yeah, and it's really about time. Some of the world's most exciting fighters fight at 145, and 135. UFC fans are in for a real treat. And really two of the world's best at this weight class are in the Octagon to start if off."

Mendes and Omigawa touch gloves and then circle. Mendes advances with the intention of going for a takedown, but backs off. A few jab exchanges take place, but no major damage is inflicted by either fighter. Mendes ties up with Omigawa, and from there attempts a trip takedown. He gets it, but Omigawa is quickly back to his feet.

Rogan: "Good defense by Michihiro. He looks much more confident than the last time we saw him in the Octagon."

Tied up again, Omigawa and Mendes move towards the cage, utilizing some dirty boxing. Omigawa takes control of Mendes and pushes him against the cage, getting the Team Alpha Male member in a headlock.

Rogan: "Chad has to watch his neck here Mike, and make sure that Michihiro doesn't try and drag him down to the ground and choke him out."

Omigawa is able to force his opponent to his knees, allowing for him to gain more leverage. Suddenly, Omigawa contorts himself to enable him to wrap around Mendes. With Mendes immobile, Omigawa locks in a guillotine choke!

Rogan: "He's got the choke Mike! It's in deep! Chad is in big trouble here!"

Goldberg: "Michihiro Omigawa trying to finish Chad Mendes!"

Mendes looks to improve his positioning, but he simply cannot move as the elder Omigawa has the submission securely applied. Mendes taps, and Omigawa releases the hold, knowing he has the victory.

Goldberg: "Annnnnnd it is ALL over! Michihiro Omigawa stops Chad Mendes!"

Omigawa celebrates his win with enthusiasm in his corner, while Mendes looks on in shock and disappointment. Omigawa shakes hands with Mendes and the camps exchange graces before Yves Lavigne brings the two fighters to the center for the official announcement.

Goldberg: "Here's Bruce Buffer with the official announcement!"

Buffer: "Ladies and gentlemen, referee Yves Lavigne has called a stoppage to this fight at two minutes and seven seconds of the very first round, declaring the winner by TAPOUT due to a guillotine choke, Michihiro Omigawa!"

Goldberg: "Here's Joe!"

Rogan: "Alright, I'm here with a very excited Michihiro Omigawa! Now, tell us how it feels to be back in the UFC, and, on top of that, to get a victory so quickly over one of the best in the division."

Omigawa's translator translates the message in Japanese, so that Omigawa can make a response.

Translator: "I'm very happy to be back here fighting in the UFC, I feel that I am at my best and I want to continue fighting here."

Rogan: "Earlier this week, Dana White said that the winner of this fight would get a shot at the title. Now you've won, so how does that make you feel, knowing your next fight will be for the UFC Featherweight Championship?"

Translator: "Um, I'm very excited. It will be a great honour and challenge to fight for a title in the UFC. I will be training very hard and I will make sure that I am ready."

Rogan: "Alright well that's all of the time we have, but good luck in your training and we look very forward to seeing you again! Michihiro Omigawa ladies and gentlemen!"

A promotional video for UFC 127 is shown. Clips of recent fights involving Jon Fitch are shown, dominating his opponents with impressive wrestling and standup. BJ Penn's resurgence in title contention is shown, highlighting his superb knockout victory over Matt Hughes. UFC 127 will air live from the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia on Sunday, February 27th, 2011.

Goldberg: "UFC returns to Australia, February 27th, 2011 with UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch. Don't miss the fastest selling event in UFC history! Also on the card, Jorge Rivera and Michael Bisping, George Sotiropolous taking on Dennis Siver."

Rogan: "Great fans down in Australia, it's really nice to go down there and put on a good show. Really looking forward to this one."

Goldberg: "Next up, we head to the Bantamweight Division where the UFC will hold its first official fight on Pay-Per-View at 135, as former WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres takes on Antonio Baneulos! Here is the tale of the tape, brought to you by Tequila Cazadores!"

ANTONIO BANUELOS -- MIGUEL TORRES
 ::BORN:: 
31 ::AGE:: 30
5'5" ::HEIGHT:: 5'9"
135LBS ::WEIGHT:: 135LBS
63" ::REACH:: 76"

Goldberg: "Antonio Banuelos is thirty-one, while Torres is thirty. Torres is four inches taller, with both men weighing in yesterday at 135 pounds. Torres will have a massive thirteen inch reach advantage."

Rogan: "Such a HUGE reach advantage for Torres. He's such a lanky guy and those arms really put anybody in trouble. I mean Banuelos is going to have a lot of trouble on the standup and on the ground. Torres is one of the very best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practioners in the game, probably the best at Bantamweight."

Buffer: "This next bout is scheduled for three rounds in the UFC Bantamweight Division. Introducing first...FIGHTING out of the blue corner! This man is a boxer, holding a professional record of eighteen wins and six losses. He stands at five feet, five inches tall, weighing in at one hundred and thirty-five pounds, fighting out of Arroyo Grande, California, Antonioooooo BANUELOS!

Introducing his opponent...FIGHTING out of the red corner. This man is a mixed martial artist with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Holding a professional record of thirty-eight wins and three losses, standing at five feet, nine inches tall, weighing in at one hundred and thirty-five pounds, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Miguel Angel TORRES!

And when the action begins our referee in charge of the Octagon will be Herb Dean."

Herb Dean: "Alright gentlemen, you ready to fight? Alright then let's fight!"

The fighters meet in the center to touch gloves and the fight quickly begins. Both men look to control the pace, each utilizing quick head movement. Torres, of course, stands out with his awkward frame and unorthodox stance.

Goldberg: "And here we go, Banuelos to your right in the dark blue trunks, Torres to your left in the black trunks."

Banuelos attempts a jab, but Torres easily stays out of his reach and counters with a leg kick. He presses forward and kicks again, but Banuelos backs off. He tries with his fists, this time launching a right hook, but no dice, and he eats a stiff jab for his efforts. However, he continues to pursue his smaller foe, and stands in the pocket. He dodges a combination of punches from Banuelos, and nearly drops him with a solid body kick.

Rogan: "Very good standup by Miguel Torres. He's so technical and precise that it's really just about absorbing the damage he inflicts on you, because chances are that he is going to catch you with something."

Trying to find a sequel to the wonderful body kick, Torres flies in with an overhand right, but it misses, allowing Banuelos to momentarily get inside and score a strong body shot. Both men distance and circle, and fans cheer the fighters for the exciting start, just as the halfway point mark passes.

Goldberg: "Halfway through the first round now."

His head moving quickly and a strange direction, Torres is able to evade a jab from Banuelos, and signals that he is looking to get his opponent in the clinch. Torres grabs a hold of Banuelos and Banuelos is happy to dance, as he looks to turn the tables with his wrestling ability. Unfortunately for Banuelos, his opponent uses his height and arm length to win the battle, and muscles him up against the cage, pressing on him hard. From there, Torres gets nasty, and Banuelos receives a few elbows that land cleanly, getting a good reaction from the crowd.

Goldberg: "Big elbows by Torres!"

Rogan: "Antonio could be in trouble here Mike!"

Banuelos wrestles with Torres a bit more but Torres gets him where he wants him, and catches Banuelos with more elbows, but Banuelos deals with them as much as he can. Torres mercifully backs away from the grapple, and Banuelos is sporting a nice cut above his left eye. He's still in the fight though, and looks to have gas in the tank as the round has one minute remaining. Banuelos jabs, but Torres avoids once again and lands a body kick.
Again, Banuelos goes for a jab, but Torres moves away and then strikes back, planting a good jab on Banuelos' jaw. As the round closes out, Torres moves out of his attacker's range and then lands a sharp leg kick that catches Banuelos on his right leg. The fans applaud, as they were thoroughly entertained by that round.

Goldberg: "And round one comes to a close! Good standup, a little bit of cagework, what more can you ask for?"

Rogan: "Really impressive debut for the Bantamweight division here tonight. Torres won that round, but good heart by Banuelos to hang in there with him."

"Stitches" attends to Banuelos in his corner, as he attempts to close up the wound above his eye. Instructed to be more evasive on his feet, Banuelos is given some motivation by his corner as the horn sounds to get ready for round two. Meanwhile, Torres' corner praises him for his counter work, and instructs him to continue that gameplan.

Rogan: "Pretty basic advice there. Antonio was getting lit up on the feet, and that is to be expected with a reach mismatch like that. He's got to be more creative or try something different."

Goldberg: "Yes indeed. Alright, round two, here we go!"

The round begins with a different style than the first, as Banuelos proves to be more elusive than in the first round, following the words of his corner. Thirty seconds blow by as the men feel eachother out, trying to get the upper hand. Banuelos feints and suckers Torres in, and just barely misses his opponent with a crushing right hook. Then, following a barrage from both men that miss, Torres engages in the clinch, but he can't seem to move his opponent so he breaks it up.

Rogan: "Much better movement by Antonio in this round. Now let's see if he press for the attack."

Banuelos looks to score with a combination. While it is executed smoothly, it is not fast enough to catch up with Torres, who moves to Banuelos' left and jabs him. Torres looks to follow with a leg kick, but he cannot connect. Banuelos darts in and out of the pocket, trying to have Torres commit, but the experienced fighter doesn't budge. This time, Banuelos moves in the pocket and stays there, and he wants to trade with Torres despite the disadvantage. Banuelos lands a few jabs but they don't faze Torres, who comes after Banuelos. He goes to set up a kick, but Banuelos recognizes that it's coming, and lands an enormous right hook on Torres' jaw! Torres' head snaps to the side and he falls flat on his face, as he is out cold! Banuelos knows well enough that the fight is over, and he steps away in triumph, throwing his mouth guard into the crowd.

Rogan: "He's out! He's out!"

Goldberg: "Annnnnnnd it is ALL over! Antonio Banuelos knocks out Miguel Torres!"

Torres is attended to by doctors to ensure his safety, while Banuelos celebrates with his camp. After Torres groggily gets to his feet, he and Banuelos exchange graces and then are brought to the center of the ring for the official announcement.

Buffer: "Ladies and gentlemen, referee Herb Dean has called a stop to this fight at two minutes and forty-nine seconds of the first round, declaring the winner by KNOCKOUT, Antonio Banuelos!"

Goldberg: "Here's Joe with our winner!"

Rogan: "WOW! That's all I have to say man. How are you feeling?"

Antonio Banuelos: "Wooo! That's all I gotta say man, I'm feeling so good. That was a huge win for me. I gotta thank Miguel for agreeing to this fight because he is one of the very best in the sport and it is a huge honour to come out and face him and to win in such a way is really incredible."

Rogan: "What was going through your mind when you landed that punch? I mean, it looked like you knew he was going for another kick, and you just launched one and it connected."

Banuelos: "Yeah, no disrespect to Miguel, but I saw that coming cleanly, so I just buckled down and threw a haymaker and it connected. I knew as soon as I hit him that he was out."

Rogan: "Let's have a look at it again."

A replay is shown, and the knockout punch is met with a gasp of excitement from the crowd.

Rogan: "That is some serious impact, especially considering he had thirteen inches on you. What was your gameplan for avoiding his long arms?"

Banuelos: "Movement. It was all about movement, and I think I followed through with that in the second round. I got him to commit, and it worked."

Rogan: "Well it was an electrifying performance and we certainly look forward to seeing you again. Antonio Banuelos everyone!"

Antonio Banuelos celebrates with his camp some more as the camera shifts away to the Octagon. It travels backstage, where Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort are shown warming up for their main event bout. A hype video for the fight airs.

Goldberg: "All right, we are back with another fight ready to go inside of the Octagon, as Jon Jones takes on Ryan Bader in a Light Heavyweight battle that will see two of the UFC's very best and brighest go head to head!"

A hype video for the two fighters airs, with Bader and Jones both explaining what they plan to do to achieve victory. They are both overtly confident that they will win and take the next step towards becoming the champion at 205. Following the video, both fighters make their way to the Octagon.

Rogan: "Both fighters are impressive and have such, such high ceilings in the UFC, it is truly a shame one of them has to lose tonight, but that's the nature of the business."

Goldberg: "That it is Joe. Let's get to the tale of the tape!"

JON JONES -- RYAN BADER
 ::BORN:: 
23 ::AGE:: 27
6'4" ::HEIGHT:: 6'2"
205LBS ::WEIGHT:: 205LBS
84.5" ::REACH:: 74"

Goldberg: "With our official introductions, here's Bruce!"

Buffer: "This next bout is scheduled for three rounds in the UFC Light Heavyweight Division. Introducing first...FIGHTING out of the blue corner, this man is a wrestler with a professional record of eleven wins and one loss. He stands at six feet, four inches tall, weighing in at two hundred and five pounds, fighting out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jon 'BONES' Jones!

Introducing his opponent...FIGHTING out of the red corner, this man is a wrestler, holding a unbeaten professional record of twelve wins and no losses. He stands at six feet, two inches tall, weighing in at two hundred and five pounds, fighting out of Scottsdale, Arizona, ladies and gentlemen, he is Ryan...'DARTH'...Bader!

And when our action begins our referee in charge of the Octagon will be Josh Rosenthal."

Josh Rosenthal: "Alright, are you ready to fight? Are you ready? Ok guys let's go!"

Both men opt not to meet in the center of the ring and instead wish to start things off with a bang. Jones circles Bader who slowly sizes up his opponent. Jones comes in looking to trade but Bader immediately goes for a takedown attempt, and he gets it, catching Jones by surprise. But Jones fights it off, and is able to get back to his feet rather quickly. Fans cheer the quick pace. Bader pursues his opponent again, and gets another takedown, although it is executed very poorly and Jones is left pulling full guard rather comfortably.

Goldberg: "Relentless takedowns by Bader!"

Rogan: "Yeah, I really expected Jones, who is no slouch when it comes to wrestling himself defend those a little better."

Bader smothers his opponent, eating up time on the clock as he carefully considers his next move. Two minutes have gone by in the round, and the fans begin to grow restless as all action inside the Octagon has ceased. Bader is able to successfully move to half guard to avoid a restart to the fight on the feet, but he isn't much more active here, as he throws a few more punches that Jones handles easily. Bader gets a little reckless and almost has Jones catch him in an armbar, but he avoids it narrowly.

Rogan: "Things have certainly slowed down here, and this is exactly what we saw in Bader's last fight against Rogerio Nogueira. Using his wrestling and size to control his opponent, which is what he loves to do."

Goldberg: "Indeed Joe. We have just two minutes in the round remaining!"

Fans boo the inactivity, but Bader takes cue and tries to move to side control, but the excellent guard of Jones keeps him where he is. Bader looks to throw some elbows that catch Jones, who does not look pleased about being stuck on the bottom. Bader tries to move his opponent towards the cage, but hardly succeeds, as Jones doesn't budge. The boos grow louder, as fans expectations for this superfight slowly are clearly not being met.

Rogan: "Ryan has to work here, or Josh is going to stand them up quickly."

Rosenthal: "I need to see some work here Ryan, let's move it!"

Bader finally gets to side control, and he lands a few knees but they don't seem to trouble Jones. However, with thirty seconds left, Bader makes a sudden attempt to lock his opponent in an arm triangle choke! Bader struggles to get the choke applied properly, and Jones appears to be in no danger of submitting. Finally, the hold is released and Jones slips out and Bader scrambles for a north/south position, but it doesn't matter as the round comes to an end.

Rogan: "Close call for Jones there, but he got free."

Goldberg: "Yes, we will have to see what his strategy is going into round number two!"

Round number two is hurried along, as officials are eager to shake off the dull first round. Both men look ready to fight, so the round begins and Jones comes charging at Bader with a look of hatred in his eyes. He tags Bader with a slick combination, dazing him and backing him against the cage!

Rogan: "He hurt him Mike! Bader's in trouble!"

Goldberg: "Jon Jones pouring it on against Ryan Bader!"

[i]Bader finds away to escape from the cage but Jones hunts him down like a lion on its kill, as he throws two more jabs that connect with Bader! Bader is clearly wobbled by the shots, and he desperately tries to avoid the onslaught by backstepping, but he only has so much room to work with. Jones comes streaking across and lands an uppercut that knocks Bader down on his seat, and Jones can smell blood now. Bader frantically tries to get to his feet, but he can only get to one knee before Jones is on him like a magnet, raining down more punches. 

Rogan: "He hurt him again! He's on him!"

Goldberg: "JON 'BONES' JONES, TRYING TO FINISH!"

Bader falls over again, turtling this time, but it does little to protect him from the heavy hands of Jones, who relentlessly pounds on Bader's head. Josh Rosenthal has seen enough, and he calls a stop to the fight!

Rogan: "It's over!"

Goldberg: "Annnnnnd it is ALL over! Jon Jones stops Ryan Bader!"

Jones walks away in triumph, letting out a heroic roar and pumping his fist. Bader is attended to by the physician, who examines the damage left by Jones' massive beating. Eventually, both fighters are brought to the center so that Bruce Buffer can make the official announcement.

Goldberg: "And here's Bruce!"

Buffer: "Ladies and gentlemen, referee Josh Rosenthal has called a stop to this fight at fifty seconds of the second round. Declaring the winner via T-K-O, Jon 'BONES' Jones!"

Rogan: "Jon Jones! Wow! Did you ever put on a show there!"

Jon Jones: "Haha, **** yeah man! That's what I get paid to do!

Rogan: "Now, you came out at the beginning of round two looking like a guy who didn't just have two hundred pounds of collegiate wrestler stuck on him for four minutes. In fact, you looked incredible. You went after him, landed some good strikes, and basically it looked like you had control there."

Jones: "Yeah. No disrespect but I didn't want to play the ground game in this fight, so when Bader was on top I was kinda like 'Aw man, let's stand and bang'. So when he didn't I knew that round two was my chance, so I came out there, with some energy, and it won me the fight."

Rogan: "I think it goes without saying that you are one of the most promising fighters in the UFC - what's next for you?"

Jones: "Well, obviously I want a title shot soon but my boy Rashad is fighting next month and he's gonna take the title, so we'll have to see. I'll fight anyone that Dana and Joe think is a good matchup, so for now I'll get back to training and have some fun."

Rogan: "Well you looked dominant tonight, and you continue to impress on so many levels, we look forward to seeing you again! Jon Jones ladies and gentlemen!"

Goldberg: "There's a very happy Jon Jones, who takes the victory here tonight by way of TKO! Now, we return to the UFC Lightweight Division, for a matchup between 'Hands of Stone' Sam Stout vs. Paul 'Tellys' Kelly!"

Due to the first three matches ending quickly, a preliminary card fight is shown to fill up some of the time. Paul and Sam quickly engage, and Kelly gets the better of it, knocking Sam down with some technical strikes. Sam is dazed and Paul pounces on him, getting in half guard. From there, Kelly beats up on Stout, and eventually mounts him and rains down strikes, which forces referee Herb Dean to stop the fight just one minute into the fight.

Goldberg: "Coming up next, our Co-Main Event of the evening! Rich 'Ace' Franklin looks to keep to his winning ways as does his opponent, the winner of the original Ultimate Fighter, Forrest Griffin!"

A hype video is aired for the two fighters - while Franklin respectfully goes about how he will win the fight, Griffin vows for vengeance against Franklin, the man he claims responsible for retiring Chuck Liddell, who was Griffin's coach on The Ultimate Fighter.

FORREST GRIFFIN -- RICH FRANKLIN
 ::BORN:: 
31 ::AGE:: 36
6'3" ::HEIGHT:: 6'1"
205LBS ::WEIGHT:: 205LBS
77" ::REACH:: 76"

Goldberg: "Rich Franklin five years the elder, both men weighed in at two hundred and five pounds. Forrest Griffin is two inches taller and will have a one inch reach advantage. Let's go to Bruce!"

Buffer: "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the Co-Main Event of the evening! Scheduled for three rounds in the UFC Light Heavyweight division, brought you by Affliction.

Introducing first...FIGHTING out of the blue corner, this man is a kickboxer, holding a professional record of seventeen wins and six losses. Standing at six feet, three inches tall, and weighing in at two hundred and five pounds, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada, Forrest GRIFFIN!

Introducing his opponent...FIGHTING out of the red corner, this man is a freestyle fighter holding a professional record of twenty-eight wins, five losses and one no contest. He stands at six feet, one inch tall, weighing in at two hundred and five pounds. Fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio, ladies and gentlemen, Rich...'ACE'...Franklin!

And when our action begins our referee in charge of the Octagon will be Herb Dean."

Dean: "Alright gentlemen are you ready to fight? *points to Griffin, who nods* Are you ready? *points to Franklin, who also nods* Alright then let's do it! Fight!

Goldberg: "Alright, here we go! Three rounds in the UFC Light Heavyweight division! Forrest in the beige trunks, Rich Franklin in the brown and pink trunks. Franklin, as Forrest has mentioned, last fought at UFC 115, earning a stunning knockout victory over Chuck Liddell. Meanwhile, Forrest Griffin is coming off of a split decision win in November of 2009 in his rematch with Tito Ortiz."

Rogan: "It'll be interested to see if Forrest is 100% here. I mean, just two weeks after this fight was scheduled, he got sick with bronchitis, which really disrupted his training routine. Dana asked him if he wanted to cancel the fight or push it back, but Forrest said he was ready to go and here he is."

Both men touch gloves, and circle. Franklin aims for a low body kick, but Griffin is able to avoid it. Both men continue to circle, and a minute quickly erodes. Franklin then attacks Griffin's body with some jabs, which opens up his head. Franklin scores a few weak shots to Griffin's head, but he quickly covers up. However, that is what Franklin was aiming for, as he quickly shoots in on the defending Griffin and takes him down with ease.

Goldberg: "Takedown from Franklin!"

Rogan: "Yeah, Forrest is going to have to pull guard here."

Griffin pulls full guard, but isn't able to keep Franklin there for long, as Franklin passes to side control with surprising ease. From there, Franklin slows the pace, tenderizing Griffin with some bodies shots. After a few more gasps of air, Franklin looks to advance again. He is not denied, and is able to mount Griffin!

Rogan: "Full mount here! Griffin's in trouble Mike!"

Franklin sits comfortably for a while, and then lands a few shots. Griffin extends his arms outwards to defend, and that is a huge mistake as Franklin grabs his left arm and locks in an armbar! Griffin looks like he's going to fight it but once Franklin has full torque there is no escape, and he taps out, giving Franklin the submission win!

Rogan: "He tapped! It's over!"

Goldberg: "Annnnnnd it is ALL over! Rich Franklin submits Forrest Griffin!"

As a sign of respect, Franklin gets down to his knees and checks on Griffin and gives him a hug. They both get to their feet and go to their respective camps, with Franklin's team obviously showing a more positive demeanor. Herb Dean gathers both men for the official announcement.

Goldberg: "Here's Bruce with the official announcement!"

Buffer: "Ladies and gentlemen, referee Herb Dean has called a stoppage to this fight at three minutes and twenty-six seconds of the very first round, declaring the winner by TAPOUT due to an armbar, Rich 'ACE' Franklin!"

Rogan: "All right, I'm here with a very psyched Rich Franklin! Tell us what you're thinking right now!"

Rich Franklin: "I'm not going to lie I am feeling pretty good. I finished the fight the way I wanted to, so I'm definitely going to sleep well tonight."

Rogan: "That's two straight fights that you have finished in the first round, and now you are definitely starting to make people take notice at 205. What's your next move?"

Franklin: "Anybody that is up for it. I mean, the Light Heavyweight division is so stacked, and there are really a number of guys I could see myself fighting. Joe and Dana know best, they know what makes an exciting fight so I hope to be back here very soon."

Rogan: "And the same can be said by me and everybody here tonight! We look forward to seeing you again! Rich Franklin!"

Goldberg: "Rich Franklin, victorious via armbar submission! Now, let's head back to the UFC Welterweight Division, where earlier tonight it was Carlos Eduardo Rocha taking on Jake Ellenberger!"

A preliminary fight between Jake Ellenberger and Carlos Eduardo Rocha is aired, which goes the distance. While Rocha was threatening at times with his submission ability on the ground, Ellenberger was able to control him for the majority of the fight and won on several exchanges. Ellenberger was awarded the fight by the judges, 30-27, 29-28, 29-28.

Goldberg: "Let's take a look into the locker room where final preparations are being made for both Vitor Belfort and Anderson Silva, who are set to battle it out for the UFC Middleweight Championship!"

Anderson Silva is shown practicing the clinch with a trainer, while Vitor Belfort is having his hands wrapped. Various statistics are displayed, before displaying the final hype video. Both men explain that while they respect how dangerous the other man is, they will be on the attack and plan to finish the fight. Clips of knockouts wins for both men are shown, indicating that this fight is being sold as one that will be a standup war.

Goldberg: "And now, it's time for our main event of the evening! Five rounds in the UFC Middleweight Division. It's Vitor Belfort taking on Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship!"

The fighters make their way out - Anderson Silva is greeted rather coldly while Vitor Belfort is given a challenger's welcome.

Rogan: "I think the bottom line here Mike, is that Anderson Silva was proven to be human last time around. He got worked by Chael Sonnen for five rounds, but came back and got the submission. It shows how much heart and resiliency he has, but also how he can just wait it out until he catches you in his web and it's good night."

Goldberg: "Yes indeed, he is the 'Spider', and he has earned that name. Always dangerous, always exciting. But so is his opponent, Vitor Belfort."

Rogan: "Definitely. Vitor is a longtime veteran of the UFC. Made his return in September 2009 with a devastation of Rich Franklin, a guy who has looked great since that fight - that goes to show you how good Belfort is. Belfort is a powerful striker and he will likely execute that gameplan tonight."

Goldberg: "Here is the official tale of the tape, brought to you by Castrol GTX!"

VITOR BELFORT -- ANDERSON SILVA
 ::BORN:: 
33 ::AGE:: 35
6'0" ::HEIGHT:: 6'2"
185LBS ::WEIGHT:: 185LBS
74" ::REACH:: 77.6"

Goldberg: "Alright, let's go to Bruce Buffer for the official fight introduction!"

Buffer: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING! Sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission: chairman Bill Brady. Our three judges for this bout at Octagon-side are Lisa Giampa, Jerry Roth, and Dick Houck and when our action begins the referee in charge of the Octagon will be Josh Rosenthal. And now, LIVE, from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada,iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's TIME! Five rounds in the UFC Middleweight Division!

Introducing the challenger...FIGHTING out of the blue corner, this man is a mixed martial artist. He holds a professional record of nineteen wins and eight losses. Standing at six feet tall, weighing in at one hundred and eighty-five pounds, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he is VITOR...'THE PHENOM'...BELFORT!

Introducing the champion...FIGHTING out of the red corner, this man is a mixed martial artist with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He holds a professional record of twenty-seven wins and four losses. Standing at six feet, two inches tall, weighing in at one hundred and eighty-five pounds, fighting out of Torrance, Califonia, he is the REIGNING and DEFENDING UFC Middleweight Champion of the world, Anderson...'THE SPIDER'...SILVAAAAA!"

Rosenthal motions for Silva and Belfort to come to the center of the Octagon.

Rosenthal: "Alright gentlemen, we've been over the instructions in the dressing room: protect yourself at all times; follow my instructions at all times. Let's have a good, clean fight. Now touch gloves to make it official."

Silva and Belfort touch gloves while maintaining eye contact, before returning to their corners.

Rosenthal: "You ready? Are you ready? All right, then let's fight!"

Goldberg: "And HERE WE GO! Five rounds for the UFC Middleweight Championship! Belfort in the black trunks, Silva in the yellow and black shorts."

Rogan: "Alright, both men said they are ready to finish, so let's see what they've got here Mike."

Right off of the gun, Silva attempts to hit Belfort with a spinning back kick but it only finds air. A chess match ensues, as both men play the game tentatively, not wanting to mistep and leave themselves open. Belfort engages momentarily, but steps out of range and rethinks his options. A large Belfort chant erupts, as Silva stares his opponent down. Belfort lands a body kick, but he is stung by a clean right hook from the champion, which causes him to back up a bit.

Rogan: "Big right hand by Silva there, I think that dazed Belfort a little bit!"

Belfort engages once more, but Silva keeps him back with a counter left that just misses Belfort's jaw. He circles to Silva's left, and as he moves Silva comes after him with a huge flurry of fists. Eluding them all, Belfort breaks through with a massive flying knee, connecting with Silva's jaw squarely! The impact is heard throughout the arena, but although he is staggered, Silva stays on his feet!

Goldberg: "FLYING KNEE FROM BELFORT!"

Rogan: "He hurt him Mike! He hurt him!"

Belfort senses that his prey is weak, so he pursues. He launches a right hook at Silva, but the elusive Brazilian weaves out of range and smashes Belfort with a return counter strike that catches him clean on the jaw, putting him down to the canvas! Silva rushes to Belfort's side and kneels, hitting him with lightning fast punches that Belfort is unable to answer! Belfort turtles and moves somewhat, but Silva stays with him and pounds away with vicious hammer fists!

Goldberg: "ANDERSON SILVA TRYING TO FINISH THE CHALLENGER!"

Rosenthal: "Fight back Vitor! Fight back!"

[i]Rosenthal's command falls on deaf ears, as Silva lands three or four more hammer fists that go unanswered. Rosenthal has seen enough and pulls Silva away, effectively ending the contest."

Rogan: "Wow! What a comeback by Silva!"

Goldberg: "Annnnnnd it is ALL over! Anderson Silva stops Vitor Belfort and retains his title in emphatic fashion!"

Silva shakes hands with Belfort and bows softly to his fallen opponent, and then is greeted by his manager, Ed Soares, and the rest of his camp with celebratory hugs. After the camps do the official post-fight niceties, Rosenthal gathers Silva and Belfort to the center of the Octagon.

Goldberg: "And here's Bruce with the official announcement!"

Buffer: "Ladies and gentlemen, referee Josh Rosenthal has called a stoppage to this bout at two minutes and thirty-three seconds of the very first round, declaring the winner by T-K-O and STILL the UFC Middleweight Champion of the world, Anderson 'THE SPIDER' Silva!|

Goldberg: "Here's Joe with the champ!"

Rogan: "Wow! What a performance tonight for Mr. Silva! Tell us, what was going through your mind when he hit that knee, and how did you find the strength to come back so quickly and finish the fight?"

Silva's manager, Ed Soares, translates Joe's words into Portuguese, so that Silva can articulate a response. He speaks, and Soares then translates it back for the audience.

Ed Soares: "I never give up. I've been hit hard like that before, I know I will again, but the main thing is to always stay focused. If you aren't knocked out, there is still a fight going on, so you have to try your best. That's what I do and that's why I am the champion."

Rogan: "Now, coming up next, you are scheduled to face Yushin Okami, who as, we all know, is the last man to have recorded a victory over you. It was by Disqualification, but, how do you prepare for a man who technically, you were unable to beat?"

Soares: "[Yushin] is a very good fighter, but I am the champion for a reason. I respect him and he is a worthy opponent but I will go back and train harder than I ever have and I will be ready to fight him."

Rogan: "Well it was another dominant performance by the champion tonight, and we definitely look forward to the next time you are inside the Octagon! Anderson Silva, the champ, everybody!"

Rogan then walks over to Belfort's corner, where a very disappointed Vitor Belfort stands.

Rogan: "Alright, I'm here with the challenger, Vitor Belfort. I know it must be very disappointing to come up short, but tell us what you are thinking."

Vitor Belfort: "It is most definitely not what I hoped for, but Anderson is very good fighter, that is why he is the champion. I will go back to training and see what went wrong, and hopefully next time I will be successful."

Rogan: "As always, you are a very humble and respectable guy. Give it up for Vitor Belfort ladies and gentlemen!"

Goldberg: "Well, with that, our presentation broadcast for the evening has come to a close. For everyone at Zuffa and the UFC and on behalf of my broadcast partner, Joe Rogan, I'm Mike Goldberg bidding you a good night! This has been UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort, thanks for watching!"