UFC 125: Nothing Changes on New Year's Day

Dong Hyun Kim (Photo: sherdog.com)

UFC 125: Resolution – Las Vegas, Nev. – MGM Grand Garden Arena – Jan. 1, 2011

Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar battled for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 125, but the “Resolution” subtitle proved ironic as the fight ended in a draw.

One judge ruled the fight 48-46 in favor of the champion Edgar, while another saw it the same way. The third judge saw the fight as a 47-47. As a result, Edgar retained the title.

In the co-main event, Brian Stann beat Chris “The Crippler” Leben by TKO at the 3:37 mark.

Thiago Silva seemed to defeat Brandon Vera by unanimous decision. However, Silva’s win was changed to a no contest after he tested positive for banned substances.

Dong Hyun Kim of South Korea beat Nate Diaz by unanimous decision.

UFC 124: Hail to the Hometown Hero

Georges St.-Pierre (Photo: mmafighting.com)

UFC 124: St.-Pierre vs. Koscheck 2 – Montreal, Canada – Bell Centre – Dec. 11, 2010

Montreal embraced Georges St.-Pierre at UFC 124, as more than 23,000 fans watched him retain the UFC welterweight title against Josh Koscheck.

GSP won their first battle three years earlier by unanimous decision at UFC 74, and this fight ended with the same result.

All three judges gave the fight to the champ with identical 50-45 scorecards. 

UFC raked in $4.6 million at the Bell Centre box office.

Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve won the co-main event with a TKO win over Sean McCorkle at the 3:55 mark.

TUF 12 Finale: Jonathan Brookins Wins Lightweight Tournament

Jonathan Brookins (Photo: fightland.vice.com)

The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 finale – Las Vegas, Nev. – The Pearl at the Palms – Dec. 4, 2010

Jonathan Brookins won the lightweight tournament in the 12^th season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Brookins won a unanimous decision over Michael Johnson to earn a UFC contract. He lost three of his next UFC fights before moving to India in 2012 to study yoga. He later returned to fight for other promotions around the world.

Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koscheck were the coaches for the season, leading up to a welterweight title bout one week later. Both finalists were on Team GSP.

TUF 1 runner-up Stephan Bonnar won a unanimous decision over Igor Pokrajac in the co-main event.

UFC 123: Razor-Thin Victory

Rampage Jackson (Photo: prommanow.com)

UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida – The Palace of Auburn Hills (Mich.) – Nov. 20, 2010

Rampage Jackson beat Lyoto Machida by the slimmest of margins in the main event of UFC 123.

Jackson beat fellow former UFC light heavyweight champion Machida by 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 on the judges’ scorecards. Jackson's late offensive flurry won the fight.

UFC was visiting Detroit for the first time since UFC 9 in 1996.

BJ Penn knocked out Matt Hughes in 21 seconds to win the three-fight rivalry between former UFC welterweight champions.

UFC 122: Thunder Struck

Yushin Okami (Photo: heraldsun.com.au)

UFC 122: Marquardt vs. Okami – Oberhausen, Germany – Konig Pilsener Arena - Nov. 13, 2010

Yushin “Thunder” Okami emerged as the next contender for Anderson Silva’s middleweight title at UFC 122.

Okami won a unanimous decision over Nate Marquardt, busting him open in the third round en route to victory. Okami would get his title shot nine months later at UFC 134.

In the co-main event, Germany’s own Dennis Siver defeated Andre Winner with a rear naked choke at the 3:37 mark.

UFC 121: Dethroning the King of the Jungle

Cain Velasquez (Photo: graciemag.com)

UFC 121: Lesnar v. Velasquez – Anaheim, Calif. – Honda Center – Oct. 23, 2010

Cain Velasquez knocked Brock Lesnar off the top of the mountain, winning the heavyweight title at UFC 121.

The undefeated Mexican-American fighter weathered a storm of Lesnar’s takedown attempts and unleashed a flurry of strikes to win by TKO at the 4:12 mark.

In the co-main event, Strikeforce veteran Jake Shields won his UFC debut with a split decision over Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann.

Tito Ortiz lost to his former student, Matt Hamill, by unanimous decision. Diego Sanchez also won by unanimous decision over Paulo Thiago.

UFC 120: Stay Off My Shorts

Yoshihiro Akiyama (Photo: bloodyelbow.com)

UFC 120: Bisping v. Akiyama – London – O2 Arena – Oct. 16. 2010

Michael “The Count” Bisping thrilled his British fans by defeating Yoshihiro Akiyama in the main event of UFC 120.

Bisping survived an early right hand and used his wrestling to take control in the second round. Bisping went back to striking to hold Akiyama off and seal the unanimous decision.

Carlos Condit knocked out Dan Hardy at the 4:27 mark in the co-main event. Both men threw left hooks at the same time, but Hardy went down.

UFC 120 was not a pay-per-view, but it aired on tape delay on Spike TV.

UFC 119: Welcome to Indiana

Frank Mir (Photo: mixedmartialarts.wikia.com)

UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop – Indianapolis, Ind. – Conseco Fieldhouse – Sept. 25, 2010

Frank Mir knocked out Mirko Cro Crop in the main event of UFC 119.

In the UFC’s first trip to Indiana, former heavyweight champion Mir used a knee strike and a flurry of punches to beat the Croatian legend in the final minute of the fight.

In the co-main event, Ryan Bader remained undefeated with a unanimous decision over Antonio Rogerio Noguiera.

UFC Fight Night 22: Moosin Invasion

Rafael "Sapo" Natal (Photo: sherdog.com)

UFC Fight Night 22: Marquardt vs. Palhares – Sept. 15, 2010 – Austin, Texas – Frank Erwin Center

Nate “The Great” Marquardt earned the chance to headline a pay-per-view by winning the main event of UFC Fight Night 22.

Marquardt won a middleweight battle with Rousimar Palhares by TKO at the 3:28 mark. Palhares’ complaints to the referee that Marquardt’s legs had a foreign substance on them led directly to his loss.

After the bout, the referee and state athletic commission found no illegal substance on Marquardt’s legs.

Two months later, Marquardt fought Yushin Okami in the main event of UFC 122.

UFC 118: Pitching a Shutout

Frankie Edgar (Photo: the42.ie)

UFC 118: Edgar vs. Penn 2 – Boston, Mass. – TD Garden – Aug. 28, 2010

Frankie Edgar ‘s second fight with BJ Penn ended just like the first – with Edgar retaining the UFC lightweight title by unanimous decision.

Unlike their first fight at UFC 112, the scoring was not close. Edgar won 50-45 on all three judges’ scorecards.

Randy “The Natural” Couture won his third fight in a row, defeating boxer James “Lights Out” Toney with an arm triangle choke at the 3:19 mark. This was Toney’s only appearance in the Octagon.

UFC 117: What Makes A Champion?

Chael Sonnen (Photo: mmafighting.com)

UFC 117: Silva v. Sonnen – Oakland, Calif., - Oracle Arena – Aug. 7, 2010

Anderson Silva used a Hail Mary triangle choke to retain his middleweight title against Chael Sonnen at UFC 117.

Sonnen dominated “The Spider” in the first four rounds and appeared to have the gold within his grasp.

However, Silva did what champions do: win when you least expect it. He forced the challenger to tap out with less than two minutes on the clock.

UFC on Versus 2: The Jon Jones Network

Vladimir "The Janitor" Matyushenko (Photo: mmaforum.com)

UFC on Versus 2: Jones vs. Matyushenko – San Diego, Calif. – Valley View Casino Center – Aug. 1, 2010

Jon “Bones” Jones headlined the second UFC on Versus show, and it ended just like the first: with a TKO victory.

Five months after beating Brandon Vera in the Versus debut, Jones wiped out Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko with elbow strikes at the 1:52 mark.

The Janitor came in with a 24-4 record and a three-fight win streak, but he couldn’t stop Jones’ march toward a light heavyweight title shot.

In the co-main event, Yushin Okami won a split decision over Mark Munoz by the narrowest of margins (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

UFC 116: Shane Carwin Steps Up To Face Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar (Photo: mmajunkie.com)

UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin – Las Vegas, Nev. – MGM Grand Garden Arena – July 3, 2010

Brock Lesnar continued his heavyweight dominance by beating Shane Carwin at UFC 116.

While Lesnar had been sidelined with diverticulitis, Carwin had won the interim heavyweight title by defeating Frank Mir at UFC 111.

Lesnar returned to the Octagon and retained his heavyweight title by forcing Carwin to submit to an arm triangle choke in the second round.

Chris “Lights Out “ Lytle used a triangle/armbar combination to beat Matt Brown by submission in the second round.