Fabricio Werdum submitted yet another heavyweight legend. | Photo: Marcelo Alonso/Sherdog.com
The two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist became just the second man -- Frank Mir was the first -- to submit Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, as he forced a verbal tapout from “Minotauro” with a second-round armbar in the UFC on Fuel TV 10 main event on Saturday at the Paulo Sarasate Gymnasium in Fortaleza, Brazil. Nogueira (34-8-1, 5-4 UFC) gave up the fight 2:41 into round two.
Werdum (17-5-1, 5-2 UFC) attacked with leg kicks, knees and a takedown in a competitive first frame but looked awkward when “Minotauro” pressed him with punches and forced him backwards. In the second round, Nogueira made a critical error in judgment, as he sat down on a guillotine choke and wound up beneath Werdum. It was not an advantageous position. Werdum moved to his back during an attempted sweep and went belly down with the fight-ending armbar.
“He is an idol for all Brazilians,” said Werdum, who lost a decision to Nogueira under the Pride Fighting Championships banner in 2006. “It was my second fight with him, and it was a tough fight. I was able to get onto his back and get the armbar, and then I was able to make him submit. That made me very happy.”
Afterward, “Vai Cavalo” left no doubt about his future intentions.
“[A title shot] is exactly what I want,” Werdum said. “I am training very hard for that. I just want the UFC to give me a chance to show that I am the best in the world.”
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Santos squeezed until his arm was raised.
A replacement for the injured Santiago Ponzinibbio, Santos (12-3, 1-0 UFC) made the most of his second chance.
The 33-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu savant weathered a takedown and some mild ground-and-pound from Macario in the first round, dragged him deeper into the bout and searched for the opening he needed.
In the second frame, fatigue seemed to take hold on “Patolino.” The 21-year-old yielded an outside trip takedown and was immediately mounted by his counterpart. Santos methodically moved towards the arm-triangle choke, forcing the tapout for his sixth consecutive victory.
“I know many of you when you saw this small, skinny guy walking in, thought I was going to lose, but no way,” Santos said. “I’m very tough.”
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Silva teed off on Feijao and put him away.
Cavalcante (11-4, 0-1 UFC) started fast with crisp combinations, body blows and even a spinning back elbow. However, there did not seem to be much in the gas tank. “Feijao” slowed noticeably late in the first frame, and Silva took notice.
The menacing Brazilian pinned Cavalcante to the cage with punches, floored him with a right uppercut to the nose and finished it with follow-up blows.
“I’m really happy, after six years, to be here in Brazil fighting again with this crowd around me,” Silva said. “I think all the provocations and things I said are very important for the fight. That’s what the crowd likes. As soon as I’m doing this, I’m going to be up here [doing] the best I can. I have a great camp and manager. I just train the best I can, and I had the opportunity, so I took it.”
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High was no match for Silva.
Silva (15-3, 3-2 UFC) sprawled out of a takedown from “The Kansas City Bandit,” moved to his back and went to work on a rear-naked choke.
Another opportunity presented itself, however, as the 28-year-old Brazilian switched to a modified triangle, extended High’s exposed limb and scored the submission.
“I tried to go his back to get the rear-naked choke, but I didn’t manage to do it,” Silva said through a translator, “so I did the armbar [instead].”
Photo: M. Alonso/Sherdog.com
Sarafian finished Mendez from the mount.
Sarafian (8-3, 1-1 UFC) drove the Californian to the mat with an inside trip from the clinch, settled into half guard and went to work. The 30-year-old Brazilian moved methodically into position for the choke, transitioned to mount and finished it there. Sarafian has recorded five wins in his past six outings.
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Rony Jason choked Wilkinson out cold.
Bezerra (13-3, 3-0 UFC) lashed out at the Englishman with punches, forcing him to turn to his wrestling. Wilkinson delivered a double-leg takedown and set up shop in the Brazilian’s guard. Bezerra calmly moved into position for the triangle, locked down the choke and even mixed in a few elbows as Wilkinson went limp.
A Team Nogueira product, Bezerra has won nine consecutive fights.
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