Per Eklund vs. Sam Stout
Round 1
An uneventful opening frame gets us started in Newcastle. Eklund looked for the takedown throughout the frame, with stout stuffing them all. Eklund landed a knee to the mid-section against the fencing before Stout was able to trip the Swede to the canvas. From the top position, Stout dropped some elbows down on Eklund’s face. 10-9 for Stout.

Round 2
More of the same in the second. Stout showed great takedown defense as Eklund struggled to get close to the Canadian kickboxer. Stout, again took the top position in a scramble, where he landed an elbow. Eklund attempted an armbar from the bottom, but Stout had none of it and stood up. At the end of the round, the English crowd showered the cage with boos after 10 boring minutes in the Octagon. 10-9 for Stout.

Round 3
Different round, same story. Even though nothing solid connected, Stout looked crisp with his striking and continued to defend the takedown. A pretty disappointing performance by both fighters. Two Judges see the bout 30-27 for Stout. A lone judge saw it 29-27 for the Canadian.

James Lee vs. Alessio Sakara
Round 1
Lee was successful with a takedown in the opening seconds but Sakara was able to hop back to his feet. Lee again scored a takedown. Sakara stood up, and with Lee holding on to a fight, Sakara delivered right hands to the head, which prompted referee Dan Miragliotta to step in at the 1:30 mark. Sakara is back in the win column with a technical knockout.

Paul Kelly vs. Paul Taylor
Round 1
Taylor pulled guard and went for a guillotine, but Kelly was able to escape. Taylor elbowed the head from the bottom and went for another guillotine, but again Kelly was game. Kelly controlled the pace from the top position and took the first period on the strength of his ground-and-pound. 10-9 for Kelly.

Round 2
Good action in the second round. Taylor got a quick takedown and worked from Kelly’s back, where he looked for a rear-naked choke. Kelly escaped and started to pound away from the top. Much like the first round, Taylor was active from the bottom with punches and elbows, as well as two Kimura attempts. But it was Kelly who controlled the position and outworked his opponent with punches from the top. A razor-thin 10-9 round for Kelly.

Round 3
The third round of a very competitive fight unfolded much like the first 10 minutes, with Kelly out-wrestling Taylor and striking from the top position on the ground. Taylor stayed active from the bottom and landed some decent shots, but it was not enough to take any rounds. All three judges scored the bout 30-27 for Paul Kelly.

Antoni Hardonk vs. Colin Robinson
Round 1
The evening’s final preliminary bout ends quickly in just 17 seconds. Hardonk came out with two hard knees to the body, two leg kicks, two jabs and the fight is called. The second stiff jab dazed Robinson, forcing referee Mario Yamasaki to halt the contest.

Jorge Rivera vs. Kendall Grove
Round 1
Kendall Grove laded a left hook before Rivera shot in and scored a takedown against the fencing. From half-guard, Rivera landed several hard punches. Grove gave up his back to avoid punishment but he continued to get blasted on. Rivera absolutely tees off with a barrage of right hands and a left. Referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in at the 1:20 mark to save Grove. Impressive performance by Jorge Rivera.

Wilson Gouveia vs. Jason Lambert
Round 1
Lambert used his feet to cut off the cage as Gouveia circled the Octagon. Lambert landed a stiff low kick and followed with a successful single-leg takedown. Gouveia went directly to a guillotine, but Lambert escaped and pressed his opponent against the fencing. From Gouveia’s butterfly guard, Lambert landed heavy left hands and elbows. Gouveia pulled guard with another guillotine, with Lambert defending it well. Gouveia went high with his hips and locked up a triangle-choke. Lambert stood up and slammed Gouveia to the canvas. Gouveia transitioned into an omaplata, but Lambert escaped and went back to the guard. The round ends with Lambert striking the head with his right hand.

Round 2
Lambert stalked Gouveia against the cage. During a striking exchange against the cage, Gouveia landed a left hook that knocked Lambert out cold. After Wilson pounced with follow-up shots, referee Herb Dean stepped in at the 0:37 mark of round two.

Marcus Davis vs. Jess Liaudin
Round 1
Liaudin attacked the inside of Davis’ right leg with low kicks throughout the first minute of action. Davis stepped in and crushed the Frenchman with a left hook that knocked him stiff with a shot just below the ear. Three follow-up right hands later, referee Mario Yamasaki jumped in to save Liaudin at 1:04 of the first round.

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Fabricio Werdum
Round 1
Werdum landed a right hand but was quickly tripped to the mat by Gonzaga. From half-guard, Gonzaga struck Werdum’s face with his left hand and elbow. Werdum worked to get full guard back, which prompted Gonzaga to stand up and deliver a low kick. Another low kick tripped Werdum to the canvas. An inside kick to Werdum’s leg sends him back to the mat. Werdum rushes in and bulls Gonzaga over and to the ground. From the top in half-guard, Werdum landed a right elbow behind some sloppy punches. Werdum continued to elbow and Gonzaga countered by going for a kneebar as time expired.

Round 2
Werdum landed a right uppercut and a left hand before getting his shot stuffed by Gonzaga. After a moment of standing over Werdum, Gonzaga watched as referee Miragliotta stood Werdum up. Gonzaga continued to attack Werdum’s legs with low kicks. Werdum picked up the pace with two hard knees to the face of Gonzaga and a right hand. Werdum had Gonzaga leaning against the fence, absorbing knees and punches to the chin. Gonzaga, hurt and fatigued, dropped down to the canvas. Werdum pounced with a torrent of punches and elbows until Miragliotta called the bout at 4:34 of the second.

B.J. Penn vs. Joe Stevenson
Round 1
B.J. Penn immediately crashed Stevenson to the mat with an uppercut. Penn jumped on top and landed a left elbow from half-guard. Penn slowed down the pace and moved Stevenson to the fencing, where he took the mount. Stevenson showed good defense in getting to half-guard. Penn stood up and blasted the still-downed Stevenson with a right hand before jumping to side-control. Stevenson landed lefts and rights from the bottom after getting back to a closed guard. A right Penn elbow cuts Stevenson on the forehead near the hairline. Stevenson is cut very badly.

Round 2
Stevenson showed urgency at the beginning of the second frame, as he rushed out throwing his hands. Penn evaded the punches ad landed a stiff jab and a hook. The blood continued to pour as referee Herb Dean called a time out to have the cut checked. Action resumed seconds later. Penn is outclassing Stevenson on the fight with his jab ad power punches. A left hand sent a dazed Stevenson retreating to the ground. Penn followed him to the canvas and took the mount. Stevenson, after tasting a heavy right hand from Penn, gave up his back. Penn wasted little time before locking on a fight ending rear-naked choke. Stevenson, completely trapped, tapped out quickly.