Phil Davis control Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Scott McKinley/MMADieHards)

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Phil Davis

In the light heavyweight main event of Ultimate Fight Night 24, MMA veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira battled NCAA wrestling champion Phil Davis.

The opening round was tentative as Davis looked nervous to strike with the Olympic boxer.  Davis mixed in a variety of kicks to the body while searching for a takedown.  Nogueira stuffed every attempt in the round.

In the second round, it was more of the same, until Davis finally brought the fight to the mat within two minutes left in the round. Nogueira scrambled, but Davis moved to his back against the fence and rained punches as the round came to a close.

The final round saw Davis’ wrestling begin to work. Utilizing a number of single leg takedowns, he was able to keep Nogueira on his back for the majority of the round. The fight concluded with Davis in Nogueira’s half guard.

The judges scored the bout 30-27 across the board for Phil Davis.

Asked if he was surprised the Brazilian was able to shrug off his takedowns in the first round, “No. He’s tough,” Davis proclaimed.

Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson

A welterweight showdown between heavy hitters Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Dan Hardy fell short of the pre-fight predictions of fireworks.

In the opening frame, Johnson connected with a headkick that dropped Hardy, and Johnson gained top control.  There was little action on the mat. Hardy tried for a kimura on Johnson’s left arm, but Johnson powered out of the hold and finished the round in half guard.

The second round opened with Johnson slipping under a Hardy punch and scoring a double leg takedown. Hardy again attempted a kimura on the left arm, but Johnson again escaped.  Referee Josh Rosenthal stood up the fighters with less than a minute in the round due to lack of action.  Johnson scored another takedown as the round ended.

The last round saw Hardy shoot for a takedown, but was easily stuffed by Johnson and he brought the fight to the ground yet again. Hardy this time went after Johnson’s right arm, but again, no avail.  Johnson took Hardy’s back and worked for a choke.  Hardy rolled and Johnson moved to mount, trapping his left arm.  Johnson applied an arm triangle, but Hardy refused to tap and managed to survive. Johnson finished with a brief flurry.

The crowd booed heavily as the decision was read as Johnson took a unanimous decision, 30-27 on all scorecards.

DaMarques Johnson vs. Amir Sadollah

Ultimate Fighter Season 7 winner Amir Sadollah showed that multiple opponent changes did not affect his performance. Originally slated to face Duane Ludwig, and then James Wilks, Sadollah would face DaMarques Johnson.

In the first round, Johnson connected with a big shot that wobbled Sadollah momentarily.  Sadollah threw a headkick and both fighters crashed to the mat. After a scramble, the fight returned the feet. Johnson caught a leg kick and took the fight down again. Again on the feet, Sadollah connected with a big shot that dropped Johnson. Johnson landed a nice judo throw and moved to a crucifix, but could not keep Sadollah on the mat.

The second round opened furiously and Sadollah landed a huge knee that rocked Johnson. Johnson’s takedown attempt was stuffed and Sadollah brought the fight to the ground. Sadollah dropped big elbows and moved to the mount. Unleashing a flurry from top position, Johnson submitted to the strikes.

Official time of the stoppage was 3:27 of round two. Sadollah dismissed title contention talk while speaking Joe Rogan post fight.

Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung

In a rematch of one of the most entertaining fights of 2010, featherweights Chan Sung Jung and Leonard Garcia again faced off at Ultimate Fight 24 from Seattle.

Although the fight didn’t include the frantic pace of the first fight, both fighters came to fight.  The opening round saw both fighters throw big shots.  Garcia connected with a right hand and forced Jung to take the fight to the ground.  Jung looked for a submission, mounting Garcia and then taking his back as the round ended.

The second round saw both fighters deliver big knees and Jung connected with a big shot that brought the fight to the mat. After a number of elbow strikes from top position, he transitioned to Garcia’s back and worked for a submission. Garcia fended off a choke, but Jung locked in a twister just seconds before the round came to a close.  Garcia was forced to tap with one second remaining.

The submission is the first to be performed in the UFC.  Jung credited YouTube videos for the technique and declared that someday he would perform it in the cage.

Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow

Heavyweights Mike Russow and Jon Madsen struggled through two rounds of sloppy striking and wrestling in their UFN 24 fight.

The opening round was slow and neither fighter did much damage as they traded on the feet and clinched against the cage.

In the second, Russow stuffed a number of takedown attempts from Madsen and moved to his back on multiple occasions. Half way through the round, a big right hand connected and Madsen’s left eye immediately began to swell.  Between rounds, the cageside doctor determined that Madsen should continue.

Russow claims a TKO victory at the 5:00 mark of the round two.

Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier

Former WEC featherweight Mackens Semerzier made sure that his UFC debut was memorable. For Ultimate Fighter Season 12 alumni Alex Caceres, the same cannot be said.

Caceres opened the fight aggressively, but Semerzier capitalized by clinching and obtaining a body lock.  He quickly took the fight to the ground.  Caceres managed to return to his feet on two occasions, but Semerzier was relentless.  After getting mounted, Caceres was forced to give up his back and Semerzier made sure he would not escape.  The fight ending rear-naked choke was locked in at 3:18 of the first round and Caceres tapped.

“My jiu-jitsu is good. Fifteen years of training pays off,” declared Semerzier.  “I’m always looking to get better.”

John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray

Welterweights Kris McCray and John Hathaway battled back-and-forth for three round at UFN 24.

The opening round saw an aggressive McCray dictate the pace, but the young Brit Hathaway threatened to end the fight with a toe hold.

In the second stanza, the fighters repeatedly traded takedowns and managed to return to their feet.  The round ended with McCray reversing a late Hathaway takedown and mounting him.

The final frame was all Hathaway, as he opened the round with a takedown and smothered McCray for nearly two minutes.  When McCray did reverse the position, Hathaway returned to his feet and took McCray down all over again.

The judges scored the closely contested bout 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 for England’s Hathaway.

“Kris is a tough fighter.  My hat’s off to him,” Hathaway said following the bout.

Edwin Figueroa vs. Michael McDonald

Bantamweights Michael McDonald and Edwin Figueroa put on a fast-paced show for the UFN 24 crowd in Seattle.

The two striking standouts traded big shots in the opening frame, with McDonald rocking Figueroa on multiple occasions.  McDonald connected with a big right hand right as the bell sounded in the round and Figueroa stumbled to his corner.

The second round saw the action hit the mat as McDonald scored a big takedown and took Figueroa’s back.  Figueroa calmly escaped a rear-naked choke, but rolled into a triangle-armbar combination from McDonald.  However, he was able to survive the round.

The final round saw the pace slow, but McDonald continued to pour it on with takedown after takedown.  The judges rewarded McDonald with a unanimous decision victory with scores of 30-27 across the board.

Figueroa took the fight on just one week’s notice, but clearly won the crowd over with his submission defense.  “I never give up,” the young fighter declared.

McDonald, in victory, also praised his opponent, “He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever fought.”

Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft

Promising young heavyweight Christian Morecraft showed a well-rounded attack in his battle with Sean McCorkle.  The pair opened up the Facebook portion of Ultimate Fight Night 24.

McCorkle scored a takedown early in the first round, but Morecraft rolled for a kneebar.  Although McCorkle escaped, it gained Morecraft top position where he began to punish McCorkle.  At one point, Morecraft dropped his mouthpiece, but managed to pick it up and re-insert it all while maintaining position.  Morecraft finished the round in side control.

In the second stanza, Morecraft began to unload on McCorkle on the feet.  A knee from Morecraft connected with McCorkle downstairs and a lengthy timeout was called.  Once back to action, McCorkle shot for a takedown, but was countered by a standing guillotine from Morecraft.  McCorkle never tapped, but crashed to the mat unconscious at the 4:10 mark of the round.

“It was a long four months of training,” proclaimed Morecraft.  Asked about the choke, he stated, “I just kept squeezing like (expletive).”

Johny Hendricks vs. TJ Waldburger

Johny Hendricks demonstrated his powerful hands in quickly disposing of TJ Waldburger in their welterweight bout at UFN 24.

Waldburger opened the fight by trying to take Hendricks down, but the former Oklahoma State wrestler used his balance to keep the fight standing.  Hendricks connected with a massive left hook that clearly rocked the young Texan, and immediately followed with another that send Waldburger crashing face first to the canvas.

Referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight at 1:35 of the first round.

Mario Miranda vs. Aaron Simpson

Middleweight Aaron Simpson put on a dominant display of wrestling against Brazilian Mario Miranda at Ultimate Fight Night 24.  The former All-American at Arizona State used his superior strength to manhandle Miranda from the clinch throughout the fight.  Simpson delivered a barrage of knees to the hamstrings of Miranda and prevented the Brazilian from ever finding his rhythm.  The final round saw Simpson violently slam Miranda on a number of occasions and punish with big right hands from the half guard en route to a clear cut victory.

The judges scored the fight 30-27, 30-27, 30-26 for the “A-Train.”

Nik Lentz vs. Waylon Lowe

The first fight of UFN 24 featured a lightweight battle between wrestlers Nik Lentz and Waylon Lowe.  The first two rounds saw Lentz constantly move forward, but he was punished by Lowe with a number of big right hands.  Lentz twice initiated clinches, but it was Lowe who would take the fight to the mat.  In the opening round, Lowe finished with a big slam.  The second round saw Lowe’s smothering top control, but featured a referee standup with a minute left in the stanza.  The final frame opened slowly, but Lowe continued to punish Lentz on the feet.  Midway through the round, Lowe shot for a takedown and Lentz slapped on a tight guillotine that forced a tap from Lowe at 2:24 mark of the round.

“I might have underestimated his boxing a little bit,” Lentz proclaimed after stealing victory with the slick submission.  With the victory, Lentz remains undefeated inside the promotion.