This is the live blog for tonight's UFC 74 main event, featuring heavyweight champion Randy Couture defending his title belt against challenger Gabriel Gonzaga.
Gonzaga is the betting line favorite, but the fan polls seem to indicate that most fans both want Couture to win and think Couture will win.
The undercard is over, and Couture and Gonzaga will enter the Octagon at a little after midnight Eastern Time. If you missed the undercard, you can catch up on all the results with our UFC 74 undercard live blog.
Gonzaga has entered the Octagon. Couture has entered the Octagon. Full, round-by-round coverage and final results of Couture vs. Gonzaga are after the jump.
Gonzaga gets booed at the introduction. The crowd is very pro-Couture.
Round 1: Gonzaga comes out and quickly lands a stike, but then Couture lands a couple and gets the advantage. Couture takes Gonzaga down, and it's an action-packed first 30 seconds. The crowd is chanting Randy's name. Couture has Gonzaga tied up against the cage, and then he lands a solid right hand at the three and a half minute mark. Gonzaga got a kick in, but it didn't do much. And then Couture slams Gonzaga to the ground. Gonzaga landed a powerful shot that briefly staggered Couture, but halfway through the round, Couture seems to be ahead. Gonzaga has a lot of blood on his nose and mouth. Gonzaga's nose appears to be broken, and he's going to have a hard time breathing if this thing goes five rounds. I'm surprised by how much Couture is controlling the action. Gonzaga is spitting blood. He's really, really hurting. Gonzaga's corner is going to have to do a lot of work to stop him from bleeding, and Couture definitely won the first round.
Round 2: Gonzaga's corner did a so-so job of fixing the cut on his nose, and as Round 2 starts, Gonzaga has to breathe through his mouth. Couture again has Gonzaga pinned against the cage. Couture swings wildly with a let hand and misses. Gonzaga asks for time for the doctor to examine his cut. Ref Herb Dean stops things briefly to get the ring doctor in, but Couture comes right back in and takes control. Gonzaga has now had a point deducted for grabbing the fence. Couture's boxing is solid, and he continues to control the bigger man. Gonzaga is in serious trouble. Gonzaga is spitting blood all over the place. Couture is covered in Gonzaga's blood. As best I can tell, Couture is not bleeding at all, even though he has blood all over him. Couture lands a good uppercut. Couture wins this round 10-8, because Gonzaga lost a point, and I'm having a hard time seeing how Gonzaga could win this fight.
Round 3: Gonzaga starts things off with a high kick that doesn't land. He has the right idea, though -- he's going to need a sudden knockout if he's going to win. Gonzaga lands a solid high kick! I'm amazed that Couture didn't go down; Gonzaga's high kick went right to Couture's face. But Couture pushes Gonzaga against the cage and takes him down. Couture wins! It's over! Third-round stoppage on strikes.
Gonzaga is the betting line favorite, but the fan polls seem to indicate that most fans both want Couture to win and think Couture will win.
The undercard is over, and Couture and Gonzaga will enter the Octagon at a little after midnight Eastern Time. If you missed the undercard, you can catch up on all the results with our UFC 74 undercard live blog.
Gonzaga has entered the Octagon. Couture has entered the Octagon. Full, round-by-round coverage and final results of Couture vs. Gonzaga are after the jump.
Gonzaga gets booed at the introduction. The crowd is very pro-Couture.
Round 1: Gonzaga comes out and quickly lands a stike, but then Couture lands a couple and gets the advantage. Couture takes Gonzaga down, and it's an action-packed first 30 seconds. The crowd is chanting Randy's name. Couture has Gonzaga tied up against the cage, and then he lands a solid right hand at the three and a half minute mark. Gonzaga got a kick in, but it didn't do much. And then Couture slams Gonzaga to the ground. Gonzaga landed a powerful shot that briefly staggered Couture, but halfway through the round, Couture seems to be ahead. Gonzaga has a lot of blood on his nose and mouth. Gonzaga's nose appears to be broken, and he's going to have a hard time breathing if this thing goes five rounds. I'm surprised by how much Couture is controlling the action. Gonzaga is spitting blood. He's really, really hurting. Gonzaga's corner is going to have to do a lot of work to stop him from bleeding, and Couture definitely won the first round.
Round 2: Gonzaga's corner did a so-so job of fixing the cut on his nose, and as Round 2 starts, Gonzaga has to breathe through his mouth. Couture again has Gonzaga pinned against the cage. Couture swings wildly with a let hand and misses. Gonzaga asks for time for the doctor to examine his cut. Ref Herb Dean stops things briefly to get the ring doctor in, but Couture comes right back in and takes control. Gonzaga has now had a point deducted for grabbing the fence. Couture's boxing is solid, and he continues to control the bigger man. Gonzaga is in serious trouble. Gonzaga is spitting blood all over the place. Couture is covered in Gonzaga's blood. As best I can tell, Couture is not bleeding at all, even though he has blood all over him. Couture lands a good uppercut. Couture wins this round 10-8, because Gonzaga lost a point, and I'm having a hard time seeing how Gonzaga could win this fight.
Round 3: Gonzaga starts things off with a high kick that doesn't land. He has the right idea, though -- he's going to need a sudden knockout if he's going to win. Gonzaga lands a solid high kick! I'm amazed that Couture didn't go down; Gonzaga's high kick went right to Couture's face. But Couture pushes Gonzaga against the cage and takes him down. Couture wins! It's over! Third-round stoppage on strikes.