This is the UFC 102 live blog for Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the main event of the pay-per-view card. Two legends square off for the possibility of a title shot against the winner of Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin at UFC 106 on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas.
The live blog begins below.
Round 1: Couture with quick punches to Nogueira's face. A brief clinch and they go back to boxing. Couture gets through with punches and clinches to add uppercuts. Nogueira pulls guard but Couture doesn't want to follow. Couture throws a right and clinches. Nogueira drops Couture and moves on top of Couture on his knees. Noguiera applies a choke but Couture stays composed and Nogueira has to eventually let go. The crowd erupts. Couture gets back to his feet. Couture tags Noguiera. Nogueira answers back with a nice combo. Couture lands cleanly on a one-two. This fight might be determined by who has the toughest chin. They exchange with a minute left. Incredible. Round one ends in clinch with Nogueira's back against the fence. 10-9 Nogueira
Round 2: Couture lands jabs. Couture taps a leg kick. Nogueira stuns Couture with punches. Nogueira tries another choke and pull guard but Couture escapes and enters Nogueira's guard. Couture works elbows. Nogueira sweeps Couture and now Nogueira is in full mount. Couture escapes to halfguard. Nogueira with punches. Nogueira is looking for the arm-triangle. He climbs to full mount and peppers Couture's body with rights. Couture shrimps and scrambles to his feet. Couture lands an uppercut. Couture is doing a great job countering Nogueira's punches. 10-9 NogueiraRound 3: Nogueira smothers Couture with punches. Couture is dropped by a right hand. Nogueira fires repeated rights, but Couture recomposes guard. Nogueira moves to side control and lands lefts. Couture pushes Nogueira away with his feet. However, Nogueira hops onto Couture's back, and puts one hook in. Couture turns and he's in Nogueira's guard with 1:21 left in the fight. Couture needs to finish if he wants to pull off the win. Nogueira holds Couture to run out the time. Couture slides in elbows. Nogueira with shorts punches as Coutures tries more elbows to close the round. 10-9 Nogueira
Nogueira wins via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
UFC 102 Photos
PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Randy Couture (Bottom) battles UFC fighter Antonio Nogueira (Top) during their Heavyweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Randy Couture;Antonio Nogueira
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PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Randy Couture (Bottom) battles UFC fighter Antonio Nogueira (Top) during their Heavyweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Randy Couture;Antonio Nogueira
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PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Antonio Nogueira (L) battles UFC fighter Randy Couture (R) during their Heavyweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Antonio Nogueira;Randy Couture
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PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Antonio Nogueira (L) battles UFC fighter Randy Couture (R) during their Heavyweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Antonio Nogueira;Randy Couture
Getty Images
PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Antonio Nogueira (L) battles UFC fighter Randy Couture (R) during their Heavyweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Antonio Nogueira;Randy Couture
Getty Images
PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Chris Leben (L) battles UFC fighter Jake Rosholt (R) during their Middleweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chris Leben;Jake Rosholt
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PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Nate Marquardt (L) knocks out UFC fighter Demian Maia (R) during their Middleweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Nate Marquardt;Demian Maia
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PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Nate Marquardt (L) knocks out UFC fighter Demian Maia (R) during their Middleweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Nate Marquardt;Demian Maia
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PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Nate Marquardt (L) knocks out UFC fighter Demian Maia (R) during their Middleweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Nate Marquardt;Demian Maia
Getty Images
PORTLAND, OR - AUGUST 29: UFC fighter Nate Marquardt (L) battles UFC fighter Demian Maia (R) during their Middleweight bout at UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira at the Rose Garden Arena on August 29, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Nate Marquardt;Demian Maia
Getty Images
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