In a big surprise at UFC 127, UFC newcomer Brian Ebersole upset Octagon veteran Chris Lytle, winning a unanimous decision after an action-packed 15 minutes."I'm overwhelmed with emotion," Ebersole said afterward, having just won his first chance to fight in the UFC after years of fighting on the small-time MMA circuit.
More Coverage: UFC 127 Results | UFC 127 Pictures
Ebersole started the fight by trying a crazy cartwheel kick -- a move he has actually used to knock out an opponent in the past. (Video here.) It didn't work, but it was a fun way to get things started. However, after that Lytle took the fight to the floor, where he attempted a series of guillotine chokes. None of those chokes worked, however, and Ebersole escaped every time, eventually turning the tables and finishing the first round on top of Lytle and landing strikes to Lytle's bloodied face.
The second round was a slow and steady exchange of strikes for the first few minutes, but Ebersole landed a huge knee to Lytle's chin, knocking him down and nearly knocking him out. Lytle was clearly dazed and Ebersole pounced, and although he wasn't able to finish the fight, he completely dominated the final minute and definitely won the round.
At the start of the third round Lytle looked like he thought he needed a finish, and he was pouring on the punches. But Ebersole survived Lytle's initial barrage and pinned Lytle against the cage. Once Ebersole had time to recover, he controlled most of the rest of the round. The fight ended with Ebersole on top and doing damage to Lytle's face, and at the end Lytle knew he had lost.
The judges scored it 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 for Ebersole, who improves his career MMA record to 47-14-1. Lytle falls to 30-18-5.
Get the latest gear
