This is the UFC on FOX 4 undercard live blog for the Shogun vs. Rua event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
There will be six fights on the undercard. Cole Miller vs. Nam Phan, Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado, Josh Grispi vs. Rani Yahya, Phil De Fries vs. Oli Thompson, Manvel Gamburyan vs. Michihiro Omigawa and John Moraga vs. Ulysses Gomez will be featured on the prelims.
Check out the live blog below.
John Moraga vs. Ulysses Gomez
Round 1: the referee is Herb Dean. Both fighters come out orthodox with Moraga taking center of the cage. Moraga throws an overhand right, mises, but clinches and fires knees into Gomez's midsection. Hard outside leg kick from Moraga as he's back to taking center. Moraga with a hard body shot and fantastic liver kick. Gomez forces the clinch and couldn't do anything with it. Moraga lands a hard outside left elbow then a series of hooks and he puts Gomez to sleep. Incredible UFC debut by Moraga.
John Moraga def. Ulysses Gomez by KO at 3:46 of round 1.
Manvel Gamburyan vs. Michihiro Omigawa
Round 1: Luis Cobian is the referee. Omigawa stands southpaw, Gamburyan is orthodox and already stalking. A minute in Gamburyan throws a flying knee that partially lands. Omigawa then rocks Gamburyan just a bit with a left hook. Gamburyan with a straight right to the body. Now Omigawa doing the stalking, but he backs off and Gamburyan whiffs on a right hook. Left hook again from Omigawa. Gamburyan attempts a low single, but Omigawa moves out of it easily.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Omigawa
Round 2: Gamburyan throwing huge strikes early and now clinches with Omigawa against the fence as he presses for a takedown. Gamburyan hits a slide by, but can't get the takedown. He does then run the pipe on a single, but Omigawa stands. Gamburyan again lifts Omigawa for a partial slam, but Omigawa stands. Gamburyan does it again and this time take the back. Omigawa moves to the fence and is able to stand. Jab lands for Gamburyan.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Gamburyan
Round 3: Gamburyan lands two head kicks, the first of which rocks Omigawa, Yet, the Japanese judoka is still on his feet. Now Omigawa is the one pressing forward landing strikes. Gamburyan attempting a double leg takedown in the middle of the round, but gets it as a single. Omigawa stands. Gamburyan is relenetless and scores a pick up double leg scoop slam. Omigawa stands and yet Gamburyan does it again, dumping Omigawa into side control. Omigawa is able to stand and now presses Gamburyan into the fence as he attempts a guillotine. Both fighters are up and Gamburyan attempts the head kick.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Gamburyan and the fight 29-28 Gamburyan.
Manny Gamburyan defeats Michihiro Omigawa by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Phil De Fries vs. Oli Thompson
Round 1: 'Big' John McCarthy is the referee for this bout. Both fighters open orthodox. Thompson stalking early, but gets caught with a right coming. De Fries is being pressed against the fence, but Thompson not doing much. De Fries now doing the pressing, but not much else. Referee McCarthy separates them. Thompson lands a short right hand, but De Fries is back to pressing Thompson into the fence. De Fries lands a single leg takedown, but Thompson is back on his feet and being pressed against the fence. The two briefly separate and De Fries is backing to pressing.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 De Fries
Round 2: The two are jabbing in the center of the cage until Thompson is dropped by a fantastic one-two. De Fries follows up, but Thompson hangs on. Now De Fries is back to pressing Thompson into the cage. De Fries briefly stops the action and lands a right. In an awkward scramble, De Fries gets behind Thompson and is battering him from turtle position. De Fries batters him slowly until he gets the back and eventually sinks the rear naked choke. Thompson taps and that's a wrap.
Phil De Fries def. Oli Thompson by submission (face crank/rear naked choke) at 4:16 of round 2
Josh Grispi vs. Rani Yahya
Round 1: Herb Dean is the referee. Both fighters open orthodox. A punch drops Yahya, but Grispi stuffs the takedown. Grispi throws a knee and Yahya eats it, but now he's working within Grispi's guard. Yahya's standing out of Grispi's guard and is attempting to pass to side control with a knee cut across pass. He gets it. Now he's going north-south and after a few rotations taps Grispi. Quick work for the jiu-jitsu black belt.
Rani Yahya def. Josh Grispi by submission (north-south choke) at 3:15 of round 1
Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado
Round 1: Luis Cobian is the referee. Prado standing southpaw, Davis is orthodox. Prado wings a right hook and misses and it subsequently poked in the eye by Davis. The bout is temporarily halted. Prado seems to have told the doctor he can't see and that's it, the referee ends the bout. Prado seems upset and suggests he wanted to fight, but that's it. Fight is over.
This bout has been declared a no decision.
Cole Miller vs. Nam Phan
Round 1: 'Big' John McCarthy is the referee. Both fighters are standing orthodox. Miller trying to keep Phan on the outside with jabs and leg kicks. Phan doing all the stalking, but not able to land much. Phan able to land a few digs to the body. Left hook finds the mark for Phan. And another. And another. And another. Now a one-two from Phan lands as Phan seems to have found his range and combinations that work. Phan cracks Miller with another left hook at the end of a combination. Miller with a good jab. Phan ends the round with a left to the body and head.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Phan
Round 2: Miller back to jabbing, but he's also getting cornered. Phan throwing strong combinations and landing, but is also nailed with a good jab by Miller. Both fighters trade crosses. Third punch of three-punch combo finds the mark for Phan and he's doing all the stalking. Nice right hands by Miller and a jab. Good left hook by Phan finds the mark. And another.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Miller
Round 3: Miller comes out aggressive, but is hurt with a left hook by Phan in the process. He eats another in an exchange. And again. Phan whiffs on a head kick. Phan still attempting body punches, albeit with right hands. Phan lands one-half of a body-head combo. Miller's punches seem to be coming slow and Phan is able to land with more hurried activity. Great jab by Miller pops Phan's head back. Miller misses with a knee and a kick to the end the round.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Phan and the fight 29-28 Phan
Nam Phan def. Cole Miller by split decision (29-28Phan, 29-28Miller, 29-28Phan)