Live UFC 104 Play by Play where the light heavyweight title will be on the line when Lyoto Machida takes on Mauricio Rua at the Staples Center in L.A.

Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua

Rd 1

Shogun lands a left hand but gets clinched and kneed to the body several times by Machida. Shogun lands a nice leg kick on Machida, and already Rua has hit Machida more in the first minute than many of Machida's previous opponents combined. Rua went in for a takedown and ate knee to the face for his efforts but is briefly able to get the fight to the mat. Rua lands a nice kick to the body and follows up with a leg kick, while this fight is very close Rua is doing quite well and not being over aggressive. Another deep leg kick by Rua and follows up with a right hand that scores. Close round but Rua might have squeeked it out 10-9

Rd 2

Rua lands a nice leg kick and Machida scores with a combination of his own. Rua drives for another takedown and eats a knee to the body for his efforts. Rua looks patient  and Machida lands another body kick off a fake and Shogun drives in for offense in spurts and give another great body kick. A follow up leg kick for Machida lands and they tie up against the fence where Rua lands the better of the knee's to the thighs.  Another Close round I call this round a draw. 10-10

Rd 3

Rua lands another very good body kick and Machida follows up with a nice right hand. Both fighters are looking very patient and Machida lands a nice body kick of his own. Rua drives for a takedown and gives it up against the fence. Rua lands two very deep leg kicks and a body kick that that makes a huge slapping sound. Rua is in the lead in this round. Flurries of great action but Rua's body kicks and leg kicks appear to be the difference. Great action, as machida lands a flurry of punches but Rua returns fire and lands some good shots of his own. Another very close round, 10-9 Machida.

Rd 4

Rua lands another big leg kick, and another body kick. Machida responds with a high kick and afte Machida slips Rua drives in with a takedown attempt but both separate without any damage done. Rua lands another nice leg kick but Machida responds with a flurry of punches maybe one of which land. Another leg kick for Rua, and another counter from Machida. Rua is landing with the leg kick to Machida's lead left leg which is getting beat up. Machida is looking slower and less responsive. 10-9 Rua

Rd 5

Rua lands another deep leg kick and his legs are clearly in a world of hurt. Anothe deep leg kcik and Machida almost fell over from the leg kicks. Machida is looking flat footed and slow. Machida lands a couple of nice knee's but Rua's cardio looks amazing and his confidence appears to be growing and give Machida another body kick. Rua clinches and breaks out with a left elbow and a right hand to land his best shots of the round. Rua 10-9

 

Machida has won the fight by decision via unanimous 3 x 49-48. Fans are booing Machida and cheering for Rua.

 

Cain Velasquez vs. Ben Rothwell

Rd 1

Rothwell looks like he is in the best shape of his career and come out firing but Velasquez takes the fight to the mat but is having trouble keeping the fight on the ground. Velasquez is forced to stay up on the feet for a while and Rothwell is getting back to his feet but Velasquez gets a takedown again and assaults Rothwell against the cage with elbows and Rothwell looks like he is in trouble. Velasquez is landing his ground and pound now and Rothwell gets mounted briefly but escapes, but Velasquez is teeing off and driving huge punches to the face from the guard. Rothwell seems to be  dazed and his defence is almost zero and he looks like he is out on his feet but he survives the round. Velasquez takes the round 10-8.

 

Rd 2

Rothwell needs to get something going and starts with a high kick. Velasquez is throwing uppercuts to the face of Rothwell against the fence and Mazagatti steps in to stop the fight even though Rothwell was posting and getting back to his feet. It looked like the stoppage might have come at the wrong time but I don't think it changed the outcome of the fight. Velasquez dominates.

 

Gleison Tibau vs. Josh Neer

Rd 1

Tibau rips Neers legs out from under him and slams him to the mat but Neer is able to regain guard and get back to the feet. Neer wants to stand up Tibau and is surprisingly using his leg kicks to keep his opponent off balance but Tibau again drives Neer into the mat. Neer is working the leg kicks but Tibau again drives him into the mat but can't keep him there. Neer literally bench presses Tibau off and scrambles right back to the feet. Tibau gets another big takedown but again Neer gets back to his feet and lands a nice uppercut and at the bell. Tibau wins the round 10-9.

 

Rd 2

Tibau starts the round with another takedown, but Neer gets back to his feet again too. Tibau lands his second takedown, but can't get anything going on the ground and Neer lands a nice leg kick. Tibau landed another big takedown but this time Neer took the mount and worked his way to the back and Neer is in trouble. Neer slowly works his way out fighting off an armbar attempt in the process and goes back to work on the feet and Tibau looks like he is slowing down.

 Rd 3

Another big takedown by Tibau but he still can't get anything going on from the top. Neer stuffs his first takedown of the fight and Tibau looks like he is getting tired and it shows again with Neer stuffing his second takedown of the fight. Neer gets taken down again and Tibau again has trouble mounting any offense. Gleison works a few more takedowns secures the decision 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.

Joe Stevenson vs. Spencer Fisher

Rd 1

A little bit tentative in the early moments of the fight but Fisher lands a nice straight right on Stevenson. Another counter right hand lands for Fisher but somehow it is Fisher who is bleeding from the right eye.  Stevenson drives Fisher into the cage but can't seem to finish the takedown as Fisher's takedown defense looks much improved. Fisher is bleeding into his own eye and is blinking furiously.  Stevenson has taken the back and is dropping big punches to the side of the head and probably took the round because his late offense. Stevenson takes round 1 10-9.

 

Rd 2

Fisher lokslike he is looking to get in close and be aggressive because he might be worried about the cut over his right eye.  Stevenson eventually gets the takedown and goes to work against the fence passing to half-mount and eventually full mount but Fisher regains half-guard. Stevenson is driving big elbows into the face of Fisher and re-opened the cut onver his right eye and Fisher is in bgi trouble eating elbows and knees. Stevenson gets side control and has the crucifx and drives elbows into the face until the Herb Dean steps in to stop the fight 4:03 of round 2.

 

Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida

Johnson looks huge in this fight and is coming in hard with uppercuts and hooks and Yoshida looks like he is hurt already. Johnson steps in with a right hand that drops Yoshida to the mat and referee Steve Mazagatti at 41 seconds of the first round. Johnson stops Yoshida via knockout,  early in the first round.

 

Chael Sonnen over Yushin Okami decision rd 3

Sonnen comes out with a nice takedown to start the fight and is all over Okami who is taking punches to the side of the head. Sonnen is on him and takes the fight down again but Okami gets back to his feet. They separate and work some stand up where Sonnen appears to have the better of the exchanges landing leg kicks and combinations.  Chael Sonnen takes round 1 10-9

 

Rd 2

Sonnen surprisingly keeps the leg kicks active, but Okami lands a nice combination that seems to have stunned Sonnen but Sonnen's cardio is looking amazing and his pace is absolutely relentless. Okami is clearly frustrated who is forced to throw hands with Sonnen and defend takedowns that Sonnen is finishing everytime. Okami landed a solid combination but Sonnen just keeps coming in a lands a nice right hand. Sonnen lands a couple of nice left hands and eats a jab but is clearly taking over the stand up.

 

Rd 3

Joe Rogan says that this is Sonnen is the best Sonnen he has ever seen and I would have to agree. Okami is resigned to throwing punches and Sonnen is looking like the better striker. Okami has settled in and looks to be coming back landing a flurry of nice shots but Sonnen comes in and dumps Okami to the mat and takes the back and strikes the side of his head. Okami is in trouble, Sonnen is all over him and is not giving him a millimeter to move. Okami works his way into a Kimura attempt but this fight is all Chael Sonnen. Sonnen takes the unanimous decision.

 

Ryan Bader over Eric Schafer Decision rd 3

 

Pat Berry over Antoni Hardonk TKO rd 2

 

Jorge Rivera over Rob Kimmons TKO rd 3

 

Kyle Kingsbury over Razak Al-Hassan Split Decision rd 3

 

Stefan Struve over Chase Gormley submission rd 3

Gormley takes the fight to the ground early and lands some nice ground-and-pound firing off punches and elbows and eventually Struve goes for a leg lock and Gormley decides to play the game and drops to his back to accomodate. After getting back to their feet Struve gets Gormley to the ground and starts firing off punches and hammerfists and eventually rolls into a triangle choke that finishes Gormley.