YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA (12-1) VS. ALAN BELCHER (13-4): Round 3: An energetic pace opens the round as the fighters trade punches and leg kicks. Akiyama gets through a combination before Belcher throws him with a punch and kick to the body. Akiyama answers with a shot to the head. This Muay Thai fight is proving more evenly matched as the round goes on, and Belcher is starting to figure out Akiyama. Belcher just misses a well-timed right forearm to the face, sidesteps a spinning back kick and lands kicks to the body and legs before whiffing on a roundhouse to the head. Akiyama’s left eye is nearly swollen shut, and Belcher attacks that side of his body. Belcher slips after a kick and then does a backward roll to avoid Akiyama rushing in and gets back back to his feet, much to the crowd’s delight. Akiyama then pops him with a left, but Belcher backs him up with jabs before whiffing on a telegraphed spinning back fist. Akiyama uses the opportunity to score a takedown, but Belcher quickly gets back to his feet to trade a few blows before the fight ends.

CHAMP GEORGE ST-PIERRE (19-2) VS. THIAGO ALVES (22-5) – welterweight title fight: Round 2: The fighters trade low kicks again early. Alves lunges forward with a left that St-Pierre avoids. St-Pierre lands a swift Superman punch and then shoots to take Alves to the mat. Working from half guard, St-Pierre is pushed to the side, and Alves nearly escapes before his opponent reclaims the position. St-Pierre, now in full guard, postures up to drop a few punches and opens a cut on Alves. St-Pierre works through his opponent’s tight guard and then passes to sidemount. Alves pulls back in one leg and then both before St-Pierre postures up to land a right hand. St-Pierre keeps Alves chest to chest as he tries to pass guard. Alves senses an opening and quickly escapes back to his feet. St-Pierre presses him against the cage, and it now appears the blood may be coming from inside Alves’ nose.

CHAMP GEORGE ST-PIERRE (19-2) VS. THIAGO ALVES (22-5) – welterweight title fight: Round 4: A huge ovation gets the championship fourth round underway. Alves shakes off an inside leg kick and continues pushing forward. St-Pierre pops him with jabs and then shoots and again easily secures the double-leg takedown. With one leg free, St-Pierre looks to make it two. St-Pierre flattens out his opponent and holds him tight to his body. Alves backs out and gets to his feet at St-Pierre remains on his back. Alves swarms on top and throws punches to the head and body. A couple get through and connect flush. St-Pierre, though, again pulls him tight, but Alves postures up to rain down a punch and then a series of them. However, St-Pierre kicks his way free and gets back to the standing position. St-Pierre still looks extremely fresh, though Alves is far from tired. Alves telegraphs and misses an uppercut before St-Pierre again scores a takedown at will. St-Pierre moves to half guard, Alves rolls to his knees, and St-Pierre takes his back with 25 seconds to go. Alves fends off the rear-naked choke and waits out the round.

JON FITCH (22-3) VS. PAULO THIAGO (11-0): Round 1: The energy has been sapped for this fight. We’re underway, and Fitch works kicks high and low. He then scores a takedown and puts Thiago on his back. Thiago clamps on a guillotine choke, but Fitch continues working shots to the body. Thiago re-tightens it and tries to get to his feet with the submission. Fitch won’t let him, but he’s still trapped. Thiago remains pateient, as does Fitch. Thiago clamps on a second arm and tightens the hold. Fitch squirms with a sense of urgency and torques to create some breathing room. Three minutes in, and Fitch finally pops out of the submission. Fitch unloads punches and then forces the fight back to the mat when Thiago tries to get back to his feet. Fitch works from half guard and looks to pass to mount. Thiago rolls to his knees and gets to his feet, but Fitch keeps him in a hunched-over position while securing an arm and delivering elbows to the side of the head. Thiago gets to his feet briefly, but Fitch sticks on him like glue.

JON FITCH (22-3) VS. PAULO THIAGO (11-0): Round 3: Fitch with a few inside leg kicks and then one to the body. He charges in with a combination and then scoops of Thiago and takes him to the mat. Fitch works his way to Thiago’s back again. (The crowd, though still here, is absolutely dead.) Fitch hops into the mount position to garner seven cheers, and Thiago then rolls to his knees, which again gives Fitch his back from the standing position. Thiago slams backward onto Fitch’s body, but the former Purdue wrestler doesn’t break the hold. However, after a little scramble, Fitch nearly goes into the north-south position with a choke. Instead, he ends up on his back with Fitch standing over him. Thiago rolls to his knees and is tagged with punches to the side of the head. Fitch takes his back and locks in his hooks again, and it’s so quiet you can hear the fighters talking. Fitch secures a body lock and flattens out Thiago and locks in a rear-naked choke. Thiago defends and then rolls into the cage hoping to cut away Fitch’s room to maneuver.

Diego Penn invites you to watch BJ Penn VS Diego Sanchez UFC 107. For laughs, you can Watch Royal Pains Episodes. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

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