“I kept my chin down and came over the top with my right,” said Kyle, who trained hand in hand with Paul Buentello in the lead up to this fight. It was a thoroughly impressive performance, beginning in the fight’s first minute when the former college football player trapped Irvin against the fence.
He was clearly the stronger of the two men, and Irvin had little chance of surviving on the floor against Kyle. When Dean stood the fighters after action slowed, Irvin made the most of his opportunity, connecting with the shot he was looking for.
But the same right straight that knocked out lesser opponents had little effect against Kyle. Knowing Irvin didn't have the power to hurt him, Kyle fired his punches en route to the knockout.
David Loiseau made his UFC return a successful one, when the doctor at ringside informed referee Steve Mazzagatti between the first and second period that Gideon Ray would be unable to continue.
As the first round came to an end Loiseau landed a slicing elbow that opened an ugly gash along the left side of Ray’s shaved head. With blood pouring from the cut there was no other option and the fight had to be called.
Less than a week ago, Loiseau thought there’d be no way he’d get a chance to fight tonight when it was learned that his scheduled opponent, Joe Riggs, suffered stitch-requiring cut in training. Speculation had the UFC removing the fight from the card rather than finding a last-minute replacement, but Ray, an undersized middleweight, stepped in to save the fight.
While he fought his heart out, escaping nearly-sunk rear-naked choke to briefly reverse his Canadian opponent, Ray could never match Loiseau’s power, particularly on the canvas where the dangerous striker has adapted his Muay Thai game to a brutal art.
“I’m an elbow-guy,” said a jubilant Loiseau. “I throw elbows when I eat breakfast.’
Karo Parisyan tallied every round on the judges’ scorecards to win a unanimous decision over veteran fighter Chris Lytle. For 15 minutes the Armenian-born competitor by way of North Hollywood, Calif. was in control, putting the fight to the mat virtually any time he wanted.
Lytle, a far better boxer than his 22-year-old opponent, was never allowed to get off. And Parisyan made sure that each time the two clinched, Lytle wound up with his back to the canvas.
Punches and elbows came in bunches from Parisyan. Unable to strike, stop takedowns or get out from underneath the judo star, Lytle’s frustrations mounted as the fight moved into the second and third periods.
Referee Mario Yamasaki did his part to keep the action flowing by standing the fighters on multiple occasions—but that just led into another Parisyan’ takedown.
The win, which makes three in four UFC fights for Parisyan, puts the welterweight in line to take the next step in the division.
21-year-old welterweight Nick Diaz dominated Drew Fickett, stopping the Tucson, AZ-based fighter 4:40 of round one. Diaz, who made his return to the Octagon for the first time since losing to Karo Parisyan last August, overwhelmed Fickett from the opening bell.
After the victory, Diaz said of the fight-ending sequence: “I’m punching him in the face … I’m punching him. It feels good—first round win. I’m gonna go eat.”
His threw strikes at an unreal pace, never allowing Fickett, 25, an opportunity to catch his breath. From the guard the Stockton, Calif. native peppered Fickett with chopping punches, aimed more at setting up an armbar than landing damaging blows.
Fickett defended the submission well, but Diaz continued to pour on the attacks. After briefly returning to the feet when referee John McCarthy halted action to replace Fickett’s mouthpiece, the two clinched and Fickett dropped to the guard, hoping to secure a miracle guillotine choke.
Diaz easily freed himself and started to land the fight’s heaviest shots. With 20 second remaining in the first period, McCarthy jumped in to stop the onslaught.