UFC200: Fight Pass Prelims Results Recap

JOE LAUZON vs. DIEGO SANCHEZ

(Lightweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

A pair of The Ultimate Fighter veterans collided as Lauzon took on Season 1 middleweight winner, Sanchez. Allot of people questioned if the TUF Season 1 alum had something left in the tank and just how he would look moving back to lightweight in his ‎11th year as an MMA fighter.

The answer came in a loud and vicious, ‘NO’, from ‎New England’s Lauzon as he rushed his foe and pressed him against the cage landing almost every straight punch and right hook that he threw. Lauzon implemented the clinch to mash ‘The Dream’ Sanchez along the cage wall, landing clean and short punches on the inside. Sanchez’ amazing beard held up for the first part of the onslaught which took place during opening 60 seconds of Round 1. Then he slipped out and circled away from Lauzon along the cage, but the east coast fighter stuck to him like glue, applying another clinch and teeing off with more hooks and some elbows. Sanchez took the punishment dropping to a knee then standing back up and eating more shots as he dropped his mouth piece. The end was inevitable as Lauzon even looked at the referee before unleashing a straight left hand and right hook on the face of Sanchez whose head at this point was rattling around like a Pez dispenser before the official luckily came in to stop the match.

RESULT: Joe Lauzon finishes TUF Season 1 winner Diego ‎Sanchez via TKO at (1:26) of Round 1.

THIAGO SANTOS vs. GEGARD MOUSASI

(Middleweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

The second match of the evening featured former Dream title holder, Gegard Mousasi taking on late replacement, Thiago Santos. The Brazilian stepped in on behalf of Derek Brunson ,(the original opponent of Mousasi), and somewhere Brunson is probably thankful since Santos was on the receiving end of a brutal and early KO stoppage.

Both middleweights had their moments as the fight went on, looking to get some takedowns and box from the outside. Santos had his share of moderate success backing up his man along the cage wall but never landed anything significant to threaten Mousasi who on the other hand was a more accurate and crisp with his shots. Towards the end of Round 1, he landed some solid strikes on his foe as he walked him down, then stuffed a takedown from Santos who fell back but caught himself and hopped back up carelessly. He did so with his hands to his side and Mousasi caught him flush with a wicked overhand right that sent his man teetering backwards flat on his back. Mousasi jumped on him with some follow-up strikes as he tried to cover up but they got through as the referee stepped in to call it off.

RESULT: Gegard Mousasi stops Thiago Santos via KO at (4:32) of Round 1.