UFC 54 Results:
Liddell Blasts Horn!
Couture is Back!
Sanchez makes strong debut!

report by Brady Crytzer and Sean Wippert
Photography by Chris Cozzone

Iceman Prevails
--Brady Crytzer

The stars were out at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday night to watch history unfold at UFC 54: Boiling Point. Celebrities like James Caan, Ice T, Shaq, Chuck Zito and Kevin James filed into the Las Vegas to see Randy “The Natural” Couture make his triumphant return to the Octagon, Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia get back into the title picture and Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez make a successful UFC debut.

In the main event of the evening, the 13,000+ sold-out crowd went into a frenzy as  Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell dominated the early and late portions of his payback match against Jeremy Horn.

For the better part of Round One, both men traded small inconsequential jabs but as the crowd grew restless, Liddell crashed a hard right into the face of Horn that jolted him to the floor.

With the knowledge of Horn’s extensive ground experience, or, preferring to keep the fight a striking contest, Liddell backed away and allowed Horn to stand up to continue to go toe-to-toe.

The second round saw more of the same: Liddell throwing wide, looping bombs, and Horn doing nothing more than absorbing and surviving.

In the Third, it looked like the tables were turning when Horn started to press the action with a hard, stiff jab. Liddell did little.

But, in the 4th Round at the 2:46 mark, Liddell crashed another hard right hand into Horn’s face causing the veteran of over 100 fights to call it quits on the canvas.

'The Natural' returns with win!
--Brady Crytzer

Considered to be a Battle of the Ages, featuring two of the best wrestlers in the sport, Randy “The Natural” Couture outwrestled, outwilled and outlasted Mike Van Arsdale winning via choke in the waning minutes of the final round.

In the first round, both men seemed content to trade shots, until Van Arsdale went for the inaugural takedown of the fight. Using veteran experience, Couture quickly sprawled and began to control the head in a guillotine choke. After working for the back of his opponent, Couture was outdone by a slick escape by Van Arsdale. As the warriors traded blows, Couture once more took the fight to the ground. Using hard elbows and punches, Couture opened a cut over the eye of his opponent as the round ended.

With Round Two underway, Van Arsdale began to get the better of his more popular opponent with long, looping strikes. But showing grit and determination, Couture suddenly slammed Van Arsdale to the mat. Once there, “The Natural” began to work an anaconda choke that Van Arsdale muscled out of.

As the final round began, a badly tiring Van Arsdale landed one more hard right hand but was taken down yet again where he finally succumbed to the very same anaconda choke at 1:52.

Sanchez puts away Gassaway
--Sean Wippert

Another good fight on the bill pitted Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez against Brian “Mandingo” Gassaway.

The decade-younger, 23-year-old Albuquerque fighter came out strong, scoring a good takedown early and nearly completing a lethal guillotine. Gassaway slipped out of but took good punishment in the process.

The action was very balanced with Sanchez coming out the better of the two as the fight progressed.

Gassaway gained a bit of steam it seemed even but could not keep it going; Sanchez took and walked through a Gassaway combo, and then proceeded to take him down.

While on the floor, Sanchez twisted Gassaway into position and proceeded to unload on him. The damage was too severe for Gassaway to continue as he tapped out soon after at the 1:56 mark of the second round.

The young pheonom who won the middleweight division on "The Ultimate Fighter" shows he intends on becoming a major force in the UFC.

Trigg taps out to St.Pierre
--Brady Crytzer

In a highly anticipated welterweight clash, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre dominated Frank Trigg from the opening bell and finished him via rear choke with only 51 seconds left in the first round.

Both men came out looking to establish stand up control until the Québécois St. Pierre landed a sharp combination forcing Trigg to shoot for a takedown.

From there, it was all “Rush.” St. Pierre quickly mounted Trigg and began raining down hard punches. In an attempt to avoid more punishment, Trigg rolled to his back where his younger opponent nearly secured a submission.

Though Trigg fought valiantly to fight off the choke, Georges St. Pierre tightened his grip and sunk the maneuver in securely in the final minute of the round forcing Trigg to submit.

Sylvia traumatizes "Trauma" Telligman
--Sean Wippert

In some cases, size does not matter.

This was not one of those times.

Standing 6'8" and weighing 264 pounds, Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia put on an awesome display by taking out 6'5", 220-lb Tra “Trauma” Telligman. With nearly 400 pounds between the two fighters, things were bound to be explosive.

Both fighters came in jabbing; Sylvia’s three inch reach advantage became immediately apparent. He landed well and drove Telligman back on a few occasions.

Wasting little time, Sylvia, proceeded to land shots that had Telligman bleeding and battered by the final minute of Round One.

Then, with just one second left in the round, Sylvia threw a right kick to Telligman's head that was the finisher--Telligman was out cold when he hit the canvas. He was the second victim of the night to be taken out on a stretcher.

Sylvia once again proves that he can deliver knockouts with the best of UFC.

Lindland laws down the law against Doerksen
--Sean Wippert

The third bout of the evening was a tactical match that pitted Matt “The Law” Lindland against Joe “El Dirte” Doerkson.

From the get-go, this was a non-stop, technical floor show.

In the first round, Lindland came inches from collapsing a good armbar, but Doerkson managed to slip loose.

In the next round, "the Law" mixed it up on the canvas by employing ground killing in between at least three modified guillotines. Each time, Doerkson managed, one way or another, to slip free or kick his way out.

The action was heated going into the third round. Doerkson amped up his attack a bit but took a hard right knee in the process.

Overall, a great fight but Lindland took home the decision with scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

'Sandman' puts Irvin to sleep
--Sean Wippert

The opening fight on the bill showcased James “Sandman” Irvin and Terry Martin.

Coming into the ring in Mad Max-type attire, Martin tried to inject a little fear into his opponent, but it did not have the effect intended.

In the first round, Irvin landed a good hip takedown early and tagged Martin a few good times. Martin fought his way back up until the two were standing again. They exchanged a few more times and then Martin did the throwing, flopping Irvin to the mat with a good throw. Martin gained momentum as the first round ended.

This, however, was stopped in its tracks for in the starting seconds of the second round. Irvin leaped into Martin with a flying right knee that ended his night. The fight was stopped at the :09 mark with James “Sandman” Irvin taking the victory as he saluted his felled foe on the canvas.

irvin was taken out on a stretcher.

Prangley outpoints Lutter
--Brady Crytzer

In the opening bout of the evening, a three-round middleweight bout, Capetown, South Africa native Trevor Prangley outpointed Lion’s Den product Travis Lutter with a unanimous decision.

The powerhouse wrestler Prangley looked to enforce his strong grappling background almost immediately by shooting for a takedown. Lutter, an accomplished grappler in his own right and a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, reversed his position forcing Prangley to the octagon fence. After taking two blatantly accidental low blows costing Prangley a point, Lutter recovered by once more engaging Prangley and pressing his back against the fence. Following a textbook foot sweep, Prangley opened a nasty cut above the left eye of Lutter with a vicious elbow.

As Round Two came to a close, Prangley continued to pound Lutter with elbows and punches.

Bonus pics