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UFC 98 Play-by-Play

Sherdog.com reports from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with live play-by-play of UFC 98, which is headlined by Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida.

Don't forget to check out the MMA Forums to discuss tonight's event.

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In addition to live play-by-play, Jake Rossen will be blogging all things UFC 98 on the Sherblog.

Click here for quick results.


Hit F5 on your keyboard to refresh often, as play-by-play is updated in real time.

David Kaplan vs. George Roop
Round 1
Kaplan lands a decent leg kick. Another. Roop misses a head kick. A jab from Roop opens an existing cut on the bridge of Kaplan's nose. A hard right cross from Kaplan. Both guys are lunging for punches that miss. A stiff right kick from Roop connects with Kaplan's body. Roop is moving well and starting to pick apart Kaplan with jabs and front kicks. Good right uppercut from Roop, but Kaplan's unfazed. Kaplan pins Roop along the fence and drags him down. Roop gets up. Kaplan's “Greatest American Hero” blonde mullet bounces in the wind. 10-9 Roop.

Round 2
Roop jabs well. Roop misses a huge flying knee and falls onto his back. Roop pulls guard. Kaplan wails away to no avail. Roop scrambles up. Kaplan tries a single leg but Roop defends. After about 20 seconds, kaplan scores it. Roop scrambles back up. Some good left jabs from Roop. Kaplan battles for and gets another takedown. Pretty dull fight thus far. Kaplan in Roop's guard. Kaplan, exhausted, is flailing away. Roop alternating between closed and butterfly guard. Very close round. 10-9 Kaplan.

Round 3
Roop looks very fresh. Kaplan? Not so much. Kaplan lands a decent leg kick. And another. Kaplan gets a single-leg takedown after really battling for it. Kaplan moves to side control. Kaplan scores a full mount. Roop scrambles and bucks Kaplan off. They're up. Roop stuffs a takedown. Both guys look very tired now. Kaplan pins Roop into the fence. He's trying another single leg. Roop breaks away 30 seconds later. Meager head kick by Roop. Roop is pinned against the fence again. They both throw wild strikes to close out fight. Very, very close fight. Could go either way. 10-9 Kaplan.

The official judges see the bout 29-28 Kaplan, and 30-27 Roop (twice.) Roop takes the split decision.

Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Brandon Wolff
Round 1
Wolff misses a wild head kick a minute in. Yoshida pinned against fence. Yoshida switches the position. Four knees from Yoshida. Wolff reverses. Yoshida latches on a standing guillotine during a scramble. Wolff falls and Yoshida scores the mount. The choke is deep. Wolff taps. Referee Steve Mazzagatti doesn't see it. Yoshida rolls him over and closes his guard. Wolff taps again. The official time is 2:24 of the first.

Andre Gusmao vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
Round 1
Soszynski quickly pins Gusmao into the fence. They separate. Soszynski throws a flurry of punches. Gusmao is kicked in the groin. It was accidental. The fight is on again. Gusmao lands some good leg kicks. Soszynski hurts his foe with a hard left and a right. Gusmao retreats across the cage. Soszynski traps him along the fence and tags him with a hard right straight. Soszynski flurries. A blistering straight right floors Gusmao and referee Herb Dean steps in to stop it at the 3:17 mark.

Phillipe Nover vs. Kyle Bradley
Round 1
Both are cautious to begin the contest. Nover tries to clinch, but Bradley shoves him to the ground. Bradley lands a huge right hand and hurts Nover. Nover rolls over and Bradley lands some moderately-sharp right hands. Nover slips onto his face, trying to grab a leg. Referee Yves Lavigne steps in and stops it but Nover rolls over again. Yves backs away but then Bradley lands some more glancing blows. Nover springs right up and there is confusion while Lavigne waves his arms at 1:03 of the first. The fight is over and Nover doesn't look hurt. The crowd boos rabidly. Replays show Nover wasn’t hurt. Massive gaffe by Lavigne.

Patrick Barry vs. Tim Hague
Round 1
Hague comes right at Barry. Barry hurts Hague with a right hand and a glancing head kick. Hague stumbles and is bloody, but scores a frantic takedown. Barry is trapped under Hague's weight. Barry scrambles and gets caught in a guillotine. It's deep. Barry taps out. Hague becomes emotional with his team and cries tears of joy. The official time of the submission is 1:42 of the first frame.

Mike Pyle vs. Brock Larson
Round 1
Both fighters are very tentative early. Pyle is taken down a minute in. Pyle latches on an armbar. Larson scrambles out, but is caught in a leg lock. Larson escapes and Pyle sucks him into a triangle. Larson breaks away. Larson quickly latches on a guillotine and transitions to a brabo, but Pyle escapes and tries a quick omaplata and Larson easily escapes. After another scramble, Larson secures a perfect arm triangle. It's deep. Pyle taps. Awesome fight. The official time is 3:06 of round one.

Open a second browser window for Jake Rossen's UFC 98 minute-by-minute commentary on the main card.

Sean Sherk vs. Frankie Edgar
Round 1
Edgar starts the action with a head kick that is blocked by Sherk. The former champion stays tight in the pocket and throws a right-hand lead that glances. The fighters exchange punches and nothing lands clean. Sherk ties up with Edgar but backs off to let his hands go. Sherk pumps a double jab and does not follow through. Edgar gets off a nice punching combination: a left to the body and a flurry to the chin from both hands. Edgar lands a sharp right and ducks under a fast Sherk left hook. Edgar drops levels for a single leg and Sherk has none of it. Sherk connects with a low kick but is taken down at the tail end of the blow. Edgar catches the heel and drags him to the canvas. Sherk gets to his knees and fights to get to his feet and succeeds. Now back in the center of the Octagon, both fighters land straight right hands as Sherk stalks his opponent. Edgar lands a nice right hook counter to close the round.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Edgar
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Edgar
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Edgar

Round 2
Sherk continues to walk toward his lateral-moving opponent. Edgar strikes well from the outside and crushes Sherk with a left kick to the body. Edgar looks for a single-leg takedown and Sherk easily stops it. Edgar knocks the former champion off balance with a knee to the body. Sherk turns into the counter puncher and connects with a right hook. Edgar lands with a jab, right-low kick combo. Edgar gets in a right hook to the temple before using excellent footwork to exit the pocket from his swinging opponent. Edgar uses his jab again to slip in a straight right on the mouth. And another. Edgar shuffles his feet and blasts Sherk with a right hand. Sherk is hanging tough but he’s getting picked apart by a superior striker.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Edgar
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Edgar
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Edgar

Round 3
Sherk gets a fast double-leg takedown to start the final frame. Edgar shows good defense and quickly gets Sherk off before returning to his feet. The pace slows as a lot of energy has been burned through 12 minutes in the cage. Sherk trades jabs with Edgar and is stuffed on a takedown attempt. Edgar bounces a low kick off the right leg of Sherk. Edgar lunges in with a straight left to the body that connects. Sherk lets his hands go and is scraped by an Edgar right hand. Edgar shows good footwork as he circles away. Edgar sprawls on a Sherk single and moves to a guillotine. Edgar drops down into guard but the horn sounds just as it looked as if the underdog would finish Sherk.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Edgar
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Edgar
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Edgar

All three judges agree and award 30-27 scores to Frankie Edgar.

Dan Miller vs. Chael Sonnen
Round 1
Sonnen shoots in for a double and is caught in an arm-in guillotine. Miller closes his guard and Sonnen’s face turns purple. Amazingly, Sonnen hangs on and frees his neck after a few moments. Sonnen stands and lunges in with a right hand that blasts Miller’s forehead. Sonnen tees off again. Miller works for a kneebar from the bottom and Sonnen is game. He hangs on tight and moves to side control when Miller gives up the hold. Sonnen connects with elbows to the right eyebrow before Miller gets back to guard. Sonnen stands in Miller’s guard and absolutely blasts his foe with a right hand. From Miller’s closed guard, Sonnen continues to land to the face with elbows and punches. Sonnen dominates the first frame.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen

Round 2
Sonnen looks for a single and has to fight off another guillotine. Sonnen ducks in and lifts Miller into the air for a slam, but again, Miller locks on a guillotine and this time there is no arm in. Sonnen stays calm and Miller lets it go. Sonnen then picks up right where he left off in the first round, with steady punishment via punches and elbows from his opponent’s guard. Miller opens his guard and goes high with his hips, but Sonnen sees it coming. Miller locks on a slick armbar that just misses. Sonnen gets his elbow above the crotch and rides until Miller goes back to guard. Miller attempt to move to rubber guard and Sonnen postures out. The crowd starts to boo with 20 seconds left in the stage.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen

Round 3
Miller opens up with his hands and connects with two right straights. Sonnen closes the distance and easily slams Miller to the floor. Miller gets a rubber guard but can’t hold it. Sonnen begins to punch the head and body with his right hand. Sonnen stands and looks to pass. Miller shows good legwork in securing guard. The crowd starts in again and Sonnen stands briefly before sitting back in Miller’s guard. Sonnen has Miller trapped tight against the cage but he can’t secure a better position to strike from. Miller gets a leg around the head of Sonnen but he doesn’t have the energy or leverage to lock on a triangle. The lackluster fight ends.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Sonnen

30-27 scores from all official judges as well for the winner by unanimous decision, Chael Sonnen.

Drew McFedries vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Round 1
A right hook haymaker knocks the Frenchman flat. McFedries pounces and he’s all over his opponent. McFedries bombs away with both hands. Foupa-Pokam stands and is dropped again with a right uppercut. Referee Yves Lavigne steps in at 0:37 of the first. Foupa-Pokam protests the stoppage but it was warranted.

Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra
Round 1
Serra and Hughes collide heads and Hughes gets the worst of it. Hughes is hurt and Serra tees off with punches. Hughes is shooting desperation takedowns and Serra continues to hit the head with his right hand. Hughes finally recovers and gives up his shot. Hughes stands and trades sloppy strikes with Serra before getting a powerful takedown directly into side control. Hughes transitions to Serra’s back with both hooks. Serra turns and stands to his feet.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Serra
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Serra

Round 2
Serra lands a right hand and is taken down. Hughes works to improve his position from half guard. Hughes hits the right side of Serra’s body with his left hand. Serra works to get back to guard, but Hughes stays on him with tight positioning. The crowd grows restless as Hughes does little. Serra briefly gets back to guard but he can’t hold it. Hughes starts to work the head with his right hand. Referee Steve Mazzagatti asks for action as the crowd showers the cage with boos. Serra stuffs a takedown to end the round.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Hughes

Round 3
Hughes rishes forward and connect with a right hook. Hughes drops for a takedown and gets a quick single. Serra looks for an ompaplata and a gogo. Hughes stays tight and Serra gives it up but quickly gets it right back. Hughes escapes and moves to side control. Little happens and Mazzagatti stands the welterweights. Serra slams Hughes to the canvas and roughs him up with punches. Hughes stands and Serra goes for a standing kimura on the left arm. The fight ends.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-10
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Serra

All three official judges see the fight 29-28 for Matt Hughes.

Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida
Round 1
The first 80 seconds unfold as a flinch and dance contest. Rashad whiffs on the first strike of the fight: a low kick missed by at least a foot. We’re half way through the first round and Rashad misses long on a right hand lead. Machida has a body kick blocked and the flinchfest continues. Machida drops Evans with a left to the chin. Evans stands and Machida kicks at the legs and moves away from a Rashad right hook.

Jordan Breen scores the round: 10-9 Machida
TJ De Santis scores the round: 10-9 Machida
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Machida

Round 2
Machida clinches as Evans moves forward and nearly gets a trip. Evans uses the cage with his back to stay on his feet. Machida exits the clinch and narrowly avoids a right uppercut from the champion. A lull in the action is broke by a fast punching exchange with both fighters landing. Lots of footwork from both fighters follow. Evans lands a kick to the body. Machida rocks Evans with a straight left hand. Machida swarms with punches and Evans can’t get back to his feet. Evans is getting teed off on and he gets to his feet. Machida rushes him to the cage and unloads with a left hook. A right follows and then a left hook on the chin that puts Evans to sleep at 3:57 of the second.
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