MEXICO CITY -- Mixed martial arts is the most unpredictable sport in the world, and Fabricio Werdum proved that yet again on Saturday before a raucous sell-out crowd at Mexico City Arena in the main event of UFC 180.
Mark Hunt was controlling the bout with his punching power, keeping the Brazlian on edge and wary of engaging. But as Hunt moved in for what appeared to be a right hand, he ducked his head. At the same time, Werdum leaped and hit the iron-jawed Hunt squarely on the chin with a crushing knee.
Hunt went down and Werdum quickly followed him to the ground. He landed a series of hard shots that forced referee Herb Dean to stop it at 2:27 of the second round. He won the UFC's interim heavyweight title and will meet champion Cain Velasquez when Velasquez recovers from knee surgery.
The main event was the only one on the main card to go past the first round, but it finished in dramatic and unexpected fashion. Hunt seemed in control and it appeared to be a matter of time before one of the power bombs he was firing at Werdum would land and end the fight.
That unpredictability is what makes the sport so great and it made Werdum a champion.
He and his team celebrated like young children, huddling in a group and dancing and jumping up and down after it was over. The large crowd, which saw one of�the finest top-to-bottom shows of the year, cheered lustily as Werdum celebrated.
In the co-main event, a new star might have been born. Kelvin Gastelum was exceptionally impressive in dominating Jake Ellenberger, winning an important fight that should move him into the welterweight division's top 10.
Gastelum, The Ultimate Fighter Season 17 winner, was out-striking Ellenberger in the early going, pumping his jab and firing a left hand behind it.
In the final minute of the round, Ellenberger took Gastelum down. But Gastelum was lightning quick in the scramble, got Ellenberger's back and sunk in the rear-naked choke.
Ellenberger tapped at 4:46 for his third consecutive loss. Gastelum not only improved to 11-0, but he sent a message with his all-around performance that he's going to be a factor in the welterweight division.
No fighter on the card was hotter coming into the show than Dennis Bermudez. He'd won seven in a row and was making a strong case for himself as the next title challenger in the tough featherweight division.
But former title challenger Ricardo Lamas derailed Bermudez's hopes with an impressive finish of his own.
Lamas dropped Bermudez with a jab and quickly rushed in to catch Bermudez in a guillotine choke at 3:18 of the first round. As he celebrated his victory, he shouted to UFC president Dana White seated at cageside, "Hey Dana, make sure my bonus is in dollars, not pesos."
Lamas has now won back-to-back fights since losing earlier this year to champion Jose Aldo and is fighting his way back into contention for another crack. He's won six of his last seven, the only blemish being a decision defeat to Aldo at UFC 169.
Augusto "Dodger" Montano was the only Mexico City resident on the card, and he walked to the cage to a loud roar. He proved he deserved the crowd's respect by overwhelming Chris Heatherly.
Montano used a series of knees to double over Heatherly and force referee John McCarthy to come in to stop it at 4:50 of the first.
Montano, who was in his UFC debut, improved his record to 14-1 with the stoppage.�
In the opener on the pay-per-view card, Hector Urbina made his UFC debut a successful one by submitting Edgar Garcia with a guillotine choke.
The finish for the former "The Ultimate Fighter" contestant came out of nowhere. He was grappling along the cage with Garcia when Garcia dropped his head into Urbina's chest.
Urbina quickly spun into the guillotine and locked it in, forcing the submission at 3:38 of the first.
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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/fabricio-werdum-mark-hunt-interim-title-043047847.html
Leonard Garcia Andrew Gardner Tiki Ghosn Dennis George Kultar Gill
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