Werdum and Santos Lead Record-Setting Submission Party - UFC on FUEL TV 10 Main Card Results

On a night at the Paulo Sarasate Arena in Fortaleza, Brazil, where a Brazilian won every fight and there were more submissions (eight) than in any other event in Zuffa-era UFC-Silva-vs-Irvin">UFC history*, the biggest moment was saved for the UFC on FUEL TV 10 main event, as Fabricio Werdum avenged a 2006 PRIDE loss to Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira by submitting the Rio de Janeiro legend in the second round. In the process, Porto Alegre’s Werdum made a strong case for an eventual shot at the heavyweight title.

Werdum opened with three leg kicks before locking up and taking Nogueira to the canvas. Werdum worked hard to improve his position as Nogueira tried to escape, and it was Minotauro who won that little battle, but not without eating a knee on the way back to his feet. Once standing, Nogueira stalked, landing solid shots before the two got entwined against the fence. There, it was a war of attrition before they broke, with Nogueira landing a nice elbow just before another lock up just before the bell.

The kicks of Werdum again began his attack in the second round, but after a successful series of shots, it was Nogueira locking up and working on the inside. After a missed guillotine choke by Nogueira, the two tumbled to the canvas with Werdum on top. Midway through the round, Werdum took Nogueira’s back and then locked up his arm, producing a verbal tap out from the former PRIDE and UFC champion 2:41 into the second round.

With the win, the 35-year-old Werdum improves to 17-5-1; the 37-year-old Nogueira falls to 34-8-1 with 1 NC.

See the post-fight interview for Fabricio Werdum.

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SANTOS vs. PATOLINO

Rio de Janeiro veteran Leonardo Santos made it to Ultimate-Fighter-Heavyweights-FINALE">the Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2 final with a little bit of luck after original finalist Santiago Ponzinibbio was injured in their semifinal bout, but on fight night against unbeaten William “Patolino” Macario, there was no chance involved, as he submitted his foe in the second round to become the series’ latest ultimate fighter.

After a fairly slow start, it was Patolino drawing first blood when he took Santos to the canvas two minutes in. What followed were some selective strikes to the head while Patolino also stayed out of trouble submission-wise. With a little over a minute left, Santos escaped to his feet, but the two wound up back on the mat by the end of the round.

The bout strayed to the mat once again in the second frame, but Patolino wasn’t able to do much with his advantage. A subsequent takedown attempt by Santos ended up with Patolino on top thanks to a fence grab, but referee Marc Goddard correctly restarted the action and delivered a warning to the 21-year-old. When the fight resumed, Santos pounced, getting the takedown and staying on top this time. An arm triangle was locked in shortly thereafter, and it was game over for Patolino, who tapped out at 4:43 of the round.

With the win, Santos improves to 12-4; Patolino falls to 7-1.

See the post-fight interview for Leonardo Santos.

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SILVA vs. FEIJAO

The All-Brazil grudge match between light heavyweights Thiago Silva and Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante ended in emphatic fashion, with Silva knocking Feijao out in the first round, spoiling the former Strikeforce champion’s UFC debut in the process.

Feijao was on target early and often with his right hand, both to the head and body, but Silva wouldn’t be deterred from his own aggressive attack, which focused mainly on kicks with some bad intentioned blows mixed in. Three minutes in, Feijao rocked Silva with a spinning elbow, but the Sao Paulo veteran shook it off and kept firing, growing stronger as the round progressed. Finally, with under a minute left, Feijao looked exhausted and Silva smelled blood, ripping off a right uppercut that dropped the Rio de Janeiro product. Once on the mat, Feijao covered up, but he was done, with Silva’s follow-up shots bringing in referee Dan Miragliotta to stop the fight at the 4:29 mark.

The win for Silva, which ups his record to 15-3 with 2 NC, was his first since 2009. Feijao falls to 11-4 with 1 NC.

See the post-fight interview for Thiago Silva.

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SILVA vs. HIGH

Vila Vehla’s Erick Silva spoiled the UFC return of Jason High, submitting the Strikeforce veteran just 71 seconds into their welterweight bout.

After a brief feeling out process, High looked for a takedown but Silva aggressively defended it. In the process, he was able to lock High’s arm up, and the end came seconds later at the 1:11 mark, lifting Silva’s record to 15-3 with 1 NC. High falls to 17-4 in his first UFC bout since a 2010 loss to Charlie Brenneman.

See the post-fight interview for Erick Silva.

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SARAFIAN vs. MENDEZ

TUF Brazil 1 finalist Daniel Sarafian followed up his Fight of the Night performance against CB Dollaway in January with a win in his second UFC effort, dominating Eddie Mendez en route to a first round submission victory in a middleweight contest.

In control from the start, Sao Paulo’s Sarafian took Mendez out of his element early on, bringing the fight to the mat, where he moved into the mount position and then locked in an arm triangle choke, prompting a tap from the California 2:20 into the fight.

Sarafian ups his record to 9-3 with the victory; Mendez falls to 7-2-1 with 1 NC.

See the post-fight interview for Daniel Sarafian.

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JASON vs. WILKINSON

After showing off his striking attack in his knockout win over Sam Sicilia last October, featherweight up and comer Rony Jason got back to his jiu-jitsu game in his win over Mike Wilkinson, putting the Brit to sleep with a triangle choke in the first round.

After going on the offensive with a punch to the head, Jason got dumped on his back by Wilkinson moments into the bout. It proved to be his undoing, as the Ultimate Fighter Brazil winner sunk in a tight triangle choke that brought referee Marc Goddard in to stop the fight at 1:24 of the opening round.

Quixada, Ceara, Brazil’s Jason improves to 14-3 with the win; Leigh, Lancashire’s Wilkinson suffers the first loss of his career, falling to 8-1.

The submission was the fifth fastest in UFC / WEC featherweight history.

See the post-fight interview for Rony Jason.

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Also, view the entire photo gallery of UFC on FUEL TV 10 from Brazil!

*Pre-Zuffa events UFC 2 and UFC 4 both had eight fights end via submission locks (not submissions due to strikes)