OK, that was pretty awesome. The UFC made their return to Montreal in spectacular fashion with UFC 113: Machida Vs. Shogun.

Côté Vs. Belcher

They began the night with the home-province hero Patrick “The Predator” Côté making his UFC return after knee surgery against Alan “The Talent” Belcher. Côté started strong in the first half of the first round landing some good strikes and getting himself in position for a kimura attempt (key word being attempt). Belcher got out of it and finished the round strong. The second round was pretty even until Côté got his head between Belcher’s legs and Belcher hit him with a front face pancake (for you wrestling fans, it was kinda like a Pedigree without the double underhooks) then secured a rear naked choke. Côté complained to the referee that he was dropped on the top of his head (like a piledriver, which is illegal in MMA) but you could clearly see on the replay that he got dropped right on his face (which isn’t illegal).

2.5 Ariannys out of 3 for a great back-and-forth and a fantastic finishing sequence.

Slice Vs Mitrione

Up next was Kimbo Slice taking on fellow TUF 10 cast member Matt Mitrione. Kimbo walked in wearing a Habs toque that helped him with the fans, but didn’t help him in the fight. The pace started quick in this one with a couple early exchanges, a head kick attempt by Mitrione, and a slam by Kimbo that Mitrione turned into a triangle choke. Kimbo eventually got out of it (he was in it for a while) and Mitrione got to his feet only to be taken down again. Mitrione tried for another triangle but couldn’t get it locked. He got up, they exchanged, Kimbo started to look tired, and Mitrione got him down with a leg kick/slew foot then pounced on him wrapping Kimbo in an anaconda. Kimbo was able to gut-out the round in the choke and that was about it. Kimbo was totally gassed in the second (which considering their physiques you would’ve thought that should go the other way) and Mitrione landed anything (and everything) he wanted. Mitrione eventually got him down, landed some devastating knees to Kimbo’s body, got the mount, and now Kimbo’s unemployed.

2 out of 3 Ariannys for an amazing first round but a “meh” second round. By the by, Dana White announced at the post fight press conference that Kimbo has been cut and he wasn’t the only one, but more on that a little later.

Stout Vs. Stephens

This won Fight of the Night honours and I do not disagree. “Lil’ Heathen” started off fighting like this was a video game throwing flying knees, spinning backfists, and a lot of power punches. Stout didn’t have an answer and this could’ve ended a couple times. The second round was a little more even and really could’ve gone either way (and did) but you could see Stephens slowing down towards the end. The third started with Stout landing a combination that ended with a kick that was a little… let’s say low. Stephens had time to recover then came on strong until he missed a flying knee. They had a couple more exchanges where Stout really worked that hook to the body and Stephens really starts looking tired. Stephens really looked hurt by a body kick late in the round but for whatever reason Stout never went back to it. Stephens got the split decision victory and it was hard to argue with that.

2.75 Arianny out of 3.

Koscheck Vs. Daley

Mike Goldberg right off the bat called this villain versus villain and I don’t think that does either fighter justice but I can’t call them what I want to call them in this blog, so lets go with villain. Paul Daley started with a flying knee attempt that missed badly. What’s with all the flying knees on this card? Were him and Jeremy Stephens playing Undisputed 2010 in that back before the fight? Available May 25th on PS3 and Xbox 360, by the way, but if you watched the pay-per-view you’d already know that cause they mentioned it enough… Anyway, Koscheck took Daley down, Daley got back up, and then Koscheck slammed him to the ground (maybe he should’ve stayed down the first time). Koscheck was working for a rear naked and Daley escaped and threw a knee at Koscheck’s head while he was still trying to get to his feet and Koscheck went down like he was shot. That, my friends, would be illegal. You can’t knee a downed opponent in the head, but the thing is you actually have to make contact with is head for it to be illegal. On the replay you can clearly see the only thing that made contact with Paul Daley’s knee is Josh Koscheck’s Afro, and at best he grazed it. What a villain. But of course we must give Koscheck the benefit of the doubt cause he’s never faked being hit with an illegal blow (if you don’t know what I’m talking about please lookup his fight with Anthony Johnson). Koscheck “recovers”, Daley is deducted a point (which he got back after Miragliotta saw the replay), and they circle each other for the rest of the round. In the next two rounds, Koscheck took Daley down at will never really trying to finish him but just secure the win and the title shot against GSP. At the end, they got up, Daley followed Koscheck to his corner, and instead of giving him a customary bro-hug he gave him a left hook to the head. What a villain. Miragliotta showed the positives of having a referee the size of a defensive lineman by grabbing Daley immediately and pinning him against the cage (I’d like to see Mills Lane try that). Joe Rogan said it was the best shot Daley landed all night and he and Goldberg agreed Daley should get suspended, though Dana did them one better. He said during the post fight press conference Daley will never fight in the UFC again and rightly so. I hope he loses his license and won’t be fighting anywhere. Not to be outdone, however, Josh Koscheck evades Joe Rogan’s post fight question about the incident and starts talking smack about the Habs, GSP, and mothers the day before Mother’s Day. OK, he didn’t say anything about anybody’s mother (well, maybe Daley’s just after the fight) but still, what a villain.

The fight gets 1 out of 3 Ariannys for being boring but the shenanigans get 3 out of 3 Ariannys for being handled properly and giving us something to talk about for a long time.

Machida Vs. Shogun – Light Heavyweight Title

Machida looked strong to start this one. He evaded strikes and asserted his dominance. They went back and forth, but Machida just looked sharper, even getting a couple takedowns. Then the side of his face met Shogun’s right hand, he went down, Shogun got in the mount, threw a right, then a left, then a right, then left, then right, then right, then… well you get the idea. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. There’s speculation his first title defense will be against the winner of Evans-Rampage fight on the 29th at UFC 114, which would make sense but I think this opens the door for Anderson Silva at 205, but more on that next time.

4.5 out of 5 Ariannys for a knockout seven months ago no one thought was possible.

It was a great card on paper and it followed threw. There’s a new champion, a new contender, and a couple new additions to the unemployment line. Next up is Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery live next Saturday from the Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade Center in St. Louis.