UFC 161 Prelim Results: Krause Subs Stout, Spoils Sweep

Lightweight James Krause spoiled the Canadian sweep in the UFC 161 prelims from Winnipeg, becoming the first man since 2006 to stop Sam Stout in a well-rounded performance that signaled his long-fought arrival in the UFC.

Jake Shields vs. Tyron Woodley
Power wrestlers Tyron Woodley and Jake Shields played their heavy pressure game for fifteen minutes in the featured UFC 161 prelims, with Shields earning the split decision nod for his attempts to fight in his continued run at welterweight.

For all three rounds, and Shields played offense with jabs and leg kicks, then went for takedowns (18 in total) that Woodley defended (also 18 in total). The struggles to stay on the feet often took place on the cage, drawing boos from the crowd and re-sets from the referee, but neither man managed to get anywhere near a finish.

The larger Woodley’s power was evident in two leg kicks in two different rounds, each of which chopped Shields’ leg out from under him, and a flashy spinning backfist in the third. He also seemed to do more damage in the lengthy clinch battles, during which he threw short fists to the body. Shields was busier with both his hands and feet throughout, however, while Woodley stayed back, surging forward with single right hands in hopes of a highlight knockout.

Scores for Shields, a former Strikeforce champion, were 29-28 twice and 27-30, as he improves to 28-6-1 (1 NC); Woodley falls to 11-2 in his sophomore UFC outing, his only other loss coming in a Strikeforce title fight against Nate Marquardt.

View the post-fight highlights for Jake Shields.

Sam Stout vs. James Krause
After turning a stint in the WEC and a TUF 15 elimination-round loss into a seven-fight win streak, James Krause finally had the Octagon door opened for him when Isaac Vallie-Flagg was injured three weeks ago and forced out of UFC 161. The 6’2” lightweight made the most of the opportunity, becoming only the second man to submit Canadian favorite Sam Stout in Stout’s 16-fight UFC career.

Stout made space from the taller man with kicks early on, but Krause made his way in and the two struggled on the cage. Back in the center, Krause started to find his range with the five-inch reach and six-inch reach advantage. Though Stout ducked under a couple of kicks and punches, he was wobbled by a knee.  Stout caught a kick and brought things to the mat, where he worked in butterfly guard, a huge cut spilling blood over his right eye. Krause stayed calm and threw some shots before getting up with 30 seconds left, and used the remaining time to try out some flashy moves like a cartwheel kick and a mondo uppercut.

Round two brought long kickboxing from both men, with Stout often pursuing – perhaps in search of a takedown – and Krause mixing it up in his defense. Stout also hurt Krause with a body shot, but it was Krause who eventually shot for the takedown, again winding up in Stout’s guard. They stood again for more kickboxing and on Krause’s second takedown attempt, Stout shifted momentum and threw some elbows from top position before the round ended.

Krause switched stances in the third, creating more space between the men, and it was his kick and a flying knee that connected most dramatically. Both men pawed at each other and alternated between strikes and kicks, but there were few combinations to be seen. Krause continued to try new things like flying elbows before Stout scored a takedown to try and steal the round. He got it, but Krause locked in a guillotine, rolled and pulled on his arm, forcing Stout to tap with only 13 seconds left.

Krause’s debut improves his record to 20-4, including the last eight in a row. Ontario’s Stout is now 20-9-1, 8-8 in the UFC.  “I thought I was ahead on the scorecards but fighting a Canadian hero who has been with the UFC all these years and had all these great fights, I had to do better than that,” said Krause. “I prepared for the booing --  my teammates and trainers would all root for whoever I was sparring, getting me used to feeling that.”

View the post-fight highlights for James Krause.

Sean Pierson vs. Kenny Robertson
Two rounds of defensive wrestling and solid striking from Sean “The Punisher” Pierson were enough to override one round of domination from Kenny Robertson, as Toronto’s Pierson picked up a majority decision win in an unpredictable welterweight bout.

Both men started out lobbing punches in the center of the cage, and soon Robertson got close enough for a takedown. Pierson sprawled well at first, but Robertson rolled it into a back mount with –as had become the custom of the night – a body triangle. The powerful Pierson survived by popping up via a front choke attempt, both men made space again in the center. Robertson peppered Pierson with leg kicks, but Pierson’s straight inspired another takedown. Pierson again defended well, continuing to use the body lock from on top before standing back up. The final half-minute or so featured furious exchanges on the feet, with Pierson getting the better of them both power- and accuracy-wise.

Round two stayed on the feet for more of the time, with Pierson scoring with his straight, a high kick and basically whatever else he chose to throw. Robertson still charged forward, but he appeared tired and wobbled at several times. A right hook-left head kick combo halfway through got Robertson to shoot, and this time he managed to avoid the backmount and get top position, but he was unable to escape guard and both men got shots through during this exchange.

On the feet to signal the third, Robertson stunned Pierson with an elbow and Robertson swarmed with followup punches. Pierson lobbed haymakers to defend but still appeared wobbled as he dropped for a desperation single-leg. After punishing “The Punisher” with more hammerfists, Robertson took his back and punched as Pierson turtled. This went on for several minutes, and though Pierson reversed in the final seconds, he was unable to do little else for the final five minutes.

Pierson got the judges’ nod with scores of 29-28 twice and one 28-28; the third score a result of a 10-8 final round for Robertson. Pierson’s UFC streak is now three in a row, his overall record 14-6; Robertson slides to 12-3, with all three defeats coming the Octagon since his October 2011 debut.

View the post-fight highlights for Sean Pierson.

Roland Delorme vs. Edwin Figueroa
Bantamweights Roland Delorme and Edwin “El Feroz” Figueroa waged a relentless fifteen-minute war in the first televised prelims of UFC 161. Delorme’s ground control and submission attempts outpointed Figueroa’s brutal bursts of ground-and-pound for a 29-28 win across the board.

Winnipeg’s own Delorme took the Texan Figueroa down twice inside of 40 seconds, going from his back to his guard, then back to his back with a body triangle. In minute two, Delorme threw up a triangle, elbowed Figueroa’s head and took an arm. El Feroz  then postured up and launched monstrous right hands before Delorme used a heelhook to take Figueroa back to the mat. Delorme worked from side control back to Figueroa’s back again. This time he trapped one of Figueroa’s arms in his leg triangle, alternating between punches and working for the rear-naked as the Texan could only defend with his one free arm.

In the next frame, Delorme again shot with a single-leg and though Figueroa efforted to avoid the mat, 15 seconds later he had again been dragged down. With the Winnipeg crowd screaming “Rolly!” for their hometown athlete, it was Figueroa who threw up a triangle and yanked on an arm. Delorme passed through side control, taking the back and guard before trying another triangle, but Figueroa got his composure, kneeled next to the tiring Delorme and teed off with his right hand. A guillotine attempt got Figueroa taken back down and the round ended with Delorme on Figueroa’s back.

Figueroa kept things on the feet for nearly 30 seconds in the third, landing one hand, but Delorme rolled to Figueroa’s back and slowly and easily put in his hooks. Body triangle locked, Figueroa stood until Delorme dropped off. Figueroa stood and goaded Delorme into an exchange, firing off a series of right hands, then avoiding the takedown and shooting again with fists. But with two minutes left, Delorme got his takedown, scooted out of Figueroa’s guillotine attempt and kept back control. Figueroa got to side control and did huge damage in the final seconds, but Delorme survived to hear Bruce Buffer call his name.

The Winnipeg fighter’s win leaves him unbeaten in the Octagon after four outings and improves his overall record to 9-1 (1NC). Figueroa slides to 9-3.

View the post-fight highlights for Roland Delorme.

Mitch Clarke vs. John Maguire
Edmontonian lightweight Mitch Clarke’s busy offense and frenetic energy earned him his first win inside the Octagon, a unanimous decision over John Maguire. Any time the lightweights got close – be it on the ground, in the center or against the cage -- Clarke made Maguire pay with elbows, knees, footstomps and punches that, although not damaging or massive, accumulated to keep Maguire off of his game.

The two circled to begin with and Clarke scored repeatedly with low leg kicks. Eventually Maguire’s jab began connecting but for several minutes, that was all fans saw until an accidental eye poke to Maguire halted things for a minute. After a warning from the referee, the men made more space, opening a high kick for Clarke. Maguire took Clarke’s back standing and worked for a takedown – at one point with two hooks in -- with Clarke defending via Kimura threats and elbows. Eventually he reversed and got back to the center, fending off another takedown attempt before the bell.

After more kicks, Maguire finally got a takedown in the second, but Clarke’s incessant hammerfists to the body and palm strikes to the face stifled Maguire’s assault until Clarke grabbed hold tight enough, trying to earn a standup. But Maguire stayed active enough with his ground-and-pound that Clarke eventually scrambled up on his own accord, and it was only after standoff on the fence that the referee re-started in the center. Maguire scored one takedown in the final seconds, but didn’t have enough time to lock in a rear-naked.

Clarke scored a knee to the head from clinch in the second, and continued to wing kicks both low and high. Another standoff against the fence meant more rat-a-tat punches from Clarke and another re-start. With half a round remaining, Maguire pulled Clarke to the mat from behind, taking his back and getting a body triangle. Maguire punched from behind in an attempt to get Clarke’s neck, but Clarke generally controlled Maguire’s hands and walked up to the links of the fence to break Maguire’s leg triangle and roll to the top. Clarke escaped the guard, punched through into side control and ended the fight with vicious ground-and-pound.

Clarke’s scores were 29-28 three times, as he improves to 10-2, with those only two losses coming inside the UFC. Maguire’s loss was his first at lightweight and third consecutive inside the Octagon, his total record now18-6.

View the post-fight highlights for Mitch Clarke.

Dustin Pague vs. Yves Jabouin
Rangy Dustin Pague’s jit-jitsu game shut down most of Yves Jabouin’s power striking over three rounds at bantamweight in the night’s first prelim; but Jabouin’s sheer strength allowed him to escape any finishes, do some damage with fists, and eke out the split decision win in his home country.

A caught kick from Montreal’s Jabouin put Pague on his back; Jabouin followed into guard, where Pague worked for a triangle. He locked one in with an arm extended, but Jabouin ground-and-pounded his way out. Pague slapped on another armbar after that, followed by a heelhook. Jabouin continued to defend, rolling out of the danger, and eventually Pague wound up on top of the scramble, in mount with an arm triangle. Jabouin muscled a reversal, ignored the ensuing triangle attempt and ended the round raining down punches from the top.

In the next round, Pague quickly tripped Jabouin and landed in mount. The crowd booed as Pague ground-and-pounded away on their home-country fighter with Jabouin covering up. Jabouin rolled over, putting himself in a body triangle with Pague working for a rear-naked with more than three minutes to go. Jabouin survived and wound up mounted again, but rallied enough to find half-guard, reverse and settle into Pague’s guard. Two more submission attempts sandwiched a couple of heavy shots from Jabouin, but there was no question that the round went to Pague.

Jabouin immediately clinched and got the takedown in the third. Though he owned top position, Jabouin was largely neutralized by Pague’s wrist control and more sub attempts. Jabouin scored with some single elbows and punches, but it was enough of a stalemate that the referee stood things up. When Jabouin slipped off a kick, Pague shot with a knee that landed illegally, but referee Adam Cheadle didn’t see it. Pague landed again in mount and continued to punch away as the clock whiled down. Jabouin sat up and landed in another triangle armbar before the end of the round.

Jabouin’s scores were 29-28 twice and 28-29, bringing his career record to 19-8, while Pague loses his third in a row and drops to 11-9.

View the post-fight highlights for Yves Jabouin.