Denny Burkholder

The main event is here, as Tim Sylvia and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fight for the interim UFC heavyweight title.


Round 1: The stand and trade with nobody landing much. Sylvia finally drops Nog to the mat with a punch and rushes in to ground and pound. Nog looks and acts badly hurt but he's still with it, and controlling Sylvia in the guard. Sylvia gets out of the guard and makes Nog stand back up, wisely. Nog looks wobbly. Sylvia staggers him with another punch and Nog sinks to the mat. They're standing again and Nog is slowly looking more coherent. This man is notorious for recovering from big shots. Nog is cut from all the punches. Nog finishes the round by taking Tim Sylvia down. Sylvia 10-9, but Nog showed at the end that he's not finished yet.

Round 2: Sylvia stuffs a takedown attempt. They're trading and Sylvia's landing more, but no big shots yet. That reach advantage is a killer. Nog with another takedown attempt, not even close to succeeding. Nog grabs a single leg and fights hard for the takedown, but gets stuffed again. Sylvia with a nice right uppercut. Nog lands a left hook. Mike Goldberg reminds viewers that neither man has ever been knocked out. The round ends and I have it 10-9 Sylvia again, but a lot less action in this round. Still, Nog couldn't take Sylvia down and Sylvia has a slight edge in striking.

Round 3: Nog with an inside leg kick and Sylvia counters with a punch. Nog pulls guard on Sylvia. Nog sweeps Sylvia and takes side control. Nog with a guillotine choke and Sylvia taps out. New UFC interim champion, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. PRIDE fans everywhere shed a tear of joy.

Winner: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira defeats Tim Sylvia via submission to a guillotine choke at 1:28 of Round 3.