Thiago Silva vs. Antonio Mendes starts the PPV. If you didn’t see the undercard track down the Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Jon Koppenhaver fight if you want to see some serious judo bad-assery by Yoshida. He absolutely destroyed Koppenhaver. Anyway Bruce Buffer intros the fight and we’re set to go:

ROUND 1:

Fighters circle each other in standup. WICKED high kick by Mendes is blocked by Silva but still knocks him down. Mendes dives in but Silva ties him up. Back to standup and Mendes eats a couple of knees and then gets knocked down by a punch. Silva now has double underhooks against the cage, Silva goes for a judo throw and slips which gets him on top. Silva passes guard and is trying to take Mendes back. Silva lands some nasty punches from top mount. Silva now takes Mendes’ back and tries for the joke but can’t get it. Mendes rolls over on his side and Silva lays in some nasty punches. Mendes is a sitting duck and the ref stops it. One of the more exciting 2:24 minute fights you’ll see. Bruce Buffer now saying that Mendes tapped due to strikes…

THIAGO SILVA WINS BY TAPOUT (STRIKES)

Joe Rogan now interviewing Silva through an interpreter. Credit to Silva for saying that he was actually hurt at the beginning of the fight. The default response for a fighter is ‘no it didn’t hurt me’. They’re now showing the text message poll and its 65% to 35% for BJ Penn over Sherk. That’s insane. Urijah Faber shown in the audience and the Faber/Pulver fight is plugged.

Taped footage of Sherk and Penn coming to the arena and Sherk looks like a man possessed. Now plugging UFC 85 in London….BJ Penn in his locker room now looking like he’s ready for a nap but that’s how he always looks. Sherk’s locker room shown now and “The Muscle Shark’s:” gaze looks like it could bend keys a la Uri Geller.