Ultimate Fight Night 15

Omaha, Nebraska - 17/09/2008

Nate Diaz is starting to move up the Lightweight ladder after a split decision victory over Josh Neer gave Diaz his fifth consecutive victory in Omaha Nebraska. Josh Neer talked pre fight about keeping the fight standing, however it was he who took the fight to the ground early into the first round. Unfortunately, as this is when Diaz likes to be, Neer found little success as Diaz transitioned from the front to the back of Neer at will. In the second round it was even until late on when Diaz seemed to be getting the upper hand and surely, based on this, he won the round. With this and a great final round, Diaz pulled off the win. Diaz, as always, was very respectful to his opponent in post match interviews, the victory ended Neer's three match unbeaten run and will have certainly moved Diaz onto bigger fights in the not so distant future.

The co-main event involved the exciting Clay Guida and the Ultimate Fighter 6 winner Mac Danzig. The fight started and unusually it wasn’t Guida who came out of the traps quickest, it was Danzig who raced across the ring looking to exchange very quickly, a tactic surely to unsettle the long mained Guida. Danzig had the most success in the stand up early in the first round, however as the round continued Guida started to do what has made him such a torment for any fighter that has stepped into the octagon with him, as he started to out work Danzig with his constant offence (Does this guy know how to take a backward step!). During the 2nd and 3rd rounds Danzig, who had controlled Guida's onslaught in the 1st round, looked tired from the continuous wave of attacks from Guida, which gave Clay a unanimous decision on the judges scorecard. Clay Guida has now won 3 out of his last 4 fights and inflicted Danzig's first loss in the UFC.

In the cards middleweight division fight, Alan Belcher beat Ultimate Fighter 6 runner up Ed Herman. Belcher who in the run up to this fight spent a month in Thailand homing his Muay Thai, physical and mental skills. During the fight Belcher looked sharp and pressed the action with great stand up, and as he constantly caught Herman in the exchanges, Herman’s solid chin made sure that the fight was never going to be won via a knockout. And even though Herman took Belcher to the floor in the 3rd round it wasn’t enough as the judges gave the bout to Belcher via a split-decision.

In the first bout of the night Eric Schafer pulled of a shock win against hometown hero Houston Alexander, with a submission victory with literally seconds left in the opening round. Alexander started ferociously catching Schafer constantly with kicks and punches and when Schafer was on his way down caught him with a knee. Had it been anyone with a suspicious chin the knee would have knocked them out. Schafer however managed to weather the storm and even though he had been unsuccessful in early take downs managed to take the fight to the ground mid way through the first round. Once there unfortunately for Alexander it was the like watching the Thiago Silva fight again, as Alexander looked extremely uncomfortable on his back and couldn’t explode out and back to his feet. Schafer started to rain punches down seemingly at will, and when Alexander did try to escape Schafer applied an arm-triangle choke which forced the tap with only 7 seconds left on the clock. Who knows what’s next for Alexander? I hope we haven’t seen the last of him as he is such a likeable character and a real role model for what he has done outside of the ring. But with a 3 loss streak, only Dana knows what’s next.

Main Card

Nate Diaz defeats Josh Neer via Split Decision
Clay Guida defeats Mac Danzig via Unanimous Decision
Alan Belcher defeats Ed Herman via Split Decision
Eric Schafer defeats Houston Alexander via Submission (Triangle Arm Choke) Round 1

Preliminary Card

Alessio Sakara defeats Joe Vedepo via knockout (head kick) in round one
Wilson Gouveia defeats Ryan Jensen via submission (armbar) in round two
Joe Lauzon defeats Kyle Bradley via technical knockout (strikes) in round two
Jason Brilz defeatsBrad Morris via technical knockout (strikes) in round two
Mike Massenzio defeats Drew McFedries via submission (kimura) in round one
Dan Miller defeats Rob Kimmons via submission (rear naked choke) in round one

By Patrick Lawton