The UFC is in Nottingham England at the Capital FM Arena for today’s UFC on Fuel TV 5. The main event will see heavyweights Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve face off with Stipe Miocic. The Skyscraper  is 28-5 now in his professional mixed martial arts career and 8-3 inside the Octagon.  Struve in those UFC fights has only had 1 go the distance and he walked out with the majority decision.  None of his other UFC fights have made it to the 3rd stanza. Struve was known as a submission artist with his long limbs but 3 of his UFC wins have come by Knock out and 4 via a submission. Stipe Miocic is 9-0 in his professional career with 7 coming by way of Knockout and 1 by submission. Stipe in his 3 UFC bouts has defeated Joey Beltran, Phil de Fries and Shane Del Rosario.

In the co-main event former title challenger Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy has returned to his winning ways after the first round KO/TKO stoppage of Duane “Bang” Ludwig back in May. Prior to that Hardy had dropped his last 4 fights starting with his fight with GSP. Tonight he will square off with TUF  season 7 winner Amir Saddollah. Amir is 7-3 overall and had not had a professional fight before he entered the TUF house.

Prelims on Facebook 1:45 pm ET/ 10:45 am PT

Featherweights 145 lbs

Robbie “Problems” Peralta vs Jason “Shotgun” Young

Round 1-

Peralta connects with the right hand to the chin. Young hits the mat and Peralta delivers the pounding until the ref can get over to stop it.

Winner by KO at 23 seconds of round 1 Robbie “Problems” Peralta

Catch-weight

Gunnar “Gunni” Nelson vs DaMarques “Darkness” Johnson

Round 1-

Gunnar with a high kick early has a karate background stands like Machida. Nelson with a side kick. Now Nelson ties him up and takes Johnson to the mat. Johnson from his back is going for an omoplata and Nelson moves over to side control is free. Nelson transitions now to the full mount. Johnson gives up his back and Nelson has the hooks in and a rear naked choke around the chin. Nelson now to the body triangle and delivers some hammer fist. Johnson is on his belly and Nelson locks in the Rear Naked Choke and rolls over Johnson. Its over Johnson taps. Nelson lives up to the hype and will be fun to watch.

Winner by round 1 submission(rear naked choke) at 3:43 of round 1 Gunnar “Gunni” Nelson

Middleweight 185lbs

Brad Tavares vs Tom “Kong” Watson

Ref: Leon Roberts

Round 1-

Tavares with a pair of nice jabs to start things off and a right from Watson. Tavares gets the take down against the cage and Watson wall walks up the cage. Watson with a switch kick that grazes the side of the head of Tavares. Tavares with a kick and right hand of his own now. Watson catches Tavares with a knee to the groin. The hug and are back at it. Both men exchange body kicks. Tavares striking is looking the best it has. Watson has gone to the thai clinch a couple times but is just missing with the knee. Tavares with a three jab combo. He ties up Watson and drags him back to the canvas. Watson gets back up to the feet eats an elbow from Tavares and Tavares takes an inside kick to the groin. Watson has been warned one more and he will be deducted a point. Tavares with a nice jumping knee and Watson tries for his own take down but can’t get it.

Round 2-

Tavares with a switch kick to the body and another jab down the middle. Tavares with a left right and than an outside low kick to finish it off. Tavares has the double under hooks on the cage. Tavares with a right hook as they break and Watson delivers a knee. Watson is finding his range with the punches now but Tavares in finding openings down the middle and shots to the body. Tavares ties up Watson and gets the trip. Tavares works right over to the back with both hooks in. Watson is fighting off the rear naked choke. Tavares now with the body triangle and as Watson tries to shake him off Tavares re latches on but Watson is able to survive to the end of the round.

Round 3-

Watson goes back to the leg kick and eats another jab. Watson tries for the take down and Tavares is the one who get it. Watson flips him off of him and Tavares makes him eat a knee on the way up. Tavares gets another take down but Watson is able to walk up the cage. Tavares with a knee to the chest.  The ref stops them briefly due to an equipment issue for Watson they are back at it and Tavares is trying to get the take down. Watson with a guillotine but Tavares is able to stay out of trouble by dropping down. Watson with some big punches to Tavares. Tavares gets up and they trade upper cuts. Tavares is able to get one more take down but Watson is up with a minute left. Tavares still trying to get him back down. Both men are swinging with 10 seconds left. Watson with a big knees and combos from Tavares. GREAT FIGHT from these two.

Winner by  Split decision( 30-27, 28-29, 29-28) Brad Tavares

Featherweights 145lbs

Akira Corassani vs Andy “The Little Axe” Ogle

Round 1-

Ogle has the home town crowd behind him and is being very patient. Each time Corassani gets close enough that left hook comes flying. Corassani with a right hand now. Ogle connects with a left on the button and drops Corassani and Ogle follows him to the mat. Corassani is able to get back to his feet and delivers a series of right hands to the body. Corassani with a kick and an over hand right that rocks Ogle. Ogle retreating. Corassani with a nice left right combo. Corassani with a cut above his left eye and Ogle with a knot on his head. Corassani blocks a take down. That knot on Ogle looks like it may be swelling up like Aldo vs Hominick.

Round 2-

Ogle lands the left hook to start the round and Ogle gets caught with a cup shot the pauses the action. Ogle now with the left to the body upstairs with the right. Corassani with a leg kick as Ogle tries to circle away to stop him. Ogle has a take down blocked by the underhook from Corassani. Corassani with a nice combo to stop Ogle as he is coming in for a take down. Corassani just landed 3 punch combo all clean on the jaw and surprises Ogle. Ogle with one punch and Corassani makes him eat a pair for trying. Ogle catches a kick and gets the take down but Corassani quickly scoots his butt backwards to the cage. Ogle puts an arm over for a guillotine. Corassani protecting Ogle lets go at the 10 sec mark and delivers big punches the horn sounds the ref steps in and as he does Corassani drops Ogle with a right hand.

Round 3-

Corner men have done a good job to stop the cut and reduce the swelling on the two men. Ogle with a kick  but when he comes in for the punches Corassani delivers the counter combo. Ogle shoots Corassani side steps and kicks him in the face. Ogle gets a hold and gets the fight back to the ground. Ogle working to take the back now. Ogle with the right hand and elbows now from in close. Corassani is still on his knees and Ogle is delivering more of the elbows to the side of the head. Corassani can’t do much because his arm is stuck behind Ogle’s leg. Ogle has a hold on one leg and one arm and Corassani can’t get up or defend with other than the hand. Ogle is not pouring it on two heavy though and the fight ends with Ogle delivering the short punches. Hard fight to call last round was all Ogle but other than that it could go either way.

Winner by Split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28) Akira Corassani

Light Heavyweights 205 lbs

Jimi “Poster Boy” Manuwa vs Kyle “Kingsbu” Kingsbury

Round 1-

Sorry lost connection and we join them 20 seconds into the fight. Kingsbury is in half guard and has his right arm around the back of the neck of Manuwa. Kingsbu looks to be working a darce choke. Manuwa is able to get to his feet as soon as KIngsbu goes to adjust his grip. Kingsbu goes for another take down and Manuwa sprawls and delivers a series of knees to the body. Manuwa drops Kingsbu with a left. He has the ref stand Kingsbu back up and Manuwa with a foot to the face of Kingsbury. Another right from Manuwa now another face kick. Manuwa with a flying knee. Kingsbury is some how on his feet still but he is taking a pounding.

Round 2-

Manuwa stepping to the side of Kingsbury strike and delivers a right. Kingsbury with a power double is back in the half guard of Manuwa. Kingsbury with elbows from the top now. Manuwa sneaks out the back. Kingsbury gets the clinch and ties him up back on the fence. Kingsbury with dirty boxing now and a lot of body shots. Manuwa spins him around and delivers big lifting knees. Manuwa with another head kick. Manuwa sprawls on a take down  and misses with the peruvian neck tie. They are back up and Manuwa with a big left hook and right. Kingsbury gets the double and back in half guard. Kingsbury is in side control now and looking to isolate an arm because he has landed a few short elbows but that is it. Kingsbury moves to north  south as the round ends.

Round 3-

The doctor comes out once again to check the eye of Kingsbury. It is swollen shut. Kingsbury tries to open it but it isn’t happening and they stop the fight.

Winner by doctor stoppage after 2 rounds Jimi “Poster Boy” Manuwa gets the TKO victory

So far the blue corner has won every fight tonight taking all of the prelims.

UFC on Fuel TV Main Card 4 pm ET/ 1 pm PT

Welterweights 170lbs

Duane “Bang” Ludwig vs Che “Beautiful” Mills

Round 1-

Mills with the jab down the pipe than gets the clinch after a couple knees Mills gets the trip. Ludwig is able to briefly get up and eats a knee while doing so. Mills has him back down and in side control. Ludwig is bleeding from under the right eye. Mills almost got the mount but is in full guard now.  Ludwig creates space and is able to briefly able to get up before his knee gives out under him and he collapses. Dean waves off the fight and they help Ludwig to his stool.

Winner by TKO Che “Beautiful” Mills 2:28 of rd 1

Welterweights 170lbs

John Maguire vs John “The Hitman” Hathaway

Round 1-

Hathaway lands a head kick that is partially checked. Lots of circling in the first minute. Hathaway trying to use the kick to cut him off. Hathaway with a jab and right that just miss there mark. Hathaway briefly pins him to the cage but Maguire deflects most of the strikes before he gets free. Maguire side steps a straight punch and lands a left. Hathaway goes for a take down and Maguire grabs the wrist and flings Hathaway right past him. Maguire with a right hand and shots for a take down. Hathaway counters and they both pop back up to their feet.

Round 2-

After the first round for Hathaway lets see what Maguire can do. So far it is Hathaway with the reach controlling. Hathaway with a stepping knee than a clinch. Hathaway drags them to the mat and is in half guard.  Hathaway with short shots as Maguire is trying to keep him in close. Maguire has him in butterfly and Hathaway stands up before settling back into the half guard of Maguire. Hathaway trying to advance and lands a couple more short shots before he stands up and drops back down into the guard. Hathaway pounding away on the body and now he is in side control. Hathaway still punching now bigger shots. Hathaway stands back up and kicks at the legs of Maguire and it is another clear round for Hathaway.

Round 3-

More of the same to the start Hathaway his pressuring Maguire and controlling the striking with his reach. Hathaway tries a stepping knee that misses and now he is trying to landing the steeping right elbow. Maguire is able to land a single punch. Maguire gets the single leg take down and he moves right into side control. A minute left. Maguire with the short elbows now from the top. Maguire in closed guard now. Maguire with some short punches but too little too late. Hathaway with a pair of up kicks right before the horn.

Winner by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3 ) John “The Hitman” Hathaway

Lightweights 155lbs

Matt “Handsome” Wiman vs Paul Sass

Round 1-

Sass gets the take down off the kick of Wiman as they meet in the middle. Sass has Wiman’s head against the cage and in the open guard. Sass with some vicious elbows from the top over and over again. He switches to a heel hook but the fence is in the way. Sass switches to an omoplata than back to the leg as Wiman pulls away. Sass sweeps from the bottom and is now on top. Sass with aankle lock attempt this time. Wiman tries a triangle of his own and Sass is free and pounding away. Wiman catches the arm and has an arm bar now. Sass is defending with his knees Wiman puts his back to the middle of the cage and pulls Sass arm out of protection and Sass has to tap. Wiman hands Sass his first loss and beats him in the submission game to put the icing on the victory

Winner by submission at 3:48  of round 1 Matt “Handsome” Wiman

Bantamweights 135lbs

Yves “Tiger” Jabouin vs Brad “One Punch” Pickett

Round 1-

Pickett with a body shot with the left and right upstairs that misses gets poked in the eye. Pickett with a right hook up top and right straight to the body.  Jabouin with a series of kicks to the body than up top. Pickett is coming in to strike and into a kick. Pickett eats a knee when he came in to the body this time but Pickett partially lands the left. Jabouin with a jab after an uppercut from Pickett. These 135ers are fast. Jabouin with a spinning kick but Pickett catches it  and goes for the take down. Pickett with a devastating upper cut that knocks out Jabouin. Pickett dives on top and delivers two clean rights to the chin of an already out Jabouin. Pickett pops up and does the “gangnam style.”

Winner by KO at 3:40 of round 1 Brad “One Punch” Pickett

Welterweights 170lbs

Amir Sadollah vs Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy

Round 1-

Sadollah the aggressor early with the lead jab and leg kicks.  Hardy is getting the timing down of Sadollah coming in and landing the counter left. The left hook from Hardy is a fight stopper if he lands it. Amir with a right over the top and eats a right on the way back out. Hardy is conving him to come in and is getting close to landing that left hook. The crowd chants Hardy. Hardy is up against the cage and Sadalloh gets a short elbow in but Hardy uses the oppurtunity to reverse positions. Sadollah gets free and Hardy comes charging forward with a combo of punches. Sadollah with his own combo and Hardy shoots for a take down. Sadollah now is back is on the cage and once Hardy gets the clinch he lands an upper cut body shot and one over the top Hardy can’t get the take down before the round ends.

Round 2-

Hardy with a straight right and left. Hardy with a stepping right outside kick as he comes forward. Sadollah takes the center briefly. Sadollah with good head movement now a right hook from Hardy and a Kick up stairs that is partially blocked. Hardy shoots and presses Sadollah against the cage. before he picks him up and tries to slam him. Sadollah gets a hand down and is quickly able to get to his feet. Sadollah briefly gets Hardy on the cage. Hardy with a short elbow and Sadollah with a jab down the middle. Outside leg kick from Sadollah. Sadollah is keeping his hands up well to block the strikes from Hardy. Hardy drops a level and gets the double. Hardy raining down elbows. Sadollah looks to be going for a triangle but Hardy stands all the way up. Hardy drops back down and delivers some  ground and pound till the round ends.

Round 3-

Both men looking to the leg kick straight combo early.30 seconds in and Hardy shoots a double but can’t get it. He has Sadollah against the cage. Sadollah with knees and tries for a trip of his own that doesn’t work but he is able to reverse positions. Sadollah backs off and Hardy puts him on the cage again and delivers an elbow. Sadollah is bleeding. Hardy steps back and clips Sadollah with a right that staggers him. Hardy gets the double leg take down and Sadollah is working to get the legs up for a triangle. Hardy has Sadollah’s head on the cage. Hardy dropping more short elbows has now cut Sadollah under the other eye. Sadollah gets the butterfly so Hardy starts punching instead. Hardy with a knee now as they get back up. Hardy with a right and left combo. Hardy locked up the fight with round.

Winner by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27 ) Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy

Heavyweights

Stipe Miocic vs Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve

Round 1-

Miocic with the low kick and pops inside with a jab. Miocic with a lunging straight than a blitz 3 punch combo. Struve covers the head and Miocic goes to the body. Struve now with a couple leg kicks. Struve looks uncomfortable out there and eats a right from Miocic. Struve with a head kick the clips Miocic and he circles out of the way of a flying knee that was following it. Miocic has landed a couple over hand rights now. Struve with a knee to the body and Miocic gets him down. Struve goes for a leg and Miocic lets him back up. Miocic feints up high and lands to the body with a combo. Struve steps in with a knee to the body and stepping leg kick. Miocic with that right over the top again.

Round 2-

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization returns to England this Saturday for an all-action card at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham. In the heavyweight main event, the biggest man in the UFC – 6ft 11inch Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve – collides with unbeaten uber-athlete Stipe Miocic in a fight which will catapult the winner towards the top of the division.

Also on the stacked television card, charismatic welterweight Dan “the Outlaw” Hardy fights in his historic hometown for the first time since April of 2008 when he takes on The Ultimate Fighter winner Amir Sadollah and, in what could be the most exciting all-British battle in Octagon history, elite welterweight John “Hitman” Hathaway takes on John “The One” Maguire.

At an open workout today, the combatants sounded ready to go to war.

Stefan Struve said: “Five round fight? It’s not a five round fight. This isn’t going five. It is a one or two round fight, depending on when I finish him. I am not worried about going five rounds if it happens, I hit pads for an hour at a time and every Thursday at my gym it is pretty much fight night where we do 15 x five minute rounds. I’ve changed nothing in my training. If it goes longer, okay, but I think this is a quick fight.

“A win here puts me in the top five in the world. There’s a lot of hype on this guy and he’s also coming off a big win. I’m only 24 but this is my twelfth fight in the UFC. I am going to do my business on Saturday night. I’ve been in the UFC for five years and I am really putting it together now as a mixed martial artist. I think this fight is a great showcase of what I can now do as a fighter.”

Stipe Miocic said: “This is a big fight for me, my first main event and first five-round fight. Struve is a very big guy with a long reach and great BJJ and is always dangerous, but I’ve prepared very hard. I was a NCAA Division I wrestler and Golden Gloves boxer not because I was the best athlete, but because I trained so hard. I’ve trained very hard to make sure I win this fight. Finding guys who are 6ft 11inches to spar with is hard but I did train with (former UFC champion) Tim Sylvia and I know I can get past Struve’s reach and land my punches. I expect a tough fight – there’s a lot on the line for both of us.”

Dan “the Outlaw” Hardy said: “The last time I fought in my hometown was April 2008 and this is obviously a vast difference. The last time I fought here the only people in the world who knew about it were in the arena, about 700 people, and now this is going to be broadcast worldwide with the UFC. I didn’t think I’d get the chance to fight in Nottingham again but when Dana White announced the UFC were going to Nottingham, obviously I was expecting a call.

“There is pressure on me to win and score a KO because I’ll have hundreds of people in the arena on Saturday night I’ve known for years. But nothing, nothing will compare pressure-wise to my last fight against Duane Ludwig where my UFC career was on the line. Now I am just taking it one fight at a time and am back to enjoying fighting rather than worry about this being my job.

“Amir is a tough guy, he will push the fight on me and he’s got a great chin. He’s going to push this very hard and bring a war. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got, and I am confident that is enough.

“After resting the track last time, I’m walking out to ‘England Belongs To Me’ by Cock Sparrer again. I’ve gone back to the original recording from the 1970s, not the 2010 one they did with me on backing vocals. I lost four times in the UFC after walking out to that version, which obvious is karma for my poor singing.”

Amir Sadollah said: “I enjoy going against fighters that are aggressive. The more passive fighters aren’t as fun to fight. Dan Hardy is a counter-puncher but he’s aggressive with it. I will be able to draw him in. All the pressure is on him to make this a great fight for his own fans here. He’s under a lot of pressure, not me.”

John Hathaway said: “This is a dangerous fight for me. I think some people only know him from his UFC career but John has fought all over the world and is actually more experienced than I am. I’m not overlooking him at all. I really want to show what I can do in this fight. Everyone saw the best of me against Diego Sanchez but I think I am a much better fighter now. I’ve been in the UFC since UFC 93 (January 2009) and I’m still only 25 years old; I think I’ve got the right mix of big-fight experience while still being at the top of my game physically. I’ve learned a style which suits my body-type and I think the next two years are where I’m going to really make a mark in the division.

“Fights between two Brits are usually great, I remember Mike Bisping and Ross Pointon had a great one on TUF 3, Paul Taylor and Paul Kelly had the fight of the night (at UFC 80) and I beat Taylor in a good battle at UFC 105. I expect me and John to be another great all-British battle.”
John Maguire said: “The funny thing was, a few weeks before the fight was even mentioned, I was doing a photo shoot with John and we talked about whether we would ever fight. And then all of a sudden, we’ve got each other next. We’re ranked pretty close together, and you face who is put in front of you. He agreed and I agreed. I’m a fighter and I’ll fight whoever is in front of me and the thing with me and Hathaway, it makes sense. We’re both high up, and victory moves one of us forward a bit up the ranks.”

The six-fight UFC on FUEL TV card will be broadcast live on FUEL TV this Saturday at 1pm PT/4pm ET in the US and at 9pm on ESPN in the UK.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.