San Diego Sports Arena

5:00 p.m.: Hi from the very old San Diego Sports Arena. The fights have been interesting this afternoon. Three submissions so far.
The Sports Arena was having technical difficulties with connections to the Internet. Hopefully it stays fixed.
Here are my updates from the first four bouts on the card. There are a total of 10 fights today. Six will not be seen on Versus. The other four fights—starting at 6 p.m.—will.
2:55 p.m.: Hello from press row at the San Diego Sports Arena. It’s a pretty nice sized crowd that’s already assembled for this huge light heavyweight bout we’re going to see later on this evening between the young up-and-comer Jon Jones and the surly vet Vladimir Matyushenko.
A couple of notes: there are 10 fights on the card for this evening, however only three will be on Versus live, starting at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
Here’s a rundown of the card.
Pre-Versus Card:
Middleweight Bout Three Rounds:
Steve Steinbeiss (4-3) versus Rob Kimmons (22-5)
Lightweight Bout Three Rounds:
Charles Oliveria (12-0) versus Darren Elkins (12-1)
Middleweight Bout Three Rounds:
Mike Massenzio (11-3) versus Brian Stann (8-3)
Light Heavyweight Bout Three Rounds:
Igor Pokrajac (21-7) versus James Irvin (14-6)
Welterweight Bout Three Rounds:
Matthew Riddle (4-1) versus Damarques Johnson (16-7)
Lightweight Bout Three Rounds:
Jacob Volkmann (10-2) versus Paul Kelly (11-2)
UFC on Versus Main Card, begins at 6 p.m. Pacific Time on Versus:
Lightweight Bout Three Rounds:
Takanori Gomi (31-6) versus Tyson Griffin (14-3)
Welterweight Bout Three Rounds:
Jake Ellenberger (22-5) versus John Howard (14-4)
Middleweight Bout Three Rounds:
Yushin Okami (22-5) versus Mark Munoz (8-1)
MAIN EVENT:
Light Heavyweight Bout Three Rounds:
Matyushenko (24-4) versus Jones (10-1)
Middleweight Bout Three Rounds:
Steve Steinbeiss (4-3) versus Rob Kimmons (22-5)
3:20 p.m.: I don’t know how many shots to the abdomen Kimmons can take, but he took a lot in the first round. Steinbeiss pretty much had him locked up in a corner, chopping away at Kimmons’ mid-section with vicious shots with his knees. Only one time could Kimmons break out and looked like it was going to be a fight—he used a couple of right hooks to get out—but other than that, it was all Steinbeiss the first round.
If the first round went to Steinbeiss, the second round was all Kimmons. Steinbeiss tried his attacking options again, trying to pin Kimmons against the cage, using his knees to attack his mid-section, but the onus was much more on Kimmons. He ended the round plowing Steinbeiss into the mat, putting him in a hold. The horn was the only thing that saved Steinbeiss.
It looks like Kimmons won the fight. He had the onus the last two rounds, able to counter Steinbeiss’ vicious shots with his knees. Kimmons had Steinbeiss in several holds throughout the fight.
Kimmons wins the fight by unanimous decision. Pretty easy. Once he figured out Steinbeiss’ strategy, it was game over.
3:42 p.m.: Steinbeiss is now 4-4. Kimmons improves to 23-5.
3:46 p.m.: Oliveria and Elkins are in the Octagon now. Three rounds of Lightweight action.
3:47 p.m.: WOW. Elkins taps out. As soon as the fight starts, the fight is over. Oliveria gets Elkins in an arm bar and it’s over.
Oliveria continues his undefeated run at 13-0. Elkins falls to 12-2. It was Oliveria’s UFC debut and was it quite impressive.
3:57 p.m.: Massenzio and Stam are in the Octagon.
Massenzio had Stam in trouble, in sort of a choke hold, wrapping his arms around his neck and arms. However, Stam was able to break free with body shots.
A couple of huge right hands is able to get Stam on his feet, but Massenzio has him down again. Massenzio has a grapple hold on Stam, but the horn saves him.
4:06 p.m.: Massenzio has Stam in another submission hold, this time in the second round. And again, Stam is able to break it, but on this occasion with a few elbows to Massenzio’s head.
4:09 p.m.: Horn sounds after Stam gets in a few strikes on Massenzio’s head.
4:10 p.m.: Third round starts with a flury. A huge shot to Massenzio’s face from Stam, but a knock down by Massenzio.
Massenzio was caught in a scissors hold. As the hold breaks, a flury of shots from Stam, including a huge right foot to Massenzio’s face.
4:12 p.m.: Massenzio is taking a lot of shot to the head as he tries to get his submission holds in. He tries a take down, but Stam counters, takes him down and puts him in a another scissors hold.
4:13 p.m.: Massenzio taps out. Not only did Stam put him in a hold with his legs, but he was also pulling down on Massenzio’s head as it was happening. Just too many shots to the head. Not enough damage inflicted by Massenzio on Stam.
Stam improves to 9-3. Massenzio falls to 11-4.
4:25 p.m.: Pokrajac and Irvin are in the ring for their Light Heavyweight fight.
4:29 p.m.: A small spattering of a “USA” chant from the crowd. It doesn’t catch on. Pokrajac is from Croatia. This isn’t the Cold War.
4:31 p.m.: A flurry from Pokrajac. He was stuck in a corner and then busted out with a furious left-right-left-right combination as Irvin released his hold. To finish Irvin off, Pokrajac slams him into the mat. Irvin taps out—or more that the referee heard he yell Uncle, but not literally.
4:35 p.m.: Twenty-minute break in the action from the Sports Arena. Be back then.
The results so far:
Kimmons defeats Steinbeiss by unanimous decision
Oliveria defeats Elkins by submission
Stam defeats Massenzio by submission
Pokrajac defeats Irvin by submission
5:03 p.m.: Riddle and Johnson are in the Octagon.
5:12 p.m.: Riddle gets technical the knock out on Johnson as the referee calls the fight. Riddle is able to go over the back, and starts to pummel Johnson on the back of the head. The fight's over after two rounds.
Riddle improves to 5-1. Johnson falls to 16-8.
The results so far:
Kimmons defeats Steinbeiss by unanimous decision
Oliveria defeats Elkins by submission
Stam defeats Massenzio by submission
Pokrajac defeats Irvin by submission
Riddle defeats Johnson by TKO
5:21 p.m.: The next fight pits Volkmann (10-2) versus Kelly (11-2) in a lightweight bout right before the Versus cameras come on live.
5:26 p.m.: Volkmann and Kelly are on their way to the Octagon. Volkmann's background includes wrestling at the University of Minnesota, so look for a lot of take downs and submission holds. Kelly loves to take his opponents to the ground and start pounding away.
Should be a fight with lots of action on the mat.
5:33 p.m.: So I was wrong. The first take down comes at the three-minute mark of the first round. The first couple of minutes was sparing between the two.
5:34 p.m.: Volkmann gives Kelly some of his own medicine, taking him down and getting some shots in. He alternates between putting Kelly in a submission hold and just pounding him into the mat.
5:35 p.m.: Kelly puts Volkmann into an arm bar and Volkmann is saved by the horn.
5:39 p.m.: Volkmann gets Kelly into an arm bar, but Kelly is able to maneuver and hit Volkmann in the face with a huge elbow, breaking the lock.
5:41 p.m.: Volkmann puts Kelly into a body triangle, but Kelly easily slips out.
5:42 p.m.: That round was all on the mat, with Volkmann trying to use his wrestling experience to put Kelly into submission holds. However, Kelly was able to avoid most of them.
5:46 p.m.: The third round is mostly boring with not too many shots being taken. There are some pot shots here and there, some elbows while Volkmann and Kelly are on the ground.
5:47 p.m.: Some excitement as Kelly is able to break away from Volkmann and use a flying punch to the face to knock him down. Volkmann recovers though and is not on top of the Kelly.
5:48 p.m.: The fight ends. Volkmann raises his hands but it’s up to the judges to decide.
5:49 p.m.: Volkmann wins the bout by unanimous decision. No contest really. Ten minutes until the Main Card begins.
The results so far:
Kimmons defeats Steinbeiss by unanimous decision
Oliveria defeats Elkins by submission
Stam defeats Massenzio by submission
Pokrajac defeats Irvin by submission
Riddle defeats Johnson by TKO
Volkmann defeats Kelly by unanimous decision