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In the co-main event of the UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" pay-per-view event taking place tonight (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011) in San Jose, California, Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles went toe-to-toe in a bantamweight battle.
The winner was promised a title rematch against Dominick Cruz, as both men have previous losses to "The Dominator" and are eager to avenge them. So who's going to get the chance first?
That would be Faber, who absolutely looked every bit as good as he ever did in the WEC by out-boxing, out-grappling and eventually submitting Bowles in the second round.
"That's how you finish fights. Dominick, you can run but you can't hide, bro. Let's do battle," remarked Faber in the post-fight interview.
Trilogy time.
In the early going, Bowles looked as though he was having trouble with Faber's usual unorthodox trajectory. The Sacramento native was putting together combinations with the speed and quickness that brought him such success throughout his career.
Bowles, whose game is predicated more on power and technique, struggled to get off the ground early. The one time he did, it was because Urijah picked him up and slammed him with a big takedown towards the end of the round.
Score.
Faber was far more patient in the opening parts of the second round and it paid off big. He landed an uppercut followed by a knee that had Bowles on the ropes and fighting hard to survive.
Then, just like that, Faber locked in a guillotine and Bowles tapped.
Cruz vs. Faber three, folks. Ready for it?
Remember to check out MMAmania.com's ongoing coverage of the UFC 139 pay-per-view by clicking here.