Review by Adam Stephen Kelly
UK Certification E | UK RRP £17.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 340 minutes
2011 began with a bang as the Ultimate Fighting Championship invaded Las Vegas, Nevada to present 11 stacked bouts in MMA's toughest proving ground on New Year's Day. What were your New Year's resolutions? Whatever they may have been and whether or not you've accomplished or broken them, I for one can tell you that victory was the only thing on the minds of the combatants at UFC 125 when the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve.
Clay “The Carpenter” Guida rose to the occasion in the opening pay-per-view fight of the year as he took out the former PRIDE star Gomi in the second round to a chorus of cheers from the live crowd. He secured the submission victory with a Guillotine choke after a brief struggle on the ground that followed a rather unique first round. Utilising a bizarre stance that could be likened to dancing or capoeira, Guida had Gomi outright confused and thrown off-balance from the very beginning and ensured that he would receive almost no offence. It may have been a strange tactic, but it definitely worked and acted as a gateway for Guida's repeated overhand shots.
Welterweight Bout: Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Undefeated Korean star Dong Hyun Kim acquired yet another unanimous decision victory at UFC in a showing that may as well have extinguished his “Stun Gun” nickname as it was far from the most exciting of bouts. Kim swarmed The Ultimate Fighter season 5 winner Diaz for the first two rounds with his superior grappling ability, refusing to allow his opponent to get in any offence whatsoever, be it strikes or holds. Diaz looked to be continually frustrated as the fight progressed and he failed to do any damage, but managed to break out in the last minute of the contest after nailing a vicious head kick out of the clinch and following up with a number of hard rights. It was too little too late, however, and Kim still took the round and the fight.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva
Three rounds of domination sealed the fate of Brandon Vera on the night as he succumbed to the sheer ferocity of the pitbull-like Thiago Silva, five minutes at a time. While the fight began far more decisively with both competitors trading hard shots and edging towards the war that they had both promised, Silva soon took advantage, utilising a BJJ game plan coupled with his great strength to overpower his opponent to the point where, in the final couple of minutes of the third round, he decided to take things to the next level by mixing up his right hands with literal bitch-slaps and there was absolutely nothing that Vera could do about it except almost cower under his opponent's might with a horribly broken nose. This wasn't quite the fight we had hoped to see, but it delivered a very impressive victory for Silva.
Middleweight Bout: Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann
Former US Marine Brian Stann specifically asked to face Chris Leben, said he was going to run right through him, and ended up doing just that. In an astonishing win – the biggest of his UFC career – Stann bulldozed the red-haired Leben in the first round after a series of massive fists, beating him to the punch in a trade-off. You've got to take your hat off to “The Crippler” for withstanding so many strikes and not going down sooner, but the way in which he did was as spectacular as it was unexpected. Stann was very gracious and respectful in victory, which is always great to see, but Leben was nowhere to be seen for a handshake as the dust began to settle on the co-main event of the evening.
Lightweight Championship Bout: Frank Edgar (c) vs. Gray Maynard
A draw never evokes a positive reaction from the fans, no matter what, and especially after a stellar fight like this championship main event. Edgar valiantly defended the title in a five-round war with Maynard that left both men bloodied and battered. After enduring an onslaught from the challenger in the first round, the champ somehow managed to rally back and return the favour, quickly tipping the scales of the bout in his favour before it balanced out and became an even playing field as the action drew to a close. Both fighters were obviously disappointed – that goes without saying – but I am inclined to agree with the decision of the judges on this occasion (which doesn't happen very often, let me assure you). I look forward to the rematch once it's rescheduled and both competitors are once again fighting fit.
In addition to the five-fight main card, this two-disc set also features all six of the evening's preliminary contests in their entirety:
Lightweight Bout: Jacob Volkmann vs. Antonio McKee
Welterweight Bout: Daniel Roberts vs. Greg Soto
Featherweight Bout: Mike Brown vs. Diego Nunes
Middleweight Bout: Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares
Featherweight Bout: Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier
Lightweight Bout: Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens
EXTRAS ??? The usual goods: the countdown show and weigh-ins are on the first disc, while fighter interviews, a behind the scenes feature and a 25-minute profile of Frankie Edgar are included on the second.