"UFC #78: Validation"

Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey.

Format: Mixed martial arts! There were no titles on the line, so all matches were limited to three five-minute rounds.

Results:

1. [Lightweight] Local boy Frankie "The Answer" Edgar scored a unanimous and popular decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) over Spencer "The King" Fisher.

2. [Middleweight] In a rematch 3.5 years in the making, Ed "Short Fuse" Herman (from TV's "The Ultimate Fighter 3") knocked out Canadian Joe "El Dirte" Doerksen in the third round.

3. [Welterweight] Armenia's Karo "The Heat" Parisyan got the nod from the judges (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), but apologised to fans for a boring bout against Japan's Ryo "The Piranha" Chonan.

4. [Light heavyweight] Brazilian Thiago Silva improved his record to 12-0 with a first-round ground'n'pound KO of Houston "The Assassin" Alexander. When interviewed afterwards, TS was very respectful and said HA was his hero for raising six kids alone.

5. [Light heavyweight] In the main event, "Sugar" Rashad Evans ("T/U/F/2" winner) was awarded the narrowest of split decisions (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) over Englishman Michael "The Count" Bisping ("T/U/F/3" winner). MB still made history by being the first Brit ever to headline a UFC show.

6. [Lightweight] In a bonus fight from the undercard, Joe "J.Lo" Lauzon ("T/U/F/5") submitted 38-year-old(!) Jason Reinhardt via a sweet submission (rear naked choke) in the opening round.

Notes:

* There were a pair of new refs.
* Joe Rogan made fun of co-commentator Mike Goldberg for using the expression "holy moley".
* We got a preview of Forrest Griffin ("T/U/F/1" winner) guest-starring in an episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit".
* The "Submission Of The Night" (freaky arm bar) was from an unscreened bout - annoying!
* "UFC 79: Nemesis" is gonna be AWESOME. Matt "The Terror" Serra defends his welterweight title against former champ and hated rival Matt Hughes. And then there's the light heavyweight match-up we've all dreamt of since the height of PRIDE: Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell versus Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva.

Moral: It's important to have a nickname.