St-Pierre beats Hardy at UFC 111
Welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre had his way with England's Dan (The Outlaw) Hardy but couldn't finish him en route to a lopsided decision Saturday night at UFC 111 in Newark, N.J.
St-Pierre pitched a shutout, winning by scores of 50-43, 50-44 and 50-45 and has won 25 rounds in a row in the UFC.
The 28-year-old from Montreal used his wrestling skills to dominate Hardy, who was unable to mount any offence in the face of St-Pierre's relentless attack.
A game but outmatched Hardy showed his grit by refusing to tap during two wicked submission attempts.
"I thought he was made of rubber," St-Pierre said. "It's a win but I'm not very happy with myself. I made a lot of stupid technical mistakes."
St-Pierre (20-2) took Hardy down 10 times and the brash Brit was never able to use his striking skills.
The two shook hands and hugged after the final round.
St-Pierre congratulated Hardy and apologized to the fans for not finishing the fight.
"I can see now why he's a champion," said Hardy.
"There's no quit in me. I never give up … I don't know the meaning of tap."
Carwin pounds Mir
In the co-main event at the soldout Prudential Center, Shane Carwin pounded out a decisive first-round KO over Frank Mir to win the interim heavyweight title.
With the victory, Carwin also earned a shot at Brock Lesnar and the real championship belt.
Carwin made short work of Mir and the end was brutal.
After circling each other in the cage, the two clinched at the fence but were separated midway through the round. When things went back to the fence, Carwin (12-0) had his way with Mir, dropping him with a half-dozen uppercuts.
Mir (13-5) went down and Carwin hammered away from above until referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in at 3:48.
"Right there I let it go," said Carwin as he watched the highlights while a dejected Mir left the cage.
All of Carwin's fights have ended in the first round.
"That was a good fight, but he's still wearing a belt that's a make-believe belt," Lesnar said in the cage afterward.
Different styles
Hardy walked out first to England Belongs to Me by Cock Sparrer, a new version he helped record recently. St-Pierre, wearing his traditional martial arts garb, came out next to hip-hop.
Hardy, under a red Mohawk, paced as St-Pierre bounded into the cage.
As he was introduced, Hardy mugged for the cameras and the crowd. St-Pierre bounced on his feet and bowed to his opponent when his name was called out.
Seconds later the crowd was chanting "GSP, GSP."
It took less than 30 seconds for St-Pierre to take Hardy down. He passed guard and then took Hardy's back as the Brit tried to get up.
When St-Pierre lost position and Hardy got up, he took him down again. It was more of the same, but this time he got mount and again took Hardy's back, pulling him down when the challenger tried to get up.
St-Pierre had an armbar but Hardy, who was on the defensive the entire round, amazingly refused to tap.
In the second, the two circled until St-Pierre took Hardy down again. But he lost position again after trying to take Hardy's back and the Brit reversed position, only for St-Pierre to get up.
More of the same
St-Pierre hit him with a right and Hardy struck out his tongue. Then St-Pierre dumped him a fourth time.
The champion opened the third with a takedown and this time looked for some ground and pound, landing elbows and punches. Hardy's face was showing wear and tear, and he was beginning to suck wind.
It was more of the same in the fourth. A takedown was followed by GSP in mount looking for a submission. Hardy survived, but soon found himself on his back again as the crowd chanted, "Hardy sucks."
St-Pierre cranked Hardy's arm back in a kimura but again the Brit refused to tap.
The champion opened the final round with his ninth takedown and was soon looking to bend another Hardy limb in a way it wasn't supposed to.
Earlier Saturday, New Jersey lightweight Jim Miller won a unanimous (29-28) decision over Mark Bocek of Woodbridge, Ont., in a fight the Canadian probably thought he won.