IN somewhat a symbolic result, Team UFC triumphed in another entertaining instalment of Kazushi Sakuraba‘s QUINTET grappling event, beating out teams representing the Pride, WEC, and Strikeforce promotions. Check out all the teams and results below, as well as a trio of featured singles matches.

GRAPPLING TEAM SURVIVAL MATCHES:

SEMI FINAL | TEAM PRIDE vs. TEAM UFC (W)

UFC:

Sean O’Malley
Anthony Johnson
Clay Guida
Anthony Smith (C)
Gilbert Burns

PRIDE:

Takanori Gomi
Hector Lombard
Gregor Gracie
Yves Edwards
Kazushi Sakuraba

Sean O’Malley sub. Takanori Gomi (Guillotine)

‘Suga’ Sean showed off some slick submission skills in his opening bout against famed Japanese martial artist, Gomi. After trading collar ties on the feet for the first minute, Gomi looked to wrestle O’Malley to the ground but was shut down well on two occasions. Looking somewhat gassed as time passed, Gomi shot in deep a third time but O’Malley swooped on the guillotine and got the tap at 2:52.

Sean O’Malley sub. by Hector Lombard (Ankle lock)

A mismatch in size but O’Malley, the smaller fighter opted to keep the bout at a full eight minutes. It was another quick one, with ‘Suga’ pulling guard but having it opened with relative ease by Lombard, before the big Cuban grabbed an ankle lock and sat back to get the quick tap. Too big, strong, and slick.

Anthony Johnson drew w/ Hector Lombard

In a wrestling vs. judo matchup, both fighters locked horns on the feet for much of the eight minutes. Johnson shot first but moved straight into a Lombard guillotine, popping his head out shortly after. After a series of standups, shidos and repositions, ‘Rumble’ suffered an eye poke at 6:16 but was okay to continue. He worked a nice takedown into half guard and mount with 30 second left, but ran out of time to work. Double elimination.

Clay Guida sub. by Gregor Gracie (Armbar)

Two experienced foes met in this bout, with Gracie the bigger man coming in – and with a famous name. Gracie pulled guard early and Guida jumped in, with Gracie looking to get high on his opponent with his legs. After a break at 1:55 with Grace not letting Guida stand up, he pulled guard again and swooped on the arm of an aggressive Guida to get the tap.

Anthony Smith drew w/ Gregor Gracie

Another physical mismatch and one Smith would have liked to finish as captain and with Team Pride getting the lead. The taller and heavier man, Smith followed Gracie to the mat as they fought hands for a couple of minutes. After a break, Gracie attempted a kimura and ended up in half guard, looking to mount but being met by a persistent Smith. Gracie grabbed a front headlock but Smith’s defence held up again as he pried the arm away to get into full guard, later escaping having his back taken. Another draw and double elimination, but an active one.

Gilbert Burns sub. Yves Edwards (Rear-naked choke)

A big job was left for arguably the UFC’s best combatant in Burns, coming up first against Edwards – an even physical match-up. Burns immediately looked for the takedown early with a trip but ended up on bottom, continuing to be the aggressor as he locked in a body triangle from the back. Edwards managed to scoot out well but with Burns forcing the issue, ends up in a tricky kneebar attempt. Escaping again, Burns next attacks a kimura but Edwards resists, leaving Burns to scoot around to the back again and get somewhat of a strangle over Edwards’ chin to end the bout at 5:03.

Gilbert Burns dec. Kazushi Sakuraba

In the deciding bout, Burns took on Team Pride captain and QUINTET founder, Sakuraba with the winner taking all. After a minute of jostling on the feet, Burns rushed in for the takedown and landed on top, later getting into side control. Later, Burns would test Sakuraba by passing guard and looking for a toe hold, but the experienced Sakuraba would escape with a grin. A nice trip from Burns late on confirmed he was the aggressor, and saw Team UFC win overall with the decision victory.

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SEMI FINAL | TEAM STRIKEFORCE (W) vs. TEAM WEC

STRIKEFORCE:

JZ Cavalcante
Jake Shields
Muhammed Lawal
Gilbert Melendez (C)
Babalu Sobral

WEC:

Chad Mendes (C)
Mark Munoz
Cub Swanson
Glover Teixeira
James Krause

JZ Cavalcante drew w/ Chad Mendes

The explosive WEC captain and famed wrestler, Mendes was first up agains Cavalcante with ‘Money’ coming in having never being submitted in MMA. Both would start by baulking on the feet with Mendes snapping down hard in the clinch. Ever the acrobat, Cavalcante showed his willingness to work with a couple of audacious flying armbar attempts, but to no avail. The match finally hit the mat after three minutes, with Mendes on top but unable to pass guard. Mendes almost gets a leg but runs out of room, and there is a double shido as they both settle on the ground. A true stalemate draw to start, double elimination.

Jake Shields sub. Mark Munoz (Arm triangle)

A grappling and MMA veteran, Shields came in with a 47 lbs deficit but opted to keep the match at eight minutes. The two immediately locked up with Shields looking to pull guard. After a restart and with Munoz on his back, Shields mounted from side control and wrapped up an arm triangle. Munoz survived but had Shields wrap up the same submission after moving to the back, with third attempt from the top eventually yielding the tap at 4:47.

Jake Shields sub. Cub Swanson (Injury/leg lock)

Swanson is always a tough sub and would prove as much while this bout lasted, coming in a smaller fighter but with fresher legs. Shields worked early in Swanson’s guard as they both stayed busy, but Shields was unable to pass. Pulling guard again, Shields enacted another scramble and was looking to force the issue. After isolating Swanson’s left leg and reaping, Swanson turned the wrong way and had his knee pop, claiming fault for the injury and bringing an unfortunate end to the match.

Jake Shields drew w/ Glover Teixeira

This was a mammoth effort from Shields in his third-consecutive match, against a bigger and fresher opponent no less. With Glover advancing first and grabbing a single leg, he worked for an arm triangle on multiple occasions but had Shields provide the perfect defence as he looked to twist from side control. Unable to stay in mount while wrapping up the same submission, Glover’s pressure saw a shido go the way of Shields, but the American survived from the bottom and even attempt a guillotine late on. Double elimination.

Muhammed Lawal sub. by James Krause (Guillotine)

It was all left to super-coach Krause with ‘King Mo’ first in his sights. In a remarkable effort given the size difference and Lawal only needing to survive, Krause managed to get the finish in under a minute. Lawal went for a big lift but had to adjust as Krause wrapped up a guillotine, appearing to tap as Krause let go and the referee stepped in. A bit of a sloppy finish, but good nonetheless for Krause.

Gilbert Melendez drew w/ James Krause

The Team Strikeforce captain was left until last against Team WEC’s best guy, just needing to fight out a draw. Having only been submitted once in MMA, ‘Gilbo’ was always going to be a tough sub and proved just that while also remaining active with his wrestling. Krause had a good chance to finish late on as he locked in the body triangle, but Melendez got back to the feet and it was game over. Team Strikeforce through.

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FINAL | TEAM STIKEFORCE vs. TEAM UFC (W)

STRIKEFORCE:
Babalu Sobral
Muhammed Lawal
Gilbert Melendez (C)
JZ Cavalcante
Jake Shields

UFC:
Clay Guida
Anthony Johnson
Sean O’Malley
Anthony Smith (C)
Gilbert Burns

Babalu Sobral drew w/ Glay Guida

In the first match shortened to four minutes due to Sobral’s weight advantage, Guida just had to survive to the finish. In what seemed like a sprint, Sobral pulled guard early and looked to work from there with Guida jumping straight in, doing his best to stall and kill the clock. Sobral had a front headlock late on but Guida rode it out for the draw and double elimination.

Muhammed Lawal drew w/ Anthony Johnson

A match between two high-level wrestlers, this one saw both men vying for position up top. A front headlock from ‘Rumble’ almost saw him run Lawal off stage, with the two constantly running out of room. Another eye poke to Johnson had onlookers a little worried, but the two battled out the eight minutes using every inch of the mat. An improvised kimura and guillotine attempt from ‘King Mo’ in the closing stages was not enough, with another draw and double DQ.

Gilbert Melendez drew w/ Sean O’Malley

This was another impressive showing from ‘Suga’ against a seasoned and tough opponent, with the two battling for grips early. Melendez secured a nice takedown into O’Malley’s closed guard after a couple of minutes, but it ended in an eventual double shido. O’Malley answered ‘Gilbo’s wrestling well after that, even enacting a slick trip and initiating a beautiful scramble in the closing stages. An entertaining draw.

JZ Cavalcante drew w/ Anthony Smith

This was another enthralling battle between the great offence of ‘Lionheart’, and the strong defence of Cavalcante. A sweeping takedown from Smith was shut down as the two ran out of room, with ‘JZ’ continuing his acrobatics in this bout. Smith shot in deep but was met with a guillotine, only to pop out before engaging in some chat. Smith went on to set up a D’Arce choke which looked tight, but Cavalcante fought his way out, with Smith changing to a kimura and then a triangle armbar to no avail. Incredible grappling, but a fourth draw.

Jake Shields dec. by Gilbert Burns

In what was a dream matchup to close the show, arguably the two best grapplers in the entire event met to decide a winner. Burns wheeled around early to land a single leg takedown, working into a body triangle as the two fought hands. Burns enjoyed a lot of top position while having the back early, with a shido on Shields all but closing the show. It proved game over, with Burns grinding out the win in a decision to lead Team UFC to victory.

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SINGLES MATCHES:

FREDSON PAXIAO sub. by CRAIG JONES (Rear-naked choke)

DANIELLE KELLY sub. CYNTHIA CALVILLO (Ankle lock)

SUPERFIGHT | ALEKSEI OLEINIK sub. by GORDON RYAN (Knee bar)