Evans Earns the Victory In Lackluster Main Event

Frankie Edgar lands a right punch to the face of Spencer Fisher in their lightweight bout during UFC 78 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Saturday night. (Rich Schultz - AP)

NEWARK, Nov. 17 -- The saying goes, if Ultimate Fighting Championship broadcaster Joe Rogan comes to you smiling, you've had a good night.

So if that's true, neither Rashad Evans or Michael Bisping had fun in UFC 78's marquee event Saturday night at Prudential Center. The two "Ultimate Fighter" champions were looking to make amends after unsatisfactory performances. Neither made a statement once again.

After the final bell, Evans had his hand raised via a split decision, 29-28, 29-28, 28-29, keeping his undefeated light heavyweight record intact. It came down to the third round, in which Evans scored two takedowns in the final minutes to seal the win.

"It's not how I want to finish a fight," Evans said. "I hold high standards for myself and I don't feel I lived up to them. . . . It wasn't a knockout so I guess it's not the statement I wanted, but it's a statement in its own right."

Evans (16-0-1) was coming off a tie against Tito Ortiz in UFC 73 and Bisping (15-1) won a widely disputed decision over Matt Hamill in UFC 75. It appeared as if Evans was going to force the action early in the bout.

Evans didn't just push Bisping against the cage, he rattled him with bull charges. In the second round, he picked up Bisping and carried him into the center of the ring before slamming him to the raucous ovation of a crowd chanting "U-S-A" against the British Bisping.

"I went in there against a guy who is tough as hell," said Evans, who was surprised it was a split decision. "In my mind, I thought I was winning."

The third round was slow and the match ended to boos. One fan yelled to UFC President Dana White, "Don't come back to Jersey!"

Fans also were disappointed to see the demise of overnight sensation Houston Alexander. The question of whether Alexander could handle a fight that went to the mat was answered nearly as quickly as Alexander's reputation as a knockout machine was forged.

Perhaps Saturday night's most anticipated bout was stopped just 3 minutes 25 seconds into the first round when undefeated light heavyweight Thiago Silva rained unblocked punches on Alexander's face to win by technical knockout.

Alexander, who entered the fight coming off impressive knockouts in his first two UFC bouts, began the fight stalking Silva around the ring and landed one heavy shot to Silva's sternum before slamming him. But once Alexander (8-2) was turned on his back, he never got up. Silva (12-0) mounted Alexander's chest and never was threatened to even be bucked off.

"I grade myself a C tonight," Alexander said. "I didn't come out the way I wanted."