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Sonnen pounds his way into title contention at UFC 109

Chael Sonnen was dominant against Nate Marquardt © Getty Images

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Chael Sonnen proved to be the main headline maker at UFC 109 after he mauled Nate Marquardt to put himself in line for a shot at the UFC middleweight title.

Sonnen began as a major underdog at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, taking on an opponent in Nate Marquardt who had won four of his previous five fights, losing the other in controversial fashion following an illegal knee against Thales Leites. This clash with Sonnen, in the eyes of many critics, was Marquardt's final step towards a second shot at the middleweight title.

Clearly Sonnen had not read that script, nor the pre-fight predictions that Marquardt's striking would prove too devastating for the 32-year-old Greco Roman wrestler. Playing to his own exhausting strengths, Sonnen dominated from top position for nearly 13 minutes of the three-round bout, using his elbows effectively to pound out a 30-27 unanimous decision.

Only twice did Marquardt threaten to stop the Sonnen juggernaut, once when an elbow from the bottom opened a serious cut on Sonnen's forehand, and again late in round three when Marquardt so nearly sunk in a guillotine choke. The Denver native lacked the fitness to hold on though, allowing Sonnen to force himself into title contention.

"I don't want to be an also-ran," said Sonnen, whose record improves to 26-10-1. "I want to be king of the mountain and I think I can beat any man God ever made."

It is now expected that Sonnen will face the winner of Anderson Silva's title defence against Vitor Belfort at UFC 112.

The main event of the evening between UFC Hall-of-Famers Randy Couture and Mark Coleman proved to be extremely one-sided as the 46-year-old Couture proved too fast and too tough for 45-year-old opponent Coleman.

In a contest that pitched five-time UFC champion Couture against ground-and-pound pioneer Coleman, it was "Captain America" who dictated the fight before eventually working to a rear naked choke at 1.09 of round two. Coleman attempted to survive, refusing to tap as referee Steve Mazzagatti eventually stepped in to pull Couture off his motionless opponent.

The early stages of the bout had all belonged to Couture as he displayed the sharper boxing, only eating the occasional big right from Coleman as he worked inside to unleash a succession of uppercuts against the cage. It was from such a position that Couture landed the takedown that led to the rear naked choke and, after his second consecutive victory at 205lbs, he roared: "I'm having a blast. I feel like I'm improving each time. It's my third fight in seven months and it feels great to be so active."

Earlier in the night, Paulo Thiago served notice of his welterweight intentions with a devastating submission of Mike Swick.

Improving to a 13-1 record, with the sole defeat coming to wrestling stand-out Jon Fitch, Thiago showed he is one of the most dangerous all-rounders in the 170lb category as he momentarily switched Swick's lights off, before pouncing for the D'Arce choke finish. Defeat was Swick's second in as many fights after he was out-pointed by Dan Hardy and, with Hardy awaiting a title shot in March, Thiago has every reason to believe he could be next in line.

The Brazilian decked Swick with a counter left hook after Thiago himself had been jarred by a firm right hand, but with Swick scrambling to regain his senses Thiago moved in for the D'Arce choke to force the stoppage at 1.54 in round two.

Equally as impressive was Matt Serra's knockout of Frank Trigg, which improved Serra's record to 17-6. Acknowledging Trigg's reach advantage, Serra worked his opponent's body before choosing the perfect time to go upstairs with an overhand right that stopped the fight at 2.23 in the first round.

Like Serra, Demian Maia also plotted his way back onto the winner's path with an uncharacteristic stick-and-move points victory over Dan Miller. Having won Submission of the Night honours in four of his last six fights, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Maia did attempt an occasional takedown but, after Miller exploded back to his feet, the Wanderlei Silva student trusted his stand-up to edge a 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 decision.

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