UFC on Fuel 9 Results: 10 Memorable Moments from Stockholm, Sweden

Injuries and a major time-zone gap took a lot of pre-fight shine off UFC on Fuel 9, but the card still provided plenty of action despite being low on name value.

Actually, it had everything a hardcore MMA fan would want.

Spectacular knockouts, amazing grappling battles, and complete wars of attrition complemented the card from top to bottom as multiple fighters fought for pride (or their jobs, in many cases).

In fact, we even got a "Fight of the Year" candidate out of the Sweden event.

So, with all that craziness overseas, which were the most memorable moments?

That's easy enough to answer, so let's break down the best spots from UFC on Fuel 9.

Ilir Latifi Plants Gegard Mousasi with a Too-Late Takedown

When you look at the scorecards, Gegard Mousasi pitched a perfect game on Saturday.

Of course, we shouldn't have expected less from the former Strikeforce and two-division DREAM champion, as he soundly outstruck last-minute replacement Ilir Latifi during nearly 15 minutes.

Latifi was a massive underdog, but he still had his spots.

Never quite giving in to strikes and never shying away from Mousasi's hard jabs, Alexander Gustafsson's training partner did all he could in defeat.

Moreover, he even scored a takedown against Mousasi in a last-ditch effort to steal a win on strikes.

Time ran out with just seconds left, but for those who didn't like Mousasi's patient, methodical striking, it was the only time the MMA veteran looked vulnerable.

Ross Pearson Clobbers Ryan Couture into the Mat

Ryan Couture might be Bellator-bound after this loss.

Getting a tough opponent in his UFC debut, the son of UFC legend Randy Couture couldn't outrun Ross Pearson's heavy hands, eventually dropping to strikes.

Although Pearson got outhustled early in the fight, it was over once he finally caught Couture with a monster shot to the body, dragging him across the fence with damaging punches in bunches.

From there, the Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K. winner poured on the punishment, sealing his 15th career victory.

Matt Mitrione's Hip Bone Beats Phil De Fries Via KO

Hey, whatever works, right?

This is one instance where the Blackzilian curse lost out to Matt Mitrione's NFL training, as Philip De Fries went for a takedown and bounced right off, like he ran into a brick wall.

Mitrione seemed as surprised as anyone, rushing in and capitalizing with ground-and-pound for the stoppage.

If it was in doubt before, that 19-second win should keep "Meathead" far away from the cut list for now.

Brad Pickett Suplexes Mike Easton Head-First in Round 3

Brad Pickett and Mike Easton had a brilliant bantamweight battle on Saturday, one that was much closer than it looked.

However, if you're going to the scorecards, you need an exclamation point.

That's exactly what Pickett did with his Alliance MMA and Team Lloyd Irvin foe, repeatedly elevating him off the Octagon mat for major takedowns.

Earning his split-decision win with style, Pickett's slam in the final round was the finest, dropping Easton square on his head with two minutes to go as the match came to a close.

Diego Brandao Makes Quick Work of Pablo Garza in Round 1

Brandao looked fierce in his dismantling of Pablo Garza, patiently working his way to an arm-triangle submission win over "The Scarecrow" in Round 1.

But it was a quiet sort of fury.

Instead of trying to rip Garza apart like a rabid dog, the TUF 12 and WEC veteran smoothly broke his opponent down with takedowns and strikes, pinning Garza to the mat and finishing him in just over three minutes.

That's a solid win for Brandao, and should get him a bigger "name" opponent next time.

Akira Corassani Praises Robbie Peralta's 2 Kids, Full-Time Job

There's many ways to do a post-fight interview, but it doesn't get much better than the way Akira Corassani did his.

Gritting out a hard decision win against Robbie Peralta, the Swedish featherweight arguably stamped his next UFC event in his home country with heartfelt praise for his opponent to a very enthusiastic round of cheers.

Not only did Corassani call Peralta his "idol" for fighting in the UFC with two kids and a full-time job, but he also credited the crowd for his win. 

"Swedish water is the best water in the world. I was born here, lived here 27 years. I owe this country and these people everything."

Reza Madadi Wins a 3-Round War, Submits Michael Johnson

This is your "Fight of the Year" candidate, folks.

From the opening bell to the eventual finish, underdog hometown hero Reza Madadi fought bravely against talented Blackzilian favorite Michael Johnson, scoring a major upset with his first D'arce choke submission.

That was after a brutal 11 minutes and 33 seconds of war, with Madadi narrowly avoiding defeat in a major blitz that saw him nearly knocked out on his feet as Johnson blasted him with hard strikes.

Madadi rallied back, though, using his superior jiu-jitsu to control Johnson, eventually fooling his foe into exposing his neck on the ground.

Even in victory, Madadi was candid about the match, giving a smart post-fight interview:

"[He kicked me] very hard. He got me. Not 100 percent. 99. In the first round, I was totally gone," the Swede-Iranian admitted. "My chance against him was very small. I just wanted to get here and have a good time... I wanna go 'give me the belt!' But, I'm just joking!"

Tor Troeng Submits That Guy Who Lost to Uriah Hall

Sorry, but that's all Adam Cella is going to be remembered for.

At the very least, he's still got a job at the family business waiting for him at home, right?

Besides, like Cella said in Episode 3 of The Ultimate Fighter 17, he doesn't "need" a UFC contract like all the other fighters.

Well, with that rear-naked choke, Cella's on his way home.

Conor McGregor TKOs Marcus Brimage in 67 Seconds

There are few things in the world more Irish than shamrocks, Conan O'Brien and leprechauns, and the UFC just found one in Conor McGregor.

Hell, the Irish flag isn't even necessary to hammer the point home.

As the top MMA prospect in his home country, McGregor made a huge statement in his UFC debut, uppercutting a helpless Marcus Brimage into oblivion with just 67 seconds on the clock.

More impressively, he even called out his "Knockout of the Night" award, just four matches into the 13-bout UFC event.

That's just ballsy, but McGregor sounded like a veteran in his post-fight interview.

"Let the fight happen naturally. Whatever happens, happens. Wherever the fight takes place is where it takes place."

Tom Lawlor Snatches a Guillotine Win in Sweden, Dedicates It to His Sister

Even though Tom Lawlor was getting out-grappled by Michael Kuiper thoughout much of their undercard match, all it took was one mistake to turn the tide.

That's MMA in a nutshell.

Kuiper's superior striking and wrestling went away once Lawlor jumped onto a guillotine choke against the fence and held on for the finish, forcing his Dutch opponent to tap out.

After losing narrowly to Francis Carmont in his last bout, Lawlor needed that.

Plus, although he's generally known for his goofball weigh-in antics more than his fighting skills, "Filthy" got serious in his post-fight interview, dedicating the victory to his sister Katie, who died in a car accident 12 years ago.

With tears in Lawlor's eyes, it was a good look as he returned to the "win" column.