Utah's McGee falls by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 103


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PHOENIX — Layton native Court McGee took confidence in his UFC Fight Night 103 bout at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

The 5-foot-11 fighter out of Orem was coming off a win over Dominique Steele in his hometown, the UFC’s first-ever successful bout in Salt Lake City last November.

But he couldn’t overcome a fast start by his next opponent.

Benjamin Saunders used a fast start to hold off McGee, and the 33-year-old “Killa B” from Orlando held on for a win by unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 Sunday night in a nationally televised welterweight fight broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

“Court is as tough as they come, man,” Saunders said in the ring.

"The Crusher" McGee (18-6) attempted several big body blows in the opening round, but Saunders (21-7-2) parried each and used his 6-foot-3 frame to land 16 significant strikes and take the edge after the first round.

Neither fighter could gain much of an advantage in Round 2, though Saunders landed 22 significant strikes to just 17 for the native Utahn. McGee scored the only takedown of the bout on a body wrap with about two minutes remaining in third round and used his background as a former Layton High wrestler to try to force a submission.

But Saunders held on, and McGee couldn’t make up the difference.

The 30-year-old fighter who attended Weber State was looking for his first consecutive UFC wins since 2013, but failed to clinch in a pre-main event bout where no fighter gained an overwhelming separation.

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McGee has captivated the UFC since his rise from the winner of the 11th season of the reality TV series "The Ultimate Fighter" and his climb out of a battle of drug addiction. Though he wasn't the main event, he headlined UFC's first-ever successful bout in Salt Lake City after the organization pulled out of a previous event because of conflicts surrounding its Sunday-scheduled date.

Saunders wins consecutive matches after an armbar-submission against Jacob Volkmann at Fight Night at the Island last September. He’s now won five of his last six fights, including two by submission and two by technical knockout.

In the main event, 10th-ranked rising star Jair Rodriguez won by second-round knockout over UFC legend BJ Penn.

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