Rosholt scores UFC 43 win

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Former Sandpoint state wrestling champion Jared Rosholt used a dominant wrestling attack to get past the dangerous Soa Palelei recently in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 43 at Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.

Rosholt (11-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) stayed unbeaten in the UFC as he topped Palelei (21-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) with a unanimous decision.

Rosholt, who won state wrestling titles as a freshman and sophomore at Sandpoint before moving to Oklahoma to follow older brother Jake Rosholt, is a member of Team Takedown Fighters in Arlington, Texas. Fellow former Bulldog wrestler Chris Feist is also a member of the team, as was Jake Rosholt before a hand injury sidelined his MMA career.

Palelei got a takedown 45 seconds in, and Rosholt tried to fight it off to get back to his feet. He did so fairly easily, and then went after a single-leg takedown of his own. Midway through, tied up on the fence without much activity, referee Steve Perceval warned them to get busy.

Rosholt did and went after an arm triangle. Then he took Palelei’s back and landed knees to the body. Rosholt stormed on him and landed big punches and put Palelei on the canvas thanks to some uppercuts. Palelei got back to his feet again, though it was more control by Rosholt, who dominated the frame in the clinch.

Another takedown for Rosholt came early in the third, as Palelei seemingly had no answers for the ground game.

Rosholt won for the seventh straight time. His three-fight UFC winning streak trails only Andrei Arlovski, Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez in the heavyweight division.

Palelei lost for the first time since a November 2010 setback against Daniel Cormier. He had an 11 fight winning streak of KOs stopped.