LAS VEGAS (AP) -Chael Sonnen beat Nate Marquardt by unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC 109 Saturday night to earn a shot at the middleweight title.
All three judges had it 30-27 for Sonnen, who will face the winner of the Anderson Silva-Vitor Belfort bout in April.
Sonnen controlled Marquardt for much of the fight, taking him down multiple times and landing a number of solid blows.
Marquardt opened a large gash above Sonnen's eyebrow and nearly locked him in guillotine choke late in the final round but couldn't neutralize Sonnen's Olympic-level wrestling skills.
In earlier fights, former welterweight champ Matt Serra TKO'd Frank Trigg in the first round, flooring him with an overhand right and forcing the ref to stop the fight with a flurry of punches.
