UFC interim lightweight title: Tony Ferguson vs. Kevin Lee live round-by-round coverage
Conor McGregor hasn’t defended the UFC lightweight title since winning it last fall so this fight is being made to crown an interim champion. Tony Ferguson has 9 straight wins in the UFC, a feat few have matched in the history of the organization. He is a dangerous brawler with excellent submission skills as well. Kevin Lee is a ground specialist and primarily relies on his wrestling to control opponents. Lee struggled to make weight for the fight and might be drained, something to keep an eye on particularly as the fight progresses.
Round 1. Lee lands a high kick early. Lee then follows with a solid 2 punch combination. Ferguson knocks Lee down with a low kick as the off balance Lee is throwing himself. Lee catches Ferguson with a hard right hand and looks to follow. Ferguson hurts Lee with a counterpunch and Lee stops his advance. Lee takes Ferguson down but they immediately scramble for position. Ferguson is on top briefly but Lee regains the top. Ferguson slows Lee down with an omoplata but Lee gets out and lands a few knees to the body. Lee gets out of guard into North-South position. Lee moves into side control and then mount. Lee drops some big punches and elbows from mount. Lee completely opens up as the round comes to an end. Lee throws a punch way after the end of the round. 10-9 Lee.
Round 2. Ferguson throws a high kick early. He catches Lee with a left hand shortly thereafter. Lee shoots in for a takedown but basically misses altogether. Ferguson lands a nice jab. Ferguson continues to work that jab. Ferguson looks confident in his movement and is talking as he moves forward. Lee goes for a takedown late but doesn’t get it. Lee does land a knee to the body on the break. 10-9 Ferguson.
Round 3. Lee shoots in for a takedown and slams Ferguson down 30 seconds into the round. Ferguson ties Lee up and gets back to his feet. Lee has slowed down considerably but Ferguson isn’t taking advantage of that. Lee grabs a takedown at the halfway point of the round. Ferguson grabs an armbar and looks like he has it but Lee rolls out. Ferguson grabs a triangle choke and gets the submission.
Winner: Tony Ferguson, submission, round 3.
Tony Ferguson’s surge continues. Ferguson has been a dominant fighter for years now and he took out another top opponent. Kevin Lee to his credit showed improved standup in addition to a dangerous ground game and gave Ferguson some problems. Ferguson survived and took over late. Ferguson now has to hope he can get a big money showdown against Conor McGregor.
UFC flyweight title: Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg live round-by-round coverage
Demetrious Johnson is one of the most skilled fighters in the sport and has dominated the 125 pound weight class. Tonight he can set the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses. His opponent is massive underdog Ray Borg, who is 5-2 in the UFC with top wins over Jussier Formiga and Louis Smolka plus losses to Justin Scoggins and Dustin Ortiz. Johnson refused to defend his title against former bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, who would have been his toughest and most anticipated opponent in years, electing instead to try to set the record as a 12 to 1 favorite against Borg.
Round 1. Johnson opens with a few leg kicks. Borg isn’t defending them well so Johnson just keeps attacking with those low kicks. Johnson takes Borg’s back from the standing position but Borg spins out. Borg keeps moving forward. He lands a left hand and looks for a takedown. Johnson avoids that and secures top position himself. Johnson lands some punches from the top. Johnson transitions into side control and looks for a kimura submission. Borg gets out of that spot and looks for a kimura from bottom as the round concludes. 10-8 Johnson.
Round 2. Borg presses forward with a few threatened punches and clinches. Borg then looks for a takedown. After working for a while, he gets Johnson down. Johnson works his way up but Borg gets him down again. Johnson gets back up. Borg briefly takes Johnson’s back but Johnson flips him off and takes top position. Borg works his way back to his feet and they work in the clinch by the cage. Johnson get a takedown and side control. Borg looks to stand up but eats a knee to the body and some punches. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 3. Borg catches a kick and goes for a takedown. Johnson defends well, showing great balance with one leg. Johnson takes top position. He ends up in Borg’s half guard where he lands a series of punches. Borg is hanging in there but Johnson s clearly the far superior fighter. Johnson gets mount and Borg turns his back. Johnson takes the back and looks to secure a rear naked choke. Borg gets out and threatens with a guillotine choke late. 10-8 Johnson.
Round 4. Borg charges in with a hook and slams Johnson to the mat. Johnson transitions out and into top position. Johnson lands a couple elbows there. Borg works his way back to his feet and they battle in the clinch there. Johnson slams Borg down. Johnson has side control. Borg stands up. Johnson looks briefly for an armbar but doesn’t come close. As Borg gets up, Johnson takes Borg back down. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 5. Johnson gets a takedown and has side control. Borg gets back up and keeps coming. He throws a big hook but gets taken down. Johnson has side control again. He gets full mount but then Borg gets up again. Johnson takes him back down. Borg gets up but Johnson throws him down and grabs an armbar in the process. Borg really doesn’t want to tap but Johnson keeps cranking and Borg is forced to.
Winner: Demetrious Johnson, submission, round 5.
That was a completely dominant performance by Johnson with an all time highlight reel finish to boot. Johnson now has the record he long sought. It’s easy to understand why Johnson sought out Borg rather than someone like Dillashaw. Johnson was much better in every aspect of the game and it was an easy night at the office for the champion. What’s most impressive about Johnson is his diversity of talents. His standup, wrestling, ground game, transitions and conditioning are all elite.
Fabricio Werdum vs. Walt Harris live round-by-round coverage
Fabricio Werdum is one of the most accomplished heavyweight fighters of all time with wins over many of the greatest fighters of all time. He’s looking to get back into title contention after losing 2 of his last 3. He was originally supposed to fight Derrick Lewis on this card but Lewis pulled out earlier today due to injury. Walt Harris was supposed to fight on the prelims and he steps in for this big opportunity.
Round 1. Werdum grabs a single leg and gets the takedown thirty seconds into the fight. Werdum moves right to mount and gets the back as Harris tries to get up. Werdum transitions into the armbar and gets the submission.
Winner: Fabricio Werdum, submission, round 1.
Werdum was expected to take care of business there against a much less acclaimed opponent and he did just that. Werdum is used to taking on elite competition pretty much every fight and he took advantage of the easier opponent tonight. In Harris’ defense, he was planning to take on a striker and instead got an elite submission artist with a few hours’ notice.
Mara Romero Borella vs. Kalindra Faria live round-by-round coverage
Mara Romero Borella and Kalindra Faria are making their UFC debuts here. Borella is an Italian fighter who is 5-0 with 1 no contest in her last 6 bouts. Faria is Brazilian with 3 straight wins and experience against some of the best fighters in the world earlier in her career.
Round 1. Borella gets a takedown at the start of the fight. She lands in half guard but quickly works her way into full mount. Borella lands punches from there and forces Faria to turn. When Faria turns, Borella secures her back and looks to lock in a rear naked choke. Borella locks it in and gets the tap.
Winner: Mara Romero Borella, submission, round 1.
That was a great UFC debut for Borella. She took on a tough opponent and ran right through her. Borella’s ground game is excellent and she really showed it off there.
Beneil Dariush vs. Evan Dunham live round-by-round coverage
It’s a testament to the depth of the lightweight division that neither of these highly skilled competitors have ever really been able to gain that much traction in the division. Beneil Dariush sports a 14-3 record with wins over the likes of Michael Johnson, Jim Miller and Rashid Magomedov while Evan Dunham is 18-6 with 4 straight wins.
Round 1. Dunham looks for a takedown but Dariush makes him pay with a knee to the head and they break. Dunham throws plenty of straight punches early while Dariush is more measured. Dariush lands a left hand and a heavy elbow. Dunham goes down. Dariush takes top position and lands a series of punches to the side of the head. Dariush keeps landing flush punches and Dunham is taking great damage in the process. As Dunham tries to get up, he eats some big knees to the body. That was a wipeout. 10-8 Dariush.
Round 2. Dunham gets a much needed early takedown. Dariush uses an omoplata to force Dunham to create distance on the ground and then Dariush stands up. Dariush lands a couple of strong low kicks. Dunham clinches and they trade blows in the clinch late. 10-9 Dunham.
Round 3. Dunham connects with a head kick. Dunham follows with a few straight punches. Dunham cracks Dariush with a left hand. Dariush responds by moving Dunham back with a jab and then following with a hard straight left. Dunham shoots for a takedown but Dariush defends it well. They end up in the clinch where Dunham uses some nice knees. They separate and each lands solid punches from range. Dunham pushes the action at the end, moving forward with punches and encouraging Dariush to come to him. 10-9 Dunham, 28-28 draw.
Result: Majority Draw (29-28 Dariush, 28-28, 28-28).
That was another exciting fight. Beneil Dariush was completely dominant early but Evan Dunham showed a lot of heart in fighting back and getting the majority draw. Dariush did appear to fade to some degree despite overall having better technique.
Tom Duquesnoy vs. Cody Stamann live round-by-round coverage
Both Cody Stamann and Tom Duquesnoy possess sparkling 15-1 records (Duquesnoy also has a no contest). Duquesnoy has more buzz thanks to his flashy style and finishing ability but this is is a challenging matchup for him.
Round 1. Stamann connects with a knee early. Stamann gets a takedown but Duquesnoy immediately rises right back to his feet. Duquesnoy opens up with some punches and mixes in a big elbow and knee to the body. Duquesnoy adds a big straight punch moments later but Stamann responds by securing a takedown. Duquesnoy pushes Stamann off and returns to his feet. 10-9 Duquesnoy.
Round 2. Duquesnoy lands a head kick early. Duquesnoy connects with an overhand right a little while later. Duquesnoy is taking over in the standup as the fight progresses, utilizing superior speed and footwork. Stamann gets a takedown at the midpoint of the round. He lands some punches but Duquesnoy pushes Stamann off and returns to his feet. Stamann gets another takedown with a minute left. Stamann lands some punches from the top and the round concludes. Close round. Duquesnoy got the best of the standup in the first half of the round while Stamann got the takedown in the second half. 10-9 Duquesnoy.
Round 3. Duquesnoy lands a high kick early. Stamann moves in with a few low kicks. Duquesnoy’s output has been low in the third, perhaps respecting the takedown of Stamann too much. Stamann throws a head kick and a few hooks from close range. Stamann is taking over in the standup in the third. Stamann misses a spinning back kick late and Duquesnoy takes top position. Duquesnoy stands back up as the fight ends. 10-9 Stamann, 29-28 Duquesnoy.
Winner: Cody Stamann, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27).
It wasn’t flashy but Stamann really exhibited his skills there. He was in there with a dangerous opponent and he avoided early danger, grinded Duquesnoy down and imposed his will late. It was a good early test for the confident young fighter.
Bobby Green vs. Lando Vannata live round-by-round coverage
This is a compelling matchup on paper. Bobby Green is a rugged, underrated veteran badly in need of a win after three straight losses (against top flight competition in Edson Barboza, Dustin Poirier and Rashid Magomedov). Lando Vannata garnered a lot of buzz when he burst onto the scene with a tremendous performance in defeat against Tony Ferguson and followed that with a spectacular head kick knockout of John Makdessi. He came up short in his most recent fight against David Teymur so he’s looking to recapture his momentum.
Round 1. Vannata lunges in with a looping right hand. Green connects with a couple straight left hands and opens up a cut on the nose of Vannata. Vannata hits Green with a head kick and follows that with some punches that connect well. Green goes down from a right hand and Vannata keeps landing punches there. It feels like the fight might be stopped but it isn’t. As Green is getting up, Vannata lands a knee but Green wasn’t up yet so that is an illegal blow. It connected more with thigh to the head than the knee itself. Vannata is deducted a point. As the fight restarts, Vannata grabs a standing guillotine choke. It looks tight but Green fights his way out. Vannata grabs a takedown late. 10-8 Vannata, 9-8 with the point deduction.
Round 2. They trade hard low kicks early. Green connects with a quality looping left hand. Vannata lands a two punch combination but eats a short inside punch. Green clinches and lands some punches from there. Vannata gets a takedown in the clinch but Green works his way right back up. They scramble and Vannata briefly has Green’s back but he loses it. Green connects with some hard punches from close range but he eats a counter in the process and is hurt. Vannata opens up with some heavy punches looking to get the finish. Green answers with a hew nice answers of his own and regains momentum. Green lands a few solid punches at the end. That was a terrific round. 10-9 Green.
Round 3. They come out hard again with each man looking to take control of the fight. Vannata goes for a takedown but it is stuffed. Vannata lands a hard right hook. Green connects with two straight jabs that back Vannata up. They both land stiff punches in the same exchange. Neither man can seem to take over. Vannata pours on some punches late and gets Green down but Green works his way right back up. Green rocks Vannata at the very end with a massive punch but time runs out. That was a great, great fight. 10-9 Green, 28-27 Green.
Result: Split Draw (29-27, 27-29, 28-28).
Both men turned in tremendous performances there and a draw feels like a just outcome. It was an exciting, back and forth battle where both exhibited great heart and skill. Green reminded fans of what he’s capable of while Vannata once more demonstrated his proclivity for delivering memorable bouts.
Pearl Gonzalez vs. Poliana Botelho live round-by-round coverage
Pearl Gonzalez is 6-2 as a professional but fell short in her UFC debut in April. Her opponent is now the one making her UFC debut. Poliana Botelho is fighting for the first time in the Octagon after accumulating a 5-1 record elsewhere.
Round 1. Gonzalez opens with some leg kicks and then looks for a takedown. Botelho lands some hard elbows to the head while defending. She keeps landing those elbows and finally they are separated. Gonzalez goes back to the clinch. This time Botelho takes the underhooks and reverses Gonzalez into the cage. They continue to grapple for position. Botelho lands her elbows whenever she has a chance. 10-9 Botelho.
Round 2. Gonzalez goes back to the clinch and Botelho obliges her with continued elbows. Gonzalez just continues looking for a takedown that never comes while Botelho lands elbow after elbow. They are finally separated and Gonzalez seems to have slowed down. Botelho has much more energy and is throwing punches and kicks. Gonzalez grabs another clinch late. 10-9 Botelho.
Round 3. Botelho lands a nice left hand as Gonzalez moves in. Gonzalez clinches again. Botelho lands some knees to the body. They trade knees in the clinch. Botelho nails Gonzalez with some punches to the body and further knees before they’re finally separated again. Gonzalez goes right back to the clinch, despite having accomplished nothing with it the entire fight. Botelho goes back to her elbows ad adds punches. They are separated and Botelho lands a spinning back kick. Botelho opens up with further shots and Gonzalez clinches once more. Botelho takes Gonzalez down at the end. 10-9 Botelho, 30-27 Botelho.
Winner: Poliana Botelho, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
That was a dreadful fight, entirely due to Pearl Gonzalez. Poliana Botelho did her best to get in offense when she could but Gonzalez seemed content to simply hold on for dear life until time expired. It was as terrible a performance as you’ll ever see in the UFC and likely will spell the end of Gonzalez’s UFC tenure.
Matt Schnell vs. Marco Beltran live round-by-round coverage
Both of these fighters are competing just to survive in the UFC. Matt Schnell has lost both of his UFC bouts via TKO/KO and gets another opportunity here with a 9-4 career record. Marco Beltran is 8-5 in his own right and also was stopped in his last two.
Round 1. The fighters are active from early on, with both throwing plenty of combinations. Beltran lands a nice hook inside and a front kick that connects well. Schnell answers with a hard leg kick and a few punches charging forward. Beltran lands another front kick and Schnell immediately answers back with a series of punches. Schnell catches a kick and lands a punch late. Close round. 10-9 Schnell.
Round 2. Schnell makes Beltran miss with some punches at the start of the round. Schnell’s advantage boxing is becoming more pronounced as the fight progresses. Beltran lands a head kick but gets countered as he moves in with a knee. The fighters become more cautious in the second half of the round, not throwing as much. Schnell lands a solid right hook late. 10-9 Schnell.
Round 3. The third round begins more like the second than the first, with the fighters moving a lot but not throwing so much. Beltran begins to become more assertive, calling for action and throwing kicks from different angles. Schnell just isn’t active enough although he does often connect well when he does throw his punches. Beltran gets a takedown left but Schnell grabs a guillotine choke. Beltran pops out at the end. 10-9 Beltran, 29-28 Schnell.
Winner: Matt Schnell, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27).
That wasn’t a fight where either man really made much of a case for remaining in the UFC. Schnell’s boxing was the difference.
John Moraga vs. Magomed Bibulatov live round-by-round coverage
John Moraga is a former flyweight title challenger with a 6-5 UFC record. He takes on Magomed Bibulatov, an elite Russian prospect with a perfect 14-0 record. He won his UFC debut in April.
Round 1. Both fighters start aggressively in the standup with wide open kicks and punches. Moraga hurts Bibulatov with a looping right hand. He follows that with a head kick and left hook that drops the Russian. Moraga follows with additional punches on the ground and the fight is called off.
Winner: John Moraga, TKO, round 1.
That’s probably the biggest win of Moraga’s career. He was facing an undefeated fighter with a lot of hype and risked becoming something of an also ran in the division if he lost. Instead, he scored an emphatic win that will set him up for further fights against the best in his division.
Thales Leites vs. Brad Tavares live round-by-round coverage
UFC 216 kicks off with a middleweight bout featuring a pair of name veterans. Thales Leites is a former UFC middleweight title challenger and has scored 12 victories inside the Octagon. At 35 years old and having lost 3 of his last 5, Leites’ hopes at another title opportunity are fading. Brad Tavares debuted in the UFC back in 2010 and he holds 10 UFC wins of his own, 9 by decision.
Round 1. Tavares primarily relies on his jab and low kicks early. Leites catches him with a couple of hard right hands. Tavares stuns Leites with a hard punch and Leites goes for a desperation takedown attempt. Leites can’t get it but does give himself some time to recover in the clinch. They eventually are separated and return to fighting at range. Leites goes for another takedown attempt. Tavares blocks it and lands another hard punch and flying knee late. 10-9 Tavares.
Round 2. A confident Tavares comes out peppering Leites with his jab. Tavares mixes in the low kicks and has a clear advantage in the standup. However, as is usually the case with Tavares, he’s content to play it safe rather than open up even with the big advantage. Leites gets Tavares down briefly with a takedown at the midpoint of the round but Tavares pops right back up. Tavares backs away and they go back to range striking. Tavares 10-9.
Round 3. Leites goes for the takedown early but Tavares blocks it again. In the standup, it’s mostly one way traffic. Tavares is fluid with his jab and his leg kicks. Leites’ leg goes out from a late leg kick and he’s badly limping. Leites is bleeding as well. Leites goes for a takedown late. Leites can’t get it. Leites goes down on his own late and eats some punches as the fight concludes. 10-8 Tavares, 30-26 Tavares.
Winner: Brad Tavares, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26).
Tavares looked like the much better fighter than Leites. He was able to keep the fight standing and consistently got the best of the exchanges there. Leites looks at the tail end of his career as he was slow and unable to assert himself.
Kevin Lee makes weight for lightweight bout against Tony Ferguson, with a little extra time
In the latest dramatic situation involving a UFC weigh-in, Saturday’s UFC 216 main-event fighter Kevin Lee needed all of an allotted hour of extra time Friday to make weight, stepping on the scale at 154.5 pounds.
Lee is to meet Tony Ferguson for the UFC’s interim lightweight belt on Saturday night.
Facing an initial 11 a.m. deadline, Lee stepped on the scale nude, covered by a white UFC towel, and peered desperately over it as Nevada Athletic Commission Executive Director Bob Bennett slid the metal balance toward 155.
Instead, Bennett announced, “One-fifty-six.”
An on-site doctor then examined Lee before clearing him to cut that last pound by 12:15 p.m. PDT, concluding a dramatic 19-pound drop from his Thursday afternoon weight of 174 pounds.
Lee described the weight cut a day earlier as “no big deal,” but he was clearly stressed as he stepped on the scale following the extra time.
The episode was especially troubling for Ferguson, the Orange County fighter and No. 2-rated lightweight seeking the UFC’s interim lightweight belt in Conor McGregor’s absence.
Tony Ferguson, no fan of Conor McGregor, takes on Kevin Lee at UFC 216
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then it’s clear what Tony Ferguson is doing to contrast the riches Conor McGregor has achieved this year.
“I look at character. I can see right through people,” Costa Mesa’s Ferguson — wearing a simple black hoodie and jeans to a meeting with reporters — said recently after closing an intense training camp in Big Bear. “I’m not fake. My outfit probably cost less than $100.”
On Saturday night at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, Ferguson (23-3) puts his nine-fight UFC winning streak on the line when he meets Kevin Lee (16-2) in the UFC 216 main-event bout for the organization’s interim lightweight title.
Lee put a scare into Ferguson and the UFC by nearly missing weight Friday. He weighed 156 pounds — one pound over the limit — at the UFC’s 11 a.m. deadline. But Nevada Athletic Commission rules allow a fighter to shed as much as two pounds with a one-hour extension, and a stressed Lee returned nude behind a towel to weigh 154.5 pounds.
“Somewhere along the line, righteousness and virtue has gotten skipped,” Ferguson said, knocking the UFC for yielding to its No. 1 breadwinner’s wishes. “… Good for [McGregor]. He has a lot of likes, a lot of followers. I might not be as marketable as Conor. I don’t care. I make my money winning and I’m here to remind everybody.”