Slide show: Photos from UFC 212 in Rio de Janeiro
UFC featherweight title: Jose Aldo vs. Max Holloway live round-by-round coverage
Jose Aldo is likely the greatest featherweight MMA fighter of all time. The dominant champion finally was dethroned by Conor McGregor but McGregor elected not to defend his title. Aldo defeated Frankie Edgar to become the interim champion and then regular champion again, while Max Holloway defeated Anthony Pettis in what was billed as an interim title fight. Now Aldo and Holloway will fight to unify those belts. Holloway rides a 10 fight win streak into this contest and wants to prove he’s one of the elite fighters in the sport.
Round 1. The fight starts off with neither man throwing much. Holloway opens up a couple times over the first couple minutes while Aldo doesn’t throw much of anything. Aldo hurts Holloway with a punch and follows with additional punches that connect right on the jaw and a flying knee. He then backs off. One thing that could make a difference as the fight progresses is that the crowd explodes when Aldo attacks, making some of his blows seem more significant than they actually are. Holloway needs more output. 10-9 Aldo.
Round 2. Aldo lands a nice body punch early. Aldo starts to open up more with his punches while Holloway continues to be relatively inactive. Holloway does land a nice left hand and follows with another combination. In the second half of the round, Holloway finally begins to increase the volume and he lands some nice punches in the process. Aldo snaps back Holloway’s neck with a few jabs. Holloway begins taunting ala Nick Diaz late. Very close round. 10-9 Aldo.
Round 3. Holloway charges in with a couple of impressive combinations. Aldo swings at air in response. Holloway drops Aldo with the third punch of a three punch combination. Aldo is in big trouble. Holloway looks to secure mount while dropping down punches. Holloway isn’t able to get the better position at first but he keeps landing huge punches. Aldo is hurt badly and Holloway gets full mount. Holloway keeps dropping down punches and Aldo is in survival mode. Holloway nearly has a rear naked choke but gives up on that and decides to keep throwing punches until finally the fight is stopped.
Winner: Max Holloway, TKO, round 3.
The skill of Max Holloway has been increasingly apparent as he has rolled through the featherweight division. Tonight, he got the showcase victory he needed to prove himself one of the best in the sport. At just 25, Holloway has big things ahead of him. As for Aldo and Brazil, it’s a devastating setback. Aldo is one of the most popular fighters in the country coming off the release of a major motion picture about his life and he was taken out emphatically in a crucial fight.
Claudia Gadelha vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz live round-by-round coverage
Joanna Jedrzejczyk has dominated the UFC women’s strawweight division but two of the fighters who have given her the most trouble during that run are Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. They now square off to try to earn another shot at the champion. Neither Gadelha nor Kowalkiewicz has lost professionally to anyone other than Jedrzejczyk. Gadelha is more of a grappler and Kowalkiewicz is more of a striker.
Round 1. Kowalkiewicz is the aggressor at the start, pushing forward and landing a nice early punch. Kowalkiewicz keeps moving in with combinations while Gadelha has to counter. Gadelha gets a takedown and ends up in side control halfway through the round. Kowalkiewicz tries to stand up and Gadelha takes her back in the process. Gadelha gets the rear naked choke and that’s it.
Winner: Claudia Gadelha, submission, round 1.
That was an important win for Gadelha. Coming off her second loss to Jedrzejczyk, she needed a statement win to send the message that she’s the elite in the division beyond the champion. She did that with the quick submission. Kowalkiewicz was visibly devastated after the fight, her first stoppage loss as a professional.
Vitor Belfort vs. Nate Marquardt live round-by-round coverage
Vitor Belfort and Nate Marquardt are MMA greats likely towards the end of their professional careers. Belfort is a former UFC and Cage Rage champion with wins over many of the biggest names in the sport. Marquardt is a former Strikeforce and Pancrase champion in his own right. Belfort has said this may be his final UFC fight as he is 1-3 with an additional loss that was overturned due to marijuana use by his opponent in his last 5. Marquardt has lost 4 of his last 6. These are big names but clearly they’re no longer at their best.
Round 1. Marquardt clinches, lands a knee, and gets a takedown. The fighters are stood up relatively quickly after Belfort is able to tie up Marquardt. Belfort lands a left hand and moves in looking for something more. Marquardt is fine. Marquardt lands a nice straight punch but Belfort responds with one of his own shortly thereafter. 10-9 Marquardt.
Round 2. Marquardt opens with a few kicks. He moves in with a few punches and appears to be getting more comfortable. Belfort throws a head kick and then swarms on Marquardt. He throws a rapid fire series of punches by the cage and looks to finish the fight. Marquardt defends well and clearly isn’t in that much trouble so Belfort has to back off. Marquardt cuts Belfort with a hook to the left side of Belfort’s face. Marquardt looks to clinch but Belfort won’t let him. Belfort had the best flurry of the fight there but Marquardt got the better of the action pretty much the rest of the round. 10-9 Marquardt.
Round 3. Belfort connects with a nice left hand at the start of the round. Marquardt lands a few jabs but by and large his pace has slowed to match Belfort’s. Marquardt cracks Belfort with a nice hook at the end of an exchange. Belfort connects with a heavy head kick and appears to have Marquardt a little stunned but Belfort doesn’t follow up. Marquardt goes for a takedown late but doesn’t get it. 10-9 Belfort, 29-28 Marquardt.
Winner: Vitor Belfort, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Vitor Belfort after the fight indicated he wants to continue competing. This performance will make it easier to justify that decision. Neither man in this fight looked particularly impressive but it was a close enough fight that both men can claim they deserved victory.
Paulo Henrique Costa vs. Oluwale Bamgbose live round-by-round coverage
This is on the card to be a fan friendly slugfest. Both men have finishes in all their wins and significant knockout power. Costa is undefeated in his MMA career while Bamgbose has dropped a couple of fights early in his UFC career.
Round 1. Bamgbose starts the fight bouncing around and attacking from unique angles. Bamgbose then grabs a single leg and goes for a takedown. He gets Costa down briefly but Costa gets up. Bamgbose goes for a choke in the process but cannot get it. Bamgbose throws a pair of high kicks that are blocked and then goes for a takedown that is blocked. Costa lands a couple of body kicks. He follows with a few more and starts to chase Bamgbose down. Costa is pouring on the offense against the cage and attacking the body against the tired Bamgbose. Costa throws some hard knees from the clinch. Bamgbose looks for the takedown again and Costa again defends well. An exhausted Bamgbose goes back to his corner slowly and awkwardly. 10-9 Costa.
Round 2. Bamgbose falls down on a body kick. Costa responds by throwing repeated punches on the ground until it is finally stopped.
Winner: Paulo Henrique “Borrachinha” Costa, TKO, round 2.
Oluwale Bamgbose expended pretty much every bit of energy he had at the beginning of the fight. Costa was able to work through that onslaught and then turned it around on his foe.
Erick Silva vs. Yancy Medeiros live round-by-round coverage
Erick Silva burst onto the scene with some spectacular performances and was thought to be a potential longtime contender. That hasn’t really come to fruition as Silva has alternated wins and losses in the UFC. Yancy Medeiros is an entertaining scrapper who has also gone back and forth in the UFC. Stylistically, it should be an exciting fight.
Round 1. Medeiros opens with a few kicks. Medeiros opens up with punches and appears to have Silva a little stunned from a punch to the back of the head as Silva circles out and regains his composure. Silva lands a pair of hard body kicks. Medeiros is the more active fighter early but Silva is throwing with a lot of power. Silva lands a knee to the head late that staggers Medeiros. 10-9 Medeiros.
Round 2. Silva catches Medeiros with a nice counter hook in the middle of an exchange. He then sends Medeiros back with a few punches. Silva appears to be taking over when Medeiros drops him with a massive left hook. Medeiros follows with punches on the ground and the fight is stopped.
Winner: Yancy Medeiros, TKO, round 2.
Medeiros and Silva had an exciting fight while it lasted. Medeiros just landed the right shot and that was it. There’s little margin for error with MMA gloves.
Marlon Moraes vs. Raphael Assuncao live round-by-round coverage
Marlon Moraes makes one of the most highly anticipated UFC debuts in quite a while here. Moraes is the former longtime WSOF bantamweight champion. He has won 13 straight fights and done so in consistently impressive fashion. He is being given a tough first test in Raphael Assuncao, one of the top bantamweights in the world in his own right. Assuncao has won 8 of his last 9 fights in the UFC with the only loss coming to former champion T.J. Dillashaw.
Round 1. Moraes comes out with a crisp leg kick to start. They begin trading those kicks back and forth. Moraes connects with a strong overhand right. Moraes is generally landing the better shots early on. Assuncao looks for a takedown but does not get it. The pace slows late in the round with both men exhibiting caution. Assuncao nails Moraes with a pair of straight right hands late. 10-9 Moraes.
Round 2. The pace is again a little slow in the second as both men clearly have a lot of respect for the offense of the other. Assuncao is relying principally on his boxing while Moraes is mixing in more kicks to keep Assuncao off balance. Assuncao goes for a takedown but doesn’t get it. Moraes lands a nice combination late. That was a tough round to score. 10-9 Moraes.
Round 3. Assuncao drops Moraes with a powerful right hand. Moraes pops up quickly but that was a big blow. Moraes lands a few low kicks and is using that in particular as a weapon to catch Assuncao off guard when Assuncao is moving forward. Moraes lands a few body punches and kicks. Moraes goes for a takedown in the final minute. Assuncao is down momentarily but he gets up in a hurry. Moraes lands a series of high kicks late. 10-9 Moraes, 30-27 Moraes.
Winner: Raphael Assuncao, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27).
That decision is a bit of a surprise but it was a close fight that could have gone either way. It’s a disappointing introduction to UFC for Marlon Moraes, who was given an opponent that it’s very difficult to look good against. Assuncao has a way of getting close and sometimes controversial decisions. This was another one.
Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Eric Spicely live round-by-round coverage
With his impressive physique, submission skills and Ultimate Fighter Brazil winning pedigree, big things have been expected for Antonio Carlos Junior. He hasn’t always delivered, accumulating a 4-2 (1 NC) record in the UFC. Eric Spicely is sort of the opposite. He doesn’t have an imposing look and has been an underdog for much of his career but has two straight submission wins in the UFC.
Round 1. Spicely gets a takedown 30 seconds in. Spicely lands some punches and looks to pass guard. Carlos Junior looks for a heel hook in response. Spicely is forced to defend and Carlos Junior lands punches while they are tied up. Carlos Junior attempts to take top position but Spicely threatens with the heel hook to stop him just like Carlos Junior’s original ploy. They finally get disentangled and return to the feet. There, Carlos Junior gets a takedown. He quickly takes Spicely’s back and looks for the rear naked choke. Time runs out. 10-9 Carlos Junior.
Round 2. Spicely dives in for a takedown but Carlos Junior takes top position. Spicely looks to attack the leg again but this time Carlos Junior slickly counters by taking the back. He briefly has his hooks in but loses them, providing Spicely some safety. Unfortunately for Spicely, Carlos Junior is later able to lock in a body triangle and then goes for the rear naked choke again. He gets it and Spicely is forced to tap.
Winner: Antonio Carlos Junior, submission, round 2.
That was a fun ground battle. They traded positions and battled for submissions but ultimately Carlos Junior was the better ground fighter. He picks up a hard fought win that will set him up for bigger things while Spicely didn’t lose much in defeat.
Johnny Eduardo vs. Matthew Lopez live round-by-round coverage
Johnny Eduardo is as experienced as they come, having fought in MMA since 1996. Despite having fought for so long he enters this fight with momentum. He has won 3 of his last 4 and 14 of 16. Matthew Lopez comes from a wrestling background and is 9-1 in MMA. He is coming off his first UFC win against Mitch Gagnon.
Round 1. Eduardo lands a few nice kicks early. Lopez catches Eduardo with a hard straight punch as Eduardo is moving in. Lopez times a kick and gets the takedown. Eduardo attacks the leg and looks to crank a heel hook. Lopez retaliates by landing punches to the head and Eduardo gives up the submission. Lopez hurts Eduardo with punches and keeps landing until the fight is stopped.
Winner: Matthew Lopez, TKO, round 1.
Lopez going into the fight was confident that his ground game would be the difference and indeed it was. Lopez was able to generate a lot of power on the ground and remarkably handed Eduardo the first KO/TKO loss of his 21 year career.
Iuri Alcantara vs. Brian Kelleher live round-by-round coverage
Iuri Alcantara has been a solid bantamweight contender for many years. At 36, he doesn’t appear to be slowing down. He has won 6 of his last 8 in the UFC including some impressive submission victories. Brian Kelleher has spent his career fighting at lower level shows and is getting his big opportunity here in his first UFC fight against a highly respected veteran. A win would catapult his status.
Round 1. Alcantara opens with some kicks early and looks to overwhelm Kelleher. Kelleher comes in with a punch and gets taken down. Kelleher grabs a guillotine choke and gets the shocking submission really quickly.
Winner: Brian Kelleher, submission, round 1.
That was a stunning finish. Alcantara hadn’t been submitted since 2009 and it took just a matter of seconds with a hold that’s sometimes difficult to fully lock in. Kelleher waited for a long time to fight in the UFC and he fully capitalized on the opportunity. It’s a nice story for the veteran underdog to pull through.
Viviane Pereira vs. Jamie Moyle live round-by-round coverage
Viviane Pereira is an undefeated competitor who won her UFC debut in December against Valerie Letourneau. Jamie Moyle was also successful in her first Octagon bout against Kailin Curran and both fighters are looking to demonstrate they are potential factors in the strawweight division.
Round 1. After some hesitant standup, Pereira goes for a takedown. They end up in a clinch stalemate. They separate and return to more cautious standup. Moyle lands a nice jab. Pereira connects with a few big punches on Moyle and begins to open up a little more. Pereira backs up Moyle with punches late. 10-9 Pereira.
Round 2. The fighters mainly box in the early going in the second. Moyle looks briefly for a takedown on a couple of occasions but does not come close. As the round progresses, Pereira looks increasingly confident. She’s throwing more and landing the better punches on a consistent basis. 10-9 Pereira.
Round 3. Pereira has settled into a comfortable pattern and is utilizing her boxing to control the fight. Moyle will occasionally move in for a takedown but doesn’t come close to getting one and Pereira is the better fighter at range. Pereira methodically outstrikes Moyle until the fight concludes, with the ground booing even as the home country fighter won. 10-9 Pereira, 30-27 Pereira.
Winner: Viviane Pereira, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27).
Viviane Pereira picked up another win but her style of fighting isn’t exactly a captivating watch.
Luan Chagas vs. Jim Wallhead live round-by-round coverage
Luan Chagas is a 23-year-old prospect whose UFC career hasn’t gone as hoped thus far. He followed a split draw debut with a submission loss to Erick Silva. He seeks his first UFC victory here and a loss could send him out of the organization. “Judo” Jim Wallhead is a longtime MMA veteran who made his MMA debut in 2005. His UFC debut was a loss last September and at 33, he may only have so many more opportunities.
Round 1. Chagas starts out strong, landing some hard straight punches and mixing in leg kicks. Wallhead is throwing more in the way of looping shots but he doesn’t appear to have the same power behind his blows. Wallhead lands a nice left hook in the middle of an exchange and shoots in for a takedown. He doesn’t get it. Chagas connects with a couple nice combinations and stuffs another takedown attempt. Chagas lands a front kick up the middle and a left high kick moments later. Chagas was in complete control there. 10-9 Chagas.
Round 2. The fight continues in a similar manner to the first, with Chagas getting the better of the early exchanges. Wallhead begins to have some success of his own, landing some nice straight punches and forcing Chagas to go for a takedown. Wallhead looks to have some spring in his step while Chagas is slowing down. Wallhead takes fingers to the eye and Wallhead’s eye looks in bad shape from that. Chagas after the break lands a series of low kicks. Chagas drops Wallhead with a short hook late and locks in a rear naked choke for the submission.
Winner: Luan Chagas, submission, round 2.
Luan Chagas turned in a solid overall performance there, getting the better of the standup exchanges and picking up his first UFC win. It’s unfortunate for Wallhead that he took that illegal eye poke in round 2 because it seemed to alter the course of the fight.
Marco Beltran vs. Deiveson Figueiredo live round-by-round coverage
Marco Beltran competed on the “Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” reality television show and has gone 3-1 in the UFC since. He is coming off his first UFC loss and will be looking to rebound here.
Deiveson Figueiredo is an unbeaten prospect making his UFC debut. Ten of his 11 MMA victories have come via knockout or submission.
Round 1. After a relatively lengthy feeling-out process, Figueiredo goes for a takedown about a minute into the fight. Beltran blocks the first attempt, but Figueiredo gets the takedown on a second attempt. Figueiredo goes to work with punches on the ground next to the cage. Figueiredo grabs a guillotine choke from the top and then rolls to the bottom looking for the finish. Beltran defends well and eventually Figueiredo has to give it up. Once Beltran is out, he immediately starts landing hard punches from the top. Beltran lets Figueiredo up late. 10-9 Figueiredo.
Round 2. The fighters start to open up in the standup a minute into the second round. Beltran goes for a flying knee, which presents Figueiredo with an opportunity to get a takedown. Figueiredo quickly works into full mount, but Beltran is able to escape back into full guard. Figueiredo throws a few elbows and then some punches from high up. Figueiredo takes Beltran’s back and looks to lock in a rear naked choke submission. Beltran gets out of that but ends up back in full mount. Beltran escapes and lands a nice upkick as Figueiredo moves up. Figueiredo grabs a heel hook and cranks it, but Beltran is able to survive and return to the feet. Figueiredo lands a nice elbow and then drops Beltran right at the end. That was a dominant round for Figueiredo. 10-8 Figueiredo.
The referee elects to stop the fight between the first and second rounds.
Winner: Deiveson Figueiredo, TKO, round 2.
That was an impressive UFC debut for Figueiredo. He looked like the superior fighter both standing and on the ground, and was confident fighting on the biggest stage for the first time.
Max Holloway puts his 10-fight winning streak on the line against Jose Aldo
Max Holloway’s 10-fight winning streak has been an arduous grind that has featured tests against a devastating puncher, a skilled mixed martial artist and an acrobatic former champion.
The journey leads Hawaii’s Holloway to Saturday night’s UFC 212 main event against featherweight champion Jose Aldo in Aldo’s home country of Brazil.
“I’m not sure anything prepares you to walk into Rio [de Janeiro] in front of the Brazilian fans and do it,” UFC president Dana White said. “I love the fact that Max was very into the fight being in Brazil.”
Holloway’s guile extends even beyond that.
At a recent meeting with reporters in Los Angeles, he pressed UFC officials to deliver more information about the most successful winning streaks in the company’s history.
When told former light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones possesses the front-running active list of consecutive victories with 13, Holloway quickly wanted to know more.
“No, who has the all-time record?” Holloway asked. “That’s the one I want.”
The Times’ MMA rankings for May
Times’ MMA rankings for May:
Heavyweight
1. Stipe Miocic
2. Fabricio Werdum
The ability of Stipe Miocic sneaked up on a lot of people. He wasn’t a strongly hyped fighter as he rose up the ranks, but now after four straight first-round knockouts, the UFC heavyweight champion cannot be denied. Miocic finished Junior Dos Santos in brutal fashion just like Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski and Mark Hunt before. The most dangerous opponent for Miocic could be Cain Velasquez, the former champion who has battled injuries in recent years.
Middleweight
1. Michael Bisping
2. Yoel Romero
Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker will fight for an interim UFC middleweight title at UFC 213 as both wait for the opportunity to compete against Michael Bisping. Bisping was originally going to face Georges St. Pierre next, but that fight was canceled and it’s possible the Romero/Whittaker winner could be next for Bisping. David Branch’s return to the UFC was successful as he pulled out a close split decision over fellow contender Krzysztof Jotko.
Featherweight and bantamweight bouts added to UFC 214 card
A meeting of top-five featherweights and a crossroads bantamweight fight have been added to the UFC 214 card in Anaheim that is headlined by Daniel Cormier’s anticipated light-heavyweight title rematch against Jon Jones.
The UFC announced Wednesday that the July 29 card at Honda Center will also feature No. 3 featherweight Ricardo Lamas against No. 5 Chan Sung Jung, also known as the “Korean Zombie.”
And former bantamweight champion Renan Barao, who reigned from 2012 to 2014, will return to the division to meet New York’s No. 8-rated Aljamain Sterling.
Chicago’s Lamas (17-5) lost a 2014 title shot at champion Jose Aldo of Brazil, and has gone 4-2 since, including a loss to Aldo’s June 3 UFC 212 title opponent Max Holloway of Hawaii. In November, Lamas defeated respected veteran Charles Oliviera by submission.