The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 155: “Dos Santos vs Velasquez 2.” The event features a UFC Heavyweight Championship rematch between Junior “Cigano” dos Santos and former titleholder Cain Velasquez.

Also on the card, Jim Miller took on fellow contender Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon in a lightweight bout. Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch faced Constantinos “Costa” Philippou and Yushin “Thunder” Okami battled Alan “The Talent” Belcher in a middleweight rematch. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

 

UFC Heavyweight Championship

Cain Velasquez vs Junior “Cigano” dos Santos

Round 1:
Velasquez clinched and took dos Santos down right away, but dos Santos reversed and stood up. He avoided a takedown and stayed on the outside as Velasquez pressed forward with punches. Dos Santos landed two stiff jabs and a hard right hook. An uppercut just missed for dos Santos and he stepped free of another takedown attempt. Velasquez landed a nice right hook and remained the aggressor. Another right hand and a jab scored for Velasquez, but he could not get dos Santos down.

Velasquez backed dos Santos up to the cage with punches and a knee to the body. The fighters clinched and Velasquez punched with his left hand. Dos Santos circled out and Velasquez landed more punches. He dropped dos Santos with a right hook and followed with lefts on the ground. Dos Santos managed to survive, but Velasquez continued to batter him. Dos Santos stood and Velasquez took him back down. Velasquez punched until the bell. 10-8 Velasquez.

Round 2:
Velasquez walked right through dos Santos’s punches and took him back down in round two. He punched from the back as dos Santos battled back to his feet. Velasquez dumped him to the mat again. Dos Santos stood and staggered backwards. Velasquez scored with punches and took him down. Dos Santos got to his feet and ate a knee to the body.

Velasquez flurried in close and tripped dos Santos. From the top in half-guard, Velasquez landed punches and spun into an armbar attempt. Dos Santos escaped the hold and the fighters returned to their feet. Dos Santos landed a back elbow, but Velasquez was unfazed and punched to the head and body. 10-9 Velasquez, if not another 10-8.

Round 3:
Dos Santos managed to land a hard uppercut and a left hook to the body in round three, but his face was badly swollen and Velasquez promptly took him back down. Dos Santos stood and landed two jabs, but Velasquez rocked him with a one-two and clinched against the fence. Standing elbows were exchanged and dos Santos avoided a takedown.

Velasquez closed in again and punched to the body. Dos Santos offered little offence in return and kept his hands down as Velasquez teed off with punches. Dos Santos could not escape the clinch and Velasquez continued to land punches. He tripped dos Santos briefly and landed knees on the feet. Velasquez walked through an uppercut before the end of the round. 10-9 Velasquez.

Round 4:
Dos Santos avoided a takedown by landing an elbow and a right hook in round four. Velasquez threw a head kick and another to dos Santos’s lead leg. Dos Santos scored with a left hook to the body and Velasquez briefly took him down. Dos Santos stood and reversed the clinch. Velasquez could not keep dos Santos down as he did in the early rounds, but he landed a flurry to the head and body.

Velasquez appeared to slow down, but he continued to hunt for takedowns and landed a nice jab. Dos Santos countered with a hook and the fighters clinched. Velasquez landed short punches over the top and both men landed knees. A standing elbow scored for dos Santos and he followed with a right hook. Velasquez tried unsuccessfully for a late takedown. Close fourth round. 10-9 Velasquez.

Round 5:
Velasquez jabbed his way into a clinch and tried for a takedown, but dos Santos grabbed the cage. Dos Santos landed a left hook to the body and used short right hands to fight off a Velasquez takedown attempt. Dos Santos broke away with a big right hand and avoided another takedown. Velasquez backed dos Santos up to the cage momentarily, but he could not keep him there.

Dos Santos reversed and circled out. Velasquez finally got him down and tried to move to mount. Dos Santos regained half-guard and Velasquez punched from the top. Dos Santos battled back to his feet, but not before eating more punches on the way. Dos Santos landed a left hook and an uppercut. Velasquez threw a head kick that landed flush and he clinched and landed punches until the final bell. 10-9 Velasquez.

Winner: Cain Velasquez by Unanimous Decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-45) after five rounds. He improves to 11-1-0 and once again becomes the UFC Heavyweight Champion.

 

Jim Miller vs Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon

Round 1:
Milled flurried with punches early on and kept the pressure on with another combination. The fighters clinched and Lauzon countered a knee with an uppercut. Miller landed a leg kick that sent Lauzon off-balance and he followed with a series of standing elbows against the cage. More punches and another knee scored for Miller. Lauzon battled back with a combination of his own. A one-two wobbled Lauzon and Miller cut him badly with standing elbows. Miller attempted a standing arm-triangle choke and Lauzon escaped.

Time was called to check the cut above Lauzon’s right eye. Action resumed and Miller stuffed a takedown with a knee. He landed a head kick and backed Lauzon up with elbows and a knee. Lauzon continued to throw uppercuts and Miller ducked right into a knee. Lauzon began to have more success with his punches, but Miller countered and backed him up with a flurry. Lauzon’s face once again became a bloody mess. Miller landed hard punches to the head and body in the final 39 seconds. Excellent round. 10-9 Miller.

Round 2:
Miller picked up where he left off in round one with more punches in the second stanza. He took Lauzon down and punched from the top as Lauzon began to bleed from above the eye again. Miller tried to set up an arm-triangle choke from the top. Lauzon’s face became covered in blood as the cut got worse and worse. Lauzon tried to buck to escape, but Miller took advantage by moving to mount.

Miller landed sharp elbow strikes from the top, but Lauzon managed to get back to half-guard. Miller attempted a Brabo Choke, but Lauzon was too slippery and he escaped into top position. Time was called to remove a large piece of tape that had come loose on Lauzon’s glove. The fight continued and Miller trapped Lauzon in rubber guard. Lauzon escaped to half-guard and dropped back for a heel hook before the bell. 10-9 Miller.

Round 3:
Both fighters landed punches early in round three and Miller tripped Lauzon with a leg kick. He allowed Lauzon to stand and landed a combination and a knee. Lauzon began to bleed from beside the left eye, but he pressed forward and landed a nice knee to the body. Miller retreated momentarily and Lauzon landed another combination. Miller began to bleed from below the left eye.

Miller threw a a three-punch combo as the pace began to slow. Lauzon answered back with punches as well. The fatigued fighters clinched and Miller threw two elbows over the top. Miller landed a knee and Lauzon backed away. A right hook scored for Miller and Lauzon dragged him to the mat with a flying scissor heel hook. He secured a guillotine choke right before the bell. Amazing fight. 10-9 Lauzon.

Winner: Jim Miller by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 22-4-0.

 

Constantinos “Costa” Philippou vs Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch

Round 1:
Boetsch closed in and pressed Philippou up against the cage early in the fight. He tried to take Philippou down, but Philippou stayed on his feet and broke away after landing a knee. He landed a left hook soon after, but Boetsch countered with a one-two that forced Philippou to backpedal. As Boetsch rushed forward, Philippou cracked him with a hard uppercut. Boetsch took him down, but little transpired and the fighters were stood up. Philippou flurried, but Boetsch dropped him with a front kick just before the bell. 10-9 Boetsch.

Round 2:
Boetsch ducked under a spinning kick from Philippou and rushed in with punches in round two, but his right hand appeared to be injured. He clinched and the fighters clashed heads. Boetsch began to bleed from the forehead and he cut Philippou on the top of the head with a knee. Boetsch tried for another takedown and Philippou stuffed it. Time was called after Boetsch was poked in the eye. Action resumed and Philippou stuffed more takedowns. Boetsch pulled guard and Philippou landed punches from the top. He mixed in elbows and kept Boetsch pinned down until the end of the round. 10-9 Philippou.

Round 3:
Philippou sprawled out of a takedown in round three and Boetsch pulled half-guard. Philippou opened up another cut on Boetsch’s nose with punches. Philippou stood and Boetsch followed. He was forced to pull half-guard again and Philippou stood up once more. Boetsch tried one final time to get the fight to the mat and Philippou landed punches from the top until the bout was stopped.

Winner: Constantinos Philippou by TKO (Punches) at 2:11 of round three. He improves to 12-2-0, 1 NC.

 

Yushin “Thunder” Okami vs Alan “The Talent” Belcher

Round 1:
Belcher opened the fight with kicks to the lead leg and attempted two head kicks. Okami clinched and eventually managed to get Belcher down as Belcher tried to pull guard and attempted a guillotine choke in a scramble. Okami escaped and avoided Belcher’s rubber guard. Okami worked from the top in half-guard and passed to the side. Belcher tried to stand and Okami kept him pinned down while transitioning to the back. 10-9 Okami.

Round 2:
Okami punched his way into a clinch in round two and slammed Belcher down to the mat, but Belcher immediately took top position and tried for a guillotine choke. Okami escaped and punched from Belcher’s half-guard. He used short strikes to set up a move to side control. Referee Chris Tognoni ridiculously stood the fighters up and Belcher landed a right hook. Okami clinched up again and took Belcher down into half-guard. Okami landed punches until he was stood up again. 10-9 Okami.

Round 3:
Belcher scored with a hard right hook in the final round and reversed a takedown on the way down. He landed on top in mount and punched as Okami stood up with Belcher on his back. Okami turned into the clinch and Belcher trapped him in a guillotine choke. Okami slammed him down and punched to the head and body. He moved to half-guard and then to mount. Okami landed punches and looked to set up arm-triangle chokes. He took Belcher’s back and continued to punch until the final bell. 10-9 Okami.

Winner: Yushin Okami by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 28-7-0.

 

Derek Brunson vs Chris “The Crippler” Leben

Round 1:
Leben caught an early leg kick from Brunson and landed a left cross, but Brunson took him down. Brunson landed short strikes and avoided an armbar attempt. He moved to half-guard and landed more peppering punches. Leben tried to get back to his feet, but Brunson held him down and used an arm-triangle choke to set up a move to mount. Brunson landed big elbows, but Leben managed to get back to full guard. Brunson postured up with punches and took Leben’s back as Leben stood up. 10-9 Brunson.

Round 2:
Leben stuffed a takedown in round two and broke free of the clinch. He landed a left hook, but Brunson managed to score a takedown on his next attempt. Brunson threw occasional punches from the top and tried for a guillotine choke as Leben stood up. He followed with a combination, but could not get Leben back down. Punches were exchanged and Brunson held Leben against the fence. He backed away and threw kicks. Brunson clinched once more and landed an uppercut. 10-9 Brunson.

Round 3:
A nice left cross landed for Brunson in round three and he shot in for a takedown. Leben stuffed it and landed an elbow. Brunson tripped Leben to the mat and tried to pass to the side, but Leben held him in guard. Leben stood and ate a knee to the body. One-twos and more left crosses found their mark for Brunson, who avoided most of Leben’s counters. Leben threw leg kicks and a solid left hook. Brunson answered with one in return. Leben began to back Brunson up with punches, but Brunson took him down. Leben kicked him off and the fight ended with an exchange. 10-9 Brunson.

Winner: Derek Brunson by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-2-0.

 

(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)