The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 173: “Barao vs Dillashaw.” The event was headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between champion Renan “Barao” do Nascimento Mota Pegado and T.J. Dillashaw.
In tonight’s UFC 173 co-main event, Daniel “D.C.” Cormier and Dan “Hendo” Henderson faced off in a light heavyweight title contender’s bout. “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler took on Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger in a featured welterweight battle. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
UFC Bantamweight Championship
T.J. Dillashaw vs Renan “Barao” do Nascimento Mota Pegado
Round 1:
Dillashaw was aggressive right away and he landed leg kicks and quick punches. Barao responded with right hands and he avoided a Superman Punch. Dillashaw landed two straight left hands that backed Barao up. Barao regained his footing and threw a spinning back kick followed by a right cross. Dillashaw landed another one-two and avoided counters from Barao.
Dillashaw floored Barao with a massive overhand right and dove in with more punches on the ground. A dazed Barao tried for a heel hook and Dillashaw punched his way free. He took Barao’s back and tried for a rear-naked choke, but Barao spun out and stood up. 10-8 Dillashaw.
Round 2:
Barao landed a knee to the body and he cut Dillashaw near the right eye with punches in round two, but Dillashaw responded with quick combinations and he remained the aggressor. Dillashaw continued to score with punches, but Barao landed some nice fight hands and he fought off a takedown attempt. Time was called after Dillashaw was kicked in the groin.
Action resumed and Dillashaw landed an overhand right. Barao replied with right crosses and Dillashaw tagged him with a right hand. Another overhand right scored for Dillashaw, who followed with a body kick. Both men landed right hands simultaneously and Dillashaw countered a flurry with a body kick. He landed jabs and hooks before the bell. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 3:
Dillashaw mixed up his strikes with quick punches and kicks to the body and head in round three. Barao answered with leg kicks, but they appeared to have little effect. Dillashaw scored with a head kick and a flurry of punches that wobbled Barao. Stiff jabs landed for Dillashaw and he continued to back Barao up. Dillashaw landed a head kick and a three-punch flurry. He swarmed on Barao with punches and looked for a takedown late in the round. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 4:
The fourth round began with an exchange of kicks and Dillashaw targeted the body. He followed with a left cross and two right hands. The fighters traded hard punches and Dillashaw got the better of the exchange. He backed Barao up with punches and avoided a spinning back kick attempt. Barao slipped while throwing another spinning back kick and Dillashaw postured up in his guard. Barao rolled for a kneebar and Dillashaw escaped. He dropped punches and hammerfists from half-guard. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 5:
Dillashaw continued to pick a fatigued Barao apart with jabs, leg kicks and right hands in the final round. He badly rocked Barao with a head kick and dropped him with follow-up punches. Dillashaw rushed in and continued to batter a downed Barao with a barrage of punches until the fight was stopped.
Winner: T.J. Dillashaw by TKO (Head Kick & Punches) at 2:26 of round five. He improves to 10-2-0 and becomes the new UFC Bantamweight Champion.
Daniel “D.C.” Cormier vs Dan “Hendo” Henderson
Round 1:
An exchange of leg kicks opened the fight and Cormier threw Henderson to the canvas. Henderson trapped Cormier in an inverted crucifix from the bottom and landed elbows, but Cormier slammed his way free and punched from side control. Henderson worked for a guillotine choke from the bottom and Cormier tried to pass to mount. He landed more punches and took Henderson’s back. Henderson scrambled, but Cormier kept him pinned down in side control. The fight returned to the feet and Henderson attempted a takedown. Cormier stuffed it and the round ended in the clinch. 10-9 Cormier.
Round 2:
Henderson pressed forward with punches in round two and Cormier promptly took him down. He tried for a keylock from side control and dropped a series of hammerfists. Cormier landed big punches and prevented Henderson from standing up. More punches scored for Cormier and he moved to a top-side crucifix position. Henderson freed his arm, but Cormier kept the pressure on with short strikes to the face and body. He took Henderson’s back and landed more punches until the bell sounded. 10-9 Cormier.
Round 3:
Cormier threw front kicks and a head kick in round two, then followed with an overhand right. He took Henderson down and mounted him soon after. Henderson rolled and Cormier struck from side control. Henderson got to his knees and Cormier landed a series of unanswered punches. He took Henderson’s back and locked on a rear-naked choke. Henderson refused to tap out and was soon rendered unconscious.
Winner: Daniel Cormier by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:53 of round three. He improves to 15-0-0.
“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler vs Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger
Round 1:
Lawler threw two head kicks in the opening minute and the second one landed flush. He followed with a body kick and another head kick. Quick combinations scored for Lawler and Ellenberger finally landed a right hand. Lawler broke free of a clinch with a knee to the body and he countered Ellenberger’s sparse punches with right hooks and body kicks. Ellenberger landed a right cross to the body and Lawler returned to head kicks in the final 20 seconds. 10-9 Lawler.
Round 2:
Lawler backed Ellenberger up with punches in round two and fought off a takedown attempt. Ellenberger took his back on the feet and threw a head kick as Lawler broke free. Straight left hands landed for Lawler and he began to pick Ellenberger apart with punches. Ellenberger dragged Lawler to the mat, but Lawler quickly reversed and hurt him with a knee to the body. He transitioned to Ellenberger’s back and punched the sides of his head. A bloodied Ellenberger stood and scored a takedown. Lawler kicked him off and stood up. The round ended in a clinch against the cage. 10-9 Lawler.
Round 3:
Lawler opened round three with a knee to the body, but Ellenberger hurt him with a series of wild counterpunches. Lawler recovered and landed lead right hooks. Ellenberger appeared to injure his right hand in an exchange and his offensive output slowed way down. Lawler landed overhand lefts and he hurt Ellenberger with a stiff right jab to the eye. Ellenberger winced in pain and Lawler dropped him with a follow-up knee. Ellenberger turtled on the ground and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Robbie Lawler by TKO (Knee & Punches) at 3:06 of round three. He improves to 23-10-0, 1 NC.
Takeya Mizugaki vs Francisco “Cisco” Rivera
Round 1:
Rivera landed a hard left hook right away and Mizugaki answered with an uppercut. The fighters exchanged punches and both men landed. Mizugaki rocked and dropped Rivera with a three-punch combo. He dove in with more punches on the ground, but Rivera recovered. He worked his way back to his feet and scored a brief takedown. Mizugaki stood and Rivera landed a knee. Mizugaki scored with a one-two and he stuffed a takedown attempt. Rivera got him down on his second try, but Mizugaki stood and punched before the bell. 10-9 Mizugaki.
Round 2:
Mizugaki landed more right hands that backed Rivera up in round two. Rivera regained his footing and scored with a head kick that set off an exchange of power punches. Mizugaki began to bleed from beside the left eye, but he scored a takedown against the cage. Rivera countered with a guillotine choke and Mizugaki escaped into his half-guard. He punched from the top and prevented Rivera from standing up. Mizugaki took Rivera’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke. He settled for a neck crank, but Rivera held on until time expired. 10-9 Mizugaki.
Round 3:
Mizugaki landed a combination in the final round and he knocked Rivera down with a counter right hand as Rivera threw a leg kick. From Rivera’s guard, Mizugaki threw short punches and hammerfists. The fighters were eventually stood up and both men landed power punches. The fight ended with another huge exchange of punches and both fighters connected with looping left and right hooks. 10-9 Mizugaki.
Winner: Takeya Mizugaki by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 20-7-2.
“The” James Krause vs Jamie “C-4” Varner
Round 1:
Krause kicked at Varner’s lead leg early in the fight and followed with an overhand right. He rocked Varner with a quick flurry and Varner appeared to injure his left foot or ankle. He fell to the mat and Krause landed punches from the top. Varner battled back to his feet and was clearly favouring his lower left leg. He managed to score a takedown, but Krause reversed into Varner’s guard.
Krause attempted a guillotine choke and Varner wound up on top in side control. He tried to take Krause’s back as the fighters scrambled to their feet. Varner could barely stand up and his leg gave out on him again. He fell to the ground and Krause struck from the top. Varner stood again and fired off a hard one-two, but he fell again before time expired. 10-9 Krause.
Between rounds, Varner indicated that he had broken his ankle and the fight was stopped.
Winner: James Krause by TKO (Broken Ankle) at 5:00 of round one. He improves to 21-5-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)