The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to the Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey tonight for UFC Fight Night 45: “Cerrone vs Miller.” The event was headlined by a five-round lightweight contender’s bout between 155-pound standouts Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Jim Miller.

Also on the card tonight, Edson Barboza Jr. took on Evan Dunham in the lightweight co-feature. Rick “The Horror” Story faced Leonardo “Maccarão” Mafra Texeira in welterweight action and Justin “J-Bomb” Salas met Joe Proctor at 155. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s card.

 

Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone vs Jim Miller

Round 1:
Miller landed a nice left hook in the opening 30 seconds and he followed with a quick one-two soon after. He caught a kick from Cerrone and dumped him to the mat. Cerrone stood and landed a nice right hand of his own. Miller ducked into a knee and Cerrone attempted a head kick. The fighters clinched and Miller threw Cerrone to the mat. Cerrone immediately returned to his feet and Miller landed a counter one-two. He cracked Cerrone with a hard right hook and Cerrone fired back with a knee. 10-9 Miller.

Round 2:
Cerrone threw a series of kicks in round two and Miller picked his shots with counter hooks. He landed a one-two and a leg kick, but Cerrone dropped him with a body kick that appeared to land legally above the belt line. Time was called and Miller was given a brief break to recover. The fight continued and Cerrone hurt Miller with another body kick. He followed with punches, but Miller weathered the storm. A vicious head kick dropped Miller for good and the fight was finally waved off.

Winner: Donald Cerrone by KO (Head Kick) at 3:31 of round two. He improves to 24-6-0, 1 NC.

 

Edson Barboza Jr. vs Evan Dunham

Round 1:
The fight began with an exchange of hooks and Barboza just missed with a flashy head kick attempt. Dunham clinched in search of a takedown, but Barboza stuffed it. Dunham lunged in with one-twos and Barboza countered with single punches. He badly hurt Dunham with a devastating body kick and finished him with punches on the ground.

Winner: Edson Barboza Jr. by TKO (Kick To The Body & Punches) at 3:06 of round one. He improves to 14-2-0.

 

Rick “The Horror” Story vs Leonardo “Maccarão” Mafra Texeira

Round 1:
Story threw hard left hands in the opening seconds, but Mafra tagged him with a big flurry in return. Story took him down and landed punches and elbows from the top. Mafra postured for an armbar and Story continued to rain down strikes. Mafra stood and was promptly taken right back down. Story worked from Mafra’s half-guard and landed short punches and elbows. Mafra briefly stood up and Story powered him back down to the mat before the bell. 10-9 Story.

Round 2:
Story was relentless in his pursuit of a takedown in round two and he got Mafra down near the cage. He mounted Mafra and landed elbows from the top, but Mafra managed to regain half-guard. Story locked on a tight arm-triangle choke and passed to side control. With nowhere to go, Mafra was forced to submit.

Winner: Rick Story by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 2:12 of round two. He improves to 17-8-0.

 

Joe Proctor vs Justin “J-Bomb” Salas

Round 1:
Both men landed some nice combinations in the opening two minutes. Proctor appeared to hold an edge with crisp counterpunches and both men were bloodied up by strikes. Salas, cut near the right eye, threw a body kick that was immediately answered by a head kick from Proctor. Salas’s eye swelled up, but he still managed to land looping hooks behind Proctor’s ear. Proctor stuffed a takedown and landed a right hand in the final 15 seconds. 10-9 Proctor.

Round 2:
Salas landed a powerful combination in round two and a large hematoma formed on Proctor’s left temple. Proctor pressed the action, but Salas countered with hooks and leg kicks. Proctor landed a body kick in return and he dropped Salas with a counter left hook. He followed with more punches as Salas tried to buy time to recover. Another hook badly wobbled Salas and he fell to his knees. Proctor fired off more punches until the fight was stopped.

Winner: Joe Proctor by TKO (Punches) at 3:27 of round two. He improves to 10-2-0.

 

John “Hands of Stone” Lineker vs Alptekin “The Turkish Delight” Ozkilic

Round 1:
Lineker landed a hard right hand in the opening minute, but Ozkilic countered with a combination and he took Lineker down to the ground. Lineker stood and circled away from the clinch. Ozkilic ducked under a looping one-two and countered with a quick combo. Big power punches were exchanged and Ozkilic picked his shots with left hooks. Lineker connected with four consecutive right hands and he clinched against the cage. Lineker took Ozkilic down for a split second and landed a knee on the way up. Very close round. 10-9 Ozkilic.

Round 2:
Ozkilic scored with two right hands in the second round, but Lineker stunned him with a counter left and pressed forward with more punches. Ozkilic regained his footing, but Lineker knocked him off-balance again. Hard punches landed for both men and Ozkilic stuffed a takedown. Lineker landed two uppercuts and a left hook to the liver. He jabbed and Ozkilic looked to answer with an overhand right. Lineker landed hard right hooks and uppercuts and he tried for another takedown. Ozkilic stayed up and he rushed in with punches before the bell. 10-9 Lineker.

Round 3:
Lineker scored with leg kicks and hard left hooks in the final round and he hurt Ozkilic with a follow-up combination. Ozkilic ran in a circle to buy time to recover and Lineker easily stuffed a takedown attempt. He teed off to the body with punches and ducked under Ozkilic’s counters. Lineker cut Ozkilic’s cheek with punches and targeted the body again. Lineker avoided another takedown and both fighters unloaded with haymakers in the final minute. Lineker hurt Ozkilic with a left hook and he dropped him with another one. He dove in with punches and the fight was stopped very late in the round.

Winner: John Lineker by TKO (Punches) at 4:51 of round three. He improves to 24-7-0.

 

Lucas “Mineiro” Martins vs Alex “The Spartan” White

Round 1:
Martins landed big punches that appeared to hurt White early in the fight and he mixed things up with body kicks. A one-two backed White up and Martins continued to get the better of the exchanges. He landed a hard standing elbow and countered a lunging right from White with a powerful left-right combo. Martins landed stiff jabs and right hands and he countered a flying kick from White with a lengthy flurry. 10-9 Martins.

Round 2:
Martins slowed down somewhat in the early stages of round two, but he continued to land kicks to the lead leg and body and mixed in punching combinations. White landed punches of his own, but Martins cut him near the right eye. White connected with a combination and ate a left hook in return. He briefly dropped Martins with punches and fought off a takedown. Both fighters landed lunging punches just before time expired. 10-9 Martins, barely.

Round 3:
Martins was more aggressive with his strikes in the final round and he once again alternated between leg kicks and punching combinations. White rushed in with a diving left hand and was met by a massive right hook from Martins. White collapsed to the mat and Martins landed three hammerfists before the bout was stopped.

Winner: Lucas Martins by KO (Punches) at 2:08 of round three. He improves to 15-1-0.

 

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