The Ultimate Fighting Championship travelled to the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California tonight for UFC 177: “Dillashaw vs Soto.” The fight card was headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between T.J. Dillashaw and last-minute replacement Joe “One Bad Mofo” Soto.
Elsewhere, Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson battled Danny “Last Call” Castillo in the lightweight co-feature. Bethe “Pitbull” Correia aimed to take out another member of the Four Horsewomen when she faced Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s card.
UFC Bantamweight Championship
T.J. Dillashaw vs Joe “One Bad Mofo” Soto
Round 1:
Dillashaw tripped Soto with an early leg kick and he threw a body kick after Soto stood up. Soto caught it, but Dillashaw knocked him down with punches and took his back. Soto scrambled up and Dillashaw landed a right hand. Soto ducked under a head kick and he landed a right hook. Two more hooks scored for Soto and Dillashaw answered with a left to the body and a head kick attempt. Big punches were exchanged in the final 30 seconds and Soto knocked Dillashaw off-balance with a leg kick. Close round. 10-9 Soto, barely.
Round 2:
Soto scored with a series of right hooks in round two and he ducked under Dillashaw’s counters. Dillashaw landed a knee and two leg kicks as Soto pressed forward. An uppercut and a left hook scored for Dillashaw and Soto answered back with a three-punch combo. Dillashaw mixed things up with a knee and a leg kick. A left hook backed Dillashaw up and both men landed quick jabs. Dillashaw countered a jab with an uppercut, but Soto blocked most of his attacks. Dillashaw remained the busier fighter in the final minute and he put together combinations of punches and knees. Soto flurried at the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 3:
Dillashaw jabbed and put together combinations of punches and kicks in the third round. Soto pressed forward, but Dillashaw countered with more jabs and he eventually scored a takedown into half-guard. Soto attempted an armbar and he scrambled back to his feet. Dillashaw kicked to the body and followed with a knee, but Soto answered with a nice right hand. He snapped Dillashaw’s head back with another right and Dillashaw picked up the pace with punches in the final seconds. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 4:
Dillashaw landed a nice inside-leg kick in round four and he followed with jabs. Soto punched to the body and Dillashaw continued to kick at his lead leg. He flurried with punches and followed with another combination that started with an uppercut. Dillashaw landed jab after jab and scored a takedown into Soto’s guard. Soto wrapped him up in rubber guard and Dillashaw powered out into a rear-naked choke attempt. Soto stood and the bell sounded. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 5:
Dillashaw got off to a strong start in the final round with jabs and leg kicks. Soto tried to set up combinations, but Dillashaw kept him on the defensive. A vicious head kick from Dillashaw rocked Soto and Dillashaw dropped and finished him with two left hands.
Winner: T.J. Dillashaw by KO (Head Kick & Punches) at 2:20 of round five. He improves to 11-2-0 and remains the UFC Bantamweight Champion.
Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson vs Danny “Last Call” Castillo
Round 1:
Castillo threw looping overhand rights early on, but most missed the mark and Ferguson briefly took his back. He landed punches and leg kicks and Castillo fired back with more right hands. Ferguson slipped while throwing a kick and Castillo landed a combination. Ferguson locked on a standing Brabo choke and pulled Castillo down to the mat. He tightened the choke and had Castillo in trouble, but Castillo stayed calm and eventually pulled his head out. He worked from Ferguson’s guard and opened a small cut near Ferguson’s right eye before the bell. 10-9 Ferguson.
Round 2:
Castillo picked his shots with punches from a distance in round two and the fighters clinched briefly. Castillo landed a left hook and Ferguson began to press the action with leg kicks and one-twos. Castillo connected with an overhand right and both men slipped while throwing kicks. Ferguson stood and rushed in with a knee.
Ferguson attempted a rolling kneebar and Castillo wound up on top in side control. Ferguson regained guard and a back-and-forth scramble followed. Ferguson struck from the bottom and tried to stand up. Castillo kept him pinned down and landed short punches from Ferguson’s guard. Close round. 10-9 Ferguson.
Round 3:
Castillo landed an overhand right in round three and he easily avoided a flying scissor heel hook attempt. Castillo landed a hammerfist and Ferguson pulled him to the mat with a kimura attempt. He briefly took Castillo’s back and Castillo reversed into side control. The fighters stood and Castillo suplexed Ferguson down. He picked Ferguson up and slammed him once again.
Ferguson attempted a triangle choke and Castillo countered by passing to side control. Ferguson threw elbows from his back and regained full guard. In the final minute, Castillo held mount position momentarily and he landed short punches as Ferguson tried to stand against the cage. Castillo locked on an arm-triangle choke, but time expired. 10-9 Castillo.
Winner: Tony Ferguson by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 16-3-0.
Bethe “Pitbull” Correia vs Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler
Round 1:
Baszler clinched right away and Correia reversed a takedown. She worked from Baszler’s guard and Baszler tried to set up a triangle choke and an armbar from her back. Correia pulled her arm free and stood up. Both women landed punches and Baszler worked for another takedown. Correia reversed a clinch and she landed a trio of uppercuts as Baszler dove at her leg. Correia landed hammerfists until Baszler tripped her to the mat. Baszler attempted an arm-in guillotine choke before the bell. 10-9 Baszler.
Round 2:
Correia landed crisp punches to the head and body in round two and she fought off a takedown with a knee. Standing elbows and punches scored for Correia and Baszler began to wilt against the cage. Correia unloaded with punches to the body and head and Baszler ate a series of unanswered shots. Correia continued to tee off until the fight was finally stopped, with Baszler beaten but still on her feet.
Winner: Bethe Correia by TKO (Punches) at 1:56 of round two. She improves to 9-0-0.
Carlos Diego Ferreira vs Ramsey Nijem
Round 1:
Nijem was aggressive with punches early on, but Ferreira countered nicely with combinations. Leg kicks and left hooks were exchanged and Nijem caught a kick. He tripped Ferreira and landed punches from the top. The fighters stood and Nijem landed a big flurry. He backed Ferreira up with punches soon after and that set off another exchange of power punches.
Nijem took Ferreira down briefly, but Ferreira returned to his feet and he wobbled Nijem with a one-two. Ferreira latched onto a kimura on the ground and switched to a triangle choke, but Nijem escaped and he punched from the top. Ferreira transitioned to a kneebar attempt and he closed out the round with punches to the body. 10-9 Ferreira due to the late rally.
Round 2:
Ferreira hurt Nijem with punches again in round two and he pulled guard with a tight guillotine choke. Nijem managed to escape and Ferreira looked for an armbar and a triangle choke. The fight returned to the feet and Ferreira floored Nijem with a right hook. A barely conscious Nijem tried to hold on as Ferreira landed more punches on the ground and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Carlos Diego Ferreira by TKO (Punches) at 1:53 of round two. He improves to 11-0-0.
Yancy “The Kid” Medeiros vs Damon “The Leech” Jackson
Round 1:
Jackson pressed forward aggressively in the opening seconds and ate a body kick and two counter hooks for his troubles. Jackson landed two lunging right hands and he clinched against the cage. The fighters traded knees to the body and time was called after Jackson was kneed in the groin. Action resumed and Medeiros landed stiff left jabs. He locked on a tight guillotine choke as Jackson shot in for a takedown and Jackson had to act quickly to escape. He rose to his feet and landed a knee late in the close round. 10-9 Medeiros, barely.
Round 2:
Jackson landed a head kick in round two, but Medeiros cracked him with punches. Jackson closed in and looked for a takedown, but Medeiros countered with a standing guillotine choke. Jackson tried to spin free, but he became trapped in a unique reverse bulldog choke. Jackson tapped out just as he was rendered unconsious.
Winner: Yancy Medeiros by Submission (Reverse Bulldog Choke) at 1:54 of round two. He improves to 10-2-0, 1 NC.
Derek Brunson vs Lorenz “The Monsoon” Larkin
Round 1:
Larkin countered an early clinch with a one-two and a knee to the body. The fighters separated and Larkin landed a body kick and a right hand. He stunned Brunson with a counter left hand as Brunson shot in for a takedown. Larkin stayed on his feet, but ate a hard left hand in the process. Brunson pulled him to the mat with a tight guillotine choke and used it to take top position in side control. Larkin tried to stand and Brunson landed punches from back control. Larkin rolled over and Brunson landed short punches and elbows until the end of the round. 10-9 Brunson.
Round 2:
Larkin kept his distance and landed some hard kicks in round two, but Brunson closed in and took him down into side control. He looked for a Brabo choke, but Larkin scrambled back to full guard. Brunson punched from the top and Larkin worked back to his feet against the cage. He landed a knee and was promptly taken right back down by Brunson. From the top in half-guard, Brunson landed short elbows until the bell. 10-9 Brunson.
Round 3:
Brunson scored another takedown in round three and he looked to set up an arm-triangle choke from half-guard. Larkin spun into a kneebar attempt, but Brunson avoided danger and he kept Brunson pinned down. Brunson landed very little from the top, but he prevented Larkin from standing up until the final 30 seconds. Larkin landed an elbow that backed Brunson up and Brunson responded with a lead left hook. 10-9 Brunson.
Winner: Derek Brunson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 12-3-0.
Anthony “Freight Train” Hamilton vs Ruan “Fangzz” Potts
Round 1:
Hamilton secured two early takedowns and landed short strikes on the ground. He stood and beckoned for Potts to follow, but Potts stayed on his back until the referee stood him up. Potts ducked into a head kick, but he stayed on his feet until Hamilton took him down again. He struck from the top and stood once more. Potts was instructed to get back to his feet and Hamilton countered a guillotine choke with a takedown. On the feet, Potts landed a kick to the upper body and the round ended in a clinch. 10-9 Hamilton.
Round 2:
Potts remained extremely passive in round two and Hamilton scored more takedowns. He punched to the body from half-guard and a welt formed on Potts’s ribs. Hamilton continued to throw punches to the body and the bizarre fight was eventually stopped.
Winner: Anthony Hamilton by TKO (Punches To The Body) at 4:17 of round two. He improves to 13-3-0.
Chris Wade vs Cain “The Insane” Carrizosa
Round 1:
Wade threw Carrizosa to the mat right away and worked from the scarf hold position. The fighters scrambled and Wade looked to set up a rear-naked choke. He instead pulled guard with a tight guillotine choke and rolled through to mount. Carrizosa could not escape and was choked unconcious.
Winner: Chris Wade by Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:12 of round one. He improves to 8-1-0.