The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 216: “Ferguson vs Lee.” The event was headlined by a UFC Interim Lightweight Championship showdown between Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson and rival Kevin “The Motown Phenom” Lee.
In the co-main event, UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson put his title on the line against Ray “The Tazmexican Devil” Borg. Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum faced last-minute replacement opponent Walt “The Big Ticket” Harris. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
UFC Interim Lightweight Championship
Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson vs Kevin “The Motown Phenom” Lee
Round 1:
Lee finished an early one-two combination with a grazing head kick and he followed with an overhand right. Ferguson stepped in with a knee, but Lee dropped him with a right hand to the eye. Ferguson stood and knocked Lee down with a counter hook while moving backward. Lee regained his footing and landed a left hook as Ferguson threw a leg kick. He took Ferguson down, but Ferguson trapped him in rubber guard. Lee spun free and landed elbows from the top in Ferguson’s full guard. He passed to side control and then to mount. Lee rained down heavy punches and elbows, including a punch after the bell. 10-9 Lee.
Round 2:
Stiff jabs and leg kicks were exchanged in round two and both men attempted head kicks. Ferguson sprawled out of a takedown attempt and the fighters traded body kicks. More jabs and lead hooks landed for both men and Ferguson stepped in with an elbow. A right hook and a kick to the upper body scored for Lee, who tried to take Ferguson down after landing a body kick. Ferguson stuffed it and he landed kicks before the end of the close round. 10-9 Ferguson.
Round 3:
A fatigued Lee managed to take Ferguson down in the third round, but Ferguson battled back to his feet and he walked Lee down with punches and body kicks. Lee countered with another takedown and Ferguson used elbows from the bottom to set up a tight armbar. Lee somehow spun free and wound up in Ferguson’s guard. Ferguson methodically worked for a triangle choke until he was able to secure it for a tapout finish just as Lee was losing consciousness.
Winner: Tony Ferguson by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 4:02 of round three. He improves to 23-3-0 and becomes the UFC Interim Lightweight Champion.
UFC Flyweight Championship
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson vs Ray “The Tazmexican Devil” Borg
Round 1:
Johnson struck first with a series of inside-leg kicks and lunging right hands. He followed with two liver kicks and dragged Borg down to the mat in back control. Borg spun and quickly returned to his feet. He ate another body kick and dove at Johnson’s ankle. Johnson balanced on one leg and landed right hands until he was able to take Borg’s back. Borg rolled over and Johnson struck from the top in his half-guard. Johnson threatened with an arm-triangle choke and a kimura, but Borg defended until the bell. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 2:
Borg closed the distance and clinched with Johnson against the cage early in round two. Johnson reversed the clinch and threw knees to the thigh until Borg attempted a standing guillotine choke. He let it go and took Johnson down. Johnson stood and Borg hopped on his back in search of a rear-naked choke. Johnson shrugged him off and wound up on top in Borg’s half-guard. He blasted Borg with punches from a top-side crucifix and punished him with knees to the body as Borg stood up. Johnson scored a takedown into side control and struck from the top in the final minute. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 3:
Borg caught a kick and tried for a takedown in the third round, but Johnson sprawled out and landed hammerfists after taking top position in side control. He mixed in short elbows and knees to the body until Borg scrambled and got back to full guard. Johnson passed to side control again, then to mount and finally to Borg’s back. He looked for a rear-naked choke and then took top position once more. Borg attempted a late guillotine choke, to no avail. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 4:
The fourth round began with Borg elevating Johnson into the air and slamming him down to the mat. Johnson quickly stood up and scored with a jumping knee. Borg fell to his back and Johnson cut him with elbows. Borg battled back to his feet, but Johnson dominated the clinch with strikes including a flashy head kick from a standing back control. He dumped Borg to the mat and landed on top in side control. He tried for an armbar, but lost his grip in a scramble and Borg stood up. Johnson slammed him back down and worked for an armbar until the bell. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 5:
Johnson wasted no time in taking Borg back down in the final round. He held him against the base of the cage and landed knees to the body, but Borg caught one and escaped to his feet. He attempted a guillotine choke as Johnson took him down, but Johnson easily escaped into side control. Borg gave up his back and Johnson threw knees to the body. He elevated Borg into the air with a German suplex and jumped into a flying armbar before Borg could even hit the mat. Borg tried to defend, but he was forced to tap out. Amazing submission finish.
Winner: Demetrious Johnson by Submission (Flying Armbar) at 3:15 of round five. He improves to 27-2-1 and remains the UFC Flyweight Champion.
Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum vs Walt “The Big Ticket” Harris
Round 1:
Werdum scored an early takedown and effortlessly passed to mount. Harris scrambled free, but gave up his back in the process. Within seconds, Werdum transitioned to an armbar and Harris was forced to hastily submit.
Winner: Fabricio Werdum by Submission (Armbar) at 1:05 of round one. He improves to 22-7-1.
Mara “Kunoichici” Romero Borella vs Kalindra Faria
Round 1:
Borella took Faria down right away and she mounted her soon after. Borella isolated Faria’s left arm and peppered her with punches that set up a move to back control. She locked on a rear-naked choke and Faria tapped out.
Winner: Mara Romero Borella by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:54 of round one. She improves to 12-4-0, 1 NC.
Beneil Dariush vs Evan Dunham
Round 1:
Dunham opened the action with combinations and Dariush answered back with kicks and a looping left hook. He followed with an uppercut and stunned Dunham with an overhand left. Dariush dropped him with standing elbows and punched away at the sides of Dunham’s head. More hard punches scored for Dariush as Dunham tried to scramble up to his feet. Dariush kept him down with knees to the chest and elbows to the temples. Dunham attempted a heel hook and Dariush punished him with punches and elbows from the top in half-guard. Dunham returned to his feet shortly before the bell. 10-9 Dariush, if not a 10-8.
Round 2:
Dariush landed a solid combination and a leg kick early in round two, but Dunham took him down against the base of the cage. Dariush worked for an omoplata, but Dunham pulled his arm free. The fighters stood and Dunham took Dariush’s back. Dariush turned into the clinch and Dunham landed short elbows in close until Dariush backed away. Two nice leg kicks landed for Dariush and Dunham tried for a takedown. Dariush stayed on his feet and reversed a clinch against the cage. The fighters separated and Dariush landed kicks until Dunham clinched once more. 10-9 Dariush.
Round 3:
Dunham scored with a head kick in the opening seconds of the final round, but Dariush was unfazed and he fired back with a combination. Dunham tagged him with a counter left cross and followed with an overhand left that landed cleanly. Big punches were exchanged and Dunham shot in for a takedown. Dariush fought him off, but Dunham kept the pressure on with punches until Dariush halted his momentum with two chopping leg kicks. Both men landed knees in a clinch and an exchange of overhand lefts followed. Dunham landed some big punches in the final 30 seconds and Dariush countered with knees. 10-9 Dunham.
Result: Majority Draw (29-28 [Dariush], 28-28, 28-28) after three rounds. Dariush moves to 14-3-1, while Dunham is now 18-6-1.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)