The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts tonight for UFC 220: “Miocic vs Ngannou.” The event was headlined by a UFC Heavyweight Championship bout between Stipe Miocic and highly-touted title challenger Francis “The Predator” Ngannou.
In tonight’s co-main event, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel “D.C.” Cormier defended against Volkan “No Time” Oezdemir. Calvin Kattar squared off against “Hurricane” Shane Burgos in a featured featherweight matchup. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC 220 main card.
UFC Heavyweight Championship
Stipe Miocic vs Francis “The Predator” Ngannou
Round 1:
Ngannou landed a grazing head kick to open the action, but Miocic countered with a takedown against the cage. Ngannou stood and landed a left hook, then shrugged off a takedown attempt. Ngannou unloaded with left and right hooks, but Miocic weathered the storm. Two uppercuts landed for Ngannou and Miocic responded with a pair of overhand rights. A big right hook scored for Miocic and he immediately took Ngannou down into side control. Miocic postured up with punches and elbows before trying for a guillotine choke. The fighters stood and Miocic landed a huge combination. Ngannou stunned him with counter hooks, but Miocic slammed him down at the bell. 10-9 Miocic.
Round 2:
Ngannou slowed way down in round two and Miocic picked his shots early on with right hands. Ngannou fought off a takedown, but he ate a massive overhand right from Miocic. Ngannou scored with an uppercut, which prompted Miocic to rush him and take him down. He pinned Ngannou down against the base of the cage and landed left hands and knees to the body. Miocic tried for a rear-naked choke just before the bell sounded. 10-9 Miocic.
Round 3:
Miocic rushed forward for a takedown in the third round, but Ngannou stuffed it. He tried to throw Miocic to the mat, but fell in the process and Miocic punished him with strikes to the body and head on the way up. The fighters separated and both men landed right hands. Miocic took Ngannou down and he landed punches and elbows from the top. This continued all the way until the end of the round. 10-8 Miocic.
Round 4:
Miocic took Ngannou down again in round four and resumed throwing punches and elbows from top position. Ngannou tried to stand up and Miocic punished him with elbows to the body and left hands to the face. He mixed in knees and looked to set up a guillotine choke. Miocic postured up with harder punches and hunted for a rear-naked choke. The round ended with Miocic punching to the body. 10-9 Miocic, if not another 10-8.
Round 5:
The fighters clinched against the cage in the final round and Miocic threw knees to the thighs of an exhausted Ngannou. Miocic attempted a takedown and Ngannou countered with a front choke. Miocic broke free and he pinned Ngannou against the fence again. The fighters were separated and Miocic kicked from a distance. He lunged in with a lead left hand and Ngannou backed up. Miocic continued to land single shots until Ngannou walked forward with a jumping knee. Miocic caught it and held Ngannou against the fence until the end of the round. 10-9 Miocic.
Winner: Stipe Miocic by Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44) after five rounds. He improves to 18-2-0 and remains the UFC Heavyweight Champion.
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Daniel “D.C.” Cormier vs Volkan “No Time” Oezdemir
Round 1:
Oezdemir repeatedly tagged Cormier with lead left hands in the opening minute and he followed with more punches while pinning Cormier against the cage. Cormier mixed things up with a combination and a takedown attempt, but Oezdemir punched his way free. He slowed down, but remained effective with single punches and kicks. In the final 90 seconds, Cormier rocked Oezdemir with left and right hooks, but Oezdemir regained his composure and the fighters exchanged right hands. Cormier tripped Oezdemir late in the round and landed punches from back control. He locked on a rear-naked choke, but time expired. 10-9 Cormier due to the late rally.
Round 2:
Cormier tripped Oezdemir to the mat and effortlessly moved to mount in round two. He transitioned to a top-side crucifix and landed punches to Oezdemir’s face. Oezdemir could not buck free and he ate numerous unanswered punches until the fight was stopped.
Winner: Daniel Cormier by TKO (Punches) at 2:00 of round two. He improves to 20-1-0, 1 NC and remains the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
Calvin Kattar vs “Hurricane” Shane Burgos
Round 1:
Kattar countered early kicks from Burgos with combinations to the body and head. Burgos continued to throw leg kicks and he lunged in with jabs. Kattar snapped his head back with jabs of his own, but Burgos recovered and fired off a flurry to the body. Kattar continued to find success with stiff jabs and quick combinations that left red welts all over Burgos’s face. Burgos scored with a flurry of his own, but he struggled to get past Kattar’s jab. Kattar landed a front kick to the face shortly before the bell. 10-9 Kattar.
Round 2:
Kattar continued to pick Burgos apart on the feet with jabs and right hands in round two. He tried for a takedown and landed an elbow as the fighters separated after a clinch. Burgos landed left hooks to the body and followed with an overhand right. He scored with a hard flurry to the body and head before Kattar answered with more jabs. Both men landed leg kicks and Burgos continued to target the body. Close second round. 10-9 Burgos by a slim margin.
Round 3:
Kattar rocked Burgos with a right hook early in the final round and he dropped him after landing two huge uppercuts. Burgos fell backwards and bounced his head off of the mat, but he remained conscious and tried to get back to his feet. Kattar teed off with punches on the ground until referee Dan Miragliotta dove in to stop the fight.
Winner: Calvin Kattar by TKO (Punches) at 0:32 of round three. He improves to 18-2-0.
Gian Villante vs Francimar “Bodão” Barroso
Round 1:
Villante cracked Barroso with an overhand right in the opening seconds and he followed with a combination soon after. Barroso countered with an uppercut, but Villante stunned him with a lengthy flurry. Barroso recovered, but Villante kept him on the defensive throughout the middle portion of the round. Both men landed chopping leg kicks and the round ended with an exchange of big power punches against the cage. 10-9 Villante.
Round 2:
The second round began with both men landing heavy punches and time was called after Barroso was kicked in the groin as he tagged Villante with a left hook. Action resumed and Villante scored with a leg kick. He pressured Barroso with right hands and leg kicks, but Barroso countered with lead left hooks. Villante continued to target the head with punches while Barroso attacked with counterpunches and kicks to the body. 10-9 Villante.
Round 3:
Villante backed Barroso up with jabs and followed with a four-punch combo in the final round. Barroso continued to throw leg and body kicks in return as he circled to the side. Villante landed more punches, but Barroso scored with two more hard kicks to the lead leg and midsection. Villante jabbed and landed straight right hands in the final minute as Barroso retreated. 10-9 Villante.
Winner: Gian Villante by Split Decision (30-27, 30-27, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 16-9-0.
Rob Font vs Thomas “Thominhas” Almeida
Round 1:
Font pressed the action early on with combinations and he backed Almeida up against the cage. Almeida’s left eye swelled up, but he circled off of the cage and exchanged one-twos with Font. A right cross and a head kick landed for Almeida and he followed with a three-punch flurry. Almeida remained the aggressor and he landed combinations of hooks and uppercuts in the final 90 seconds. 10-9 Almeida.
Round 2:
Font dropped Almeida with a right hook to the temple in round two, but he was unable to finish him off on the ground and a wobbly Almeida returned to his feet. The fighters clinched and Font landed a nice uppercut. He took Almeida down for a split second, but Almeida quickly stood and broke free from Font’s grasp. Seconds later, Font rocked Almeida with a head kick and dropped him face-first to the canvas with a series of vicious uppercuts.
Winner: Rob Font by KO (Head Kick & Punches) at 2:24 of round two. He improves to 15-3-0.
Undercard Fights
– Kyle “Crash” Bochniak defeated Brandon “Killer B” Davis by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 8-2-0 with the win.
– Abdul Razak “Judo Thunder” Alhassan defeated Sabah “The Sleek Sheik” Homasi by KO (Punch) at 3:47 of round one. He improves to 9-1-0 with the win.
– Dustin Ortiz defeated Alexandre “The Cannibal” Pantoja by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 18-7-0 with the win.
– Julio Arce defeated “Dynamite” Dan Ige by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 14-2-0 with the win.
– Enrique “El Fuerte” Barzola defeated Matt “The Mangler” Bessette by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 14-3-1 with the win.
– Islam Makhachev defeated Gleison Tibau by KO (Punch) at 0:57 of round one. He improves to 15-1-0 with the win.