The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California tonight for UFC 227: “Dillashaw vs Garbrandt 2.” The event was headlined by a UFC Bantamweight Championship rematch between champion T.J. Dillashaw and bitter rival Cody “No Love” Garbrandt.
In tonight’s co-main event, UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson put his title on the line in a rematch with Henry “The Messenger” Cejudo. Cub Swanson battled Renato “Moicano” Carneiro at featherweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the main card.
UFC Bantamweight Championship
T.J. Dillashaw vs Cody “No Love” Garbrandt
Round 1:
Dillashaw opened the action with body kicks in the opening minute and Garbrandt answered with a four-punch flurry and a kick of his own. Another body kick landed for Dillashaw and both men rocked each other with right hooks. Dillashaw slipped off of a kick and Garbrandt initiated an exchange of power punches on the feet. Both men landed, but Dillashaw connected with the hardest shot and Garbrandt fell to the mat. He survived a follow-up onslaught of punches and stood up, but he was unsteady on his feet and Dillashaw dropped him again. A dazed Garbrandt stood against the cage and Dillashaw finished him off with a knee and a final flurry.
Winner: T.J. Dillashaw by TKO (Knee & Punches) at 4:10 of round one. He improves to 16-3-0 and remains the UFC Bantamweight Champion.
UFC Flyweight Championship
Henry “The Messenger” Cejudo vs Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson
Round 1:
The fighters traded leg kicks to open the fight and Cejudo’s left ankle rolled three times. He appeared to recover and began moving better, but Johnson scored with more kicks to the lead leg and body. A lunging left hook and a one-two landed for Johnson, who followed with a hard body kick. He mixed up his offence with leg kicks and quick combinations. Cejudo caught a head kick and landed a solid left hand before Johnson broke free. He scored with one more hard leg kick before the bell. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 2:
Johnson caught a kick and looked for a takedown in round two, but Cejudo stayed on his feet and backed away. He ate a leg kick and a straight right hand from Johnson, who stuffed a takedown attempt. Cejudo landed an overhand right and narrowly ducked under a head kick. Johnson continued to throw punch-kick combos and Cejudo replied with one-twos. Johnson avoided one takedown, but Cejudo got him down on his second try. Johnson tried to scramble up, but Cejudo kept him down and landed knees to the shoulder. Close round. 10-9 Cejudo.
Round 3:
Johnson chased after Cejudo with punches in the third round and followed with a leg kick. Both men tried for takedowns from a clinch and Cejudo briefly threatened with a standing guillotine choke. The fighters separated and Johnson landed a chopping leg kick. He continued to target Cejudo’s left leg with kicks and he followed with two hooks. Cejudo responded with a combination and a takedown attempt, but Johnson reversed on the way down and returned to his feet. Two kicks and a knee landed for Johnson, but Cejudo took him down. Johnson immediately rolled through and stood up shortly before time expired. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 4:
The fourth round began with Johnson landing kicks to Cejudo’s damaged left leg. He cut Cejudo with a left hook to the chin, but Johnson lost his balance while throwing a kick and Cejudo scored with a knee to the body. Johnson answered back with a right hand and he followed with a vicious kick to the body. Cejudo tripped Johnson to the mat and landed short strikes from the top. He closed out the round with more punches to Johnson’s face. Another close round. 10-9 Cejudo.
Round 5:
Johnson kicked at Cejudo’s leg and mixed in right hands early in the final round. A big kick to the upper body scored for Johnson and Cejudo landed a one-two in return. Johnson landed a nice left hand and another leg kick, but Cejudo closed the distance and took his back. Johnson fought off a suplex attempt and turned into the clinch. Cejudo got him down for a split second, but Johnson scrambled up and Cejudo clipped him with a left hand. Johnson threw a head kick and he thwarted a takedown attempt. Head kicks and punches were exchanged until the bell. Razor-thin round. 10-9 Johnson. Fight could go either way.
Winner: Henry Cejudo by Split Decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) after five rounds. He improves to 13-2-0 and becomes the new UFC Flyweight Champion.
Renato “Moicano” Carneiro vs Cub Swanson
Round 1:
Swanson struck first with leg kicks and Carneiro fired back with quick one-twos. He landed a stiff jab and blocked a head kick. Hard body kicks landed for Carneiro and Swanson responded with overhand punches. Both men landed hooks and Swanson kicked at Carneiro’s lead leg. A jab dropped Swanson and Carneiro swarmed on him with punches on the ground. Swanson scrambled up and Carneiro landed punches and a knee before taking him down. He mounted Swanson and then took his back before locking on a rear-naked choke for the tapout win.
Winner: Renato Carneiro by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:15 of round one. He improves to 13-1-1.
J.J. Aldrich vs Polyana “Dama de Ferro” Viana Mota
Round 1:
Viana kept her distance and darted in with right hands early on. Aldrich clinched and Viana backed her up against the cage. She briefly tripped Aldrich to the mat, but Aldrich bounced back up to her feet. The fighters separated and Aldrich landed a lead right hook. Viana threw kicks and pressed Aldrich up against the fence once more. She jumped into a guillotine choke and pulled guard, but Aldrich freed her head and worked from the top. Viana attacked with an omoplata just before time expired. Close round. 10-9 Viana.
Round 2:
Aldrich opened the second round with a one-two that snapped Viana’s head back. Power punches and body kicks were exchanged and Viana tripped Aldrich very briefly. Aldrich stood and Viana broke free with a left hand. Viana backed Aldrich up with flurries of punches and body kicks, but Aldrich countered nicely with left hooks. Viana threw more kicks to the body and Aldrich responded with jabs. Viana secured a body-lock takedown into back control and she transitioned to an armbar from mount, but Aldrich avoided danger and finished the round with short hammerfists from the top. Another close round. 10-9 Aldrich, barely.
Round 3:
Viana remained the aggressor in round three, as she walked forward with punches and body kicks. Aldrich picked her shots with single hooks in return that halted Viana’s forward momentum. Viana clinched and pulled guard, but she was unable to mount much offence from the bottom. Aldrich defended from the top and threw occasional hammerfists. The fighters were stood up and Viana ate a left cross. Aldrich landed more one-twos before the end of the fight. 10-9 Aldrich.
Winner: J.J. Aldrich by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 7-2-0.
Thiago “Marreta” Santos vs Kevin “Trailblazer” Holland
Round 1:
Santos was very aggressive with strikes right away and he initiated a clinch, but Holland jumped into a flying armbar attempt. Santos punched his way free and postured up with hard shots from the top. Holland defended from the bottom, but Santos landed punches and elbows that forced him to roll in an effort to get back to his feet. Santos rained down hammerfists, but Holland scrambled up and walked forward with wild punches. Santos landed two hooks to the liver late in the round. 10-9 Santos.
Round 2:
Time was called early in round two after Holland was kicked in the groin, but action quickly resumed and both men landed head kicks. Santos took Holland down into mount and worked for an arm-triangle choke. Holland kicked off of the cage and got back to his feet. Santos pressured him with punches and a body kick, then took him down against the base of the cage. Santos landed punches to the sides of Holland’s head until Holland stood up and cracked him with an elbow and a knee. He pulled Santos down with a rolling kimura and landed hard elbows from the top in side control. 10-9 Holland.
Round 3:
Santos opened round three with head kicks and body kicks, then took Holland down into half-guard. He postured up with hammerfists and attacked with an arm-triangle choke after moving to mount. Santos let it go and dropped punches from the top, but Holland kicked him off and the fight returned to the feet. Santos landed left hooks and elbows, then stuffed a takedown. He first attempted a front choke and then another arm-triangle choke. Holland remained calm and eventually escaped by rolling backwards. Santos finished the fight on top in Holland’s guard. 10-9 Santos.
Winner: Thiago Santos by Unanimous Decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27) after three rounds. He improves to 18-6-0.