UFC 235: "Jones vs Smith" Live Play-By-Play & ResultsThe Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 235: “Jones vs Smith.” The event featured a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout between reigning champion Jon “Bones” Jones and underdog challenger Anthony “Lionheart” Smith.

In the co-feature, UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley put his title on the line against Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman. Also at 170 pounds, “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler battled “Funky” Ben Askren. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC 235 card.

 

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

Jon “Bones” Jones vs Anthony “Lionheart” Smith

Round 1:
Smith landed two leg kicks in the opening minute and avoided haymakers from Jones, but Jones connected with a spinning back kick to the body. Smith threw more leg kicks and Jones missed with an axe kick. Another spinning back kick to the body scored for Jones and Smith countered with a head kick. Jones was unfazed and initiated a clinch against the cage. He landed three shoulder strikes to the jaw before Smith pushed him away. Smith pawed out with jabs and ate a side kick to the body in return. A right hook partially landed for Smith and Jones responded with two more body kicks. 10-9 Jones.

Round 2:
The second round began with Jones landing kicks to Smith’s lead leg and body. Smith connected with a right hand, but Jones landed more body kicks that backed him up. A spinning back elbow landed for Jones and he clinched against the cage. Smith broke free and landed an overhand right and a left to the body. He continued to target Jones’s midsection, but Jones responded with a head kick and a right hook that backed Smith up. Both men landed hard right hands and Jones kept Smith guessing with a variety of leg kicks from both stances. Jones tried for a late takedown and Smith stuffed it. 10-9 Jones.

Round 3:
Jones struck first with a right cross to begin round three and he shot in for a takedown soon after. Smith stayed on his feet, but ate a knee to the body for his efforts. More knees were exchanged and Jones also targeted Smith’s left leg. Jones slammed Smith down and landed punches from the top as Smith rolled and got to his knees. Jones covered Smith’s mouth and threw knees to his left thigh and shin until Smith stood just before time expired. 10-9 Jones.

Round 4:
Smith blocked a head kick early in the fourth round, but Jones scored with a spinning back kick to the body and two elbows. He cut Smith’s nose with a flying knee and threw him to the mat. Smith initially prevented Jones from passing his guard, but Jones punished him with punches and took his back soon after. A bloodied Smith held on to Jones’s right arm and battled back to his feet. Jones dragged him down again and landed punches and elbows while trapping Smith’s left arm. Big knees to the body and an elbow landed for Jones late in the round. Time was called just before the bell when he landed an illegal knee to Smith’s jaw. Jones was docked two points and the round ended right after the restart. 8-8.

Round 5:
The final round began with an exchange of strikes on the feet and Smith stuffed a takedown attempt. Jones clinched a second time and held Smith against the cage. Jones landed knees to the thigh and shoulder strikes to the jaw while keeping Smith trapped in place. Smith fought off another takedown attempt and Jones landed an elbow over the top. He mixed in foot stomps and more shoulder strikes in the final minute while preventing Smith from mounting any offence. 10-9 Jones.

Winner: Jon Jones by Unanimous Decision (48-44, 48-44, 48-44) after five rounds. He improves to 24-1-0, 1 NC and remains the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

 

UFC Welterweight Championship

Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman vs Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley

Round 1:
Woodley landed a right hand early in the fight and he countered an Usman takedown with a guillotine choke. Usman used punches to the body to weaken Woodley’s grip and wound up in top position. Woodley got to a knee and Usman targeted the body with punches and a knee as the fight returned to the feet. Both men landed knees in a clinch and Usman pressed forward with right hands. The fighters were separated after a prolonged clinch and Usman countered a right hook with a left. He clinched in search of another takedown before the end of the round. 10-9 Usman.

Round 2:
Usman closed the distance with jabs in round two and clinched with Woodley against the cage. A big elbow landed for Usman and Woodley circled away. Usman clinched and slammed him down to the mat. Woodley began to bleed from a cut next to his right eye and Usman targeted the cut with elbows from mount. Woodley held on as Usman landed more punches and elbows while maintaining mount position. Usman attempted an arm-triangle choke late in the round, but Woodley escaped before the bell. 10-8 Usman.

Round 3:
Usman clinched and landed numerous right hands to the body in the third round as he pinned Woodley against the fence. The fighters were separated and Usman just missed with two looping hooks. He clinched and resumed punching to the left side of Woodley’s body. He mixed in knees as well as Woodley did nothing but hold on. Again, the fighters were separated and Woodley landed an overhand right. Usman continued to press forward and he punished Woodley with right hands to the body. 10-9 Usman.

Round 4:
Woodley jumped into a flying guillotine choke attempt in round four, but Usman pulled his head free and wound up on top in Woodley’s guard. Woodley tied up one of Usman’s arms from the bottom, but that did not stop Usman from sneaking in punches and elbows with his free arm. Referee Marc Goddard stood the fighters up and seemingly warned Usman for inactivity despite the fact that she was being active on top. Usman swarmed on Woodley with hooks and uppercuts that backed him up against the cage. Woodley fired back with hard right hands of his own, but Usman rocked him with another big flurry late in the round. 10-9 Usman.

Round 5:
Usman shot in for a takedown in the final round and Woodley latched on to a guillotine choke. Usman stayed on his feet and threw knees and foot stomps before slamming Woodley to the canvas. He worked from the top with punches to the body from Woodley’s half-guard. Woodley tried to tie him up from the bottom, but Usman remained active with short punches and elbows as he kept Woodley pinned against the base of the cage. 10-9 Usman.

Winner: Kamaru Usman by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-44, 50-44) after five rounds. He improves to 15-1-0 and becomes the new UFC Welterweight Champion.

 

“Funky” Ben Askren vs “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler

Round 1:
Askren clinched right away and attempted a trip takedown, but Lawler countered a back-take by putting Askren over his shoulders and slamming him down to the mat. Askren appeared to be dazed and Lawler teed off with punches and elbows on the ground and cut Askren and had referee Herb Dean contemplating a stoppage. He allowed the fight to continue and Askren battled back to his feet. He closed the distance and Lawler countered a clinch with a knee. Lawler sprawled out of another takedown and Askren trapped him in a bulldog choke. Lawler’s arm appeared to go limp and Herb Dean waved off the fight, but Lawler was conscious as the fight ended and he protested the stoppage.

Winner: Ben Askren by Technical Submission (Bulldog Choke) at 3:20 of round one. He improves to 19-0-0, 1 NC.

 

Weili “Magnum” Zhang vs Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres

Round 1:
Zhang opened the action with a leg kick and a spinning back kick as Torres looked to find her range. Two more kicks landed for Zhang and Torres darted in with a one-two. Both women landed quick punches and Zhang landed a nice kick-punch combo. She snapped Torres’s head back with a hook and a scramble ensued on the ground after Torres reversed a takedown. The fighters stood and Torres landed a solid right hand on the break. Zhang missed with a spinning backfist and Torres landed a combination before stuffing a takedown. Zhang hopped on her back and worked to set up a standing rear-naked choke. Torres shrugged her off and turned into the clinch, then broke free after landing a one-two. Torres threw Zhang to the mat, but Zhang reversed into side control and closed out the round with hammerfists. 10-9 Zhang.

Round 2:
The second round began with Zhang throwing more leg and body kicks from a distance while Torres looked to set up combinations. She landed a one-two to Zhang’s nose, but Zhang fired right back with a kick-punch combo and both women scored with body kicks. Zhang used her kicks to keep Torres on the defensive and Torres resorted to throwing single punches. A big exchange of punches followed and Torres thwarted a takedown attempt. Zhang threw her down on her second try and landed short punches from the top. Torres swept with one minute to go, but Zhang defended well from the bottom and landed elbows to counter Torres’s punches. Zhang kicked Torres off shortly before the bell and Torres landed a diving hammerfist. 10-9 Zhang.

Round 3:
Zhang pressured Torres with kicks and punches early in the final round, but Torres held her ground and both fighters were stunned by punches. Zhang continued to land multiple strikes at a time and she backed Torres up with a knee-punch combo. After a brief clinch, Zhang landed kicks to Torres’s lead leg and body. She used a leg-sweep takedown to get Torres down to the mat and immediately passed to half-guard. From the top, Zhang landed numerous punches and elbows as Torres held on and tried to limit the damage. Zhang remained on top and landed ground and pound until the final bell. 10-9 Zhang.

Winner: Weili Zhang by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 19-1-0.

 

Pedro “The Young Punisher” Munhoz vs Cody “No Love” Garbrandt

Round 1:
Munhoz caught a body kick right away and attempted a heel hook, but Garbrandt punched free from the top and the fight returned to the feet. Garbrandt threw a head kick and Munhoz answered with a leg kick. A counter right hook and another leg kick landed for Munhoz, who blocked a combination from Garbrandt. Munhoz landed a spinning back kick to the body, a big flurry of punches and a hard leg kick that caused Garbrandt to limp. A head kick and a left hook landed for Munhoz, and Garbrandt fell after what he indicated was a headbutt. Munhoz landed punches from the top, but Garbrandt recovered and battled back to his feet. Both men landed massive haymakers in a wild exchange, but neither could knock the other one down. Finally, a right hook from Munhoz floored Garbrandt and he landed follow-up punches on the ground for the finish.

Winner: Pedro Munhoz by KO (Punches) at 4:52 of round one. He improves to 18-3-0, 1 NC.

 

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