The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 250: “Nunes vs Spencer.” The event was headlined by a UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship bout between champion Amanda “Lioness” Nunes and challenger Felicia “FeeNom” Spencer.
In tonight’s bantamweight co-main event, Raphael Assuncao battled Cody “No Love” Garbrandt. Elsewhere on the main card, Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling squared off against fellow contender Cory Sandhagen in another key 135-pound matchup. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes vs Felicia “FeeNom” Spencer
Round 1:
Spencer closed the distance early on and tried to clinch, but Nunes punched her way free and Spencer’s right eye immediately showed damage. Nunes landed an uppercut-hook combo and she followed with an overhand right, but Spencer was unfazed. She clinched with Nunes, but Nunes countered with a hip-toss takedown into side control. Spencer tried to scramble up to her feet and Nunes nearly took her back. She settled back into Spencer’s half-guard and landed elbows from the top. Nunes cut Spencer’s upper forehead with an elbow, but Spencer got back to full guard with 30 seconds remaining. She tried to set up a submission late in the round, but Nunes elbowed her way free. 10-9 Nunes.
Round 2:
Nunes kept Spencer backing up in the first minute of round two, then lunged forward with a forearm strike. Nunes responded with a combination and a hard right hand over the top. Spencer shot in for a takedown, but Nunes stuffed it and promptly scored a takedown of her own. She briefly struck from the top and Spencer battled back to her feet. Nunes kept the pressure on with lead left hooks and a spinning back elbow. Spencer landed a head kick late in the round, but Nunes was unfazed and she landed a flurry before the bell. 10-9 Nunes.
Round 3:
Punches were exchanged early in the third round and Nunes kept Spencer backing up with one-twos and leg kicks. She knocked Spencer’s mouthpiece out with a combination and time was called to replace it. Nunes continued to walk Spencer down and she landed another hard one-two to the jaw. Spencer tried to clinch and Nunes threw her to the mat. She allowed Spencer to stand and blasted her with a right hook to the body. A pair of left-right combos and two leg kicks landed for Nunes, and Spencer began to limp. Nunes stuffed a takedown and she landed more one-twos and a big uppercut. A leg kick hurt Spencer and she switched stances as Nunes closed in with punches before time expired. 10-9 Nunes.
Round 4:
Nunes scored with overhand rights early in round four and Spencer began to show the damage below her left eye. She dropped levels for a takedown, but Nunes shrugged her off and Spencer returned to her feet. Nunes landed another hard leg kick and a step-in elbow. Soon after, Nunes landed a spinning back kick to the body that sent Spencer bouncing off of the cage. Nunes tried for a takedown and wound up on her back with Nunes standing over her. She allowed Spencer to stand and both women landed jabs. Nunes followed with a quick flurry before stuffing a takedown attempt. Nunes hurt Spencer with a leg kick and she cracked her with a left-right combo to the jaw. Nunes hurt Spencer again with combinations and big right hooks that bloodied her nose. Spencer shot in for a desperation takedown and Nunes countered with a rear-naked choke at the bell. 10-8 Nunes.
Round 5:
Spencer tried for a takedown to begin the final round, but Nunes stuffed it and took top position in Spencer’s half-guard. Spencer briefly looked for a kimura from the bottom and that allowed her to get back to full guard. Nunes opened another cut on Spencer’s forehead with elbows and eventually stood up with 90 seconds to go. Spencer eventually got back up as well and time was called to check on the cuts on her forehead. The fight continued with 50 seconds to go and Spencer grazed with a head kick. Nunes took her down twice in the final seconds and she finished the fight standing over top of her downed opponent. 10-9 Nunes.
Winner: Amanda Nunes by Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-45) after five rounds. She improves to 20-4-0 and remains the UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion.
Cody “No Love” Garbrandt vs Raphael Assuncao
Round 1:
Both men landed leg kicks in the opening minute and Garbrandt attempted a spinning hook kick. He continued to kick at Assuncao’s lead leg and darted in with straight right hands. Garbrandt landed more chopping leg kicks as the round progressed and Assuncao struggled to keep up with his speed. Assuncao missed with a spinning back kick before the bell. 10-9 Garbrandt.
Round 2:
Garbrandt landed a Superman Punch that led to an early scramble on the ground in round two and he connected with a head kick as Assuncao returned to his feet. Both men landed body kicks, but Garbrandt’s strikes had more force behind them. Assuncao landed his best punch of the fight, a hard right hand, and Garbrandt immediately answered back with a powerful body kick. He closed in with a right hand and a body kick before avoiding a clinch from Assuncao. Garbrandt dropped Assuncao with an overhand right, but Assuncao quickly returned to his feet. An exchange of kicks followed and Garbrandt landed a one-two. Just before the bell sounded, Garbrandt ducked under a hook from Assuncao and landed a massive counter right hook that sent Assuncao crashing unconscious to the canvas. Incredible KO finish.
Winner: Cody Garbrandt by KO (Punch) at 4:59 of round two. He improves to 12-3-0.
Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling vs Cory Sandhagen
Round 1:
Sterling clinched after catching a body kick and he immediately hopped on Sandhagen’s back. He dragged him down to the mat and attempted a rear-naked choke. Sandhagen fought off the choke, but Sterling kept him trapped in place with a body triangle. He rolled to his side and sunk his arm under Sandhagen’s chin. Sterling instantly locked on a tight rear-naked choke and Sandhagen tapped out just before losing consciousness. Big win for Sterling.
Winner: Aljamain Sterling by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:28 of round one. He improves to 19-3-0.
Neil “The Haitian Sensation” Magny vs Anthony Rocco Martin
Round 1:
Martin clinched in the opening minute, but Magny broke free and he pressed forward with a one-two. Martin clinched with him again and took Magny’s back against the cage. Magny eventually turned into the clinch and Martin backed away. Magny landed a combination and two leg kicks before jabbing his way into a clinch. Martin immediately reversed against the cage and the fighters separated. Magny landed leg kicks until Martin clinched with him again. The round ended with Martin landing a lunging one-two. 10-9 Martin by a slim margin.
Round 2:
Martin tagged Magny with a hard one-two in the second round that stunned him momentarily. He took Magny down into side control and looked to set up a Brabo choke as the fight returned to the feet. The fighters separated and Martin kicked at Magny’s lead leg. Magny attempted a takedown in response, but Martin stayed on his feet. He threw short uppercuts and tried for a standing kimura before Magny backed away. He chased after Martin with right hands that led to another clinch. Both men landed leg kicks before the end of the round. 10-9 Martin.
Round 3:
Magny walked Martin down in round three and Martin responded with jabs while circling to the side. Magny punched his way into a clinch and tried to take Martin down. Martin defended well, but Magny kept him on the defensive with lunging punches and Martin slowed way down. A leg kick landed for Martin and Magny answered with an elbow over the top. He scored with jabs and a big right hand over the top, then pinned Martin against the cage. Magny remained the aggressor throughout the final minute and he countered a right hand from Martin with a hard one-two. 10-9 Magny.
Winner: Neil Magny by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 23-7-0.
“Sugar” Sean O’Malley vs Eddie Wineland
Round 1:
Wineland ducked under head kick attempts from O’Malley and both men landed jabs early on. Wineland scored with a counter right hook and he walked O’Malley down with more punches. Seconds later, O’Malley rocked Wineland with a counter right of his own. A second right hand sent an unconscious Wineland crashing to the mat and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Sean O’Malley by KO (Punch) at 1:54 of round one. He improves to 12-0-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)