The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to Wembley Arena in London, England tonight for UFC on Fuel TV 7: “Barao vs McDonald.” The event was headlined by a UFC Interim Bantamweight Championship bout between champ Renan “Barao” Pegado and challenger Michael “Mayday” McDonald.
Also on the card, Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier battled Cub Swanson in a featured featherweight fight. Cyrille “The Snake” Diabate took on unbeaten prospect Jimi “The Poster Boy” Manuwa in a light heavyweight showdown. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC on Fuel TV 7 card.
UFC Interim Bantamweight Championship
Renan “Barao” Pegado vs Michael “Mayday” McDonald
Round 1:
Pegado secured a takedown in the opening minute, but he was unable to mount much offence on the ground and McDonald scrambled back to his feet. McDonald landed a pair of one-twos and stuffed a takedown. McDonald swarmed with punches soon after and Pegado fell to his knees. He recovered and landed a knee in the clinch. Pegado took McDonald down and McDonald tied him up until the bell. 10-9 McDonald.
Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of three-punch combos. The action slowed somewhat in the ensuing 90 seconds until Pegado shot in for a takedown. He got McDonald down very briefly, but McDonald kicked him off and stood up. Time was called after McDonald was poked in the eye. Action resumed and Pegado countered an uppercut with a right hook. A front kick to the face backed McDonald up, but McDonald answered back with a right hand and a lunging left. 10-10.
Round 3:
A missed right hook from McDonald led to an exchange of hard punches in the third round. McDonald landed a right hand and Pegado responded with a flurry. He clinched and tried to take McDonald down. Pegado got McDonald down into side control, but McDonald scrambled back up. Short right hooks landed for both fighters and Pegado appeared to get the better of the exchange. Single punches landed for both fighters and Pegado sent McDonald backing up with a spinning back kick to the upper body. 10-9 Pegado.
Round 4:
McDonald kept his distance in the fourth round and the fighters traded kicks. Pegado attempted a flying knee and McDonald began to bleed from the nose. A spinning back kick grazed the chest of McDonald and Pegado clinched. He threw knees in close and took McDonald’s back in a scramble as the fight went to the ground. Pegado transitioned to an arm-triangle choke and McDonald did his best to hold on. Pegado continued to squeeze on the choke and McDonald finally tapped out.
Winner: Renan Pegado by Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) at 3:57 of round four. He improves to 30-1-0, 1 NC and remains the UFC Interim Bantamweight Champion.
Cub Swanson vs Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier
Round 1:
Poirier kicked at Swanson’s lead leg early in the fight and Swanson responded with punches. Poirier tried to take him down, but Swanson stayed up. Poirier countered a combination from Swanson with a right hook and he landed more right hands soon after. Poirier caught a kick and clinched against the fence. He landed a right hook over the top and Swanson answered back with a body shot and a big uppercut. He followed with a head kick, but Poirier took him down. Swanson returned to his feet and landed a jumping knee and a right hand. Close round. 10-9 Swanson.
Round 2:
Swanson targeted the body with punches in the second round, but Poirier landed a nice counter kick to the liver. More punches were exchanged and Swanson was able to duck under most of Poirier’s strikes. The fighters clinched briefly and Swanson landed a right hand to the body and attempted a head kick. Poirier took him down and Swanson immediately worked for an omoplata. He used it to stand up and kicked at Poirier’s ribs. Poirier dropped down for a takedown and Swanson countered with a Kimura. Poirier landed punches in the final seconds. 10-9 Swanson.
Round 3:
Swanson slipped while throwing a head kick in round three and Poirier clinched in search of a takedown. He gave up on the takedown and landed a nice combination in close. More punches scored for Poirier and he began to establish his jab. Swanson took Poirier down and transitioned to his back. Poirier tried to scramble free, but he gave up mount in the process and Swanson punched from the top. Poirier stood and Swanson threw him down to the mat. He took Poirier’s back again and tried to transition to an armbar. 10-9 Swanson.
Winner: Cub Swanson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 19-5-0.
Jimi “The Poster Boy” Manuwa vs Cyrille “The Snake” Diabate
Round 1:
Manuwa landed a right hand an clinched early in the fight. Diabate put him against the cage, but Manuwa reversed and scored a takedown. He landed short strikes from the top until Diabate used the cage to get back to his feet. Diabate countered a head kick with a knee, but fell. Manuwa allowed him to stand and threw kicks to the lead leg and body. Diabate responded with a standing elbow and knees, but Manuwa backed him up with punches. He took Diabate back down before the bell. 10-9 Manuwa.
Between rounds, Diabate indicated that he had suffered an injury to his lower left leg. The doctor entered the cage and Diabate informed him that he would be unable to continue.
Winner: Jimi Manuwa by TKO (Retirement) at 5:00 of round one. He improves to 13-0-0.
Gunnar “Gunni” Nelson vs Jorge “The Sandman” Santiago
Round 1:
Santiago scored with a knee and two right hooks early on. He attempted a head kick and followed with more knees. Nelson took Santiago down and moved straight to half-guard. Santiago defended well and kicked Nelson off, then returned to his feet. Santiago walked forward with punches and Nelson countered with a body kick. The fighters exchanged knees in the clinch late in the round. 10-9 Santiago.
Round 2:
Both fighters landed short punches in close in the second round. Santiago countered a flurry with a knee, but Nelson took him down. He stood over Santiago and landed occasional punches and an elbow. Santiago looked to set up an armbar from the bottom and couldn’t get it. Nelson landed more short strikes and stood up, then kicked at Santiago’s leg. He dropped down into side control and soon moved to mount. Nelson closed out the round with elbows from the top. 10-9 Nelson.
Round 3:
Santiago landed a combination in the final round and followed with a right hook. Nelson responded with a right hand of his own and Santiago clinched. Nelson broke free with a standing elbow after Santiago landed knees to the body. A left cross backed Santiago up briefly, but Santiago tagged Nelson with right hooks and an uppercut. Nelson hurt Santiago with an uppercut of his own and flurried with punches. Another uppercut scored for Nelson and he avoided counterpunches from a fatigued Santiago. The fight ended with an exchange of wild punches and Santiago landed a huge right hand just as the bell sounded. Close round. 10-9 Nelson.
Winner: Gunnar Nelson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 11-0-1.
James Te Huna vs Ryan “The Big Deal” Jimmo
Round 1:
The fighters clinched right away and traded knees to the thighs. The referee separated the fighters and Jimmo floored Te Huna with a head kick. He dove in with punches and elbows, but Te Huna somehow survived. Jimmo cut him with strikes from the top, but Te Huna weathered the storm. Te Huna stood and attempted a guillotine choke, but Jimmo countered by taking him back down. Jimmo avoided an armbar attempt and landed short punches. Te Huna landed some decent elbows from his back, but Jimmo kept him pinned down in the final 90 seconds. 10-8 Jimmo.
Round 2:
Te Huna looked for a takedown in the second round, but Jimmo reversed the clinch and tried for a trip. Te Huna countered with a trip takedown of his own and landed on top in side control. Te Huna used short elbows to set up a move to mount and he rained down elbows and hammerfists. Te Huna continued to strike from the top as Jimmo defended until the end of the round. 10-9 Te Huna.
Round 3:
The fighters battled in the clinch in the final round until Te Huna secured a takedown and worked from half-guard. He landed short strikes from the top that cut Jimmo and kept him on the defensive. Te Huna continued to land strikes until the final minute of the round when Jimmo scrambled back to butterfly guard and tried to create space. Te Huna remained on top and landed more short strikes in the dying seconds. 10-9 Te Huna.
Winner: James Te Huna by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 16-5-0.
Matthew “Deep Waters” Riddle vs “Beautiful” Che Mills
Round 1:
Riddle tried for a single-leg takedown early on and Mills countered with a jumping knee. Riddle continued to work for a takedown and eventually got Mills down. Mills stood and the fighters separated. Mills landed a jab and a kick to the upper body, but Riddle took him back down. Mills got back to his feet and kicked at Riddle’s lead leg. The fighters traded power punches and Riddle was able to take Mills down once more. He struck from the top in half-guard until the bell. 10-9 Riddle.
Round 2:
Riddle latched onto a leg again in round two and Mills jumped into a flying head kick. Both fighters fell and Riddle wound up on top. He tried to set up a North-South Choke, but could not get it and moved to side control. Riddle threw knees to the body and looked for an arm-triangle choke as he worked from the side. Riddle eventually moved to mount and took Mills’s back in a scramble. He returned to mount and punched to the body until the end of the round. 10-9 Riddle.
Round 3:
A head kick from Mills set off a big exchange of punches in the final round. Riddle clinched and Mills defended against a takedown attempt. Mills sprawled and stuffed another takedown. Riddle finally got him down and landed short elbows from the top. He moved to half-guard, but Mills swept and wound up on top in Riddle’s guard. The fighters stood and Riddle took Mills down to a knee before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Riddle.
Winner: Matthew Riddle by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 8-3-0, 1 NC.
Undercard Fights:
Renee Forte defeated Terry Etim by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 8-2-0 with the win.
Danny “Last Call” Castillo defeated Paul “Sassangle” Sass by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 15-5-0 with the win.
Andy “The Little Axe” Ogle defeated Josh “The Fluke” Grispi by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 9-2-0 with the win.
Tom “Kong” Watson defeated Stanislav Nedkov by TKO (Knee To The Body & Punches) at 4:42 of round two. He improves to 16-5-0 with the win.
Vaughan Lee defeated Motonobu Tezuka by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 13-8-1 with the win.
Phil “Billy” Harris defeated “Useless” Ulysses Gomez by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 22-10-0, 1 NC with the win.