The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada tonight for UFC 165: “Jones vs Gustafsson.” The card featured a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout between Jon “Bones” Jones and challenger Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson.
In the co-main event, UFC Interim Bantamweight Champion Renan “Barao” Pegado defended against top contender Eddie Wineland. Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub took on Matt Mitrione in a featured heavyweight matchup. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s UFC 165 card.
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon “Bones” Jones vs Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson
Round 1:
Both fighters threw leg and body kicks right away and Gustafsson shrugged off a takedown attempt. Jones landed a spinning back kick to the body and a series of front kicks to the lead leg. More leg kicks landed for both fighters and Gustafsson connected with a solid left hook. A right hand grazed Jones’s chin and he missed with a counter left. Gustafsson cut Jones above the right eye with a lunging one-two and he followed with more punches.
Jones answered with another spinning back kick. Gustafsson landed a combination and an overhand right. He attempted a spinning back kick of his own and Jones landed another one. Gustafsson took Jones down, but he could not keep him there. Time was called after Gustafsson was poked in the eye. Action resumed and Jones threw a spinning back elbow. He landed another elbow before the bell. 10-9 Gustafsson.
Round 2:
Gustafsson caught a kick and tripped Jones’s leg out from under him in round two. Jones stood and Gustafsson avoided his clinch attempts. A nice uppercut scored for Gustafsson and he followed with right and left hooks. Jones landed a body kick and followed with two spinning back kicks that missed. He scored with a head kick and sidestepped a Gustafsson takedown attempt.
Gustafsson attempted a left hook and Jones avoided it. The fighters traded left hands and leg kicks. Gustafsson caught a kick and Jones spun free. He tried to take Gustafsson down and could not. Gustafsson flurried with punches and finished with a body kick. A question mark kick landed for Jones and Gustafsson immediately answered with punches. 10-9 Gustafsson.
Round 3:
Gustafsson landed three straight uppercuts in the third round and Jones continued to target his lead leg with kicks. Gustafsson stuffed a takedown and landed a two-punch combo to the body and head. He followed with an overhand right and ate a head kick from Jones. Gustafsson walked right through it and landed a combination. Both fighters kicked to the body and Gustafsson backed Jones up with punches.
Gustafsson blocked a head kick, but Jones landed a front kick to the knee and narrowly missed with an axe kick. He scored with a hard body kick and circled on the outside. Gustafsson tried to close the distance, but Jones shrugged him off. Gustafsson caught a kick and Jones pulled his leg free. A spinning back elbow landed for Jones and he prevented Gustafsson from taking him down. Another close round. 10-9 Gustafsson.
Round 4:
Gustafsson flurried over the top in round four and Jones’s eyes continued to swell up. A right cross backed Jones up and Gustafsson followed with stiff jabs. He landed a nice left hook and a body kick. Gustafsson began to pick Jones apart with punches and he avoided yet another takedown attempt. Jones began to bleed more heavily from above his right eye. Gustafsson landed a hard left hook and stuffed a takedown. Jones hurt Gustafsson with a spinning back elbow and swarmed with more elbows. 10-9 Jones.
Round 5:
Gustafsson appeared to be recovered by the start of round five and he landed a combination, but Jones fired back with kicks. Gustafsson fought off a clinch attempt with uppercuts and Jones returned fire with a Superman punch. He followed with a standing elbow and Gustafsson landed more uppercuts. He could not get Jones down and both men landed right hands. Jones finally got Gustafsson down, but Gustafsson quickly stood back up.
Gustafsson escaped the clinch and Jones appeared to be fatigued. He landed a head kick and another one seconds later. Gustafsson suddenly slowed way down, but he still managed to defend against a takedown attempt. A spinning elbow landed for Gustafsson and he followed with jabs and uppercuts. Gustafsson began to pick up the pace again, but Jones continued to score with head kicks. Jones landed a flying switch knee before the final bell. Amazing fight. 10-9 Jones.
Winner: Jon Jones by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) after five rounds. He improves to 19-1-0 and remains the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
UFC Interim Bantamweight Championship
Renan “Barao” Pegado vs Eddie Wineland
Round 1:
Wineland opened the action with a one-two and a left hook. He countered a leg kick from Barao with a hard right cross. Barao attempted a takedown and Wineland defended. The fighters were separated and Barao partially landed a head kick. Wineland punched to create space and Barao lost his balance. Wineland avoided a spinning back kick and landed a combination. Wineland stuffed a takedown, but Barao landed a right-left combo. Big power punches were exchanged and neither man flinched.Very close first round. 10-9 Wineland, barely.
Round 2:
After an exchange of punches in round two, Barao landed a spinning back kick to the face. Wineland fell backwards and tried to stand. He collapsed to his knees and Barao landed punches until the fight was stopped.
Winner: Renan Pegado by TKO (Spinning Back Kick & Punches) at 0:35 of round two. He improves to 31-1-0, 1 NC and remains the UFC Interim Bantamweight Champion.
Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub vs Matt Mitrione
Round 1:
Schaub landed a short right hook early in the fight and Mitrione just missed with a counter left. Another right hand landed for Schaub, but Mitrione cut him on the hairline with a counterpunch. A big right hook scored for Schaub and he tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. Mitrione, bleeding from beside the left eye, landed a nice body kick. Schaub swarmed with a huge combination, but Mitrione stayed on his feet and appeared to be unfazed. Schaub took him down and locked on a Brabo Choke. Mitrione tried to escape, but was soon choked out.
Winner: Brendan Schaub by Technical Submission (Brabo Choke) at 4:06 of round one. He improves to 10-3-0.
Francis “Limitless” Carmont vs Constantinos “Costa” Philippou
Round 1:
Chopping leg kicks were exchanged in the opening seconds and Carmont took Philippou down. He took Philippou’s back and punched with his left hand. Carmont locked on a rear-naked choke and Philippou spun to escape. He wound up on the bottom and tried for an armbar, but Carmont countered with hammerfists and moved to side control. Philippou attempted an omoplata and Carmont punched free again. Philippou upkicked and locked on an armbar. 10-9 Carmont.
Round 2:
Carmont wasted no time in taking Philippou back down in round two. He snuck in short elbow strikes and kept Philippou pinned down against the cage. The fighters were stood up and Philippou ducked under an uppercut. He dropped levels and took Philippou down. Carmont threw occasional elbows until the end of the round. 10-9 Carmont.
Round 3:
Carmont attempted head kicks in the final round. Philippou lunged in with a left hook and Carmont slammed him down. Philippou eventually battled back to his feet and countered a second takedown with a guillotine choke. Carmont pulled his head free and punched from the top. He mounted Philippou late in the fight and looked for an arm-triangle choke. Carmont dropped double hammerfists on Philippou before time expired. 10-9 Carmont.
Winner: Francis Carmont by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 22-7-0.
Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov vs Pat “Bam Bam” Healy
Round 1:
Nurmagomedov landed an uppercut and a left hook early on and he avoided a takedown from Healy. The fighters traded punches and Healy landed a right hook. Nurmagomedov circled away from a clinch, but Healy kept the pressure on with punches. Nurmagomedov countered with leg kicks and two flying knees. He cut Healy’s left cheek with uppercuts. Healy pressed forward with a one-two and a body kick.
Time was called to replace Nurmagomedov’s mouthpiece. Action resumed and Nurmagomedov landed an uppercut. Healy replied with punches to the body and head. Nurmagomedov backpedalled and counterpunched. A jumping switch knee and a left hook connected for Nurmagomedov. Healy walked him down, but Nurmagomedov scored a brief takedown. Healy stood and Nurmagomedov got him down again. Close first round. 10-9 Nurmagomedov.
Round 2:
Healy was aggressive with punches once again in round two, but Nurmagomedov took him down and landed punches as Healy worked back to his feet. Healy flurried and Nurmagomedov countered with a right hook and a head kick. Healy pressed the action and Nurmagomedov threw uppercuts. Healy stunned Nurmagomedov with lunging hooks and Nurmagomedov clinched.
Nurmagomedov slipped, but returned to his feet and tried to get Healy down again. He did so for a split second and punched on the way up. Healy scored with two more punches and Nurmagomedov kicked to the liver. A hard one-two landed for Nurmagomedov and he took Healy down soon after. Nurmagomedov landed two elbows and punches to the body. Another close round. 10-9 Nurmagomedov.
Round 3:
The final round began with an exchange of right hooks and Healy stuffed a takedown. Lead left hooks scored for both fighters and Healy mixed in two right hands to the body. Nurmagomedov took him down and punched from half-guard. Healy stood and Nurmagomedov elevated him over his head, then slammed him down to the mat. Nurmagomedov rained down punches and elbows and Healy looked to spin into an armbar. Nurmagomedov worked from side control and Healy’s half-guard until just before the bell. 10-9 Nurmagomedov.
Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 21-0-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)