The Ultimate Fighting Championship travelled to the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado today for UFC Fight Night 60: “Henderson vs Thatch.” The event was headlined by a welterweight bout between former lightweight champion “Smooth” Benson Henderson and Brandon “Rukus” Thatch.
Also on the card tonight, Max “Blessed” Holloway took on Cole “Magrinho” Miller in the featherweight co-feature. Neil Magny battled “Strasser” Kiichi Kunimoto at 170 pounds and Daniel Kelly met Patrick “The Beast of the East” Walsh. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the main card.
“Smooth” Benson Henderson vs Brandon “Rukus” Thatch
Round 1:
The fighters circled in the opening minute until Henderson jumped in with a right hook to the body. Thatch answered with a combination and both men landed body kicks. Henderson punched to the body again and Thatch cracked him with a right hook. More leg kicks were exchanged as the round progressed and Thatch landed a knee to the ribs. He lunged in with another knee and immediately followed with a head kick. Another right hook to the body scored for Henderson and Thatch replied with a one-two. Close round. 10-9 Thatch.
Round 2:
Henderson clinched and landed a right hook early in round two, then narrowly avoided a knee. He kicked at Thatch’s lead leg and followed with a right-left to the body and head. Thatch pressured with head kicks and right hands, but Henderson responded with a stiff jab. Thatch attacked with punches and a body kick as Henderson lost his balance. A hard one-two landed for Thatch and he dumped Henderson to the mat. Henderson stood and Thatch threw him down again. 10-9 Thatch.
Round 3:
Henderson started strong in round three with a head kick and a series of jabs. Thatch replied with a head kick, right hook combo. He kneed to the body and followed with a spinning back kick. Henderson tried for a takedown and eventually got it. He took Thatch’s back and landed punches, then worked for a rear-naked choke. In the final 30 seconds, Henderson spun into an armbar attempt and the fighters returned to their feet. 10-9 Henderson.
Round 4:
Henderson circled and landed a solid left hand in the fourth round. He jabbed and tried for another takedown, but Thatch stuffed it. Henderson targeted the body with punches and Thatch replied with a combination to the face. Henderson got him down and moved to side control, then hopped on Thatch’s back again. Thatch scrambled, but Henderson remained on top and transitioned from guard to back control. Thatch tried to stand and Henderson took the opportunity to lock on a fight-ending rear-naked choke.
Winner: Benson Henderson by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:58 of round four. He improves to 22-5-0.
Max “Blessed” Holloway vs Cole “Magrinho” Miller
Round 1:
Both fighters landed chopping leg kicks in the opening minute and Miller mixed in kicks to the midsection. He fought off a clinch attempt, but Holloway landed a devastating kick to the liver. Miller remained on his feet and Holloway landed a right hook over the top. He followed with knees and Miller tried to jump guard. Holloway stayed up until Miller pulled him to the mat with a scissor heel hook attempt. He transitioned to a kneebar, but Holloway defended with punches until the bell. Good round. 10-9 Holloway.
Round 2:
Holloway flurried with punches and ducked under a head kick in round two. Left and right hooks landed for Holloway and Miller replied with a short left hand counter. He pulled Holloway to the ground by the foot, but Holloway escaped and the fighters stood. A spinning backfist and a hard one-two landed for Holloway and time was called after a clash of heads.
Miller, now bleeding from a cut above his left eye as a result of the accidental headbutt, fought on and the bout resumed with an exchange of punches. Holloway switched stances as Miller kicked at his lead leg. More kicks landed for Miller and Holloway answered with a flurry of punches and a spinning hook kick that missed. Holloway jumped in with a knee and took Miller down at the bell. 10-9 Holloway.
Round 3:
Quick punching flurries were exchanged in round three and Holloway rocked Miller with a combination punctuated by a spinning backfist. Miller fell backwards to the mat, but recovered quickly and got back to his feet. Another combination scored for Holloway and he backed Miller up with a winging one-two. Hard left hands and a grazing spinning backfist followed hom Holloway, who stunned Miller with more punches. Miller shot in for a takedown and pulled guard seconds later. Holloway stood and rocked Miller, then missed with two spinning wheel kicks. 10-9 Holloway.
Winner: Max Holloway by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-3-0.
Neil Magny vs “Strasser” Kiichi Kunimoto
Round 1:
Magny connected with a lunging right hand and clinched in the opening round. Time was called soon after when Kunimoto was kneed in the groin. Action resumed and Magny landed a knee and a right hand. He swarmed on Kunimoto with punches and more knees. Kunimoto attempted a takedown and Magny stuffed it. He landed knees to Kunimoto’s body and followed with a combination. Kunimoto responded with a right hook and the fighters clinched again. The round ended with both men landing knees to the body. 10-9 Magny.
Round 2:
The second round began with another clinch and Magny fought off a trip takedown attempt with more knees. Kunimoto got him down on his second try and tried to pass to mount. Magny regained full guard and postured for a triangle choke, but Kunimoto stood up and dropped punches from the top. Magny kicked him off and returned to his feet. He landed big punches and knees, but slipped and fell. Magny stood and took Kunimoto down. Kunimoto attempted a kimura and Magny escaped by landing punches and elbows to the body. He took Kunimoto’s back and unloaded with punches until the bell. 10-9 Magny.
Round 3:
Magny punched his way into a clinch and took Kunimoto down in the final round. He transitioned to back control and flattened Kunimoto out, then teed off with punches. Kunimoto tried to get back to his feet and Magny locked on a rear-naked choke that forced him to tap out.
Winner: Neil Magny by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:22 of round three. He improves to 14-3-0.
Daniel Kelly vs Patrick “The Beast of the East” Walsh
Round 1:
The fight began with an exchange of power punches and Walsh repeatedly scored with overhand lefts. More wining hooks landed for Walsh, but Kelly rocked him with a counter flurry. Walsh recovered and the southpaws continued to trade heavy shots. Walsh slowed down as the round progressed and Kelly began to get the better of the striking exchanges, but Walsh scored a late takedown just before the bell. Close opening round. 10-9 Walsh, barely.
Round 2:
Walsh continued to fire off looping punches in round three until time was called to replace Kelly’s mouthpiece. Left hooks landed for both men and Kelly snuck in an uppercut as Walsh ducked forward. He stuffed a Walsh takedown attempt and the fighters traded power shots again. Walsh landed a nice one-two and this time his mouthpiece fell out. The fight continued and the round ended with both men throwing left and right hooks. 10-9 Walsh.
Round 3:
Kelly opened the final round with a solid combination and Walsh returned fire with a flurry of his own. Another three-punch combo scored for Kelly and he mixed in stiff jabs. Big, looping punches connected for both fighters, but neither man was fazed. Kelly maintained an edge in the striking exchanges and he continued to land first with left hooks and jabs. He stunned Walsh with a right-left combo in the final five seconds. 10-9 Kelly.
Winner: Daniel Kelly by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 9-0-0.
Kevin “The Motown Phenom” Lee vs Michel Richard Cunha “Trator” dos Prazeres
Round 1:
Prazeres grabbed on to Lee’s leg and took him down in the opening minute, but Lee countered with a guillotine choke. Prazeres escaped and he hopped on Lee’s back as Lee stood up. Lee turned into the clinch and the fighters traded strikes before separating. Lee landed a body kick and attempted a head kick. Big punches were exchanged and both men landed. Lee threw quick one-twos and he tried for another head kick. Right hands landed for both fighters and Prazeres slipped. He stood and ate another one-two. Close round. 10-9 Lee.
Round 2:
Prazeres clinched and tried for a takedown in round two, but Lee defended well. Prazeres briefly got him down on two occasions and Lee quickly returned to his feet. A third takedown followed from Prazeres and Lee rose to his feet once more. He took Prazeres down and briefly struck from the top before the fighters stood. Lee dumped Prazeres to the mat again and finished the round strong with punches and elbows from Prazeres’s guard. 10-9 Lee.
Round 3:
Power punches were exchanged in the opening minute of round three and Lee followed with stiff jabs. He snapped Prazeres’s head back with more jabs and right hands until Prazeres shot in for a takedown. Lee countered with hard elbows and wound up on top in Prazeres’s guard. He landed punches until Prazeres gave up his back. Lee continued to score with left and right hands as the referee kept a close eye on the action. Lee took Prazeres’s back and locked on a rear-naked choke shortly before the final bell. 10-9 Lee.
Winner: Kevin Lee by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 10-1-0.
Ray “The Tazmexican Devil” Borg vs Chris “The Greek Assassin” Kelades
Round 1:
Borg scored a takedown early on and landed short strikes from the top while avoiding an armbar attempt from Kelades, who used the cage to get back to his feet. Borg took him back down against the base of the cage and struck from the top again. Kelades scrambled up and Borg secured a takedown into side control. He passed to mount seconds later and landed some hard punches that set up a tight arm-triangle choke, but Kelades was saved by the bell. 10-9 Borg.
Round 2:
Borg took the fight to the mat again in round two and struck from Kelades’s guard until he was able to transition to back control. A bloodied Kelades defended against a neck crank, but Borg spun into a Brabo choke and used it to keep Kelades pinned down. Kelades escaped from the choke, but Borg trapped him in a tight guillotine choke just as time expired. 10-9 Borg.
Round 3:
The final round began with another Borg takedown and he methodically worked to pass Kelades’s guard until he got to side control and attempted a far-side kimura. Kelades initially defended well, but Borg adjusted his position and grip. He wrenched Kelades’s arm behind his back and Kelades was forced to submit.
Winner: Ray Borg by Submission (Kimura) at 2:56 of round three. He improves to 8-1-0.
Undercard Fights:
– Efrain “Hecho en México” Escudero defeated Rodrigo “Monstro” Goiana de Lima by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 23-9-0 with the win.
– Chas “The Scrapper” Skelly defeated Jim “The Beast” Alers by TKO (Punches & Knee) at 4:59 of round two. He improves to 14-1-0 with the win.
– Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky defeated Tim Elliott by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 19-5-0 with the win.
– James “Moonwalker” Moontasri defeated Cody “The Pfist” Pfister by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:49 of round two. He improves to 8-2-0 with the win.