The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its way to The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC Fight Night 80: “Namajunas vs VanZant.” The event was headlined by a strawweight bout between “Thug” Rose Namajunas and “12 Gauge” Paige VanZant.
Also on the card tonight, Jim Miller took on “Maverick” Michael Chiesa in the lightweight co-feature. “Super” Sage Northcutt battled Cody “The Fist” Pfister at 155, and Elias “The Spartan” Theodorou met Thiago “Marreta” Santos at 185. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the main card.
“Thug” Rose Namajunas vs “12 Gauge” Paige VanZant
Round 1:
VanZant opened the action with a leg kick and Namajunas immediately answered with a right cross and a one-two. She landed two knees in a clinch and took VanZant down. Namajunas moved to knee-on-belly position and dropped elbows until a bloodied VanZant scrambled up to her feet. Namajunas landed a hard right hand and she followed with more straight punches.
VanZant attempted a headlock throw, but Namajunas defended and took VanZant’s back in the process. VanZant rolled to her side and Namajunas landed punches that set up a rear-naked choke attempt. VanZant escaped and briefly stood up, but Namajunas took her right back down. She continued to strike from the top until the end of the lopsided first round. 10-8 Namajunas.
Round 2:
Namajunas landed more combinations in round two and easily thwarted VanZant’s throw attempts. She swept out VanZant’s legs and took her down into mount. VanZant gave up her back and initiated a scramble back to half-guard. She stood up and Namajunas landed knees in a clinch. VanZant finally secured a throw, but Namajunas immediately reversed into top position. The fighters stood and VanZant attempted a lateral drop, but it failed and Namajunas again landed on top. 10-9 Namajunas.
Round 3:
Namajunas took VanZant back down in the final round and a scramble ensued. The fighters stood and VanZant landed a knee. Namajunas connected with an overhand right and she followed with a grazing head kick. Namajunas took VanZant down and re-opened the cut on VanZant’s right cheek with hammerfists and elbows. VanZant stood, but Namajunas hopped on her back and dragged her back down with a tight rear-naked choke. VanZant, just as in past fights, refused to submit to the choke and ultimately escaped before the bell. 10-9 Namajunas.
Round 4:
The fourth round began with Namajunas taking VanZant down again and she quickly transitioned to an armbar. VanZant scrambled free and the fight returned to the feet, but Namajunas got her down once more and threatened with another tight armbar. Yet again, VanZant refused to tap out, and she spun free from the hold. The fighters stood and Namajunas threw VanZant to the mat before the bell. 10-8 Namajunas.
Round 5:
Namajunas scored another takedown early in round five and she worked from the top in half-guard. Namajunas transitioned to VanZant’s back and locked on a final rear-naked choke. This time, VanZant was unable to escape, and she finally tapped out to end the fight.
Winner: Rose Namajunas by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:25 of round five. She improves to 4-2-0.
“Maverick” Michael Chiesa vs Jim Miller
Round 1:
Miller countered Chiesa’s early aggression by landing a nice left cross. Chiesa recovered by scoring an easy takedown near the cage. He postured up with short punches and elbows while preventing Miller from getting back to his feet. Miller looked to counter with a kneebar, but Chiesa escaped and transitioned to a triangle choke attempt from the bottom. Miller hopped on Chiesa’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke until the bell. 10-9 Miller.
Round 2:
Chiesa countered early punches from Miller by taking him down in round two. Miller cut Chiesa with elbows from the bottom, but Chiesa landed some solid punches from the top. Miller rolled for a kneebar and switched to a heel hook. Chiesa punched his way out and mounted a dazed Miller. More punches scored for Chiesa and he took Miller’s back. Chiesa locked on a rear-naked choke and Miller tapped out.
Winner: Michael Chiesa by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:57 of round two. He improves to 13-2-0.
“Super” Sage Northcutt vs Cody “The Fist” Pfister
Round 1:
Pfister scored a takedown right away to open the fight, but Northcutt tied him up and defended well from the bottom. Pfister eventually passed to half-guard and landed short elbows. Northcutt got back to full guard, but Pfister kept busy and landed more elbows. The fighters were stood up for no reason and the crowd booed. Northcutt took Pfister down and threatened with a tight arm-triangle choke in the final seconds. Close round. 10-9 Northcutt, barely, due to referee Mark Smith’s horrendous standup.
Round 2:
Northcutt took Pfister down in round two and briefly held mount position. He pulled guard with a tight guillotine choke in a scramble and Pfister was forced to submit.
Winner: Sage Northcutt by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:41 of round two. He improves to 7-0-0.
Thiago “Marreta” Santos vs Elias “The Spartan” Theodorou
Round 1:
The fight began with an exchange of kicks and Theodorou pushed off of the cage to add extra power to his strikes. Punch-kick combos landed for Theodorou and he kept Santos on the defensive. More hard body kicks scored for Theodorou, but Santos answered with a spinning heel kick to the chest. Theodorou knocked him down with a front kick and the fighters clinched on the feet. 10-9 Theodorou.
Round 2:
Santos landed a big elbow early in round two, but Theodorou countered with a takedown in spite of Santos’s blatant fence grab. Santos stood and landed more elbows as Theodorou held him against the cage. This continued throughout the round as Theodorou tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. Santos tripped him to the mat in the final minute and took Theodorou’s back, but Theodorou quickly reversed and scrambled back up. 10-9 Santos.
Round 3:
Theodorou pressed forward and worked for a takedown against the cage in the final round. A stalemate followed and the fighters were separated. Theodorou clinched again and Santos cut him badly above the right eye with elbows. Time was called to check on the cut, but action resumed and Santos remained aggressive with punches and knees. He followed with a head kick and more elbows. Santos landed powerful knees to the body, and he hurt Theodorou with knees and body kicks before the bell. 10-9 Santos, if not a 10-8.
Winner: Thiago Santos by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-3-0.
Undercard Fights:
– Tim “The Dirty Bird” Means defeated John “Doomsday” Howard by KO (Punch) at 0:21 of round two. He improves to 25-7-1 with the win.
– Sergio “The Panther” Moraes defeated Omari “Wolverine” Akhmedov by TKO (Punches) at 2:18 of round three. He improves to 10-2-0 with the win.
– Kevin “King” Casey and Antônio “Cara de Sapato” Carlos Jr. fought to a No Contest (Accidental Eye Poke) at 0:11 of round one. Casey moves to 9-3-0, 2 NC, while Carlos is now 5-1-0, 1 NC.
– Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling defeated Johnny “Pretinho” Eduardo by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 4:18 of round two. He improves to 12-0-0 with the win.
– Santiago “Gente Boa” Ponzinibbio defeated Andreas “Real Steel” Stahl by TKO (Punches) at 4:25 of round one. He improves to 21-3-0 with the win.
– Danny “Hot Chocolate” Roberts defeated Nathan “Soulforce” Coy by Technical Submission (Triangle Choke) at 2:46 of round one. He improves to 12-1-0 with the win.
– Zubaira “Warrior” Tukhugov defeated Phillipe “Super” Nover by Split Decision (30-27, 30-27, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 18-3-0 with the win.
– Kailin Curran defeated Emily Kagan by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:13 of round two. She improves to 4-2-0 with the win.