The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its way to Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil tonight for UFC 198: “Werdum vs Miocic.” The event was headlined by a UFC Heavyweight Championship bout between reigning champion Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum and challenger Stipe Miocic.

Also on the card tonight, Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza faced former UFC champ Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort in the middleweight co-main event. Invicta FC titleholder Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino met Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith at 140 pounds. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s card.

UFC Heavyweight Championship

Stipe Miocic vs Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum

Round 1:
Werdum mixed things up with punching combinations and leg kicks early on. Miocic stuck to a boxing-centred approach and countered with jabs and one-twos. He snapped Werdum’s head back with more jabs in the ensuing seconds. Werdum rushed forward with looping punches, but Miocic dropped him face-first with a counter right hand and the fight was immediately stopped.

Winner: Stipe Miocic by KO (Punch) at 2:47 of round one. He improves to 15-2-0 and becomes the new UFC Heavyweight Champion.

Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza vs Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort

Round 1:
Souza closed the distance in the opening minute and clinched against the fence, but Belfort broke free. Souza used an ankle pick to trip him to the mat and he cut Belfort on the bridge of the nose with short elbows from half-guard. Time was called to check on the cut, but action resumed and Souza moved to mount. He lost the position in a scramble and the fight returned to the feet. Belfort pulled guard and ate hammerfists for his efforts. Belfort tried to escape to his feet, but Souza mounted him and rained down punches until the fight was waved off.

Winner: Ronaldo Souza by TKO (Punches) at 4:38 of round one. He improves to 23-4-0, 1 NC.

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino vs Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith

Round 1:
Justino landed a hard right hand early on and followed with a combination. She dropped Smith with a big one-two and followed with more punches from her guard. Smith tried to grab on to an arm from the bottom, but Justino continued to land punches until a dazed Smith rolled to her side and the fight was stopped.

Winner: Cristiane Justino by TKO (Punches) at 1:21 of round one. She improves to 16-1-0, 1 ND.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs Corey “Beastin’ 25/8” Anderson

Round 1:
Anderson winced and held his right hand after throwing an early punch. He ceased punching with his right hand at all and Rua put together combinations and leg kicks and punches. Action was sparse until Anderson rushed forward and clinched against the fence. Anderson broke free and Rua landed a big one-two. Anderson answered with looping lefts, but Rua appeared to be unfazed. Anderson began to throw right hands again in the final minute and he landed one to Rua’s nose. Rua floored him with a left hook behind the ear and dove on him with hammerfists, but time expired. 10-9 Rua.

Round 2:
Looping punches landed for both men early in round two and Anderson secured a takedown after an exchange of leg kicks. Rua scrambled back up to his feet and scored with a stiff jab. He fought off a takedown and avoided Anderson’s elbow strikes. Anderson shot in and took Rua down very briefly, but Rua used the cage to get back to his feet. He kicked at Anderson’s lead leg and knocked him down with a right hand as Anderson threw a kick. Close round. 10-9 Rua.

Round 3:
Anderson opened round three with a lead left hook that was met by a counter right from Rua. Anderson took him down into half-guard and landed short punches and elbows. Rua escaped to his feet, but Anderson dropped levels and worked for another takedown against the fence. He tripped Rua, but Rua stood again. The process repeated itself once more and the fighters traded punches in a brief exchange before the end of the fight. 10-9 Anderson.

Winner: Mauricio Rua by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 24-10-0.

Bryan “Bam Bam” Barberena vs Warlley Alves

Round 1:
Alves punched his way into a clinch and jumped into a flying guillotine choke in the opening seconds. He pulled guard with the choke, but Barberena stayed calm and pulled his head out. The fighters stood and Alves missed with a spinning hook kick. Both men landed punches and Alves cracked Barberena with three right hooks. Barberena countered with standing elbows and Alves punched to the body. He followed with more kicks and punches to Barberena’s midsection, but could not take Barberena down. Barberena knocked Alves down with a leg kick and he landed short elbows in a clinch. 10-9 Alves.

Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of punches and Barberena opened a cut beside Alves’s left eye. More punches landed for both fighters and Barberena mixed in kicks and knees to the body. Alves backed him up against the cage, but Barberena reversed the clinch and Alves circled away. Body kicks were exchanged and Alves clinched again. Barberena found success with uppercuts and left hooks that forced Alves to backpedal. He kicked at Alves’s liver and Alves replied with a sweeping leg kick before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Barberena.

Round 3:
Alves was aggressive with his punches in the final round, but Barberena countered with quick leg kicks. He fell while throwing a head kick and alves used the opportunity to clinch. Barberena broke free and threw a one-two combination. He flurried to the body and head and blocked a flying knee. In the clinch, Barberena landed elbows and knees to the body. A big combination of punches backed Alves up momentarily, but he regained his footing and landed jabs and right hands. The fighters traded big punches and Alves countered a right hook from Barberena with a looping left. Barberena landed punches and body kicks late in the round. 10-9 Barberena.

Winner: Bryan Barberena by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-3-0.

(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)