The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to TD Place Arena in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada tonight for UFC Fight Night 89: “MacDonald vs Thompson.” The event was headlined by a welterweight contender’s bout between Rory “Red King” MacDonald and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.
In tonight’s co-main event, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone took on Patrick “The Predator” Côté at 170 pounds. Steve “The Boss” Bosse battled Sean “The Real OC” O’Connell and Valérie “Trouble” Létourneau met Joanne “JoJo” Calderwood. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson vs Rory “Red King” MacDonald
Round 1:
MacDonald attempted a flying scissor heel hook in the opening minute, but Thompson narrowly managed to pull his leg free. Back on the feet, Thompson countered a head kick with a left cross. MacDonald rolled for another leglock and Thompson evaded again. He landed a spinning back kick to the body and both men landed punches in close. Thompson blocked a head kick late in the round. 10-9 Thompson.
Round 2:
Thompson kicked at MacDonald’s lead leg in the second round and MacDonald landed knees in a clinch. He rolled for Thompson’s leg and missed. MacDonald was unable to get Thompson down but did land an elbow in close. Thompson threw side kicks to the body and lunged in with a flurry. 10-9 Thompson.
Round 3:
Both men landed right hooks early in round three and Thompson flurried in close. MacDonald picked his shots and landed right hands, but Thompson took him down. MacDonald attacked with a heel hook and Thompson stood up. Both men landed one-twos and Thompson kicked to the body. He dove in with two punches and followed with leg kicks and left hooks. Thompson landed more quick punches until MacDonald tagged him with a right cross late in the round. 10-9 Thompson.
Round 4:
MacDonald landed knees in a brief clinch in round four, but Thompson countered with punches over the top. He kicked to the body and the fighters traded hard punches. MacDonald cracked Thompson with a hard one-two, but Thompson fired right back with a combination of his own. He set up left hands and side kicks with quick jabs. Straight left hands landed for both fighters in the final minute and Thompson held a noticeable speed advantage. 10-9 Thompson.
Round 5:
Thompson kicked at MacDonald’s lead leg and darted in and out with punches in the final round. Both men landed power punches in close and MacDonald landed right hooks. An exchange of huge strikes ensued and MacDonald got the better of it. Thompson circled away and landed a grazing head kick that caused MacDonald’s nose to bleed. He tried for a takedown, but Thompson reversed on the way down and wound up on top in side control. Thompson stood and he rocked MacDonald with punches and another head kick. He landed more punches and MacDonald replied with knees. 10-9 Thompson.
Winner: Stephen Thompson by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 48-47) after five rounds. He improves to 13-1-0.
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone vs Patrick “The Predator” Côté
Round 1:
Cerrone took Côté down early in the opening round, but Côté used an omoplata attempt to scramble back to his feet. Cerrone landed a head kick and he quickly took Côté down again. He transitioned to Côté’s back and looked to secure a rear-naked choke. Cerrone nearly got it, but Côté managed to break his grip. Cerrone stood over him and kicked at his legs. 10-9 Cerrone.
Round 2:
Cerrone landed combinations and leg kicks in round two and Côté began to limp. Côté landed a right hook, but Cerrone countered with lead left hands and a head kick. Another combination landed for Cerrone and Côté retreated to the cage. Cerrone dropped him with a left hook and followed with elbows and punches on the ground. Côté recovered and Cerrone allowed him to stand. A wobbly Côté tried unsuccessfully for a takedown and Cerrone stunned him with more punches. 10-9 Cerrone.
Round 3:
Cerrone floored Côté with a three-punch flurry in the final round, but Côté recovered quickly. Back on the feet, Cerrone landed a head kick and followed with two more. A left hook hurt Côté and Cerrone dropped him with two right hands. He teed off with more rights on the ground and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Donald Cerrone by TKO (Punches) at 2:35 of round three. He improves to 30-7-0, 1 NC.
Steve “The Boss” Bosse vs Sean “The Real OC” O’Connell
Round 1:
Huge punches were exchanged right away and both men landed big right hands. O’Connell backed Bosse up with a series of left hooks that dropped a dazed Bosse to the canvas. Bosse managed to survive an onslaught of punches on the ground and fought his way back up to his feet. Bosse landed a right hand and the fighters traded hard shots again. O’Connell continued to score with lead left hooks. Bosse connected with a combination in the final minute and he just missed with a spinning backfist. 10-9 O’Connell.
Round 2:
The second round began with another exchange of power punches and O’Connell held Bosse against the fence again. Bosse punched his way free and both men landed left hooks at the same time. Bosse hurt O’Connell with a right hook and struck from the top in O’Connell’s half-guard. O’Connell kicked him off, but Bosse returned to his half-guard and landed more punches. He passed to side control, but O’Connell worked back to his feet before time expired. 10-9 Bosse.
Round 3:
Big right hands landed for both men in the final round and Bosse got the better of the exchange until O’Connell scored with a left hook. Bosse attempted spinning backfists and he landed short right hands. O’Connell countered effectively with more lead left hooks. Bosse stuffed a takedown and O’Connell countered another spinning backfist with a left hand. The fighters unloaded with punches until the final bell. Very close round. 10-9 O’Connell. Fight could go either way.
Winner: Steve Bosse by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 12-2-0.
Olivier “The Québec Kid” Aubin-Mercier vs Thibault “GT” Gouti
Round 1:
Gouti fought off Aubin-Mercier’s early takedown attempts and countered with kicks and right hooks. Aubin-Mercier landed a head kick and Gouti chased him down with punches and a body kick. Aubin-Mercier took him down and punched from the top. He took Gouti’s back and looked to set up a rear-naked choke. Aubin-Mercier lost the position and Gouti blasted him with ground and pound. Aubin-Mercier stood and threw kicks to the head and body. Gouti landed an uppercut and a barrage of punches before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Gouti.
Round 2:
Gouti stuffed more of Aubin-Mercier’s takedowns in the second round and he landed uppercuts in close. Aubin-Mercier answered with a flurry and he stopped Gouti’s forward momentum with a quick one-two. Gouti attempted a standing guillotine choke and Aubin-Mercier slammed him down. He postured up with punches and elbows while pinning Gouti against the base of the cage. 10-9 Aubin-Mercier.
Round 3:
Aubin-Mercier took Gouti down early in he final round and quickly transitioned to his back. He secured a body triangle and worked for rear-naked chokes. He eventually sunk one in and Gouti tapped instantly.
Winner: Olivier Aubin-Mercier by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:28 of round three. He improves to 8-2-0.
Joanne “JoJo” Calderwood vs Valérie “Trouble” Létourneau
Round 1:
Both women landed punches over the top and Calderwood backed Létourneau up against the cage. She tripped Létourneau to the mat and Létourneau countered with an armbar. Calderwood pulled her arm free and dropped punches from the top. The fighters stood and Calderwood landed punches. She dropped Létourneau with a vicious spinning back elbow, but was unable to finish her with follow-up punches on the ground. Létourneau held on and eventually got back to her feet. Calderwood landed a punch-elbow combo and ate a one-two in return. 10-9 Calderwood.
Round 2:
Létourneau bloodied Calderwood’s nose with punches in the second round and she avoided Calderwood’s step-in elbows. Both women landed right hands and Calderwood kicked to the body. She took Létourneau down into half-guard and struck from the top until Létourneau battled back to her feet. Calderwood caught a kick and tripped Létourneau once again. Létourneau countered with strikes from her back and Calderwood allowed her to stand. She landed step-in hooks and a spinning back kick. 10-9 Calderwood.
Round 3:
Létourneau landed a head kick early in round three that was met by a jumping switch kick from Calderwood. The fighters clinched and both women landed knees to the body. Another jumping switch kick from Calderwood landed to the body and Létourneau winced in pain. Calderwood swarmed on her with punches and landed a head kick. Confusion ensued as Létourneau appeared to be done, but the fight continued and Calderwood hurt her with another body kick. Létourneau turned away, but the fight was not immediately stopped and Calderwood landed a punch and spinning backfist before referee Jerin Valel intervened.
Winner: Joanne Calderwood by TKO (Kick To The Body) at 2:51 of round three. She improves to 11-1-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)