The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 200: “Tate vs Nunes.” The event, which underwent late changes, was headlined by UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha “Cupcake” Tate defending against Amanda “Lioness” Nunes.
In tonight’s co-feature, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar returned to the Octagon to battle Mark “Super Samoan” Hunt. Daniel “D.C.” Cormier faced last-minute replacement foe Anderson “The Spider” Silva at light heavyweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes vs Miesha “Cupcake” Tate
Round 1:
Nunes opened the action with a stiff jab and a hard leg kick. She followed with a big right hand and scrambled free after Tate briefly took her down. Nunes reversed a takedown and landed a barely-legal knee on the way up. She stunned Tate with jabs and right hands. Nunes swarmed on Tate with huge shots and a bloodied Tate fell to the mat. She managed to get back to her feet and ate another knee. Nunes easily stuffed a takedown and took Tate’s back. She locked on a rear-naked choke and Tate tapped out.
Winner: Amanda Nunes by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:16 of round one. She improves to 13-4-0 and becomes the new UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion.
Brock Lesnar vs Mark “Super Samoan” Hunt
Round 1:
Lesnar landed a jab and a leg kick in the opening minute and Hunt sidestepped an overhand right. Lesnar shot in for a takedown and Hunt grabbed the cage. Lesnar got him down anyway, but Hunt got back to his feet. Lesnar landed right hands while pinning him against the cage and took him back down into side control. He threw punches with his left hand and knees to the body. Hunt scrambled up to his feet and Lesnar slammed him down into mount. 10-9 Lesnar.
Round 2:
Lesnar blocked an overhand right in round two and he circled on the outside as Hunt pawed out with jabs. Hunt stuffed a takedown and shrugged off another one seconds later. Lesnar dove at Hunt’s leg and Hunt freed himself. He landed a one-two and walked Lesnar down with single punches. Lesnar clinched and tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. 10-9 Hunt.
Round 3:
Hunt scored with an overhand right to the temple in round three, but Lesnar took him down against the cage. Lesnar threw punches from mount until Hunt scrambled back to half-guard. Lesnar continued to throw punches and he mounted Hunt again. Punch after punch landed for Lesnar, who smothered Hunt and trapped his right arm. Hunt regained half-guard again and made it to the bell. 10-8 Lesnar.
Winner: Brock Lesnar by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) after three rounds. He improves to 6-3-0.
Daniel “D.C.” Cormier vs Anderson “The Spider” Silva
Round 1:
Cormier shot in for an early takedown and got Silva down into full guard. Silva looked to set up an armbar from the bottom, but Cormier stacked him against the base of the cage and passed to half-guard. He landed short elbows to the forehead and punches to the body. More punches and elbows landed for Cormier in the final minute. 10-9 Cormier.
Round 2:
Silva landed punches in round two until Cormier easily took him down into half-guard. He smoothered Silva from the top and landed short elbows. The fighters were eventually stood up and Cormier landed a hard right hand. Silva replied with a knee and two left hands. The fighters traded body kicks and Cormier clinched after landing two right hooks. 10-9 Cormier.
Round 3:
Cormier landed an overhand right in round three and took Silva down after avoiding a standing back elbow strike. He resumed striking from the top as Silva kept him trapped in a lockdown from half-guard. Another unnecessary standup followed and Cormier landed a three-punch flurry. Both men scored with leg kicks and Silva hurt Cormier with a liver kick. He rushed in with a jumping knee, but Cormier clinched and pinned him against the fence. 10-9 Cormier.
Winner: Daniel Cormier by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26) after three rounds. He improves to 18-1-0.
UFC Interim Featherweight Championship
José “Scarface” Aldo vs Frankie “The Answer” Edgar
Round 1:
Edgar began the fight with right hands and leg kicks as Aldo looked to counter from a distance. Two combinations landed for Edgar and he finished both of them with leg kicks. Aldo responded with a right hand to the body and he fought off a takedown attempt. Edgar kicked to the body and followed with a flurry. Aldo landed a hard right hand and a knee to the midsection. He rushed in with a jumping knee and two looping right hooks before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Edgar.
Round 2:
Another combination of punches and a leg kick landed for Edgar in round two. Aldo landed a hard knee and easily shrugged off a takedown attempt. Edgar pressed forward and Aldo countered with hooks while backing away. Edgar began to bleed from beside the right eye, but he stunned Aldo momentarily with a right cross. An exchange of right hands followed and Edgar backed Aldo up. Both men landed jabs and Edgar kicked at Aldo’s lead leg. Aldo scored with a jumping knee late in the round. 10-9 Aldo.
Round 3:
Edgar walked Aldo down with one-twos and leg kicks in round three, but he was unsuccessful with two takedown attempts. Aldo countered with punches and a knee in close. Edgar connected with a left-right combo that backed Aldo up, but Aldo snapped his head back with a right cross. Edgar ate a knee and drove in for a takedown. Aldo stayed on his feet and Edgar’s face continued to swell up from Aldo’s punches. Aldo finished the round with a knee and a leg kick. 10-9 Aldo.
Round 4:
Aldo scored with jabs and leg kicks in the fourth round and Edgar replied with kicks of his own. He leapt in with a right hand and followed with a lead left. Aldo cracked him with two right hands and a flurry. Edgar walked into a right hand and a jab, but it did not stop his forward movement. He chased after Aldo, but Aldo countered with right hands and knees. 10-9 Aldo.
Round 5:
A lead left hook landed for Aldo early in the final round and he threw a head kick soon after. Both men scored with left hands and hard right hooks. Aldo fought off a takedown attempt and landed a one-two. He continued to effectively counter Edgar’s strikes with straight right hands. Aldo flurried with punches in the final minute. 10-9 Aldo.
Winner: José Aldo by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) after five rounds. He improves to 26-2-0 and becomes the UFC Interim Featherweight Champion.
Cain Velasquez vs Travis “Hapa” Browne
Round 1:
Velasquez targeted Browne’s lead leg with kicks in the opening seconds and Browne fired back with a right hand. Velasquez avoided Browne’s jabs and landed lead left hooks and a head kick. He tried for a takedown, but Browne stayed on his feet. Velasquez punched his way into another clinch, but Browne broke free. Velasquez landed a spinning wheel kick and teed off with punches. He dropped Browne with a right hand and followed with more punches from the top in half-guard. Browne tried to stand and Velasquez countered with a neck crank and more punches. The fighters stood and traded punches. Velasquez landed knees and a fatigued Browne fell to the mat. Velasquez landed ground and pound and the fight was stopped.
Winner: Cain Velasquez by TKO (Punches) at 4:57 of round one. He improves to 14-2-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)