The Ultimate Fighting Championship came to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 229: “Nurmagomedov vs McGregor.” The event was headlined by a UFC Lightweight Championship bout between Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov and rival “The Notorious” Conor McGregor.
In tonight’s lightweight co-feature, Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson took on fellow contender Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. Ovince “OSP” St. Preux squared off against undefeated Dominick “The Devastator” Reyes at light heavyweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC 229 main card.
UFC Lightweight Championship
Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov vs “The Notorious” Conor McGregor
Round 1:
McGregor struck first with a left hand and a body kick, but Nurmagomedov dove at his ankles and worked for a takedown. McGregor defended with elbows and hammerfists, but Nurmagomedov got him down against the base of the cage. He trapped McGregor’s legs and peppered him with short punches to the face. Nurmagomedov passed to half-guard and continued to throw short right hands and forearms to McGregor’s face. He postured up with two harder shots right before the bell. 10-9 Nurmagomedov.
Round 2:
McGregor missed with a knee and Nurmagomedov rocked him with a winging right hook in round two. McGregor recovered right away, but Nurmagomedov elevated him into the air and slammed him down. From the top, Nurmagomedov mounted McGregor and looked to set up an arm-triangle choke. McGregor scrambled back to full guard, but he ate punches to the face in the process. Nurmagomedov postured up with heavy punches while standing over McGregor, who was forced to cover up in defence. Nurmagomedov passed to side control and worked for a kimura, but McGregor defended and Nurmagomedov switched to punches from knee-on-belly position. McGregor stood up and used elbows to prevent Nurmagomedov from taking him down. 10-8 Nurmagomedov.
Round 3:
McGregor targeted the body with left hooks and kicks in the third round. He stuffed a takedown and landed an elbow, but Nurmagomedov cracked him with a right hand. McGregor fought off another takedown attempt and backed Nurmagomedov up with an uppercut and a combination. McGregor followed with a knee and a one-two, but Nurmagomedov briefly took him down. The fighters stood and battled in the clinch until the bell. 10-9 McGregor.
Round 4:
Both men landed hooks at the same time early in round four and McGregor mixed in front kicks to the body. Nurmagomedov shot in and took McGregor down against the base of the cage. He took McGregor’s back and then transitioned to mount position. McGregor fought off another arm-triangle choke attempt and battled back to half-guard, but Nurmagomedov trapped his legs and landed left hands from the top. McGregor gave up his back and Nurmagomedov locked on a neck crank that forced McGregor to submit.
After the fight, Nurmagomedov jumped out of the cage and attacked McGregor’s teammate, Dillon Danis, which in turn led to members of Nurmagomedov’s team attacking McGregor inside the cage. A near riot ensued.
Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov by Submission (Neck Crank) at 3:03 of round four. He improves to 27-0-0 and remains the UFC Lightweight Champion.
Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson vs Anthony “Showtime” Pettis
Round 1:
Pettis opened the fight with hard leg kicks and he countered Ferguson’s aggression with kick-punch combos. A spinning backfist landed for Pettis and Ferguson responded with kicks. Pettis landed another hard leg kick, but Ferguson walked him down with combinations and forced Pettis to retreat. Ferguson landed a spinning backfist and followed with an uppercut. He snapped Pettis’s head back with a jab and backed Pettis up with a Superman punch off of the cage. The round ended with Ferguson landing a final flurry. 10-9 Ferguson due to the late rally.
Round 2:
Pettis dropped Ferguson with a right hand early in the second round and he swarmed on Ferguson with follow-up punches. Ferguson, bleeding heavily from the mouth, recovered and cut Pettis on the right temple with an elbow. The fighters stood and time was called to clean off some of the blood. Action resumed and both men missed with flashy kicks. Ferguson threw another Superman punch off of the cage and followed with left hooks to the head and body. He cut Pettis near the left eye with punches and elbows, but Pettis answered back with a hard right hand. He caught a kick and snapped Ferguson’s head back with a right hook. The fighters exchanged elbows and Ferguson cracked Pettis with big punches before the bell. Another close round. 10-9 Ferguson.
Between rounds, Pettis’s lead coach, Duke Roufus, waved off the fight due to Pettis breaking his right hand.
Winner: Tony Ferguson by TKO (Corner Stoppage – Broken Hand) at 5:00 of round two. He improves to 24-3-0.
Dominick “The Devastator” Reyes vs Ovince “OSP” St. Preux
Round 1:
Reyes darted in and out with left hands and body kicks in the opening minute. He stuffed a takedown and landed knees to the body. St. Preux tried for a hip toss takedown, but Reyes defended and he unloaded with elbows to the side of St. Preux’s head. St. Preux muscled him down, but Reyes stood and threw punches to his face. Big left hands and a head kick stunned St. Preux, but he recovered and Reyes backed away. In the final minute, Reyes landed overhand lefts and mixed in kicks to the lead leg and upper body. 10-9 Reyes.
Round 2:
Reyes picked his shots with single punches and kicks in round two. St. Preux shot in and ate a hard knee to the chest. Reyes reversed a clinch and backed away. He walked forward with a left cross and a powerful kick to the liver. Reyes fought off St. Preux’s attempts to take the fight to the mat and he cut St. Preux near the left eye with a counter elbow. 10-9 Reyes.
Round 3:
St. Preux landed a grazing head kick early in the final round, but he was unable to follow up with any offence and Reyes kept him at bay with jabs. Two solid leg kicks landed for Reyes and St. Preux fired back with a left hook. He caught a kick and landed another left hand, but Reyes maintained his balance and stayed on his feet. The fighters traded looping lefts and Reyes continued to find success with leg kicks. He cut St. Preux again with another elbow in an exchange. With five seconds to go, Reyes dropped St. Preux with a massive left hand that left St. Preux dazed and barely conscious on the mat. The bell rang before the fight was waved off, and therefore it went to the judges. 10-9 Reyes.
Winner: Dominick Reyes by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 10-0-0.
Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis vs Alexander “Drago” Volkov
Round 1:
Volkov hurt Lewis early on with a front kick to the body and a lead left hand. He unloaded on Lewis with punches, but Lewis defended and fired back with hooks that missed. Volkov stunned him with another flurry that appeared to damage Lewis’s right eye. Time was called when Volkov thought that Lewis had been poked in the eye, but the fight soon resumed and Volkov reversed a takedown. The fighters stood back up and Lewis landed a massive overhand right. Volkov slammed him down into side control and threw elbows to the face and body. Lewis rolled and gave up his back. He turned into Volkov’s guard and postured up with punches late in the round. 10-9 Volkov.
Round 2:
Volkov rocked Lewis with a one-two in the second round and a fatigued Lewis missed with wild counters. Volkov targeted the body with kicks and left hooks. He followed with a stiff jab and shrugged off a takedown attempt. More body kicks landed for Volkov and he went high with two kicks that were blocked. Lewis missed with overhand punches and ate a three-punch counter in return. Lewis finally landed an uppercut that knocked out Volkov’s mouthpiece just before time expired. 10-9 Volkov.
Round 3:
Lewis attempted a sloppy takedown early in the final round and Volkov easily thwarted it with a backhand strike. An uppercut and big follow-up punches forced Lewis to cover up as Volkov teed off. Lewis survived a second onslaught of punches that further damaged his right eye. Hard leg kicks scored for Volkov as Lewis slowly retreated. Volkov continued to land kicks until Lewis answered back with an overhand right. Volkov quickly recovered and continued to kick, but Lewis floored him with a late-fight right hand. He followed with more right hands on the ground until Volkov was unconscious. Incredible comeback victory.
Winner: Derrick Lewis by KO (Punches) at 4:49 of round three. He improves to 21-5-0, 1 NC.
Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson vs Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig
Round 1:
Waterson opened the fight with a punch-kick combo and Herrig replied with overhand rights. Waterson used side kicks to keep Herrig at bay, but Herrig connected with a right-left to the body and head. A big combination landed for Herrig and she clinched with Waterson against the cage. Waterson countered with a standing elbow and she avoided Herrig’s trip attempts. Herrig landed short knees to the body until the end of the close round. 10-9 Herrig by a slim margin.
Round 2:
The second round began with an exchange of knees in a clinch and Herrig backed Waterson up against the fence. She landed a combination to Waterson’s face and looked to set up a takedown. Waterson broke free after landing elbows and she used a throw to take Herrig down to the mat. Waterson peppered Herrig with shoulder strikes and left hands from the top in half-guard. Herrig regained full guard in the final 30 seconds and threatened with a triangle choke before the bell. 10-9 Waterson.
Round 3:
Waterson attempted another throw in the final round, but Herrig reversed it on the way down and wound up on top. Waterson attacked with elbows from the bottom and tied up Herrig’s right arm. Waterson transitioned to an omoplata, but Herrig managed to pull her arm free. The fighters were stood up and Herrig stuffed a takedown attempt. Waterson landed a one-two and a side kick as Herrig walked her down with punches. A front kick to the face landed for Waterson and both women scored with knees in a clinch. 10-9 Waterson.
Winner: Michelle Waterson by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 16-6-0.