The Ultimate Fighting Championship stayed at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 259: “Blachowicz vs Adesanya.” The event featured a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout between Jan Blachowicz and current middleweight titleholder Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya.
In the co-feature, two-division UFC champ Amanda “Lioness” Nunes put her women’s featherweight title on the line against Megan Anderson. UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr “No Mercy” Yan defended against Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for UFC 259.
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jan Blachowicz vs Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya
Round 1:
Leg kicks were exchanged throughout the opening minute and Blachowicz blocked a head kick. Adesanya jabbed and kicked to the body, then attempted a second head kick that was also blocked. Blachowicz tried for a head kick of his own and the pace remained measured as the fighters traded single kicks and punches. After another exchange of jabs and leg kicks, Adesanya threw a question mark kick and landed one more powerful leg kick before the bell. 10-9 Adesanya.
Round 2:
Adesanya had more success with leg kicks in the second round and that led to an exchange of power punches, with Blachowicz landing a solid right hook and Adesanya firing back with a one-two. Adesanya slipped while throwing a head kick, but he quickly stood up and Blachowicz landed a knee during a brief clinch. Time was briefly called when Blachowicz was poked in the eye, but the fight continued and Blachowicz landed a body kick. Time was called again when Blachowicz was kicked in the groin. Action resumed shortly thereafter and Adesanya threw a head kick. He ducked under a counter hook from Blachowicz, who began to target the body with lead hooks. Adesanya landed two more leg kicks late in the round. 10-9 Adesanya.
Round 3:
Blachowicz landed a one-two and he rushed in with more punches early in the second round. Adesanya slipped and Blachowicz took his back momentarily. Adesanya broke free and landed a hard right hand followed by a straight left. Blachowicz closed the distance with punches, but Adesanya was most effective in the clinch with uppercuts and he snapped Blachowicz’s head back with hard jabs after the fighters separated. Adesanya attacked Blachowicz’s calf with kicks until Blachowicz answered with a liver kick and a left hook. He clinched and held Adesanya against the fence. The fighters separated and Adesanya landed a nice right hand before the bell. Close round. 10-9 Adesanya.
Round 4:
After an early clinch in round four, Adesanya landed a right hand on the break and Blachowicz cracked him with an overhand right that backed Adesanya up. Blachowicz caught a leg kick and landed a powerful liver kick in return. Adesanya put together a combination of punches and Blachowicz took him down into half-guard. He kept Adesanya pinned down and landed hammerfists to his face as Adesanya punched from the bottom and tried to work back to his feet. Blachowicz kept him down and moved to side control. He landed a knee to the body before Adesanya got back to half-guard. The round ended with Blachowicz landing punches and elbows to Adesanya’s ribs and face. 10-9 Blachowicz.
Round 5:
Both men landed right hooks during an early exchange in the final round and Blachowicz appeared to be significantly slower than in previous rounds. Adesanya landed jabs and two right hands, followed by a spinning back kick to the body. Blachowicz took him down and moved to half-guard as the fight entered its final 90 seconds. Blachowicz punched to the body and then mixed in right hands to Adesanya’s face. He mounted Adesanya and dropped heavy punches in the final ten seconds. 10-9 Blachowicz.
Winner: Jan Blachowicz by Unanimous Decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-46) after five rounds. He improves to 28-8-0 and remains the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes vs Megan Anderson
Round 1:
Nunes kept her distance early on and landed a leg kick, then lunged forward with an overhand right after catching a kick. Nunes wobbled Anderson with another overhand right and followed with more punches as Anderson dove for her leg. Nunes continued to land punches on the ground, then took Anderson’s back and trapped her in a reverse triangle choke. Anderson did not tap out, so Nunes isolated her right arm in a straight armbar and Anderson was forced to submit.
Winner: Amanda Nunes by Submission (Reverse Triangle Straight Armbar) at 2:03 of round one. She improves to 21-4-0 and remains the UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion.
UFC Bantamweight Championship
Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling vs Petr “No Mercy” Yan
Round 1:
Sterling put the pressure on right away with jabs and leg kicks. He switched stances and scored with a hard body kick before returning to jabs and a knee. Yan finally landed a body kick in return, but Sterling kept him on the defensive with jabs until Yan caught a body kick and tripped him to the mat. Yan allowed Sterling to stand up and Sterling used a combination to set up a takedown. He attacked with punches as Yan stood up, but Yan was able to take Sterling’s back. Sterling spun free and escaped, but Yan dropped him with a right cross. Sterling got back to his feet and Yan knocked him down with a leg kick. Sterling stood and pulled Yan down to the mat with a leg scissor trip. The fighters returned to their feet and Yan suplexed Sterling down. Sterling stood and closed out the round with a knee. 10-9 Yan.
Round 2:
The second round began with Sterling pressing forward with more jabs, but he fell to the mat and Yan threw an axe kick to the body. Sterling stood and flurried to the body. He shot in for a takedown and Yan sprawled out to defend. Sterling got him down very briefly, but Yan exploded up to his feet. Sterling held Yan against the cage and Yan landed a nice knee to his chin. Sterling eventually gave up on the takedown attempt, but he continued to pressure Yan with jabs and knees. Yan whipped Sterling down to the ground and took his back as Sterling rose to his feet. Very close round. 10-9 Sterling by a slim margin.
Round 3:
Both men landed jabs during the opening minute of round three and Yan fought off a pair of takedown attempts. He put together a combination of punches and Sterling responded with two hooks to the body. Yan landed a knee and tripped Sterling to the mat. He allowed him to stand and landed a kick to Sterling’s chest. A fatigued Sterling slowed down and was tossed to the ground once more. Yan kicked at Sterling’s legs and beckoned for him to stand up. Yan stuffed a takedown and landed punches to Sterling’s ribs as he backed up. Sterling landed two leg kicks late in the round and Yan took him down into a rear-naked choke attempt. 10-9 Yan.
Round 4:
Yan caught a kick and easily tripped Sterling in round four. As Sterling stood up, Yan landed a right hook and a knee to the body. Leg kicks were exchanged and Yan landed a combination in between fighting off takedowns. After Yan landed a body kick and a combination, Sterling clinched with him and Yan punched his way free. A straight left hand and a liver kick scored for Yan, who followed with a lead left hook. Yan landed a right-left combo, then a knee as a tired Sterling moved backward. Yan landed another knee and Sterling threw two head kicks in return. Sterling shot in for a takedown and had one knee on the mat. Referee Mark Smith clearly told Yan that Sterling was down, but Yan hit him with an illegal knee to the face anyway. Time was immediately called. Sterling was hurt and unable to continue, and the fight was waved off.
Winner: Aljamain Sterling by DQ (Illegal Knee) at 4:29 of round four. He improves to 20-3-0 and becomes the new UFC Bantamweight Champion.
Islam Makhachev vs Drew Dober
Round 1:
Dober struck first with two leg kicks and a hard jab, but Makhachev took him down into half-guard. He smothered Dober and eventually passed to mount with two minutes remaining. Dober got back to half-guard, so Makhachev moved to side control and a scramble followed. Makhachev transitioned from back control to mount and then to a top-side crucifix. Makhachev took Dober’s back and then attacked with a lightning-fast armbar. Dober was clearly in trouble, but he defended and escaped before the bell. 10-9 Makhachev.
Round 2:
Makhachev swept out Dober’s right leg and took him down early in the second round. Dober tried unsuccessfully to stand up and Makhachev nearly got to mount. Dober used butterfly guard to push Makhachev off and he got to full guard in the process. Makhachev punched to the head and body, then postured up with forearm strikes to Dober’s face. 10-8 Makhachev.
Round 3:
Dober was more aggressive to begin the final round and he landed an early left hook. Makhachev answered with a knee to the body and a takedown into Dober’s guard. When Makhachev passed to half-guard, Dober eyed a kimura from the bottom. He let it go and Makhachev immediately locked on a shoulder choke from the top. Dober tapped out within seconds.
Winner: Islam Makhachev by Submission (Shoulder Choke) at 1:37 of round three. He improves to 19-1-0.
Aleksandar “Rocket” Rakić vs Thiago “Marreta” Santos
Round 1:
Rakić landed a counter right hook and a leg kick in the opening minute as Santos tried to close the distance. Rakić landed another right hand and Santos responded with a hard one-two after catching a kick. Rakić just missed with a head kick as Santos ducked in time. Rakić landed one body kick and a counter left hook in the final seconds. Uneventful round. 10-9 Rakić.
Round 2:
Santos opened the second round with two leg kicks and Rakić answered with an overhand right. He stayed outside of Santos’s range and threw single kicks and punches until Santos clinched with him against the cage. Rakić reversed the clinch and Santos broke free with a combination. In the final minute, both fighters missed with left hooks and Rakić landed two punches late in the lacklustre round. 10-9 Rakić.
Round 3:
Santos landed a solid leg kick in the final round and he followed with a body kick. Rakić landed a right hand and Santos replied with two more kicks to the body. As the round progressed, Santos landed occasional body kicks until Rakić clinched with him against the cage. Santos countered with an elbow to Rakić’s temple and the fighters separated. Both men landed leg kicks in the final minute. 10-9 Santos.
Winner: Aleksandar Rakić by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 14-2-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)