UFC 264: “Poirier vs McGregor 3” Live Play-By-Play & ResultsThe Ultimate Fighting Championship came to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 264: “Poirier vs McGregor 3.” The event featured a lightweight trilogy bout between ex-interim champion Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier and former two-division champ “The Notorious” Conor McGregor.

In tonight’s welterweight co-feature, Gilbert “Durinho” Burns battled fellow contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Elsewhere on the main card, Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa squared off against Greg “Prince of War” Hardy at heavyweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC 264 card.

 

Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier vs “The Notorious” Conor McGregor

Round 1:
McGregor opened with two spinning back kicks that were deflected and he landed a left hand before throwing another spinning back kick. Poirier fired back with powerful leg kicks and a lead right hook. McGregor landed two leg kicks and Poirier backed him up with a left hand. He flurried with punches in close and McGregor clinched. Poirier reversed against the cage and McGregor locked on a guillotine choke as he pulled Poirier down to the mat. Poirier pulled his head out and struck from the top with punches and elbows. McGregor responded with five elbows from the bottom, but Poirier postured up again and rained down elbows and a right hand to McGregor’s face.

McGregor created enough space to land an upkick, but Poirier continued to blast him with punches. Another big upkick scored for McGregor and Poirier punched from the top. McGregor stood and the fighters traded left hands. McGregor stepped awkwardly on his left ankle and immediately fell to the ground. Poirier stood over him and dropped punches as McGregor covered up until the bell. 10-9 Poirier.

Due to McGregor’s ankle or calf injury, the fight was quickly waved off and McGregor was in pain as he sat on the canvas. Replays could not confirm whether it was McGregor’s ankle or lower shin that had sustained the break.

Winner: Dustin Poirier by TKO (Leg Injury) at 5:00 of round one. He improves to 28-6-0, 1 NC.

 

Gilbert “Durinho” Burns vs Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson

Round 1:
Thompson opened the action with a leg kick and a short right hook, and Burns attempted a head kick before shooting in for a takedown. Thompson stuffed it and Burns held him in place while throwing occasional knees to his thigh. He spun Thompson around and finally tripped him to the mat. Burns landed short right hands to Thompson’s body and head. Thompson got to a knee against the cage and Burns landed a series of punches to his face until Thompson stood up. The fighters separated just before the bell and Burns slipped after Thompson grazed with a head kick. 10-9 Burns.

Round 2:
From a southpaw stance, Thompson threw side kicks to the body in the second round and he continued to pick his shots with single kicks while keeping Burns at bay. Thompson landed a spinning hook kick to Burns’s temple and Burns quickly tried to clinch. Thompson circled away and landed a right hand, then returned to a southpaw stance and resumed throwing side kicks. He avoided a Burns clinch attempt, but Burns landed a strong leg kick and a right hand. He took Thompson down against the base of the cage and peppered him with short left hands. Thompson responded with rights until the bell. Close round. 10-9 Thompson despite the late takedown.

Round 3:
Thompson landed a nice right hook and followed with a head kick attempt early in round three. Burns blocked the kick, but Thompson dropped him to a knee with a spinning wheel kick to the temple. Burns stood and both men landed punches in an exchange before Burns secured a clinch. He used a body-lock takedown to get Thompson down into side control. Burns punched to the body and held Thompson down. Thompson tried to sit up against the cage, but Burns kept him in place and peppered him with left hands to the face. He mounted Thompson in the final 40 seconds and tried to secure a top-side guillotine choke as Thompson sat up against the cage. Thompson fell to his back to escape and Burns unleashed a barrage of punches to both sides of Thompson’s head until time expired. 10-9 Burns.

Winner: Gilbert Burns by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 20-4-0.

 

Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa vs Greg “Prince of War” Hardy

Round 1:
Hardy opened the fight with a leg kick, but Tuivasa landed three of them in return and Hardy was momentarily knocked off-balance. Big punches were exchanged and Tuivasa was hurt by a right hook from Hardy, but Hardy got overconfident and walked into a counter left hook. Hardy collapsed to the mat and Tuivasa landed punches on the ground until the fight was stopped.

Winner: Tai Tuivasa by KO (Punches) at 1:07 of round one. He improves to 12-3-0.

 

Irene Aldana vs Yana “Foxy” Kunitskaya

Round 1:
Kunitskaya jabbed and kicked at Aldana’s lead leg and body in the opening minute. She missed with a spinning wheel kick and a clinch ensued against the cage. The fighters separated and Kunitskaya began to bleed from her nose after eating a right hand from Aldana. Quick punches were exchanged and Aldana landed a nice hook to the body. She followed with a right hand over the top and then dropped Kunitskaya with a left. Aldana dove in with hammerfists on the ground and then followed with elbows. Kunitskaya recovered and kicked Aldana off. Aldana dropped down into Kunitskaya’s half-guard and unloaded with left hands. Kunitskaya rolled over and Aldana battered her with rights until the bout was stopped.

Winner: Irene Aldana by TKO (Punches) at 4:35 of round one. She improves to 13-6-0.

 

“Sugar” Sean O’Malley vs Kris Moutinho

Round 1:
Moutinho pressed forward right away, but O’Malley landed stiff jabs and a leg kick. He followed with a right cross, but Moutinho continued to walk him down and the fighters traded right hands. Moutinho blocked a head kick and he landed two lead right hooks. Moutinho chased after O’Malley and fought through a jab to land a leg kick. O’Malley wobbled Moutinho with a flurry of punches and then landed jabs and crosses at will as Moutinho recovered. Moutinho charged at O’Malley and landed two leg kicks. O’Malley attacked the body with a front kick and two right hands. Moutinho closed in with a combination and a leg kick, but O’Malley landed a knee and a three-punch flurry. He dropped Moutinho with a right hand and trapped him in a guillotine choke at the bell. 10-9 O’Malley. Could be a 10-8 due to the knockdown.

Round 2:
O’Malley landed jabs at will in the second round as Moutinho walked forward. O’Malley darted in and out with left and right hands, then cracked Moutinho with a right hook as Moutinho moved forward. O’Malley’s counterstrikes continued to tell the story of the fight, as he repeatedly connected with jabs and a right hooks. Moutinho’s best success came in the form of leg kicks and both men landed punching combinations with 90 seconds to go. Moutinho’s face continued to swell up, but he walked O’Malley down until the final bell and landed a front kick before time expired. 10-9 O’Malley.

Round 3:
Moutinho landed a lead right hook in the final round and O’Malley resumed jabbing while circling to his right. Moutinho closed in and landed a right hook and an uppercut. Jab after jab scored for O’Malley, but they did not slow Moutinho down. Both fighters landed lead right hooks and leg kicks. Moutinho’s face became a swollen mess and O’Malley tagged him with three jabs and a front kick. He followed with more punches and a body kick as Moutinho smiled and taunted him. With 30 seconds to go, O’Malley landed a final flurry on the feet and referee Herb Dean stepped in to wave off the fight. The stoppage certainly could have come earlier in the fight, but Moutinho was still moving forward when the bout was stopped.

Winner: Sean O’Malley by TKO (Punches) at 4:33 of round three. He improves to 14-1-0.

 

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