The Ultimate Fighting Championship travelled to Toyota Center in Houston, Texas tonight for UFC 265: “Lewis vs Gane.” The event was headlined by a UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship bout between Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis and undefeated rising star Ciryl “Bon Gamin” Gane.
In the bantamweight co-feature, José “Scarface” Aldo battled Pedro “The Young Punisher” Munhoz. Elsewhere on tonight’s main card, “Maverick” Michael Chiesa took on Vicente “The Silent Assassin” Luque in featured welterweight action. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for UFC 265.
UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship
Ciryl “Bon Gamin” Gane vs Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis
Round 1:
Lewis slipped while throwing an early head kick and Gane landed a right hand on the way up. He circled on the outside and stayed outside of Lewis’s range. Gane threw kicks to Lewis’s lead leg and body, and time was called when Gane was kicked in the groin. The fight continued and Gane landed a counter right hook as Lewis closed in. Two leg kicks scored for Gane, who backed up and circled to his left to avoid a lunging right hook from Lewis. Gane jabbed and landed an overhand right, and both fighters sustained eye pokes at the same time. The action continued and the bell sounded seconds later. 10-9 Gane.
Round 2:
Gane continued to throw side kicks from a distance in the second round and he landed one to Lewis’s body. Lewis tried to clinch and Gane spun free. He landed a knee to the body and then jumped forward with another knee soon after. That led to a clinch against the fence and Gane landed knee after knee. Lewis was unable to land anything and Gane continued to pick his shots with leg kicks. In a clinch, he landed a knee to Lewis’s body and a right hook on the break. 10-9 Gane.
Round 3:
Gane landed a strong kick to Lewis’s lead leg in the opening minute of round three and he blocked a head kick attempt from Lewis. A clinch ensued against the cage and Gane broke away. He landed a hard leg kick and an uppercut, and Lewis covered up. Gane continued to land punches and Lewis dropped to a knee. He stood and turned his back as Gane landed punches and a knee to the body. Time was called to replace Lewis’s mouthpiece and Gane landed a head kick after the restart. He hurt Lewis with a lead right hook to Lewis’s left eye and Lewis dropped to his knees. He covered up as Gane landed hammerfists until the fight was stopped.
Winner: Ciryl Gane by TKO (Punches) at 4:11 of round three. He improves to 10-0-0 and becomes the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion.
José “Scarface” Aldo vs Pedro “The Young Punisher” Munhoz
Round 1:
Munhoz jabbed and targeted Aldo’s lead leg with kicks in the opening minute. Aldo landed a flurry to the body and followed with a knee as Munhoz ducked his head. Munhoz briefly clinched after landing a right hook and Aldo responded with two lead left hands after the fighters separated. The fighters traded more jabs and Munhoz landed a right hook. Aldo stepped forward with a left-right combo to the body and head of Munhoz before the bell. Close opening round. 10-9 Aldo.
Round 2:
Aldo used his jab to keep Munhoz guessing in the second round. Munhoz remained effective with his leg kicks, however, and he used one to set up a lead left hook. The fighters exchanged jab after jab and Aldo’s punches appeared to have more force behind them. He snapped Munhoz’s head back multiple times and connected with a nice right cross in the final seconds. 10-9 Aldo.
Round 3:
Munhoz was the aggressor in the final round and he landed a lead left hook early on. Aldo replied with leg kicks and three quick jabs. He followed with a hard combination, but Munhoz was unfazed. At the midway point in the round, Aldo dropped Munhoz with a hard leg kick and he landed two uppercuts as Munhoz rose to his feet. A cut was opened near Munhoz’s left eye and he ate a jab-cross combo from Aldo. Punches were exchanged late in the round and Aldo landed a quick combination. 10-9 Aldo.
Winner: José Aldo by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 30-7-0.
Vicente “The Silent Assassin” Luque vs “Maverick” Michael Chiesa
Round 1:
Chiesa circled on the outside and landed jabs and a one-two in the early stages of the fight. Luque cracked him with a right hook and Chiesa immediately responded with a takedown. He took Luque’s back and hunted for a rear-naked choke. Luque defended and Chiesa switched to an armbar. Luque spun free and Chiesa tried to get to his feet. Luque immediately trapped him in a tight Brabo choke. He used it to pull Chiesa back down to the mat. Chiesa tried to roll his way free, but he could not and was forced to tap out.
Winner: Vicente Luque by Submission (Brabo Choke) at 3:25 of round one. He improves to 21-7-1.
Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres vs Angela “Overkill” Hill
Round 1:
Torres landed a front kick to the body right away, then followed with two more body kicks and a quick combination. Hill caught a kick and tripped Torres to the mat. Torres stood against the cage and she reversed a takedown from Hill. The fighters returned to their feet and separated. Torres landed a leg kick and just missed with a head kick. She used another leg kick to set up a rushing three-punch combo. Torres got Hill down very briefly and then landed a right hook after the fighters returned to their feet. A hard combination scored for Torres, who finished with a body kick. She landed more kicks during a frenetic final 20 seconds, but Hill landed a strong kick to the body before the bell. 10-9 Torres.
Round 2:
The second round began with Torres landing two side kicks to the body and a grazing head kick. She kept the pace high with quick punches, but Hill countered a leg kick with a solid right hook. Two more side kicks scored for Torres, who backed Hill up with a right hand. Hill countered a front kick from Torres by taking her back and she worked for a takedown against the cage. Torres punched her way free and landed a front kick to Hill’s face. She followed with a spinning wheel kick that also landed and Hill clinched. While Hill landed two knees to the body, Torres countered with big punches over the top and Hill backed away. Late in the round, Hill landed a left hook, but ate right hands in return. Torres slipped while throwing a spinning kick and Hill took partial mount before time expired. 10-9 Torres.
Round 3:
Torres landed a short right hook and a quick combination in the final round, then circled free of a brief clinch from Hill. Torres landed another flurry and then looked for a takedown, but Hill stuffed it. Torres missed with a spinning backfist and both women landed right hooks in an exchange. Torres remained the quicker striker and she continued to land first, but Hill still connected with two right hands. Torres jabbed and landed right hands, then shrugged off a Hill takedown attempt. Torres took Hill down into side control and landed elbows to her face shortly before the end of the fight. 10-9 Torres.
Winner: Tecia Torres by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 13-5-0.
Yadong “Kung Fu Monkey” Song vs Casey Kenney
Round 1:
The fighters exchanged one-two combinations during the opening minute and Kenney pressed the action, but Song countered effectively with lead left hooks and a hard kick to the body after Kenney taunted him. Song followed with an overhand right and a lead left hook. He avoided a spinning back kick from Kenney, but Song fell while throwing a kick to Kenney’s upper body and that allowed Kenney to take control with a guillotine choke attempt on the way up. Song broke free and he landed two punches that were answered by a Kenney right hand. Close round. 10-9 Song.
Round 2:
Song opened round two with a quick flurry to the body and he chopped away with leg kicks as Kenney moved forward. Kenney landed a lead right hook and ate a one-two in return. Song stuck to counterstriking while circling to his left. Kenney landed a step-in left hand late in the round, but Song countered with a left-right combo and he initiated a clinch. Kenney reversed it and tried unsuccessfully for a late takedown. 10-9 Song.
Round 3:
Kenney remained the aggressor in the final round, but Song continued to score with lead left hooks and he mixed in kicks to the body. Song jabbed and the fighters exchanged body kicks. Song ducked into a head kick, but he was unfazed and scored with a hard kick to Kenney’s ribs. In the final 90 seconds, Song threw combinations and Kenney responded with straight lefts. Song stuffed a takedown and he landed two right hands followed by a pair of body kicks. Kenney took Song down just before the bell. 10-9 Song.
Winner: Yadong Song by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. He improves to 17-5-1, 1 NC.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)