UFC 264 ‘Poirier vs. McGregor 3’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Round 1

The bout was canceled on Saturday afternoon due to COVID-19
protocols for Amedovski’s team. The news was first reported by
ESPN.

Round 1

Tonight’s the night, and it’s going to happen again and again. Has
to happen. Nice night. Las Vegas is a great town. UFC 264 is in
full force inside of the jam-packed T-Mobile Arena, with 12 fights
at our disposal leading to the big kabosh in the main event. We
begin in the flyweight division, as two men in dire need of a win
come to blows when Kazakhstan’s Zhumagulov (13-5, 0-2 UFC) takes on
former featherweight Rivera (10-5, 0-3 UFC). Referee Chris Tognoni
is on top of the action in what could be a fast-paced affair, and
there is no glove touch to clock in the contest. Instead, Rivera
comes forward using long kicks to belt his opponent in the body,
and Zhumagulov closes in on him quickly to stop this from
happening. When he does, Rivera counters him with a knee up the
middle. Zhumagulov rips multiple leg kicks on the inside as chants
rain down from an excited crowd for “USA.” Rivera backs away and
spams kicks from both legs, and he gives his opponent a few leg
kicks back for good measure. Rivera paws out a few jabs to surprise
Zhumagulov, and he swats away a leaping combination as the shorter
man charges towards him. Rivera plays the matador again when
Zhumagulov swarms him, but Zhumagulov clips him with a right hand
that Rivera practically ignores. Rivera throws a front kick to the
body, but he gets cracked with a counter left hand that hurts him
and drops him to a knee. “The Renegade” tries to gather his
thoughts with a takedown attempt, and Zhumagulov’s eyes light up as he snatches hold of
Rivera’s neck with a modified guillotine choke. Rivera looks to
stand all the way up to break the grip, and he gets to his feet,
but Zhumagulov has him locked down with this unorthodox power
guillotine choke. With Rivera’s neck torqued at an unearthly angle,
he grimaces and taps out on Zhumagulov’s back to surrender.
That’s one way to get on the board for Zhumagulov, earning his
first UFC victory and notching his first career submission with a
spectacular standing choke.

The Official Result

Zhalgas Zhumagulov def. Jerome Rivera R1 2:02 via Submission
(Guillotine Choke)

Round 1

Back to middleweight, two men floating in the division for some
time finally meet when Akhmedov (21-5-1, 9-4-1 UFC) takes on
Tavares (18-6, 13-6 UFC). This matchup between perennial top-15
talents will receive oversight from referee Marc Goddard, and the
veterans show a sign of respect by touching gloves. Both men reach
out at one another to find their range, and the first strike comes
in about 25 seconds when Tavares rushes in with two punches.
Akhmedov looks to counter, and he gets his lead leg kicked for his
trouble. The Hawaiian flicks out a jab, and he chains it into a
one-two that knocks Akhmedov off-balance. Akhmedov counters with a
right hand, and Tavares shrugs it off and lands a sweeping kick to
Akhmedov’s front knee. Akhmedov whiffs on a big right hand, and
Tavares keeps him at bay with a sharp, snappy jab. The Russian
retaliates with a jab, but his lead leg is chopped down and he gets
popped with an overhand right. Tavares sticks and moves, staying
loose and flowy while Akhmedov loads up on big shots. One strike
from “Wolverine” partially lands enough to cut Tavares around his
right eye, and it starts to swell up quickly. Akhmedov crashes
forward into a takedown attempt, but the Hawaiian bounces off the
ground and scampers to his feet thanks to the fence behind him.
Akhmedov redoubles his effort, only to get kneed in the face when
Tavares breaks free. Tavares tries to sting him with a jab, and he
gets cracked with a counter right hand and stumbles back to the
cage wall. Akhmedov gives chase, and he clinches up instead of
trying to deal more damage while Tavares gathers his thoughts.
Tavares gets kneed in the groin in the close clinch, and Goddard
gives the fouled fighter a moment to get his breath back. It takes
less than 30 seconds for Tavares to give the sign to continue, and
he picks right back up attacking the lead leg of his foe. Tavares
rips and uppercut and dips the looping punches, with Akhmedov
loading up on bombs that only graze the target. A heavy leg kick
from Tavares hurts Akhmedov, and he struggles to find his balance
as Tavares aims another right at the same spot. The Russian plows
forward to take Tavares down, and when Tavares stuffs it, they
start brawling. Tavares gets the better of the exchange, sending
Akhmedov staggering back, and the round ends with Tavares signaling
to the crowd to cheer for them.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tavares
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Tavares
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tavares

Round 2

There is a touch of gloves to begin the second stanza, and Tavares
lets rip a big right hand. Akhmedov bites down on his gumshield and
throws everything he has into looping hooks that get Tavares’
attention. Tavares counters effectively, forcing Akhmedov to shoot
in low for takedown. The Russian lands it, but only for a moment
before Tavares explodes back to his feet. Tavares is able to break
the grip in the clinch and push off, where he resumes with a solid
jab. Akhmedov aims a left hand counter when this happens, and
Tavares rolls with it and chops down the Russian’s lead leg twice.
Akhmedov changes stances because of the kick, and he throws with
full power but hits nothing but air. Tavares once more targets the
lead leg to give Akhmedov some pause, and Akhmedov’s power strikes
are inaccurate as they blow Tavares’ hair back. Akhmedov fires a
heavy leg kick back, and he blocks a head kick that zooms towards
him. Tavares has a body kick caught, and Akhmedov bears down on him
and starts to put hands on Tavares’ chin. The Hawaiian circles out
to get his bearings, and he frustrates “Wolverine” with another low
kick. Akhmedov loops wide shots at Tavares, and Tavares gets off a
jab and a calf kick. The kick gets countered well by Akhmedov, who
clubs him with a solid right hand. This same exchange happens
again, with Akhmedov finally getting the timing to stop these
damaging leg kicks. When Akhmedov ducks down, Tavares greets him
with a knee on the chin and backs away to lump his leg up with
another kick. The Dagestan native sells out with a takedown attempt
from afar, but Tavares stays on his bike and makes Akhmedov miss
him completely. Tavares flicks out a jab and draws out a huge
counter from Akhmedov, and Akhmedov does get off a right hand that
Tavares shrugs off. The round ends with another jab from the
Hawaiian.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tavares
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Akhmedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tavares

Round 3

The middleweights clap hands to commence the final round, and
Tavares comes out with kicks high and low. Akhmedov slings a right
hand and his own leg kick, and now it is Tavares that wants to
counter this. Tavares slips a few wild punches from the Russian,
and he catches Akhmedov on the way in with a nasty leg kick.
Akhmedov’s lead leg gives out on him and he topples to the canvas,
and when he climbs back up, Tavares slaps it one more time.
Akhmedov walks through one more kick and tries to blast Tavares in
the face, and he does manage to sneak through a straight right
hand. Tavares doubles up on the leg kick, and Akhmedov’s wheel may
be busted but he is still winding up with bad intentions. Tavares
and Akhmedov trade jabs, and a one-two from Tavares makes Akhmedov
retreat. The Hawaiian hacks at the damaged leg of his opponent a
couple more times, and Akhmedov keeps a stiff upper lip and misses
with big right hand counters. Akhmedov thumps a leg kick that makes
Tavares spin around, and Tavares dings him with a right hand when
he regains his composure. Akhmedov attacks the leg and Tavares
appears frustrated, but Akhmedov crashes in to take the fight down,
only to get shoved to his back. Tavares lets him up and jabs him in
the face a few times, doing so to disrupt the advancement of
Akhmedov. One jab dislodges Akhmedov’s gumshield, and Goddard
notices this and has him replace it. Tavares slings a head kick,
and when Akhmedov blocks it, he appears energized and starts
chasing after Tavares with heavy punches. Tavares counters with a
thunderous left hand, and Akhmedov is wobbled. The Hawaiian looks
to finish the job with a head kick, and Akhmedov stays on his feet
but his nose is busted up. Tavares gets off punches at will, and
spins with a back kick to the body to knock Akhmedov a few feet
back. Tavares ends the round in style with a few strikes, and is
ready to fight a few more rounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tavares (30-27 Tavares)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Tavares (29-28 Tavares)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tavares (30-27
Tavares)

The Official Result

Brad Tavares def. Omari Akhmedov via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28,
29-28)

Round 1

Two former flyweight title challengers tangle next to headline the
early prelims, when Maia (18-7-1, 3-3 UFC) squares off with Eye
(15-9, 1 NC; 5-8, 1 NC UFC). Just about 65 percent of the combined
bouts for these women have gone to the scorecards, and that rate
skyrockets to 85 percent when only looking at Eye and Maia’s UFC
matches – so the judges may be involved in this one. Referee Herb
Dean is ready for whatever happens, and there is no glove touch to
start things off. Eye takes the center of the cage and starts
reaching out with her left hand, more with probing shots than jabs.
The strikes begin to sharpen as she finds her range, flicking it
out a few times as Maia backs away. Eye changes things up with a
few punches to the body, and Maia leans in to throw heavier strikes
but gets shoved away before getting off of note. Eye sticks Maia
with a few punches before Maia rips a leg kick, and when Eye steps
in to attack, Maia cracks her square on the chin with a loud knee.
After the strike, Maia begins to lead the dance, and both women
tumble to the ground in an exchange. Eye gets back up first, and
when Maia stands up, she gets kicked in the face. Maia rips the
body as she retreats, with Eye spamming punches. Eye plants the
ball of her foot on Maia’s midsection, and she slips a few big
punches but gets tagged by the Brazilian in a flurry. Maia kicks
the body, and lands with a right hand but gets countered with a
left hand. As Maia closes the distance, Eye catches her with a
stern uppercut, forcing Maia to backpedal and swipe out with a body
kick. Eye walks through a head kick to keep throwing hands, with a
constant aggressiveness where she ignores punches that land on the
chin. Eye swarms Maia with punches, and even gets off a back fist
when Maia swings back at her. Eye ducks a big right hand to target
the body, and Maia shakes it off and reaches out with another
overhand right. The two women trade hands one after the other, and
Maia breaks up her approach with a couple leg kicks. Eye eats a
solid right hand, and when she comes forward, Maia tattoos her body
and head with strikes. Eye jabs out and gets kicked in the face,
but she ignores it and walks face-first into a right hand. Both
women land heavily, and they clinch up, leading to a throw attempt
from Maia. Eye counters this by tossing Maia to her back, and she
ends the round on top with a few elbows.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Eye
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Eye
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Eye

Round 2

The ex-flyweight challengers pick up right where they left off,
throwing hands and catching one another. Eye just backs up in time
to avoid a front kick that soars towards her face, and she gets
back to jabbing and setting up punches with those jabs. Eye
counters a left hand with a stomp kick to the knee, and she also
interrupts Maia with a left hand as the Brazilian looks to unload
on her. Maia gets off a solid right hand, and Eye shrugs it off and
comes forward like a 125-pound jabbing Terminator. Eye kicks the
leg, and when they get caught up in an exchange, Eye hits a
takedown to put Maia down again. Maia quickly sweeps her to gain an
advantageous position, so Eye scrambles wildly to get back up and
avoid any possible danger. Eye gets back to her preferred range,
with several left hands that disrupt the movement of Maia. Maia
bites down on her mouthpiece and swings a right hand that catches
Eye flush on the jaw, but the Ohioan does not even register the
strike and continues to plod forward. Maia scores a front kick to
the chest, and as soon as she pulls her leg back, Eye kicks it.
Maia finds her range with body shots, and she surprises Eye with
another sharp knee up the middle. Eye begins to work that lead leg
with a few kicks, stabbing the calf as Maia looks irritated. Maia
stings her with a right hand, and Eye counters with a right hand as
these two women continue to trade with one another. Eye slaps at
the calf with a kick, and she evades the counter but gets tagged
when Maia throws another right hand over the top. Maia snaps Eye’s
head back, and the two clash heads to open up a huge cut on Eye’s
forehead, and the blood starts flowing fast. Eye knows she is cut
so she starts swinging wildly. She manages to land effectively on
Maia as she pressures the Brazilian back, and she holds Maia on the
fence until the round ends. The doctors are going to take a close
look at this cut, smack on the center of her forehead like a third
eye.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Maia
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Maia
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Maia

Round 3

Eye’s corner does a good job sealing the cut between rounds,
allowing the match to continue. Eye starts the round with jabs,
jabs and more jabs as Maia is forced to play defense. Every so
often, Eye kicks the leg, and she sees the big punches coming. She
does not notice a right hand that pounds her right on the forehead,
but she rolls with it and continues to press forward and smack Maia
with a right hand. Maia winds up with a right hand up top and
another to the body, all while flicking her jab out repeatedly.
Maia finds her home with an overhand right, and Eye ducks down to
rip the body. The women go strike for strike with one another, and
Maia lands with a single punch before Eye kicks her lead leg. Eye
snaps out a stinging jab as Maia looks to circle away, and she
takes a glancing blow of an uppercut before marching ahead. Eye
lands a right hand, and then clips the Brazilian with an uppercut,
all while ignoring punches that come her way. Eye targets the body
and gets countered over the top, opening the cut on her forehead.
Eye’s face quickly transforms into a crimson mask, and she seems to
flip a switch when blood flows down her face as she assaults Maia
with wild punches. She rushes Maia into the clinch, but she cannot
land a takedown as the Brazilian stays on her feet and pushes her
away. Eye jabs her way in and takes a knee flush on the chin, and
the two women start blasting each other with heavy punches. The two
throw down right to the bell, and a bloody Eye celebrates after a
wild battle.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Eye (29-28 Eye)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Eye (29-28 Eye)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Eye (29-28 Eye)

The Official Result

Jennifer Maia def. Jessica Eye via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 30-27)

Round 1

Kicking off the ESPN preliminary portion of the card is a
rescheduled middleweight banger pitting the surging Houstonian
Giles (14-2, 5-2 UFC) against South Africa’s Du Plessis (15-2, 1-0
UFC) and his 100 percent finish rate. Holding on tight will be
referee Chris Tognoni, although the two touch gloves before
swinging for the bleachers. The South African begins with a
whipping body kick, and Giles drops his hands and throws them a few
times as Du Plessis shells up. Du Plessis kicks Giles’ lead leg a
few times, until Giles checks one and throws a front kick up the
middle. A jumping switch kick comes from Du Plessis, which gets
blocked. Giles eats a heavy leg kick but fires his opposite leg up
towards Du Plessis’ head. Giles just misses with a huge right hand,
and his hands are by his waist while the South African chips at him
with leg kicks. Giles strides forward to land a salvo of punches,
and one splits the guard and gets Du Plessis’ attention. Giles
dances out of the way when Du Plessis charges at him, and he walks
right into a heavy leg kick. Giles gets his guard up in time when a
head kick zooms at his face, and he absorbs a subsequent leg kick
flush. Du Plessis reaches out to the body with his instep, and
Giles keeps his footing and pounds his shin into Du Plessis’ knee.
Both men fly at the other and crash together, and it is Giles that
has to back off for a moment. Du Plessis punches his way into a
double leg takedown attempt, and he transitions to a single and
puts Giles down for a moment. The American pops back up, and he
jumps guard for a guillotine choke only to get lifted in the air
and tossed to the ground like a sack of potatoes. When they hit the
ground, Du Plessis instantly slices to mount, but Giles breaks free
only to surrender his back. Giles falls to the ground to defend
himself, and Du Plessis chains his submission into a Suloev stretch
kneebar. Giles rolls through it, and the wild scramble where Giles
winds up on top and then gets swept with a kimura allows Du Plessis
to get on top and claim mount again. Giles times a big elbow to
roll through and avoid the blow, but gives his neck up as Du
Plessis tries to cinch up a choke with seconds left. The round ends
before “Stillknocks” can elicit any tap.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Du Plessis
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Du Plessis
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Du Plessis

Round 2

A clash of heads from the previous round displays a cut on Du
Plessis’ head, but there is no issue and the fight continues. Du
Plessis opens up with a body kick, and Giles retreats but walks
right into another. Giles snaps his left hand out and makes Du
Plessis stumble, so the Texan rips a left hand to the liver. Giles
stings him with a flying knee when Du Plessis shoots in for a
takedown, and the desperate attempt falls short when Giles scurries
out of the way. The South African kicks Giles’ lead leg again to
decent effect, and both trade left hands. Du Plessis bears down on
the calf again, and gets countered with a left hand when kicking
the body. A few quick leg kicks from “Stillknocks” come out, and he
spins with a back fist that glances off the forward bow. Giles wears it well and rushes forward with his
hands down, and like a bolt of lightning, Du Plessis strikes with a
right hand that sends the Houstonian crumbling to the floor.
“Stillknocks” dives on top with some standing-to-ground punches to
finish the job, and Giles’ eyes roll around in his head until
Tognoni mercifully stops the fight. With that knockout, Du
Plessis now celebrates 16 finishes in 16 career wins, and none are
more important than the one he just scored over Giles.

The Official Result

Dricus Du Plessis def. Trevin Giles R2 1:41 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

The next matchup is a highly anticipated featherweight tilt between
the returning grappling wizard Hall (8-1, 4-0 UFC) against the
unbeaten Spaniard Topuria (10-0, 2-0 UFC). Something’s gotta give
between these two, with Hall’s last loss coming in 2006 while
Topuria has yet to taste defeat. Referee Jason Herzog will be
taking charge to make sure everything is above board, and a
half-hearted glove touch is what we get to start the fight. Hall
meets him in the center of the cage and backs away, circling around
the cage while Topuria stalks him down. Hall lands the first
strike, a kick to the body, and Topuria just looks at him. Hall
pump-fakes a possible takedown to get a reaction out of the
Spaniard, and he hits him with a spinning hook kick. Hall rolls for
an Imanari roll to pursue a leg, and Topuria does not bite, kicks
his outstretched leg a few times and lets him stand back up. Hall
whiffs on a left hand, and another as he rolls for some sort of a
tackle to grab Topuria’s leg. Once more, Topuria shrugs it off and
lets Hall somersault around to miss. Hall’s fourth roll manages to
snare Topuria, and he grabs Topuria’s glove to hold on to him but
cannot keep him grounded. Hall rolls through and elbows Topuria in
the side of the head, and Topuria takes his back and lands a few
punches before breaking free. Hall walks into a few punches, and
Topuria gets confident as he cracks Hall with a right hand. Hall
flops to roll and take him down, and he lets Topuria wade into his
guard but Topuria springs out of the way. Hall ducks a punch with
his hands down, and he boots Topuria in the body twice. “The
Wizard” rolls through a few more times, and Topuria never bites so
the crowd begins to turn on him. The Spaniard stings him with a
right hand, and Hall ducks down to roll and grab a heel but cannot
get it. Hall continues to roll around and pop back up as if he were
in a gymnastics class, and Topuria walks into a right hand but
darts out of the way from yet another Hall roll. Hall connects with
a spinning heel kick, and he dodges and weaves from any Topuria
aggression. When Hall attempts another heel kick, Topuria closes
the distance to bully Hall to the ground. “El Matador” dives after him and stuns him with
hammerfists, and his right hand starts to do damage as he continues
to club Hall on the chin again and again. As Hall turns to his
side, he has no where else to go and is trapped, and Topuria keeps
smashing him in the face. The damage mounts until Hall is relieved
of his consciousness, and Herzog steps in to stop the fight.
This is a huge win for the undefeated Topuria, who may have just
earned a spot on the rankings with a smart performance.

The Official Result

Ilia Topuria def. Ryan Hall R1 4:47 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

Fans have been hyped about this next welterweight rumble since it
was announced, as power-punching Price (14-4, 2 NC; 6-4, 2 NC UFC)
will finally throw down with the high-flying Pereira (25-11, 2 NC;
3-2 UFC). What is about to happen, no one really knows, and this
includes the two involved. The hands of referee Mark Smith will be
full for as long as this lasts, and there is a glove touch before
the two handle their business. Price is the early aggressor,
putting the Brazilian on his heels, but Pereira sits down on a jab
that knocks Price back and knocks out ESPN+ for a few moments.
There is a nasty eye poke on Pereira that fans watching could not
see, and Pereira takes 30 seconds to recover before getting back to
it. Pereira throws out a front kick and gets caught with an
overhand right, and the American pressures him to pursue a double
leg takedown. Price cannot get him grounded, as Pereira frames him
up despite Price holding on to the wire with his fingers. Pereira
shoves him off, and he aims a counter right hand when Price slings
a kick to the body. Price falls to his back and Pereira lets him
back up, and both men trade kicks. The crowd begins to chant “Niko”
as the action stalls, and it quick subsides when the two do not do
much of note. Pereira slings a head kick that is mostly blocked,
and he springs off the fence with a superman punch but is clinched
immediately. The Floridian ties him up and gets kneed up the
middle, and when Pereira gets a little distance, he scores a
thudding right hand and a solid back fist as well. Pereira snaps
Price’s head back with a jab, and he stings Price with three
punches. Pereira walks through a front kick to toss Price to the
ground, and the Brazilian narrowly evades a swinging upkick before
letting Price back up. Pereira works the body with a few knees when
they close in, and Price takes a left hand that opens him up on the
bridge of his nose. Price goes after a low calf kick, and a bloody
nose irritates Pereira, who wipes at it before swinging a left hand
at his adversary. Pereira flies at Price with a rolling thunder
kick, comes up well short of the mark, gets to his feet and plants
his foot on Price’s chest to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pereira

Round 2

The welterweights touch gloves to begin Round 2, and both get off
single kicks. A kick that may have collided with the liver draws a
grimace out of Price, but Price walks through it and starts kicking
at Pereira’s legs. When Price loses his balance a little, Pereira
shoves him over. Like a maniac, Pereira back flips through the air
and nails Price in the face with his foot when he lands. In the
ensuing melee, Pereira hops over into mount, and he starts landing
ground-and-pound from on top. The snakelike Pereira slowly sneaks
an arm around Price’s throat to hunt for an arm-triangle choke, and
when that fails, he sits up and pounds on Price with heavy punches.
Price turns over to give up his back, and when Pereira is there
with a rear-naked choke setup, Price turns back over into the
dangerous full mount position. Price fights off a kimura and
explodes to his feet without giving up his back, and he rolls
through with a leglock. Pereira pushes off and the two get back to
their feet much to the delight of the audience. Price bears down on
Pereira and starts blasting him with punches, and Pereira appears
fatigued from trying to put his man away earlier. Price changes
levels for a single leg takedown, and Pereira defends it by
threatening with a guillotine choke before Price stands back up.
Price squeezes his foe against the fence until the Brazilian pushes
off, and Pereira swats at him with inaccurate strikes. Pereira
flails with punches as Price crashes in to clinch, and he gets off
a right hand on the break. Both men start to tee off on one another
in the waning seconds, and their knees do not buckle as they
continue to do damage until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pereira

Round 3

The welterweights are ready to get back to it, and they touch
gloves to clock in the last round. Price walks forward throwing
hands, and Pereira is there to greet him with a wild brawl where
both men throw caution to the wind and nail each other with
powerful shots. Pereira may have gotten the better of the exchange,
as Price lowers his head to clinch and gather himself until he gets
pushed off. Pereira circles away and has his leg kicked, and Price
loads up on a right hand. Pereira wings a kick that careens off of
Price’s cup, and “The Hybrid” falls to the ground in agony. Smith
implores for Price to take more time as Price want to run back out,
and Pereira apologizes when they start up after a 30-second break.
The furious flurry from both men reintroduces one to the other in
recklessly exciting fashion. Price walks Pereira down and throws
heavy strikes, and a punch from Price opens up a cut under
Pereira’s right eye. Price kicks low, and when he aims one high,
Pereira ducks it in time. Price charges like a bull to attack, and
Pereira meets him with a knee up the middle and a power jab. Price
doggedly pursues him until he takes a kick to the liver that ejects
his mouthpiece from the sheer force. Price picks it up, and the two
begin to trade again. Price tags Pereira with a few punches, and
Pereira gives some back until he gets kicked in the face. A brief
clinch allows Pereira to knee Price in the chest a couple times,
and the Brazilian backs off with power jabs. The crowd goes wild
for Price as he lands with ferocious blows, and the clinch leads to
knees and uppercuts en masse. Pereira looks to take a breath and
retreat along the outside of the cage, and he grabs Price and tries
to take him down. Price rolls through it and elbows Pereira on the
side of the head a few times to stand back up. Price backs
“Demolidor” up and starts unloading on him with lethal punches,
rocking Pereira and forcing Pereira to tie him up. Price will not
let this stand, and he chases Pereira down and kicks at him until
Pereira attempts a takedown. Price defends with punches to the body
as he sprawls to stay upright, and he charges at Pereira when the
10-second clapper sounds. The welterweight bangers throw everything
they have into one final salvo, and they drill each other with
nasty shots until the final horn blares to end this thriller of a
battle.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Price (29-28 Pereira)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Price (29-28 Pereira)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Price (29-28
Pereira)

The Official Result

Michel Pereira def. Niko Price via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

The prelims will be capped off by a welterweight battle that sees
“The Natural Born Killer” Condit (32-13, 9-9 UFC) try to go on a
three-fight win streak against the heavy-handed Griffin (17-8, 5-6
UFC). Depending on the result, either Condit will fall below .500
in the UFC or Griffin will rise to that level, barring an unusual
turn of events. Referee Marc Goddard will keep a watchful eye on
the violence that is about to be bestowed in the cage, and the
fighters do not touch gloves before inflicting said violence.
Griffin charges out of his corner to attack, with a low kick and
several high kicks to sends the former WEC champ backing away.
Condit greets him with a few punches to back him off, and he puts
together a combination and a head kick that gets slapped away.
Griffin chops down Condit’s lead leg multiple times, and Condit’s
calf is already reddening from them. Condit fires off a body kick,
and he cannot get out of the way from another leg kick. Griffin
walks through a punch to land a heavier one, and his leg kick that
follows spins Condit around. “The Natural Born Killer” does not
block the kicks or check them, and he tries to go after Griffin
with his own but Griffin is right there with another. Condit turns
about with another few kicks, and the damage is mounting fast as
Condit appears to be struggling with it. Condit chips at the calf
and then the body, but he absorbs one more low kick. Condit is
forced to switch stances, and Griffin greets the change of position
with one on the other leg. Condit marches forward to attack, only
to get his lead leg chopped down beneath him. Condit ducks down
into a right hand, and Griffin slips it and comes back with an
overhand right. Condit just comes up short with a counter right
hand when Griffin advances, and he does kick the body successful on
the way out. Griffin’s leg kick makes Condit pick it up and try to
move with it, and the ex-champ strides in and kicks the body.
Condit’s calves are swelling up fast, and he tries to connect with
a spinning kick but gets pushed back. Griffin blasts him with a
right hand, sending Condit crashing into the wall and down to the
ground. Griffin looks for a finish, delivering some heavy
ground-and-pound, but Condit threatens with an offensive guard and
survives to fight his way back to his feet. Condit jumps at his foe
with a flying knee, and Griffin sits down on a leg kick and takes a
right hand on the chin. Condit marches forward to brawl, and
Griffin is there to greet him until he ducks out of the way to
avoid most of the danger before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 2

The second round begins with both fighters meeting in the center of
the Octagon, but neither commit to any strikes until Condit
launches a head kick. Griffin blocks it and targets Condit’s lead
leg with impunity, and the former champ can do nothing but take it.
Condit takes a traditional martial arts stance as he looks to wind
up a side kick, and he steps in to clinch and drill Griffin in the
chin with a knee. Condit catches Griffin on the end of a right hand
to send “Pain” staggering back, but it is likely out of balance and
not damage. Griffin gains his composure and fires off a right hand,
and he beats Condit to the punch with a follow-up jab. Condit ducks
down into a leg kick, and he gets off a body kick but is countered
on the way out. Condit checks a leg kick for the first time, and he
whiffs on a body kick but sprints forward with a trip and throw
takedown. Griffin manages to get back to his feet, only to meet a
right hand from Condit. Condit sits down on a right hand as well,
and a left to the body follows. Griffin keeps his right hand up
high to counter Condit, and he takes a kick to the body while
watching Condit’s movement. Condit’s pace appears to be growing
while Griffin’s is decreasing, and Condit advances with a spinning
kick that bounces off his intended target. Griffin scores a leg
kick, and Condit ducks down to trip his foe but cannot achieve it.
Condit unloads with several punches to the head and body, and he
marks up Griffin with a clean right hand. Condit reaches forward
with an elbow, a right hand, and a cartwheel kick that comes up
short. Condit ignores a low kick to crack Griffin on the chin, and
“The Natural Born Killer” ignores a leg kick so that he can
continue to strike. Griffin times Condit when Condit darts forward
with a right hand, and Condit leads the dance and boots “Pain” in
the side with a kick. Griffin pushes Condit away and the two jab at
the same time, and Condit slips and delivers a right hand. Condit
dips in with a left hand and a head kick, and the round ends when
Griffin kicks him back.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Condit
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Condit
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Condit

Round 3

Between rounds, we can see the damage on Condit’s nose, but he pays
it no mind and is ready for the final frame. Condit offers a glove
touch, and Griffin pushes his hand away and tries to get off an
overhand right. Condit ducks down and clocks Griffin in the chin
with a head kick, but the Californian eats it like a steak. Griffin
blitzes forward to attack, and he clubs Condit with a few punches
to make “The Natural Born Killer” fall into the cage wall. Condit
catches a body kick, and he pushes Griffin over to force Griffin to
roll through and get back up. As Griffin tries to stand up, Condit
batters him with strikes, until Griffin gathers his thoughts and
starts to land hard hooks. Griffin scores single punches square on
the chin, and Condit walks through them and throws right back at
him. Condit slips one such punch to land a left hand, and Griffin
stands tall and scores again. A three-punch combination stands
Condit up, but Condit is not concerned and instead is fired up as
he strings together a length combination to back Griffin up. At the
end of a salvo, Condit tags Griffin with a right hand, and Griffin
looks for a right hand counter but comes up short. Condit jabs out
and flusters Griffin for a moment, before stepping in with an
elbow. Condit advances with long, stinging jabs, and he walks
face-first into a right hand that he completely ignores. Condit
digs a left hand to the body and draws a pained reaction out of
“Pain,” and he shoots in for a takedown to keep Griffin guessing.
The takedown does not succeed, but Condit is able to knee in the
body a few times. Griffin smashes Condit in the face with a right
hand, and he bullies Condit into the fence and hits a takedown.
Griffin takes half guard, but Condit rolls and is able to stand up
after briefly threatening with an armbar. Griffin clings on to him
for one final takedown try, and Condit attacks with a kimura and a
guillotine but neither are there. Condit drops down to attack a leg
of his opponent, and he takes Griffin’s back at the bell. This is
going to be a close one.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Griffin)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28 Griffin)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Griffin (29-28
Griffin)

The Official Result

Max Griffin def. Carlos Condit via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 30-27)

Round 1

The main card opener draws a short-notice replacement for O’Malley
(13-1, 5-1 UFC), who now meets newcomer Moutinho (9-4, 0-0 UFC) in
a bantamweight clash of unusually colored hair. Referee Herb Dean
neglected to dye his own hair for this fight, and there is no glove
touch before the two get after it. Moutinho comes out guns blazing,
swinging at the heavy favorite but getting kicked away on the way
forward. O’Malley kicks the body and leg a few times, and Moutinho
is not concerned as he continues to press ahead. O’Malley scores
with long, reaching punches as Moutinho rushes in recklessly, and
Moutinho gets his head snapped back with a counter punch. Moutinho
gets off a few leg kicks of his own to make O’Malley stumble, and
he keeps his foot on the accelerator as he stalks “Sugar” down.
Three crisp punches land from O’Malley, and a front kick and a head
kick come up quickly. O’Malley stings Moutinho with several
punches, and Moutinho wears it well even as his green hair flows
around from every blow. Moutinho marches straight at O’Malley, not
cutting angles or doing anything besides walking directly at
O’Malley and trying to swarm him with punches. O’Malley rings the
Massachusetts native’s bell with an uppercut and several more
punches, and he decides to start showboating instead of finishing
his foe off. O’Malley lands flush to the head and body without
issue, and the green-haired Moutinho walks through them without
wobbling. O’Malley clips him with a left hand coming in, and
Moutinho charges fearlessly even as he gets tagged repeatedly.
Moutinho kicks the leg, O’Malley scores with a right hand, and a
front kick and a right hand follow as O’Malley’s accuracy is
virtually perfect. Moutinho laughs off strikes as he absorbs them,
and surprises O’Malley with a right hand as he leaps ahead.
Moutinho digs his shin into O’Malley’s lead leg, and he points at
his opponent when he lands it. Moutinho lands low with a kick and
absorbs punches and knees without even flinching. Moutinho springs
at him with looping right hands, and O’Malley counters well and
staggers him. Moutinho gets cracked with a crisp right hand and
falls to the ground, and O’Malley hunts for a choke but cannot get
it in time. Moutinho barely is able to make it to his corner
between rounds, but he does make it to the end of the first
period.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 O’Malley
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 O’Malley
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 O’Malley

Round 2

Moutinho is still hurt after trying the one-minute recovery period,
but when the bell rings, he rushes at O’Malley with big punches.
O’Malley continues to tag him with punches up top, and he snaps
Moutinho’s head back with several jabs and mixes it up with front
kicks. Moutinho eats a spinning kick to the body, and O’Malley
winds up with a body kick and a head kick. The chin on Moutinho
cannot be questioned as he plods forward seemingly unfazed as he
gets clobbered with quick strikes. Moutinho gets off a few kicks to
the body while he pursues O’Malley, and he throws hammers but
cannot find their target. O’Malley makes Moutinho’s knees weak with
a barrage of blows, but Moutinho is a resolute newcomer as he walks
through a head kick. Moutinho walks face-first into a right hand,
and he shakes it off and continues to give chase. Moutinho throws
with everything he has at “Sugar,” and O’Malley is there to dodge
the majority of the strikes and counter him effectively. Moutinho
stalks O’Malley down but he misses with his bombs as O’Malley
touches him again and again with crisp punches and clean front
kicks. Moutinho shrugs off the powerful strikes, even rolling with
a huge right hand from O’Malley, and he swarms O’Malley but ends up
colliding with his guard. Moutinho walks through a punch to land a
right hand, and he digs another to the body as O’Malley takes a
deep breath. Moutinho welcomes a brawl, and when he gets one, he
knocks O’Malley’s mouthpiece out. O’Malley ducks and blasts
Moutinho in the face with a right hand, and he looks shocked that
Moutinho is able to take it and keep coming. Moutinho ignores a
front kick to the body to tie him up against the fence, and he
lands a few short shots on the inside before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 O’Malley
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 O’Malley
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 O’Malley

Round 3

O’Malley opens the round with a stomp kick to the knee, and when he
lands another leg kick, Moutinho starts talking to his opponent.
Moutinho races forward to attack, and he eats punches and has his
nose busted up but is not concerned. He manages to get off a few
punches, and he may have stunned O’Malley for a moment with a
barrage. O’Malley ducks and cracks his man, taking deep breaths and
landing effectively with practically everything he throws. Moutinho
shakes his head after O’Malley kicks him in the head, and he
blitzes O’Malley but cannot corner him. Moutinho kicks O’Malley’s
lead leg several times and surprises O’Malley with a right hook,
but O’Malley replies with a trio of big punches. O’Malley digs a
few front kicks to the body and overhand rights score one after the
other, and Moutinho is bloodied but still walking forward as
Terminator comparisons ring true for the newcomer. O’Malley smashes
Moutinho in the face with several insane right hands, and Moutinho
keeps his pace and pressure without budging. Moutinho eats a right
hand and a stiff body kick, and he lands a right hand and points at
O’Malley. Moutinho sneaks up a head kick and the two land right
hands at the same time, but O’Malley strings together several more
before Moutinho can get there. O’Malley is the matador in this
fight, scoring again and again as Moutinho shrugs it off. O’Malley
punishes Moutinho with a long salvo of punches, and as Moutinho is
ready to fire back, Dean leaps in to call off the fight with an
unexpected standing TKO. Dean may have saved Moutinho from 30 more
seconds of brain trauma, as the strike totals were approaching Max
Holloway numbers, but Moutinho was not out on his feet and was
still throwing right back at his opponent. Fans are not thrilled by
that stoppage, and it’s hard to disagree with them. O’Malley was
working Moutinho over, and the numbers will back that up, but
Moutinho was still in the fight and ready to battle to the bitter
end.

The Official Result

Sean O’Malley def. Kris Moutinho R3 4:33 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

The lone catchweight contest of the night comes above the women’s
bantamweight division after Aldana (12-6, 5-4 UFC) missed weight.
Kunitskaya (14-5, 1 NC; 4-2 UFC) will be receiving 30 percent of
her opponent’s purse as a result, and the fight stayed together
with referee Jason Herzog taking the center of the Octagon. The
Mexican fighter offers an apologetic glove touch for her weight
error, and Kunitskaya accepts it. Kunitskaya commences her assault
on Aldana’s lead leg with a kick, and she tries to clinch up but
gets thwarted. When Aldana escapes, she gets kicked to the body and
evades an axe kick. Kunitskaya sinks a heavy leg kick home, and she
gets jabbed on the way in to break up a kicking salvo. She lands
another kick and a pair of punches before trying to tie up. When
she cannot clinch, she backs away and fires off a spinning kick,
but Aldana blocks it and winds up in the clinch. Aldana lands a
strike on the way in to bust Kunitskaya’s nose up, and the two
trade thudding knees to the body. Kunitskaya spins and misses with
a kick, and she takes a strong leg kick and gets clipped by a right
hand. Aldana dances on the outside with crisp boxing, and
Kunitskaya tries to get inside but eats a stern strike to the body
that makes her lower her right arm. Aldana takes a pair of body
kicks when she reaches to throw punches, and Kunitskaya counters
several punches ahead of time with longer kicks. Aldana is able to
get off an overhand right when Kunitskaya charges her, but
Kunitskaya is not concerned as she blitzes forward and knees Aldana
in the face. Out of nowhere, a clean left hand lifts Kunitskaya off
her feet and sets her on her back, and Aldana chases after her to
rain down punches and elbows. Kunitskaya defends herself with
upkicks as she flails her legs, and one foot slaps Aldana in the
face to give the Mexican fighter some pause. Aldana tries to get in
on her, but she absorbs several upkicks that keep her at bay. Aldan
drops down to pin Kunitskaya’s arm down and blast her in the face
with punches, doing damage and making Kunitskaya turn over. Herzog
warns Kunitskaya to defend herself as she gets pummeled with
vicious left hands from Aldana, and when a bloodied Kunitskaya
turns to her knees and starts taking thudding right hands, Herzog
calls a halt to the fight. This is a crucial win for the fighter
out of Mexico, who bounces back from a humbling loss to Holly Holm
to knock out a top-five opponent. In her post-fight interview,
Aldana does not want to rush a championship opportunity, much like
her countryman and current flyweight king Brandon Moreno.

The Official Result

Irene Aldana def. Yana Kunitskaya R1 4:35 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

As per usual, an unranked heavyweight brawl takes high placement on
the main card over other ranked fighters below it, this time with
Tuivasa (11-3, 5-3 UFC) and Hardy (7-3, 1 NC; 4-3, 1 NC UFC) ready
to throw fastballs. A full 527.5 pounds will measure between these
sluggers, along with 16 knockouts in their combined 18 victories.
Referee Mark Smith is already holding on to his proverbial hat
inside the Octagon, and the heavyweights decide to touch gloves
before throwing down. Hardy points to the center of the cage to
incite a brawl, and Tuivasa laughs it off with several heavy leg
kicks that catch Hardy off-guard. Hardy stings Tuivasa with a long
left hand, and he peppers Tuivasa with several jabs before
absorbing a popping leg kick. Tuivasa sits down on a right hand,
and Hardy eats it like a Vegemite sandwich and fires right back at
him. Both big men blast each other with power punches, and the
Aussie staggers as he backs off, surprised that Hardy’s right hand
on the temple hurt him. Hardy crashes in to put him away, and
Tuivasa is right there like Scott Smith against Pete Sell, nailing
Hardy with a right hand and freezing him in his tracks with a
missile of a left hand. Hardy’s legs crumble beneath him as if he
were a puppet that had its strings cut, and Tuivasa leaps on his
damaged opponent to pound him out. It does not take more than a
couple follow-up punches for Smith to call the fight, as Hardy’s
eyes roll back in his head from the hammering shots. A speedy
victory leads to Tuivasa leaping on top of the cage, and he calls
for his corner to supply him with his trademark celebratory
beverage. The commission does not get in the way, allowing the
ecstatic Aussie to drink beer out of a shoe to the delight of the
T-Mobile Arena. He calls on fans to supply him with more shoeys on
the way out in his post-fight interview, and pounds a few as he
strides back to the locker room. Jorge Masvidal is there to greet
him, and he meets “Bam Bam” with a warm, alcohol-soaked
embrace.

The Official Result

Tai Tuivasa def. Greg Hardy R1 1:07 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

The co-main event comes in the form of a potential welterweight
title eliminator between recent challenger Burns (19-4, 12-4 UFC)
and “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1, 11-4-1 UFC). This interesting
style matchup that presents a striker against a grappler – but that
grappler has heavy hands – could provide for some intriguing
action. Looking on is referee Marc Goddard, and there is nothing
but respect between these two 170-pounders who touch gloves to seal
the cage. Thompson keeps a traditionally wide stance, and Burns
mimics the same stance as the two try to find a way in. Neither
throw a single strike for the first 45 seconds, when Thompson lands
a light leg kick. Burns ducks down to throw an overhand right, and
he tries to chase “Wonderboy” down and land a huge shot and a head
kick, but they come up short. Burns dives low for a single, and
Thompson defends against the fence and fights off a subsequent
double leg takedown attempt as well. Burns continues to grind in
this position as the crowd starts to turn on the fighters, so Burns
knees Thompson in the thigh a few times. This stalemate continues
as Goddard calls for them to work, so Burns drops down for another
takedown try that comes up short. Burns picks up a single and lifts
Thompson up to set him down, where he finally gets the takedown he
was seeking. Burns hold on from a half guard position as he looks
to tie up an arm-triangle choke, and when “Wonderboy” scoots to the
fence, Burns lands a few right hands on him. Burns has the karateka
locked down in this position, keeping him grounded as Thompson
tries to work his way up the fence. Thompson posts off a hand to
get to his knees, and Burns thumps him in the chest with a hard
knee. Burns delivers right hands on the chin until Thompson stands
up, and the two men break away with seconds to go. As Burns charges
in, Thompson clips Burns with a right hand, and drops Burns to a
knee. When Burns stands up, Thompson fires off a head kick, and the
bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burns
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Burns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Burns

Round 2

The glove touch begins the second round, and “Wonderboy” starts off
with a solid kick to Burns’ calf. Thompson switches stances and
avoids a head kick to come up short with a spinning back kick of
his own. Thompson whiffs on a series of punches, as Burns backs off
to a safe distance before re-engaging to fire off a right hand.
Thompson gets off a kick to the body, and Burns returns fire with a
leg kick. “Wonderboy” irritates his foe with a few side kicks to
the leg and body, and he parries a leaping Burns with ease.
Thompson’s toes reach the midsection when he kicks, and he stands
tall when Burns kicks his thigh back. Thompson slings a head kick
that gets blocked in time, and a spinning heel kick gets through
the guard and may have hurt Burns. Burns charges like a man
possessed, throwing caution to the wind and catching Thompson on
the end of a right hand. “Wonderboy” hops out of the way and stings
Burns with a straight left hand, splitting the guard and making
Burns retreat. The karate fighter kicks the lead leg, follows it
with a few punches, and ignores a leg kick that comes his
direction. When Burns advances, Thompson is there with a side kick
to the chest to push the Brazilian back. Thompson pulls his leg
free when Burns advances to take him down, and he circles out to
crack Burns with a right hand. Thompson stays elusive and defensive
as he reaches a right hand out, and Burns intercepts him with a leg
kick and a right hand. Burns leaps forward and hits a takedown from
a long distance, putting Thompson on his seat against the fence.
Thompson returns to a knee at the 10-second clapper, and both men
start clubbing each other with right hands like a grounded version
of Frye-Takayama until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Thompson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Burns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Thompson

Round 3

The welterweights touch both hands to begin the last round, and
“Wonderboy” steps back to get off a head kick that is partially
blocked. A side kick that follows splits Burns’ guard and smacks
him in the face, and Thompson looks to follow it up with a few
lunging punches. Burns walks right into a right hand, and Burns
smiles at him and gets punched a few more times as his smile fades.
Thompson has Burns backpedaling as he lands whenever he throws a
strike, and Burns is stuck watching the karateka do work on him.
Burns takes a flush spinning heel kick to the side of the head and
drops to a knee, and when he scrambles back to his feet, he throws
hands with reckless abandon. Thompson welcomes it and lands a few
more strikes as he backs away to a safe distance, and Burns crashes
in to try to take him down. The attempt fails, but the redoubled
effort for Burns puts Thompson on his back in side control. With
Burns content to sit in this position as precious seconds tick off
the clock, both men punch one another in the side again and again.
Burns holds tight to keep “Wonderboy” stuck on the ground, pulling
Thompson’s wrist out when the American looks to stand back up.
Burns embraces the grind to pepper Thompson with short left hands,
racking up control time and scoring points with these punches.
Thompson tries to pull himself back up, but Burns is on him like
fly paper until he wraps his arm around Thompson’s neck. Thompson
sits down instead of falling into this choke, and Burns elects to
blatantly punch him several times to the back of the head and neck.
The crowd does not appreciate this final exchange, and the fans
shower the Brazilian with boos as the fight concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burns (29-28 Burns)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Burns (30-27 Burns)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Burns (29-28 Burns)

The Official Result

Gilbert Burns def. Stephen Thompson via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

The headliner is upon us. Although no belt is on the line for this
trilogy match, this has all of the “big fight feel.” Both Poirier
(27-5, 1 NC; 19-5, 1 NC UFC) and McGregor (22-5, 10-3 UFC) have
knocked one another out once, and both are angling to notch another
to end the series with a bang. The referee assigned to this marquee
matchup is Herb Dean, who was the cage official for both of their
previous meetings as well. There is no touch of gloves. McGregor
opens the fight with a spinning back kick that comes up short, and
he puts another together to land on Poirier’s arms. McGregor lands
to Poirier’s leg, and he goes up high but misses. Poirier fires off
a counter front kick that misses, and he absorbs several leg kicks.
A sharp left hand from McGregor catches Poirier off-guard, and he
lands another heavy leg kick. McGregor just misses with a huge
right hand, and the two men start trading vicious leg kicks.
McGregor assaults Poirier’s lead leg with kicks, and he follows one
with a solid overhand left. Poirier meets him with a big left hand,
and he hurts McGregor with another to force the Irishman to clinch
up with him. Poirier turns him around and attempts a single leg
takedown, and McGregor defends with a guillotine choke as Poirier
lifts him up and sets him down. McGregor cinches up the guillotine
choke as Poirier lowers himself into the guard, and he is forced to
let it go when Poirier steps over the cage. Poirier pops his head
out and sits up to land a left hand, and McGregor ties him up but
gets elbows in the face for his effort. McGregor elbows Poirier in
the side of the head, and he hacks at Poirier with these elbows
while Poirier gathers himself and gets into the guard. Poirier
starts unloading with ferocious elbows on McGregor, who absorbs
them all without blocking a single blow. Poirier sits up and nails
McGregor in the face, and McGregor upkicks his foe off of him for a
moment. Poirier climbs back into the guard, and he postures up to
sting McGregor with ground-and-pound. Poirier avoids an upkick and
rocks McGregor, and McGregor rocks Poirier with an upkick. Poirier
smashes his opponent with elbow after unanswered elbow, and
McGregor sits down with a guillotine choke but does not have it
tied up. “The Diamond” backs off to complain about McGregor
grabbing his gloves, and Dean allows McGregor to stand back up in
the confusion. Poirier sits down on a huge right hand that appears
to knock McGregor off of his feet, and McGregor falls to his seat
and his ankle twists in a horrible way. When the horn sounds, it is
clear that McGregor is done, and there is no way this fight will
continue. The doctor practically sprints into the cage to observe
the damage that was done to McGregor’s leg, and Dean quickly
notices that McGregor’s leg is either broken, dislocated or
something else gnarly. This is unquestionably a disappointing
ending to what was shaping up to be a wild one, but Poirier now
goes two-up on McGregor with two knockouts – this one a TKO – to
his credit. Upon seeing the replay, McGregor took a bad step after
both men swung for the fences, and his leg folded beneath him.
McGregor shouts to Dean to end the fight by doctor stoppage and not
for some other method of victory for his opponent, and he is
incensed at the result and appears to want to do it again soon when
he recovers.

In his post-fight interview, Poirier claims that McGregor broke his
leg on a checked kick, and that the damage was done as the round
progressed and a strike landed to send McGregor off-balance and
snap the ankle. Poirier explains his frustration with McGregor’s
rhetoric in the leadup to their match, about how McGregor wanted to
kill him. Poirier wishes that McGregor goes home to his family and
heals up, in a sharp contrast to the way McGregor carried himself.
He then dedicates his victory to a young man fighting cancer,
saying that the young man is a real warrior.

An incensed McGregor is then interviewed from a seated position,
and he screams, “this is not over!” McGregor further insults
Poirier, cursing at the man that just got his hand raised and
trying to incite drama about Poirier’s wife. Poirier all but
ignores it, walking out of the cage while several commissioners and
security guards keep them separated – even while McGregor is
receiving a splint on his leg while sitting down. If there is to be
a fourth match, you better believe we will be here for it, and we
hope you are too. What a wild night of fights.

The Official Result

Dustin Poirier def. Conor McGregor R1 5:00 via TKO (Doctor
Stoppage)