Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. When Stephen
Thompson fights at his pace and on his terms, he remains a
sight to behold and one of the toughest outs in the sport. “Wonderboy” outstruck and outmaneuvered rising Fortis MMA star
Geoff
Neal across five rounds and kept his spot in line in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight division, as he
was awarded a unanimous decision in the
UFC Fight Night 183 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas. Thompson (16-4-1, 11-4-1 UFC) pitched a shutout, earning
50-45 scores from all three cageside judges.
Both men battled through serious cuts, the result of an inadvertent
clash of heads in the first round. Neal (13-3, 5-1 UFC) had issues
with the karateka’s movement and speed for much of the 25-minute
confrontation, enjoying brief periods of success when he managed to
close the distance. However, Thompson worked two or three moves
ahead in their game of chess. He cut loose with linear punching
combinations, zeroed in on the body with spinning kicks and
targeted the gash on Neal’s right eyebrow with penetrating jabs. A
leg injury suffered near the end of the fourth run limited
Thompson’s mobility, but he was all too willing to plant his feet
and exchange with the heavy-handed Texan.
The loss was Neal’s first since Jan. 28, 2017, and brought his
career-best seven-fight winning streak to an end.
Rejuvenated Aldo Outpoints Vera
Nova Uniao’s Jose Aldo
returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in nearly two
years, as he laid claim to a unanimous decision over “The Ultimate
Fighter Latin America” semifinalist Marlon Vera
in the three-round bantamweight co-main event. Aldo (29-7, 11-6
UFC) drew 29-28 scores from all three judges and put a stop to a
troubling three-fight losing streak.
Vera (16-7-1, 10-6 UFC) focused his efforts on the legs, attacking
the former UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting champion with a
steady stream of kicks. He also enjoyed success in the clinch,
where he peppered the Brazilian with close-range knees. It was not
enough. Aldo responded with crisp punching combinations and some
patented leg kicks of his own. He turned in a rare takedown in the
third round, climbed onto the Team Oyama export’s back and secured
his position with a body triangle. From there, he bled precious
time off the clock, frustrated Vera with merciless control and
fished for rear-naked chokes.
The setback was just the second in eight appearances for Vera.
Composed Pereira Edges Williams
Front kicks to the body, close-range knee strikes and timely
takedowns carried former Serbian Battle Championship titleholder
Michel
Pereira to a contentious unanimous decision over Kalinn
Williams in featured welterweight scrap. All three cageside
judges scored it the same: 29-28 in favor of Pereira (25-11, 3-2
UFC).
Williams (11-2, 2-1 UFC) struggled to find the Brazilian in a fog
of feints and unorthodox movements. He did his best work when he
countered kicks with shots to the head and plowed forward behind
multi-punch bursts. However, Pereira was behind the dramatic swings
in momentum, as he threatened the Murcielago MMA product with a
standing rear-naked choke at the end of the second round and
connected with a head kick and backed it up by pairing a takedown
with meaningful ground-and-pound in the waning seconds of the
third.
The defeat halted Williams’ eight-fight winning streak.
Font Blitzes Reeling Moraes
Onetime CES MMA titleholder Rob Font cut
down American Top Team’s Marlon
Moraes with punches in the first round of their hotly
anticipated bantamweight feature. Font (18-4, 8-3 UFC) drew the
curtain 3:47 into Round 1, as he extended his winning streak to
three fights.
Moraes (23-8-1, 5-4 UFC) surprised the New England Cartel founder
with two early takedowns and an attempted guillotine choke, but the
former
World Series of Fighting champion failed to consolidate his
efforts with positional control or ground-and-pound. Back on his
feet, Font went to work. A stiff jab drove Moraes backward, and a
right uppercut marked the beginning of the end. The Brazilian
staggered and collapsed, at which point he was met with a hellacious barrage of punches and
hammerfists. Referee Marc Goddard gave Moraes every chance to
recover, but Font offered no such refuge.
The 32-year-old Moraes has lost three of his last four fights.
Continue Reading »
UFC Fight Night 183 Prelims: Anthony Pettis Rallies, Decisions Alex
Morono in Las Vegas
Resilient Tybura Dismisses Hardy
Former M-1 Global champion Marcin
Tybura withstood considerable punishment before putting away
Greg
Hardy with punches in the second round of their heavyweight
showcase. Tybura (21-6, 8-5 UFC) slammed the door 4:31 into Round
2, pushing his run of consecutive victories to four.
Hardy (7-3, 4-3 UFC) attacked the body and head with equal aplomb
in the first round — during one sequence, he connected with six or
seven right hands in succession — and appeared to have everything
in order. Tybura had other plans. The Syndicate MMA-trained Pole
moved Hardy backward with punches and pressure, executed a takedown
and climbed to half guard against the former National Football
League Pro Bowler. Fatigued and out of his element, Hardy wilted.
After delivering a few knees to the body, Tybura cut loose with punches and hammerfists.
Hardy was unresponsive, even as referee Dan Miragliotta hovered
above urging him to defend himself. Soon after, Miragliotta moved
in to call for the stoppage.
The setback snapped Hardy’s two-fight winning streak. 
