UFC Fight Night 143: Cejudo vs Dillashaw, Live Updates, Commentary & Highlights, January 19th, 2019

It's a Champion vs Champion Super Fight! Cejudo vs Dillashaw - Flyweight Championship Of The World!

4/5 fights have finished tonight! What an incredible night! Thank you to everyone for joining us! If you follow WWE, we'll be back for coverage of Monday Night RAW. If not, we'll see you next month for UFC 234. Thank you and good night!

The Messenger is the first to get the new belt wrapped around his waist!#UFCBrooklyn @HenryCejudo pic.twitter.com/AP9FIUhmTt
— UFC (@ufc) January 20, 2019

HENRY CEJUDO!!!!!!!

Messaged. Sent. WOW!!!!! #UFCBrooklyn @HenryCejudo pic.twitter.com/5gx41CdUOM
— UFC (@ufc) January 20, 2019

Round 1:

Cejudo and Dillashaw get right into it. Cejudo lands a straight right into Dillashaw and just goes after him. He punches and punches and punches and Dillashaw gets up, only to get knocked down again.

Dillashaw is finished!! It's not even been a minute! AND STILL!

Henry Cejudo defeats TJ Dillashaw in round 1 by TKO to retain the UFC Flyweight Championship

Here comes the flyweight champ!@HenryCejudo #UFCBrooklyn pic.twitter.com/i405k24O68
— UFC (@ufc) January 20, 2019

We've arrived at the MAIN EVENT!

Flyweight champ 🏆 @HenryCejudo defends the strap against bantamweight champ 🏆 @TJDillashaw NOW on @ESPN+

➡️ https://t.co/eokxjb94Oj ⬅️ pic.twitter.com/tCXtlouQvM
— UFC (@ufc) January 20, 2019

It's time for the Champion vs Champion Superfight!

Henry Cejudo (c) vs TJ Dillashaw - UFC Flyweight Championship

Round 2:

Crowder doing a good shop to prevent the right hand. Hardy is already breathing form his mouth.

Crowder talks trash and urges Hardy to come on to him. Hardy eats a couple of punches but stuffs a takedown. Hardy hits a knee to the head of Crowder WHILE HIS KNEE is FULLY DOWN. The ref stops it instantly and separates them.

He says that if he can't continue, Hardy is being DQ'd.

And it's stopped. Allen Crowder wins by disqualification

Greg Hardy goes right for it and Crowder eats a few shots in the early going. Crowder presses up against Hardy and eats a shot in the process.

Hardy reverses it and lands a couple of more shots. He goes for the jab and stuffs a takedown. Crowder takes Hardy down. How will he respond?

Crowder is wearing Hardy down with side control. He let him step over to try and get the cruicifix. Hardy manages to get back to his feet and Crowder leans on him, trying to get him back to the mat. He tries going for the jumping guillotine but Hardy outpowers him and has him on the ground. Bad move by Crowder. Hardy transitions and it goes back up, with Greg Hardy landing a punch right as the buzzer hits.

Greg Hardy vs Allen Crowder

A big right from Gillespie and the ground and pound begins, forcing Medeiros to change direction. Gillespie might be finding some openings.

Medeiros eats a knee to the body and has been stiffled throughout. Gillespie is just landing that ground and pound and ALMOST lands the choke, but the ground and pound is enough for the referee to stop the fight.

Just seconds before the round ended, Gillespie gets the win.

Gregor Gillespie defeats Yancy Medeiros by 2nd round TKO

Round 2:

We start on the feet and Gillespie is looking for his spot to go for the takedown. Gillespie goes for the takedown and goets the single leg takedown. Medeiros is holdhing him back by locking his arm, but Gregor Gillespie has his back.

He's trying to go for the RNC but Medeiros prevents it. Gillespie is in top control. Gillespie is going for the arm triangle.

Guaranteed Fireworks!@Gregor_The_Gift takes on @YMedeiros LIVE on @ESPN+ #UFCBrooklyn pic.twitter.com/MhP3MWGVFB
— UFC (@ufc) January 20, 2019

Gillespie continues to get the takedowns but Medeiros isn't having it. He keeps getting up and there's no breathing room. Medeiros isn't able to hold him down though

Round 1 is over and Gillespie won this by a big amrgin

Medeiros and Gillespie begins with Gillespie attempting the takedown. He secures one and Yancy tries to get up nut eats a kne

Gillespie is in control and uses the knee to the body. Some top level grappling here. Yancy flips over but Gillespie ultimately keeps control!

Now Medeiros has control but Gillespie uses his supreme wrestling to take him down.

Gregor Gillespie vs. Yancy Medeiros

The champ is here!@BlessedMMA #UFCBrooklyn pic.twitter.com/h5QUnmRZma
— UFC (@ufc) January 20, 2019

🗣 By Unanimous Decision!@JoeJitsu gets it done! #UFCBrooklyn pic.twitter.com/KhDFA1ZuhL
— UFC (@ufc) January 20, 2019

29-28 by all 3 judges - Unanimous decision win for Joseph Benavidez!

Benavidez eats a body kick and a strike. Benavidez lands a takedown in the early going. Ortiz gets warned about his elbows and the angle.

Benavidez isn't able to get Ortiz's weight on but Joe B still manages to secure his back. He momentarily has his arms on his neck but Ortiz escapes.

Ortiz is doing a good job to prevent the Rear Naked Choke. He goes to the side and FINALLY manages to break out. Joe B is still in control though. We're coming to a close and Benavidez is completely controlling the grappling exchanges. This is EXHAUSTING!

Ortiz momentarily escapes again and tries to get Joe B's back. Benavidez does a good job to prevent giving his back away. Final ten seconds and Ortiz lands a strike. It's all over! They go the distance!

It appears that they won a round each.

Ortiz stuffs Benavidez's take down. He has his head locked and Benavidez eats a knee to the chest. Benavidez tries to secure a knockdown but misses. Ortiz is beginning to find the range this round. Once more, Benavidez changes levels and tries to go for the takedown.

Ortiz is withholding the takedown and making sure that it stays on the feet. They're wrestling transitions are incredible! Ortiz is now on top and forces Benavidez to give his back. Benavidez beautifully moves around and switches to the dominant position. Ortiz once again transitions out and it's on the feet again!

Benavidez lands a clean left and Ortiz goes for the takedown. HE hands a clean takedown and has Benavidez's back. It looks like he's about to choke him out but Benavidez prevents that from happening!

One minute left to go and Benavidez eats a body kick but eats a BIG LEFT from BENAVIDEZ! He's knocked down and Benavidez is on top mount! Benavidez is trying to take his back but Ortiz has his hands locked from behind. What an end to RAW 1!

Round 1:

Ortiz takes the center of the Octagon but takes 2 calf kicks early. Benavidez hits a nice left. Benavidez misses a hard punch and seems to lose balance. He has a front headlock on Ortiz, who tries to take him down.

Ortiz better be careful of Benavidez's guillotine. He's a little too high-up. Ortiz manages to use short strikes to escape the predicament. Ortiz kicks Benavidez down with a leg kick to the body. Ortiz scrambles after a takedown attempt and now HE is in control.

Nice first round so gar. Ortiz lands a knee to the body and has Benavidez headlocked. Benavidez does a nice little level change.

And we begin!

Joseph Benavidez vs Dustin Ortiz

Ah, the replay showed that VanZant clearly had her weight on her elbow. Ostovich tapped and PVZ let go like a true sportswoman. Ostovich seems out of it, with her head still facing the floor. PVZ goes to console her.

Round 2:

VanZant lands low with a kick and eats a punch. PVZ tries to go with the superman opunch but Ostovich lands a punch and it allows her to get the takedown on PVZ. Ostovich is already on the left. Van Zant flips her over and now PVZ is in control! PVZ is hitting the ground and pound and then she seemingly lands an armbar. It seems like Ostovich tapped and the ref stops it, but we didnt see the tap. Could be verbal.

Paige VanZant def. Rachael Ostovich by 2nd round submission

PVZ isn't in any danger yet but Ostovich commits to the top mount. VanZant has her legs locked. PVZ tries to counter her into a leg lock but Ostovich scrambles. Ostovich is in big trouble but she kicks her away and they're back up. Instantly, Ostovich has PVZ on the ground, and just as she goes for an armbar, round one ends!

VanZant seems to get a feint head kick on Ostovich. VanZant gets taken down and Ostovich is on top mount.

VanZant grapples with Ostovich and has her locked in. Due to the lack of action, the referee Kevin McDonalnd stands them up.

Ostovich seemingly knocks VanZant down with a big right and she's got her legs locked and her arms wrapped around, attempting a submission.

Paige VanZant vs Rachael Ostovich

Glover is in control now. Karl Roberson seems to be in an arm triangle but he does a good job to escape.

How things have turned around! Glover lands another arm triangle, and this time it's locked in! ROBERSON TAPS!

Glover Teixeira def. Karl Roberson by 1st round submission

Roberson has top control and mounted. He's landing some GOOD SHOTS! Theye're back on the feet but he fails a first takedown attempt before landing it!

Glover starts with the feeling out process. Roberson gets a body kick right off the bat.
A level change from Glover sees him eat an elbow and then a series of elbows to the head. HE'S ALREADY IN TROUBLE!

Welcome to the first UFC on ESPN+!

We start off with Glover Teixeira vs Karl Roberson

This was supposed to be UFC 233 but it's UFC's first event on ESPN! It's a champion vs champion superfight!

Henry Cejudo (c) vs. T.J. Dillashaw - World Flyweight Championship

Greg Hardy vs. Allen Crowder

Gregor Gillespie vs. Yancy Medeiros

Joseph Benavidez vs. Dustin Ortiz

Paige VanZant vs. Rachael Ostovich

Glover Teixeira vs. Karl Roberson