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UFC's women took centre stage once more with a marquee main event title bout in the final event of 2017 between Featherweight Champion, Cris Cyborg and former Bantamweight Champion, Holly Holm.
On paper, Holm had the tools to challenge Cyborg. This was the champion's biggest test to date and she overcame it; just. Holm, despite landing plenty of shots did not have enough strength to seriously put the champion on the back foot. However, Holm did do enough to put Cyborg off of her game and came nowhere close to finishing Holm either. As a result, the bout was a fairly dull war of attrition.
The co-main event did not deliver on excitement either. It was a one-sided squash for the future Lightweight Champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Khabib stuck to his rigid but effective gameplan of beating his opponent down in the mount. Edson Barboza had no answer. He effectively lost every round 10-8. It was a massacre.
Dan Hooker earned a submission win over Marc Diakiese in another boring encounter. Hooker fought a slow, slow pace before maneuvering Diakiese into position for a guillotine choke for the victory.
Carla Esparza defeated fellow Strawweight Cynthia Calvillo as she attempted to climb the rankings once more to regain the division title. Calvillo actually thought she had won the bout after the time expired and celebrated until Esparza was named the winner. However, that was the correct call from the judges. Esparza just outworked her inexperienced opponent throughout the contest and was the busier and more varied striker. Calvillo probably thought she had inflicted more damage but her opponent fought the better fight.
Neil Magny put yet another nail in Carlos Condit's faltering MMA career as he inflicted a third consecutive defeat on the former Interim Welterweight Champion of the world. Condit looked like he had nothing left in the tank and Magny, despite his win didn't look all that great in victory either.
UFC 219 drew 380,000 buys on pay per view.
