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UFC's biggest PPV of the year lived up to all the billing. The fans witnessed the fastest knockout in UFC history as the Ben Askren hype train was brought to a screeching halt.
Let's not waste any more time and get to the results and highlights of the show:
UFC 239 Results: Prelims
Arnold Allen def. Gilbert Melendez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Marlon Vera def. Nohelin Hernandez via submission (rear naked choke) (3:25, Round 2)
Claudia Gadelha def. Randa Markos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Song Yadong def. Alejandro Perez via KO (punch) (2:04, Round 1)
Edmen Shahbazyan def. Marshman via submission (rear naked choke) (1:12, Round 1)
Chance Rencountre def. Ismail Naurdiev via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Julia Avila def. Pannie Kianzad via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)
UFC 239 Results: Main Card
#1. Michael Chiesa vs. Diego Sanchez (Welterweight)
Round 1: Surprisingly enough, it was Sanchez who got the early takedown. The initial success faded away as Chiesa got back to his feet and then took Sanchez down with a hip throw. From there on, it was Chiesa all the way.
Chiesa was smooth as butter as he took control of the fight by exerting his grappling dominance. Sanchez's corner yelled 'crack the coconut' at him, which indicated an elbow to the head.
However, Sanchez just survived without taking any more damage to see out the round. Chiesa was all over Sanchez all throughout the round, as he kept working for submissions from various positions.
10-8 Chiesa
Round 2: Chiesa took Sanchez down with relative ease within seconds. Things were flowing as Chiesa moved from technique to technique. He almost got in a rear naked choke but settled for some ground and pound.
Sanchez got up to his feet only to be sent back down to the mat. Chiesa's ground and pound continued. Punch after punch, absolute ruthlessness from Chiesa who kept moving around and attacking from all positions.
Chiesa flattened him out and unleashed a barrage of strikes. He almost got in the hooks for a rear naked choke again but Sanchez flipped around, which elicited a pop from fans. Diego chants broke out in the arena.
Chiesa got to work again and took the fight to the ground again. He worked towards a Kimura on Sanchez's left arm with a couple of seconds to go and held on till the bell.
10-8 Chiesa
Round 3: Sanchez was told to go '100 %' by his corner. He had no option since he was two rounds down. Round 3 was the same story as the previous two rounds though as Chiesa caught Sanchez's kick and effortlessly took him down again.
Chiesa wrapped himself around Sanchez in a crucifix position. The latter, though, hung in there. As Joe Rogan pointed out, it was watching a blue belt competing against an elite black belt fighter. Back to the mat again and Chiesa was on the back of Sanchez. He looked for the Triangle from the top but Sanchez slipped his head out in time.
Chiesa had some wrist control as well as Sanchez's back. Sanchez tried to get up but Chiesa relentlessly kept him down near the cage.
Despite all his efforts, Chiesa just couldn't hand Sanchez his first submission loss.
Result: Michael Chiesa def. Diego Sanchez via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
With 11:05 control time, 5 takedowns and 125 total strikes, it was a blatant show of dominance from Chiesa.
#2. Luke Rockhold vs. Jan Blachowicz (Light Heavyweight)
Round 1: Luke Rockhold started with a high body kick from the get-go. The left kicks came in thick and fast from Rockhold, which pushed Jan back to the cage.
Rockhold clinched with Jan and attempted to get into a grappling match with the highly proficient Blachowicz. Rockhold tried to yank him down, but Jan stayed strong. Rockhold then got hold of Jan's neck and tried to take him down again.
Blachowicz got some good elbows in from the clinch and then landed a solid elbow before breaking up. Rockhold continued to fire off kicks though.
Jan attacked just when Rockhold switched stances. He even kept checking the kicks in from Rockhold. The high left kicks were a staple for Rockhold on the night.
Jan absolutely rocked Rockhold with a kick to the back of the head right at the sound of the bell.
Round 2: Rockhold began with an early front kick while coming in, however, Jan tagged him with a left. Blachowicz landed kicks of his own, crisp and accurate to the side of Rockhold.
The two men clinched again, with Blachowicz getting some good short punches and elbows in.
They two men broke up and Blachowicz connected with a picture-perfect left-hand strike right to the chin. Rockhold fell to the ground as Jan jumped in to apply the finishing touches. After absorbing all the trash talk, Blachowicz had the last laugh with a well-placed left hook.
Result: Jan Blachowicz def. Luke Rockhold via TKO (Left Hook and punches) (1:39, Round 2)
Rockhold began the fight with a decent game plan but diverted to clinching and grappling with Jan. It proved the contributing factor to Rockhold's downfall as he got tagged with a left hook on the break.
Now the question remains, what's next for Rockhold after losing his first fight at 205 lbs?
#3. Jorge Masvidal vs. Ben Askren (Welterweight)
Round 1: Bell. 1...2...3...4...5. Boom! Fastest knockout in UFC history!
Masvidal rushed in and stunned Askren with a monstrous knee right off the gate. Two hammer fists and that was all she wrote! Askren was just handed his first pro-MMA loss but the manner in which it happened was absolutely breathtaking.
Result: Jorge Masvidal def. Ben Askren via TKO
We'll just let the highlights do the talking.
#4. Holly Holm vs. Amanda Nunes (UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship)
Round 1: Loud chants for Holly Holm rang out as both fighters began cautiously. Holm was in Southpaw while Nunes was in the orthodox position. Holm got a loud pop with a right-hand strike that may have woken Nunes up. Nunes used a lot of feints as both women looked to get a read of each other's range.
Holm came in with a combination but missed following which both women exchanged knees in the clinch. The fight went to the ground and back up again within seconds. Holm and Nunes fired side and front kicks as the fans continued to be high on Holm. Nunes got - and landed - a left and began to find her groove as the volume of strikes kept improving.
And then it came - a head kick out of nowhere. Holm got rocked and her knees just gave up.
Result: Amanda Nunes def. Holly Holm via TKO (head kick and punches) (4:10, Round 1)
Another performance that validates Nunes' claim for being the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time.
#5. Jon Jones (C) vs. Thiago Santos (UFC Light Heavyweight Championship)
It was time for the main event! Could Thiago Santos pull off the biggest upset in recent memory? Let's find out.
Round 1: Both men began in Southpaw positions. Jones opened up with the kicks and Santos did the same, attacking both legs in the opening minute.
Santos moved nicely and looked awfully relaxed against Jones who shot for the legs and almost caught Santos with a spinning back elbow on the break. Jones tried to keep the distance with the oblique kicks and then shot for an overhead kick. Santos fired back with a calf kick.
Santos came in with a combination that knocked Jones' mouthpiece out. He landed another right after an exchange. Santos then waited for Jones to come to him and got the better of the exchanges.
Jones connected with a solid spinning body kick to end the round. Tough round to score.
Round 2: Jones began the round in the orthodox stance. Santos weirdly hit himself but recovered and pushed Jones back with a combination only to be met by a good inside leg kick from Jones.
Santos answered with an outside leg kick. Jones was being extremely respectful of the power that Santos possessed although it seemed like Santos had a slight niggle in his knee. Jones began to find his distance but ate a body kick. Santos had a tough time moving around as his left leg was giving him a lot of problems.
He lost balance after a Jones kick. However, he kept rushing in and tried to connect with bombs. Jones blocked most of the strikes and avoided all that he could.
The scorecards kept ticking as both men had the same number of significant strikes in the second round, at 9. Jones ended the round with two wild spinning kicks.
10-9 Santos
Round 3: Santos tweaked his knee in the second round and may have torn his ACL. The fight went on though. Santos moved fine but his head kick got caught by Jones. He then ate three big strikes and walked forward with an iron chin to knock Santos down.
Jones followed it up with a big knee. He began to pick up the pace and landed a few kicks to Santos' legs. Jones' elbows came to the fore and one of them opened up a cut on Santos' forehead. A nice head kick followed by a side kick and body kick by Jones proved that 'Bones' was finally here.
Jones ended the round with a spinning back elbow.
10-9 Jones
Round 4: Santos came in hot in the first Championship round! Jones escaped a flurry of strikes and steadied the ship before launching a wheel kick attempt. Despite having hurt his knee, Santos kept using his left leg for various strikes.
Jones kept connecting with the leg kicks. Oblique, side, and body - Jones mixed it up really well and it was painful to watch Santos struggle with his left knee.
10-9 Jones
Round 5: A beautiful body kick from Santos opened the round. The Brazilian knew he had five minutes to pull off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Santos attempted a kick and a few big shots but Jones just absorbed them like they were nothing.
90 seconds to go and the fight was yet to go to the ground. Santos had the big power shots in the Championship round and that could have proven detrimental to Jones' fortunes.
Result: Jon Jones def. Thiago Santos (48-49, 49-48, 49-48) via split decision
As Jones admitted amidst a chorus of boos in the post-fight interview, the champ played it smart. Santos gave Bones one of his best fights in recent years. The Brazilian could have pulled off an upset if his knee had held up. A rematch you reckon?
