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UFC on ESPN: Velasquez vs Ngannou was a big card when it comes to the future of UFC. The card had several fights which determined the future course of UFC as a company in the Heavyweight Division.
In the main event, a returning legendary fighter, Cain Velasquez, faced Francis Ngannou in a fight that might just determine who fights next for the UFC Heavyweight Championship against Daniel Cormier. After a less than impressive 2018, Francis Ngannou was able to finish the year on a good note by beating Curtis Blaydes -- that is the form he was to continue. Cain Velasquez, on the other hand, has been away from the Octagon for the better part of 2.5 years. He was looking to make his return on a good note.
In the co-main event, James Vick and Paul Felder faced each other. Vick and Felder had been set to face each other last month, at UFC 233, but their fight was rescheduled when the pay-per-view was cancelled.
Now, without any more ado, let's take a look at all the results from UFC tonight.
Preliminary Card Results
Bantamweight: Jimmie Rivera vs. Aljamain Sterling: Results - Aljamain Sterling defeated Jimmie Rivera via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Bantamweight: Benito Lopez vs. Manny Bermudez: Results - Manny Bermudez defeated Benito Lopez via Submission (Modified Guillotine Choke, Round 1, 3 minutes and 9 seconds)
Women's Flyweight: Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Andrea Lee: Results -
Lightweight: Scott Holtzman vs. Nik Lentz: Results -
Early Preliminary Card Results
Bantamweight: Renan Barão vs. Luke Sanders: Results - Luke Sanders defeated Renan Barao via TKO (Round 2, 1 minute and 1 seconds)
Women's Strawweight: Aleksandra Albu vs. Emily Whitmire: Results - Emily Whitmire defeated Aleksandra Albu via Submission (Rear Naked Choke, Round 1, 1 minute and 1 seconds)
#1 Featherweight: Andre Fili vs Myles Jury Results:
Round 1 Results: The first round saw Andre Fili with the upper hand. He landed numerous jabs on his opponent, and it looked like there was no stopping the fury of Andre Fili. He busted Jury's nose open with a hard strike.
Jury got somewhat of a control back later in the round.
Round 2 Results: The second round saw Myles Jury make somewhat of a comeback during the fighting. They exchanged kicks and strikes, with Jury knocking down Fili with a Spinning back-fist, but could not really keep him down.
Round 3 Results: The third round saw Jury back in control of the fight, but Fili quickly gained it back. Jury landed a couple of big shots on Fili, but the rest of the round was all about Fili. They traded shots to end the round.
Final Result: Andre Fili defeated Myles Jury via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
#2 Welterweight: Vicente Luque vs Bryan Barberena Results
Round 1 Results: The second fight was an insane contest between two fighters with an enormous amount of respect for each other. Luque landed a couple of big lefts on Barberena, but was left in a lurch when he was thrown down to the ground by his opponent. Luque took his back on the ground, but Barberena got out on his own power. He landed a number of bad elbows on Luque!
Round 2 Results: Barberena started off the round showing his ability -- walking through his opponent's offence as if it was nothing to him. Barberena landed a few big shots on Luque himself, as the two brawled. A head kick from Luque and two shots and a knee at the end actually hurt Barberena badly for the first time.
Round 3 Results: In the third round, the two traded blows with Luque looking for a finish so that no doubt was left about the fight. Luque hit Barberena with a big right followed by a bigger knee, and that was all. With only 6 seconds left in the fight, Luque knocked out his opponent and won his UFC fight.
Final Result: Vicente Luque defeated Bryan Barberena via TKO (Round 3, 4 minutes and 54 seconds).
#3 Featherweight: Alex Caceres vs Kron Gracie Results
Round 1 Results: The fight between Alex Caceres and Kron Gracie was an important one for Gracie. Coming from a family with the amount of lineage that he has, there were eyes on his fight, with fighters like Conor McGregor keeping a watch out on what he was doing.
The fight saw Caceres start throwing out the offence, but it would not last for long. Gracie turned the fight on Caceres, hitting him with a right hook, a countering left, followed by a body lock. Gracie took complete control from that position, as he dragged his opponent to the ground and then without giving an opportunity, locked in the body triangle.
Gracie managed to cinch in the choke and that was all that he needed to pick up the big win.
Final Result: Kron Gracie defeated Alex Caceres via Submission (Rear Naked Choke, Round 1, 2 minutes and 6 seconds)
#4 Women's Strawweight: Cortney Casey vs Cynthia Calvillo Results
Round 1 Results: Both women struck each other early in their UFC fight, but they were checking each other out early on, rather than fighting each other straight away. Cynthia Calvillo got the upper hand later on in the fight, sending Casey to the ground, and striking Casey with body shots.
Round 2 Results: Casey kept her focus on the legs of Cynthia Calvillo. Calvillo kept trying but could not find the opportunity she wanted to take her opponent down to the ground, something that Casey was extremely gleeful about. Calvillo's leg was beaten up by the end of the 2nd round.
Round 3 Results: The third round saw more hard-hitting offence between the two fighters. Cynthia Casey hit a couple of hard rights, and more leg kicks focusing on Calvillo. But Calvillo came back rights of her own, which sent the crowd and Casey into fits. It was a standup fight between the two at UFC on ESPN 1.
Final Result: Cynthia Calvillo defeated Cortney Casey via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
#5 Lightweight: James Vick vs Paul Felder Results
Round 1 Results: James Vick kept his chin exposed for the beginning of the round. That was something Felder took advantage of. He advanced on Vick with jabs and a spinning back fist, but Vick came back with a number of kicks of his own which he missed. Felder went for leg kicks, and avoided the shots aimed at himself. Towards the end of 1st round, Felder almost knocked Vick out but a last minute clinch saved him.
Round 2 Results: The second round was a vastly different round, but Felder continued to attack Vick's legs with Calf Kicks. The battle between the two was technical, and saw Felder catch Vick a number of times. But in the end, it was Paul Felder who dominated the round.
Round 3 Results: The final round of the technical masterclass saw Felder avoid more shots and land a couple of his own, as he shook Vick with a left-hook. The two fighters focused on each other, as Vick looked to land enough shots to get a win, but, Felder did his work better than anyone could have expected.
Final Result: Paul Felder defeated James Vick via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
#6 Heavyweight: Francis Ngannou vs Cain Velasquez Results
Round 1 Results: Cain Velasquez and Francis Ngannou faced each other in a fight that everyone had been waiting for.
Velasquez made his much awaited return to the Octagon after more than 2.5 years. Despite his time away from the Octagon, he was the favourite for the fight by far.
In round 1, within seconds of the start, there was disappointment waiting for the fans and Cain Velasquez. Velasquez landed a good one two on Ngannou, he then tried to pick him up which saw him get a bad shot to the face and then his knee buckled completely and looked like it blew out. The fight ended as a result, and Ngannou closed it off with two shots to the face.
The referee had to call a stop to it.
Final Result: Francis Ngannou defeated Cain Velasquez via Knockout (Round 1, 26 Seconds)
