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411’s UFC 218 Report 12.2.17

December 3, 2017 | Posted by Robert Winfree

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 218. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for this event, relaying all of the action to you good people just as I see it. I’m not gonna lie guys, that event last night seriously did a number on me. It was such a horrible drag, it genuinely dampened my enthusiasm for this event. But tonight is a much better card on paper, so let’s just hope in execution it holds up. Very quick hello to a regular in the comments section here Callum Gardiner who’s in attendance live for this event, I hope you have a good time.

The main event for tonight is a rematch between newly crowned featherweight king Max Holloway and the man he just beat for the title, Jose Aldo. This was originally to be Holloway vs. Frankie Edgar before Edgar got injured, now Aldo tries to reclaim his crown. The co-main event could easily see the next title challenger at heavyweight emerge when the surging prospect Francis Ngannou takes on former title challenger Alistair Overeem. Plus Eddie Alvarez and Justin Gaethje will try to kill each other for our amusement and a probable title shot against either Conor McGregor (lol) or Tony Ferguson.

As for the rules in effect tonight Michigan has not adopted the changes to the rules so anything besides the soles of your feet on the mat means you’re downed. Of note we do have limited use of replay but once replay has been invoked by the official the fight cannot be restarted. We’re in the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, USA with Jon Anik and Joe Rogan on commentary.

Justin Willis is riding a five fight winning streak including a successful UFC debut, he’s trying to remain perfect and make the case for being a prospect at heavyweight. Allen Crowder is on a four fight winning streak, he makes his UFC debut on the back of a win on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series and is trying to prove he’s a worthwhile heavyweight. The odds are with Willis at -275 to +175 for Crowder.

Heavyweight Bout: Allen Crowder (9-2 1 NC, 237 lbs.) vs. Justin Willis (5-1, 265 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Crowder is two inches taller while Willis has an inch and a half of reach on him. The biggest difference is weight as Willis is likely a full thirty pounds heavier by this point. Willis fighting southpaw. Some circling from Crowder, he lands a leg kick. Willis lands a left, catches a leg kick and lands another couple of lefts. Now Crowder lands a straight right then hits a front kick to the body. They clinch up and Willis lands a couple of knees to the body before they break. Willis is incredibly patient, just walking Crowder down. Stiff left from Willis wobbles Crowder. They both swing in close but Willis lands cleaner of the two. Power hand punches are graded but Willis has significantly more heat on his offense. Left hook from Willis really hurts Crowder, he backs him into the fence and clocks him with the same punch to end his night.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Justin Willis via KO, punches, at 2:33 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Willis for his work this evening. Willis has a really nice left hand, but his right seems to off balance him when he throws it. Some mic time for Willis, he curses so much this will never make air but he says this is a blessing and plans to take over the entire division then puts over a teammate of his who isn’t in the UFC yet. He talks us through the finish and tells everyone he’s just too pretty to lose.

Solid punching from Willis, his left is accurate and he lands it constantly. The weakness is his right, he throws himself off balance just before landing the left hook that ended Crowder.

Jeremy Kimball has gone 1-1 in the UFC, that loss was a short notice affair and he finished his last fight in short order. Kimball is looking to establish himself as a potential player in a division in pretty desperate need of depth and talent. In a similar position is the undefeated Dominick Reyes. Reyes has finished his last four opponents including a twenty nine second UFC debut and is trying to prove himself as the prospect to watch at light heavyweight. Reyes is one of the biggest favorites on the card, a prohibitive -500 to a tempting +350 payout for a Kimball win.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Jeremy Kimball (15-6, 205 lbs.) vs. Dominick Reyes (7-0, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Reyes is four inches taller and has a whopping five inches of reach on Kimball. Reyes fighting southpaw. Reyes lands a kick to the chest. Both men doing some feinting and range finding. Kimball bulls forward and lands a left then tries a single leg against the fence. Reyes tries a guillotine, Kimball slams out of it and Kimball winds up holding the rear waist lock against the fence. Reyes turns into him and they start jockeying for position. Kimball lands a couple of short lefts to the head before Reyes spins him and hits a takedown into side control. Reyes lands a left and Kimball hip escapes to full guard then eats another punch. A couple more lefts from Reyes land, he stands then gets the back as Kimball moved to his knees. Full body triangle from Reyes and he’s teeing off with elbows to the side of the head. Reyes riding and landing elbows, Kimball tries to roll but gives up his neck and Reyes sinks in a fight ending choke.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dominick Reyes via Submission, rear naked choke, at 3:39 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Reyes for his work this evening. Reyes on the mic now. He couldn’t be happier with his performance and says you can’t ask for anything more than the win. Reyes talks us through the finish to close his interview.

Textbook finishing technique on the choke, get some motion and slide the free arm under the chin to get the finish. Those elbows Reyes was landing were pretty nasty as well, more guys should try to replicate them in that position.

Abdul Razak Alhassan is 1-1 in the UFC and is coming off of the first loss of his career, he’s trying to rebound and resume moving up in the division. Sabah Homasi lost his UFC debut when he was stopped by Tim Means and is trying to get the all important first UFC win under his belt. Alhassan is the notable -250 favorite against +195 on Homasi.

Welterweight Bout: Abdul Razak Alhassan (7-1, 170 lbs.) vs. Sabah Homasi (11-6, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Homasi is two inches taller while Alhassan has an inch of reach on him. They touch gloves to get things started. Homasi lands a leg kick and a right to counter a leg kick from Alhassan. Another couple of of leg kicks from Homasi land. Homasi clips Alhassan with a right. Alhassan lands a leg kick. Both guys are loading up on their punches. Homasi lands a leg kick then eats a counter punch. Homasi gets wobbled by a right, Alhassan is pushing forward swinging his right, Homasi lands an uppercut and they clinch up. Knee to the body from Homasi, then another as they break. Alhassan is arcing that right now in that awful windmill fashion. Homasi lands a couple of rights from a collar tie position, drops Alhassan with a knee to the body and lands elbows from top position before Alhassan muscles his way to the feet and pushes Homasi into the cage. More knees to the body from Homasi but he tries a trip that Alhassan avoids before they break. Some wild hooks from Alhassan are blocked and we’re back in the clinch. Homasi lands a knee to the body but gets taken down, he’s back up and eats a couple of lefts. Both guys are fading fast, they trade knees to the body then trade in close wildly. Alhassan drops Homasi with a punch and gets the stoppage but that was really early as Homasi was still looking for a takedown.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Abdul Razzak Alhassan via TKO, punches, at 4:21 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Homasi for his work this evening. I feel that stoppage was premature personally. The crowd is pissed about that and are letting everyone know it. Alhassan gets an interview, Rogan tries to get the crowd to appreciate the action regardless of the outcome but only about half of them are buying that. He apologizes for the finish, puts over Homasi as a tough guy who hurt him with some punches and thanks Homasi for the fight. Asked about the finish he saw Homasi down but thought he’d have to hit him a few more times to prompt the stoppage and says he’s sorry the fight ended just as it was getting good.

Homasi on the mic now, he says he’s been hurt much worse than that and it was nothing then complains about the early stoppage. He talks us through the finish, says he was going for a takedown and wasn’t out of it at all. Homasi says he’s a tough guy and that was nothing, he feels they should have been allowed to continue.

Amanda Cooper has gone just 1-2 in the UFC and is coming off of a one sided loss to Cythia Calvillo. Cooper needs to get back on the winning side of things to get her UFC record to the .500 mark and show that she could still be a relevant player in the division. Angela Magana is on an overall four fight losing streak including being 0-2 in the UFC and hasn’t fought in over two years, she desperately needs a win to salvage her career. Cooper is another massive -500 favorite while Magana’s upset sits at +350.

Strawweight Bout: Amanda Cooper (2-3, 116 lbs.) vs. Angela Magana (11-8, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Cooper is two inches taller but Magana has an inch of reach on her. Magana circling early, both women flashing the jab. Leg kick from Magana. Another leg kick from Magana lands, Cooper lands a bit of a right. Cooper switches to southpaw, nothing much comes of it and she returns to orthodox. A few jabs to back and forth, Cooper catches a kick and nearly gets a takedown but Magana grabs the fence to stay upright. Cooper keeps after the takedown, gets it for a second but Magana pops up and we wind up clinched on the fence. Some knees to the body go back and forth, Cooper stuffs that awful head and arm throw to land on top in full mount. Cooper tees off for a bit, now has the back as Magana tries to move. Magana does regain half guard but Cooper is still looking to smash her. Full guard from Magana now. We get time for Magana to fix her top, which came loose, then resume fighting. Cooper lands an elbow. Magana tries to get her legs involved but Cooper passes to half guard. Lefts land for Cooper and an elbow as well. Cooper into full mount as Magana tried to escape, Cooper pounds on her a bit then gets the back with both hooks in again. Magana defends a choke attempt to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cooper, might be a 10-8 argument

ROUND TWO: Cooper comes out with a right and misses a left hook. Pressure from Cooper and she gets Magana on the fence and hits a takedown into guard. Cooper lands a couple of elbows to the body. Cooper moves to half guard and is looking to move into full side control. And there Cooper goes, into side control and lands an elbow. Magana rolls to her knees but Cooper has her back again and is after the choke. She can’t finish it though and decides to land punches instead. Magana to her base and is trying to shake Cooper off the top, Cooper adjusts to keep the back mount. This is just a mauling from Cooper, she’s after the choke again but Magana is doing just enough to avoid being choked. More punches from Cooper, this is about to be stopped. Magana hip escapes to half guard but she’s still stuck on her back taking a beating. Cooper has the back again, if she had better finishing technique with that choke this would have been over a while ago. More lefts from Cooper, rights as well now. The ref has finally seen enough, nothing too damaging was getting through but Magana was just kind of laying there.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Amanda Cooper via TKO, punches, at 4:34 of Round 2

That was one sided. Cooper on the mic now, she’s in her home state for this bout. She thanks the crowd for coming out and tried to take their energy and bring it into the fight then calls this the entertainment business and hopes the crowd was entertained. Asked about the beating she gave Magana she puts Magana over as tough then thanks her for taking the fight. She talks about the emotions and then thanks the UFC for the chance to fight in basically her home town.

That’s it for Fight Pass, to Fox Sports 1 for the rest of the prelims.

Felice Herrig seems to have found her stride recently, she’s on a three fight winning streak and is looking to extend that here while possibly putting herself in title contention. Cortney Casey is 3-1 in her last four fights with that lone loss being to top contender Claudia Gadelha, she’s coming off of a win over Jessica Aguilar and is looking to crack the top ten rankings with a win tonight. The odds slightly lean towards Herrig at -130 against a +100 comeback on Casey.

Strawweight Bout: #11 Cortney Casey (7-4, 115.5 lbs.) vs. #9 Felice Herrig (13-6, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Casey is three inches taller and has two inches of reach on Herrig. Both women showing the jab early, Casey looking to fight on the outside. They get close and trade hooks then Herrig lands a right as they get distance. Casey lands a bit of a right then a solid leg kick. Casey is baiting Herring into throwing then slipping and countering already, she’s leaving her chin on the center line though. Herring lands a bit of a left hook after they both miss punches. That left lands for Herrig again but this time Casey lands a stiff counter right. Bit of a right from Casey and Herrig lands a counter left hook. Casey wobbles Herrig with a series of hooks as Herrig pushes into the clinch and ties up along the fence. Herrig muscles a body lock takedown and moves to half guard. Casey is controlling posture, Herrig hasn’t done anything from top position. Casey grabs a double wrist lock and uses it to sweep and get on top then stand and force the reset on the feet. They trade a bit and Casey lands a leg kick. Rights are traded, defense isn’t a priority for either woman. Casey lands a hard couple of counter hooks as Herrig bulls forward and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Casey

ROUND TWO: We’re back to trading that same series of punches, neither woman is adjusting to what the other is doing. Casey lands a low leg kick then stings Herrig with a right. Herrig lands that left hook again. They trade again and Herrig exits with that same left hook she’s been landing consistently. Casey lands a long right. Some rights to back and forth again, we’ve got a notable pattern from both of them at this point. Bit of a right lands for Casey but neither woman is really having a lot of impact punching. An uppercut lands for Casey and Herrig just misses a right. Casey fades a right and lands a few counters. Prolonged series of feints from both women, Casey lands a leg kick. They clash in close, both women landed but nothing really came of it. Another exchange of rights. Casey lands a couple of rights, Herrig lands a left. They clinch and Casey lands an elbow as the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Casey, 20-18 Casey overall

ROUND THREE: Herrig comes out showing the jab, and promptly eats a left. More posturing from both of them, Herrig pushes forward and lands a bit of a left hook. Leg kick from Herrig. Casey lands a counter left hook after Herrig missed a right. Counter left hook lands for Casey. Casey lands a leg kick, eats a bit of a right though. There’s a shocking amount of rinse and repeat going on from these two. Herrig lands a bit of a right. A couple of punches go back and forth, then they trade insults and hand gestures but still don’t actually engage all that much. I might have missed some action as the feed cut to avoid a few middle fingers being raised. Casey lands a body kick and a combination. They stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Casey, 30-27 Casey overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Felice Herrig via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Well that was fifteen minutes or so of time I wont get back. I don’t agree but I also don’t care enough to protest, utterly uneventful fight but Herrig still gets an interview. Are we short on content to get the run time met? Herrig says she’s well rounded and was having fun striking. Rogan asks about the altercation at the end of the third and she brushes it off as just emotions in the moment.

David Teymur is riding a six fight winning streak and is 3-0 in the UFC, he’s trying to prove he’s ready for the next level of competition with another win here. Drakkar Klose is undefeated and is 2-0 in the UFC, he’s also looking to ascend from the rank and file to the position of notable up and comer by taking out Teymur. The odds are close but favor Teymur at -160 to a +130 comeback on Klose.

Lightweight Bout: Drakkar Klose (8-0-1, 156 lbs.) vs. David Teymur (6-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Teymur has three inches of reach on Klose. They touch gloves, Teymur fighting southpaw. Klose lands a body kick and is pushing forward. Teymur circling along the fence. Inside leg kick lands for Teymur. Klose is egging him on but Teymur isn’t biting on those motions. Bit of a left lands for Teymur, Klose responds with a right. Klose lands a knee to the body. More posturing, we’re not even two minutes in and this is already tiring. They trade a few kicks. Teymur lands an inside leg kick and a straight left. The ref warns Teymur or timidity, that’s absolutely ridiculous. They trade body kicks on the reset. Leg kick from Teymur then an inside one as well. They tie up and trade knees to the body then separate. Klose blitzes forward, nothing comes of it though. Klose lands a body kick and eats a counter left. Teymur lands an inside leg kick. Body kick from Teymur lands. Another body kick but Klose gets a double leg off of it. Teymur wall walks and separates immediately. Klose is getting chewed up at distance. A few body kicks go back and forth as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Teymur

ROUND TWO: Teymur opens up with an inside leg kick. Klose can’t close distance, he’s following rather than cage cutting. An exchange of leg kicks, this pace favors Teymur as he’s more effective with his kicking game. Both men miss power hand punches. Klose gets close but they both mostly miss and Teymur spins off of the fence to reset. Klose grabs a single leg, Teymur gets his leg back and separates. Teymur lands an inside leg kick. Klose is back to posturing and gesturing, to absolutely zero effect. Teymur lands a high kick and Klose misses some counter attempts. Inside leg kick then a high kick from Teymur. More circling from Teymur, he tries a takedown but Klose blocks it. Klose can’t finish a high crotch of his own and he eats a hard left from Teymur. Klose lands a body kick and a punch. Left lands for Klose, he gets a rear waist lock but can’t keep a hold of Teymur who spins free. Another inside leg kick lands for Teymur. They both miss during a bit of a wild exchange and Klose slips, Teymur on top in his guard now. Klose lands an elbow, Teymur works some body shots as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Teymur, 20-18 Teymur overall

ROUND THREE: Klose comes out pushing forward looking to engage. Teymur lands a couple of head kicks then a left. Klose still coming forward. Klose misses some punches and eats a right. Teymur lands a knee to the body, Klose complains of an eye poke and we’ve got time for the foul. Replay shows the pinky of Teymur went into the right eye of Klose, the doctor is in to check on him. The doctor says Klose is good to continue, the ref warns both guys about their finger position and we restart. hard inside leg kick from Teymur who avoids the rush of Klose. Body kick from Teymur, Klose responds with a body kick of his own. Body kicks are traded again and Klose avoids a takedown attempt. Teymur lands a left. Teymur circles, Klose protests but nothing comes of it. Klose blocks a couple of body kicks and misses a one two combination. Left to the body lands for Teymur. Klose gets a double leg, Teymur scrambles but Klose grabs the shorts to keep him down. Teymur scrambles up anyway. Inside leg kick from Teymur. Teymur tries a double leg, can’t finish it though and Klose begins posturing. Teymur lands a body kick. They both miss some punches as time runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Teymur, 30-27 Teymur overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – David Teymur via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Excellent counter striking from Teymur but not much else of note. No interview for Teymur.

Alex Oliveira is on a heck of a run, he hasn’t lost in his last five bouts and his only loss at welterweight was to Donald Cerrone. Oliveira recently cracked the top fifteen and wants to continue moving up the rankings here. Yancy Medeiros hasn’t lost since moving up to welterweight and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s trying to potentially crack the top fifteen by taking out a ranked opponent. Oliveira is the favorite here at -260 to +200 on Medeiros.

Welterweight Bout: Yancy Medeiros (14-4-1, 170 lbs.) vs. #15 Alex Oliveira (18-3-1 2 NC, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Oliveira is an inch taller and has an inch of reach on Medeiros. Medeiros fighting southpaw. Body kick from Oliveira and a straight right behind it. Oliveira is getting after Medeiros already, he’s attacking the body but Medeiros lands a straight left that drops Oliveira. Oliveira back up and pushes forward while still rocked and is throwing. They clinch up and Oliveira lands a knee to the body, Oliveira is bleeding badly from the nose after that left. Oliveira tries a knee to the body, that went into the groin of Medeiros so we’ve got time for him to recover. Medeiros wants to get back to things quickly and we’re back to fighting. Oliveira lands a body kick and a right that drops Medeiros. Medeiros back up and takes another knee to the body. Not even half way through the round and both men have been dropped. Oliveira has Medeiros on the fence and is landing knees to the body then misses an elbow as Medeiros slips free. Oliveira lands a couple of rights. Another right drops Medeiros, he’s back up but Oliviera is all over him and we’ve got a full blown brawl! Oliveira lands a couple of elbows this is is insanity. Knee to the body from Oliveira and a couple of elbows. Medeiros lands an elbow, they break and both land rights. Oliveira still coming forward attacking the body, they wind up clinched again. Medeiros lands an elbow and Oliveira misses one as they break. Hard combination of punches from Oliveira, Medeiros is wobbled again and we’ve got more insane trading along the fence. Another clinch and more knees from Oliveira then they break. They end the round in the clinch, that was crazy.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Oliveira, though the boxing score of 9-8 might be more accurate

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves and hug to start the second. Oliveira lands a body kick. A couple of front kicks to the belly from Oliveira land, those are bothering Medeiros. Medeiros lands a left as Oliveira is coming forward. Another couple of body kicks from Oliveira, Medeiros lands a couple of counter lefts that stun Oliveira. Oliveira is fading, he might have punched himself out in the first. Right lands for Oliveira but he eats a counter combination. More body kicks from Oliveira. Medeiros avoids a rush from Oliveira. Body shots from Medeiros. Oliveira bulls forward and lands a right then clinches up. They separate and Oliviera lands a bit of a right. Medeiros ducks a wheel kick then takes a couple of body kicks. Right to the body from Oliveira. Oliveira lands a couple of rights but Medeiros rolls with them. They clinch and Medeiros hits a throw then passes to full mount almost instantly. Elbows from Medeiros then Oliveira rolls him off and regains his feet but Medeiros has the clinch. The round ends as they break and Medeiros lands a punch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Medeiros, 19-18 Oliveira overall

ROUND THREE: They hug again to start the final round. Medeiros pushes forward but eats a left. Body kick from Medeiros and Oliveira returns it. Hard series of punches from Oliveira lands and he gets a takedown into the ride position. Medeiros back up but he gets slammed by Oliveira who gets his back with both hooks in now. There’s no control with the hooks though and Medeiros breaks the hooks and spins into Oliveira to get on top. Medeiros trying to pass, he gets to half guard but Oliviera is back up and they separate. Oliveira backs himself into the fence, something’s wrong with him, Medeiros pushes forward and starts swinging lefts to the body and head until Oliveira drops and this one is all over. Wonderful fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Yancy Medeiros via TKO, punches, at 2:02 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Medeiros for his work this evening. There’s the momentum this card needed, that was wonderful insanity. The fighters embrace after the decision is announced, Medeiros on the mic now with Joe Rogan. He sends love to his son and the state of Hawaii, he jokes that Michigan is cold but he got a warm reception. Medeiros puts over Oliveira and says he’s here to take on the division. He tells Dana White to give them a bonus, it’ll be tough to take it from them, then says he just started the Hawaiian wave and Max Holloway will finish it.

Here are some highlights, mostly about the end of the fight but that was just crazy from start to finish.

Charles Oliveira just broke a two fight losing streak by returning to lightweight and defeating Will Brooks, he wants to prove he’s a top level lightweight and that he could make a run towards the top of the division. Paul Felder is 4-1 in his last five bouts and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s trying to stake a claim to a ranked opponent next if he can win here. The odds closed at a -115 for each man, a pick ’em.

Lightweight Bout: Paul Felder (14-3, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Charles Oliveira (22-7 1 NC, 154.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Felder is an inch taller but Oliveira has three and a half inches of reach on him. We get a touch of gloves to start, and a couple of leg kicks from Oliveira. Felder lands a left hook. Oliveira lands a leg kick, gets a clinch and takes Felder down. Felder gets to the fence and wall walks but Oliveira has his back standing and pulls Felder down then gets both hooks in. Felder quickly back up again but Oliveira is attacking his neck from a front head lock. Oliveira has a d’arce choke locked up, Felder is trying to move and keep his neck safe. Felder is rolling but Oliveira keeps slowly tightening the choke. Oliveira winds up in full mount with the choke, I’m not sure how Felder hasn’t gone to sleep yet. Oliveira bails on the choke and lands a knee to the face. Blatantly illegal but the ref ignored it. Felder is back up and Oliveira has his back standing in the back pack position. Oliveira after the choke, Felder shakes him off and eats an up kick then lands a right and follows Oliveira to the mat. Felder lands an elbow from the guard, and another. Some more short elbows from Felder, Oliveira tries to elevate but Felder rides him and moves towards half guard. Oliveira has guard back, Felder stands and lands a right. Felder goes back into the guard of Oliveira, lands a few more elbows as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Oliveira

ROUND TWO: Minor correction to the knee strike from the first, replay is inconclusive and it could have been to the chest which would be legal. They touch gloves for the second round. Felder checks a leg kick. Oliveira tries a double leg, they hit the fence and Felder spins him from the clinch. They jockey for position a bit, a few knees to the body go back and forth. Felder lands a couple of elbows, Oliviera drops and tries to force some grappling but Felder swarms him on the mat. Roll from Oliveira, he winds up on the bottom but has half guard and a bit of control over the posture of Felder. Felder lands a knee to the body then stands and lands a leg kick. Oliveira hanging out on his back, they engage and Felder winds up on top in full guard. Felder stands again, Oliveira goes inverted for a knee bar. They roll a bit, Oliveira winds up nearly getting the back but Felder shakes him off and lands elbows from top position. More short elbows from Felder. Hard series of right elbows from Felder, Oliveira is stunned and he keeps landing elbows until the ref stops this one. Apparently Oliviera tapped but the ref didn’t see it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Paul Felder via KO, elbows, at 4:06 of Round 2

Replay does show that Oliveira tapped after one of those elbows but the ref didn’t see it and Felder wasn’t about to let up until the ref pulled him off. Felder on the mic now after that. He says being bigger helped him a bit getting out of those chokes because those were close but as soon as he felt the squeeze lessen just a bit he figured he could survive. Rogan asks about Oliveira tapping, he says he felt Oliveira tap but wasn’t sure it was one to give up and he wasn’t going to risk the position.

And here’s the finish, Felder has some absolutely evil elbow strikes.

That’s it for Fox Sports 1, to PPV for the main card.

Tecia Torres is on a two fight winning streak and has long been a top strawweight in, she’s trying to advance further up the rankings and move towards title contention with a win here. Michelle Waterson is 2-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss to current champion Rose Namajunas, she’s also trying to move up the ranks and into title contention. Torres is the favorite, a notable -250 while Waterson’s comeback sits at +195.

Strawweight Bout: #5 Tecia Torres (9-1, 116 lbs.) vs. #6 Michelle Waterson (14-5, 115 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Waterson is two inches taller and has an inch and a half of reach on Torres. They touch gloves to get things going. Waterson lands a bit of a high kick and takes a combination in return. They clinch up and Waterson gets a body lock takedown then has the back as Torres stands, Waterson gets both hooks in then bails when Torres gets wrist control. Waterson still has the clinch and pushes Torres into the fence. Knee to the body from Waterson before Torres spins her. They break without much issue. Right lands for Torres. Torres bulls forward and lands some right uppercuts then takes a left high kick. Bit of a leg kick from Waterson lands. They trade some rights but Torres is landing a higher volume of offense. Knees to the body are traded, Torres gets Waterson on the fence and lands some short elbows then knees to the body. There’s a physical strength difference in the clinch so far, Torres is much stronger. They trade rights and Waterson lands a left as they break. Torres bulls forward again and they clinch up. Waterson lands a knee to the head but she’s stuck against the fence. A knee to the body from Waterson and they break. More knees to the body go back and forth, these two are very offense first tonight. Side kick to the body from Waterson who then goes southpaw. Torres isn’t deterred and is coming forward, she avoids a side kick and gets the clinch again. Flurry from Torres will close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Torres

ROUND TWO: Waterson feinting some elbow strikes, Torres bouncing around the outside at the moment. Right lands for Torres who then blocks a takedown attempt. Waterson lands a left to the body and eats a right then Waterson lands a knee to the chin. Torres pushes close but eats a knee to the body then Waterson hits that headlock takeover. Torres nearly gets the back but Waterson adjusts and is on top in the guard of Torres. Waterson moves to half guard. Torres lands an elbow from the bottom, she’s trying to set up a kimura but the grip is all wrong and she bails on it. Another kimura attempt from Torres but Waterson blocks it and Torres settles for getting full guard back. Waterson is trying to pass again, and moves to half guard. Torres after a triangle position, Waterson is trying to posture through it. Waterson looking to walk around, Torres switches to an armbar but it’s the wrong arm and Waterson is in side control now. Torres back to a knee and Waterson lands knee to the body before they break. Torres tries a double leg as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Waterson, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Torres opens with a one two combination, there’s swelling around the left eye of Waterson and Torres is aiming for that. Waterson lands a bit of a right, they trade knees to the body and clinch up. Torres is able to push Waterson to the cage. A few knees to the body go back and forth then they break. A right lands for Torres. Waterson is starting to show standing elbow strikes, she’s anticipating Torres crashing distance and Torres isn’t obliging yet. Waterson lands a couple of rights but Torres responds with a couple of rights and an elbow. Torres lands a right after Waterson missed an elbow. Body kick from Torres and a jab behind it. Waterson is off balanced on a kick, she gets up but Torres has her and drags her back down. Torres has the back with both hooks in but she’s way too high and Watersoon could shake her off. Torres breaks the posture of Waterson, Waterson regains it and is still looking to shake Torres off. Torres adjusts and removes the leg base to secure the back and flatten Waterson out. A series of rights land for Torres. One of the hooks is out now and Waterson spins to get on top as the round comes to a close.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Torres, 29-28 Torres overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tecia Torres via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

No issue with Torres getting the second, she was the more active party that round. Mic time for Torres now. She says she felt great after this camp and puts over her new team. She says Waterson’s boxing and orthodox stance surprised her a bit, then says she’s just working towards a title shot.

Eddie Alvarez is a the former UFC lightweight champion but his last win was claiming the title, since then he’s been finished by Conor McGregor and went to a No Contest that he’s lucky was a disqualification loss for him against Dustin Poirier. Alvarez needs a win here to prove he’s still an elite level lightweight deserving of title consideration. Justin Gaethje is undefeated and has finished his last five opponents including his UFC debut, he’s trying to insert himself into the title picture with a win over the former champion. The odds are with Gaethje at -185 to +150 for Alvarez.

Lightweight Bout: #4 Eddie Alvarez (28-5 1 NC, 155 lbs.) vs. #5 Justin Gaethje (18-0, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gaethje is taller by two inches and has an inch of reach on Alvarez. They touch gloves to get things going and Gaethje lands a hard leg kick. Alvarez returns the kick as Gaethje pressures him forward. Right lands for Gaethje, Alvarez lands an uppercut. Another leg kick from Gaethje lands. Gaethje covers up and lands a counter leg kick. Counter right lands for Gaethje. Gaethje just won’t stop coming forward, he lands another leg kick. Bit of an uppercut lands for Alvarez. Body shot from Gaethje and Alvarez jabs to separate. Another leg kick from Gaethje and Alvarez is limping already. Gaethje checks a leg kick and lands a hard leg kick of his own. Once again that leg kick from Gaethje and they trade punches. Gaethje kicks the leg again and Alvarez lands a body shot. A couple of body shots from Alvares land. Alvarez seems to be focusing on the body of Gaethje, they trade left hooks as well. Left hook lands for Gaethje. More body shots from Alvarez land. Beautiful body work from Alvarez thus far. Gaethje lands a leg kick and Alvarez goes southpaw to defend his leg. Alvarez tries a rolling thunder kick, a shout out to Gaethje having done the same in the past, and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Alvarez

ROUND TWO: Both guys are a little busted up, they touch gloves and Alvarez lands a leg kick then Gaethje lands a better one. Alvarez lands a bit of a left hook. Gaethje pressing forward and lands a series of jabs. Another leg kick from Gaethje. Gaethje lands a left hook, Alvarez lands a right. Gaethje lands a right then a left. Bit of a left uppercut lands for Alvarez. A couple of uppercuts land for Gaethje. Hard knee to the body from Gaethje and a left hook. Now Alvarez lands to the body. Another leg kick from Gaethje after he took a body shot. They trade some punches in close, Alvarez is moving well with the upper body. Alvares lands a series of rights to the body then a left hook. They split left hooks and Gaethje lands a leg kick. Another leg kick from Gaethje. Alvarez now southpaw, that leg is hurt a bit. Alvarez lands an uppercut and eats a counter. Gaethje lands a right. Both guys are really busted up in the face, and Gaethje lands a leg kick. Alvarez goes to the body again and Gaethje just eggs him on. Alvarez lands a knee but his face is swelling around the right upper lip badly as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gaethje, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Alvarez comes out swinging but misses and takes a leg kick. Alvarez coming forward now, he eats a couple of jabs then returns them. Gaethje lands a couple of leg kicks and Alvarez is back to southpaw, his leg is swelling visibly. Another leg kick from Gaethje to the left leg. Another elg kick, Alvarez tries to pull guard and Gaethje makes him stand. Alvarez southpaw now to protect that leg. Uppercut lands for Gaethje, Alvarez lands a knee to the body. Gaethje lands a leg kick, Alvarez is not moving almost at all now. They trade in close, Alvarez spins to the back and rides Gaethje down but Gaethje is back up and separates. Another hard leg kick from Gaethje and another one. Uppercut from Gaethje lands, Alvarez is fading. Inside leg kick takes the balance from Alvarez. They tie up and trade short uppercuts then break. They fight a bit in the clinch, Gaethje lands a leg kick then a right uppercut that wobbles Alvarez. Another uppercut from Gaethje lands. Alvarez lands a knee that drops Gaethje and this one is over!

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Eddie Alvarez via TKO, knee, at 3:59 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr.Alvarez for his work this evening. Well that was pretty great. Alvarez on the mic now, he says the only title he cares about is the most violent in the UFC, there’s all kinds of titles and and interim titles that aren’t being defended, the fans just care about who’s the most violent. He says if this was a five round fight the leg kicks would have been a nightmare but he practiced southpaw to deal with it then addresses the body shots as part of his game plan. He talks us through the finish and puts over his coaches.

Here’s the finish to that bout, it was great pretty much all the way through.

Henry Cejudo is a former Olympic gold medalist in wrestling and one of the best flyweights in the world. Cejudo is coming off of his first finish in the UFC when he blasted through Wilson Reis, he’s trying to get a rematch with Demetrious Johnson with another impressive win here. Sergio Pettis is on a four fight winning streak that has seen him become a top ranked flyweight, he could also stake a claim to a title shot with a fifth consecutive win here. Cejudo is the -325 favorite against +250 on Pettis.

Flyweight Bout: #2 Henry Cejudo (11-2, 126 lbs.) vs. #4 Sergio Pettis (16-2, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pettis is two inches taller and has five inches of reach on Cejudo. Pettis opens southpaw. Cejudo stalking forward while Pettis circles. Pettis lands an inside leg kick. Body kick from Cejudo. Pettis avoids a couple of shots and lands a counter left. Leg kick from Pettis, he looks very fluid thus far. Cejudo hits a single leg with no resistance then passes to side control like it’s nothing. A couple of knees to the body land for Cejudo. Pettis rolls, Cejudo rides him and gets to the ride position and lands more knees to the body and thigh. Cejudo rides Pettis back to the mat when he tries to stand and knees him a few more times. Pettis back up but Cejudo has a front head lock and snaps him down then spins to the ride position. Cejudo’s control is incredible, Pettis is able to roll and get full guard. Pettis is trying to get his legs in play, Cejudo defending those attempts well and landing short punches to the body and head. Cejudo stands, lands a right then another and a left hammer fists. Knee to the body from Cejudo, Pettis fights for a single leg transition as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cejudo

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Pettis still circling on the outside, he lands a bit of a jab. Cejudo lands a bit of a right then a body kick. They both have kicks blocked, Pettis lands a body kick after Cejudo blocks some punches. They both land glancing hooks in close. Pettis lands an inside leg kick, Cejudo returns it. Cejudo off balances Pettis in close and gets on top in the guard of Pettis. Pettis is stalling from the bottom, and Cejudo is looking to pass. Cejudo trying to work offense and finally is able to pass to half guard. Pettis quickly gets his guard back and goes to a body triangle from the bottom to try and stall. Cejudo standing over Pettis now, he passes to the front headlock then to the ride as Pettis tried to get his legs in play. Pettis is turtled at the moment, now hes up but Cejudo elevates him and rides him back to the mat. They’re back on their feet but against the fence and Cejudo still has a waist lock. Pettis is able to spin into Cejudo then spin free and lands a body kick. Cejudo digs a hard right to the body. Pettis misses a wheel kick as the last bit of action from the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cejudo, 20-18 Cejudo overall

ROUND THREE: Pettis trying to snipe, he avoids a combination and lands a right. Cejudo lands a right then a left. Both guys are blocking a lot of the others offense. They get close and trade, Cejudo lands a leg kick. Cejudo tries a single leg, elevates and finishes the takedown into the guard of Pettis. Some short blows from Cejudo, Pettis needs to be trying to escape rather than stall or fish for a low percentage submission. Cejudo stands, lands a jumping right and passes to side control. Pettis to his knees, Cejudo has a front head lock now. Cejudo pushes Pettis back over and is on top again. Cejudo is postured up and lands a few lefts. Pettis rolls to his feet but Cejudo is stuck to him like glue and returns Pettis to the mat. Pettis up again abut still in the clinch. Cejudo can’t keep Pettis pinned and we separate. Left hook lands for Cejudo. Pettis is hanging out orthodox now but he’s not doing much. Tehy shadow box a bit, Pettis tries a takedown that he can’t finish as time runs out.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cejudo, 30-27 Cejudo overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Henry Cejudo via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Dominant wrestling from Cejudo, I would be interested to see him and DJ fight a second time. No interview for Cejudo.

Alistair Overeem is one of the premier heavyweights of this generation, he’s won titles in kick boxing and MMA but has yet to claim the UFC heavyweight title. Overeem is on a two fight winning streak, in fact his only loss in his last seven bouts was a failed title shot against Stipe Miocic. He’s trying to earn another shot at the belt with a win here. Francis Ngannou has emerged as the next big thing at heavyweight, he’s 5-0 in the UFC and has finished all of his opponents but Overeem represents a notable step up in competition for him. If Ngannou can take out Overeem tonight he’s a near lock to be the next title challenger. The odds are with Ngannou at -225 to a +175 comeback on Overeem.

Heavyweight Bout: #4 Francis Ngannou (10-1, 262 lbs.) vs. #1 Alistair Overeem (43-15 1 NC, 247 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Ngannou has three inches of reach advantage. The biggest difference is weight where Ngannou is fifteen pounds heavier. They both miss punches to start things off. Overeem pushes into the clinch, Ngannou gets him on the fence. Ngannou lands a few foot stomps. The ref separates them after they stall out and we reset. Ngannou baits a bit of a punch, they both miss then Ngannou takes Overeem’s head OFF with a left hook.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Francis Ngannou via KO, PUNCH, at 1:42 of Round 1

BOOM. . . heavyweights!

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Ngannou for his work this evening. Overeem is still mostly down as they announce the decision. Ngannou literally lifted him off of the ground with that punch. Mic time for Ngannou. He says he feels very good and he wants to get the title shot after that, I don’t disagree at all if they go that way. He talks us through the finish, blending attack and defense and was surprised that Overeem didn’t switch his stance at all. Asked for his thoughts on him and Stipe Miocic he says he’s ready for the shot then thanks everyone for coming out, thanks Overeem for the bout, thanks his coaches for all of their work, thanks his family and dedicates this to all his brothers who are slaves in Lybia right now. He says “fuck slavery and fuck racism” then apologizes for the profanity.

Here’s the finish, Ngannou still has a lot of unanswered questions but if he hits you you go to sleep.

Jose Aldo is the best featherweight in MMA history to this point, one of the all time greats in the sport, and the former featherweight champion. Aldo is coming off of a loss to his opponent tonight, he’s trying to reclaim the title and prove he’s still the best in the world in this weight class. Max Holloway is riding an absurd eleven fight winning streak, he’s currently tied with Conor McGregor for most finishes in UFC featherweight history, and is the reigning featherweight champion. Holloway is after his first title defense and looking to make a claim to being one of the very best in the world regardless of weight class and start cementing his championship legacy. Holloway is one of the biggest favorites on the main card at -300 to a +230 for Aldo.

Featherweight Title Bout: (c) Max Holloway (18-3, 145 lbs.) vs. #1 Jose Aldo (26-3, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Holloway is four inches taller while Aldo has an inch of reach on him. They touch gloves, Holloway opens orthodox but has been known to fight from either stance. Holloway working the jab early, both men circling. Both men range finding early, Aldo hasn’t really thrown much so far and Holloway is backing him up with jabs and crosses. They both miss hooks in close then Aldo lands a leg kick. Holloway lands a jab. They trade rights. Another leg kick from Aldo, Holloway seems unphased thus far. They clinch up, Aldo lands a knee to the body and they break. Holloway lands a bit of a body kick. Right lands for Holloway. Right to the body from Holloway, he’s avoiding a lot of Aldo’s counters. Aldo lands a right. Aldo blocks a head kick. Holloway lands a jab then a side kick to the lead thigh. The jab of Holloway has been very effective this round. Aldo avoids some hooks, lands a right uppercut and a left as the last blows of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Holloway but Aldo could have stolen it with that last flurry

ROUND TWO: Holloway back to jabbing, Aldo is cut under the right eye. Holloway lands a bit of a right. Another jab lands for Holloway and Aldo lands a leg kick. Aldo blocks a combination, both men are fighting at a deliberate pace. Aldo lands a bit of a right and a left. Holloway avoids an uppercut but takes a left to the body. The most effective blows Holloway has landed are jabs. They trade rights to the body. Long right lands for Holloway. Hard leg kick from Aldo. Another leg kick from Aldo lands. Aldo is starting to feel it, they clinch up and Aldo tosses Holloway off. Couple of rights land for Holloway before Aldo angles off. Aldo lands another leg kick, Holloway is pacing himself and just making Aldo work. Holloway catches a leg kick but nothing comes of it. Holloway lands a series of body shots before they clinch up. Aldo is on the fence now and Holloway lands before they break then lands a spinning back kick to the body. Stiff double jab from Holloway and we get a serious exchange from both men. Holloway lands a bit of a flying knee and then a knee from a clinch as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Holloway, 20-18 Holloway overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the third round. Holloway is back to jabbing and landing rights to the body. Aldo lands a knee to the body after taking a jab. Aldo lands a leg kick. Bit of a right lands for Holloway. They clinch and Aldo lands an elbow when they break. Stepping knee to the chest from Holloway, he’s investing in body work rather heavily. Holloway lands a right and we get another wild exchange in close quarters. Aldo is on the fence now and Holloway is trying to hit him. Holloway just misses a head kick. Right then a jab from Holloway. Holloway lands a left to the body then a right. They trade in close again, Holloway is winning these exchanges and Aldo is fading. Elbow from Holloway, Aldo clinches to buy time but Holloway knees him in the body. Hard body shots from Holloway land, Aldo is verging on punching bag territory. Big knee from Holloway then punches,Aldo is wobbly but swinging back despite taking massive amounts of damage. Aldo tries a takedown after taking a barrage, Holloway stuffs it and is on top now. Holloway is nearly in mount, definitely knee on belly and he starts landing punches. Aldo to his knees and Holloway keeps punching him. Aldo rolls to his back, Hollowawy keeps teeing off on him. One final hard right prompts the stoppage from the ref.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and STILL UFC Featherweight Champion – Max Holloway via TKO, punches, at 4:51 of Round 3

I love watching Holloway fight, it’s beautiful and violent all at once. Holloway’s family is in the cage with him, he’s holding his son as Rogan comes to interview him. He says it is what it is, not sure why people laughed but they did. He says Aldo was a great champion and puts him over, then says he was trying to Lomanchenko him but the leg kicks hampered his movement. He mentions the play was to get Aldo into deep water and drown him, puts over Yancy Medeiros as another Hawiian who beat a Brazilian then expresses support for a surfer in Hawaii at the world championships. He says he’s not quite the best ever but he wants to take over the records. Asked who might be next he says they’re all cupcakes and he looks forward to eating all of the different flavors.

OK everyone, thanks for reading along be that live or after the fact. That wraps up UFC 218, a really strong main card all the way around, and really needed after the slog that was the TUF finale last night. We’ll be discussing this event Sunday at 8pm eastern time on the 411 Ground and Pound Radio Show as well as previewing Fight Night 123 when Cub Swanson fights Brian Ortega in a battle that has title shot implications. I’ll be back to cover that event on Saturday, because I have no life, and I hope you’ll stop by and read along. Thank you all again for being here, until next time stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of you pop culture needs.

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