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411’s UFC 226 Report 7.07.18: Brock Lesnar Confronts Daniel Cormier

July 8, 2018 | Posted by Robert Winfree
Brock Lesnar Dana White UFC 226 Image Credit: UFC

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 226. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening, relaying all of the action to you just as I see it. I’m going to apologize a bit off the bat, I’m still a little burned out for the interminable card that went on last night. For those of you who missed it, and I envy you, it went on forever. So if I’m a little salty or overly touchy about the pacing for the Fox Sports 1 portion of this event, blame last nights six and a half hour torture session.

With that out of the way, UFC 226 is a really good card on paper. Sadly we lost the most interesting fight earlier this week when UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway was pulled for medical reasons from his fight with top contender Brian Ortega. Hopefully Holloway isn’t out too long, but better safe than sorry because neurological conditions are nothing to play around with. The main event is still a good fight as heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic looks for his fourth consecutive title defense against light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. Cormier is trying to become the second man in UFC history to have titles in two weight classes simultaneously and cement himself as an all time great. Below that there’s a probable number one contenders fight also at heavyweight when Francis Ngannou takes on Derrick Lewis.

As for the rest of the card, it’s still pretty good. Paul Felder vs. Mike Perry is almost guaranteed violence and the PPV kicks off with a fight that shouldn’t go the distance when kick boxing legend Gokhan Saki fights Khalil Rountree. On the prelims there’s middleweight action between Paulo Costa and Uriah Hall, plus Raphael Assuncao is fighting and the over under on how quickly we stop caring is set at four minutes after the fight. Take the under, it’s almost a sure thing. Even Fight Pass has a great fight between rising lightweights Dan Hooker and Gilbert Burns.

UFC 226 comes to the world from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. On commentary we have the trio of John Anik, Joe Rogan, and Dominick Cruz. As for the rules the Nevada State Athletic Commission has not adopted the changes to the rules, so anything besides the soles of your feet on the mat means you’re considered downed and the language around scoring is slightly more nebulous. We will have the limited use of replay for a fight ending sequence, and once replay has been used the fight cannot be restarted.

Jamie Moyle has gone 1-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss to Viviane Pereira, she’s trying to avoid her first professional losing streak here. Emily Whitmire lost her UFC debut and is now trying to get that all important first UFC win. Moyle is your -200 favorite against +160 for Whitmire.

Strawweight Bout: Jamie Moyle (4-2, 116 lbs.) vs. Emily Whitmire (2-2, 116 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Whitmire is four inches taller while Moyle has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Whitmire misses a high kick to start us off. Moyle bouncing around the outside, trying to find an angle to get inside. A few punches going back and forth, neither woman finding sustained success. Counter left from Whitmire. They trade in close, both women clearly have rote combinations they’re using and have yet to make adjustments. Leg kick from Whitmire but she eats a counter right. Bit of a jab from Whitmire. Whitmire misses a lot of punches, then lands a bit of a right. Pretty crisp left from Whitmire lands, Moyle responds with a left to the body. Bit of a leg kick then a counter right from Whitmire both land. They stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Whitmire

ROUND TWO: Whitmire coming forward again, Moyle avoids some punches but isn’t landing counters yet. A few lefts go back and forth but Moyle doesn’t have a read on the range yet and is hitting air when she punches more often than not. Head kick from Whitmire mostly lands, she clearly has a better understanding of the range here. They clinch up then Whitmire spins free quickly and lands a couple of punches. Leg kicks are traded. Failed takedown attempt from Moyle. Moyle lands a right then eats a leg kick. Inside leg kick from Whitmire lands. Moyle tries a double leg, they hit the fence though and Whitmire lands a knee to the head when they break. Now Whitmire tries an ill advised single leg and Moyle counters to get on top, Whitmire back up and they’re in the clinch. Whitmire breaks free quickly. Slight right from Moyle, she might be finally getting a feel on the range. Whitmire gets the back standing and lands a few knees to the body before Moyle is able to reverse her on the fence. Moyle trying for takedowns but Whitmire separates without much issue. Body shots from Moyle as she closes distance. Another left to the body from Moyle lands. Now Moyle is pushing Whitmire towards the fence and working body to head combinations as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Moyle, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both women come out kicking then Whitmire hits a double leg and gets on top of Moyle. Whitmire passes to half guard and is looking to pass again. Whitmire lands some punches to the head with her left, Moyle is trying to get her hips moving but she’s getting smothered. More offense from Whitmire, Moyle isn’t fighting for under hooks on the bottom and frequently getting flattened out instead of letting her get her hips in play. Whitmire is doing solid work here, nothing spectacular but she’s keeping Moyle flat and is doing enough work to keep things there. Moyle finally gets her guard, Whitmire postures up and lands a hard right. Whitmire moves to half guard again and is landing to the body. Moyle starts flailing with her legs to get some kind of control but she can’t get anything going. Whitmire stands, Moyle lands an up kick as time runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Whitmire, might be 10-8 under the new rules, 29-28 Whitmire overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Emily Whitmire via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

I’m a little surprised no one gave Moyle the first. Whitmire on the mic, has strong words for Vinny Magalhaes who apparently promised that he wouldn’t corner against her but was in Moyle’s corner. A lot of people hate Vinny for good reason. She says she’s lost fights on the mat before and wanted all the mat fighting to be on her terms this time. She feels she can finally call herself a UFC fighter since she’s won in the UFC.

Dan Hooker is on a three fight winning streak and hasn’t lost in the UFC since returning to lightweight. Hooker has finished all three of those wins and is looking to solidify himself as a rising contender in the division by getting that streak to four in a row here. Gilbert Burns is on a two fight winning streak and has finished both of those, he’s trying to get to three in a row here and possibly earn another crack at someone ranked. Hooker is the -130 favorite to an even +100 for Burns.

Lightweight Bout: Gilbert Burns (14-2, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Dan Hooker (16-7, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hooker is two inches taller and has four inches of reach on Burns. They touch gloves to get things going. Hooker is circling early, Burns bouncing around landing some leg kicks. Burns lands a right, Hooker is a little wobbled from that. Hooker lands a couple of leg kicks. Body shots from Hooker, he’s starting to land calf kicks now. Hard counter right from Hooker drops Burns, he thinks about following him down then thinks better of it and lands on the feet. Burns tries a bad shot and Hooker uses a guillotine to force a disengagement. They trade leg kicks again and Hooker comes forward then floors Burns with a left hook. A few more punches on the mat prompt the stoppage but that left basically put Burns out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Dan Hooker via KO, punches, at 2:28 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Hooker for his work this evening. Great stuff from Hooker, superior technique and great execution once he found the openings. Hooker just keeps on rolling, on the mic he says he wants a top ten opponent and demands respect on his name. He says the matchmaking is getting others hurt because they’re not on his level and feels no one can stand with him. Asked specifically who he’d like, he says anyone from tonight or next week from the top ten because he smells blood at the top of this division.

Here’s the finish. Standard left hook to the body then left hook to the chin from Hooker. The basics work guys, Mike Tyson used this same combination frequently to much success as well.

That’s it for Fight Pass fights, we’re on Fox Sports 1 for the rest of the prelims.

Curtis Millender is currently on a seven fight winning streak and had a big win in his UFC debut when he violently knocked out Thiago Alves. Millender is looking to keep that streak going and continue building the hype around him. Max Griffin has traded wins and losses while going 2-2 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a win over Mike Perry and is hoping to get his first UFC winning streak up and running here. The odds lean towards Millender at -160 to +130 for Griffin.

Welterweight Bout: Max Griffin (14-4, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Curtis Millender (15-3, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Millender is three inches taller but their reach is identical. Griffin bouncing around early, lands a bit of a body kick and misses some punches. Leg kick from Millender then he lands a jumping knee that gets Griffin rethinking his strategy. Griffin lands a right to the body but eats a bit of a knee. Bit of a head kick from Millender, Griffin has stopped trying to close distance as much and it’s allowing Millender to snipe at him. Right from Griffin then he hits a double leg takedown into half guard. Griffin is trying to pass the half guard but he can’t quite finish it. Griffin lands a couple of punches. Millender is really struggling to get out from under here, it’s a bit surprising all things considered. More offense from Griffin, he’s posturing up now and is landing elbows as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Griffin

ROUND TWO: Griffin circling again, lands an inside leg kick as he’s doing so. Both men miss some punches, Millender lands a left to the body. Another bit of a knee from Millender then a solid body kick. Griffin lands an overhand right, Millender lands a stepping knee to block a takedown attempt. Head kick from Millender, Griffin just ate it but that landed pretty flush to his forehead. Millender lands a right then uses a standing guillotine to break a bad double leg attempt from Griffin. Griffin falls short on a couple of punches, then lands a right to the body. Jab from Millender, I wish he’d use that more often given his length. Griffin lands a right to counter a leg kick. Left lands for Griffin. Jab then a high kick from Millender. Millender blocks a takedown and hurts Griffin with a knee to the body and gets a body lock takedown of his own. Side control from Millender, he lands some hammer fists then makes Griffin stand up as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Millender, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Griffin comes out jabbing this round, Millender looking to counter. Right lands for Griffin, Millender with another jumping knee. Leg kick from Millender. Knee to the body from Millender, he’s got a decent read on the pressure from Griffin to land those knees. Griffin blocks a high kick then eats a left to the body. Griffin punches into the clinch and is after a double leg against the fence, his hands are locked but Millender is fighting to pummel and block him. Millender breaks the grip and Griffin eats a couple of elbows when trying to switch to a single leg. Griffin lands a knee and Millender grabs a front headlock then pushes free. Millender lands a couple of rights. Griffin lands a right but he eats a counter left. Right from Millender as he’s backing Griffin up to the fence. Another right from Millender then a knee and a couple of elbows all land. Griffin may have gassed himself with that last clinch sequence. They both miss hooks, Millender lands a couple of jabs as time runs down.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Curtis Millender via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Millender continues to have things to work on but fights well at distance and has serious power. Mic time for Millender, he says he hurt his right foot in the first round but doesn’t think it’s bad. He says he wants to be a contender, wants to be champion, and tells the UFC to line them up because he’ll take them all out. He says the loss of the first round was a brain fart on his part as he should have been able to get up but recovered well in the next two rounds.

Lando Vannata is coming off of a draw with Bobby Green and to date his only win in the UFC is over John Makdessi. Vannata needs a win here badly if he wants to capitalize on some of the impressive skills he’s shown so far. Drakkar Klose is coming off of his first loss when he was out struck and just all around out fought by David Teymur, he’s trying to get back on the winning side of things and establish himself as a prospect to watch. Vannata enjoys favored status at -185 to a +150 comeback on Klose.

Lightweight Bout: Drakkar Klose (8-1-1, 156 lbs.) vs. Lando Vannata (9-2-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height, Vannata has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Klose is coming forward early, Vannata lands a right as they clinch up. A few knees to the body from Klose then he lands a spinning elbow but Vannata gets the back standing and rides him down. Klose is back up and they separate. Another clinch from Klose, he gets Vannata to the fence and now has a rear waist lock. Vannata spins into Klose then pulls free and misses a right. Body kick from Vannata. They clinch up again then break with an elbow from Vannata. Another clinch, another break after a knee from Klose. Klose lands a body kick. Right lands for Klose as they clinch up again. Knees to the body go back and forth then they break. Klose lands a calf kick. Klose is staying very conventional and technical to counter the weird stuff from Vannata and it’s working so far. Another calf kick from Klose. Another clinch and Klose lands an elbow in close. The control from Klose as well as his ability to close distance has been key. Klose lands a right hook as they break, and that winds up being the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Klose

ROUND TWO: Vannata lands a side kick to the body, then counters a calf kick with a wheel kick. Things are starting to pick up quickly, Vannata lands another calf kick. A right to the body from Vannata but Klose grabs him, they trade knees then break apart. Vannata lands a left then a front kick to the body. Klose lands a calf kick, Vannata responds with a right. They clinch up again, Klose lands an elbow then smothers a badly set up throw and gets on top but Vannata is back up immediately. That elbow from Klose opened up the right eyebrow of Vannata. Counter right from Klose lands as Vannata was trying to spin. Klose lands a calf kick. Vannata lands a right then a right to the body. A right from Vannata lands, Klose lands a hard calf kick that off balances Vannata. The left leg of Vannata is definitely compromised. Another calf kick from Klose will be the last blow of the round.

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

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Klose lands a calf kick, Vannata lands a spinning back kick to the body. Vannata fighting a lot of southpaw now to protect that leg, he lands a jumping body kick. Right lands for Vannata. Superman punch lands for Klose and they clinch up again. Klose has good control in the clinch, switches to a single leg and lands some lefts to the head of Vannata before elevating that leg. Vannata keeping his balance but he’s not able to get free yet and Klose gets a body lock. A few knees to the thigh from Vannata but the ref breaks them up after they stall out a bit. Klose lands a right then eats a couple of kicks. Single leg from Vannata and he’s got Klose down, then gets the back almost immediately in the resulting scramble. Vannata bails on that position, he was rather high on the back, and they’re on the feet again. Now Klose tries a single leg, switches to a double leg against the fence and get shim down. Vannata back up but still in the clinch as time expires.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Drakkar Klose via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Klose gets an interview and opens saying that every win in the UFC is a big win. He says he’s happy with the win and wants to fight again before thanking all of his coaches.

We get the reveal of the rest of the UFC’s schedule for the year, just dates and locations but no new fight announcements yet.

Raphael Assuncao is one of the premier bantamweights in the world but has struggled to get anything approaching momentum on his side despite that. Assuncao has won three in a row and is coming off of his first finish in the UFC since 2012, if he can get back to back finishes he might finally get his name in the title discussion. Rob Font has gone 5-2 in the UFC and is coming off of a win over Thomas Almeida, he’s trying to become just the second man in the UFC to best Assuncao at bantamweight and move himself into the ranks of the elite by doing so. The odds like Assuncao at -155 to a +125 payout for Font.

Bantamweight Bout: #3 Raphael Assuncao (26-5, 136 lbs.) vs. #11 Rob Font (15-3, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Font is two and a half inches taller and has a whopping five inches of reach on Assuncao. They touch gloves to get us going, Font will be doing a fair bit of stance switching. Assuncao is coming forward early, they both miss rights. Inside leg kick from Assuncao. Bit of a right from Assuncao. Assuncao lands a leg kick. Font lands a jab, he’s starting to get that punch working. Font lands a leg kick and he avoids the counter. Bit of a body kick from Assuncao, then a leg kick behind it. Left to the body from Font then a leg kick to follow up. Assuncao lands a right in close then they trade kicks. Hard right from Assuncao lands and drops Font for a second, he’s back up but he got hurt there. Font coming forward now pumping the jab looking to get that punch back. Font lands a jumping knee. Body kick from Font is the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Assuncao

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round then Assuncao ducks under a jab and gets a double leg takedown. Assuncao lands some hammer fists then moves towards the back in a scramble, he winds up in the ride position then side control. Rights from Assuncao and Font gets half guard. Assuncao going for a knee slice, Font reads it and tries to scramble then gets his guard back. A few elbows from Assuncao land and he moves back to side control. Assuncao is trying to set up an armbar or a kimura, in between that he’s landing short elbows. Font is able to get half guard back but he’s getting schooled on the ground. Font finally gets some distance on the mat and regains his feet. Assuncao misses a leg kick, Font is coming forward and Assuncao is content to be smart about how he fights. They trade rights. Bit of a right from Assuncao and a left to follow up. Another right then left from Assuncao, he’s countering Font nicely so far this round. Leg kick from Assuncao. They trade a few jabs then Font misses an uppercut. Font lands a jab. Bit of an overhand right from Assuncao, and Font misses a high kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Assuncao, might be a 10-8 argument in there especially if we were under the new rules, 20-18 Assuncao overall

ROUND THREE: Another touch of gloves to get us going in the last round. Font is showing the jab more but his feet are a bit too stationary. Assuncao lands a couple of lefts. Font lands a body kick, Assuncao returns it. Font’s lack of head movement once they start throwing is letting Assuncao counter him. Assuncao lands a leg kick, then has a wheel kick blocked. Inside leg kick from Assuncao. We get time as Font got poked in the eye. The doctor is coming in to check the eye of Font as the replay confirms the poke, both guys were reaching with open fingers in that exchange. Font is good to continue and we’re back to fighting. Font coming forward now, struggling to find the target but he’s pressing things. Assuncao gets a double leg into the guard of Font and looks to posture up and land offense. Some decent offense from Assuncao, and he moves to half guard off of his pressure and punches. Nearly mount now for Assuncao, Font able to get full guard back though. Font is trying to angle for an armbar, Assuncao easily avoids it and moves to side control. The difference in skill here is obvious. Assuncao is fishing for an arm but Font is defending it and gets half guard. Assuncao postures up, lands some rights as the fight comes to a close.

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

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Raphael Assuncao via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Assuncao keeps on rolling, but sadly can’t seem to get anyone to care. Mic time for Assuncao and he jokes this is the first time Rogan has interviewed him then expresses that he’s one of the most consistent fighters in the division then asks what else he has to do to earn a title shot, does he have to scream and curse and throw a tantrum? He says he’s not finishing guys in every fight but he’s winning a lot of fights and talks about how hard it is and says he’s willing to fight guys that the UFC offers but wants that title shot. All things considered the best promo of Assuncao’s career, and he raises a valid point.

Uriah Hall just broke a three fight losing streak but has somehow retained a top ranking despite that, he’s hoping to get back to back wins for the first time since 2015 and get another crack at the top five of the division. Paulo Costa is undefeated and has finished all three of his UFC fights, he’s trying to take out another ranked opponent here and continue climbing the ranks of the top ten. Costa is a heavy -310 favorite while the +240 payout for Hall has to tempt those who like the long shots.

Middleweight Bout: #10 Paulo Costa (11-0, 185.5 lbs.) vs. #9 Uriah Hall (13-8, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Costa is an inch taller while Hall has an absolutely massive seven and a half inches of reach advantage. Both men come out jabbing, Costa lands a body kick. They’re both probing with kicks so far. Hall misses a wheel kick. Another left body kick from Costa. Costa with another body kick, Hall lands a couple of jabs. Hall’s jab is working well so far, a nice addition to his game. Bit of a right from Costa then a left body kick. Right from Costa lands and he’s backing Hall into the fence, and lands another body kick. Hall is jabbing but he’s not keeping distance with it. Costa tries a front kick that hits the groin so we’ve go time while he recovers. Replay confirms the groin kick. Hall is good to continue and we’re back to fighting. They trade left hooks, Hall lands a spinning back kick to the body but Costa laughs it off. Hall is sticking Costa with the jab reliably now and Costa isn’t adapting to it. Body kick from Costa lands. Costa gets close and rips a couple of hard body shots then a right as Hall tries to slip free. Thai clinch from Costa and he’s digging the body then lands a left as they break. Hall is standing more flat now and Costa is making him pay for that. Right from Costa lands then a body kick. Jabs from Hall again but he’s getting put on the fence. Costa swings a couple of body shots, one appears to have hit the cup of Hall and the ref calls time again. Replay is a little ambiguous, they’re grazing shots and Hall was in motion as they happened. Those still hurt but Hall is getting a beneficial call here. Hall is good to continue and Costa gets a hard warning on the restart. They both miss then Costa lands a body kick, Hall with a spinning back kick to the body as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Costa

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves on the second round, Costa also lands a body kick. Those liver kicks from Costa have slowed Hall down a bit. Costa lands a couple of jabs. Right to the body from Costa, he’s backing Hall towards the fence. Costa lands a right. both men land body shots then Hall hits a double leg, Costa back up immediately and lands another body kick. They both land uppercuts. A combination from Sota lands but Hall clips him with a counter that drops him to a knee, Costa back up and still walking forward. body kick from Costa, Hall is slowing down. Left to the body from Costa, Hall lands a knee but Costa is teeing off on him against the fence now. Flurry from Costa and then Costa drops Hall with a right and the ref waves this off.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Paulo Costa via TKO, punches, at 2:38 of Round 2

Costa keeps on rolling, he relies a lot on physical presence and getting his opponent on the fence to limit movement but there’s a lot good about his offensive game. He went more to the body this time, and I think that last right was a body shot. Mic time for Costa, who plays with the crowd a bit in limited English but they seem to appreciate it. He says he comes to get his bonus, to get his money and puts over Hall then thanks him for the fight. He closes by saying he’s coming for the belt soon.

Here’s the finish, Costa just relentlessly comes forward and batters Hall to the body and head once he’s out of room to move. I think that last right was a body shot that just locked up Hall and ended things.

That’s it for preliminary action, we’ll be on PPV for the rest of the night.

Gokhan Saki was one of the premier heavyweight kick boxers in the world and just scored his first MMA win in his UFC debut when he knocked out Henrique da Silva, tonight he’s trying to extend that streak and continue forging a legacy in MMA to compliment his excellent kick boxing resume. Khalil Rountree is coming off of a No Contest, he originally lost before his opponent failed a drug test, but he hasn’t lost since 2016 and is looking to keep that streak alive here at the expense of a combat sports legend. Saki is your favorite here at -140 against +110 on Rountree.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Khalil Rountree (6-2 1 NC, 205 lbs.) vs. Gokhan Saki (1-1, 206 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rountree is an inch taller and has three and a half inches of reach on Saki. Rountree comes out southpaw, Saki will do some stance switching as things go on. Saki stalking forward and feinting, Rountree circling and pawing with the jab. Inside leg kick from Saki. Saki has a head kick blocked. They get close and both miss punches. Saki lands a straight right. Leg kick from Saki, who’s started switching his stance. Rountree lands a left that drops Saki and he swings hammer fists until the ref steps in to stop this one.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Khalil Rountree via KO, punches, at 1:36 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Rountree for his work this evening. Mic time for Rountree, he says the win is satisfying but people have been doubting his striking power and he wants to go. He says he’s a striker who’s developing in every area and that this is the type of finish he likes to see.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why you don’t throw naked kicks. Especially naked leg kicks.

Michael Chiesa missed weight for this fight and has gone on record saying he wont be competing at lightweight after this bout. Chiesa just had a three fight winning streak snapped by Kevin Lee and he’s hoping to win here and put the weight gaff behind him before moving up towards welterweight. Anthony Pettis is a former lightweight champion but has been really up and down recently, he’s 1-1 since returning to lightweight after a stint at featherweight but is coming off of a loss to Dustin Poirier and is looking to avoid another losing streak here. The odds lean towards Chiesa at -185 to a +150 comeback for Pettis.

Lightweight Bout: #9 Michael Chiesa (14-3, 157.5 lbs.) vs. #12 Anthony Pettis (20-7, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Chiesa is three inches taller and has three inches of reach on Pettis. Southpaw stance for Chiesa, Pettis will do some stance switching throughout the fight. Chiesa coming forward quickly, Pettis lands a body kick but gets caught and taken down into half guard against the fence. Pettis is holding the head but can’t do anything with it and Chiesa gets free then lands a punch. Elbows from Chiesa and he’s trying to set up an arm triangle choke already. Punches from Chiesa and he gets the back quickly but Pettis escapes and gets the back of Chiesa. Chiesa stands and gets a double wrist lock to break the grip of Pettis then they break on a high kick from Chiesa. More pressure from Chiesa but he reaches for a takedown and Pettis blocks then clinches up and has Chiesa on the fence. Chiesa gets a couple of punches off then is after a double leg on the cage. Quick trip from Chiesa and he’s on top now and Pettis is trying to throw up a triangle attempt. Chiesa avoids that attempt and lands a couple of punches. Pettis lands a legal up kick but when he stands Chiesa is back on him in the clinch. They break without incident and Pettis starts coming forward. Pettis blocks a few punches then avoids a takedown attempt. Leg kick from Pettis lands. Another leg kick from Pettis. Pettis lands a straight right. Chiesa nearly pulls donkey guard, but can’t secure it then he avoids a few kicks from Pettis as the round ends. Check that, Pettis lands a right just at the bell that off balances Chiesa.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pettis based mostly on that late knock down but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Replay shows there was no blow that knocked Chiesa down at the end of the second, their feet got tangled up. Pettis lands a punch to start the second that hurts Chiesa, he jumps for a guillotine when Chiesa tries to close distance but it’s not there and Chiesa gets free quickly. Now a triangle attempt from Pettis, Chiesa tries to posture through but Pettis adjust to the armbar with the triangle and gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Anthony Pettis via Submission, triangle armbar, at :52 of Round 2

That’s the best Pettis has looked in years, though the match up might have helped that. Mic time for Pettis and he says he’s a fighter for the fans and he’s after finishes from now on, forget all that wrestling crap. He talks us through the finish then guarantees a knockout for his next win, then wishes for a beer as he’s been working hard lately. Pettis puts over his jiu-jitsu then wishes his daughter a happy birthday to close out the interview.

Paul Felder is riding a three fight winning streak but was supposed to compete at lightweight in a few weeks on another card. After some fights falling through necessitated switching Felder wound up here up at welterweight, but he’s looking to get his fourth win in a row and prove he can be a relevant fighter across two weight classes. Mike Perry is on a two fight losing streak and needs a win pretty badly here as another loss could see his spot on the roster put in serious jeopardy. The odds are close but favor Felder at -145 to a +130 payout for Perry.

Welterweight Bout: Paul Felder (15-3, 170 lbs.) vs. Mike Perry (11-3, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Felder is an inch taller while Perry has half an inch of reach on him. Circling to start, Felder lands a calf kick. Bit of a right from Perry, who’s coming forward and has opened up a cut on the forehead of Felder. They clinch up and Felder lands a knee to the body as they hit the fence. Some knees go back and forth, both guys are bleeding from the hairline after a clash of heads. Well at least it’s living up to the promise of blood. They trade elbows in close, Perry landed a right that wobbled Felder. Perry digs the body, Felder lands an elbow as they break. Felder lands a right but Perry just eats it. Leg kick from Felder, Perry lands a right. Sharp left elbow in close from Perry and Felder responds with a leg kick. There’s a serious power difference in favor Perry on display so far. Perry lands an uppercut but eats a leg kick. Perry is also throwing that oblique kick and is troubling the lead leg of Felder. Bit of a head kick from Felder. Now Felder is trying to get his jab going but Perry is looking to counter with rights. Felder lands a couple of calf kicks then misses a wheel kick. Perry gets into a clinch and they start trading knees then Perry lands an elbow as they break. Felder lands another calf kick. Perry with a spinning elbow then a right to the body. Felder lands a spinning back fist then tries a double leg that Perry stuffs as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Perry but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Perry opens up with some kicks to the leg then avoids a calf kick. Left body kick from Felder but his right hand might be compromised, he mentioned it to his coach between rounds. Left from Perry to counter a leg kick and he’s in on a single leg and gets a high crotch slam into the guard of Felder. Felder quickly tries an armbar then rolls to his feet, Perry keeps the clinch on the fence though. Elbow from Perry then they break. Sharp right from Felder. Perry eats a left as he tries to close distance, he’s a little slower this round whereas Felder has a more consistent pace. Calf kick from Felder. Left elbow from Felder lands. Left hook from Perry opens up Felder and wobbles him but they clinch up. That’s a pretty nasty cut, similar to the one that Francisco Trinaldo opened up, and the ref halts the action to get that cut looked at. The doctor says the cut wont stop things yet and we reset in the clinch. Perry lands an elbow as he moves to the back standing and gets a weak German suplex then gets on top in half guard. Seeing that cut now it’s not as bad as the Trinaldo one, it’s in a better spot if nothing else. Felder slips free and Perry clubs him with a right. They trade knees and elbows in the clinch to close the round. This fight is the bloody and brutal affair we all hoped it would be.

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

ROUND THREE: Felder also has a big hematoma growing on his right temple near the hairline and confirmed to his coach between rounds that his right forearm is broken. Perry lands a left hook into a clinch, Felder lands a couple of rights before they break. Another left hook from Perry lands. Felder trying to get his jab going, lands a leg kick but eats a bit of an elbow from Perry. Right uppercut from Perry but he eats a counter elbow. Felder lands a spinning back kick to the body. Knee to the body from Felder as Perry was closing distance. Now Perry is starting to jab a bit. Hard right from Perry, Felder responds with a right to the body. Perry with a left high kick that’s mostly blocked. One two from Felder then they both land lefts to the body. Left body kick from Felder. Perry in on a single leg against the fence, slips to the back standing with a rear waist lock. Knees to the thigh from Perry, Felder lands some back elbows to the head. Perry is trying to transition from the back to a double leg but can’t do it and they break. Felder lands a couple of jabs and a knee to the chest, both guys still throwing everything they can at each other as time runs out.

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

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

Not sure about that but I’ll have to rewatch to see which round Felder won. Mic time for Perry who says he feels great after his first decision victory but feels he still has a lot to work on. He thanks the fans for showing up and can’t express how grateful he is to be on this big a card with the best fighters in the world. He puts over Felder as a skilled guy and a big opponent, then plans on cleaning up his game and thanks God for the tenacity he’s been blessed with.

Here’s the final fifteen seconds, for those of us who enjoy violence.

Francis Ngannou just had a ten fight winning streak broken when he failed to take the heavyweight title from Stipe Miocic, now he’s trying to bounce back and prove he’s still an elite level heavyweight as well as avoid the first losing streak of his career. Derrick Lewis has somewhat quietly put together a great run, he’s 7-1 in his last eight fights and that loss was to Mark Hunt. Lewis is coming off of a win over Marcin Tybura and is looking to shoot into the title picture with another win here. Ngannou is a significant -340 favorite to +260 on Lewis.

Heavyweight Bout: #5 Derrick Lewis (19-5 1 NC, 264.5 lbs.) vs. #1 Francis Ngannou (11-2, 253 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ngannou is an inch taller and has four inches of reach on Lewis, and he’s also more than ten pounds lighter by this time as Lewis cuts weight to 265. They slowly walk to the middle of the cage, neither man wants to waste what energy they have. Ngannou goes southpaw, interesting and new. A few feints from each man, just getting a feel for each other. Lewis lands a body kick and a bit of a right behind it. Jumping switch kick from Lewis is blocked. Ngannou is walking Lewis into the fence but hasn’t thrown any offense yet. Lewis misses some offense but there’s a lot of staring going on. Body kick from Lewis, they clinch then break. Bit of a jab from Ngannou to the body of Lewis. Lewis lands a leg kick. They resume staring, and somewhere in there the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lewis

ROUND TWO: Lewis complained a bit about his back between rounds, he’s had back problems over the last couple of years so that’s nothing to joke about. Ngannou misses a jab. They’ve landed less than ten strikes between them at this point. I hate heavyweights, oh so much. Ngannou is moving Lewis towards the fence again but isn’t throwing. The crowd is booing and bringing out their cell phones to wave in the air. Quick clinch then break, nothing else happens. Lewis misses a right. Ngannou might have landed a counter there, if so I missed it but Lewis was pawing at his eye a bit. Commentary is trying to tell me Ngannou is preserving himself for the third round, nice try guys but you’re not that good a sales team. Slight jab from Ngannou and Lewis misses the counters. They trade leg kicks and we get time as the ref tells them they have to actually fight during a fight. Good guy Herb Dean there trying to get the action going. Ngannou lands a jab. Body kick from Lewis. Lewis misses a couple of punches. They resume staring as the round ends. Commentary says if this goes the distance it’ll be the most boring heavyweight decision of all time. I’m contesting that a bit, I’ve seen Shamrock vs. Severn 2 and Sylvia vs. Arlovski 3, but the overall point is valid.

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

ROUND THREE: Both guys with some moderate feinting. Ngannou has a high kick blocked. They both miss clubbing punches, this is becoming a parody. I don’t even know what to do here guys, there’s just nothing happening. Lewis misses a flurry and tries to bum rush but can’t get anything going. Ngannou misses a left hook, then lets Lewis off of the fence. This is absolutely baffling from both men. I mean you could argue this winds up a 30-30 draw. Ngannou misses a head kick. Left hook lands for Ngannou. They clinch, Lewis lands a couple of knees then breaks. Body kicks are traded, Ngannou tries a takedown but time runs and he lands a late punch just to make things even worse.

SCORECARD: 10-10 DRAW, 30-28 Lewis overall

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

Good Lord that was bad. Just awful. No interview for Lewis and let’s all try to forget this happened.

In more heavyweight related news, Brock Lesnar is cage side and comes over to shake hands with commentary and asks to be on Rogan’s podcast. Lesnar is likely to challenge for the heavyweight title after that horrible last fight. And in fact, here’s this related to that.

Daniel Cormier is the reigning light heavyweight champion and has only lost to Jon Jones, tonight he’s trying to make some history by becoming just the second man in UFC history to hold titles in two different weight classes at the same time. Cormier is trying to cement himself as an all time great in the history of the sport. Standing in his way is UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic who has established himself as the best heavyweight in UFC history at this point and is making a play for best heavyweight of all time. Miocic is on a six fight winning streak and has the record for most consecutive heavyweight title defenses at three, he’s looking to further cement his legacy here and take out another all time great. The odds here favor the champion Miocic at -235 to a +185 comeback on Cormier.

UFC Heavyweight Title Bout: (c) Stipe Miocic (18-2, 242.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Cormier (20-1 1 NC, 246 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Miocic is five inches taller and has seven and a half inches of reach on Cormier. They touch gloves to get us going. Cormier circling around the outside, Miocic cutting him off and backing him up. Miocic lands a jab and avoids a clinch. Cormier is trying to clinch immediately but Miocic is disengaging. Cormier lands a right and they clinch up on the fence. Miocic rides Cormier down then punches him as he gets up. Lefts from Miocic as Cormier turns into him. Knee to the body from Miocic. Miocic lands a knee to the head and they break. Quick one two from Miocic lands and Cormier circles away from the fence. Jab from Cormier. Left hook from Miocic lands and they clinch up again. Miocic lands a knee and they break. Leg kick from Cormier lands. Elbow from Miocic lands then a combination to follow up. Jab from Miocic stuns Cormier, Cormier fires back with a one two. Miocic gets poked in the eye so we’ve got time for him to recover. Replay confirms the eye poke and Cormier gets a stern warning on the restart. Leg kick from Miocic and a jab behind it. Both men land in close and they clinch, Cormier lands a right that floors Miocic and this one is over! History for Cormier.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and NEW UFC Heavyweight Champion – Daniel Cormier via KO, punches, at 4:33 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Cormier for his work this evening. Cormier has established himself as one of the best of all time with that performance, still only lost to Jon Jones. Mic time for the new double champ, who has no words at first then says he loves the heavyweight division and feels he now knows just how great he can become. He talks us through the finish and seems happy to be back at heavyweight where he can knock guys out in the cage again, then mentions he’s 39 years old and finally has accomplished everything from crying in this cage one year ago after Jones KO’d him, this is the most amazing thing ever. Cormier takes the mic from Rogan and proceeds to call out Brock Lesnar, who obliges him by entering the cage and shoving him. They jaw at each other, Cormier promises to put Lesnar to sleep later, Lesnar points at the belt and says it’s his. Lesnar on the mic now, who says he watched the heavyweight disasters this evening, calls the other heavyweights pieces of shit and promises to come for Cormier. Cormier has both of his belts now and climbs the cage to celebrate.

That was entirely too WWE produced for my taste.

On that note, UFC 226 comes to a close. We’ll be unpacking all of the action from this card, such as it was, this Sunday on the 411 Ground and Pound Radio Show. If you have questions or comments you’d like addressed by the panel feel free to leave them in the comments section here, or tweet me @WinfreeMMA if you do the twitter thing. I’ll be back next Saturday for the UFC’s debut in Boise, Idaho when Blagoy Ivanov makes his UFC debut against former champion Junior dos Santos. Hopefully you’ll read along for that as well, but if you’re defending yourself from burnout by avoiding smaller cards I can’t blame you.

That wraps up my report guys, thank you for your support and I hope one day to actually deserve it. Until next time stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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