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411’s UFC 246 Report: Conor McGregor Wins

January 19, 2020 | Posted by Robert Winfree

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Conor McGregor (170 lbs.) vs. Donald Cerrone (170 lbs.)
#3 Holly Holm (135.5 lbs.) vs. #5 Raquel Pennington (136 lbs.)
Maurice Greene (243 lbs.) vs. #12 Aleksei Oleinik (238 lbs.)
Brian Kelleher (136 lbs.) vs. Ode Osbourne (135 lbs.)
Diego Ferreira (155.5 lbs.) vs. #11 Anthony Pettis (155.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)
#9 Maycee Barber (126 lbs.) vs. #7 Roxanne Modafferi (125 lbs.)
Andre Fili (145.5 lbs.) vs. Sodiq Yusuff (146 lbs.)
#12 Askar Askarov (126 lbs.) vs. #7 Tim Elliott (125.5 lbs.)
Drew Dober (155.5 lbs.) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (156 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
Aleksa Camur (204 lbs.) vs. Justin Ledet (205 lbs.)
J.J. Aldrich (125.5 lbs.) vs. Sabina Mazo (125.5 lbs.)


Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 246. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the evening, relaying all of the information to you fine people just as I see it. It’s been a bit hasn’t it? Tonight marks the first UFC event of 2020, and despite the players in the main event it’s been a really subdued build up. The rest of the card isn’t exactly stacked either, plus we lost a few fights over the last couple of weeks. Originally a 13 fight card we lost a featherweight clash between Chas Skelly and Grant Dawson during the week, then after weigh ins a strawweight bout between Alexa Grasso and Claudia Gadelha fell through when Grasso weighed in officially at a catastrophic 121.5 pounds. A full five and a half pounds over the non-title weight limit, and apparently there’s a rule in Nevada where for a strawweight fight if the weight difference for weigh ins is over three pounds they just scrap the fight. In the wake of that Grasso announced her move to flyweight, and the bantamweight fight between Brian Kelleher and Ode Osbourne moved onto the main card.

UFC 245 has a very fan friendly main event as arguably the biggest star in the sport right now, Conor McGregor, returns to battle fan favorite veteran and a man with his name all over the UFC record books Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The fight is being contested at welterweight but probably has title implications at lightweight, because reasons. Hey, if Jose Aldo can drop to bantamweight and lose his debut fight then still get a title shot off of that loss (leapfrogging Sterling, Yan, Sandhagen, Moraes, etc.) then surely McGregor can win a fight at welterweight and jump over the lightweight division right? The co-main event isn’t terribly exciting, but former champion Holly Holm takes on Raquel Pennington in a rematch from Holm’s UFC debut. The opener for the PPV is a really good fight though as surging Carlos Diego Ferreira takes on former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. On the prelims we have a couple of notable fights, Andre Fili vs. Sodiq Yusuff probably topping the list there, Maycee Barber looks to continue her rise towards title contention against former title challenger Roxanne Modafferi, and Tim Elliott vs. Askar Askarov could be your typically exciting flyweight scramble fest.

UFC 245 comes to the world from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. On commentary we have Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Paul Felder. We’ll also have Trevor Wittman chiming in between rounds and Megan Olivi doing in arena reporting. We’re under a hybrid of the new and old rules, they’re new with the exception of the downed fighter rule which is one hand down instead of two and you can call for instant replay at any point. That said I’m not sure if using replay does end the fight given the wording being given.

Hey, while you’re waiting for the event to start or just killing time between fights you can check out the latest 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast where we previewed this event.

Sabina Mazo has gone 1-1 in the UFC but is coming off of a win and looking for her first UFC winning streak. JJ Aldrich has gone 4-2 in the UFC but is 1-1 at flyweight, she’s also coming off of a win and hoping for her first winning streak in her new division. The odds for this one closed as a -115 pick ’em.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: J.J. Aldrich (8-3, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Sabina Mazo (7-1, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mazo is two inches taller and has two and a half inches of reach advantage. Aldrich opens southpaw, and is circling around early. Both women just looking to get a read on the other. Mazo is landing a few leg kicks, Aldrich lands a left. Another left lands for Aldrich, with a right behind it. Mazo lands a leg kick. Aldrich lands another left, she’s always circling to her own left and is becoming predictable but Mazo isn’t capitalizing yet. Aldrich lands another left. Mazo with a few jabs but she’s not pressuring Aldrich, just letting her circle. Bit of a knee from Mazo. Mazo is jabbing when Aldrich tries to bum rush but still isn’t finding much success. Uppercut and a left from Aldrich and she avoids the counters. Aldrich lands another left. Right from Mazo. They clinch up but nothing comes of it before they break. They kind of stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Aldrich

ROUND TWO: Mazo comes out kicking again, Aldrich lands a left. Mazo is starting to pressure Aldrich towards the fence finally. Both women landing power hand punches. Aldrich lands a one two. Mazo lands a body kick. Aldrich lands a left then eats a body kick. Another jab from Aldrich but she eats a hard leg kick. Left from Aldrich lands. Mazo has stopped pressuring to the fence, but does land a nice right knee to the body. Bit of a flurry from both women. Straight left from Aldrich lands flush. Mazo lands a leg kick but eats another couple of punches, Aldrich’s hands are looking sharp. Mazo’s nose is bleeding quite a bit. They clinch and Mazo lands knees while Aldrich tries to get free. More knees from Mazo to the head as Aldrich finally gets free. Mazo lands a bit of a right head kick just before the round ends.

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

ROUND THREE: Mazo is aggressive to start, both women land some punches. Aldrich lands a left but they clinch again and Mazo begins kneeing the body. They hit the fence as Mazo just wants to keep contact. More knees from Mazo, Aldrich is bleeding from the nose as well. They break without incident. Leg kick from Mazo. Straight right from Mazo lands, Aldrich with a left to counter. Aldrich is slowing down a bit, the body work might be catching up. Mazo with another knee to the body and she’s got a clinch with more knees, Aldrich is hurt. On the fence and Mazo with elbows and knees but she needs the stoppage not just the round. Knee to the head from Mazo then the body again. More knees from Mazo, Aldrich is kind of stuck on the fence. The ref winds up breaking them, not sure I agree with that one. Aldrich lands a one two. Body kick from Mazo lands. Mazo blocks a high kick, eats a couple of lefts but then gets the clinch again. Knee to the head from Mazo as Aldrich gets free. Mazo kicks the leg and body at distance as the clock winds down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mazo, 29-28 Aldrich overall

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

I can see the second going for Mazo even if I disagree. Mic time for Mazo, she feels like she didn’t get going until the third round then puts over Aldrich. She feels she won the second and third rounds, that ends the interview which was rather short.

Aleksa Camur is undefeated and comes into the UFC on the back of a flying knee KO scored on the Contender Series, he’s hoping to remain perfect after this fight and prove himself a legitimate prospect at light heavyweight. Justin Ledet was undefeated before dropping to light heavyweight, since then he’s 0-2 and now finds himself in a must win scenario even for a division as thin as this one. The odds favor Camur at -130 to an even -100 for Ledet.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Aleksa Camur (5-0, 204 lbs.) vs. Justin Ledet (9-2 1 NC, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ledet is three inches taller and has a significant six inches of reach advantage. Ledet starts out circling, Camur tries a wheel kick. There’s our first “woo” of the evening, and of 2020. I was really hoping that had died. Ledet avoids a few punches. High kick form Camur is blocked. Bit of a one two from Ledet. Left hook from Ledet lands and stumbles Camur. Camur is swinging hard but he’s getting blocked and countered when they’re in boxing range. Camur lands a right to the body. Clinch from Camur, and they hit the fence then break but nothing comes of it. Camur is muscling a lot of stuff so far. Ledet is looking to establish his jab and avoid the offense from Camur. Another missed wheel kick from Camur. Bit of a left from Camur. Ledet lands a left hook. Bit of a right from Ledet to counter a flying knee attempt as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ledet

ROUND TWO: Camur comes out with a head kick that’s mostly blocked. Body kick from Camur lands. Camur misses a few more kicks, Ledet is content to let him miss and counter. Ledet lands a one two. Camur tries to force a clinch but can’t get it. Another clinch, and Ledet with some knees before they break. Right then a left from Ledet. Camur lands an inside leg kick. Leg kick from Camur is coutnered with a left. They clinch again and hit the fence this time. Camur tries to punch on the way out but eats a knee to the body. Camur is breathing a little heavy and Ledet is still looking good. A couple of body shots from Camur but he eats a counter punch. Ledet lands a left to the body. Some jabs then a left hook from Ledet. Camur lands a right, Ledet just eats it and returns one of his own. A few body shots land for Camur, Ledet lands a right to the body. They trade jabs then Ledet with a left to the body then a left hook. Ledet back to jabbing. Camur forces a clinch and lands a few knees then an elbow. Camur tries to unload but is mostly blocked, Ledet lands to the body. Knees to the body from Camur. They break, and stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ledet but probably went to Camur, 20-18 Ledet overall

ROUND THREE: Ledet lands a left hook that definitely got Camur’s attention. Bit of a right from Ledet. Camur misses another wheel kick. More jabs from Ledet. Camur lands a jab. Ledet is coming forward more this round but he’s not really cutting the cage off. Left hooks are traded but Camur wobbled into the clinch. Camur gets this to the fence but he’s still in recover mode. Ledet is letting this get away from him but allowing this clinch to continue. They separate without incident. Another left from Ledet lands. A few inside leg kicks from Camur land. Bit of a right from Ledet. The leg kicks from Camur have been nice. Ledet lands a combination. Camur tries a takedown, he’s able to get it into guard where the last couple of seconds run down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ledet but this is going to be a weird one to score, 30-27 Ledet overall

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

30-27 for Camur? That seems objectively wrong. No interview for Camur, that does it for Fight Pass. There’s a basketball game running long so the rest of the prelims will start on ESPN+ and ESPNNews.

Drew Dober has gone 4-1 over his last five fights, he’s coming off of a win and looking to build another winning streak. Nasrat Haqparast is 3-1 in the UFC and on a three fight winning streak, he’s hoping to make the move from prospect towards contender status by moving that streak to four. Haqparast is the -330 favorite to +260 for Dober.

Lightweight Bout: Drew Dober (21-9 1 NC, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (11-2, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Haqparast has two inches of height and reach on Dober. They touch gloves, both men fighting southpaw. Haqparast circling early, Dober feinting with his head. Leg kick from Haqparast lands. Right hook from Haqparast in close but he misses the follow ups. Both men land in close. Left from Dober drops Haqparast, he unloads on the mat and puts Haqparast out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Drew Dober via TKO, punches, at 1:10 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Dober for his work this evening. That’s a huge win for Dober taking out a hyped up prospect. To start his interview he feels very happy and feels he’s finally hitting his prime at 31 and promises he can take out anyone in the top ten of the division. He talks us through the finish, noting he needed to stay calm and says he enjoyed every moment of this experience.

A couple of things here. First Haqparast drops his hands throwing this kick which is a huge no-no, second he throws the kick naked (i.e without setup), and finally he doesn’t really move his head off of the center line. Dober reads it, times it, and cruses him with a left then shows off good ground and pound to close the show.

Tim Elliott has been trading wins and losses since returning to the UFC, he’s 2-3 during that frame but bounced around a bit between bantamweight and flyweight. He’s coming off of a loss at flyweight and is hoping to avoid another losing streak. Askar Askarov fought to a split draw with Brandon Moreno in his UFC debut, though still undefeated he’s now looking to get his first win in the UFC. The odds are with Askarov at -150 to a +120 comeback on Elliott.

Flyweight Bout: #12 Askar Askarov (10-0-1, 126 lbs.) vs. #7 Tim Elliott (15-9-1, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Elliott is an inch taller while Askarov has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going, both men start southpaw but Elliott switches a lot. Elliott moving around early. Elliott lands a leg kick. Askarov avoids a few punches. Askarov lands a couple of punches, Elliott lands a leg kick. Leg kick from Askarov, Elliott with a left. Both men land leg kicks, Askarov tries a high kick that lands in a glancing fashion. They clinch up but separate without incident. Askarov lands a couple of punches. Right from Askarov stands Elliott upright, he looked out on his feet for a second, and Askarov gets a takedown into half guard. Askarov is struggling to get much going at the moment, Elliott mostly looking to stall. There’s a bit of an arm triangle attempt from Askarov but he’s not able to pass the half guard. Askarov gets free and lands an elbow as he moves to pass but Elliott gets butterfly guard. Half guard again for Askarov, he’s controlling Elliott quite well. Rights from Askarov land. A flurry of punches from Askarov closes out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Askarov under the new rules, if the ref had stopped that when Elliott went stiff I’d have been OK with it

ROUND TWO: Elliott back to moving, Askarov lands a right. They clinch up, Elliott hits a judo throw and sells out for a guillotine that Askarov escapes and they’re back on the feet. Both men land calf kicks. Askarov pushes into a clinch that hits the fence. Body lock for Askarov, he lands knees to the body and head and moves to the back standing. Elliott pummels and looks to get chest to chest again but can’t complete the turn. Finally Elliott slips free and we’re at distance again. Askarov lands a left. Askarov doing some stance switching now as well. Front kick to the body from Askarov and punches as well. They trade punches, Elliott hits another throw but can’t control anything and they regain their feet. They clinch, Elliott hits that same throw again and this time gets into the guard of Askarov. Elbows from Askarov, he thinks about an elbow but Elliott defends. Askarov throws up a triangle attempt, Elliott passes through it to side control. Askarov to half guard, looks for a sweep but can’t finish it. Elliott has half guard but Askarov gets full guard again. Another triangle attempt, as Elliott passes Askarov regains his feet and eats a left hand when they break. Jabs from Askarov then a right. Both men land punches again, Elliott tries a high crotch but can’t finish it. Askaov gets a clinch, has the back but can’t finish the throw before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Askarov even off of his back, 20-17 Askarov overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Elliott still circling, and he eats a jab. Askarov avoids a few punches, then lands an inside leg kick. Jabs from Askarov, Elliott tries to bait him into planting and throwing but he’s not falling for that. Elliott lands a left but eats more jabs. Front kick to the body from Askarov, they both land punches in close. Askarov still moving and jabbing, Elliott is using a front headlock to dissuade Askarov’s double leg entries. Right from Askarov staggers Elliott for a second. More leg kicks from Elliott but he’s eating punches for them. Those kicks from Elliott are on the calf and are starting to get there, but Askarov is still hitting him back. More punches from Askarov, Elliott is marching him down though through a bunch of punches. Elliott lands a left but he ate three punches to do that. Askarov punches as they exit a clinch. Askarov is backing up a lot but he’s jabbing constantly and hitting Elliott. Right from Askarov lands, Elliott gets close enough to clinch but eats a knee to the body. They trade body shots in the clinch, then Askarov defends a double leg and separates. Leg kick from Askarov then he avoids a takedown attempt. Elliott defends a takedown attempt, eats punches, and time runs down.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Askarov, 30-26 Askarov overall

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

Really fun fight there, a lot of scrambles and action but no one cares about flyweight’s but me. No interview for Askarov.

This was the right in the first that nearly ended the fight. You can see Elliott basically go out on his feet but recover before actually falling over, which almost certainly would have stopped the fight.

Andre Fili is an impressive 4-1 in his last five fights and is on a two fight winning streak, he’s hoping to derail the hype around Yusuff and move towards contender status. Sodiq Yusuff is on a five fight winning streak including three stoppage wins in the UFC, he’s trying to move towards the top fifteen as well with another win here. Yusuff is the -140 favorite to +110 on Fili.

Featherweight Bout: Andre Fili (20-6, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Sodiq Yusuff (10-1, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fili is two inches taller and has three inches of reach advantage. Yusuff with a bit of a left hook, both men throwing early but still working on the range. Both men with jabs, Yusuff looking to close distance. A few leg kicks go back and forth, Fili has the better kicks thus far. Right from Yusuff stuns Fili and he’s looking to back him to the fence. Jab from Yusuff lands. Both men landing lefts, Fili’s right eye is swelling already. Fili gets a clinch now and moves to the back on the fence. They break without incident. Jabs from both men again as Yusuff keeps walking Fili down. Fili again gets a clinch and this time gets a takedown but Yusuff back up and they break. Fili lands a body kick but eats a hard leg kick. Fili doing a bit of stance switching now. Double leg from Fili to stifle the motion of Yusuff, Yusuff back up but still clinched. Yusuff gets free and separates. They trade more jabs but Yusuff has the harder punches. They trade wildly, both men get hit cleanly then Fili hits a double leg. Yusuff back up on the fence and looking for a kimura to break the grip. Yusuff gets it to the mat, uses it to sweep and gets on top with elbows in the guard of Fili. Fili tries an armbar, Yusuff pulls free and moves to half guard then lands punches. Elbows from Yusuff then punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yusuff

ROUND TWO: Fili’s face is marked up. They both come out jabbing, Yusuff lands an inside leg kick to break the stance of Fili. Fili tries a kick, Yusuff kicks his legs out from under him and gets on top in his half guard. Body shots from Yusuff then lefts to the head. Yusuff is looking to pass, he gets to side control and lands a few knees to the body. A few short elbows from Yusuff, Fili looks to shrimp but can’t get his legs in play. They wind up in north-south, then back to side control from Yusuff. A few short elbows from Yusuff, he moves to kene on belly and lands lefts. Fili finally gets half guard back. A few more lefts from Yusuff, Fili gets full guard. Yusuff standing looking to pass, and gets back to side control that was really nice. Knee on belly again from Yusuff, and now full mount. Fili is trying to get his feet on the cage to bridge, and he does then we’re back on the feet. Yusuff avoids a head kick, avoids a takedown attempt and they’re clinched up. Fili lands a knee to the body. They’ll end the round in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Yusuff based on the new criteria, 20-17 Yusuff overall

ROUND THREE: Both men come out jabbing again. Head kick from Fili is blocked, Yusuff lands a calf kick. Yusuff is backing Fili up again, Fili lands a left. Fili working southpaw now, he’s got Yusuff backing up. Right from Yusuff lands flush then a jab. Body kick from Fili lands. Yusuff lands another right. Fili lands a left, and eats a counter. Both men land rights. Leg kick from Yusuff lands. Clubbing left from Yusuff, Fili lands a left. The southpaw stance has opened up a lot of Fili’s game this round. Another left from Fili lands. Bit of a left from Fili. Yusuff misses a head kick. Fili is working more this round, Yusuff is letting this round at least slip away. Double leg from Fili, doesn’t finish before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fili, 29-27 Yusuff overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sodiq Yusuff via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

A bit lucky for Yusuff there, judging being what it is and how he gave away that last round. Mic time for Yusuff, he was surprised that Fili could eat those punches then puts over Fili as a guy who’s been fighting in the UFC longer than he’s been training. He says he’s a striker first but his gym is a jiu-jitsu gym and he’s done a lot of work there over his career. Asked about how long he’ll be around featherweight he feels he’ll get up to lightweight eventually but he hasn’t missed weight yet and will stick there. He speaks some I think Igbo to any Nigerians watching, mentioning Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman specifically.

Roxanne Modafferi is a veteran of the fight game but has been trading wins and losses since returning to the UFC. She’s gone 2-3 in her last five fights and is hoping to avoid another losing streak as she’s coming off of a loss. Maycee Barber is undefeated with three wins in the UFC, she’s publicly stated her goal to become the youngest UFC champion ever and could make her way further up the rankings with a win here as well as possibly getting her name into the title picture given the state of women’s flyweight. Barber is a massive -850 favorite while Modafferi’s comeback stands at +550.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: #9 Maycee Barber (23-16, 126 lbs.) vs. #7 Roxanne Modafferi (8-0, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Modafferi is two inches taller and has four inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Barber fighting southpaw. both women miss punches early. Barber is backing Modafferi up. A couple of rights land for Modafferi, Barber lands a right of her own. Modafferi lands another straight right. They trade power hand punches then Modafferi gets a body lock takedown basically into half guard. Barber is trying to tie things up from the bottom, Modafferi looking to set up a pass. Modafferi is trying to pass, Barber using a lot of tension to keep things locked down. Modafferi gets out of the half guard for a second but Barber gets it back. Another pass attempt from Modafferi, she’s actively breaking the grip of her guard. Barber grabs a seated arm triangle and looks to lock that up but Modafferi gets her head free and elbows the body. Modafferi looks for an arm triangle choke, she’s got the arm in position and looks to mount off of it, and does so. Barber gives up her back but turns into Modafferi’s guard. A few elbows from Modafferi, one from Barber as well just before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Modafferi, might be a 10-8 argument under the new scoring criteria

ROUND TWO: Both women punching again, Modafferi off balances Barber with a jab and jumps on top of her. There’s an armbar attempt from Barber but Modafferi uses that to pass to side control. Barber’s knee gave out on that jab, it wasn’t a hard punch but it was awkward and she might be injured. Modafferi moves to the mounted crucifix, and back to full mount. Elbows from Modafferi. Modafferi looking to posture up, but loses her balance and Barber is able to off balance and get on top despite now being cut by an elbow. That’s a pretty nasty cut, at least it’s bleeding a lot right now. Barber lands a few lefts. Modafferi keeps trying for an armbar, and uses one of those to sweep into full mount. Barber gives up the back after taking punches and Modafferi grabs an arm triangle as they transition but loses it as Barber gets half guard after shrimping. Barber is leaking a lot of blood. Modafferi looks to elbow the body, Barber has a kimura grip trying to work for a sweep. More body shots from Modafferi, she moves to north-south then side control. Modafferi stands, lands a few leg kicks as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Modafferi, 20-17 Modafferi overall

ROUND THREE: Barber was visibly limping between rounds, that left knee is compromised. The doctor comes in to check on Barber, he thinks she’s got a small partial ACL tear but thinks she’s good to continue. Circling from both women, Modafferi lands a right and you can see Barber’s left knee giving out. More punches from Modafferi, Barber lands a left to get her to back off. Another right from Modafferi off balances Barber. Barber lands an elbow as they clinch up, and Modafferi gets a takedown against the fence. That knee is totally shot at this point, Barber’s corner should stop this. Modafferi gets half guard. Barber with an americana sweep into top position half guard. Elbows from Barber now. Modafferi looks to stand, she wall walks eating elbows then sprawls away from a double leg, grabs a front headlock and stalls things out from there. Modafferi moves to half guard again. There’s another arm triangle attempt from Modafferi, at least for control purposes. Barber just controlling posture as time runs out.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Modafferi, 30-26 Modafferi overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27 x2)

Huge win for Modafferi, who’s been a pioneer for women in the sport. Barber actually gets the mic first, says being on this card was an honor and puts over Modafferi as a pioneer then apologizes to anyone she let down but is happy to have been here when Modafferi shined. Mic time for Modafferi now, her nose looks busted up, she first wishes Barber a speedy recovery if her knee is injured. That woman is all class. She thanks her coaches then says she wants to be a top ten fighter not just a veteran gatekeeper.

That will wrap up preliminary action, we’re on to PPV for the main card.

Anthony Pettis has been trading wins and losses since 2016, he’s 4-5 during that time and is coming off of a loss to Nate Diaz. Pettis is hoping to bounce back and avoid his first losing streak since 2016. Carlos Diego Ferreira hasn’t lost since 2015 when he was stopped by Dustin Poirier, he’s on a five fight winning streak and could pick up the biggest win of his career by taking out a former champion. Ferreira is a notable -240 favorite to +190 on Pettis.

Lightweight Bout: Diego Ferreira (16-2, 155.5 lbs.) vs. #11 Anthony Pettis (22-9, 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pettis is an inch taller while Ferreira has an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Pettis fighting southpaw. Ferreira backing Pettis up almost immediately. Ferreira is trying to enter the pocket with a light lead leg. Bit of a jab from Ferreira. Pettis tries a kick, Ferreira catches it and gets him to the fence but eats a knee and they break. Body kick from Ferreira. Ferreira lands a left hook then a jab and a glancing high kick. Pettis lands a combination of punches, Ferreira just eats it. Body kick from Ferreira lands. Pettis lands a couple of front kicks to the body, then a right hand. Ferreira lands a body kick. Ferreira punches into a clinch and begins working from there. Ferreira moves to the back and kicks off of the fence to get things down and he’s got back mount. Pettis is looking to spin into Ferreira. Ferreira riding well and looking for for chokes. Pettis spins into top position and they wind up separated. High kick from Pettis is blocked, Ferreira then after a takedown along the fence. Knees from Ferreira to the thigh and body. Pettis is able to break but misses a head kick. More pressure from Ferreira, lands a couple of punches then another clinch. Ferreira ducks around to the back, comes around for a double leg and dumps Pettis down then passes to side control. That was a sequence of beauty from Ferreira. Ferreira winds up standing, avoids a kick from Pettis and lands punches from top position as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ferreira

ROUND TWO: Ferreira back to pressuring forward, catches a body kick and drives Pettis to the fence then rides him down into the turtle position. One hook in, now two for Ferreira. Pettis escapes but can’t get off of his back and Ferreira gets his back again. Some fun transitions from Ferreira here. A few punches from Ferreira land. Ferreira after the choke, he gets under the chin and Pettis has to tap. Ferreira limping badly after the win though.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Diego Ferreira via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:46 of Round 2

Huge win for Ferreira there. Mic time for Ferreira, he notes using that high lead leg entry to avoid the kicks because Pettis kicks so hard and leg kicks suck. He talks us through the finish, noting he’s worked on that modified choke lately and is happy to see it pay off. He says he doesn’t think he’s really hurt despite limping, he feels better now. Asked who or what is next for him, he thanks God and his family for all of their work then just wants to be back fast and continue working on his game.

Brian Kelleher is on a two fight losing streak and has been out of action for a little over a year, now he’s trying to maximize his position on the main PPV card by breaking that streak and getting back on the winning side of things. Ode Osbourne brings a four fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s hoping to make a good first impression to the audience over a tough veteran in Kelleher. The odds are with Osbource at -150 to a +120 comeback on Kelleher.

Bantamweight Bout: Brian Kelleher (19-10, 136 lbs.) vs. Ode Osbourne (8-2 1 NC, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Osbourne is an inch and a half taller but has a whopping seven inches of reach advantage. Osbourne lands a jumping right to get us going. Osbourne is fighting southpaw, Kelleher looking to circle and angle. Kelleher gets a double leg, he had to fight for it though. Kelleher mounts the legs along the fence. Osbourne looking to wall walk, he gets full guard and then closes it. Elbows from Osbourne, he’s trying to set up an armbar. Kelleher lands a few rights. I’m surprised Osbourne isn’t wall walking, they’re right against the fence. A few rights and lefts land for Kelleher, Osbourne lands an elbow. Kelleher passes to half guard and lands some lefts. Now Osbourne is looking to wall walk, but Kelleher grabs up a guillotine and sits back for it and Osbourne has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Brian Kellher via Submission, guillotine choke, at 2:49 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Kelleher for his work this evening. Mic time for Kelleher, he says he looks for that guillotine all the time and knew he could find it as they grappled once he felt that he was the stronger man. He mentions he works the arm in variation all the time. He notes his back was against the wall in this fight and he felt he was fighting for his job, then notes despite some of his wins he’s never been interviewed by Joe Rogan and can now say he’s done that as well.

This is a really nice guillotine finish, when you’ve got the arm trapped in you want to compress your body rather than extend. Look at how compact Kelleher gets his body on the finishing sequence.

Aleksei Oleinik is on a two fight losing streak, both fights where he was finished in the first round but such are the perils of heavyweight. Oleinik is trying to halt that skid and get 2020 going with a win. Maurice Greene just suffered his first loss in the UFC, he’s trying to avoid his first ever losing streak as well as notch arguably his best win. Greene is a slight -135 favorite to +105 for Oleinik.

Heavyweight Bout: Maurice Greene (8-3, 243 lbs.) vs. #12 Aleksei Oleinik (57-13-1, 238 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Greene is five inches taller but has just half an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Leg kick from Greene early. Oleinik wading forward, walks into a counter right but keeps coming. Oleinik avoids a high kick and gets teh back standing. Greene looking for a kimura trap, Oleinik drags things down and gets the back with one hook in. Oleinik comes up on top in half guard and moves to side control. Oleinik looking to set up a scarf hold position, he loses the grip though and Greene gets full guard. Greene tries a triangle choke but it doesn’t really get close. Oleinik looking to posture up, Greene tries another triangle but Oleinik passes off of it, Greene then wall walks but is still clinched. Oleinik drags Greene back down again and is back on top. Greene gives up full mount along the fence but Oleinik is looking to move him parallel to the fence and flatten him out. Elbow from Oleienik then he’s after the Ezekiel choke, transitions to the scarf hold and cranks on it. Greene is still fighting and lands some hammer fists, he wont go away easy and actually survives until the end of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Oleinik

ROUND TWO: Oleinik lands a leg kick. Greene with a front kick and a left hook. Oleinik walking forward again, Greene circling. High kick from Greene but Oleinik gets the clinch off of it. Greene is able to separate and lands a knee but Oleinik isn’t going away now. Oleinik after a takedown, both guys are gassed at this point. Double leg from Oleinik and he’s on top in half guard. Oleinik is fishing for the Ezekiel choke, decides to land an elbow instead. Another Ezekiel choke attempt, but Oleinik bails on it to land a punch and looks to pass. Oleinik lands hammer fists but can’t find a chance for the choke. Greene grabs a kimura looking for a sweep but Oleinik is able to stifle that. A few body shots from Oleinik then an elbow and he moves to mount. Armbar attempt from Oleinik, the fence is going to stop Greene from defending properly. Oleinik looking to crank the arm, adjusts it a few times and finally gets Greene to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Aleksei Oleinik via Submission, armbar, at 4:38 of Round 2

Not the worst heavyweight fight I’ve ever seen, and I’ll take that in this case. Mic time for Oleinik, he puts over Greene for studying his techniques and defending them then thanks MMA fans for tuning in. He says his arms were definitely gassed out after that scarf hold attempt and again puts over Greene’s preparation. Talking us through the finish he thanks everyone again then names his family specifically, coaches, and American Top Team. He thanks his sponsors and Dana White as well to close.

Holly Holm is coming off of a failed bid to reclaim the bantamweight title, she’s trying to avoid another losing streak and get her first win since 2018. Raquel Pennington just snapped a two fight losing streak with a somewhat dubious split decision win over Irene Aldana, Pennington is hoping to remain a relevant player in the division with a high profile win here. These two previously fought in Holm’s UFC debut with Holm picking up a closely contested split decision, which probably contributes to her being a -140 favorite to a +110 payout on Pennington.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: #3 Holly Holm (12-5, 135.5 lbs.) vs. #5 Raquel Pennington (10-7, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Holm is an inch taller and has an inch and a half of reach advantage. Southpaw for Holm. Both women doing a bit of feinting, trying to get a read on the situation. Pennington misses a superman punch. Side kick to the knee from Holm. Bit of a right from Pennington. Holm kicks the knee again. Bit of a left from Holm, Pennington avoided the majority of the force. Holm blitzes and lands a left. Blitz from Pennington and she lands a right but they clinch up and Holm gets her on the fence. A few lefts land for Holm in the clinch. A few knees go back and forth. A couple of rights from Holm now, Pennington is looking to build a frame but Holm gets her head free and resumes squashing Pennington into the fence. They trade knees again, but Pennington is stuck eating lefts. Pennington is able to spin things, Holm turns her quickly and resumes landing knees. Pennington gets Holm on the fence, Holm gets a guillotine position and uses that to stall out a takedown attempt as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Holm

ROUND TWO: Pennington showing the hands more as this round starts, Holm side kicking the knee. Holm avoids a rush attack. Leg kick from Holm, Pennington returns it. Left to the body from Holm and they clinch again. They’re on the fence again, and Pennington is still kind of stuck. Both women with knees, Holm lands some rights to the face. They jockey for position, Pennington is on the losing side of this though. Holm with knees to the body. Both women with some knees to the body, Holm lands an elbow. Pennington switches to a Thai clinch and lands knees then Holm breaks and lands a body kick. Another clinch as Pennington misses a right and they hit the fence. Every time Pennington commits her weight forward Holm is closing distance and making her slow down. Some more rights from Holm and knees as well. More knees are traded. They break with a knee from Pennington, Holm lands a side kick to the body. Another clinch, and that’s where the round will end.

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

ROUND THREE: Holm back to sticking and moving, Pennington lands a right. Bit of a left from Holm. Another clinch, but they break before hitting the fence. Holm kicks the knee again. Holm lands a jab then a body kick. Pennington only operates on straight lines and Holm is technically dismantling her game. Another clinch from Pennington, they hit the fence again and start jockeying for position. Holm gets Pennington on the fence. They trade some knees then break as Holm lands a left. Another side kick to the thigh from Holm. Pennington avoids a head kick. Holm kicks the thigh again. Left then a right from Holm. They clinch then break. Pennington bulls forward but winds up just clinched again. Holm has Pennington on the fence and they resume landing knees. A few rights land for Holm, she’s keeping Pennington on the fence. Things stall out a bit and the ref separates them. Holm lands a combination of punches. They trade punches and clinch then Pennington is stuck on the fence. They trade then break again. Bit of a left from Pennington and they clinch. They break as Pennington misses a knee, bit of a left from Pennington will be the last blow of the fight.

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

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

Forgettable affair, but Holm’s game continues to evolve. Mic time for Holm, she says she wished she’d have struck more but wanted to be ready for anything as Pennington can fight anywhere. She mentions feeling that the clinch was just where the fight was going and she made it work for her. Asked about what’s next she wants to be champion again, that’s a tough sell with Nunes there. She thanks her team for all of their work and support.

Conor McGregor is a former featherweight and lightweight champion, as well as the biggest star in the sport right now. McGregor is making his first UFC appearance since October of 2018 when he failed to recapture the lightweight title and was finished by current champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor is hoping to get back into the title picture as well as get his first win since way back in November of 2016. Donald Cerrone is about as well known a fighter as you’ll find within MMA circles, he’s claiming the record for most UFC fights again here (he and Jim Miller have been trading that one back and forth lately), has the most knockdowns, finishes, and wins in UFC history. Cerrone is on a two fight losing streak right now, but a win in this kind of spot would be the biggest of his illustrious career. McGregor is a hefty -310 favorite while Cerrone’s comeback sits at +245.

Welterweight Bout: Conor McGregor (21-4, 170 lbs.) vs. Donald Cerrone (36-13 1 NC, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Cerrone is four inches taller but McGregor has an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for McGregor, who opens with a knee as they clinch up then break. Cerrone’s nose is already bleeding. High kicks are traded and McGregor swarms Cerrone as he drops. More offense from McGregor, Cerrone just covers up and the ref finally stops it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Conor McGregor via TKO, head kick and punches, at :40 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. McGregor for his work this evening. Mic time for McGregor after that phenomenal showing, asked about striking with his shoulders he says he drops his level and works with that but then plays with the crowd. He says he set another record tonight, he’s the first guy to score TKO wins at featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight then says he’s happy to have taken down Cerrone with a head kick as Cerrone has the most wins via head kick in the UFC. He thanks the crowd, then talks us through the finish. He says he’s proud of his accomplishments, they can’t take away that like they take away belts and make them up, then dedicates the win to the Irish people and thanks Cerrone for the fight. He puts over his whiskey brand, then says he likes welterweight, he’s unscathed God willing, he plans on partying tonight then getting back in the gym. He says anyone who wants some can get it.

For the record, McGregor is incorrect about being the first man to score (T)KO’s in three different weight classes. Jared Cannonier has (T)KO’s at heavyweight, light heavyweight, and middleweight.

Cerrone also gets an interview, he says McGregor got him then hugs his grandmother before continuing. He says those shoulder strikes threw him off guard, now he’s still processing how fast he got his ass whipped. He plans on continuing to fight, he loves this, then thanks the fans for their love.

Absolute mauling by McGregor.

Well everyone that wraps up UFC 246. Thanks for being here and following along. We’ll be breaking down all of the results from this fight Sunday on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast, I hope you’ll tune in for that. I’ll be back next week for UFC on ESPN+ 24, and I hope you’ll be back for that one as well. Until then thanks again for your support, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.