UFC 219 recap: Bout-by-bout, round-by-round highlights

Cris “Cyborg” Justino, undefeated since 2005, is widely regarded as the most dominant women’s MMA fighter of all time. The search has been for opposition for Cyborg that fans believe might stand a chance. Holly Holm, who famously knocked out Ronda Rousey, is the most obvious candidate to fill that role. Holm is a dangerous striker in her own right but will be giving up size and strength.

Round 1. Cyborg moves in. Holm catches her with a couple of counterpunches early. Holm catches a kick and throws Cyborg down. As Cyborg gets up, Holm throws a high kick of her own. They clinch and work against the cage before separating. Cyborg connects with a hard right hand. Cyborg lands another a little while later. They clinch and Cyborg lands a few knees to the body. Holm throws a high kick late but it doesn’t lean cleanly. Holm is making this competitive but Cyborg is landing the more telling blows. 10-9 Cyborg.

Round 2. Holm charges in and gets caught with a counterpunch. Holm lands a clean left hand and Cyborg’s nose is in bad shape. Holm clinches and the fighters battle for position by the cage. Holm is matching Cyborg’s strength much better than most. That was a very close round. 10-9 Holm.

Round 3. Cyborg clinches and lands some strong knees to the body. Holm eventually breaks away. Cyborg lands a hard straight right hand. Holm fires back with a right hook of her own. Holm continually throws her high kick but rarely does it connect well or even at all. Cyborg lands a nice kick to the body late. Cyborg lands some heavy punches late. That was the strongest round of the fight for either fighter. 10-9 Cyborg.

Round 4. Cyborg lands a quality jab early. Cyborg lands a power right hand. She’s doing a good job of exploiting the damaged left eye of Holm by attacking where Holm’s vision is limited. They clinch and Cyborg lands a knee to the body before Holm presses her against the cage. Cyborg connects with a quality right hook but Holm lands a left hook shortly thereafter. 10-9 Cyborg.

Round 5. Holm comes out strong, throwing more and looking to land something significant. However, Cyborg defends well. Cyborg lands a body kick of her own and a few solid punches. Holm charges in and eats multiple punches in the process. Cyborg is a very offensively oriented fighter but she is countering well when Holm is the aggressor. Holm does connect with a pair of straight punches up the middle that snap Cyborg’s head back. Sensing that looked bad, Cyborg charges in and looks to get it back. Cyborg throws a superwoman punch at the close. 10-9 Cyborg, 49-46 Cyborg.

Winner: Cris “Cyborg” Justino, unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47).

That was arguably the toughest challenge for Cyborg in a great many years, but even saying that Cyborg won solidly. Cyborg recently hasn’t looked as dominant as she once did but she has demonstrated her skills are formidable even setting aside her size and strength. The problem is who Cyborg will fight from here as there are very few women who fight at 145 pounds and she is massive even for that weight class.

At 24-0, Khabib Nurmagomedov has accrued one of the most impressive fight resumes in the sport. Nurmagomedov is a relentless wrestler with a dangerous ground game and his biggest opponent has really been injuries that have prevented him from fighting more often. Edson Barboza is a completely different style of fighter: a fearsome striker looking for a win that can make him a potential title challenger. This is a crucial fight for both and a compelling matchup.

Round 1. Barboza lands a few hard leg kicks early. Nurmegomedov keeps close to Barboza not letting Barboza get a comfortable distance. Nurmagomedov clinches by the cage. Barboza gets out and goes back to work with a few punches and a kick. Nurmagomedov runs in with a flying knee and gets a takedown. Nurmagomedov lands heavy punches from the top. Nurmagomedov is pouring on the offense and he works into full mount. Barboza regains half guard. Nurmagomedov lands hard punches to the end and a bloody, unsteady Barboza takes his time getting up. 10-8 Nurmagomedov.

Round 2. Nurmagomedov is moving forward with confidence, throwing much more than in the first. Nurmagomedov is mixing in kicks and knees with his punches. Nurmagomedov clinches a minute in and looks for the takedown. Barboza avoids the takedown and lands some kicks moving back. Nurmagomedov finally gets the takedown. Nurmagomedov works Barboza over with punches as the round progresses. He keeps landing punches until time mercifully runs out. 10-9 Nurmagomedov.

Round 3. Nurmagomedov presses the action again before clinching and looking to take Barboza back down. Barboza gets up and swings wildly with a few punches and kicks. Nurmagomedov gets a hold of Barboza and pulls him back down. Nurmagomedov lands a series of punches there. Barboza gets up at the end. 10-9 Nurmagomedov, 30-26 Nurmagomedov.

Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov, unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-24).

Nurmagomedov was dominant again, showcasing the skills that have earned him such a glossy record. Nurmagomedov is clearly overdue for a lightweight title shot. The problem is that Conor McGregor still holds the UFC lightweight title and it’s unclear when or if he will defend it against Nurmagomedov or interim champion Tony Ferguson. Ferguson-Nurmagomedov is a compelling fight in its own right but it will be tough to market to the larger public with McGregor hovering over everything.

Marc Diakiese is an exciting fighter to watch and the young Brit has impressed thus far in his UFC career. He is looking to rebound from the first loss of his career. Hooker has alternated wins and losses in the UFC with finishes in all his wins.

Round 1. The pace is slow early. Diakiese throws plenty of kicks while Dan Hooker is primarily looking to establish his jab. Neither is landing much. The crowd grows restless and boos. Diakiese goes for a takedown late but Hooker blocks that and gets the takedown himself. Diakiese stands up. 10-9 Diakiese.

Round 2. The fight continues to be uneventful. Diakiese has a greater arsenal of attacks. The fighters clinch but neither is able to gain much of an advantage. Hooker gets a takedown halfway through the round. Diakiese looks to get up quickly but Hooker takes his back in the process. Hooker locks in a body triangle and has the opportunity to go for a choke. Despite that opportunity, Hooker doesn’t do anything with the position and Diakiese spins out into top position late. 10-9 Hooker.

Round 3. Diakiese comes out aggressively with punches and kicks. As Diakiese dives in for a takedown, Hooker grabs a guillotine choke and secures the submission.

Winner: Dan Hooker, submission, round 3.

Hooker got a win over a dangerous opponent but the lackluster nature of the fight isn’t likely to help his cause.

Cynthia Calvillo is undefeated professionally and at UFC 219 seeks her fifth win of the year and fourth in the UFC. Carla Esparza, the inaugural UFC strawweight champion, will pose a formidable challenge. Esparza has fought many of the best fighters in her division and has accumulated an impressive record in the process.

Round 1. Calvillo presses forward early with punches. Esparza answers back and Calvillo exercises a little more caution. Calvillo shoots and gets a takedown a minute in. Calvillo lands some punches, but Esparza attacks the arm and nearly pulls off an armbar. Calvillo gets out and ends up in side control. Calvillo controls Esparza and aggressively lands punches. Esparza late is able to roll into top position and lands some punches of her own at the close. 10-9 Calvillo.

Round 2. Calvillo is again aggressive with her offense while Esparza lays back and looks to counter. Calvillo appears to have more force behind her punches. Esparza shoots for a takedown, but Calvillo blocks it with ease. Esparza gets a takedown late, but Calvillo quickly returns to her feet. Esparza gets another takedown and again Calvillo gets up. Close round. 10-9 Esparza.

Round 3. Esparza has clearly earned Calvillo’s respect as Calvillo has become increasingly careful as the fight has progressed. The standup is deliberate in the third with both fighters mixing in kicks with their lead punches. They trade wild punches at the end with Esparza landing more. Another close round. 10-9 Esparza, 29-28 Esparza.

Winner: Carla Esparza, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

It looked like Cynthia Calvillo might blow Carla Esparza out of the water early but Esparza hung in there and did better as the fight progressed. It was still a very narrow win, but Esparza will certainly take it against the hot young prospect.

Carlos Condit is an exciting former WEC and interim UFC champion with excellent striking and submissions. He is fighting for the first time in over a year. Neil Magny is 11-3 in the UFC since 2014 including wins over Kelvin Gastelum, Hector Lombard and Johny Hendricks. They both very much could use the win here to move into the top welterweight mix.

Round 1. Magny catches a Condit kick and throws him down. Condit attacks the leg from the mat but Magny doesn’t allow Condit to set anything up and Magny takes top position. Condit quickly stands up. Magny pulls him down but Condit gets up again. At range, Magny pushes forward with his punches and prevents Condit from setting much up. Condit lands a nice combination and an elbow. 10-9 Magny.

Round 2. They trade kicks. Magny clinches and looks for a takedown. Condit lands punches while defending. Magny finally slams Condit down. Condit looks for a kimura from his back. Magny gets out but Condit then stands up without Magny accomplishing anything. Condit moves in with an elbow back on the feet. Condit lands a right hand and they clinch. Magny gets a takedown. Condit gets up but Magny slams him down again. Condit threatens an armbar late. Close round. Magny got the takedown but Condit was more active on the ground. 10-9 Condit.

Round 3. Magny lands a few kicks early. Condit is struggling to connect with his combinations. Magny catches a kick and looks for another takedown. He can’t get it and Condit attacks with elbows. Magny lands a nice combination and continues to work with his leg kicks. Magny gets a takedown late. He gets side control but Condit gets back to his feet at the end. 10-9 Magny, 29-28 Magny.

Winner: Neil Magny, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).

Neil Magny did it again, scoring an upset win over a name opponent through hard, focused work. Magny doesn’t possess the natural skills that some of his rivals do but he makes up for it through effort and maximizing his talent.

Khalil Rountree was a runner up on the Ultimate Fighter and has shown promise in his young career with consecutive knockout victories. Oleksiejczuk has power in his own right and the Polish star makes his UFC debut tonight.

Round 1. Rountree snaps some fast kicks early. He follows with a left hand. Rountree looks supremely confident. Both men land hard punches in a wild exchange. Oleksiejczuk gets a takedown. Rountree stands up against the cage while also threatening with a guillotine choke. Rountree attacks with the guillotine but doesn’t get it. Rountree then opens up with a series of heavy punches by the cage. Rountree is clearly winded just three minutes in but Oleksiejczuk’s face is a mess. Sensing Rountree is tired, Oleksiejczuk begins to open up and lands some solid punches. Oleksiejczuk is starting to land at will late. Oleksiejczuk is attacking the body as well. 10-9 Oleksiejczuk.

Round 2. Both fighters come out with a more careful pace in the second. Oleksiejczuk is throwing and landing more, mixing shots at different levels. He’s forcing Rountree to defend the body, which may create openings to the head later. Oleksiejczuk continues to attack the body with punches and knees as the round comes to an end. 10-9 Oleksiejczuk.

Round 3. Oleksiejczuk gets a takedown. He lands punches from inside Rountree’s full guard. Oleksiejczuk passes guard into side mount about halfway through the round. Oleksiejczuk continues to work with punches on Rountree until time expires. 10-8 Oleksiejczuk, 30-26 Oleksiejczuk.

Winner: Michal Oleksiejczuk, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Khalil Rountree comes out dangerous but is style sure isn’t made for 15 minutes. It’s hard to gauge how good Michal Oleksiejczuk can be but he showed composure and capitalized on his opponent’s weaknesses.

Myles Jury once had title contender hype with a 15-0 record and 6 UFC wins. However, consecutive setbacks and a long sabbatical from fighting sent him back to the drawing board. Jury returned to action this year with an impressive win over Mike De La Torre and is looking to reestablish himself as a force. Rick Glenn is a former WSOF champion and has two straight wins in the UFC.

Round 1. The action is a little slow early. Jury connects with a nice looping left hand and kick to the body. Glenn gets a takedown but Jury sweeps immediately and secures top position. Glenn gets back to his feet without taking much in the way of damage. Glenn looks for a takedown late but doesn’t come close. 10-9 Jury.

Round 2. Glenn clinches and they exchange knees to the body. Jury lands a hard uppercut as Glenn is moving in. After a long clinch battle, Jury gets the takedown three minutes into the round. Jury looks to set up an arm triangle choke but gives it up. Jury lands punches from the top as the round comes to an end. 10-9 Jury.

Round 3. Jury lands a few solid punches early as Glenn comes in. Glenn gets the clinch again. Glenn isn’t able to make anything happen there. Glenn lands a couple of kicks to the body. Jury gets a late takedown. 10-9 Jury, 30-27 Jury.

Winner: Myles Jury, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

That wasn’t a fight that fans are likely to remember, but Jury showcased superior skills and got in some cage time as he looks to rise back up the ranks. He can be happy with the win, but he’ll be looking to make more of an impression next time out.

Marvin Vettori is one of the few Italians to have competed in the UFC. He is 2-1 thus far and his strength is on the ground. The Russian Omari Akhmedov has proved himself a worthy UFC competitor with a 5-3 record thus far.

Round 1. The fighters trade kicks to the body early. Vettori connects with a knee to the head. Akhmedov lands some big punches and backs Vettori up. Akhmedov is growing increasingly confident and winging his power punches. Vettori lands another solid knee to the head. Akhmedov continues to press the action as the round concludes. 10-9 Akhmedov.

Round 2. Akhmedov opens with a series of kicks. He adds some hard looping punches. Vettori lands a knee and looks for a kimura. Vetttori then transitions into a triangle choke. Akhmedov gets out and they return to their feet. Akhmedov lands a nice hook. 10-9 Akhmedov.

Round 3. Vettori opens up with a huge combination, throwing punch after punch against Akhmedov. Akhmedov eats some big shots but doesn’t appear to be in significant danger. The fighters clinch by the cage. They separate and begin trading wild punches. Both men are clearly tired but are doing their best to work through that exhaustion. Vettori hurts Akhmedov with a punch and continues to pour on the offense late. Akhmedov goes for a takedown but Vettori takes top position and lands a series of punches from the top. 10-8 Vettori, 28-28 draw.

Result: Majority Draw (28-28, 29-28 Vettori, 28-28).

Omari Akhmedov looked like the better fighter early but Marvin Vettori had the better conditioning and was able to come back late to salvage the draw.

Louis Smolka got off to a fast start in his UFC career, going 5-1 to improve his overall MMA record to 11-1. Unfortunately for Smolka, he dropped his last three fights following that promising start. He’ll have a chance to rebound here against 12-1-1 Matheus Nicolau, who is coming off his biggest win against John Moraga and is undefeated in the UFC.

Round 1. Nicolau has some success with his boxing early. He drops Smolka with a hook and follows to the ground. Smolka gets back to his feet but is dropped again with a two-punch combination. Nicolau looks for an arm triangle choke on the ground. Smolka gets out and returns to his feet, where he eats a knee. Nicolau hurt Smolka again with a left hook. He then drops Smolka with an additional punch. That was a completely one-sided round. 10-8 Nicolau.

Round 2. Nicolau hurts Smolka again with a left hook that Smolka never seems to see coming. The fighters continue to kickbox, with Nicolau continuing to land the more telling blows. Smolka, to his credit, continues to move and work. 10-9 Nicolau.

Round 3. Smolka comes out aggressively but Nicolau stands in the pocket and fires back. Nicolau takes Smolka down as Smolka is moving in two minutes into the round. Nicolau returns to his feet and lands a hard body punch. Nicolau takes Smolka down again late. Nicolau takes the back and looks for a rear naked choke. Smolka fights it courageously and avoids a late armbar as well. 10-9 Nicolau, 30-26 Nicolau.

Winner: Matheus Nicolau, unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25).

Mathew Nicolau looks like a potential factor at flyweight with another solid performance. Louis Smolka may have to regroup and accumulate some wins outside the UFC following his fourth straight loss.

The UFC 219 card kicks off with the UFC debut of undefeated newcomer Mark De La Rosa against former flyweight title challenger Tim Elliott. De La Rosa has accumulated a 9-0 record primarily on the strength of his ground skills. Elliott is 3-6 in the UFC and 14-8-1 overall in MMA competition.

Round 1. Elliott opens with a few low kicks and then secures a takedown. De La Rosa goes for a guillotine choke but has to let it go. De La Rosa then looks for an armbar. Elliott is patient and gets out after a couple of slams. Elliott then lands a few punches from the top. Elliott continues to work with punches while De La Rosa has to concentrate more on defense. Elliott attempts a D’Arce choke and then a guillotine choke. De La Rosa gets out of danger and briefly takes top position but Elliott then retakes the top. 10-9 Elliott.

Round 2. A scramble ensues from the beginning with Elliott looking for a choke. Elliott locks in an anaconda choke for the submission.

Winner: Tim Elliott, submission, round 2.

That was probably the best win of Tim Elliott’s UFC career and his first finish. De La Rosa didn’t look like a pushover, but Elliott showed his superiority on the ground. It carried added meaning for Elliott coming on the heels of the death of his MMA coach, Robert Follis.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Cris “Cyborg” Justino’s desire to participate at the most elite level of mixed martial arts was so fierce she says “it took out my heart.”

Better late than never at age 32, the UFC’s new women’s featherweight champion, with a newly signed contract extension, has her first UFC pay-per-view main event Saturday night when she meets former bantamweight champion Holly Holm at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I look at it like I’m in the perfect time in my career. I’m mature, getting better,” Justino said. “Everything is God’s plan. I kept training hard with everything that happened and now I’ve showed I can overcome. You want to rush and then you get frustrated. … Now, it’s right.”

That calm perspective is a far cry from the angst and tension that long hovered over Justino (18-1), who said she was training in MMA before major pro women’s fighting existed.

She lost her pro debut in 2005 in her native Brazil, then began a dominating run that has featured 16 knockouts and culminates on Saturday in her most high-profile fight yet.

Justino’s talent had long justified a spot in the UFC, but she didn’t debut with the promotion until 2016. And a feud with former champion Ronda Rousey never produced a much-anticipated fight, in part because they couldn’t agree on a weight to fight at, and President Dana White didn’t add a division larger than the 135-pound group until this year.

Read More

Carla Esparza’s curiosity should’ve been piqued last month when Rose Namajunas shocked Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win the UFC’s women’s strawweight belt.

Esparza (13-4) was the division’s inaugural champion three years ago this month when she defeated Namajunas by third-round submission.

“Didn’t watch it,” Esparza said. “I’m not really focused on that fight. I’m focused on my fight.

“Everybody sent me text messages and was telling me about it, but it’s not my concern. My concern is my own fight and my own career. I’ve made the mistake in the past of looking past my opponents, getting too cocky and not performing as well as I should.”

Ninth-ranked strawweight Esparza will meet No. 6-rated Cynthia Calvillo (6-0) Saturday night on the pay-per-view portion of the UFC 219 card at T-Mobile Arena.

Read More