UFC 252 is finally here with one of the biggest fights in history, as two of the greatest heavyweights of all time do battle, not only for the heavyweight championship but to be known as the greatest heavyweight ever. Stipe Miocic vs Daniel Cormier, with the co-main between Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera and Junior Dos Santos vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik also on the fight card.
Prelims:
Kai Kamaka (W) vs Tony Kelley – Featherweight Bout
Kicking the entire fight card, and the prelims off is a featherweight battle between two UFC newcomers in Kai Kamaka and Tony Kelley. Great first round to this fight with Kelley starting the fight really well, showing some really quick footwork, a stiff left jab, and beautiful front leg kick. Kamaka started to figure out Kelley’s gameplan and was snapping his chin with a well time left hook multiple times. He then set up some nasty lefts to the body that really hurt Kelley and started to slow him down. Kamaka scored a couple of takedowns late on in the round after trying to tee off on Kelley whilst Kelley was backed up against the fence. 10-9 Kamaka.
Round 2 started and Kamaka went straight back to that left hook of his, both to the body and jaw of Kelley. Kelley was struggling to find a way into the fight for the first two minutes of the round and then, out of nowhere, Kelley bounced off the cage wall and started throwing huge bombs at a high volume that forced Kamaka to start wrestling, scoring some more takedowns and some dominant clinch time against the cage. I’d say it’s 19-19 but Kamaka may have stolen the round.
Round 3 started and Kelley started really well, throwing some huge multishot combos that really had Kamaka second-guessing his striking gameplan. Kamaka went back to his wrestling, taking Kelley down but never really sinking too much damage in, Kelley came back with some nasty knees to the body in the clinch, but Kamaka hit some rights and lefts to the body. A nut shot stopped the fight near the end and I have this scored 29-28 Kamaka. All three judges scored the same as Kamaka picks the win up and both guys make impressive debuts in the UFC.
Chris Daukaus (W) vs Parker Porter – Heavyweight Bout
For the first time tonight we move to the heavyweight division as the next prelim fight sees two more UFC newcomers make their debuts in Chris Daukaus and Parker Porter. The fight started and it quickly became evident that Daukaus had the speed with his strikes whilst Porter was winding up for the one-hit KO with his right hand. Porter tried to pin Daukaus against the cage but Daukaus managed to swerve out of it. Daukaus then started to look really sharp with some right hands and knocked Porter down but couldn’t finish the fight. Eventually, after some more beautiful right hands, Daukaus staggered Porter and hit him with a huge knee to the head to finish the fight, what a debut!
Ashley Yoder (W) vs Livinha Souza – Women's Strawweight Bout
We now move onto the women as we see a battle between two strawweights in Ashley Yoder and Livinha Souza. Both women kept the first round as a way to find out what the other had planned. Yoder shot for the back of Souza early on and found it, however, she slipped off and gave dominant position to Souza quite quickly. It looked like Souza was trying for a submission but Yoder did well at defending to stop anything from happening. 10-9 Souza for me.
Round 2 was much of the same, as both fighters just seem a little off their main gameplan tonight, Yoder managed to enjoy a fair amount of time in dominant clinch position against the cage wall but she kept going to take the back of Souza and miss, so Souza ended up with dominant position on the floor. Souza looks the better on the feet. 19-19 I’d say but who knows in this lackluster one.
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In round 3, Souza turned to wrestling against the fence at the start, keeping Yoder against the fence for a little time before they went back to striking. Yoder was throwing some nice distance strikes given her length advantage but Souza was answering back with some nice leg kicks. Yoder tried to take the back near the end but Souza did well to keep dominant position. I have 29-28 Yoder. All three judges give it to Souza, interesting...
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
TJ Brown vs Danny Chavez (W) – Featherweight Bout
We move back to the featherweight division for this next one as TJ Brown welcomes UFC newcomer Danny Chavez to the UFC octagon. Chavez started the round really well, stinging Brown with a nasty right hand down the middle. Chavez started early with the leg kicks, focussing on Brown’s lead left and almost halfway through the round Chavez kicked Brown to the floor with a nasty kick to the leg. Brown came back with some right hands and one really hurt Chavez but it didn’t stop him from going back to them. Chavez kicked Brown to the floor again and I have Chavez up 10-9 after one.
Round 2 started and Chavez instantly went back to the leg kick to Brown’s lead left leg and the one that connected really hurt Brown, to the point was he was limping for a while. Brown started to come back and then Chavez caught him with a counter right that staggered Brown and then Chavez put him down with another right. Chavez went searching for the win but couldn’t find it and the round ended with Chavez enjoying some time in dominant position on the ground. 20-18 Chavez through 2 rounds.
Brown started round 3 really well, coming out and attacking Chavez for the first time in the fight, putting pressure on him and connecting with a fair few 1-2 combos that reminded Chavez that he hadn’t won the fight just yet. Chavez answered back in the latter stages in the round, scoring some nice takedowns and a slam right at the end of the round. 29-28 Chavez for me with Brown getting the final round and the judges agree with me, quality debut by Chavez.
Felice Herrig vs Virna Jandiroba (W) – Women's Strawweight Bout
We move back to the UFC women’s division, specifically the strawweight division, as the 15th ranked strawweight contender Felice Herrig makes her return against impressive prospect Virna Jandiroba. This fight started and pretty much ended as quickly as the majority of fights. Virna instantly got the takedown and started to slowly work towards a submission, Herrig was doing well to block the attempts and it looked like Virna wanted the back but she sneakily isolated one of Herrig’s arms and locked in an armbar for the submission win. Seriously high-level Jui-Jitsu and Virna is a serious contender in this division.
Jim Miller vs Vinc Pichel (W) – Lightweight Bout
We have reached the featured prelim bout of the night and we move to the lightweight division to see two veterans of the game do battle in Jim Miller and Vinc Pichel. Both guys enjoyed some early spells of success going back and forth with a variety of shots but Miller seemed to be the better counter puncher to VInc’s shots. Miller managed to get the takedown after some cage wall control time and was shooting for a variety of submissions but Vinc did well to block and defend, the round ended with Miller having Vinc in a calf triangle. 10-9 Miller for me.
Round 2 started and Miller built on the late success he had with his wrestling early in the 2nd as he looked for a submission win. Vinc weathered the storm, got back to his feet, gained dominant position from the clinch and scored a takedown of his own, where he controlled Miller for the rest of the fight, laying down some decent ground and pound but nothing too serious. 19-19 heading into the final round.
Round 3 was just back and forth between two veterans of the game. Vinc came out early and scored the takedown, enjoying at least 1 minute of dominant position but Miller flipped that and was looking for a submission finish where he also enjoyed at least 1 minute of ground control. Vinc flipped it around again and managed to enjoy some success on the feet before Miller tried his best to sink a guillotine choke in, it looked like he had it for a minute but Vinc broke out of it. Tough round to call but if I had to favor someone I’d go Vinc and the judges agreed as Vinc Pichel wins via decision.
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Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Main Card:
John Dodson vs Merab Dvalishvili (W) – Bantamweight Bout
Kicking off the main card for UFC 252 is a bout between two top-ranked bantamweight contenders as 12th ranked contender John Dodson takes on 15th ranked contender Merab Dvalishvili. The first minute or so of the first round was just both guys putting feelers out there to see what the other would as a reaction. That was until Merab finally shot for the takedown and Dodson managed to stuff all 4 attempts by Merab. However, Merab was laying in some nasty knees to the back of the legs of Dodson whilst having dominant clinch control. 10-9 Merab for me.
Round 2 was a lot of the same as the first one with Merab scared of shooting in knowing Dodson has the power and speed to catch him, and Dodson reluctant to throw some hands as Merab would be open to shooting for the takedown. Dodson has done a fantastic job of stuffing the takedown attempts by Merab but he isn’t following up with anything. Maybe 20-18 Merab.
Round 3 saw much more success for Dodson as he seemed to have the hope that he could land a few more shots, allowing his hands to go and really go at Merab but he just couldn’t find a way through the constant pace and pressure Merab was putting on him. One thing to note about Dodson, even when Merab got him down, he bounced straight back up but for me, Merab won 30-27 and all 3 judges agreed as Merab extends his UFC win streak to 5 in a row.
Herbert Burns vs Daniel Pineda (W) – Featherweight Bout
We move up to the featherweight bout for this next fight on the main card as impressive prospect Herbert Burns welcomes Daniel Pineda back to the UFC after some time with other promotions. Pineda found some early success with a couple of right hands down the middle that stunned Burns. Burns went for the level change and got the takedown but Pineda flipped dominant position on him and held it for almost 4 minutes whilst raining down a variety of ground and pound. 10-9 Pineda.
Round 2 started and Burns shot and got the takedown straight away, looking to lock in a quick submission. He took the back of Pineda and looked to be in a good position but Pineda just easily powered out and got full mount. From there Pineda managed to lock in a crucifix position and just rained down constant elbows and punches for a solid minute before the ref stepped in and stopped the fight, a huge win for Pineda.
Junior Dos Santos vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik (W) – Heavyweight Bout
We now move back to the heavyweight division as two top-ranked contenders do battle with the 5th ranked contender Junior Dos Santos takes on the 6th ranked contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Round 1 was very much of a patient game between the two heavyweights as both know how much power eachother holds. Rozenstruik started with some leg kicks early on and he caught Dos Santos with a little flurry after catching his leg from a body kick. Dos Santos landed a nice overhand right and to end the round, connected with a spinning head kick. 10-9 Dos Santos for me, but extremely close.
The round started and both guys were sitting off eachother and Dos Santos found some success with a nice jab to keep Rozenstruik out of range. Rozenstruik was trying to close the distance with some leg kicks but was struggling to get inside. A huge overhead right from Dos Santos connected and then Rozenstruik hit one of his own that gave him some needed confidence, from there Rozenstruik hit Dos Santos with a beautiful flurry and put Dos Santos down, from there he layed in some ground and pound before Dos Santos looked to get to his feet before eating another right hand and that was the fight.
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Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Sean O’Malley vs Marlon Vera (W) – Bantamweight Bout
In the co-main event of the evening, we are set for an absolute war as rising superstar and the 14th ranked contender at bantamweight Sean O’Malley takes on the extremely violent Marlon Vera. Well, this was a weird one, the fight started and Sean was throwing a lot of fakes, as he threw a fake leg kick, he stumbled and really hurt his leg. Sean tried his best to hide it but Marlon knew, applied the pressure and got the finish on the floor with a huge right hand and an elbow to follow up. Herb Dean had no other choice but to stop the fight and protect Sean. Sucks it ended that way but Marlon was looking good in there before the injury, hopefully, Sean isn’t too hurt and it doesn’t cost him a couple of years of his career. All of us at PSN wish you a speedy recovery Sean!
Stipe Miocic (W) vs Daniel Cormier – Heavyweight Title Bout
It’s finally here, the main event of the evening, one of the biggest fights in the history of MMA and one that not only determines the heavyweight champion, or the winner of the trilogy but also determines who the greatest heavyweight of all time is, Stipe Miocic vs Daniel Cormier! Round 1 was very tense, with both guys not letting their hands go too much, Cormier enjoyed some success with some leg kicks early on as Stipe worked on some boxing combos to the head and body. Cormier tried for a takedown and did some work in the clinch but Stipe came back with some more combos and a couple of nice leg kicks. The fight was paused for a little bit after an eye poke from Cormier on Stipe. 10-9 Stipe for me.
A lot of the early round of round 2 was the same as 1, both guys who are just completely elite having counters for everything the other threw at them. Cormier put some combos together whilst Stipe was chipping away at the body. Stipe then started to come alive near the end and he knocked Cormier down with a flurry of rights and almost finished the fight but the round came to an end. 20-18 for me, but probably 19-19.
Round 3 was all Stipe as he looked to follow up on that knockdown at the end of round 2 and he was finding early success with some more boxing combos, switching the levels as he went to the body with a left and then hit the head with a right. Cormier was trying to find a left jab and then huge right hands as a counter but Stipe got him in the clinch and controlled Cormier there for some time. Stipe caught Cormier with another couple of right hands to end the round. 30-27 Stipe for me, but probably 29-28.
As replays showed during the break between rounds, Stipe caught Cormier with a nasty eye poke and the left eye of Cormier is really messed up and it was the story of the round as Stipe was finding more success with his boxing combos and got some more time in the clinch. Cormier enjoyed a lot more success in the round with some huge right hands and it was a close round in the end to score. 40-36 for me but probably 39-37 depending on that first round.
Stipe was extremely smart in the 5th round after eating some huge rights over the course of the fight he got Cormier in the clinch and controlled him for the majority of the round. Cormier looked to try and get some right hands again and Stipe had some more combos go through. Cormier tried for a late guillotine choke but Stipe easily broke it up and that was the end of the fight. 49-36 for me but that round 1 could have gone either way, and that round 4 was close too but Stipe should be winning. Judges agree and Stipe keeps his title and will go down as the greatest heavyweight of all time.
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
