SALT LAKE CITY – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC 278 event, and you can join us for live play-by-play and official results beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT).
UFC 278 takes place at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
The main event is a rematch between welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) and Leon Edwards (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC). The two first fought in December 2015, when Usman won a unanimous decision. The co-main event features the return of former middleweight champ Luke Rockhold (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC), who will be fighting for the first time in more than three years when he meets Paulo Costa (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC).
Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET for the early prelims on ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET for the prelims on ABC/ESPN and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on pay-per-view.
To discuss the show, be sure to check out our UFC 278 discussion thread. You can also get behind-the-scenes coverage and other event notes from on-site reporters Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn ) and Ken Hathaway (@kenshathaway ) on Twitter.
Enjoy the fights, everyone.
Victor Altamirano vs. Daniel Da Silva
Round 1 – The flyweights quickly touch gloves and Altamirano blitzes forward with a combination of kicks and punches. Da Silva defends and circles away, and they continue to trade strikes. The action is fast early. Da Silva catches Altamirano cleanly with a hard punch after a missed wheel kick, knocking him to the canvas. Altamirano gets back to his feet and they continue to exchange. A spinning backfist from Da Silva finds the mark as Altamirano retreats. They reset before letting more strikes fly. Altamirano sneaks in a hard knee to the body and Da Silva falls to the ground, but is able to pull Altamirano into his guard. Da Silva threatens an armbar, but Altamirano is wise to it, and begins throwing hard ground and pound strikes. Heavy elbows from Altamirano slice Da Silva open as he tries to cover up. The referee is watching closely, but doesn’t stop the action. More elbows and punches from the top from Altamirano. He postures up and continues to rain down unanswered strikes. The referee finally decides to step in and stop the fight. What a wild back-and-forth one-round fight to start the event.
Result: Victor Altamirano def. Daniel Da Silva via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:39
Recap: UFC 278 video: Victor Altamirano elbows spatter Daniel da Silva’s blood everywhere, complete comeback TKO
Photos: Victor Altamirano def. Daniel Da Silva at UFC 278: Best photos
Records: Victor Altamirano (11-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Daniel Da Silva (11-4 MMA, 0-3 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Dave Seljestad
Judging: Derek Cleary, Mike Bell, Dan Furse
Jay Perrin vs. Aoriqileng
Round 1 – They meet in the center and begin sizing each other up. Aoriqileng opens with a leg kick. Perrin offers one of his own a moment later, but Aoriqileng catches it. Perrin shoulder rolls away to reset the action. Another kick from Perrin is caught and they reset in the center again. Perrin charges ahead with a combination of punches. A moment later, Perrin offers a combination, but Aoriqileng counters with a hard left hand that staggers. Aoriqileng stalks him and tries for a jumping knee, but Perrin is able to grab and clinch against the cage. They separate, return to the center, and then trade punches. Another exchange follows. Perrin misses with a big uppercut. Perrin then charges with two punches and a head kick, all defended well by Aoriqileng. A combo from Aoriqileng follows. A leg kick for Aoriqileng lands, and Perrin answers with a nice punch to the body. A flying knee to the body lands for Perrin, getting a reaction from the crowd. 30 seconds to go now, and Perrin grabs a hold of Aoriqileng. He lifts him and dumps him to the canvas, where he gets a few punches in from the top before the horn sounds. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Aoriqileng.
Round 2 – They exchange punches immediately to start the second round. Aoriqileng tries for a jumping knee as Perrin looks to land a punch. Perrin waves his finger at him. A kick from Aoriqileng is caught and Perrin uses it to get a takedown and take top position in half guard. Aoriqileng gets back to full guard, and gets back to his feet against the fence. Back to the center now, Aoriqileng lands a right hand. Perrin steps in for a punch but is caught clean by a hard counter that buckled his knees. After resetting, they trade punches. A charging takedown feint from Perrin draws a smile from both fighters. A moment later, a nice leg kick lands for Aoriqileng, but Perrin keeps moving forward as he shoots for a takedown. Aoriqileng keeps things standing, and they get back to trading punches. Big strikes land for both and the crowd loves the action before the horn. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Aoriqileng.
Round 3 – Perrin looks for a kick to the body, sparking an exchange of hard punches in the center of the cage. They clinch, with Perrin pressing Aoriqileng against the cage. They break apart again and get back to striking in the center of the octagon. Aoriqileng lands a leg kick followed by a clean right hand. Perrin answers back with a punch of his own before completing a takedown. They aren’t on the ground for long as Aoriqileng gets back to his feet quickly, but they stay clinched against the cage, trading short strikes. Perrin drags Aoriqileng back down momentarily, but they’re back to the clinch and the short strikes. Perrin sneaks in a nice short elbow as he controls Aoriqileng. He changes levels again, but Aoriqileng isn’t having it. A couple of strikes land before they exit. Back in the center and they both open up their offense. Punches are traded and Perrin goes for a spinning backfist. A nice front kick to the body pushes Aoriqileng back. They clinch for a moment, but then Perrin unleashes a furious combination of punches. Aoriqileng fires back, but Perrin lands the cleaner strikes in the final wild sequence. MMA Junkie scores the last round 10-9 for Perrin, but the fight 29-28 for Aoriqileng.
Result: Aoriqileng def. Jay Perrin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos:
Records: Aoriqileng (24-9 MMA, 2-2 UFC), Jay Perrin (10-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Tyler Tomlinson
Judging: Sal D’Amato (29-28), Chris Lee (29-28), Steve Faragher (29-28)
Amir Albazi vs. Francisco Figueiredo
Round 1 – The flyweights meet in the center and Figueiredo opens with a pair of kicks. Albazi counters with a left hand. Figueiredo continues with quick kicks as Albazi presses forward. A big punch from Albazi just misses the mark, and Figueiredo responds with a few more kicks. Another kick from Figueiredo is thrown, but Albazi is able to trip him up and take top position on the ground. Albazi looks for a couple of strikes before trying to pass the guard. Figueiredo does a good job of preventing the movement, but Albazi then postures up and is able to land a few punches. Figueiredo finds enough space to get back to his feet, but they stay clinched. They then separate, Figueiredo lands a nice punch, and Albazi clinches again. He gets the takedown and begins working from half guard. Albazi is able to pull off a slick transition to take the back of Figueiredo and slap on a rear-naked choke. The submission is deep and the tap soon follows.
Result: Amir Albazi def. Francisco Figueiredo via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:34
Recap: UFC 278 video: Amir Albazi taps out Francisco Figueiredo, brother of UFC champ Deiveson
Photos: Amir Albazi def. Francisco Figueiredo at UFC 278: Best photos
Records: Amir Albazi (15-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), Francisco Figueiredo (13-5-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Dave Seljestad
Judging: Chris Lee, Mike Bell, Rich Montanez
A.J. Fletcher vs. Ange Loosa
Round 1 – Fletcher looks for a leg kick after they touch gloves. Loosa starts an exchange of punches, as they don’t waste time getting into the action. Fletcher presses forward as Loosa lets his hands go. A nice punch from Fletcher lands clean. Loosa bounces around on the outside. Fletcher just misses with a big head kick. They continue to exchange punches, with the crowd reacting to each shot that connects. A head kick from Loosa is blocked and Fletcher fires off two punches in response. Both go to the body with punches. A head kick from Fletcher is blocked, and Loosa tries to return a kick of his own. Another exchange of punches soon follows as they work in the center of the cage. Loosa cracks Fletcher with a hard right hand, but he remains calm. Again Loosa lands clean, but Fletcher eats it. Once more a clean punch lands for Loosa, and they clinch a moment after. After they separate, Loosa connects again before changing levels for a nice takedown before the horn. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Loosa.
Round 2 – The action continues at a high pace with frequent exchanges early. Loosa continues to let his hands go in smooth combinations while Fletcher tries to counter with punches of his own. Loosa lands a beautiful combination to pop Fletcher’s head back, but he continues to move forward. Fletcher’s nose is clearly busted now. A nice kick to the body finds the mark from Fletcher, and Loosa looks for a takedown. Fletcher counters with a guillotine attempt, but it’s not there, and they return to their feet after Loosa gets his head free. Back on the feet in the center of the cage, more punches are traded, but Loosa is the fighter landing the better strikes. Fletcher keeps moving forward as Loosa circles on the outside. All of a sudden Fletcher starts connecting with punches. The pressure seems to have broken Loosa’s confidence. Fletcher unloads a flurry of punches and Loosa is rocked. Multiple punches find the chin as Loosa tries to avoid a stoppage. Fletcher continues the onslaught, but somehow Loosa survives it. He changes levels for a takedown, Fletcher defends and then looks for his own. Loosa ends up sprawling and controlling from the top until the horn sounds. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Fletcher.
Round 3 – They touch gloves and get back to the action. Loosa starts with a combination of punches and a kick. Loosa continues to go first with another combination. Fletcher looks for a kick, but trips himself. Loosa hesitates on following him to the ground and they stay standing. Fletcher shoots for a takedown, but is easily sprawled by Loosa, who then unloads punches from the top. Fletcher turns to his back and Loosa continues to land punches and elbows from the top. Referee Mike Beltran steps in close for the second time in this fight, but the offense from Loosa slows. More short elbows land from Loosa after he adjusts position. Loosa then punches the side of the head. Fans are booing for some strange reason while Loosa maintains top control with strikes. The referee is still close, but Fletcher is doing just enough defensively to stay in the fight. The fight concludes with Loosa on top. MMA Junkie scores the third round 10-8 for Loosa, giving him the fight 29-27.
Result: Ange Loosa def. A.J. Fletcher via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Ange Loosa def. A.J. Fletcher at UFC 278: Best photos
Records: A.J. Fletcher (9-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC), Ange Loosa (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ABC/ESPN
Referee: Mike Beltran
Judging: Sal D’Amato (29-27), Chris Lee (29-28), Dan Furse (29-28)
Luis Saldana vs. Sean Woodson
Round 1 – Saldana looks to find the range early with kicks. Woodson takes control of the center. A spinning kick from Woodson misses and Saldana circles away to reset. Woodson continues to move forwards, darting in with punches. A kick to the body for Saldana lands as Woodson lands a left hand. Saldana smiles at Woodson after landing a left hand. Woodson goes to the body with a kick a moment later. A pair of high kicks are blocked by Woodson. A beautiful punch from Saldana cracks and wobbles Woodson badly. He falls to the canvas, but Saldana turns away to celebrate. Woodson gathers himself and gets back to it. Saldana stays calm and lands another clean punch a moment later. Woodson falls to the canvas again. Saldana throws his hands up, and then rushes in with an illegal knee to the head as Woodson tries to get back up. The referee rushes in to call for time, and Saldana thinks the fight is over. Woodson is given a moment to recover and Saldana is celebrating on the top of the cage. He doesn’t realize what’s going on. The referee finally gets his attention and explains the situation. Saldana gets a point taken for the illegal blow. They return to action and have a few striking exchanges before the round ends. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-8 for Saldana, but with the point deduction, it’s a 9-8.
Round 2 – Saldana circles on the outside as Woodson presses ahead. Timing his opponent well, Saldana lands a couple of nice punches as Woodson tries to induce action. Woodson then lands a nice punch in the center of the cage. Saldana tries for a spinning backfist, but misses wildly. Saldana evades a combination from Woodson beautifully. They exchange punches, but now Saldana switches things up and changes levels for a takedown. Woodson goes for an omoplata, but loses it and Saldana scrambles to side control. Woodson then quickly locks in a buggy choke and has Saldana in trouble. Woodson keeps squeezing, but Saldana gives the thumbs up and appears to just be stuck in the position rather than being close to submitted. The horn sounds and the fighters return to their corners. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Saldana.
Round 3 – Woodson gets right back to pressing forward, but Saldana continues to pick his punches well. A nice jab from Woodson gets through and he kicks to the body after. Saldana shoots for a takedown and they end up clinched against the cage. Woodson threatens a kimura from the standing position, but lets it go. Saldana looks for a spinning backfist as they separate. Woodson lands a nice right hand, but is unable to put anything else behind it. Saldana looks for another takedown, but doesn’t get it and they get back to the center. Woodson jabs again, but Saldana answers with strikes of his own. A spinning backfist from Saldana misses. Another jab from Woodson. Saldana kicks to the legs and the body as Woodson looks for punches upstairs. Both men appear fatigued now as the punches look more labored and less fluid. 30 seconds to go and Saldana feints a takedown. He goes for the spinning backfist again, but misses. Woodson ends up on top after a clinch for a moment, but they quickly get back to their feet. The round ends after one last exchange. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Saldana, giving him the fight with a rare 29-26 score.
Result: Sean Woodson vs. Luis Saldana ruled a split draw (29-27, 27-29, 28-28)
Photos: Luis Saldana vs. Sean Woodson at UFC 278: Best photos
Records: Luis Saldana (16-7-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC), Sean Woodson (9-1-1 MMA, 3-1-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ABC/ESPN
Referee: Mike Beltran
Judging: Derek Cleary (29-27 Woodson), Mike Bell (28-28 draw), Rich Montanez (29-27 Saldana)
Jared Gordon vs. Leonardo Santos
Round 1 – They meet in the center and begin sizing each other up. The action begins at a slower pace, but single punches begin to be thrown and landed from both. Referee Herb Dean pauses the fight to warn Santos about keeping his fingers up. Once back to the fight, Gordon tries for single punches while Santos looks for a kick to the body. Gordon closes the distance with a combination and Santos responds with a knee to the body. A nice punch lands from Gordon, followed by an outside leg kick. He charges ahead with another punching combo. Santos just misses with a knee and a short elbow, but a kick to the body gets through a moment later. Gordon goes high with a kick, but it’s blocked. Gordon pressed forward with more punches, and puts together a nice flurry going to the body and the head as Santos covers up with his back against the cage. Santos gets a Thai plum and shucks Gordon off, but it’s short-lived as he rushes right back in for another clinch. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Gordon.
Round 2 – Santos opens with a front kick as Gordon circles on the outside. Gordon fires a kick in return, and they exchange punches and more kicks. Gordon changes levels for the takedown, but Santos keeps it standing. The forward pressure from Gordon continues, offering punches in combinations. Santos grabs a Thai clinch once, twice, and a third time as Gordon tries to close the distance. Gordon throws a pair of punches and Santos threatens the Thai clinch again. Santos shoots in for the takedown. He transitions to the back to drag Gordon down. Gordon gets away with a big fence grab to stay on his feet, and he reverses position. They stay clinched against the cage for a few moments, fighting for position. They break apart momentarily, but Gordon closes the distance again for a clinch. Back in space again, Gordon leads the action with punches as Santos appears fatigued. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Gordon.
Round 3 – Santos kicks to the body to start, and Gordon fires back with a few punches. More offense from Gordon leads the action, landing quick punches as Santos circles on the outside and offers single punches in return. Gordon keeps the pressure high. Santos appears labored, but is firing punches back. Gordon continues to go first, landing a nice left jab as he controls the center of the cage. Two punches from Gordon land upstairs, followed by a nice right hand to the body. He attempts to clinch, but Santos shakes him off. A moment later, Santos changes levels for a takedown, but Gordon sprawls it and lands a series of punches from top. Santos gets back to a standing clinch after warnings from the referee to work. A spinning backfist from Santos on the exit partially connects before the horn sounds. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Gordon, giving him the fight 30-27.
Result: Jared Gordon def. Leonardo Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: Jared Gordon def. Leonardo Santos at UFC 278: Best photos
Records: Jared Gordon (19-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC), Leonardo Santos (18-6-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ABC/ESPN
Referee: Herb Dean
Judging: Sal D’Amato (30-27), Derek Cleary (30-27), Mike Bell (30-27)
Alexandr Romanov vs. Marcin Tybura
Round 1 – Romanov looks to find the range with a kick up the middle. Tybura fires off a right hand, but Romanov shoots in for a takedown. He transitions to his back along the fence, lifts, and slams Tybura to the mat. Romanov lands a couple of knees to the body while Tybura is on all fours with his left side against the cage. Tybura eventually powers his way up, but Romanov continues with the hard knees to the thighs. Tybura turns around to the other side, but the knees continue. Romanov lifts Tybura again and slams him down. Tybura quickly gets back to all fours again, but this time, Romanov slips in a hook and begins to land hard punches with the left hand. Tybura covers up and the referee steps in closer, asking for movement. Romanov adjusts his position before looking for more punches. He mixes in a couple of knees, and continues punching until the horn. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-8 for Romanov.
Round 2 – Tybura kicks to the leg as the first strike and Romanov looks for a takedown. Tybura keeps it standing, and they exchange a few punches in the center before Romanov shoots back in for another takedown. They’re in a standing clinch against the fence, but separate after a few seconds there. Tybura looks for punches and a kick, but Romanov evades. Romanov is breathing heavily now, but lands a nice couple of punches. A moment later, Tybura lands a hard left that got Romanov’s attention. A takedown attempt is easily stuffed by Tybura. As they exchange strikes, a kick from Tybura goes south, and the action is paused. However, after the replay, the kick appeared to land right on the belt line and the referee ordered the fight to continue. Romanov kicks, but is knocked off balance, and Tybura rushes in to take top control on the canvas. From a north/south position, Tybura lands a few punches to the body. Romanov tries to scramble, but ends up giving up his back. He slips out the backdoor a moment later and lands a few hard punches before the horn sounds. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Tybura.
Round 3 – They hug it out to start the last round and get back to the action. Tybura looks for a punch and Romanov throws a kick in return. Romanov does a little Ali shuffle as Tybura watches on. After circling around the cage, Romanov is met with a kick to the body from Tybura. Romanov continues to circle and Tybura lands another kick to the body. A nice combination of punches from Tybura land. A moment later, Romanov charges ahead with a pair of strikes. Romanov misses with a wheel kick and a spinning backfist. Tybura lands a left hand. Both heavyweights are fatigued at this point, but continue to exchange single punches with two minutes remaining. Romanov looks for the clinch and lands a nice knee to the body. Tybura lands a front kick to the body. Romanov lands an outside leg kick. Tybura answers with a left hand. Romanov showboats, shaking his hips with his hands by his knees. They continue offering single puches. Both men land nice punches before the horn. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Tybura, which results in a score of a 28-28 draw.
Result: Marcin Tybura def. Alexandr Romanov via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
Photos: Marcin Tybura def. Alexandr Romanov at UFC 278: Best photos
Records: Alexandr Romanov (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), Marcin Tybura (23-7 MMA, 10-6 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: ABC/ESPN
Referee: Jason Herzog
Judging: Sal D’Amato (29-28), Derek Cleary (28-28), Mike Bell (29-28)
Harry Hunsucker vs. Tyson Pedro
Round 1 – They touch gloves and begin sizing each other up. Hunsucker charges forward with a double left hand, but Pedro avoids contact. A moment later, a well-timed jab from Pedro caused a delayed reaction from Hunsucker. Once Pedro realized he hurt Hunsucker, he closed the distance and landed a crushing kick to the body to fold Hunsucker to the canvas. Pedro rushed in for follow-up punches and the referee stepped in soon after, securing the fast TKO win to open the pay-per-view main card.
Result: Tyson Pedro def. Harry Hunsucker via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:05
Recap: UFC 278 results: Tyson Pedro blasts Harry Hunsucker for TKO in 65 seconds
Photos: Tyson Pedro def. Harry Hunsucker at UFC 278: Best photos
Records: Harry Hunsucker (7-6 MMA, 0-3 UFC), Tyson Pedro (9-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee: Mike Beltran
Judging: Derek Cleary, Mike Bell, Chris Lee
Lucie Pudilova vs. Wu Yanan
Round 1 – No glove touch here as they slowly approach one another in the center. Pudilova doesn’t waste much time and shoots in for a takedown. Wu defends and they clinch against the cage for a few moments before returning to the center. Wu lands an outside leg kick, followed by a few more kicks as she circles. Pudilova times her shot well and gets a takedown. Wu threatens an armbar, but Pudilova is able to defend and pass to side control. Pudilova just holds and squeezes Wu, prompting calls for action from referee Herb Dean. Pudilova lands a couple of punches and then attempts to pass to full mount, but Wu scrambles back to her feet. Pudilova keeps with the clinch and presses her opponent against the fence. She lands a couple of knees to the body before the round ends. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Pudilova.
Round 2 – Both offer a few light strikes to start the round as Wu circles on the outside. Pudilova punches upstairs while Wu attacks the legs with kicks. They cover a lot of real estate of the octagon as they trade intermittent strikes. Pudilova charges in and gets a head and arm toss. She then transitions to the back and locks in a rear-naked choke, but Wu defends it well. After a scramble for position, Pudilova ends up in side control, but takes the back a moment later. She flattens Wu out and begins raining down vicious elbows to the side of the head. Wu covers up, but the intensity and frequency of the strikes causes the referee to pull her off for the TKO stopapge. What a finish.
Result: Lucie Pudilova def. Wu Yana via TKO (elbows) – Round 2, 4:04
Recap:
Photos: Lucie Pudilova def. Wu Yanan at UFC 278: Best photos
Records: Lucie Pudilova (14-7 MMA, 3-5 UFC), Wu Yanan (13-6 MMA, 1-5 UFC)
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee: Herb Dean
Judging: Sal D’Amato, Derek Clary, Mike Bell
Jose Aldo vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Round 1 – The crowd is amped for this one as the fighters touch gloves. Aldo comes out with a Muay Thai stance, bouncing his lead leg. Dvalishvili opens with a spinning kick, but doesn’t fully connect. Aldo checks a leg kick. Dvalishvili darts forward with a combination. A moment later, Dvalishvili shoots in for a takedown, but can’t complete the single leg attempt. Aldo offers a left jab. Dvalishvili lands a leg kick and Aldo fires one back. Dvalishvili kicks again after Aldo lands a punch. After a few seconds of no action, Dvalishvili shoots in for another takedown attempt, but Aldo defends it against the fence. A nice punch lands for Aldo on the exit. A solid punch to the body lands for Aldo, and a knee to the body as Dvalishvili darts forward. Dvalishvili misses with a spinning kick. He goes to it again a moment later, and a wild exchange follows as Aldo darts in with a flying knee. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Aldo.
Round 2 – Another touch of gloves, and Dvalishvili opens with a leg kick. Aldo just misses with a big left hook. Dvalishvili lands a nice kick to the body. A few seconds later, Dvalishvili shoots in for a takedown, but despite it being well-timed, Aldo keeps things standing as they clinch against the cage. Dvalishvili repeatedly lands knees to the legs of Aldo. Unbothered by the action, Aldo throws his hands up and the crowd reacts. They separate a moment later. Aldo charges forward with strikes, and just misses a high kick. Dvalishvili gets back in on the hips for a takedown attempt, but once again, results in a clinch against the cage. Aldo smiles as Dvalishvili tries to shoulder strike. Aldo throws a left on the exit and they return to the center, but they’re not there long. Dvalishvili goes right back in for another takedown, but is unsuccessful again. Aldo lands a nice leg kick as Dvalishvili presses forward. Another clinch from Dvalishvili prompts boos from the crowd. They break apart again for a moment, but Dvalishvili goes right back in on the hips before the round ends. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 Dvalishvili.
Round 3 – They hug before getting back to the action. Dvalishvili’s first action is to grab a single leg, but Aldo shucks him off. Punches from Dvalishvili follow, with a right hand connecting. Dvalishvili keeps the pressure high as Aldo circles slowly on the outside. Big overhand punches from Dvalishvili miss the mark as he presses the action. A leg kick from Dvalishvili lands. Aldo answers to the body, but Dvalishvili remains in close range. A nice left hand from Aldo lands, and Dvalishvili looks to clinch. They separate, and Dvalishvili keeps pressing with punches. Aldo circles away to reset, but doesn’t have much offense to offer as Dvalishvili continues his forward pressure. Aldo punches to the body twice, followed by a left hand upstairs. Dvalishvili shoots for another takedown, but it’s stuffed again. Undettered, Dvalishvili goes right back in for another. They jockey for position, and gets Aldo’s knees to hit the canvas, but he pops up a split-second after. The crowd is booing the action, but Dvalishvili is effective in shutting down Aldo. Dvalishvili throws hard knees to the thighs. They separate and the horn sounds, ending the fight. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Dvalishvili, giving him the fight 29-28.
Result: Merab Dvalishvili def. Jose Aldo via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Recap:
Photos:
Records: Jose Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC), Merab Dvalishvili (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee: Jason Herzog
Judging:
Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold
Round 1 –
Result:
Recap:
Photos:
Records: Paulo Costa (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Luke Rockhold (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:
Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards
Round 1 –
Result:
Recap:
Photos:
Records: Kamaru Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC), Leon Edwards (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:
