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  • UFC 187 live results & recap: Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson, Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort

    By Dave Meltzer & Ryan Frederick, WrestlingObserver.com

    Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of UFC 187: Johnson vs. Cormier from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event, headlined by two title fights, airs on pay-per-view, with preliminary card action on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass. We have a preview for the event HERE and coverage of the weigh-ins HERE. We’re looking for your thoughts on tonight’s fight card, so you can send a thumbs up, a thumbs down or a thumbs in the middle as well as a best fight and worst fight to dave@wrestlingobserver.com.

    As noted, a women’s strawweight bout between Rose Namajunas and Nina Ansaroff has been scratched from the card due to Ansaroff falling ill.

    PRELIMS:

    JUSTIN SCOGGINS VS. JOSH SAMPO, FLYWEIGHTS

    First round: Nice spinning head kick by Scoggins.  Front kick by Scoggins.  Nice left landed by Scoggins and a spin kick to the body.  Nice spin kick to the head by Scoggins.  Sampo tried for a takedown but couldn’t get it.  Left by Scoggins.  Body kick by Scoggins.  Body kick back by Sampo.  Another body kick by Scoggins.  Knee by Scoggins 10-9 Scoggins. Pretty one-sided.

    Second round: More kicks by Scoggins.  Spin kick by Scoggins.  Hook kick by Scoggins.  Front kick by Scoggins.  Right by Sampo.  Sampo got the takedown.  Scoggins right back up.  Hard body kick by Scoggins.  Left jab put Sampo down momentarily.  Body kick by Scoggins.  Sampo with a right.  Sampo tried for a takedown but didn’t get it.  20-18 Scoggins.

    Third round: Spin kick to the body.  Sampo took him down.  Scoggins back up.  Body kick by Scoggins.  Scoggins got the takedown late in the round.  Close round, Scoggins won the fight easily.  Scoggins, this round was close and you could almost give it to Sampo.  30-27 Scoggins.

    Official Result: Justin Scoggins def. Josh Sampo by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    ISLAM MAKHACHEV VS. LEO KUNTZ LIGHTWEIGHTS

    First round: Makhachev with a judo throw and now has his back.  He’s working for a choke.  Kuntz out and got back to his feet.  Makhachev with short range uppercuts.  Head kick by Makhachev.  Makhachv with uppercuts and got a hip toss into side control.  Makhachev 10-9

    Second round: Right by Makhahev.  Makhachev gt his back afer a takedown and is agin working for a choke.  He’s got the choke now and it’s over.  2:38

    Official Result: Islam Makhachev def. Leo Kuntz by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:38 of Round 2

    MIKE PYLE VS. COLBY COVINGTON, WELTERWEIGHTS

    Round 1: Covington is undefeated and was a college roommate of Jon Jones. Pyle is a big-time veteran. Covington took this fight on short notice. Pyle misses a front kick to start. Covington misses a left hand but lands a combo and shoots in for a takedown against the fence. They battle against the fence as Covington works to take it to the mat but Pyle has solid defense. They battle for the underhooks and Pyle spins out and makes a takedown attempt. They remain clinched against the fence and Covington lands a low knee that gets a little too low and we have a break. We get back to action. Covington with a head kick. Covington lands a nice left hand and then a combo. Pyle lands a right hand counter and Covington shoots for the takedown and they battle against the fence.

    Covington with some short right hands but Pyle breaks it. Covington lands a left and clinches back up with Pyle. Knee to the body from Pyle against the fence. Covington grabs a leg as Pyle rolls for a kimura and they go to the mat for a second but get right back up. Covington grabs the back and Pyle grabs the fence to defend. Covington gets the takedown and goes into half-guard. Pyle looking to throw his legs up and looks for the neck. Covington with a left elbow. Covington with some left hands from the top. Covington postures up and goes back into Pyle’s guard. Covington with more left hands to the body from the top and then some right hands to the body. Pyle looks to set up a triangle but abandons it. Covington rides the round out on top with left hands to the body. 10-9 Covington.

    Round 2: Covington goes right for the takedown against the fence but Pyle defends it and they break. Pyle with a front kick to the face. Covington lands a right hook but Pyle clips him coming forward. Covington lands a combo and then grabs the back of Pyle. Pyle grabs the wrist and looks to set a kimura up but lets go. Covington looks to take it down but Pyle grabs the fence again. Covington gets the fight to the ground and gets on top. Covington moves to side control against the fence. Pyle looks for the armbar but doesn’t have it and Covington goes into the guard. Pyle with an elbow from the bottom. Covington with a big elbow from the guard. Covington with body shots from the top. Covington with an elbow from the top as he postures up. Covington just dominant from the top position right now. Covington with two more short elbows and then another. Covington with a big left hand from the top. Covington with some punches. They are stood up by referee Herb Dean. Covington with a left hand. Covington misses badly on a high kick but lands a left hand and then lands another. Pyle is cut under his eye. Covington with a big overhand right. The round concludes. 10-9 Covington, 20-18 Covington.

    Round 3: Pyle probably needs a finish to win barring some weird judging scores. Pyle with a leg kick. Pyle with a flying knee and Covington grabs the legs looking for a takedown. Pyle grabs the neck and looks for the choke but Covington shakes him off and they scramble and Covington ends up on top. Pyle with an elbow from the bottom and then another. Covington with a big elbow from the top and then some body punches. Covington with a left hand from the top. More body punches from the top by Covington. Right hand from the top by Covington. Covington with more punches from the top. Covington is bleeding but dominant. Covington looks to transition to side control but remains in the guard. More body punches from Covington.

    Pyle tries to use the fence to wall walk to his feet but Covington has him grasped. Pyle looking for a kimura from the bottom. Covington defending and he gets out but Pyle reverses positions and is in full mount over Covington. Pyle tries to break the grip of Covington. Pyle transitions to the back and is looking for the choke as he lands punches. Pyle has the neck and the choke but Covington scrambles out and gets into the guard. That was close as Pyle went for the finish to win. Covington in top position and he will ride the fight out there and finish with punches. 10-9 Covington, 30-27 Covington.

    Official Result: Colby Covington def. Mike Pyle by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

    MIDDLEWEIGHTS: URIAH HALL VS. RAFAEL NATAL

    Round 1: These two got into it a little bit at the weigh-ins and Hall is anxious to get the fight started as he got in the face of Natal after entering the Octagon. Natal kicked Hall right in the groin as they got to action. It definitely looked intentional. Natal with a leg kick. Natal with a leg kick and then a combo. Natal lands a leg kick but Hall counters with a right hand. Hall with a spin kick to the body. Natal with a leg kick from the southpaw position. Natal with a right hand. Natal misses a right hand. Hall with a head kick. Hall with a leg kick and a left hook. Hall with a front kick to the body. Natal with an inside leg kick. Hall with a switch kick to the body. Natal with a combo and an inside leg kick. Natal with a right hand. Hall lands a solid jab. Natal with another leg kick and then a short left. Natal goes for a takedown but it is stuffed by Hall. Hall just misses a spinning wheel kick. Hall blocks a head kick from Natal. Natal misses an overhand right. Hall lands a big head kick and then another as he countered an inside leg kick from Natal. Hall with a spinning back kick to the body. Natal misses a spinning back fist. Natal with a body kick and then lands a combo. Hall with a straight left hand and then a head kick. Hall moving around nicely. Natal has a takedown stuffed and gets it for a moment against the fence and grabs the back and lands some knees. He fights for the takedown against the fence as the round ends. Close round. 10-9 Hall.

    Round 2: They trade punches. Hall with an inside leg kick. Natal is smiling at Hall as Hall is on the attack. Hall lands a jab. Natal with a leg kick. Hall with a body kick. Natal misses a big right hand. Natal with a leg kick and they exchange punches. Natal ducks under a punch from Hall and scores a takedown and is in half-guard. Natal looks to pin down the arm. Natal moves into the full guard of Hall. Natal with some short punches from the top. Natal with some body punches. Both with punches on the ground. Natal pushes Hall to the fence and steps over to half-guard. Hall gets to his feet and looks to break. Natal has Hall’s back against the fence and lands some knees to the thigh. Natal has the body lock and looks for the takedown but Hall gets free and they go to the center. Hall with a knee to the body and a head kick. Hall misses a head kick and Natal misses one. Natal with an inside leg kick. Hall shoots for the takedown against the fence but Natal defends. Hall picks Natal up and slams him but Natal gets right back up. Hall has the back. Hall with a suplex to the mat and they battle to end the round. 10-9 Natal, 19-19.

    Round 3: We have a close fight heading to the final round. Hall looks for a quick jab. Hall with an inside leg kick. Hall with a jab to the body. Natal with a leg kick. Hall with a leg kick. Hall just misses a wheel kick to the body. Hall with an inside leg kick. Natal with a jab. Hall with a knee to the body. Natal lands a nice right hand. Hall with a head kick and then stuffs a takedown attempt from Natal. Natal lands a right hand. Natal with a weak right hand. Hall with a leg kick and then a high kick. Natal lands a leg kick. Hall with a leg kick. Hall lands a nice jab and Natal misses a wild overhand right. Natal with a right hand as the pace has slowed down. Natal with a couple of right hands. Natal with a body kick. Natal grabs the leg and pushes Hall to the fence looking to get the fight down to the mat. They get warned to work. Natal just holding the leg. Hall defending well. They are broken up by the referee. They trade punches. Hall with a spin kick to the arms. Natal misses a takedown but lands a left on the break. Hall misses a high kick as the fight ends. 10-9 Hall, 29-28 Hall.

    Official Result: Rafael Natal def. Uriah Hall by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

    WELTERWEIGHTS: DONG HYUN KIM VS. JOSH BURKMAN

    Round 1: Both men look to rebound from losses (though Burkman’s was later changed to a no contest). Burkman with a leg kick to start and he blocks a takedown attempt from Kim. Kim with a front kick. Burkman with a right hand and then a high kick. Burkman with a combo and then a leg kick and a right hand that follows. Burkman with a nice combo and they clinch against the fence. Kim looks to grab the neck against the fence but Burkman defends. They scramble against the fence and Kim has the body lock. Kim has the back and is trying to drag the fight to the ground.

    Kim with a knee and they go to the mat for a moment but get back up and Burkman has the body lock on Kim. Burkman with a knee to the body. Kim switches and lands a knee to the body and spins to the back. Kim climbs on the back of Burkman. Kim with some left hands as he has standing full back mount. Kim with more left hands from the back. Kim looks for the choke with just over a minute left. Burkman has a hand in the way and Kim gives it up. Kim looking to trip Burkman to the mat as he rides the back. Burkman with a back left hand and Kim lands a knee as the round ends. 10-9 Kim.

    Round 2: Kim with a body kick and a high kick. Burkman with a leg kick. Kim with a high kick and slips to the mat and Burkman lands a left. Burkman lands a series of punches to Kim against the fence but they separate. Kim with a right hand and a body punch and Burkman drags the fight to the mat. Kim with some elbows to the side of Burkman. They scramble and Kim looks for a takedown. Kim looking to set up a choke as he ties the legs up. Kim with some punches from the back. Kim tying up the arm and looking for the crucifix. Kim with some left hands. Kim with more left hands and Burkman isn’t doing much. Kim with lots of short punches. Burkman tries to sneak out but Kim still has the arm trapped. Fans booing as Kim continues to land a lot of punches. Kim switches to an elbow. Kim with more punches as he has the arm of Burkman trapped. Kim with more punches and hard elbows. Burkman looks to roll over. Kim with more punches and lands big shots. Kim gets up and lands a knee to the body as the round ends. Big round for Kim. 10-8 Kim, 20-17 Kim.

    Round 3: Burkman needs a finish in the final round. Burkman with a body kick and an uppercut and right hand a knee. Burkman with a flying knee and he has Kim hurt and is looking for a finish. Big combo from Burkman but he steps away and Kim is recovering. Kim with a front kick. Kim with a left hand and he grabs the body and drags the fight down. Burkman grabs the neck for a guillotine but Kim moves to side control. Burkman lets go of the neck. Kim in side control and looking for the arm-triangle. Kim has a knee to the belly and looks to step over and work for the choke. Kim has it locked a little but is still in the wrong position. He needs to hop over but has pressure on. Kim steps over and has it locked in and Burkman taps out! Kim winner by submission with the arm-triangle in a dominant performace.

    Official Result: Dong Hyun Kim def. Josh Burkman by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 2:13 of Round 3

    FLYWEIGHTS: JOHN DODSON VS. ZACH MAKOVSKY

    Round 1: Dodson returns from a knee injury and could get a title shot at Demetrious Johnson with a win here. They trade leg kicks. Dodson tags Makovsky with a short left hand as he circles around. They clinch for a moment. Dodson lands a left hand. Makovsky lands a left hand. Makovsky with a straight left hand that gets a smile from Dodson. Makovsky misses a takedown. They trade punches in the clinch. Dodson with a right hand to the body and they tie up for a moment. Both men fighting as southpaws. Makovsky goes for a takedown but it is defended. Makovsky misses a head kick. Makovsky lands a nice right hand. Makovsky lands a left and a knee as they clinch for a moment. They trade punches. Makovsky with an inside leg kick but Dodson returns a leg kick of his own. Makovsky misses a shoot at a takedown. Dodson with a leg kick and Makovsky lands a kick of his own. Dodson with a left hand. Dodson with a knee to the body in a brief clinch. The round ends with a clinch. 10-9 Makovsky.

    Round 2: Makovsky with a right hand to the body. Makovsky with a left hand and a leg kick. They tie up and Dodson lands a kick to the body and a knee. Makovsky has a high kick checked by Dodson. Makovsky lands a nice combination. Makovsky with an eye poke but they continue. Dodson with a leg kick and they scramble against the fence. They tie up but break. Makovski with a left hand. Makovsky with a leg kick. Dodson lands an overhand left and then a combo to the body as he misses a right hand over the top. Makovsky with an inside leg kick and misses a high kick. Makovsky goes for a takedown but it is defended and Dodson lands a combo.

    Makovsky with an inside leg kick. Dodson with a short uppercut. Both still somewhat tentative. Dodson misses a big left hand. Makovsky lands a head kick. They trade punches. They each land leg kicks and Makovsky takes Dodson down but gets right back up. Dodson gets a big slam and has Makovsky down and is on top. Makovsky grabs the leg but Dodson steps over and stays on top. Dodson helps Makovsky up and they go to the center to end the round. Close round. 10-9 Dodson, 19-19.

    Round 3: This round will decide it. They hug to start. Dodson just misses a big left hand and Makovsky just misses an inside leg kick. Makovsky with an inside leg kick. They trade punches. Makovsky with a body kick. Neither man is able to land and the crowd begins to boo. Makovsky misses a takedown attempt. Dodson has a combo that Makovsky ducks under. Dodson misses an uppercut. Makovsky shoots in and Dodson stuffs the takedown and they clinch. Dodson with some knees to the body in the clinch and they break. They trade punches and Dodson lands a short uppercut. Makovsky with a right hook. Dodson with a combination. Dodson lands a left hand and a knee to the body followed by a short left. Makovsky goes for a takedown but eats a knee from Dodson. Makovsky with a body kick and Dodson counters with a quick takedown. Back to their feet. Dodson with a knee to the body to defend a takedown. Makovsky misses a left hand. A late takedown attempt misses from Makovsky. They trade punches and the fight ends. Boring last round and close. 10-9 Dodson, 29-28 Dodson.

    Official Result: John Dodson def. Zach Makovsky by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

    MAIN CARD (PPV- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT):

    FLYWEIGHTS: JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ VS. JOHN MORAGA

    Round 1: Both men have 2-fight win streaks and have fought for the flyweight title. Moraga with a right hand and they trade early. Moraga with a leg kick. Moraga with a head kick and Benavidez tags Moraga and he goes to the mat. Benavidez with a bunch of punches and he gets on top and in side control. They scramble and Benavidez has the neck of Moraga. Benavidez is looking for the guillotine choke but Moraga is trying to hip escape. Benavidez in side control and looking to mount. Benavidez went for the choke but Moraga scrambled out and looked for the neck as he dropped to the mat but Benavidez ends on top against the fence.

    Moraga gets to the feet against the fence and they are clinched. Moraga with knees to the body. Moraga looks for the takedown but it is defended. They trade knees against the fence as both look for the takedown in the clinch. They trade knees again. Benavidez with an elbow and Moraga drops down for a takedown and gets a takedown and Moraga takes the back in a wild scramble. Moraga has the body lock against the fence. Moraga with knee to the body and grabs the neck. Big slam from Benavidez and he is on top with 30 seconds left. Benavidez grabs the neck and looks for the choke but the round is going to end. 10-9 Benavidez.

    Round 2: Moraga with a body kick and Benavidez comes back with a leg kick. Moraga with an inside leg kick. They trade punches in an exchange. Benavidez lands a combo and a leg kick but Moraga comes back with an uppercut. Moraga with a leg kick. Benavidez comes back with a leg kick and Moraga counters with one. Benavidez with a leg kick and they exchange punches. Moraga with a big body kick and then another one. Moraga misses a big left hook but lands a right hand. Moraga with a straight right hand. They clinch and Benavidez looks for a takedown. Moraga is cut on the top of his head, likely as they collided heads. Benavidez gets the takedown against the fence and Moraga is looking for the guillotine. Moraga has the neck but Benavidez gets his head free. Benavidez gets into side control and grinds an elbow in the face of Moraga. Benavidez with a knee to the body and finishes the round in side control. 10-9 Benavidez, 20-18 Benavidez.

    Round 3: Benavidez misses a leg kick to start the final round. Moraga with a combo and they are trading big exchanges. Moraga lands a knee and just misses a right hand. Moraga backs Benavidez against the fence and tries for a flying knee but Benavidez stops it with a front kick. They change punches. Benavidez with a body kick. Benavidez gets the takedown and goes right back into side control. Benavidez with some short elbows. Moraga gets back to full guard. Benavidez with some punches from the top. Benavidez postures up and lands an elbow. Benavidez wth another elbow from the top. Benavidez with more punches from the top. Moraga not doing much from the bottom. Benavidez with more short punches from the top. More punches from the top by Benavidez. Benavidez with a big right hand from the top. Moraga has the body lock from the bottom and Benavidez rides the fight out with punches from the top. 10-9 Benavidez, 30-27 Benavidez.

    Official Result: Joseph Benavidez def. John Moraga by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    HEAVYWEIGHTS: TRAVIS BROWNE VS. ANDREI ARLOVSKI

    Round 1: These two have trained  and lived together in the past and are looking for a title shot. Arlovski with an inside leg kick. Arlovski with a combo. Browne with a right hand to the body. Browne with a right hand and Arlovski lands a right hand that rocks Browne and Browne is in trouble. Arlovski with a combo against the fence but Browne survives and they break. Arlovski with more punches and Browne is still in trouble. They separate and Browne has recovered for now. They trade right hands. Arlovski misses a big right hand. Browne with a left hook that lands. Arlovski with another big punch that rocks Browne.

    Arlovski rocks Browne again and Browne is in all sorts of trouble. Arlovski with more punches and he tags Browne again. Browne is still up. Browne with a leg kick. Browne with another leg kick. They trade punches. Arlovski with a combo and just misses a big right hand. Arlovski drops Browne with a right hand and Browne is in trouble again. Browne is on wobbly legs and Arlovski is landing again. Browne then lands a big right hand that drops Arlovski. They are both swinging for the fences and both are hurt. Arlovski with a big right hand and an elbow. They break. What an amazing right. They trade punches and Browne is wobbling bad. Arlovski with a big right hand and Browne is hurt and the referee stops it! Arlovski gets the TKO win after finishing it against the fence. Go out of your way to watch this fight, it was an amazing and crazy fight.

    Official Result: Andrei Arlovski def. Travis Browne by TKO (punches) at 4:41 of Round 1

    LIGHTWEIGHTS: DONALD CERRONE VS. JOHN MAKDESSI

    Round 1: Cerrone has seven straight wins and gets a title shot with another win here. Cerrone with a switch kick early and a big inside leg kick. Cerrone with a leg kick and then a body kick. Makdessi lands a left hand. Cerrone with a leg kick. They exchange punches. Cerrone rocks Makdessi with a head kick and then lands another head kick and a leg kick. Cerrone with a jab but misses a head kick. Cerrone with another head kick. Cerrone with a leg kick. Cerrone with a quick knee. Cerrone with a leg kick and then a big body kick. Makdessi with a right hand. Cerrone with a nice combo. Cerrone just misses a head kick. He misses another but lands a leg kick. Makdessi with a jab. Cerrone with a combo. Cerrone with a leg kick. Makdessi with a spin kick that lands. Cerrone with a leg kick. Both land right hands. 10-9 Cerrone.

    Round 2: They trade punches and leg kicks. Big knee from Cerrone followed by a solid combo has Makdessi in trouble and bleeding. Leg kick from Cerrone. Cerrone with a jab. Makdessi lands a combo. They trade punches again and Makdessi lands a left hook. Cerrone with a big uppercut and a combo. Cerrone with a combo and a leg kick but Makdessi lands a counter left hand. Cerrone with another combo. They trade punches. Cerrone misses a head kick. Cerrone with an elbow and a leg kick. Cerrone controlling the action here. Makdessi lands a punch. Cerrone a leg kick. Makdessi misses a spin kick. Cerrone lands a head kick and Makdessi quits! Makdessi verbally quits while standing. He looked to call timeout. He has a broken jaw and is done due to injury and Cerrone wins.

    Official Result: Donald Cerrone def. John Makdessi by TKO (kick) at 4:44 of Round 2

    UFC MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: CHRIS WEIDMAN (C) VS. VITOR BELFORT

    Round 1: The long-awaited title fight is here. Belfort looks noticeably smaller. Weidman with an early head kick. Weidman with another head kick that just misses. Weidman misses a right hand. Wediman misses a takedown. Belfort stumbles and Weidman goes after Belfort and Belfort has Weidman in trouble. Belfort with some big punches in the clinch but Weidman covers up. Belfort with the big flurry. Weidman gets the takedown and is on top and in half-guard. Weidman is cut open. Weidman with posture and big punches from the top. Weidman goes to the mount and is reigning down hammerfists. Belfort gives up his back but is in a lot of trouble. Big punches from the top as Weidman looks to finish. Lots of punches from Weidman and big elbows. Big trouble and this is over! Weidman finishes Belfort from the mount in the first round. Weidman remains the champion with a first-round TKO and a big statement win.

    Official Result: Chris Weidman def. Vitor Belfort by TKO (strikes) at 2:53 of Round 1 to remain UFC Middleweight Champion

    UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: ANTHONY JOHNSON VS. DANIEL CORMIER 

    Round 1: This decides the new champion at 205 pounds. Johnson with a leg kick after an eye poke. Johnson drops Cormier with a right hand right away but Cormier gets right back up after Johnson misses a right hand and Cormier has the back. Cormier with a slam on Johnson and looks to grab the neck as he has the back. Cormier looking for the takedown against the fence. Johnson with big punches as Cormier has his leg. Johnson spins out but Cormier still has the neck. Cormier with the pressure. They are on the feet but Cormier still has Johnson’s head trapped. Johnson with a head kick on the break. They swing wildly. Johnson with a head kick. Cormier with the jab. Cormier initiates a clinch against the fence. Johnson with a but punch and they have a wild exchange to end the round. 10-9 Johnson

    Round 2: Johnson with a leg kick and then a big right hand. Johnson with a head kick and an overhand right. Johnson with a kick but Cormier grabs the leg and looks for the takedown. Cormier picks Johnson up and slams him down and goes into half-guard. Cormier with punches from the top. Cormier with a hard elbow. Cormier grabbing the arm and looking for the kimura from the side. Cormier grabs it again and is going for it. He lets go. Cormier with more left hands from the half-guard. Cormier going for the kimura again. He lets go again. Cormier with punches from the top. Johnson tries to hip escape out from the bottom but can’t get out from under Cormier. They trade punches on the mat. Cormier with short elbows from the top. Johnson is cut open and gives up the back. He survives the round. Dominant round from Cormier. 10-8 Cormier, 19-18 Cormier. 

    Round 3: Cormier with a leg kick. They exchange wildly and Johnson lands a head kick. Johnson goes for a takedown but Cormier stuffs it. Cormier with hammerfists against the fence. Johnson gets Cormier down for a moment but Cormier gets back up. They switch and Johnson is breathing heavily. Cormier gets the back of Johnson against the fence. Johnson reverses and grabs the leg but isn’t doing much with it. Cormier spins around and takes the back and starts to land punches. Cormier gets the full back and has the neck and looks for the choke. Cormier gets the rear-naked choke in and Johnson taps out! Cormier is the new light heavyweight champion as he submits a gassed out Johnson.

    Official Result: Daniel Cormier def. Anthony Johnson by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:39 of Round 3 to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

    The main card was one heck of a show and worth seeing. 

  • Final Inductee into 2015 UFC Hall Of Fame

    By Ryan Frederick, WrestlingObserver.com

    B.J. Penn will be the fourth and final member of the 2015 Class being inducted into the UFC Hall Of Fame. He joins pioneer wing inductee Bas Rutten, contributor winginductee Jeff Blatnick, and fight wing inductees Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg, who will be inducted on July 11 at the UFC Fan Expo during International Fight Week in Las Vegas. Penn’s induction was announced during the preliminary card of UFC 187 on FOX Sports 1 on Saturday.

    Penn is being inducted into the modern era wing, joining Forrest Griffin as just the second fighter to be inducted into that wing of the UFC Hall Of Fame. 

    Penn is a former UFC Lightweight and Welterweight Champion and was one of the most dominant fighters during the peak of his career. He defeated Matt Hughes to win the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 46 in January 2004, and then defeated Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 in January 2008 to win the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship.

    Penn retired following a loss to Frankie Edgar in July. 

  • Fight pulled from tonight’s UFC show two hours befoehand

    The strawweight bout with Nina Ansaroff vs. Rose Namajunas has been pulled from tonight’s show due to Ansaroff suffering from the flu and being medically unfit to compete.  Ansaroff missed weight by four pounds yesterday.

    The fight was scheduled to open the FS 1 show at 8 p.m.  This moves start time of the live show from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

  • UFC News: Preliminary bout removed from tonight’s UFC 187 event

    By Ryan Frederick, WrestlingObserver.com

    A preliminary bout between women’s strawweight fighters Rose Namajunas and Nina Ansaroff has been scratched from tonight’s UFC 187 event. Ansaroff fell ill with the flu during fight week and doctors have deemed her medically unable to compete at tonight’s event, confirmed by UFC officials in a statement.

    Ansaroff missed weight by four pounds, coming in at 120 pounds for the bout.

    The card will continue with eleven bouts, and a welterweight bout between Mike Pyle and Colby Covington will be bumped up to the FOX Sports 1 portion of the preliminary card. The fights will now kick off 30 minutes later at 7 PM ET on Fight Pass.

  • New Inductee for 2015 UFC Hall Of Fame

    By Ryan Frederick, WrestlingObserver.com

    Bas Rutten was announced as joining the 2015 class being inducted into the UFC Hall Of Fame during International Fight Week on July 11. UFC President Dana White made the announcement during Friday’s edition of Inside MMA on AXStv, which Rutten co-hosts with Ron Kruck.

    Rutten will be inducted into the pioneers era wing of the UFC Hall Of Fame as a fighter who made his debut during the pioneers era of mixed martial arts. He joins fellow inductees Jeff Blatnick in the contributors wing, and Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg in the fight wing, commemorating their bout at UFC 52 in 2005. An additional inductee, who will go into the modern era wing, will be announced on Saturday during UFC 187.

    Rutten was a former King Of Pancrase, and he fought in the UFC just twice, defeating Tsuyoshi Kohsaka at UFC 18 in January 1999, and then defeating Kevin Randleman at UFC 20 in May 1999 to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion. He would later vacate the championship and fight just once more in his career, a win over Ruben Villareal in July 2006 in his final bout. Rutten has since transitioned into acting, along with his hosting duties on Inside MMA.

    He will join Royce Gracie, Dan Severn and Chuck Liddell in the pioneer era wing.

  • UFC 187: Johnson vs. Cormier weigh-in results and live video

    Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of the UFC 187: Johnson vs. Cormier weigh-ins from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event airs on pay-per-view on Saturday night at 10 PM ET, with a full slate of preliminary action on UFC Fight Pass starting at 6:30 PM ET before transitioning over to FOX Sports 1 at 8 PM ET. The annual Memorial Day Weekend card marks the ninth straight year the event has been at the MGM Grand.

    Two title fights headline one of the most loaded fight cards in recent years as a new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion will be crowned when top contenders Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier look to become the new champion after former champion Jon Jones was stripped of the championship last month. In the co-main event, UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman defends the championship for the third time against top contender Vitor Belfort, a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion who is riding a three-fight win streak. Also on the main card, Donald Cerrone looks for his eighth straight win and a shot at the lightweight title when he fights John Makdessi, heavyweights Travis Browne and Andrei Arlovski meet in a battle of heavy hitters, and flyweights Joseph Benavidez and John Moraga put their respective two-fight win streaks on the line.

    Nina Ansaroff who is facing Rose Namajunas weighed in 4 pounds over the limit.  

    A few of the fighters had to be kept apart, most notably, Weidman and Belfort.  They were jawing at each other during the staredown as Dana White kept them apart.  Once Weidman got on the mic he accused Vitor of a testing 1200 testostorone level during his camp, and straight up said Vitor was still cheating: “This guy is still cheating and I am going to make him pay for it tomorrow night.”

    Cormier and Johnson were much more corrigable and hugged before their staredown.  

    MAIN CARD (PPV- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT):

    Anthony Johnson (205) vs. Daniel Cormier (205)
    Chris Weidman (185) vs. Vitor Belfort (184)
    Donald Cerrone (156) vs. John Makdessi (155.5)
    Travis Browne (236.5) vs. Andrei Arlovski (241)
    Joseph Benavidez (125.5) vs. John Moraga (126)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT):

    John Dodson (125.5) vs. Zach Makovsky (126)
    Dong Hyun Kim (170.5) vs. Josh Burkman (170.5)
    Uriah Hall (186) vs. Rafael Natal (185.5)
    Rose Namajunas (116) vs. Nina Ansaroff (120)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT):

    Mike Pyle (171) vs. Colby Covington (170.5)
    Islam Makhachev (155.5) vs. Leo Kuntz (155.5)
    Justin Scoggins (126) vs. Josh Sampo (126)

  • UFC Ultimate Fighter episode 5 recap: Can ATT finally get a win?

    By Steve Juon, WrestlingObserver.com

    Quick update: American Top Team is down 100-0 after the Blackzilians have run off four straight wins to open the show. This week Anthony “Rumble” Johnson has shown up at the TUF house to congratulate his Blackzilian teammate Carrington Banks on getting the victory over Sabah Homasi. It was the closest fight of the season so far – needing a full three rounds to decide a winner.

    Homasi still believes he won the third round last week and honestly so do I. “F@%@ these judges and their scoring, I don’t know what the f#%! kind of fight they’re watching.” Dan Lambert reminds ATT that the next four fights are worth twice as many points, so it’s a clean slate from here. With two wins they can tie it up again.

    Kamaru Usman says nobody on the Blackzilians is celebrating being ahead right now. Tyrone Spong gives their team a pep talk and says it’s time to take their souls. “No one is better than all of us together.” He wants them headhunting to keep the home gym advantage. “The next fight, I want a knockout.”

    ATT expects Hayder Hassan to be the man to change their fortunes. Hassan vows there will be two winners when he goes to the Blackzilian gym – himself and the fans and home who got to watch him. Suffice it to say confidence is high. Hassan says he joined ATT because he wouldn’t be with anybody but the best, and that his name in Arabic means “GREAT.”

    The Blackzilians choose Andrews Nakahara to take the next fight. “This is my moment. I feel so confident. I’m ready for this.” Belfort brought him to the team and said he was a future champion, and now is his chance to prove it. He reminds me a lot of Lyoto Machida, and not just because he’s a Kyokushin karate champion. He says he only fights to help his family out.

    Back at the house Hayder Hassan and Jason Jackson are beefing with each other, and Jackson has been telling people he’s a dirty fighter because when they faced each other in 2013, and Hassan won. Jackson claims he cheated by pulling on his braided hair. They’re hinting that these two could scrap tonight OUTSIDE the cage.

    Back from break, and they’re still talking and calling each other five letter words. After that settles down Steve Carl and the other ATT guys are sitting around a fire outside the house speculating who Hassan will face next. Hassan says he’ll approach it like a gladiator entering the coliseum – not knowing who he’ll face and not caring. Michael Graves earns the ire of his ATT teammates and Dan Lambert by sleeping in the next morning instead of going to the gym. They’re even talking about booting him from the house.

    Weigh-in time. Hassan is 170 even. Nakahara is 170 even. The fight is official. Dana White is excited because he’s going to see two strikers go to war. Hassan believes the fight will be “fireworks.” There’s still one day to go until the match up so we get a commercial break, followed by each guy doing their final sparring and warm-up before the bout.

    * Andrews Nakahara (Blackzilians) vs. Hayder Hassan (American Top Team)

    There are only ten minutes left so this isn’t going to be a long fight. Hassan is in the blue trunks. Nakahara is in the black. Hassan is pushing forward immediately and Nakahara is responding with high kicks. Hassan paws away with the left and keeps the right hand cocked tight, but the kill shot is a BIG left hook. The fight is waved off at 48 seconds. ATT IS JUMPING FOR JOY. Glenn Robinson is stunned. Hassan makes a signal with one finger on his lips – “shhhhh.”

    Robinson is trying to be stoic about it after the break. “It happens.” It does Glenn, it does. Lambert notes the fight went exactly how they thought it would – Nakahara trying to keep the distance with kicks, Hassan pressing forward, and unloading once he backed Nakahara to the fence. Robinson: “Nine times out of ten he would have won that fight.” But he didn’t Glenn. Dana White: “Boom! Here we go.” Hassan: “I came, I saw, I conquered.” It’s now 100-50 and for the first time this season ATT will have the home gym advantage next week. See you then!

  • UFC 187 Preview: 5 storylines to watch, betting odds & predictions

    By Ryan Frederick, WrestlingObserver.com

    The UFC brings their annual Memorial Day Weekend card back to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this weekend for UFC 187 headlined by two title fights. The event is the next pay-per-view offering from the promotion, taking place on Saturday at 10 PM ET, with a full slate of prelims beginning at 6:30 PM ET on UFC Fight Pass before transitioning over to FOX Sports 1 at 8 PM ET.

    The event will determine a new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion as top contenders Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier square off in the main event for the vacant championship. In the co-main event of the event, it will be a long-awaited battle for the UFC Middleweight Championship as Chris Weidman makes his third title defense against long-time top contender Vitor Belfort. Also on the stacked card is a lightweight bout between Donald Cerrone and John Makdessi, a heavyweight slugfest between Travis Browne and Andrei Arlovski, and a flyweight battle between Joseph Benavidez and John Moraga. Let’s dive deeper into Saturday night’s action and bring you five storylines to watch for at UFC 187.

    1. Who becomes the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion?

    There will be a new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion crowned for the first time in over four years on Saturday night when Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier square off in the main event. The championship is vacant following the stripping, and subsequent suspension, of former champion Jon Jones following his hit-and-run arrest in April that capped off a number of outside the Octagon related events. Jones was a dominant champion in the division, defending the title eight times with mostly relative ease. He was scheduled to defend it against Johnson in the main event of this event before his most recent incident.

    That left Johnson to face Cormier, who is the last man Jones defeated, coming at UFC 182 in January. Cormier gets a second chance to conquer his dream in becoming a UFC champion, and he poses a different challenge for Johnson. Many thought Johnson would have a chance against Jones due to his overwhelming power and excellent takedown defense, but he still would have had to deal with the reach of Jones. Cormier is different in that he has more power than Jones, which can actually rival the power of Johnson, and his wrestling is more power-based. Johnson is built well for 205 pounds and is tough to take down, but you know Cormier will be looking to pick him up and slam him to the mat. Johnson will be looking to test the chin of Cormier, which is rock solid, but Johnson has unrivaled power.

    As interesting as a bout between Jones and Johnson was, mainly to see if Johnson could do something against Jones, this one is just as equally interesting. It shows on the betting odds with those being 50/50 right now, and no one really knows for sure who will walk out of the Octagon as the new champion. Johnson will be relying on his power and takedown defense, but he still has never been five rounds in his career. Cormier will look to be light on his feet, mix his speed and power, and of course, look for the big takedown. He has been five rounds in his career with ease, so we know he can go the distance, though he is fighting two weeks earlier than he was scheduled to originally. It will be a hard-fought battle, but I give the slight edge to Cormier walking away as the new champion.

    2. Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort will finally fight. Who wins?

    Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort have been on a collision course to fight ever since Chris Weidman became the new UFC Middleweight Champion after defeating Anderson Silva at UFC 162 in July 2013. However, there have been numerous obstacles in the way. Weidman was matched up with Silva in a rematch, leaving Belfort waiting. Weidman defeated Silva again, and Belfort was next. Next came the state of Nevada banning the usage of testosterone replacement therapy, which Belfort used, and Belfort pulled out of their scheduled May 2014 bout to get adjusted to the affects of getting off of TRT. Weidman would later defeat Lyoto Machida in July 2014.

    This will be Belfort’s first fight since November 2013, so that is 18 months out of action. It will also be his first fight since getting off of TRT, and he does look different. He looks similar to the time he was knocked out in the first round by Anderson Silva, after which Belfort began using TRT. It will be interesting to see how he fights under all of those circumstances. Injuries have hampered Weidman, and it will be interesting to see how he comes back, but he is perhaps the most mentally strong fighter in the sport. Belfort is notorious for breaking easily mentally, and Weidman may get in his head quickly. Weidman has a knack of knocking off Brazilians, having defeated Silva, Machida and Demian Maia in the Octagon. It will be a battle between the two middleweights, but I see Weidman remaining the champion on Saturday night.

    3. Will Donald Cerrone finally earn that long-awaited UFC Lightweight Championship title shot?

    Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is one of the most active and most popular fighters on the UFC roster, not to mention one of the most exciting. He has fought 17 times in the Octagon since coming over to the UFC in 2011, and this will be his 28th fight under the Zuffa banner. He has the mindset of anyone, anytime, anywhere, which makes it easy to get him fights. He fought twice in January this year- that just goes to show how active he wants to be. He decided to take a much-needed break coming off of two fights in two weeks, and he finally returns to action looking to secure the one thing that has alluded him.

    That is a shot at fighting for the UFC Lightweight Championship. He has been in the position to earn a title shot before, but came up short in losses to Nate Diaz and former champion Anthony Pettis. He was on his way back before suffering a loss to current champion Rafael Dos Anjos. However, since the loss to Dos Anjos, Cerrone has won seven straight fights, and is gunning for his eighth straight on Saturday night. Eight straight wins definitely will secure Cerrone a title shot, especially at a time where so many lightweight challengers are battling injury issues. He was supposed to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov on Saturday to determine the true top contender, but Nurmagomedov was forced out due to a knee injury.

    Cerrone will instead fight John Makdessi, who replaced Nurmagomedov less than a month ago. Makdessi is coming off an impressive first-round knockout win over Shane Campbell last month at UFC 186, and he is 4-1 in his last five fights, with the one loss coming in close fashion. He is a dangerous and unknown fighter, but he doesn’t have the skills that Nurmagomedov has. Makdessi is a striker, which is the type of fighter that Cerrone likes to tee off on. Cerrone likes to stand-and-trade, and Makdessi will give him that type of fight, but there is a reason Cerrone is a huge betting favorite. Everyone expects him to win and get that title shot, and there is little reason to believe Cerrone won’t get the job done on Saturday. He is focused, and a truly focused Cerrone is a dangerous opponent.

    4. There are two big flyweight bouts on Saturday. Who stakes their claim for the next title shot?

    Two big fights at 125 pounds take place on Saturday night. Joseph Benavidez will meet John Moraga on the main card, and John Dodson will square off with Zach Makovsky in the featured preliminary bout. All four men are looking to stake their claim for the next title shot at UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson. However, three of the four (Benavidez, Moraga, Dodson) have suffered defeats to Johnson, leaving Makovsky as the only one who hasn’t fought Johnson. If Makovsky were to defeat Dodson, that almost has to mean that he will be the next man to fight Johnson.

    Convential wisdom points to Dodson being the man with the best shot at fighting Johnson should he win on Saturday. Dodson lost to Johnson in January 2013, but Benavidez and Moraga have more recent losses to Johnson. All three of those have two-fight win streaks, so they are on even footing. Dodson gave a tougher fight to Johnson than the other two have, and he believes he is the man who can defeat Johnson. Dodson is coming off of major knee surgery and hasn’t fought in nearly a year, and it will be interesting to see if the injury has hurt his speed, which he relies on so much. A Dodson win over Makovsky gets him the title shot. A Dodson loss opens the door for the other three, and potentially for Henry Cejudo, to get the next title shot at Johnson.

    5. UFC 187 is one of the more loaded cards in recent memory. What are some other things to keep an eye on?

    There is no question that UFC 187 is one of the more loaded cards the UFC has put on in recent years despite the losses of Jon Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov. It is still headlined by two title fights and an excellent main card and a solid preliminary slate. Travis Browne and Andrei Arlovski are meeting in a heavyweight bout on the pay-per-view portion, and the two are former training partners and good friends. But, sometimes good friends have to fight in the Octagon, and both are wanting to fight for the championship. Browne has good power, and Arlovski has a chin that has been cracked many times.

    On the prelims, Dong Hyun Kim and Josh Burkman meet in a welterweight bout as both look to rebound from losses in their last fights (though Burkman’s loss was changed to a no contest). Both are looking to establish themselves in the top ten of the welterweight rankings. Uriah Hall will be looking to extend his three-fight win streak and keep buidling his resume following two tough losses to start his UFC career, and he meets Rafael Natal in a middleweight bout. Natal has won two straight himself. Rose Namajunas looks to bounce back from her loss in the inaugural UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship bout, which she lost to Carla Esparza. Namajunas is a popular fighter at 115-pounds, and she will meet Nina Ansaroff to kick off the preliminary slate on FOX Sports 1.

    Full UFC 187 Fight Card, Betting Odds and Predictions 

    MAIN CARD (PPV- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT)

    UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Anthony Johnson vs. Daniel Cormier
    Betting Odds: Johnson (+115), Cormier (-135)
    Prediction: Cormier by decision

    UFC Middleweight Championship: Chris Weidman(c) vs. Vitor Belfort
    Betting Odds: Weidman (-525), Belfort (+415)
    Prediction: Weidman by submission in round 3

    Lightweights: Donald Cerrone vs. John Makdessi
    Betting Odds: Cerrone (-500), Makdessi (+400)
    Prediction: Cerrone by submission in round 1

    Heavyweights: Travis Browne vs. Andrei Arlovski
    Betting Odds: Browne (-450), Arlovski (+360)
    Prediction: Browne by knockout in round 1

    Flyweights: Joseph Benavidez vs. John Moraga
    Betting Odds: Benavidez (-600), Moraga (+450)
    Prediction: Benavidez by decision

    PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT)

    Flyweights: John Dodson vs. Zach Makovsky
    Betting Odds: Dodson (-470), Makovsky (+375)
    Prediction: Dodson by decision

    Welterweights: Dong Hyun Kim vs. Josh Burkman
    Betting Odds: Kim (-280), Burkman (+240)
    Prediction: Kim by decision

    Middleweights: Uriah Hall vs. Rafael Natal
    Betting Odds: Hall (-350), Natal (+290)
    Prediction: Hall by knockout in round 2

    Women’s Strawweights: Rose Namajunas vs. Nina Ansaroff
    Betting Odds: Namajunas (-280), Ansaroff (+240)
    Prediction: Namajunas by submission in round 1

    PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT)

    Welterweights: Mike Pyle vs. Colby Covington
    Betting Odds: Pyle (+230), Colvington (-270)
    Prediction: Covington by decision

    Lightweights: Islam Makhachev vs. Leo Kuntz
    Betting Odds: Makhachev (-320), Kuntz (+260)
    Prediction: Makhachev by submission in round 2

    Flyweights: Justin Scoggins vs. Josh Sampo
    Betting Odds: Scoggins (-350), Sampo (+290)
    Prediction:Scoggins by decision

  • UFC News: OSP vs. Glover Teixeira headlines August show

    A fight with light heavyweight contenders Ovince Saint Preux vs. Glover Teixeira was announced on UFC Tonight as being the five-round headliner at UFC Fight Night 74 on August 8th in Nashville, TN.

    OSP (18-6) has won two straight by first round T/KO and has victories in seven of his last eight. After winning 20 straight, Teixeira (22-4) has lost his last two.

  • Blatnick and Hughes vs. Trigg fight to be honored in UFC Hall of Fame

    UFC announced tonight on UFC Tonight that Jeff Blatnick and the Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg fight from 2005 will be honored at the company’s Hall of Fame ceremony this year.

    The ceremony takes place on 7/11 in Las Vegas, the afternoon before the UFC 189 PPV show.

    Blatnick was honored as a contributor.  He was UFC commissioner from 1998 to 2001 and announced for the promotion from 1994 to 2001.  He also named the sport mixed martial arts and helped write the original rule book, which is very similar to the current rules.

    There will be two more Hall of Fame announcements between now and the end of the week, with a Pioneer fighter (career beginning before 2001) and Modern Era fighter (career beginning 2001 or later).

    My complete story on the Hall of Fame is at

    http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/5/20/8632375/blatnick-and-hughes-vs-trigg-fight-to-be-inducted-into-ufc-hall-of