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UFC 166 Results: ‘Velasquez vs. Dos Santos 3’ Play-by-Play & Updates

Sherdog.com reports from the Toyota Center in Houston at approximately 6 p.m. ET with live UFC 166 updates.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below. Have a question for Sherdog.com's medical expert? Tweet The Fight Doctor via @FightMedicine.

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Kyoji Horiguchivs. Dustin Pague

Round 1

Herb Dean is the referee for tonight’s opening bantamweight contest. Horiguchi circles the outside and scores with a couple leg kicks before being dragged to the ground in an arm-triangle chokesetup. Pague spins around to take the back and locks up a body triangle before Horiguchi can scramble up. Still latched on to Horiguchi’s back, Pague slaps on a rear-naked choke; the American has his right forearm under Horiguchi’s chin, but the Japanese fighter is controlling the left wrist to prevent Pague from finishing the choke. Midway through the round and Pague is still parked on Horiguchi’s back, working for the RNC as the bantamweights lean against the fence. Pague finally releases the body triangle, allowing Horiguchi to spin him around and clinch on the cage. A couple knees to the body land for Pague, and he defends a takedown attempt before they separate. Pague tosses Horiguchi to the mat in the closing seconds and hits him with a couple right hands before Horiguchi reverses and finishes the round with a hard punch of his own.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Pague
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Pague
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Pague

Round 2

Horiguchi cracks Pague with a leg kick-left hook combination, resets and drops “The Disciple” with another nasty left. The Krazy Bee fighter dives on Pague and tries to pound him out, but Pague grabs hold of a leg and sweeps to the top after absorbing a barrage of punches. Horiguchi powers back to his feet, puts Pague on the fence and trips him to the ground. Pague holds Horiguchi in half-guard but eats some hard right hands to the side of the head. More short right hands score for Horiguchi, then a big one as he sits up. Horiguchi stands in Pague’s guard and slams him with a pair of big lefts, then two vertical rights. Pague is just absorbing punishment, trying to cover up but not offering anything in return, and referee Dean has seen enough.

The Result

Kyoji Horiguchi def. Dustin Pague via TKO (Punches) R2 3:51

Andre Fili vs. Jeremy Larsen

Round 1

Jacob Montalvo is the referee for this catchweight bout. Fili slips on an early high kick and is countered by a straight right. Larsen begins circling the outside, comes in to strike and gets clipped by a crisp right hand, then another. A single-leg attempt from Larsen is stuffed, so he comes back to clinch on the fence. Fili makes him pay with a big knee up the middle, and Larsen goes to the ground. Fili keeps the punches coming, then more knees once Larsen gets back to his feet. Larsen is sporting a bloody cut near his left eye, but he manages to grab hold of Fili and change levels for a double-leg to slow the assault. Fili breaks away, and now ref Montalvo wants the doctor to take a look at Larsen’s cut. Larsen is cleared to continue; when they resume, Fili continues to stick punches in Larsen’s face before a brief clinch. Larsen catches Fili leg-kicking with another right-handed counter, and Fili falls to the ground this time. Larsen comes down to Fili’s guard, so Fili attacks with an omoplata and sweeps his way back to his feet. Fili finishes the round with a few more punches to Larsen’s bloodied face.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Fili
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Fili
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-8 Fili

Round 2

Fili starts the round aggressively and runs into a hard right hook. Undeterred, Fili keeps pushing forward with combinations and finishes with a right hook on the temple which takes the legs out from underneath his opponent. Larsen takes a knee at the base of the fence, and referee Montalvo steps in to save him from any further damage.

The Result

Andre Fili def. Jeremy Larsen via TKO (Punches) R2 0:53

Tony Ferguson vs. Mike Rio

Round 1

Kerry Hatley is the referee for this lightweight fight. Rio sticks a jab and runs in behind a looping left hook to shoot for a takedown. Ferguson stands him up and gets shoved against the fence before separating. Rio shoots again from a mile out and gets caught in a headlock as Ferguson sprawls. Ferguson releases, denies another attempt to clinch and clips Rio with a short left hook on the chin. Rio shoots another double-leg, and this time Ferguson is waiting with a brabo choke. Rio hesitates for a moment with his hand in the air, Ferguson traps the free arm, and Rio taps out.

The Result

Tony Ferguson def. Mike Rio via Submission (Brabo Choke) R1 1:52

Adlan Amagov vs. T.J. Waldburger

Round 1

Jay Stafin is the referee for this welterweight bout. Waldburger strikes first with a couple slapping leg kicks in the slow opening minute of the fight. Amagov finally commits to a strike after nearly two minutes and drives a hard, spinning kick into Waldburger’s breadbasket. Waldburger puts Amagov on the fence with a single-leg and eats a series of thumping left hands on the head. Waldburger releases the leg but continues to try and clinch, and he pays for it with more offense from Amagov. One big left hook lifts Waldburger off his feet before sending him to the ground. The Texas rolls to his back and tries to throw up his legs in defense, but Amagov just stands over him dropping bombs, and a huge right hand turns out Waldburger’s lights.

The Result

Adlan Amagov def. T.J. Waldburger via KO (Punches) R1 3:00

K.J. Noons vs. George Sotiropoulos

Round 1

Sotiropoulos circles around the outside while Noons works from the middle, with neither lightweight committing to anything in the first 90 seconds, drawing a sprinkling of a boos from the Houston crowd. Noons begins to pump jabs to the Australian’s body, and Sotiropoulos finally strikes with a clean right straight at the midway point of the round. Noons switches to the orthodox stance to work Sotiropoulos’ body with a couple right hands, then switches back to southpaw when Sotiropoulos clips him in an exchange. With 50 seconds left in the round, Noons catches a finger in his right eye from Sotiropoulos’ outstretched hand. The Hawaiian recovers and goes back to chasing Sotiropoulos, and a wild flurry closes the round, with Noons bombing Sotiropoulos with rapid-fire combinations before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Noons
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Noons
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Noons

Round 2

It’s Sotiropoulos throwing combos to start round two, though he’s pulling up short with most of his punches while Noons sticks to steady jabs and body shots. Sotiropoulos clips Noons with a right hook on the temple at the end of an exchange, misses with a spinning kick to follow up. Noons shuts down the first takedown attempt from Sotiropoulos and then sticks another jab in the Australian’s face. Sotiropoulos lands a body kick, then shoots a single-leg and nearly gets Noons to the ground. The second effort against the cage yields a takedown for Sotiropoulos, but Noons scrambles right back up after a warning from ref Herb Dean for grabbing the fence. Sotiropoulos closes out the round with kicks to the body and leg of Noons, then a hook which sends Noons backing off at the end of the frame.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Sotiropoulos
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sotiropoulos
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Sotiropoulos

Round 3

Noons pops Sotiropoulos with a short left and stuffs a takedown attempt. Sotiropoulos has a spinning kick blocked, but follows up with a left hook. Sotiropoulos comes away from an exchange sporting a bad cut at his hairline on the right side, then eats a sweeping right hand which puts him on rubbery legs. Noons doesn’t pounce, but he does shut down the text takedown try. Another double-leg from Sotiropoulos comes up short, and Noons whacks him again with the same right hook. Noons ducks a punch and counters with a straight right. Sotiropoulos wants to tie up on the fence and gets shoved away. Sotiropoulos counters a left hand with a clean left hook of his own, drawing a smile from Noons. It’s all kicks from Sotiropoulos now, a trio of hard ones to the legs, followed by a right high kick. Another head kick scores for the Australian, then a short left hook. Twenty seconds left and Noons connects with a spinning back fist before looking up at the clock. He walks through a kick from Sotiropoulos to land two hard right hooks just before the end of the fight.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Noons (29-28 Noons)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Noons (29-28 Noons)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Noons (29-28 Noons)

The Result

K.J. Noons def. George Sotiropoulos via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) R3 5:00

Sarah Kaufman vs. Jessica Eye

Round 1

Eye snaps off a couple quick jabs to begin the fight, backing out of the way of Kaufman’s counter fire. Kaufman lands a short right hook after 40 seconds, and Eye decides to clinch up. Good right hands from Eye in the clinch before they separate, reddening the nose of Kaufman, who pulls up short on a right and takes another jab. Eye mixes in leg kicks now, as the women continue to circle one another in the center of the cage. Eye eats another right hand before putting Kaufman on the fence again, and now it’s Kaufman scoring with right hands in close quarters. Eye releases and circles out, catching the oncoming Kaufman with a leg kick and uppercut. They move to the fence again, Eye on the outside, and she decks Kaufman with a solid elbow on the chin before breaking off. Kaufman sticks Eye with a good right straight, rushes in to punch some more and gets caught with a counter, then clinched again. They separate with Kaufman landing a right hook, and she chases after Eye to land another.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Eye
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Eye
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Eye

Round 2

Kaufman eats a few jabs before getting the better of a tie-up with a knee up the middle and a rugged, short right hand. Eye is on her back foot, looking much more tentative in this second round as Kaufman begins to press the action and score with power punches. Eye’s jabs are still working, though, and she swipes Kaufman’s face with a left hand after the Canadian comes up short with a hook. Good work from Eye in the next clinch, popping Kaufman with quick punches and dipping out. Kaufman sticks a lead left in the face of Eye, who comes away from the exchange wobbly despite scoring with punches. Eye puts Kaufman on the cage and stomps her foot; Kaufman is starting to show the effects of Eye’s jabs on her face, bleeding from her nose with swelling around her left eye. Now it’s Kaufman initiating a clinch and scoring a knee to the body before Eye escapes. A stiff jab from Eye snaps back the head of Kaufman, and Eye ducks out to avoid a counter kick. Kaufman lands a straight right and a leg kick, so Eye gives her two low kicks in return at the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Eye
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Eye
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Kaufman

Round 3

Eye lands a low kick, countered by a hard right straight from Kaufman. Another right hand comes from Kaufman before she holds Eye against the fence; they split after a few seconds, and both women connect with short punches. Eye slugs Kaufman with a right cross behind a leg kick, then an uppercut when Kaufman comes in to clinch. Kaufman exits the clinch with a good right hand. Kaufman moves the fight to the fence again, but the women quickly separate with about two minutes left in the bout. Kaufman scores with a right hand that puts Eye on wobbly legs, but the Ohioan recovers enough to push Kaufman against the cage. Eye holds Kaufman on the fence with double underhooks, finally releases with 40 seconds to go. Kaufman comes straight forward to land another right hand, but this one doesn’t faze Eye, who comes right back to deck Kaufman with a right of her own. Kaufman is still charging forward at the final horn, hitting Eye with one last shot just before time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Kaufman (29-28 Eye)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Kaufman (29-28 Eye)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Kaufman (29-28 Kaufman)

The Result

Jessica Eye def. Sarah Kaufman via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) R3 5:00

Hector Lombard vs. Nate Marquardt

Round 1

Lombard is moving forward from the start, rolling his hands as he tries to close the gap on the backpedaling Marquardt. “Nate the Great” stands still long enough to flick out a few jabs, caught by Lombard’s lead hand, and land a slapping leg kick. Marquardt scores with some lightning-fast right hands in the clinch before Marquardt circles out. Another right hand has Marquardt circling out, and now Lombard smells blood. Marquardt turns his back to run and Lombard puts him on the ground with a under-the-arm left uppercut. Lombard smashes the former Strikeforce champ with hammer fists until, knocking Marquardt unconscious and sending referee Jay Stafin into action.

The Result

Hector Lombard def. Nate Marquardt via KO (Punches) R1 1:48

Tim Boetsch vs. C.B. Dollaway

Round 1

Boetsch wades forward with a wide right hand, misses and gets countered by a Dolloway hook. Dollaway goes to the body with a right hand, then gets knocked to the ground by a hard Boetsch kick. Another hard left from Dollaway lands on Boetsch’s chin. Dollaway responds with a pair of leg kicks, circles out and comes back to land another kick on the outside of Boetsch’s lead leg. Dollaway raises his hand, drawing Boetsch forward and allowing the “Doberman” to swipe his opponent’s face with a left hook. Boetsch gets in on a single-leg and plows Dollaway to the ground, but Dollaway is immediately back on his feet. Dollaway goes to the outside, where both men land hard left hands before Dollaway raises his arms to taunt Boetsch again. Thai plum from Dollaway allows him to score with knees up the middle, then a clean left hook on Boetsch’s chin. A left hook from Boetsch has opened a small cut at the outside of Dollaway’s right eye.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Dollaway
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dollaway
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Dollaway

Round 2

Boetsch lands a leg kick, drawing a smirk from Dollaway. The middleweights tie up and Boetsch lands a short right, so Dollaway shoots a double and puts “The Barbarian” on the ground. Dollaway tries to pass Boetsch’s half-guard and winds up in full guard, then goes to pass to Boetsch’s left. Boetsch posts up and tries to escape, but he stalls out on his knees and Dollaway tries for a Peruvian necktie. The choke won’t hold, and Boetsch is able to get back to his feet, where he shuts down the next takedown attempt from Dollaway. Boetsch tries a guillotine, can’t get it but uses it to take top position as they tumble to the ground. Dollaway tries to escape trouble by driving forward on a single-leg, eats some short punches from Boetsch before standing. Boetsch holds his man against the cage, and Dollaway exits with a short elbow before circling out. A straight right from Boetsch gets a head-nod from Dollaway, who ducks Boetsch’s next combination and plows him to the ground with a double. Boetsch tries a kimura from the bottom, straightens out Dollaway’s arm, but he can’t get the angle to finish with Dollaway in side control. Dollaway waits it out, elbowing Boetsch’s ribs as time runs out.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Dollaway
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dollaway
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Dollaway

Round 3

Twenty seconds into the final round, Boetsch lets out a yelp as Dollaway’s outstretched left hand pokes him in the right eye. The finger seems to have lacerated Boetsch’s lower eyelid, as a trickle of blood comes down from the eye. Boetsch recovers after a minute and a check from the doctor, and he shuts down the first takedown attempt from Dollaway. The middleweights move to the fence, and Dollaway circles out before Boetsch can attack with dirty boxing. Boetsch lunges forward with winging punches and catches another finger in the eye. Referee Kerry Hatley deducts a point from Dollaway this time, and the fight resumes with 3:30 on the clock. Boetsch tags his man with a left hand, but Dollaway hits a single-leg and puts Boetsch on the ground, slipping out of a guillotine in the process. Dollaway stacks Boetsch at the base of the fence, throwing short right hands to the ribs as he works from Boetsch’s half-guard. Dollaway gets to full mount with two minutes left, and Boetsch just muscles his way out of it, sweeping and standing to press Dollaway against the fence. Dollaway scores with a knee to the gut and escapes the clinch, then backs Boetsch away with a right hook. Boetsch is whiffing on tired punches now, eating shots from the fresher Dollaway, so the Barbarian decides to put Dollaway on the fence and use foot stomps. Dollaway goes to the rear, trips Boetsch to the ground, and Boetsch reverses to try a guillotine on top. Dollaway slips out and gets to his knees, and Boetsch tries an arm-triangle choke from that position but runs out of time.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Boetsch (28-28 Draw)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Boetsch (28-28 Draw)
Mike Whitman scores the round 9-9 (29-27 Dollaway)

The Result

Tim Boetsch def. C.B. Dollaway via Split Decision (30-26, 27-29, 30-26) R3 5:00

John Dodson vs. Darrell Montague

Round 1

The flyweights exchange hard leg kicks in the opening minute, with Dodson setting up on the outside and Montague working from the middle. Dodson grazes with a left hand over the top, stays on the outside and follows up with a pair of kicks. A straight left hand sends Montague crashing to the canvas, but he’s quick to scramble back up. Dodson stays all over him, blasting Montague with more quick punches as the former Tachi Palace Fights champion clings to Dodson’s leg. They reset on the feet and Dodson goes right back to socking Montague with blazing punches. Montague is just eating the punches and coming forward, so Dodson’s output slows a bit. Just when Montague wades into range, a clubbing left hook on the chin sends “The Mongoose” to the floor for the final time. Before Dodson can tack on any more punches, referee Jacob Montalvo intervenes.

The Result

John Dodson def. Darrell Montague via KO (Punch) R1 4:13

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Shawn Jordan

Round 1

Gonzaga opens with a leg kick, misses on the next one and then rushes forward with a quick flurry of punches which miss, drawing a smile from Jordan. The Brazilian lands another kick inside. Jordan presses forward and gets decked with a counter right hook as he steps into the pocket, dropping him to the ground. Gonzaga follows up with hammer fists that relieve Jordan of his senses and send referee Jay Stafin into action.

The Result

Gabriel Gonzaga def. Shawn Jordan via KO (Punches) R1 1:33

Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez

Round 1

Sanchez catches a high kick on his shoulder and uses it to shove Melendez to the ground, then jumps on the former Strikeforce champ’s back in a scramble. Melendez fends off a rear-naked choke attempt and twists around to escape, then scrambles to his feet to reset. Melendez is pushing forward now, flicking out punches and low kicks, and fending off the next takedown attempt from Sanchez against the fence. Again, Sanchez fails on a double-leg shot, and this time Melendez pops him with an uppercut as he stands. Sanchez lands a body kick, but it’s caught and Melendez rushes him against the fence for a moment. Melendez continues to let go of his hands, and Sanchez is now sporting a bloody streak down the left side of his face. The next right hook from Melendez opens up a cut on the outside of Sanchez’s eye. Sanchez pushes forward after scoring with a body kick, and both lightweights land right hands in a wild exchange at the end of the round. Sanchez hits the deck, but he’s back on his feet before the horn to eat more punches from Melendez.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-8 Melendez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Melendez
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Melendez

Round 2

Melendez is tagging Sanchez at will with more right hands at the start of round two, and Sanchez scores with a cracking right of his own in the pocket. The cut on Sanchez’s left eyebrow has gotten worse, and now ref Kerry Hatley wants the doctor to check it out. Sanchez has his eye wiped clean and the lightweights get back to work. Melendez is mixing it up with combinations now, changing levels to hit Sanchez’s body and head with hard shots. Melendez jabs his way into range, socks Sanchez and then backs out while “The Dream” sends punches off Melendez’s arms and body. Sanchez slips to the ground after a kick and Melendez counter, but he pops back up. Sanchez hits Melendez’s ribs with another hard body kick, absorbs a few more hard punches and scores a takedown. Melendez is immediately back on his feet, whipping Sanchez with right hands on a left eye which has become extremely bloody.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Melendez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Melendez
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Melendez

Round 3

Sanchez catches Melendez ducking in with a grazing uppercut, but Melendez fires right back with a three-piece combo. Another in-and-out combination from Melendez leaves Sanchez swinging at air. Melendez is just bashing away with the right hand, sending Vaseline and blood flying off Sanchez’s face. Ref Hatley wants the doc to check on Sanchez again, with red now coating the face of the former “Ultimate Fighter.” Sanchez is cleared to continue, and he rushes across the cage to meet Melendez with half a round to go. Sanchez is swinging wildly with punches, beating his chest and waving Melendez forward. Melendez obliges by bashing Sanchez with another right hand, but Sanchez comes back to drop Melendez with an uppercut. Sanchez hops on the back of his downed opponent, tries for a rear-naked choke and can’t get it. Melendez sweeps to the top, so Sanchez tries a guillotine but “El Nino” pulls his head free from this as well. The lightweights scramble up and Melendez turns Sanchez’s head with another cracking right hand, then eats a body kick. Sanchez tries a spinning kick which allows Melendez to take his back. Sanchez hits a switch and tries to take Melendez’s back, can’t hold on. Melendez counters a front kick with a straight left, and both men are bombing with wild punches at the end of the bout.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Melendez (30-26 Melendez)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Melendez (30-27 Melendez)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Sanchez (29-28 Melendez)

The Result

Gilbert Melendez def. Diego Sanchez via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00

Daniel Cormier vs. Roy Nelson

Round 1

Cormier circles to his right around the outside, leaning back to avoid the first hook that Nelson throws. The next punch is ducked by Cormier, who latches on to a single-leg and quickly puts “Big Country” on the canvas. Nelson tries to sweep, gets cradled and shoved back to the ground at the base of the fence, where Cormier drops a couple punches to Nelson’s ribs. Cormier backs out momentarily and Nelson stands, but Cormier comes right back to wrap him up and drag him back down. Again, Nelson gets to his feet, and this time Cormier pops him with a knee in the face as they grapple on the fence. Nelson tries a standing kimura while Cormier works a single-leg. Cormier pulls his arm free, takes Nelson’s back and pulls him to the ground again. Nelson stands and Cormier muscles him against the cage to drill him with a knee to the gut. The next knee has referee Jacob Montalvo stepping in, as Cormier’s shin grazed Nelson’s cup on the way up. Nelson recovers and the big men get back to work with one minute on the clock. Nelson is swinging hard punches now, but Cormier is getting out of the way of all of them and coming back to club Nelson with hard shots. There’s beautiful movement from Cormier in the final moments of the round, ducking and slipping nearly all of Nelson’s shots.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Cormier
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cormier
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cormier

Round 2

Cormier is mixing it up at the start of round two, alternating between leg kicks and snappy punches as he moves in and out of range. Nelson is still looking for power punches as he’s shoved against the cage and drilled with a knee to the gut. Cormier changes levels for a single-leg and hustles Nelson to the floor, but this time Big Country is quickly back on his feet. Cormier makes sure he doesn’t go far by holding Nelson against the cage, working knees inside as the fight hits the midway point. The heavyweights separate and Cormier goes back to punching, touching Nelson’s cheek with more right hands. Cormier tries a front kick, then a switch kick, both blocked by Nelson, then a left hand to the body which is not.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Cormier
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cormier
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cormier

Round 3

It’s more of the same to begin the final frame, with Cormier finding a home for his right hand on Nelson’s face. Cormier mixes in some leg kicks and begins to work more jabs with his left midway through the round. A cracking right knocks some slobber out of Nelson’s mouth just before he’s rushed to the canvas again. He hops back up and blocks a series of left high kicks from Cormier, then tries to bait the wrestler with wide eyes and an open chin. Cormier obliges with more punches and kicks, then shoves Nelson off when the veteran tries to tie up. An overhand right, a left hook from Cormier, and Nelson gets the final word in the bout with a leg kick.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Cormier (30-27 Cormier)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cormier (30-27 Cormier)
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Cormier (30-27 Cormier)

The Result

Daniel Cormier def. Roy Nelson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos

Round 1

Herb Dean is the referee for tonight’s UFC heavyweight championship bout. Dos Santos rocks Velasquez with a left hook as they meet in the middle of the cage to begin the fight, and Velasquez goes after a quick takedown. Dos Santos limp-legs away, so Velasquez tries a guillotine, but this fails as well. Another right hand staggers Velasquez, and he moves in to clinch dos Santos against the fence. The Brazilian shoots a knee up the middle before the big men separate. Velasquez pushes dos Santos against the cage again, this time working some short right hands to the head and knees to the thigh. The champion spins dos Santos to the ground and lands on top in half-guard. Dos Santos gets up, then brought back to his knees, where Velasquez punishes him with right hands and a knee to the body. Dos Santos stands again, this time with his back to the fence, and now Velasquez can’t complete the single. Instead, they stay clinched against the fence with Velasquez on the outside, working short rights up top as dos Santos scores with a few knees to the body.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Velasquez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Velasquez
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Velasquez

Round 2

Dos Santos sticks a jab in the champion’s face, takes a knee to the body and then has to defend another Velasquez single-leg on the cage. The challenger hits the ground for a brief second, then stands up and is pinned on the fence with an underhook. Dos Santos is showing redness on his face from Velasquez’s constant, short right hands in the clinch, but when Velasquez backs up to throw bigger shots, dos Santos is able to evade with good head movement. They separate and Velasquez chases dos Santos around the outside, dipping in with a straight left to clinch again. As the heavyweights lean against the fence, referee Dean is pulling the fence toward him, holding the cage together as a post seems to have come loose. The fighters move to another section of the cage as dos Santos tosses Velasquez down, and the champ stands up to pop dos Santos with another right and clinch on the fence. Dos Santos gets a little ground back at the end of the round with a short, standing elbow and follow-up right hand.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Velasquez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Velasquez
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Velasquez

Round 3

Straight back to clinching on the fence go the heavyweights, again with Velasquez on the outside, battering dos Santos with short hooks, uppercuts and knees to the body. Dos Santos scores with another standing elbow and gets in a good knee of his own, answered by a Velasquez uppercut. They separate after two minutes and dos Santos comes over the top with a right straight before Velasquez latches on to another single-leg, then returns to the clinch. This one doesn’t last long, and now dos Santos is able to deny a single-leg attempt. A clubbing, overhand right on the temple drops dos Santos, and Velasquez pounds him out with brutal hammer fists on the ground. Dos Santos appears to regain consciousness before ref Dean can notice, and Velasquez tries a guillotine. Again, dos Santos slumps to the ground, but no stoppage is forthcoming as he stands up again just as quickly. Velasquez finishes the round as he finished the last, bullying dos Santos against the cage.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-7 Velasquez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-7 Velasquez
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-8 Velasquez

Round 4

Velasquez opens the round with another thunderous right hand, putting a near-unconscious dos Santos on the fence and blasting away with more big punches. Ref Dean is hovering nearby, but dos Santos is still on his feet, still throwing bombs in return. Velasquez tries to soften up his challenger with foot stomps, and dos Santos exits the clinch with a hard elbow. Velasquez goes after him and they’re right back in the clinch, this time with dos Santos escaping via overhand right. An uppercut scores for dos Santos, but Velasquez already has his hands on the challenger to clinch again. Dos Santos is bleeding badly from the corner of his right eye, and his left eye is nearly swollen shut, prompting a visit from the doctor. Dos Santos is cleared to continue, and he sticks a jab on Velasquez as they resume. Velasquez just walks through it to clinch on the fence once again, and dos Santos escapes with an elbow, but they finish the round in the clinch once again.

Sherdog Scores

Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Velasquez
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Velasquez
Mike Whitman scores the round 10-9 Velasquez

Round 5

Dos Santos’ vision is checked again before the final round begins, and the Brazilian is cleared to finish the fight. He scores with a right hand early in the frame, but Velasquez is already in on a single-leg and puts his challenger on the ground in the center of the cage. Dos Santos gets to the cage and stands, but he’s trapped there by Velasquez, who pops him with right hands to the damaged eye. Dos Santos uses an elbow to escape again, but Velasquez just stands in range and bombs with punches until he comes back to clinch again. They separate for a few seconds before Velasquez cracks his man with another hard right. Dos Santos tries for a brabo or guillotine choke and lands on his head as Velasquez tosses the challenger over his shoulder. Dos Santos is on his knees, dazed from his head colliding with the canvas, and referee Dean steps in to wave off the bout as Velasquez loads up to finish the fight with punches.

The Result

Cain Velasquez def. Junior dos Santos via TKO (Slam and Punches) R5 3:09
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