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UFC 224 ‘Nunes vs. Pennington’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round-by-Round Scoring



UFC 224 available for order on Amazon Prime (Prime Video PPV)

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Sherdog's live UFC 224 coverage kicks off Saturday at 6:15 p.m. ET.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.

Markus Perez vs. James Bochnovic

Round 1

Bochnovic lands a body kick seconds after the middleweights touch gloves. The 6-foot-4 American drives Perez against the fence, but it's "Maluko" who drags down Bochnovic and tries to take his back. Bochnovic powers back to his feet, reverses to the outside position and holds Perez against the wall with an underhook. Perez gets Bochnovic in a bodylock, lifts and slams him to the floor. Two minutes in, Bochnovic is trying to hold Perez in half guard, now defending an arm-triangle choke setup. Perez abandons the choke, momentarily moves to side control, but the rangy Bochnovic shifts to recover guard. Perez stands, then comes back down to catch Bochnovic in a D'arce setup. Bochnovic keeps his head to the ground and escapes the choke, so Perez jumps on his back instead. Perez squeezes hard on a rear-naked choke attempt, but he can't get under Bochnovic's chin. Bochnovic fends off a second RNC, but the third time is the charm for Perez, who squeezes hard and forces the American to tap late in the opening round.

The Official Result

Markus Perez def. James Bochnovic via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1 4:28

Ramazan Emeev vs. Alberto Mina

Round 1

Emeev connects with the first hard shot of the bout, a clean right hook that backs up Mina to the fence after just 30 seconds. Emeev doesn't pounce but continues to pressure Mina around the outside, denying a takedown attempt from the Brazilian. Another right hand scores for Emeev, this one over the top of Mina's low left hand. An ill-advised spinning backfist gets Mina wrapped up and then dragged to the mat near the center of the cage. Mina stands and gets hustled against the wall, where he tries a standing kimura and gets dumped on his head by an Emeev trip. Halfway through the round, the 170-pounders scramble back to their feet and reset. Emeev lands a well-timed counter to a Mina low kick, then feeds Mina a jab and backs up to avoid the return fire. Mina knee-taps Emeev to the ground in the middle of the cage and dives for a kneebar, but Emeev quickly gets himself out of danger and comes out in top position. Emeev stands over Mina, then kneels down and drops punches as the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Emeev
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Emeev
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Emeev

Round 2

Emeev pressures Mina against the fence and drags him to the mat with a rear waistlock. Mina defends the back-mount from his knees, powers back to his feet and tries to separate the Russian's hands to free himself from the bodylock. Emeev keeps Mina glued to the wall as the partisan Rio crowd begins to boo. The welterweights split with just over half the round remaining. Mina fails on an ankle pick, tries to release and land a spinning elbow, but instead gets taken down by Emeev. "Gorets" comes down to Mina's closed guard, where both fighters seem to be taking a breather, now eight minutes into the fight. Mina opens guard to roll for a kneebar, but he gets stuck rolling over with his head exposed. Emeev makes him pay with four heavy right hands to the face, then rides out the remainder of the round on top.

Sherdog Scores

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Emeev
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Emeev
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Emeev

Round 3

The final frame gets off to a slow start, with little action between the welterweights for the better part of two minutes. Mina is coming forward now, surely knowing that he needs a finish to win, but his offensive output remains as low as in previous rounds. Emeev sticks a right hand, then catches Mina charging in and spins him against the wall. The Dagestani has another tight bodylock, now seems to be looking for an opportunity to trip. Mina breaks out of the tie-up and comes forward again, firing punches and a front kick but never finding the mark with his strikes. A low kick lands for Mina, who's being cheered on by the Brazilian crowd with 80 seconds to go. Emeev fires off the occasional right hand but mostly dodges Mina's strikes, including a "Rolling Thunder" kick in the last 30 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Emeev (30-27 Emeev)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Emeev (30-27 Emeev)
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Emeev (30-27 Emeev)

The Official Result

Ramazan Emeev def. Alberto Mina via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

Jack Hermansson vs. Thales Leites

Round 1

The middleweights trade leg and body kicks in the opening minute; both men are swinging for the fences with their hands, but neither is able to find the early homerun shot. Leites gets hold of a leg and runs Hermansson against the fence, where the rangy "Joker" uses good balance to stay upright. Leites slides to the back and rides Hermansson to the ground, so the Swede stands up and hurls Leites over the top. Leites doesn't stay on his back for long, but once he's up, Hermansson quickly trips him back down. Leites elevates Hermansson and gets the whizzer to stand, where he gets another bodylock. Leites walks Hermansson around the outside, looking to trip up the taller man. Hermansson does well to stay standing but can't shake Leites' underhook. Instead, Hermansson throws Leites to the ground with 30 seconds left, then feeds the Brazilian a little ground-and-pound before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Hermansson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Hermansson
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Hermansson

Round 2

Leites presses forward at the start of round two, but he walks into a low kick and a right hand. The Nova Uniao fighter keeps coming, driving Hermansson against the fence and then dumping him to the ground. Hermansson grimaces as soon as he hits the ground, and he's clearly in agony as he does nothing to prevent Leites from mounting. Leites needs only a few seconds to cinch an arm-triangle choke and hop off to side control on Hermansson's right, sinking his hips to try for the finish. Hermansson somehow guts out the choke, so Leites tries to tighten it up on his next attempt, but the Swede resists this as well. Leites abandons the choke and sets up in Hermansson's half guard. Hermansson is still in visible pain, grimacing to the point where referee Marc Goddard has taken notice. Leites continues to work on top with 90 seconds left, now fishing for a D'arce or anaconda choke. Hermansson defends, so Leites goes to north-south position with 35 seconds left. Full mount again for Leites with 20 seconds remaining, and he manages to drop a few elbows before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-8 Leites
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Leites
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-8 Leites

Round 3

Leites scores an early takedown but gets caught in a headlock on his way down, and now Hermansson tries to turn things around with a guillotine. Hermansson is cranking hard but Leites looks unconcerned, calmly working his way free and then turning the tables on Hermansson with an anaconda choke. Hermansson fights out of this, so Leites switches to a guillotine and winds up on the bottom after the "Joker" escapes. Seconds later, it's Hermansson stepping over to full mount as Leites rolls onto his stomach. Hermansson postures up and starts landing accurate, heavy punches, rocking Leites' head from side to side. Leites even looks to lose consciousness after one particularly hard punch, though he's woken up by a subsequent shot. Referee Goddard steps in for the stoppage, as a wounded Jack Hermansson completes a surefire contender for "Comeback of the Year."

The Official Result

Jack Hermansson def. Thales Leites via TKO (Punches) R3 2:10

Sultan Aliev vs. Warlley Alves

Round 1

Alves strikes first with a leg kick, presses forward cautiously on Aliev and then sticks a right hand on the Russian's chin. A high kick backs up Aliev to the wall, but when Alves tries to trap him there, Aliev reverses to the outside with a bodylock. Alves spins to the outside with 3:15 on the clock and gives Aliev a pair of hard knees to the midsection. The Brazilian keeps throwing the knees, and he looks to have earned the respect of Aliev, who's got a knee up to defend his body. Alves lands another hard knee, this one answered angrily by Aliev with a knee of his own. The welterweights separate with 80 seconds remaining. A right hand from Alves catches Aliev off balance, but the Russian recovers right away and gives Alves a pair of punches in return. Aliev clinches up late and tosses Alves to the mat just before horn.

Sherdog Scores

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Alves
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Alves
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Alves

Round 2

Alves takes the better part of a minute to close the distance on Aliev; once he does, Aliev immediately clinches up and spins the Brazilian against the fence. Alves fights his way off the wall with a whizzer, then uses over-unders to pin Aliev to a cage post. It's slow going in the clinch, leading referee Osiris Maia to call for action. The fighters exchange positions a few times, Alves landing a few knees to Aliev's legs as they work. Aliev, whose right eye has suddenly swollen up to the point of nearly being closed, breaks free of the clinch. The fighters come back to the center in the final minute, where Alves gets the better of the sparse exchanges with a few left hands to Aliev's damaged eye and a knee to the breadbasket.

Sherdog Scores

Mike Fridley scores the round 10-9 Alves
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Alves
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Alves

Before the start of the third round, referee Osiris Maia calls for the cageside physician to examine Aliev's badly disfigured right eye. Aliev's corner forgoes the formality and requests that the ref stop the fight, giving Warlley Alves the win after two rounds.

The Official Result

Warlley Alves def. Sultan Aliev via TKO (Corner Stoppage) R2 5:00

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Sean Strickland

Round 1

Strickland presses out from the center in the opening minute but gets backed up by dos Santos with a clipping right hand over the top. "Capoeira" continues to circle the outside and lands a few kicks to the inside of Strickland's lead leg. Strickland catches a kick but can't capitalize before dos Santos reclaims the leg. Another caught kick trips up dos Santos, who spins backward and has to resteady himself on the fence as Strickland closes in. Dos Santos narrowly misses with a left high kick as the pace slows and the welterweights circle the cage in the third minute. Suddenly, dos Santos ends the lull with a spinning wheel kick that lands behind the ear and takes out Strickland's balance. Strickland tries to recover from guard as dos Santos pounces and pounds him with hammerfists, but the American goes limp and referee Fernando Portella steps in to stop the bout.

The Official Result

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Sean Strickland via KO (Spinning Wheel Kick and Punches) R1 3:40

Nick Hein vs. Davi Ramos

Round 1

Ramos touches the southpaw Hein with a few glancing punches in the opening minute, but it's Hein who scores a knockdown with a left hand over the top. Ramos invites Hein to join him, but "Sergeant" isn't interested in playing in the grappler's guard. Back on his feet, Ramos dives on a double-leg and plants Hein on the canvas in the center of the cage. Halfway through the opening frame, it's Ramos on top, working to pass Hein's half guard. Ramos stalls out, so he leans across to try a kimura. As Hein rolls to relieve pressure on his arm, Ramos executes a lightning-quick step-over and attaches himself to Hein's back. Securing back-mount with a body triangle, Ramos begins fishing for a rear-naked choke as Hein fights his hands. Ramos can't get his left arm underneath Hein's chin, but he doesn't need to, as Hein taps out to a painful-looking facelock.

The Official Result

Davi Ramos def. Nick Hein via Submission (Face Crank) R1 4:15

Junior Albini vs. Alexey Oleynik

Round 1

Oleynik comes over the top with a right hand for the very vertical Albini, who tags the Russian back with a glancing left hand. Oleynik is immediately cut underneath his right eye, and now he pushes Albini against the fence. Albini breaks loose and comes forward swinging, then denies a takedown attempt and gives Oleynik a knee to the gut. Oleynik wraps up Albini's head and drops to guard with an Ezekiel choke. Albini stays calm at first, then appears to panic as Oleynik squeezes tight. Seconds later, the Brazilian is tapping out.

The Official Result

Alexey Oleynik def. Junior Albini via Submission (Ezekiel Choke) R1 1:45

Cezar Ferreira vs. Karl Roberson

Round 1

The middleweight southpaws exchange leg kicks before "Mutante" gets hold of Roberson and pushes him to the outside. Seconds later, Ferreira has the American on the ground; seconds after that, Ferreira has advanced to side control. Ferreira tries to mount but gets caught in Roberson's half guard. Roberson shrimps inside and pivots his hips to put Ferreira in full guard. With 2:15 on the clock, Roberson scoots backward to the fence, then posts and stands. Ferreira never lets go of his opponent's legs, and Roberson is back on the floor within seconds. Ferreira moves to half guard, then full mount with 60 seconds on the clock. Roberson fends off an arm-triangle choke, so Ferreira postures up and drops right hands on the side of Roberson's head. Ferreira sets up the arm-triangle again, hops off to Roberson's left side and bears down. This time the submission is in deep, and the choke puts Roberson to sleep within seconds.

The Official Result

Cezar Ferreira def. Karl Roberson via Technical Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) R1 4:45

Vitor Belfort vs. Lyoto Machida

Round 1

The southpaws spend the first 30 seconds circling one another in the center of the cage, Machida bouncing on his toes in his trademark wide stance. "The Dragon" switches to orthodox, then back to lefty, where he delivers a body kick and a leg kick. Two minutes in, Belfort is yet to throw much of anything at all. Now he bursts forward with a pair of punches, easily evaded by Machida. The former light heavyweight champ puts a front kick in Belfort's breadbasket, then switches to orthodox stance again. Another whipping kick lands on Belfort's trunk. The Rio crowd starts to boo, and this appears to prompt Belfort to attack, although his explosion is defused by a backpedaling Machida. The final minute of the round sees Machida continuing to pick at Belfort with kicks.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-10
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Machida
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Machida

Round 2

Machida resumes his kick-heavy offense, now targeting the ribs of Belfort instead of the legs. Belfort, meanwhile, still seems stuck in neutral. Out of nowhere, Machida catches Belfort sleeping and snaps off a perfectly-placed front kick. Belfort takes Machida's foot square on the jaw and is out cold before he hits the ground. Lyoto Machida authors another highlight-reel knockout, but instead of celebrating, he bows and kneels on the ground in front of his unconscious countryman.

The Official Result

Lyoto Machida def. Vitor Belfort via KO (Front Kick) R2 1:00

Brian Kelleher vs. John Lineker

Round 1

Kelleher comes forward in the opening moments, but as soon as he gets near Lineker, the Brazilian backs him up with a heavy overhand right. Lineker lands a leg kick, then throws another and has it checked. Just when it looks like Kelleher is on the retreat, the New Yorker turns the tides with a thudding left hand that puts Lineker on rubber legs. Lineker recovers quickly and goes body-head on Kelleher with a ripping pair of hooks. Kelleher gets tripped up by a low kick, then cracked with two quick hooks on the chin. Lineker pounces and comes to the ground in Kelleher's guard. Nothing much comes of the position before Kelleher climbs back to his feet, and the 135ers are back to striking with just under two minutes on the clock. Lineker shuts down a double-leg attempt from Kelleher, who pushes the shorter man backward with a spinning kick to the body. Lineker chases down the American with more power punches, again mixing up his strikes to Kelleher's head and midsection. Lineker plants another solid left hand on Kelleher's jaw in the final 10 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Lineker
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Lineker
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Lineker

Round 2

Lineker is on the offensive in the opening minute of round two, chasing Kelleher around the perimeter of the cage with short, powerful combinations mostly aimed at the American's ribs and gut. Kelleher is forced to retreat under fire, tries to slow Lineker's momentum with a double-leg shot, but again "Hands of Stone" is able to stonewall the takedown attempt. Halfway through the round, Kelleher misses with an uppercut and takes a blistering right hand to the gut. Kelleher is folded over but tries to hide the damage by circling away. Lineker isn't letting him off the hook, stalking "Boom" around the cage and continuing to pepper the body with heavy hooks. Kelleher is eating some vicious shots here, tries to change things up with a single-leg and is denied again. Lineker is marching on Kelleher with little regard for any strikes that the American may throw his way. Body-body-head goes Lineker, who just smiles as he misses a spinning backfist by a mile in the last 10 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Lineker
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Lineker
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Lineker

Round 3

Kelleher shoots for an early takedown but gets caught on his knees with Lineker working on a guillotine. The second effort from Kelleher sees the wrestler completing his first takedown of the fight, and now Lineker's choke attempt evaporates. Lineker powers back to his feet, then breaks out of the clinch and back to the center of the cage with 3:30 on the clock. Lineker feeds Kelleher a jab, then goes to the body with a glancing right hand. Lineker is still looking for a knockout, swinging a wrecking-ball right hand that bounces off Kelleher's beard. Inside the final two minutes now, and it's looking like a lost cause for Kelleher. Lineker tags him with a three-piece combination, chases Kelleher against the fence and tacks on a few more punches. Kelleher's jaw is somehow holding up despite Lineker's brutal punches -- that is, until Lineker catches the American crossing his feet and puts him to sleep with a hellacious left hook. Kelleher crashes to the canvas, stiff as a board, and referee Leon Roberts rushes in to rescue him from further punishment.

The Official Result

John Lineker def. Brian Kelleher via KO (Punch) R3 3:43

Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Bobby Cooper

Round 1

Dern puts a right hand on Cooper's chin, but "ABC" doesn't seem fazed as she marches forward on the jiu-jitsu champion. Dern eats a combination near the fence and now comes back toward the center. Dern lands another right hand to the jaw of Cooper, but again the looping punch doesn't appear to have much effect. The next right hand that connects for Dern is a different story, as it takes out Cooper's left leg and sends her to the canvas. Dern pounces and passes to full mount almost instantly, then attaches herself to Cooper's back when she rolls over. Within seconds, Dern has a tight rear-naked choke applied; Cooper taps out but goes unconscious before Dern releases the choke.

The Official Result

Mackenzie Dern def. Amanda Bobby Cooper via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1 2:27

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Kelvin Gastelum

Round 1

Souza dives for a takedown in the first 20 seconds and is shut down by Gastelum, who gives the Brazilian a knee to the gut as he stands. The middleweights work over to the fence in the clinch, with "Jacare" reversing to take the outside position. Souza tries to soften up Gastelum with some body punches, then drops and comes back up holding a single-leg. Gastelum defends the takedowm by hopping on one leg and punching Souza in the face. The jiu-jitsu ace drops to the ground and threatens Gastelum with a leglock, and the threat of the submission is enough to allow "Jacare" to sweep to top position. To side control goes the BJJ champion, now to full mount with 2:15 remaining in the round. Gastelum quickly bucks Souza back to half guard, but it's only a few seconds before Souza is back in mount. This time, Souza maintains the position, posturing up to drop heavy elbow strikes on Gastelum's face. After absorbing a few elbows, Gastelum rolls over, and Souza transitions to an armbar attempt. Gastelum kneels down, trying to work the arm free, but Souza has a good grip with the elbow in deep. Gastelum slides the elbow clear in the final 10 seconds, and the middleweights will go to round two.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Souza
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Souza
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Souza

Round 2

Gastelum lands an early left hand that has "Jacare" shooting for a takedown. The American shuts down the shot and continues to feet Souza left hands, and now a right opens up a cut on the outside corner of the Brazilian's left eye. Gastelum is on the march here, walking down Souza with heavy combinations. Souza tries to slow things down with a clinch, but Gastelum breaks free in a hurry. Souza's hands are very low as he tries to strike, and his takedown attempt looks bad as Gastelum is never really in any trouble. Gastelum walks his way inside with a jab and then launches uppercuts at Souza's body and head. Halfway through the round, a one-two from Gastelum plants Souza on his back in the center of the cage. Gastelum drops a few punches on his grounded opponent, then backs up and tells him to stand. Souza is slow to get up as referee Leon Roberts eyes him from inches away. Souza is looking rough as he circles off his back foot, lobbing big single punches at Gastelum with limited success. Gastelum still looks fresh, bouncing on his toes as he hops in and out of the pocket. Souza connects with a hard left hand, momentarily backing up Gastelum, but the American recovers within seconds while "Jacare" still looks exhausted. Gastelum turns the head of Souza with a vicious left cross in the last 10 seconds, and Souza needs to be helped back to his stool after the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Gastelum
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gastelum
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Gastelum

Round 3

After a hug to start the final frame, Gastelum gets back to walking down Souza, closing the distance to fire off some big overhand lefts. Souza tries a double-leg, but it's easily denied by Gastelum, who's absorbing clean punches from "Jacare" and giving zero reaction. Souza looks absolutely spent but still musters the energy to throw a right high kick. Souza traps Gastelum near the fence, then drags him to the ground, but the exhausted black belt is too tired to keep Gastelum on the mat. Souza looks toward referee Roberts with an unknown complaint; Roberts takes no action. With 1:45 on the clock, Gastelum looks to be firmly in control, dictating the pace and distance of the striking exchanges as they circle the cage. Gastelum flicks a jab on Souza's swollen nose; "Jacare" responds by driving on a single-leg and pushes Gastelum against the wall. Gastelum frees himself and swings hands at Souza until the final horn. This one will be decided by the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Gastelum (29-28 Gastelum)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Gastelum (29-28 Gastelum)
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Souza (29-28 Souza)

The Official Result

Kelvin Gastelum def. Ronaldo Souza via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00

Amanda Nunes vs. Raquel Pennington

Round 1

English referee Marc Goddard will oversee tonight's 135-pound title bout. The champion and challenger touch gloves at the start of round one; 20 seconds later, Nunes chops out the lead leg of Pennington with a low kick. Pennington is knocked to the ground but springs back to her feet. Nunes applies pressure, backing up Pennington to the fence with jabs and feints. Another low kick knocks Pennington to her knees, but the champ allows her to stand. Nunes lands another low kick, then sticks a jab on Pennington's face when the challenger tries to step off the fence. The "Lioness" seems to be stalking her prey now, spending moments sizing up Pennington in between her heavy combinations. Pennington finally gets off the fence with a left hand in the middle of the round, but that's all she can do before Nunes is marching forward again. Nunes lands an overhand right, eats a clinch upppercut from Pennington. With 90 seconds left, Nunes continues to control the action, keeping Pennington's back near the fence as they trade. Pennington's left calf is already purple, the imprint of Nunes' foot visible in the bruising.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Nunes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nunes
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Nunes

Round 2

The bantamweights set up in their familiar positions, with Pennington immediately backed up to the wall and Nunes pressuring with speedy combinations. Nunes puts a front kick in the breadbasket of "Rocky" before champion and challenger land simultaneous jabs. Nunes adds a few more jabs in the ensuing minute as she continues to bring the fight to the challenger. Nunes stuffs a takedown attempt and gives Pennington a hard knee to the gut for her troubles. Pennington gets backed up to the fence by a spinning kick to the body; she tries to swing punches in return, but Nunes is out of the way before she swings. Nunes grabs the Thai clinch and delivers a pair of knees that has Pennington looking for a takedown. Pennington holds Nunes on the wall with a tight rear bodylock, now hurls the champ to the floor with 50 seconds on the clock. Pennington lands in side control on Nunes' right, postures up and leans across to try and get hold of the Brazilian's left arm. Pennington has to settle for a few short elbows before standing up. Nunes follows, and the 135ers finish the round swinging wildly.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Pennington
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nunes
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Nunes

Round 3

Pennington slips a pair of punches and tries to clinch with Nunes, but the "Lioness" slips free and makes Pennington pay with a leg kick. Pennington reaches out with a long right hand but only gets a wry shake of the head from the champion. Ninety seconds in, Nunes changes levels and floors Pennington with a powerful double-leg. Pennington moves Nunes from half- back to full guard as they hit the midway point of the round and the fight. Referee Goddard tells the fighters to get busy if they want to remain on the ground, then issues a second warning. Nothing much happens, so Goddard orders the bantamweights back to their feet with 1:50 on the clock. Pennington lands a grazing left hand and changes levels to try a takedown, but she ducks right into a knee strike from Nunes. The challenger's right eye begins to swell shut in the final minute of the round, possibly thanks to that Nunes knee. Pennington tries to attack in the final 10 seconds and gets blasted by a Nunes right hand. Nunes lands a knee from the Thai plum just before the horn, and Pennington takes a few seconds to get off her knees and head back to her corner.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Nunes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nunes
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Nunes

Round 4

As the championship rounds begin, Nunes once again backs up Pennington to the fence with front kicks and jabs. Pennington punches her way back to the middle, only to find herself backing up again seconds later. Nunes lands a leg kick, the a right cross that turns Pennington's head. Pennington dives for a high double-leg, easily shut down by Nunes, who threatens with a clinch and instead trips "Rocky" to the ground. Half the round remains as Nunes tries to posture up in Pennington's tight closed guard. Pennington switches to butterfly guard, tries to elevate but can't create any space as Nunes stays heavy on top. The bantamweights scramble back to their feet with 90 seconds remaining. Nunes grabs Pennington in the Thai clinch and fires off three knee strikes in quick succession. Pennington is starting to look like a stationary target, standing against the fence with her hands held low as Nunes stalks her from a foot away.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Nunes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nunes
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Nunes

Round 5

In between rounds, Pennington gets off her stool, turns to her corner and says, "I'm done." Her corner convinces her to keep going, however, and so begins the final round. Pennington's nose may be broken and is certainly leaking blood as Pennington backs up to the wall. Nunes hits a takedown early in the second minute, and after a little more ground-and-pound, Pennington's nose is truly opened up. Pennington is absolutely gushing blood all over the canvas as Nunes stands up and begins to tee off with punches. Pennington is just covering up now, her body language screaming for the referee to stop the fight. After a perfunctory call for Pennington to fight back, Goddard mercifully calls a halt to the beatdown. Amanda Nunes retains her UFC bantamweight title with a thoroughly one-sided stoppage of Raquel Pennington.

The Official Result

Amanda Nunes def. Raquel Pennington via TKO (Elbows and Punches) R5 2:36


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