UFC 218 results: Felice Herrig decisions Cortney Casey for fourth straight win

Consider 2017 the year Felice Herrig started living up to her vast potential.

The strawweight from Crystal Lake, Ill., moved to 3-0 on the year Saturday night, as she eked out a split decision in a well-contested matchup with Cortney Casey at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Herrig (14-6) got the better side of two out of three 29-28 scores to win her fourth straight fight and fifth of her past six.

“I feel I’m a well-rounded fighter, I’ll take the fight wherever it goes,” Herrig said. “I know she’s good on the ground, but I was comfortable everywhere.”

The bout was a back-and-forth affair which could have easily gone either way. Casey appeared to get the best of the opening round both in the standup and on the ground. Herrig tightening things up in the second and found a home with her left hook.

The third was a spirited, all-out affair, complete with middle fingers back and forth which caused FS1’s censor to cut out the live feed.

“We were both doing that, it was a close fight, both slugging it out,” Herrig said of the gestures. “Fighters get emotional, there’s no hatred after the fight, there’s no beef now, maybe for her, but not here.”

Casey’s seconds loss in her past three dropped her to 7-5.