UFC 220 live blog: Gian Villante vs. Francimar Barroso

This is the UFC 220 live blog for Gian Villante vs. Francimar Barroso, a light heavyweight fight at Saturday night’s UFC event at TD Garden in Boston.

Villante, currently in a 1-3 slump, will face Barroso, a Brazilian veteran with just one with in his past four contests, on the event’s main card.

Check out the UFC 220 live blog below.

Round 1: Big right hand early from Villante. Barroso just backing up, though he lands a counter right hand that pauses Villante momentarily. The New Yorker gets back to walking Villante down. Right hand from Villante misses. Uppercut and a jab connect for Villante. He hurts Barroso with another right hook and he starts head hunting, but Villante avoids any major damage. Barroso doubles up on a jab. Inside leg kick by Barroso. Looping right from Villante whiffs. Barroso counters a Villante kick with another jab. Leg kick my Villante misses but Villante trips as he ducks away. Low volume from Barroso. He lands a leg kick. Villante hits a snapping leg kick as Barroso goes for a spinning back fist. Left and right hooks from Villante are blocked. Not much action in the final minute. Punch to the body by Barroso. Crowd is getting restless and the fighters respond with a brief exchange of punches before the buzzer.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Villante.

Round 2: Barroso using that leg kick to counter Villante, but Villante goes in and lands several big punches, ending with a left hook. They’re trading bombs now with Villante getting the better of it. Villante causes Barroso to stumble with a jab. Low kick by Villante is a little too low and we have a break in the action. It’s not long before the action resumes. Barroso with a short left hook. Villante lands an inside leg kick. Villante starting to use his jab more to set up his straight rights, one of which connects across Barroso’s chin. Three-punch combo by Villante, partially blocked. Barroso lands a left shovel punch, but Villante just shakes his head. Villante’s jab giving Barroso problems and he’s following up with hooks with both hands. Leg kick by Barroso. Villante walks through Barroso’s jab and just misses with an uppercut. Body kick by Barroso. Jab to the body by Villante. Barroso with a knee to the body now. Villante throwing hooks with both hands, though his punches are noticeably slower than before. Inside leg kick by Barroso.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Villante. Overall 20-18, Villante.

Round 3: Villante comes out throwing his right hand a few times, no setup. He’s walking Barroso down now and battering him with shots to the head and body. Nice body kick by Barroso. Then another. Barroso tags Villante with a left as he comes in. Overhand right by Villante pushes Barroso back. Jabs from Villante, Barroso counters by trying to sneak in an uppercut. He scores with an overhand right. Both fighters laboring. Body punch by Barroso. Jab-jab-hook combo by Villante partially lands. Counter left hand by Barroso. They exchange jabs. Villante coming forward, Barroso having the most success he’s had countering in this fight so far. Jab still working for Villante, but he eats a 1-2. Glancing elbow by Barroso. Crowd begins to boo with a minute to go. Leg kick by Barroso. Villante lands a jab and a short overhand right. Inconclusive exchange of punches to close this one out.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Barroso. Overall 29-28, Villante.

Official result: Gian Villante def. Francimar Barroso via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)