UFC 229 live blog: Tony Ferguson vs. Anthony Pettis

LAS VEGAS – This is the UFC 229 live blog for Tony Ferguson vs. Anthony Pettis, a lightweight bout at Saturday’s UFC event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Ferguson, who is on a 10-fight win streak, takes on Pettis, a former lightweight champion who has alternated wins and losses in his past six fights, in the co-main event.

Check out the UFC 229 live blog below.

Round 1: El Cucuy is back. The referee for this one is Jason Herzog. They were chomping at the bit, and now they are rolling. Ferguson with a push kick, and Pettis is zeroing in on that left knee that was surgically repaired. All is fair in war. Ferguson bursts ahead with a jab, and he’s herky-jerky, trying to find the angle. Quick snapping kick from Ferguson, and now they briefly stand in for an exchange. Pettis got a nice right in there. Looping right hand from Ferguson, doesn’t connect clean, and Pettis whaps him with a right. Pettis remains on his bike, staying out of Ferguson’s wheelhouse. Ferguson comes forward and has one of those patented combos, leg kicks, push kick, punch. He continues to pursue. Pettis waves a high kick at him, missed, and Ferguson comes right back with a four-piece combo, nothing getting clean because Pettis is moving, moving, always moving. There’s a good variation from Ferguson, who lands a couple of nice punches standing right in front of Pettis, one of them to the body. Ferguson with a spinning backfist, and now an uppercut lands on the fence. He’s gaining rhythm. Leg kicks to left cross to leg kicks. Ferguson with a superman punch at the end, and a flurry. He’s coming to life. MMA Fighting scores R1 for Ferguson, 10-9

Round 2: Ferguson fairly sprinted out. And right as they come together, Pettis slams a right hand into Ferguson’s chin, and he drops. Now another, as Pettis has brought this crowd out of their seats. After the last big shot, Ferguson rolls in a somersault, perhaps trying to recover. Pettis follows him, and pounces — he ends up in Ferguson’s guard, and he’s wailing away. Ferguson holding him now, regaining his bearings — how did he survive the onslaught. As Pettis gets up Ferguson tries to land some upkicks, and now they are both back up. The blood is gushing from Pettis — it’s a macabre scene on Ferguson’s back from pettis’ blood — and Herzog calls time. They look at the ut, and wipe him. Now Pettis smiles and both guys sadistically raise their hands up and laugh. Wow! They go right back at it, as Pettis barely missed a spinning kick! He tumbles, but is back up. This fight is crazy. It’s madness. Ferguson follows Pettis across, and Pettis — looking fatigued — absorbs a shot. There is blood everywhere, and Ferguson is now sniping Pettis on the fence. Pettis finally gets out of there, and Ferguson tracks him down wit ha jab to the body. And other, now on the other side. pettis looks cooked, and Ferguson is throwing major leather. Pettis rocking back on his heels and returning fire, and this is just bananas. How can he keep striking. Ferguson with a nasty step in elbow, and Pettis with a right hand over the top — and now another from Pettis. Blood streaming from Pettis’s temple. Inside of a minute. This is one hell of a fight, nonstop action. Pettis is tired and battered, and Ferguson — a cardio machine— is teeing off on him. Ferguson is hacking away and Pettis does a cartwheel kick of sorts, what the hell is happening? MMA Fighting scores R2 for Ferguson, 10-9 (20-18 overall)

The fight has been stopped by Pettis’ corner between rounds, as it appears he may have broken his hand. A very emotional Tony Ferguson drops to his knees and cries. His streak reaches 11 in a row. What a fight. Pettis and him both lift their arms in a moment of sportsmanship.

Official result: Tony Ferguson def. Anthony Pettis via TKO (corner stoppage) at 5:00 of R2