MMA Fighting - UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum resultshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52789/mma_minimal_navy..jpg2015-06-14T01:06:11-04:00http://www.mmafighting.com/rss/stream/85410022015-06-14T01:06:11-04:002015-06-14T01:06:11-04:00UFC 188 results: Werdum submits Cain to win title
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NSVTFTcRS4QjGDMFGvT5p82Tk9o=/0x0:1920x1280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46532740/001_Fabricio_Werdum.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>MEXICO CITY -- <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/38/fabricio-werdum" class="sbn-auto-link">Fabricio Werdum</a> has relished the underdog role his entire career. <br><br>And while his legendary 2010 victory over <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/23/fedor-emelianenko" class="sbn-auto-link">Fedor Emelianenko</a> was unforgettable, he’s never faced odds like he faced Saturday night, going up against Mexican-American star <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/37/cain-velasquez" class="sbn-auto-link">Cain Velasquez</a> in front of a screaming throng of 21,000 fans at Arena Ciudad de Mexico at <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/676/ufc-188" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 188</a>.<br><br>Just like five years ago, Werdum proved undaunted. The 37-year-old Orange County resident by way of Brazil overcame a slow start and turned up the heat against a fading Velasquez. <br><br>In the third round, Werdum got the job done, as he turned a Velasquez takedown into a guillotine choke. At 2:13 of the third round, Velasquez tapped, making Werdum, who had once been cut by the UFC, the new UFC heavyweight champion.</p>
<center>
<p class="non-primary"><b>More Coverage:</b> <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8773987/ufc-188-results-velasquez-vs-werdum">UFC 188 Results</a> | <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc">UFC news</a></p>
</center>
<p><br>"I am very happy," Werdum (20-5-1) said. "I had a great camp. I felt strong and I have a great team."<br><br>Velasquez got the best of the exchanges in the opening round. Velasquez dropped Werdum on several occasions, but refused to engage Werdum, a four-time world jiu-jitsu championship gold medalist, on the ground.<br><br>By the second round, though, the effects of Mexico City’s 7,000-foot altitude kicked in, as Velasquez, who had been in town two weeks, noticeably slowed. Werdum, who had trained for a month in the 10,000-foot altitude of Toluca, Mexico, began to pick Velasquez (13-2) apart with jabs, opening multiple cuts on the champ’s face. Werdum really laid it on late in the round and Velasquez appeared to be saved by the bell.<br><br>The doctor checked Velasquez’s cuts between rounds and cleared him to continue. Velasquez, fighting for the first time in two years, started throwing bombs again in a desperate attempt to turn the tide. He then made his fatal mistake of shooting for a takedown, and it didn’t take Werdum long to score his winning submission, seizing the ninth win of the Brazilian's past 10 fights. <br><br>It was the culmination of a remarkable run for Werdum, who was cut from the UFC after a 2008 knockout loss to <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/22/junior-dos-santos" class="sbn-auto-link">Junior dos Santos</a>. <br><br>"I had a good strategy," Werdum said. "I had a big dream, and I got it today."<br><br>Velasquez offered no excuses for his loss.<br><br>"I’m sorry," said Velasquez, whose second title reign came to an end. "It wasn’t my night."</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/14/8777497/ufc-188-results-fabricio-werdum-submits-cain-velasquez-to-unify-ufcDave Doyle2015-06-14T00:25:11-04:002015-06-14T00:25:11-04:00UFC 188 results: Alvarez edges Melendez
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IJyZV_nM6JSOGDP49F5EwesXuo0=/0x321:1920x1601/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46532598/463_.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>MEXICO CITY -- The long-awaited grudge match between <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/71/gilbert-melendez" class="sbn-auto-link">Gilbert Melendez</a> and <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/54/eddie-alvarez" class="sbn-auto-link">Eddie Alvarez</a> wasn’t the barnburner everyone expected.<br><br>But it was a slow burner of a performance by Alvarez. The Blackzilians fighter overcame a left eye which was swollen shut early and turned up the heat over the second half of the fight Saturday night at Arena Ciudad de Mexico.<br><br>Alvarez got the nod in a split decision at <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/676/ufc-188" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 188</a>, getting two out of three 29-28 scores from the judges in the long-awaited grudge match.<br><br>There was little action in the opening round, but Melendez got the best of it when they did engage. Melendez landed several solid jabs, and, most notably, a standing elbow which closed Alvarez’s left eye. <br><br>The crowd grew restless in the second round as the action continued to crawl. But Alvarez showed surprising resilience, given the condition of his eye, and scored both a late takedown and a spinning back elbow in the closing seconds, which was enough to take the round.<br><br>In the third, Melendez gassed, and Alvarez had more left in the tank. Alavrez was active in scrambles, transitions, and takedown attempts, and opened a big cut on Melendez’s forehead with an elbow in the closing seconds. <br><br>That was enough to give Alvarez the decision in a bout fans had anticipated since Melendez was Strikeforce lightweight champion and Alvarez his Bellator counterpart. <br><br>"I would have liked to open up a little more than I did at the beginning, but he shut my eye with the elbow," Alvarez said. "At end of first, I got the takedown, I thought, he’s not that strong here."<br><br>Alvarez improved to 26-4 and 1-1 in the UFC. Melendez dropped to 22-5 and has now lost three of four.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/14/8777411/ufc-188-results-eddie-alvarez-edges-gilbert-melendez-for-first-ufc-winDave Doyle2015-06-13T23:50:12-04:002015-06-13T23:50:12-04:00UFC 188 results: Gastelum overhelms Marquardt
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ae3CwEYEL4U6RDWe1eS9UBI0aZk=/0x0:1920x1280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46532308/028_Kelvin_Gastelum.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>MEXICO CITY -- <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/94/nate-marquardt" class="sbn-auto-link">Nate Marquardt</a>’s spirit is still there, but his body doesn’t seem willing to cooperate anymore.<br><br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2077/kelvin-gastelum" class="sbn-auto-link">Kelvin Gastelum</a> put the hurt on the former Strikeforce welterweight and King of Pancrase champion on Saturday night at <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/676/ufc-188" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 188</a>. Since referee Dan Miragliotta wouldn’t wave the fight off, Marquardt’s corner did it for him. Marquardt’s team didn’t let him come out for the third round, so the bout goes into the books as a TKO win at 5:00 of the second round for Gastelum.<br><br>"This was without a doubt my favorite fight, my biggest win," Gastelum (11-1) said.<br><br>Marquardt had his moments in the opening round, but Gastelum took control as the stanza progressed. He stunned Marquardt with a late uppercut and landed a series of punches, but Maquardt held on until the horn.</p>
<center>
<p class="non-primary"><b>More Coverage:</b> <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8773987/ufc-188-results-velasquez-vs-werdum">UFC 188 Results</a> | <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc">UFC news</a></p>
</center>
<p><br>In the second, Gastelum opened up and used knees in the clinch and body punches to wear Marquardt down. Gastelum landed several uncontested shots on the mat, and while most expected the ref to stop it, that didn’t happen. Marquardt survived the round before the bout was waved off.<br><br>"I thought for sure it was going to end right there," Gastelum said of his second-round flurry. "But he’s a former champ, a world champ, and a vet and I have a lot of respect for him."<br><br>Gastelum had returned to 185 pounds for this fight after a bad weight miss at 170 in his last bout. He said he’d like to get back to 170.<br><br>"That’s the plan," Gastelum said. "I had a hard lesson learned, I’m ready to man up."<br><br>Marquardt (33-15-2) lost for the fifth time in his past six fights.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8777235/ufc-188-results-kelvin-gastelum-overwhelms-nate-marquardt-for-tko-winDave Doyle2015-06-13T23:23:22-04:002015-06-13T23:23:22-04:00UFC 188 results: Rodriguez tops Rosa in wild fight
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ancm28qiie65t4N_Zp89lWk8MoA=/0x0:1920x1280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46532182/069_Charles_Rosa_vs_Yair_Rodriguez.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>MEXICO CITY -- All night long, the fans at Arena Ciudad de Mexico were looking for a pair of competitors to engage in an all-out war.<br><br>Featherweights <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/3094/yair-rodriguez" class="sbn-auto-link">Yair Rodriguez</a> and <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/3027/charles-rosa" class="sbn-auto-link">Charles Rosa</a> gave them what they came to see.<br><br>The duo engaged in a thrilling battle on the <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/676/ufc-188" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 188</a> main card, a blood-and-guts war that went all over the Octagon and from the standup to the mat and back.<br><br>In the end, Rodriguez, the TUF: Latin America winner, got the nod, taking two out of three 29-28 cards to get the split-decision victory.</p>
<center>
<p class="non-primary"><b>More Coverage:</b> <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8773987/ufc-188-results-velasquez-vs-werdum">UFC 188 Results</a> | <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc">UFC news</a></p>
</center>
<p><br>Rodriguez, a Chihuahua, Mexico native who now trains in Chicago, set the tone in one of the fight’s earliest exchanges, going for a low kick with one leg and switching to a high kick with the other, which clipped Rosa in the head. When the fight hit the ground, Rodriguez got Rosa into a triangle from the bottom. Rosa escaped, waded through upkick attempts, and got back into top position. Later, in a wild scramble, Rosa nearly cinched a leglock, but Rodriguez escaped. <br><br>In he second, a Rodriguez elbow opened a nasty cut on the scalp of Rosa, an American Top Team fighter by way of Boston. At one point, referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the bout to check the cut, but Rosa was cleared to continued, as the action again raged all over the cage.<br><br>The third was more of the same. Rosa scored top position, but Rodriguez landed elbows from the bottom. Rodriguez got a tight triangle, but Rosa escaped. The two kept up their spirited effort until the final horn. <br><br>The 22-year-old Rodriguez improved to 5-1; Rosa, who was visibly upset with the judges’ decision, dropped to 10-2.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8777181/ufc-188-results-yair-rodriguez-wins-wild-split-decision-over-charlesDave Doyle2015-06-13T22:40:29-04:002015-06-13T22:40:29-04:00UFC 188 results: Tecia Torres remains undefeated
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jhudiv1suz34oNlG6rR2nzFcYgc=/0x0:1920x1280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46532100/056_Angela_Hill_vs_Tecia_Torres.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>MEXICO CITY -- It won’t go into the books as her most exciting victory, but it was a win nonetheless.<br><br>The American Top Team’s <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/1842/tecia-torres" class="sbn-auto-link">Tecia Torres</a> improved to 6-0 on Saturday night with a one-sided victory over <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2943/angela-hill" class="sbn-auto-link">Angela Hill</a> (2-1) in the strawweight pay-per-view opener of <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/676/ufc-188" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 188</a>. <br><br>The judges’ scores at Arena Cuidad de Mexico were a pair of 30-27s and a 29-28.</p>
<center>
<p class="non-primary"><b>More Coverage:</b> <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8773987/ufc-188-results-velasquez-vs-werdum">UFC 188 Results</a> | <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc">UFC news</a></p>
</center>
<p><br>Torres set the tone for the fight in the first round with a takedown. Hill, for her part, spent the bulk of the round successfully tying up Torres and keeping her from getting much done, though Torres did manage some separation late in the round.<br><br>It was more of the same in the second, as Torres got the trip and worked from the top. She moved into side control and nearly got a choke at one point, but didn’t come close to finishing the fight.<br><br>Both fighters looked tired in the third, which was conducted in the standup. Hill managed to land a couple solid punches, but Torres mostly tied her up in the clinch along the fence. <br><br>All six of Torres’ career wins are by decision.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8777073/ufc-188-results-tecia-torres-remains-unbeaten-gets-past-angela-hillDave Doyle2015-06-13T22:01:50-04:002015-06-13T22:01:50-04:00Cejudo blames 'bad taco' for 'sluggish' win
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rqCcN62OuD3SwAQx0_jAsDCi07Q=/0x0:1920x1280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46531892/051_Henry_Cejudo_vs_Chico_Camus.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>MEXICO CITY -- <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2186/henry-cejudo" class="sbn-auto-link">Henry Cejudo</a> has everything on paper that suggests he could become the flyweight division’s first big star: An Olympic wrestling gold medal, the confidence to call out the best fighters in his division, and a solid skill set which is well on its way.<br><br>But Saturday night, he didn’t look like a fighter ready for a shot at champion <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/208/demetrious-johnson" class="sbn-auto-link">Demetrious Johnson</a>.<br><br>Cejudo, a huge favorite in the betting odds, scored a unanimous decision victory over a tough <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/1780/chico-camus" class="sbn-auto-link">Chico Camus</a> at <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/676/ufc-188" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 188</a>. The judges’ scores at Arena Ciudad de Mexico were a pair of 30-27s and a 29-28 in a bout closer than it sounds.<br><br>Cejudo (10-0), for his part, seems to understand he didn’t have his greatest showcase.</p>
<center>
<p class="non-primary"><b>More Coverage:</b> <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8773987/ufc-188-results-velasquez-vs-werdum">UFC 188 Results</a> | <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc">UFC news</a></p>
</center>
<p><br>"I’m a little disappointed with myself," Cejudo said. "I really felt sluggish."<br><br>Both fighters looked tentative in the opening round, as they felt each other out. Camus felt content to land counter shots when Cejudo rushed in. He also sprawled most of Camus' takedown attempts.<br><br>In the second round, Camus (14-6, 1 NC) turned up the heat and landed effective combos. While he still couldn’t take Camus off his feet, he got the best of things in the clinch.<br><br>The third round was briefly interrupted due to a Cejudo eye poke of Camus. In case there was any doubt, Cejudo finally scored a takedown and delivered some damage on the ground.<br><br>"A few days ago I had a bad taco, and it was a really bad cut was because of my sickness," Cejudo said. "The only reason I fought was the Mexican fans. In Mexico, I want to be known as the Aztec Warrior."</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8777005/ufc-188-results-henry-cejudo-blames-bad-taco-for-sluggish-win-overDave Doyle2015-06-13T21:17:22-04:002015-06-13T21:17:22-04:00UFC 188 results: Escudero quickly submits Dober
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ca6kuAEnGhDiuoztfX0xu4MZMIQ=/0x0:1920x1280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46531768/039_Efrain_Escudero_vs_Drew_Dober.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>MEXICO CITY -- It’s as if <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/152/efrain-escudero">Efrain Escudero</a> looked at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2845/patrick-williams">Patrick Williams</a>’ 23-second guillotine choke of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/3075/alejandro-perez">Alejandro Perez</a> and said "I can do that."<br><br>Fighting right after Williams’ win at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/676/ufc-188">UFC 188</a>, Escudero went out and basically duplicated the feat.<br><br>Okay, he needed 54 seconds, but the TUF 8 winner got the job done in his lightweight fight against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/1631/drew-dober">Drew Dober</a> (16-7, 1 NC), scoring a victory by standing guillotine at Arena Cuidad de Mexico.<br><br>Escudero (24-9), a native of Sonora, Mexico who now trains in Arizona, improved his record in this, his third UFC stint, to 2-1. It was his 14th career submission win.<br><br>Escudero was emotional after fighting and winning in Mexico for the first time since early in his career.<br><br>"Everyone who came out here, thank you for your support," said Escudero, who waved a Mexican flag to the cheers of the partisan crowd.</p>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8776923/ufc-188-results-efrain-escudero-quickly-submits-drew-doberDave Doyle2015-06-13T20:55:11-04:002015-06-13T20:55:11-04:00UFC 188 results: Williams sets record in victory
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EVEHaxPhpgOS4dOO_imFTaOpGqw=/0x0:1920x1280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46531700/030_Patrick_Williams_and_Alejandro_Perez.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Esther Lin, MMA Fighting</figcaption>
</figure>
<div style="overflow: hidden;" class="a3s" id=":26w">
<div style="word-wrap: break-word;">MEXICO CITY -- <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/676/ufc-188" class="sbn-auto-link">UFC 188</a> didn’t exactly get off to a flying start, as the card’s first three bouts went the distance.<br><br><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2845/patrick-williams" class="sbn-auto-link">Patrick Williams</a> came out in the fourth fight and changed things up in a hurry. <br><br>The 33-year-old Floridian needed just 23 seconds to choke out <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/3075/alejandro-perez" class="sbn-auto-link">Alejandro Perez</a> in their bantamweight bout Saturday night at Arena Ciudad de Mexico. That goes into the books as the fastest submission in men's UFC/WEC bantamweight history.<br><center>
<p class="non-primary"><b>More Coverage:</b> <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8773987/ufc-188-results-velasquez-vs-werdum">UFC 188 Results</a> | <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/ufc">UFC news</a></p>
</center> <br>Williams (8-4) tagged Perez (15-6) twice, sent him scurrying backwards, then landed a standing guillotine. Perez hit the ground and was put out in a sitting position before referee Dan Miragliotta waved it off.<br><br>"Yeah, for this camp I trained hard," said Williams, who improved to 1-1 in the UFC. "I trained my butt off and I got ready to fight."<br>
</div>
</div>
https://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/13/8776885/ufc-188-results-patrick-williams-sets-record-with-fast-submission-winDave Doyle