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UFC 229
October 6, 2018
Las Vegas, Nevada from T-Mobile Arena
Live on pay-per-view (10 PM ET)
The John Malkovich narrated opening video we shared earlier opened the show. No “Face the Pain” but I’ll let that slide. Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Dominick Cruz ran down the main card fights.
(8) Michelle Waterson vs. Felice Herrig (Strawweight)
ROUND ONE: Unsurprisingly, Herrig looked much bigger than Waterson in the cage. Waterson held her back from high kicks. Herrig controlled the center of the cage but Waterson landed more in the early minutes. Felice landed a left hand and initiated a clinch against the cage. Herrig held her there and threw some knees but couldn’t get the takedown. 10-9 Waterson.
ROUND TWO: Herrig clinched with Waterson up against the cage again. Both women landed some knees while looking to gain position. Waterson landed a nice head kick when they broke apart and scored takedown right after. Waterson took half-guard pretty quick and landed some short elbows. Herrig did a decend job of preventing Waterson from passing but she still ate some shots. She got back to full guard but Waterson postured up and landed some more shots. Another 10-9 for Waterson, 20-18.
ROUND THREE: Herrig went straight to clinch again but Waterson broke free quickly. Herrig reversed a throw attempt by Waterson and ended up on top on the mat. Waterson worked hard from the bottom with elbows and punches. This was one of those situations where the person on the bottom is winning but you never know how judges will see it. Ref stood them up because Herrig wasn’t working. They traded standing but both women looked tired and there wasn’t much behind the strikes. Waterson landed a front kick right to Herrig’s face. 10-9 Waterson, 30-27.
Result: 30-26, 29-28, 30-27 Waterson by unanimous decision.
Hiscoe’s Analysis: I’m surprised how effective the smaller Waterson was in this fight. This is an impressive win as it was looking like she might be too small for top strawweights.
(9) Derrick Lewis vs. Alexander Volkov (Heavyweight)
ROUND ONE: Lewis tried hard early on, throwing some big lunging punches and jumping kicks. Volkov hurt lewis with a body shot and then swarmed, nearly finishing. Lewis was complaining about an eye poke and Volkov actually backed off and allowed Herb Dean to check it out. Lewis went for the weirdest takedown. Like he was going to try a pro wrestling side suplex or something. It failed miserably. Volkov got a more traditional takedown and took side control. He landed some short elbows to the head and body. Volkov took his back and Lewis was wise to get “two on one” to prevent the choke. Lewis was able to sweep and take top position. He landed some big shots and Volkov was in trouble. Such a weird round. 10-9 Volkov.
ROUND TWO: Volkov rocked him early. Lewis took a moment to catch his breath and fired back. Lewis went for a weird takedown again. Not sure what he’s trying to do. Lewis was so tired and Volkov was just using his reach to pick him apart. Lewis would throw some bombs from time to time but Volkov was able to eat them and keep moving forward. The last half of the round was mostly the heavyweight stand and look at each other throwing a punch every 10 seconds or so. Lewis knocked out Volkov’s mouth piece but didn’t hurt him too bad. 10-9 Volkov, 20-18.
ROUND THREE: Lewis’ corner told him he was down two rounds (true) so he should have come out swinging but he was just too tired. Another sad takedown attempt failed. Volkov hurt him with an uppercut but Lewis, if nothing else, can take a shot. Lewis started holding his eye again but Volkov didn’t let up this time. Volkov slowed down and threw some leg kicks. Volkov threw some kicks and Lewis connected with a counter. Volkov may have a broken hand because he was pretty much just kicking at this point. Lewis rocked him hard because Volkov would not counter with punches and he finished the fight with just seconds to go in the final round. Volkov was legit knocked out and Lewis took a nap on the mat. What a finish.
Result: Derrick Lewis by knockout 4:49 of round 3.
Hiscoe’s Analysis: Hell of a fight and a crazy finish. Volkov must have a broken hand because he just stopped throwing punches and wasn’t defending. He was trying to block punches with his knees. Derrick Lewis took off his shorts and said Donald Trump called and told him to knock out the Russian. Derrick Lewis is everything.
(10) Ovince Saint Preux vs. Dominick Reyes (Light Heavyweight)
ROUND ONE: They traded several kicks early on. OSP went for a takedown against the cage and Reyes delivered a series of elbows to the head. Reyes landed some big shots against the cage that wobbled OSP. Reyes backed off but landed some more good shots the rest of the round. 10-9 Reyes.
ROUND TWO: Reyes countered a leg kick with a nice left hand. OSP went for a takedown but Reyes defended. Reyes didn’t look to have as much gas in the tank in what the announcers point out as his first second round in the UFC. OSP looked to have mostly recovered. Not much of a round though. 10-9 Reyes, 20-18.
ROUND THREE: Reyes came out with a big head kick. They traded shots in the center for a while with OSP a little more active. OSP caught a kick and landed a punch then rushed in for a takedown. He couldn’t finish and then held Reyes against the cage. Reyes reversed then broke free. Reyes caught OSP coming in with an elbow that cut OSP. Reyes landed some big kicks and actually KO’d OSP with a counter punch right at the horn but OSP stood up so they let it go to the cards.
Result: Dominick Reyes by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Hiscoe’s Analysis: Not exactly what I would call a star making performance but still a very solid win for Reyes over a quality opponent.
(11) Tony Ferguson vs. Anthony Pettis (Lightweight)
ROUND ONE: Ferguson couldn’t wait for this fight to start. Pettis came out with some big leg kicks. Ferguson was very active with great footwork. Pettis tried a spinning back first but Ferguson blocked it. Ferguson kept Pettis on the defensive with kicks. Ferguson’s jab was very effective and he worked in an uppercut as well. Pettis looked to be getting desperate as Ferguson walked him down. 10-9 Ferguson.
ROUND TWO: Pettis dropped Ferguson early in the second and didn’t let up. Ferguson was bleeding from the mouth. Pettis got on top on the ground and worked to pass but Tony held on. Ferguson got up and the ref stopped the fight to look at a cut on Pettis’ forehead. Doc wasn’t worried about it. Ferguson threw leg kicks and then worked some body shots. Ferguson had Pettis backed up against the cage and was landing some good shots. Tony’s striking was on point and Pettis was throwing haymakers to try and stay in the fight. Pettis landed a couple of good right hands but Ferguson walked him down into the corner again. Ferguson landed so many punches against the cage that he got this round back. 10-9 Ferguson, 20-18.
ROUND THREE: Pettis had a broken hand and Duke Roufus signaled to the ref to stop the fight before the third round started. This was a great fight but Duke made the right call.
Result: Tony Ferguson by TKO after two rounds
Hiscoe’s Analysis: That was a great fight and it’s too bad it had to end that way but you have to support a corner that is willing to end a fight for their fighter when he is hurt. Having a third round would have been great but it likely would have been a bad ending for Pettis and there was no need for that.
(12) Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor (UFC Lightweight Championship)
ROUND ONE: They filled the cage with smoke and Conor did the billionaire strut as he entered the cage to a huge pop. My guess is that Khabib is the more anxious of the two. No glove touch. McGergor with a left hand early. Khabib shot for a takedown soon after and Conor defended pretty well. Khabib didn’t give it up though. He finally got him down. Conor was on his butt with his back against the cage. Crowd hated this. Khabib worked to pass, and Conor appeared calm but also unable to do anything do get up. You can see the pressure that Khabib was applying when Conor would push off the mat to get up and would get nowhere. For what it’s worth, Khabib hasn’t thrown much, if any, strikes, while Conor at least was punching from the bottom. Khabib got to half guard and started throwing some punches. He landed a couple big shots at the bell. 10-9 Khabib.
ROUND TWO: Conor came out with his hands down and threw a front kick. He tried a flying knee. Khabib rocked Conor hard with a right hand that sent him reeling. Khabib took him down against the cage and mounted him. Not a good spot for Conor. Conor scrambled and got full guard but Khabib was mixing body shots with big elbows. Khabib landed a big left elbow from guard. Khabit stood up and just began to tee off on Conor while he turtled on the ground. If that was anyone else but Conor it might have been stopped. Dominick Cruz: “Why isn’t he trying to get up?” Joe Rogan: “Because he’s exhausted and getting his face punched in.” Conor was able to get up. Khabib kept him pressed against the cage. 10-8 Khabib, 20-17.
ROUND THREE: Conor landed a right hand but may not have his power. Khabib sitting back and taking some of Conor’s shots. Conor stuffed a takedown, that’s pretty huge. Khabib landed a nice fight hand. Another right then a takedown attempt against the cage. Conor escaped and landed an uppercut. Khabib responded with a right. Conor with a left. They’re just trading in the center of the cage. Conor landed more. Khabib went for another takedown but Conor was able to get back up. 10-9 Conor, 29-27 Khabib.
ROUND FOUR: Both men traded shots and Khabib got a takedown a minute in. Conor worked hard to get up but Khabib held on. He had Conor on his side worked for an arm triangle. Khabib landed some punches and then took his back. He got a choke across Conor’s chin and Conor tapped. Khabib yelled at Conor after the fight was finished, yelled at Conor’s corner then jumped the cage and went after Conor’s corner, specifically Dillon Danis. One of Khabib’s corners went in the cage and tried to fight Conor. This is insane. The announcers did their best to downplay it and the director cut to a wide shot. This is a newsworthy but sad way for this night to end.
Result: Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission round four
Fuck Khabib and his thug training partners. Should be a lifetime ban.