The UFC returns to pay-per-view tonight with UFC 174 and Bloody Elbow will be here to give you live blow-by-blow recaps of the action all night long.
The event gets underway with a two fight prelim broadcast on the UFC’s streaming Fight Pass service at 7 p.m. ET before moving to FX for four prelim fights at 8 p.m. Finally, the card will move to pay-per-view at 10 p.m.
This card will break down the action from the main card.
Demetrious Johnson looks to defend his UFC flyweight title when he takes on challenger Ali Bagautinov in the night’s main event.
The co-main event sees welterweight contenders Rory MacDonald and Tyron Woodley meet in a bout that will move the winner closer to a title shot in a suddenly thrilling welterweight division.
Ryan Bader and Rafael Cavalcante meet in a light heavyweight bout, Andrei Arlovski returns to the UFC to take on Brendan Schaub in a heavyweight bout and Ryan Jimmo faces Ovince St. Preux in a light heavyweight bout to round out the card.
Make sure to come back and share your thoughts in the comments as the action goes down.
Ovince St. Preux vs. Ryan Jimmo – Round 1 – OSP comes out throwing some heavy shots, Jimmo ends up clinching him up against the cage. They separate and are slowing down but OSP is still throwing big shots from time to time, just not landing many of them. Leg kick from Jimmo. Body kick from Jimmo who is finding his timing and distance. Left from OSP gets in and now a big shot but Jimmo manages to stay up for a second before getting taken down and getting his back taken.
Round 2 – Right hand by Jimmo lands hard. Head kick by OSP is blocked. OSP catches a kick and uses it to take Jimmo down. OSP throwing some punches and Jimmo starts yelling “my arm is broken.” OSP grabs the arm and starts torquing on it until the ref jumps in. Ovince St. Preux wins by TKO (verbal submission, arm injury), round 2.
Andrei Arlovski vs. Brendan Schaub – Round 1 – Schaub staying at a distance early, Arlovski moving forward a little bit. He’s in and clinched up with Schaub now against the cage, landing knees to the thigh. Arlovski still throwing knees to the thighs, not much else going on and they separate. Big right by Schaub and a left and Arlovski spins away. Body kick by Arlovski. Arlovski clinches him against the cage again, knees to the thighs again. Some lazy punches from Arlovski at distance. Schaub with a right hand, Arlovski with a grazing one in return and again he clinches Schaub against the cage. I almost never, ever, ever score 10-10 rounds. But this is one.
Round 2 -Arlovski lands a good right to the body and clinches him up again. Right hand from Schaub doesn’t land clean but it at least was thrown. Left by Schaub. Now Schaub pins Arlovski to the cage. Schaub with a jab. This fight is godawful bad. Big right hand by Schaub. You know what? Another 10-10. I have never in my life scored two 10-10 rounds in one fight
Round 3 – Left hand from Arlovski and there’s a brief break after a headbutt. Schaub with a takedown after being clinched. Arlovski closes guard. Schaub throws some punches that Arlovski blocks. Arlovski far too willing to sit here and defend. Schaub doign enough work for it to be the first time anyone has clearly been winning a round. 10-9 Schaub makes it 30-29 Schaub
Official scorecards: 29-28 Schaub, 29-28 Arlovski, 29-28 Arlovski. Andrei Arlovski wins by split decision.
Ryan Bader vs. Rafael Cavalcante – Round 1 -Bader with a punch and a head kick that don’t land. Takdown by Bader bt Feijao is able to stand up quickly but Bader is on his back against the cage. Bader takes him right back down. Bader throwing a lot of knees to the thigh and repeatedly tripping Feijao to the mat. Bader pounding on Feijao’s ribs with knees and elbows and a huge knee at the end of the round. 10-9 Bader.
Round 2 -Spinning back kick from Feijao. Bader with a takedown, lands an elbow and Feijao tries to stand. We’re right back to Bader being on his back and kneeing to the legs and butt. Big knee to the tailbone. Feijao gets separation and they’re back to standing in the center of the cage. Right hand by Feijao. 10-9 Bader.
Round 3 -Left, right combo by Feijao and Bader pushes in looking for the takedown. Now Feijao throwing a flurry. Bader pushing him into the cage and just trying to safely grind. Bader eats an elbow to the side of the head and they’re back to distance after Bader trips. Bader with a takedown now. He grinds his way to the bell. 10-9 Bader.
Official scorecards: 30-27 across the board. Ryan Bader wins by unanimous decision.
Rory MacDonald vs. Tyron Woodley – Round 1 -Rory with a kick at Woodley’s face. And now a leg kick that misses. Rory had a nice body kick and Woodley tried to take him down off of it but Rory slid right out and back to his feet before starting to throw had body kicks again. Rory had a very good round there, clearly taking it 10-9.
Round 2 -Woodley is spending this entire fight up against the cage. He can’t win the fight here and MacDonald is pressuring and changing up his kicks and punches, going to the legs, body and head. Woodley with a leg kick but he’s getting stung again. Rory is just doing more or less whatever he wants while Woodley looks lost. 10-9 Rory.
Round 3 -Just more of the same early. Woodley is sitting with his back inches from the fence, getting beat up by Rory. Rory with a low blow, but no stoppage from Big John who says “it didn’t get you good.” Now Rory with a takedown. Rory is on top just killing time in a fight where he is clearly winning. Rory passes to full mount and then slides to side control. Rory pounds away and the round comes to an end. Dominant performance from Rory MacDonald.
Official scorecards: 30-27 across the board. Rory MacDonald wins by unanimous decision.
Demetrious Johnson vs. Ali Bagautinov – Round 1 – Leg kick from Johnson, Ali in the middle of the cage with his feet planted. Another leg kick from Johnson. Ali with a hard body kick. Johnson feinting and then slipping Ali’s punches. Leg kick from Johnson. Right hand from Ali as he pushes Johnson into the cage. Round ends with Ali on DJ’s back standing, but a better round for Johnson. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 2 – Johnson comes out, clinches and then gets spun into the cage by Ali. Johnson with a few nice knees. Johnson with a jab and a low kick. He’s getting off a little easier than Ali is to this point. Big right hand by Johnson stings Ali a bit. Leg kick by Johnson. Ali tries to push him into the cage and now looks for the takedown, nothing there. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 3 – Johnson sticking with the leg kicks early, wearing Ali down. Ali pressing him into the cage again but nothing there. Johnson is just back to picking him apart with leg kicks. Ali gets a body lock and lands a big takedown, but Johnson bounces right up, locks up a Thai clinch and lands a few knees. Ali with another takedown and Johnson right back up again, landing knees and short elbows and the round ends. 10-9 Johnson.
Round 4 -A lot of the same this round. Johnson is moving around the outside and picking him apart with leg kicks while Ali chases. Good kick from Ali now. Johnson is doing such a great job at slipping punches but now he slips to the canvas and eats a hard punch as he gets back to his feet. Ali pushes him to the cage and clinches with him. Johnson takes another round with speed and technique. He also almost locked in a choke as the round ended.
Round 5 – Ali looks for the takedown again but nothing there and Johnson with a Thai clinch and he lands sme good knees. Ali throws a hard punch but doesn’t connect well. Now Ali looking for a single. Johnson is taking chances he doesn’t have to take just looking to get a finish. Clean sweep on my card.
Official scorecards: 50-45 across the board. Demetrious Johnson wins by unanimous decision.
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