UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida takes place tonight from the Mandalay Bay events center in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman defending his title against Lyoto Machida.
Bloody Elbow will be rattling off live results and play by play all evening with, of course, a convenient forum to discuss the action in the comments section below. This particular chunk of internet space will cover the UFC 175 preliminary cards on FOX Sports 1 (8:00 p.m. ET) and UFC Fight Pass (7:00 p.m. ET), the centerpiece of which is a bantamweight scrap between Urijah Faber and Alex Caceres that will lead in to the UFC 175 pay-per-view (10:00 p.m. ET).
Fight results for both preliminary cards follow.
FOX Sports preliminary card (FOX Sports 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET)
Alex Caceres vs. Urijah Faber
R1: Faber immediately pursues the takedown and Caceres is creatively resilient in nullifying it, using underhooks, a few short rights and even a somersault escape to stay free. After a prolonged struggle, Faber finally puts Caceres on his back and secures top position. Faber keeps the ‘fro of Caceres on the fence to limit his escape routes and ability to move, then takes a very judicious approach to landing heavy ground strikes while navigating through the long-limbed Caceres’ guard. 10-9 Faber.
R2: Faber rockets into range and belts Caceres with a charging right hand and then completes a takedown. Caceres puts both feet on Faber’s chest and boots him off, creating enough room to escape. Caceres unbolts a gliding three-punch combination that puts Faber on his heels. Faber shoots a double and gets it, but Caceres takes a knee and fights off Faber’s rear waist-lock and lands a knee to the body.
Faber off-balances Caceres with a single but he’s right back on his feet once again. Hopping side kick and 360 low kick from Caceres; an interesting choice. Faber counter clinches and Caceres hangs out in the clinch, and Faber tosses him with a hip throw. Caceres stays slippery and is back on his feet immediately again, but Faber stays glued on. Caceres tries to counter with the Thai plum grip in the clinch but Faber’s level change causes him to let go. 10-9 Faber.
R3: Caceres riskily spends time in the clinch with Faber and then backs off and throws a kick. Faber catches it and turns it into a takedown, but this time hops on to back control as Caceres is escaping. He cinches on a rear-naked choke and the tap comes quickly after.
- Urijah Faber defeats Alex Caceres by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:09 of Round 3
Ildemar Alcantara vs. Kenny Robertson
R1: They lock horns a half-minute in with Robertson fishing for body-lock trips with Alcantara on the fence. Alcantara defends well and looks for an outside trip of his own but Robertson hits a nice counter throw. Robertson attacks the neck in half guard, switches to a volley of strikes to distract Alcantara and then goes back after a neck choke. Again Robertson postures up and lands meaningful ground and pound as Alcantara focuses on defending the position.
Robertson continues the barrage, causing Alcantara to close his guard and hold on to his double underhooks for dear life in sheer defense mode. Excellent posture and steady downpour of leather from Robertson. Alcantara swivels his his to attack but Robertson easily slips out and resumes the punishment. 10-9 Robertson.
R2: Alcantara wheels out a left high kick that’s blocked. Another shortly after. Alcantara just misses with a nice inside elbow. Robertson connects on an over-the-top left and a low kick. Robertson shells on more left kicks from Alcantara. Robertson shoots and Alcantara side-steps the initial rush but Robertson switches to a single and gets it.
Robertson steps over to trap Alcantara’s arm but can’t flatten him out in the crucifix, and Alcantara escapes in the ensuing scramble. Robertson stays on him and ties his legs up for an easy double, then teleports to full mount. Robertson postures up and smashes down a heavy right hand, then snatches the Americana grip as Alcantara rolls out. Alcantara stays calm and defends, then shuts down Robertson’s attempt to transition to the armbar. Despite his feisty defense, Alcantara is devastated by a hail of massive elbows to close the frame. 10-8 Robertson.
R3: Outside low kick lands for Robertson but he just misses with a crafty lead-left elbow. They clinch up and Robertson lands an inadvertent knee below the belt. On the restart, Alcantara stays busy with his left kick and starts to slip it through. Alcantara looks to score with a right and they land knees mutually, but Robertson’s is low again.
The ref threatens to take a point on the next and they restart. Robertson flails on a spinning back fist and, when they clinch, gets taken down with a slick inside trip. Robertson gets a butterfly hook and uses it to sweep, taking top position with 90 seconds left. Robertson tries to stay busy with ground strikes but there’s not much on them, and Alcantara takes him down and lands a few shots. 10-9 Robertson for a 30-26 sweep on my card.
- Kenny Robertson defeats Ildemar Alcantara by unanimous decision (30-26 x 3)
Chris Camozzi vs. Bruno Santos
R1: Camozzi starts methodically with pawing jabs from southpaw. Santos hangs back and tries to navigate the substantial reach advantage of Camozzi, who pressures with a right/left combo and heaves a left body kick on the reset. Another body kick, then a right hand for Camozzi, but he’s tied up by Santos’ clinch.
Santos drives Camozzi in to the fence with the over-under clinch but can’t get the body lock and Camozzi slips free. Santos times his entry on Camozzi’s next advance and gets the body lock this time. Camozzi pummels under and uses the whizzer/underhook combo to regain his balance, then cracks Santos with two pressure-release elbows to the head. 10-9 Camozzi.
R2: Santos changes levels on Camozzi’s next entrance but backs off with a looping left and right instead of initiating a clinch. Camozzi resets and engages again but Santos ducks under and attacks Camozzi’s hips for a successful takedown. Camozzi deflects the early ground and pound before landing a few spike elbows to the head from his guard. Camozzi uses wrist control and an active guard to create distance and lands the better strikes from his back.
Santos slips into half guard and then slices into side mount, but Camozzi regains guard when Santos telegraphs his attempt to mount. Camozzi holds half guard and again thuds a few elbows off his back, but it costs him position as Santos passes to side mount again. Camozzi sneaks a hip out and regains his footing but goes back down after an odd body lock exchange. 10-9 Camozzi.
R3: Santos pings Camozzi with a nice right hand early. Camozzi half-lands a snap kick, side-steps a takedown and doubles up on his jab. Lunging one-one-two combo from Camozzi, but he allows himself to be cornered and Santos hoists him for another takedown. Camozzi grabs the cage twice and quite belligerently on his way down.
Camozzi swivels into omoplata position but bails on it. Camozzi leans over and snatches the kimura grip with his hands locked and Santos patiently breaks his grip, but it allows Camozzi to scoot loose. Back on the feet, Camozzi charges with a wild flurry and Santos easily takes him down. 10-9 Santos. I have it 29-28 for Camozzi.
- Bruno Santos defeats Chris Camozzi by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x 2)
Rob Font vs. George Roop
R1: Roop almost has his lead push kick caught by Font, who backs off and slings a right low kick. Roop counters with a one-two on the next exchange, holding his ground to fend off the attacking Font. Font charges with a left and wild uppercut, and Roop counter clinches, pushing Font on the fence. Font circles off and they break and reset.
Roop’s overhand right is blocked but his stinging left gets through. Font takes a set-up step and discharges a depth charge of a right hand that folds Roop up instantly.
- Rob Font defeats George Roop by KO (punch) at 2:19 of Round 1
UFC 175 Fight Pass preliminary card
Guilherme Vasconcelos vs. Luke Zachrich
R1: Zachrich peels off a one-two after somewhat of a tentative start on both sides. Vasconcelos flicks out a left high kick as his first sign of engagement and then both open up a little more with their hands. Zachrich setting the tone with a long, snapping jab. Lead right hand lands downstairs for Zachrich. Zachrich getting in, getting off and getting out of range before Vasconcelos can counter.
Vasconcelos doubles up on left low kicks, both of which connect and break Zachrich’s rhythm. Zachrich responds with a sharp left hand, then finds the mark with a double jab a moment later. Another left kick from Vasconcelos but his right kick is deflected. More combos from Zachrich leading up to the bell. 10-9 Zachrich.
R2: Zachrich scores with the first memorable flurry a half-minute in but Vasconcelos holds his ground and answers back with a right. Vasconcelos slips on a left high kick and then has a telegraphed double-leg attempt shut down. More stinging jabs from Zachrich while Vasconcelos backpedals and throws single kicks.
Vasconcelos’ second attempt is telegraphed even more than the last and Zachrich stuffs it easily before going back to work on the feet. Anchored by his busy jab, Zachrich is once again busier, more dynamic and making use of more angles to command the range and tempo, and Vasconcelos just doesn’t have the output to keep up. 10-9 Zachrich.
R3: Zachrich circles left and thuds a right low kick to open the last frame. Vasconcelos awaits the next flurry and tries to time a double leg to no avail. Vasconcelos slips his left kick under the elbow and to the ribs of Zachrich, who sustains the volume and intensity of his boxing. Vasconcelos scores with a nice left counter amidst the nonstop pressure of Zachrich. Zachrich finally starts to slow down a little in the last two minutes and Vasconcelos sticks with his one-shot mentality but starts to land more often. 10-9 Zachrich for a 30-27 his way on my card.
- Luke Zachrich defeats Guilherme Vasconcelos by unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)
Kevin Casey vs. William Bush
R1: Bush presses forward and heaves a right but leaves his hands down, and Casey plugs him with a counter left hook. Casey pounces and finishes Bush off with a nasty volley of short left forearms.
- Kevin Casey defeats William Bush by KO (elbows) at 1:01 of Round 1
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