UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman meets the mystical Lyoto Machida atop tonight’s UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida pay-per-view (PPV) from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the second title bout of the evening, women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey will put her strap on the line against Alexis Davis in the fight card’s co-main event. Also on the docket: heavyweights Matt Mitrione vs. Stefan Struve, middleweights Uriah Hall vs. Thiago Santos and bantamweights Marcus Brimage vs. Russel Doane.
Coinciding with the launch of the PPV card (10:00 p.m. ET), Bloody Elbow will provide live fight results, discussion and play by play on the heels of the UFC 175 preliminary cards on FOX Sports 1 (8:00 p.m. ET) and UFC Fight Pass (7:00 p.m. ET). The complete UFC 175 PPV card results follow.
Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida (UFC middleweight championship)
R1: Weidman surprisingly starts off with kicks in triplicate. Switch snap kick for Weidman from distance; both are yet to land. Weidman tries to time a Machida kick but “The Dragon” changes angles and fends it off with underhooks. Weidman connects with a jab before Machida can get off. Stance change and left roundhouse kick to the thigh from Weidman. Two more right kicks from range from Weidman.
Machida plugs Weidman with a straight left counter on his next kick. Weidman blocks a high kick and throws a big body kick that’s deflected. Front kick downstairs lands for Weidman. Machida lands his own front kick to the body and Weidman tries to scoop up his leg but can’t. 10-9 Weidman.
R2: Weidman starts with an inside low kick. Machida dodges a flurry and lands a left kick to the body. Inside low kick lands for Machida. Machida uncorks a huge lunging hook that just misses. Front kick by Weidman. Machida grabs Weidman’s pawing hand and snaps off a left high kick that’s blocked. Sharp counter lands for Machida.
Weidman times a duck-under double leg and gets it, pinching Machida’s legs together to prevent an escape. Right hands from Weidman as Machida looks to slip out; he gets to his feet but eats a knee to the face for his efforts. 10-9 Weidman.
R3: Machida finds the mark with a left body kick, then again with another. Machida staves off Weidman first takedown attempt but can’t do the same with the second. Machida goes to butterfly guard and they stalemate for a moment. Machida goes two-on-one wrist control and uses it to stand back up. Weidman sneaks a right hand through but Machida answers with a quick left counter.
Weidman clocks Machida with another right and it’s opened a cut between his eyes. Machida reverses his motion and lunges at Weidman with a spearing knee but gets taken down. Machida fights his way back to his feet but goes for a ride when Weidman throws him from the rear waist lock. Back ride for Weidman but he can’t hold it. 10-9 Weidman.
R4: Weidman continues his menacing pressure, giving Machida no space to work his angles. Machida lands a hard left kick to the ribs and Weidman waves him onward. Weidman with a quick right but it’s answered with a right and then a sharp left from Machida. Machida again attempts the step-in knee as Weidman comes in but is able to work out of the double-let attempt on the fence.
Machida lowers his level but wings a high left hook that connects flush, then pings Weidman with another left. Machida backs the champ up with another crisp flurry and again Weidman waves him in. Machida misses with the high kick but lands the next one to the ribs. Then another left kick to the body. Now a left hand as the tide noticeably changes. Machida stuffs Weidman’s takedown, switches stances and lands a front kick to the sternum. Weidman shoots a takedown with no set up and it’s easily countered by Machida, who goes on the hunt with a series of punches and cartwheel kick. Machida stings Weidman with a left at the bell. 10-9 Machida.
R5: Machida keeps Weidman on his heels in the final round by opening up with a flash of leather. Weidman throws a slow kick and Machida buzzes him with more combos. Weidman shoots again with no set up and Machida shakes it off and puts the champ on the fence. They split up and Weidman clocks Machida with a right hand. Lead knee to the body scores for Machida.
Weidman whiffs with a left high kick but stuns Machida with a follow-up one-two. They clinch and Weidman lands a knee to the face from the single collar tie and then cracks Machida with a step-in horizontal elbow. Weidman changes levels and nails a double leg with 90 seconds left that might seal the victory for him. Weidman in half guard then passes to mount and transitions to back control as Machida rolls out. Machida shakes off both hooks and slips out, getting back to his feet with 30 seconds left. Machida uncorks a vicious volley of punches and elbows until the horn sounds. 10-9 Weidman. I have it 49-46 his way.
- Chris Weidman defeats Lyoto Machida by unanimous decision (49-45, 48-47, 49-46)
Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis (UFC women’s bantamweight championship)
R1: They trade a few shots and Rousey dings Davis with a knee to the body and then hoists her with an epic Judo throw, and Davis looks to be out on impact. Rousey lands a few blows from the scarf hold and referee Yves Lavigne stops the fight.
- Ronda Rousey defeats Alexis Davis by KO (hip throw) at 0:16 of Round 1
Matt Mitrione vs. Stefan Struve CANCELLED
Uriah Hall vs. Thiago de Lima Santos
R1: Hall misses with a spinning back fist and Santos does the same with a spinning kick. They trade low kicks with Hall getting off first. Hall whiffs another spinning back fist. Inside low kick from Santos, then one outside. Santos lands two more which keep Hall and his incoming jabs at bay. Hall starts looking to counter the low kicks with a step in right.Two more low kicks from Santos; Hall catches the second but can’t convert the takedown.
They both uncork big right hands and Hall’s seems to get the better. Hall with a low and high kick, with only the former connecting. Hall finds the mark with a sharp punch and suddenly finds his rhythm, doing a variation of the robot with his hands down while walking Santos down. However, there’s no output from Hall save a spinning back kick that’s blocked. 10-9 Santos.
R2: The camera pans to Hall’s foot and one of his mangled and purportedly broken toes between rounds. Jab and inside low kick hits home for Hall, but he just misses with a monster right hand on the follow up. Outside low kick and left hook connects for Santos. Inside low kick for Hall, then a mid-level left roundhouse kick. Hall goes into a traditional karate stance, curiously showboating whilst fighting with a broken toe and arguably losing.
Hall catches Santos’ kick and fires a right hand but backs off and into the center of the cage. Hall blocks Santos’ high kick and counters with a sharp left. Side kick to the body from Santos. Hall easily side-steps the Santos takedown and plugs him with a quick shot. Santos can’t find the mark on consecutive jumping switch kicks. Hall attempts a rolling somersault kick at the bell that’s nowhere close. 10-9 Hall.
R3: Hall looks to establish range with his hands and speed. Half-hearted tornado kick attempt from Hall, then he scorches quick overhand right through Santos’ defense. And another shortly after. Santos stays with the kick-heavy strategy and he’s effective with it, but light on volume.
Hall streaks another right hand through. Spinning kick to the body lands for Hall, who strings together two roundhouse kicks, first low and then high. Santos’ throws a jumping switch kick and it lands low, forcing a pause with just over a minute left. Santos commits to a single leg on the restart and succeeds in keeping Hall on the cage, throwing knees to the legs in the rear waist cinch. Hall gets the Sakurabu style kimura and rolls into it to escape. 10-9 Hall for a 29-28 by my tally.
- Urijah Hall defeats Thiago Santos by unanimous decision (29-28 x 2, 30-27)
Marcus Brimage vs. Russell Doane
R1: Brimage stays tight and on-balance with his boxing but Doane changes levels and bowls him over with timing and power. Doane gets the back ride as Brimage tries to scramble free and lands some stiff hammer-fists to the head. Brimage tries to roll out but Doane takes back control with one hook in, then patiently slips in the second.
Brimage hand-fights to avoid the looming rear-naked choke and slows the pace by noticing Doane’s feet are crossed and pursuing the figure-four counter. After Doane resets, Brimage explodes into an escape and gets back to his feet. Crisp lefts and low right roundhouse kicks for Brimage. Front snap kick from Doane and then a counter left and low kick from Brimage. 10-9 Doane.
R2: Brimage opens with a sequence of nasty inside low kicks, then shucks off Doane’s takedown with some effort. Brimage’s next inside leg kick takes Doane off his feet and he’s visibly hampered, but switches to southpaw and gets deep penetration to secure the takedown. Over the span of a minute, Brimage claws his way back up to his feet.
Doane checks the low kick this time but eats a body knee and right hand while pinning Brimage on the fence. Doane powers him down and Brimage rolls out of reach to restart on the feet. Jump knee from Doane is countered with punches by Brimage. 10-9 Brimage.
R3: Brimage trap blocks Doane’s high kick and takes him down, but Doane threatens with an omoplata and Brimage disengages. Back on the feet, Brimage crushes the lead leg of Doane, who’s still in southpaw. Brimage targets it again and puts Doane down with another vicious low kick. Then another a moment later that causes Doane to lose his balance. Doane’s right high kick is answered by another Brimage low kick.
Doane transitions from a right hand into a takedown nicely but Brimage hits a counter single leg but detaches from Doane’s guard to stay on his feet. Slicing jabs and elusive circling from Brimage as we approach the final minute. Brimage holds his ground and stings Doane with punches when he chases too aggressively. Nice right gets through for Doane. 10-9 Brimage for a 29-28 his way on my card.
- Russell Doane defeats Marcus Brimage by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
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