Join us tonight for live results and play by play as the action transpires at UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Dos Anjos. The featured card, which begins on Fox Sports at 10:00 p.m. ET, is captained by former lightweight champion Ben Henderson vs. Brazilian Rafael dos Anjos while welterweights Jordan Mein and Mike Pyle hold down the co-main event.
Also appearing on the six-fight main card: middleweights Francis Carmont and Thales Leites, featherweights Max Holloway and Clay Collard, lightweights James Vick and Valmir Lazaro and featherweights Tom Niinimaki vs. Chas Skelly.
Check out how the Bloody Elbow staff foresees tonight’s fights or watch this week’s MMA Vivisection for detailed analysis on each match up.
UFC Fight Night 49: Henderson vs Dos Anjos (Fox Sports 1 at 10:00 p.m. ET)
Ben Henderson vs. Rafael dos Anjos
R1: Dos Anjos draws first blood with a right kick to the midsection. Henderson thuds an outside low kick. Hook/cross combo from Henderson but Dos Anjos threads a left through his guard. Henderson bombs a punch to the ribs and Dos Anjos comes right back with a left kick to the body. Henderson floors Dos Anjos with a powerful teep. It’s tit for tat as Dos Anjos slams a kick to the body of Henderson.
Dos Anjos comes over the top with a left hand and then lands another of the same after a set-up right hook in the next sequence. Dos Anjos goes airborne for a flying switch knee and it lands, then he jack-hammers a left hand into Henderson’s jaw as he’s standing up, and the blow sends him down and flat onto his back. Referee “Big” John McCarthy steps in and waves the fight off.
- Rafael Dos Anjos defeats Ben Henderson by TKO (punches) at 2:31 of Round 1
Jordan Mein vs. Mike Pyle
R1: Pyle with an outside low kick. Pyle shoots with no set up and Mein easily dodges it. Pyle tries to duck under Mein’s double jab but still no dice with the takedown. Mein fakes a level change and swings a saw-blade of a left hook that instantly floors Pyle. And that’s that.
- Jordan Mein defeats Mike Pyle by TKO (punches) at 1:12 of Round 1
Francis Carmont vs. Thales Leites
R1: Leites with an outside low kick, and then some distance-closing punches but Carmont doesn’t take the bait. Leites strikes his way into the clinch successfully this time in pursuit of a trip with an underhook — Carmont whizzers his way out of trouble. Back on the feet, Leites pressures with more punches. They trade inside low kicks, then Carmont chops out the leg of Leites with another. A third inside low kick lands for Carmont.
Leites grazes a low kick and then retracts his hips nicely to repel Carmont’s takedown attempt. Carmont shuffles left and nearly steals Leites’ footing with another low kick. Double-step left hand for Leites, trying to carve his way inside with punches. Carmont allows himself to be backed into a corner and Leites heaves a distraction shot and clinches up. Carmont circles off the fence; Leites follows suit. Carmont circles off and separates, landing another rugged low kick to the lead leg of Leites. 10-9 Carmont.
R2: Carmont retreats while throwing lefts but Leites times his angle and shellacks him with a massive overhand right, then stays after it and cans Carmont with a short uppercut.
- Thales Leites defeats Francis Carmont by KO (punches) at 0:20 of Round 2
Clay Collard vs. Max Holloway
R1: Collard comes forward throwing with both hands and Holloway chips in a quick up-knee. Holloway throws a left high kick and left hand with the latter connecting. Holloway’s speed advantage is apparent as he sneaks in a short left after going southpaw. Collard lands a left kick to the body and throws two lefts with a lot of mustard on ’em. They connect and Holloway eats a short knee in order to land a takedown but they separate.
Collard with a volley of punches and a spinning back fist, and something landed because Holloway shakes it off. He responds with a knee from the clinch and a right hand that land flush on Collard. After some mutual taunting, Holloway lands a spinning kick and then punches Collard right in the mouth when he walks forward with his hands down. Another right hand and a jumping front kick score for Holloway. Another spinning kick from Holloway and they both empty the clip though Collard shows nary a concern for defense. 10-9 Holloway for his precise striking.
R2: Collard sticks with his heavy output but Holloway’s defense is slick. Holloway with a knee downstairs, then a laser-straight right hand that snaps Collard’s head back. Collard catches Holloway’s front kick but can’t convert it into offense. Holloway dings him with another right hand. Step-in knee from Holloway as Collard goes into a cyborg-like stalking mode. They clinch and Holloway circles out, and Collard relaxes a bit when they re-engage.
Holloway hops on Collard’s back when they lock horns but Collard is able to scramble out of it. Big heart and an amazing chin being shown by Collard, but Holloway’s technique is shining here. Holloway with a high kick. Collard staggers forward with his hands down but still somehow scores a low-swooping double leg. Holloway, after an attempt to transition to back control, angles his hips for a triangle. Collard breaks the hold and fires an elbow. 10-9 Holloway.
R3: Collard marches forward behind a wall of flying leather, throwing a mid-level kick and following behind it to clinch up. Collard drops levels for a double and he’s greeted with a smattering of short elbows to the head from Holloway. Holloway breaks free and throws a risky knee when Collard has one point down, but it might’ve landed to the body. Collard falls back into guard and gives up half guard, then his back.
Holloway sinks both hooks in and tries to flatten him out, but settles for a slicing forearm to the head as Collard tries to roll onto his back. Collard succeeds but absorbs an elbow and several punches for his efforts. Holloway is measured with his striking output but gradually amplifies it until too many unanswered punches land and the ref waves it off.
- Max Holloway defeats Clay Collard by TKO (punches) at 3:47 of Round 3
Valmir Lazaro vs. James Vick
R1: Vick lands a right-hand counter as Lazaro throws a low kick. Lazaro swings a hard low kick but it’s checked by Vick. Another outside low kick to Vick’s lead leg. And another, then one inside. Vick throws a low kick with his hands dangerously low as a Lazaro counter shot whizzes by. Vick takes flight for a flying knee but gets caught with a right. He throws another in pursuit of Lazaro but he’s out of range.
They brawl it out with a Vick high kick and a hard counter-shot by Lazaro. Vick slips on a kick but gets right back up to the tune of a right to the cheek. Vick comes forward and lands a right but Lazaro counters with a level change and takedown. Vick sweeps and can’t get on top but succeed in escaping. Vick slips a high kick through and dodges Lazaro’s follow-up punches. Lazaro hits another takedown but Vick is right back up. Vick goes downstairs with a punch and then wards off Lazaro’s takedown with the front headlock. 10-10 as both landed their fair share in the high-strung melee.
R2: Vick’s high kick glances off Lazaro’s head and Lazaro responds with a mid-level kick. Vick checks Lazaro’s low kick but eats a shot while throwing a left high kick. Outside roundhouse kick to the thigh for Vick. A left hand for Vick and an outside low kick for Lazaro. Another low kick for the Brazilian, and then a third.
Vick gets caught with a step-in right and he’s bleeding from his left eye. Vick tries an uppercut elbow but it just misses. Vick sits down on a piston-like right hand that puts Lazaro on roller-skates. Vick goes after him but Lazaro connects on a wild shot, possibly thrown on pure instinct. Vick stays after him and tags him again with a right. Stiff jab lands for Lazaro, then a glancing right hand that sails through the pocket. They clinch up and Lazaro ends up on top to close the frame. 10-9 Vick.
R3: Vick partially lands a left high kick and then thuds another right hand through Lazaro’s defense. One-two from Vick, who then defends a takedown attempt. Vick gets an underhook and drives Lazaro across the cage and into the fence but can’t capitalize. Glancing right lands for Vick. Another right for Vick. Lazaro looking to time Vick with his left.
Vick steps in with a left high kick and it connects and drops Lazaro, but, still showing a rubber chin, he’s right back up. Vick lands an accidental low blow with a kick and we pause while Lazaro recovers. Lazaro throws wild leather on the restart but Vick’s step-in knee lands solidly to the head. They joust evenly on the feet and the round ends with Vick on his back after a failed flying knee attempt. 10-9 Vick. I have it 30-28 his way.
- James Vick defeats Valmir Lazaro unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x 2)
Tom Niinimaki vs. Chas Skelly
R1: Skelly wades forward slinging leather. Niinimaki holds his ground but is then forced to defend a double leg and has his back taken. Skelly gets both hooks in from back mount but loses one when Niinimaki takes a knee. Skelly locks his hands with the underhook but Niinimaki breaks his grips, spins to face him and drops back for a guillotine. Skelly steps over to escape and resumes back control, this time threading his arm under Niinimaki’s chin and forcing the tapout.The replay shows that it was more of a modified blood choke/crank.
- Chas Skelly defeats Tom Niinimaki by submission (modified rear-naked choke) at 2:35 of Round 1
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