The UFC returns to Japan with a card that airs at an odd time for American audiences. UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs Nelson will kick off with prelims that start at 12:30 am ET, so get your naps in today if you plan to stay up and catch the full card.
We will have coverage of the entire event, headlined by a heavyweight bout between Roy Nelson and Mark Hunt so make sure to come back and share your thoughts as the action goes down.
Here’s how the full card looks:
Main card:
Heavyweight – Mark Hunt vs Roy Nelson
Lightweight – Myles Jury vs Takanori Gomi
Welterweight – Yoshihiro Akiyama vs Amir Sadollah
Women’s Bantamweight – Miesha Tate vs Rin Nakai
Welterweight – Kiichi Kunimoto vs Richard Walsh
Flyweight – Kyoji Horiguchi vs Jon Delos Reyes
Preliminary card:
Bantamweight – Alex Caceres vs Masanori Kanehara
Featherweight – Katsunori Kikuno vs Sam Sicilia
Welterweight – Hyun Gyu Lim vs Takenori Sato
Bantamweight – Michinori Tanaka vs Kyung Ho Kang
Lightweight – Kazuki Takudome vs Johnny Case
Featherweight – Maximo Blanco vs Dan Hooker
We;re under way
Maximo Blanco vs. Dan Hooker – Round 1 – Hooker was stung badly in the middle of the round by a relentless attack from Blanco. As the round was winding down, he landed a series of knees that seemed to hut Blanco badly. He fell back against the cage but survived the round. 10-9 Blanco in a close round.
Round 2 -Blanco comes outn and lands some nice right hands. He continues to throw some aggressive and hard combinatons. Hooker keeps coming forward but he’s getting stung over and over. Blanco with some more clean punches, and a good uppercut. Hooker getting some leg kicks in but Blanco is rattling off right hand after right hand. Hooker is wearing it a little bit, as he is bleeding from around the eye. Huge combination from Blanco but Hooker eats it and keeps coming. Six punches in a row, all of which appeared to land and Hooker is still walking forward. Hooker bleeding badly from the eye and they let the doctor check it, and he allows the fight to continue. Blanco turning it up and landing again and again. This is quite the beating. 10-9 Blanco.
Round 3 -Blanco with a takedown right a but hooker able to stand up. Blanco pushing him into the cage. Head kick from Hooker asthey separate. Blanco to the body and then a big uppercut after Hooker lands a few leg kicks. More uppercuts and now some elbows, Blanco is really lighting him up, but Hooker with a good knee to the body. Hooker with a head kick that doesn’t have much on it, but now a good right hand that hurt Blanco from the looks of it. Blanco landing another combination and Hooker digs hard to the body. Blanco with a series of hard jabs and now Hooker lands some good shots and a few knees to the head Hooker is really turning it up now and landing well. Blanco looks like he’s exhausted and a little bit hurt as he tries to survive. Hooker still throwing hard but there’s only ten seconds left as he lands a few knees ot the body and a big one to the head. 10-9 Hooker but Blanco should have this.
Official scorecards: 29-28 across the board. Maximo Blanco wins by unanimous decision.
Kazuki Takudome vs Johnny Case – Round 1 -It doesn’t take long for Takudome to push Case into the cage and he manages to get a trip about 90 seconds in. Case landing some elbows to the head off his back but Takudome passing to side control. Case uses the threat of a sweep to create space and get to his feet, but Takudome still has him locked up against the cage, looking for the takedown again. Case finally gets distance and throws a head kick that misses. 10-9 Takudome, but not that eventful of a round and you could make a case for Case.
Round 2 -Case eats a low blow and there’s a break in the action. Once they resume, they are standing at distance and exchanging single shots. Hard right hand lands for Case. Hard right after two good lefts by Case and Takudome is hurt. Case locks in a guillotine choke and Tokudome is out from the choke. Johnny Case wins by technical submission (guillotine choke), round 2. – They announced the result as a knockout, but I assume it will ultimately be a submission.
Michinori Tanaka vs Kyung Ho Kang – Round 1 -Kang with a really good punch and he has Tanaka hurt. Kang is on the back already as they go to the ground after a really solid knee. Tanaka scrambles out from underneath and is on top now but Kang transitions during a takedown and was on the back again. Takana spins and he’s on top again. This is fun. Kang ends the round on the back again and he takes the round 10-9.
Round 2 -Tanaka with a nice takedown after Kang landed some good combination striking. Kang looking for a kimura now, Tanaka grabs his shorts but Kang breaks the grip and then rolls him. Kang on top in the mount, looking to finish the kimura. Tanaka ends up back on top after a wild scramble. Tanaka has the back now. Very hard rounds to do play by play for.
Round 3 -Tanaka with a good leg kick and then a head kick as Kang scrambled back to his feet. They go to the ground and Tanaka is on top again in half guard. Tanaka pressuring him but Kang gets to his feet. Kang has the back now and he’s working to lock up a choke but Tanaka rolls back to top. Right hand by Tanaka as they stand up. Kang sprawls to prevent a takedown and he looks for an anaconda choke but doesn’t look like he has it and they’re back to the feet. Takedown by Tanaka is reversed and Kang has the back again. Tanaka scrambles back to top. Back to feet and they trade some big punches. Crazy fight.
Official scorecards: 29-28 Kang, 29-28 Tanaka, 29-28 Kang. Kang wins by split decision.
Hyun Gyu Lim vs Takenori Sato – Round 1 -Lim takes the center of the cage while Sato is looking to circle and throw leg kicks. Sato tries for a takedown and Lim starts landing hammerfists and elbows to the side of the head and Sato is out of it. The fight is over and Sato is so unsure of what is going on that he’s trying to fight through the ref get back at Lim. Hyun Gyu Lim wins by TKO (hammerfists and elbows), round 1.
Katsunori Kikuno vs Sam Sicilia – Round 1 -Sicilia working right hands and now a nice right from Kikuno. Big right by Sicilia. Kikuno doing a decent job of slipping punches right now. Body kicks by Sicilia. Sicilia landing a few good right hands, but Kikuno smiles at him. Knee to the chin by Sicilia backs Kikuno off from the clinch. Sicilia still landing some decent punches. Hard flurry at the end of the round by Sicilia. Should be his round 10-9.
Round 2 -Kikuno gets behind Sicilia up against the cage and now he gets the takedown and he’s on the back. Kikuno locks up the rear naked choke and it’s over. Katsunori Kikuno wins by submission (rear naked choke), round 2.
Alex Caceres vs Masanori Kanehara – Round 1 -Kanehara gets caught with a side kick. Leg kick lands for Kanehara. Kanehara with a takedown and he’s working to pass the guard. Just a lot of small punches and positional battling with Kanehara on top. They scoot toward the cage and Caceres stands up. Big right hand by Kanehara and Caceres is badly hurt. Kanehara pouring it on now. Caceres is trying to defend as Kanehara throws punches from the clinch. Caceres looks for a kimura, but nothing there. Caceres looks to have recovered now. 10-9 Kanehara.
Round 2 – Caceres with a high kick and Kanehara takes him right down. Caceres stands up and Kanehara is on his back like a backpack. Caceres can’t shake him and they’re to the ground seated upright against the cage with Kanehara still on his back. And he stays on the back until the round ends. 10-9 Kanehara.
Round 3 – Hard left by Caceres. Left hand again, but he’s just not doing enough when he needs a stoppage here. Counter lands hard for Kanehara. Nice left hand for Caceres again but Kanehara comes back. Caceres can’t finish in time and Kanehara should take an easy decision.
Official scorecards: 29-28 across the board. Masanori Kanehara wins by unanimous decision.
Kyoji Horiguchi vs Jon Delos Reyes – Round 1 -Horiguchi hurts him with a body shot but he follows him to the ground and can’t finish. Reyes is up but he eats another big punch. Reyes with a punch and a big flying knee. Horiguchi pushes him back into the cage and lands a right hand before they separate. Horiguchi hurts him and now he’s flurrying and trying to land a big shot to put him out. Reyes to the ground and Horiguchi pours on some ground and pound and it’s done. Kyoji Horiguchi wins by TKO (punches), round 1.
Kiichi Kunimoto vs Richard Walsh – Round 1 -Walsh lands a low blow right away but they start back up quickly. Walsh dropped him with a punch, Kunimoto survives but Walsh tags him again. Walsh with a big knee and he is busting Kunimoto up. Low blow on a knee by Walsh and there’s another break. Walsh tags him again after they start back up. No good offense for Kunimoto and Walsh had him hurt several times. 10-8 Walsh.
Round 2 – Kunimoto looking for the takedown. Walsh is trying to slip punches and land his own hard shots, he has Kunimoto’s face pretty busted up, but Kunimoto is doing a much better job this round.
Round 3 -Walsh is tiring a bit but he’s still landing some good shots, including some nice kicks. Kunimoto working to take the back. Kunimoto has the back and he manages to get a body triangle locked up. Kunimoto throwing some short punches to the head. Should be a Walsh decision win though.
Official scorecards: 29-28 Walsh, 29-28 Kunimoto, 29-28 Kunimoto. Kiichi Kunimoto wins by split decision. Uh…ooookay. Let’s move along from that.
Miesha Tate vs Rin Nakai – Round 1 -Nakai moving a lot early. Tate clips her with a few punches. Tate pushes her to the cage and is landing some elbows and punches against the cage before throwing Nakai to the mat. She lets her back up now. Nakai catches a kick and tries for a takedown but can’t finish it. Tate with elbows against the cage. Nakai with a takedown attempt and Tate defends very well. Big right hand by Tate and now Nakai closes distance and is looking for the takedown.
Round 2 -Tate stalking. Nakai seemed like her foot was injured when she was in the corner between rounds but she’s not showing it during the fight. Nakai catches a kick but can’t get a takedown off of it. Nakai manages to take the back now. Tate manages to get her off the back and Tate is on top in Nakai’s guard now. They’re back to the feet and Tate is doing a good job of picking her spots with her strikes and picking Nakai apart. Tate up two rounds easily.
Round 3 -Nakai takes the back quickly and gets the fight to the ground. She is on the back but can’t get anything done before Tate is back on her feet. Nakai has her pushed into the cage, but she’s just not doing anything offensively here. Tate cruises in this one.
Official scorecards: 29-28, 30-27, 30-27. Miesha Tate wins by unanimous decision.
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs Amir Sadollah – Round 1 -Amir moving and throwing some leg kicks. Head kick from Amir and he gets too close and Akiyama with a great trip takedown and he’s on top smothering and landing some short punches. Akiyama to half guard. Amir manages to stand up and he pushes Akiyama into the cage. Should be a 10-9 Akiyama round on the takedown and control.
Round 2 -Head kick lands for Amir and Akiyama tries to take him down after catching it but can’t. Amir working leg kicks now, both inside and outside. Huge right hand by Akiyama and Amir eats it as well as could be expected, though it looks like Amir’s nose was broken by the punch. Akiyama with another shot and he’s pouring it on. Amir covering up as Akiyama drops punches and elbows. Amir manages to survive the round after being in real danger.
Round 3 -Akiyama landing a right hand and avoiding a head kick from Amir. Takedown by Akiyama and he’s dropping some heavy punches from the top. Pistonlike right hands from Akiyama. He’s absolutely pouring it on with punches from the top but Amir manages to survive to the final bell. Huge performance for Akiyama who should get an easy win.
Official scorecards: 30-27 across the board. Yoshihiro Akiyama wins by unanimous decision.
Myles Jury vs Takanori Gomi – Round 1 -Gomi is stalking while Jury pops out the jab and throws a head kick that misses. Gomi defends against the takedown. Jury catches him with a right and Gomi drops. Jury follows up with some big punches and it’s over. Well, that was quick. Myles Jury wins by TKO (punches), round 1.
Roy Nelson vs. Mark Hunt – Round 1 -Heavy right by Hunt and Nelson takes it well. Nelson shoots but can’t get the takedown. Right hand just a little short for Nelson. Hunt with a poke to Nelson’s eye and there’s a break in the action. Heavy leg kick by Hunt. Hunt ducks under a right from Nelson. Big uppercut from Hunt. Hunt digs to the body and Nelson eats a right to the head. Hard leg kick by Nelson.
Round 2 -They’re still trading heavy shots but Nelson is mixing in some really heavy leg kicks. Hunt was starting to sting him a little bit and now a huge uppercut and Nelson just crumbles face forward and he’s done. That was a huge shot and it just took down the big man. Mark Hunt wins by KO (punch), round 2.