UFC 179: Aldo vs. Mendes 2 (PPV) live results, play by play and discussion

Join us tonight on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion and detailed play by play as the UFC 179: Aldo vs. Mendes 2 fight card goes off from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Longstanding featherweight champion Jose Aldo rematches fluid wrestle-boxer Chad Mendes in the main event while elite light-heavyweights Phil Davis and Glover Teixeira square off in the co-main. Rounding out the pay-per-view (PPV) card are matches pitting rib-roasting boxer Fabio Maldonado vs. Netherlander Hans Stringer, the tenacious Darren Elkins vs. explosive kickboxer Lucas Martins and elite grapplers in Beneil Dariush and Diego Ferreira.

Live results and play by play will coincide with the start of the PPV card at 10:00 p.m. ET. In the meantime, feel free to peruse this week’s MMA Vivisection for predictions and analysis on every UFC 179 match up.

UFC 179 PPV Card

Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes (UFC FW championship)

R1: Mendes starts busy with a low kick and right cross. He seems to connect when repeating the sequence but Aldo cleaves an axe of a left hook into his ribs. Aldo starts to let his hands go viciously but Mendes plugs him with a fast left hook for a flash knockdown. Aldo pops back up and looks to be fine. Mendes walks Aldo into a corner but doesn’t pull the trigger, and Aldo pushes him away. They trade kicks with Mendes going low and Aldo to the body. Lead left hook lands downstairs for Mendes.

Now they trade punches but Aldo follows up with a cracking one-two that sneaks through. Aldo connects and Mendes lands a counter simultaneously. Aldo scores with a stiff jab but takes an errant finger to the eye, and we pause while he recovers. Mendes lands an outside low kick and Aldo blisters him with a lightning-fast flurry, then plugs him with a left hook that drops him. Aldo pounces with punches and steps into full mount but Mendes recovers. Aldo lights off another scorching combination right on the horn but then tacks on another two after and it rocks Mendes. 10-9 Aldo.

R2: No mention of the late flurry — Mendes appears to be fine. He steps in with a body kick but digests a sharp low kick from Aldo. Mendes swings a wild flurry to set up a takedown and Aldo shows cat-like quickness to evade it. Now Aldo seems to have taken a shot below the belt and we pause again. We restart at the four-minute mark. Mendes lands a left body kick and Aldo answers with a low kick, causing Mendes to switch stances. He checks the next one and smiles. Aldo lands a lead right to the body but Mendes answers with a low kick and a body kick.

Stiff jab from Aldo. And another. Left body kick for Mendes, then he glances with a right to close his combo. Aldo bites into the ribs with another left hook. Outside low kick for Mendes. Lead right downstairs is there for Aldo and his right high kick is barely blocked. They trade lefts to close the round. 10-10 for no discernible advantage either way.

R3: Aldo takes another finger to the eye as Mendes is continually pawing out with open fingers, and he’s warned accordingly by referee Marc Goddard. They collide with mutual flurries on the restart, both landing. Mendes throws a switch hook and Aldo responds with a series of lunging left hooks. Aldo pops him with a left. Mendes responds with a lead left hook.

Mendes bobs under and dings Aldo with an uppercut but Aldo uppercuts him back and it stuns Mendes. Aldo explodes after Mendes and throws a flying knee as Mendes changes levels, then steps out of Mendes’ loose single leg. Mendes gets ahold of Aldo and slips behind to the rear waist lock, throwing a series of foot stomps while maintaining control. Aldo spins to face him and Mendes cracks him with a left on the clinch break. 10-9 Aldo.

R4: Outside right low kick and a left teep are there for Mendes. They trade teep kicks and Mendes whiffs with an overhand right. Aldo indicates to the ref that his eye was poked after an exchange but the ref tells him it was legal. Mendes grazes with an uppercut, then lands a kick to the shoulder. Short jab lands for Mendes and now Aldo complains about a head butt. Inside low kick for Mendes.

Aldo tags him with a one-two. Mendes’ looping lead uppercut misses. Mendes jabs and Aldo answers with a cross. Nice left-low/right-high combo from Mendes. Aldo keeps him at bay with a trio of jabs and then snaps his head back with a fourth. Aldo lands a hook-cross combo but misses with a flying knee. They trade overhand rights. 10-9 Mendes.

R5: Mendes times a double leg on an Aldo kick and puts the champ on his butt cleanly for the first time. Mendes pinches the legs to prevent the cage walk and pulls Aldo away from the cage. Aldo finds his footing, stands up and shoves Mendes away. Lead right glances off Mendes’ chin. Aldo stings with a punch and then plunges a step-in knee to the body, forcing Mendes to take a knee. Aldo gets the half back-ride but can’t secure it and they separate.

Mendes misses with an uppercut and Aldo plugs him with a hook-cross combo. And another finds the mark for the champ. Mendes ducks under a left hook and Aldo shoves him away, then complains to the ref about a low blow, but action resumes. Aldo snaps a jab and a cross through; Mendes slips in a quick right hand. 10-9 Aldo. I have it 49-47 for Aldo.

Phil Davis vs. Glover Teixeira

R1: Teixeira walks Davis down and sprawls out on his reactive takedown attempt. Teixeira looks to work his left hook in the center of the cage, stuffing another takedown easily. Davis throws a hesitant left and dives for a takedown that smacks slightly of desperation. Teixeira is yet to connect clean on the feet but Davis’ discomfort seems to increase as Teixeira shucks off his takedown attempts.

Davis clamps onto a single and Teixeira reverses briefly but Davis stays with it and picks the ankle to get him down. Davis discharges a volley of right hands from the crab ride before Teixeira can stand. Rear body lock for Davis and it’s allowing him to beat Teixeira up with busy rights while maintaining control. 10-9 Davis.

R2: Davis fires off a double jab and right cross, then shoots — he repeats the same sequence but lands the takedown this time. Teixeira reverses position and counters Davis’ single leg attempt with the front headlock, then backs off. In the center, Teixeira riskily tries to fall back for a guillotine as Davis shoots and Davis slips his head out. Glover goes to turtle and Davis starts muscling him around in the rear waist cinch again.

Teixeira pushes Davis away at the two-minute mark and they restart in the center. Teixeira’s punches seem labored from the physicality of Davis. Teixeira catches an inadvertent finger to the eye and we pause briefly. Clubbing overhand right from Teixeira, then he tries to land a running left hook as Davis circles out of trouble. Davis lands a front-leg body kick and bull-dozes Teixeira with another takedown. 10-9 Davis.

R3: Teixeira lowers his stance and shortens his punches, popping Davis with a quick flurry. Davis anticipates the next and attacks his hips but Teixeira is able to fend it off. Davis hits a duck-under double leg one-minute deep and quickly passes to mount. Teixeira spins out and Davis goes to the back ride. Teixeira gets up and Davis drags him back down with the body lock, and the sequence repeats.

Davis gets wrist control with his left and fires a few right hands to the head. Teixeira stands and breaks the body lock, then shuts down Davis’ attempt to transition into a single. They separate with 80 seconds left and Teixeira’s too exhausted to load up the money punch, and succumbs to another Davis takedown. 10-9 Davis; I have it 30-27 his way.

Fabio Maldonado vs. Hans Stringer

R1: Maldonado plants for a left hook and Stringer bowls him over with a single leg. High half guard for Stringer, using his length to smother Maldonado with a few elbows interspersed. Maldonado underhooks on the wrong side, effectively trapping him in half guard. After some methodical control, Stringer postures up and heaves down a few right elbows. Stringer threads the needle, slipping his leg out of half guard for a mount pass.

Maldonado bucks him off and spins into turtle position then stands back up. Stringer puts him right back down with a body lock throw and closes the frame on top. 10-9 Stringer.

R2: Stringer closes the gap with a cross-hook combo and locks horns with Maldonado, who’s able to work out after a brief struggle. Stringer dings Maldonado with an overhand counter. Stringer lands a light outside low kick and Maldonado waves him on, prompting a left high kick that’s blocked. As soon as Maldonado steps in, Stringer changes levels and snatches the single leg, turning the corner to complete it.

Maldonado takes a knee and sneaks out the back door when Stringer leans too far over with the rear waist lock. Stringer balls up and allows Maldonado to posture and pepper him with a prolonged volley of ground and pound. Maldonado enjoys some target practice as Stringer lies perfectly still and covers, and the hail of punches and elbows persuades the ref to intervene.

• Fabio Maldonado defeats Hans Stringer by TKO (punches and elbows) 4:06 R2

Darren Elkins vs. Lucas Martins

R1: Elkins knifes in with some distraction punches to set up a single leg, and gets it … kind of, as Martins takes a knee and stands back up. Quick right hand scores for Elkins on the clinch break. Elkins dips his head straight down dangerously on two combinations and can’t get ahold of Martins’ hips with his shot. Martins stuffs another takedown attempt comfortably but Elkins keeps his hands in his face, and Martins is reduced to all defense here.

Elkins barges into range and gets the 50-50 clinch, maintains control for a moment and then breaks the clinch with a left-right combo. Elkins keeps throwing shots and they’re not pretty, but they’re grazing or landing lightly and Martins is noticeably trigger shy. Martins lands a short knee and fires off a retreating salvo. Elkins has his shot stuffed and bails before Martins can secure the Thai plum grip. Elkins answers a Martins jab with a right. 10-9 Elkins.

R2: Martins plugs him with a left hook to open the second. Elkins ties up and bullies Martins to the fence, throwing left hands and a knee to the body with an underhook. Elkins alternates between an underhook and the single collar tie while sandwiching Martins on the fence and pestering with strikes. The uncharacteristically lethargic Martins lands two retreating punches but can’t keep Elkins off him.

Back in the clinch, Elkins fires a knee that might’ve landed low and freezes Martins on the fence with an underhook. The crowd murmurs in response to the “clingy” strategy. Martins pushes Elkins away and lands a tight uppercut and left hand, and they restart in the center. Martins wheels out a right roundhouse kick and looks to connect to the head, and possibly wobbles Elkins. Martins tries to pounce but Elkins just locks horns and puts him back on the fence. A left and right hook land for Elkins with his head buried in Martins’ chest. 10-9 Elkins.

R3: Martins finally gets a bead on Elkins head and spikes a step-in knee from distance, then clips him flush with another to the face before Elkins can put him on the fence. Martins creates enough space to land another knee and Elkins backs off. The respite is brief as Elkins puts him back on the cage seconds after they reset in the center. At the two-minute mark, the ref separates them after a prolonged clinch stalemate and the crowd boos loudly when Elkins immediately resumes the position.

The ref is a tad quicker to intervene this time and the crowd approves. Clubbing overhand right grazes for Elkins. Martins manages a half-hearted front kick before Elkins adheres himself again. A short right and a body knee are all Martins can muster before the horn sounds. 10-9 Elkins for a clean 30-27 sweep on my card.

Beneil Dariush vs. Diego Ferreira

R1: They both tangle up in a hail of quick punches a half-minute in. Ferreira whiffs with a streaking right hand. Left outside body kick from Dariush, then he fakes low and lands a kick high. Snapping outside low kick now from Dariush. Superman punch to outside low kick for Dariush, who’s looking comfortable on the feet. Sharp outside low kick with the rear leg from Dariush. Ferreira flashes his hands and throws a high kick but Dariush blocks and dodges it all.

Ferreira eats another low kick before initiating a clinch and defends a trip attempt from Dariush. Dariush circles off the fence and separates. A high, hopping side kick is thrown lazily by Ferreira, who finally bull-rushes Dariush after a kick and flails with left-right combos. Dariush changes levels on Ferreira’s next attack and takes him down, but gets caught in leg lock position after a bold flying guard pass attempt. 10-9 Dariush.

R2: Dariush flings a low kick and steps away from Ferreira’s counter flurry. Dariush shoots and doesn’t get it, but he craftily slips into the rear waist cinch and throws a knee to the leg, then a surprise high kick to break the clinch while he still had wrist control. Dariush lands another low kick while Ferreira struggles to find a semblance of effective offense.

Dariush fakes high and dives for a single leg, running the pipe to complete it. Half butterfly guard for Ferreira, then an open full guard. Dariush throws two lefts before slipping out of a loose omoplata attempt, then falls back into Ferreira’s guard with a few more lefts. Dariush clips Ferreira with two short elbows from on top. 10-9 Dariush.

R3: Ferreira finally turns it up by wading forward with a successive right-left whirlwind, then lands two short uppercuts with the single collar tie. Uchi mata from Dariush but Ferreira pops back up; he’s taken right back down by Dariush though. Closed half guard for Ferreira, looking to elevate the hips. Dariush takes a control-heavy strategy and spends a solid minute looking to pass half guard.

Ferreira bursts from his slumber and pops his hips to create space, enabling him to stand. Dariush slips behind for the waist lock and lands a knee to the thigh. Dariush holds the rear waist cinch until the horn sounds. 10-9 Dariush.