The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale live results, play by play, discussion

Join us tonight on Bloody Elbow for live results and play by play as the The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale transpires from the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada. The inaugural UFC women’s straw-weight champion will be crowned in the headliner, which pits Carla Esparza vs. Rose Namajunas.

Also on the main card: Charles Oliveira vs. Jeremy Stephens in a featherweight bout, Daron Cruickshank vs. K.J. Noons and Yancy Madeiros vs. Joe Proctor in lightweight action, and TUF 20 semifinalists Randa Markos vs. Jessica Penne.

Live results and play by play will commence with the UFC Fight Pass prelims. The full lineup and schedule follows.

TUF 20 Finale

Carla Esparza vs. Rose Namajunas (straw-weight title)

R1: Esparza lands a counter left hook and Namajunas answers with a glancing high kick. Namajunas scores with a nice jumping left switch kick but Esparza takes her down and lands a few hard rights. Namajunas scrambles free and they restart on the feet. Esparza lands a left hook, then checks the outside low kick of Namajunas. Namajunas jumps in with a knee and a right hand, then misses a spinning back fist. Esparza shoots a double and Namajunas sprawls out but takes a knee in the process. Short elbow in the clinch from Esparza.

Lead right hand is there for Namajunas, who follows another jumping switch kick with a front kick that connects to the body. Turning side kick from Namajunas is blocked. Esparza hits a reactive takedown and keeps Namajunas in place long enough to land a few strikes. Namajunas pops up but takes a combo to the face from Esparza. They clinch with Namajunas attempting an outside trip; Esparza neutralizes it and lands a knee in the clinch, the hits a double leg to close the round. 10-9 Esparza.

R2: Esparza shoots a takedown but halts it to come high with a combination. Namajunas with another jumping switch kick but it’s the follow-up right that lands. Esparza hits a double-leg takedown and stabilizes the active guard of Namajunas, then ejects amidst the threat of a triangle. Esparza counters a kick with a clean jab. Namajunas initiates a clinch and Esparza takes her down, falling into an open guard. Short forearms from on top for Esparza, which open up a pass to half guard. More forearms then facilitate a pass to full mount and Esparza flurries with punches. 10-9 Esparza.

R3: Esparza catches a kick and takes Namajunas down early. Namajunas can’t create distance with her legs and seems to give up her back rather than settle into guard. Esparza cinches on the body triangle and gets her forearm under the chin to finish with the rear-naked choke.

Charles Oliveira vs. Jeremy Stephens

R1: Oliveira follows behind a combo and clinches up with Stephens, looking for the body lock. Oliveira fluidly pulls guard and already has an arm isolated by the time he hits the ground. Stephens hoists Oliveira up and slams him but it doesn’t break Oliveira’s grip. Oliveira lands unhindered lefts to the head as Stephens has both hands trapped in fighting off the armbar. Oliveira gradually tightens the hold and extends his hips into it, straightening the arm out and causing a few winces from Stephens.

Stephens finally clears his head at the halfway mark. A short elbow from Stephens on top. Oliveira controls posture and lands one of his own. Stephens backs out and stands up but Oliveira stays attached and lands an elbow in the clinch. Stephens breaks free of the clinch and grazes with a left to the body. Clubbing right hand from Stephens bounces off Oliveira’s guard. 10-9 Oliveira.

R2: Oliveira leads with a jumping switch kick and Stephens answers with a right. Oliveira dives on a single and Stephens spears down a few elbows with his back on the cage. Oliveira drives through and finishes the takedown, landing in half guard and quickly passing to mount. Now it’s full back control with a body triangle from Oliveira, who lands punches to the head and body. Oliveira smoothly transitions into an armbar and lands a few hammer-fists after he falls back for the hold. Oliveira clears Stephens’ hand and wrenches an armbar as deep as they get, and Stephens utterly refuses to tap.

Stephens somehow works out of the hold and bombs a right hand. Oliveira stands and immediately clinches with Stephens, landing knees to the head and shoulders. Oliveira laces up a D’arce choke from the front headlock and jumps guard to tweak it. Stephens pulls his head out but gets no respite as Oliveira is snaking for another armbar shortly after. 10-8 Oliveira.

R3: Stephens plugs Oliveira in the body with a right hand. Oliveira telegraphs a takedown and pulls guard but Stephens waves him back up. Oliveira shoots again and Stephens counters with a kimura but Oliveira breaks his grip. Stephens reverses into top position and ejects to restart on the feet. Oliveira grazes the chin of Stephens with a spinning kick before clinching up. Body knee from Oliveira in the clinch. Oliveira shoots and somersaults into guard but Stephens backs off and waves him back up.

Stephens glances with a left hand but Oliveira walks through it and hits the takedown. Oliveira threads an arm through in the front headlock for another D’arce attempt and Stephens slips loose. Stephens sails down a right hand and then backs off again to let Oliveira stand. Clean one-two lands for Stephens with a minute left. Oliveira responds with a knee, then pulls guard and drags Stephens down with him. For the first time, Oliveira isn’t blindingly active off his back and it allows Stephens to level a few heavy punches and elbows. 10-9 Stephens. I have it 29-27 Oliveira.

Daron Cruickshank vs. K.J. Noons

R1: Noons lands an outside low kick but Cruickshank answers with a spinning back fist. Low kick and uppercut from Cruickshank, then left body kick. Inside thigh kick from Cruickshank. We pause for an inadvertent poke to Cruickshank’s eye. Noons throws a kick and doubles up on left hooks. Cruickshank clinches but can’t hold the body lock. Wild spinning kick from Cruickshank misses. Cruickshank stings with inside low kicks and right hands.

Cruickshank hits a quick single leg and Noons gets right back to his feet. Left hook from Noons and a front-leg side kick to the body from Cruickshank. Outside low kick scores for Cruickshank. Noons eats two right hands on his way in. Noons leads with a left hook and it glances off Cruickshank’s guard. Noons blocks a Cruickshank high kick. Cruickshank lands a stomp kick to the knee of Noons but Noons answers with a short knee in the next exchange. Cruickshank drags Noons down as the bell sounds. 10-9 Cruickshank.

R2: Cruickshank lands a jump knee but once again takes an errant finger in the eyeball from Noons. Referee Big John McCarthy doesn’t buy it until Noons backs off, wordlessly acknowledging the accidental foul. We pause as the doctor enters the cage to inspect the injury. From the looks of it, it’s a bad one. Cruickshank begrudgingly admits that he can’t see and the fight is waved off.

Yancy Medeiros vs. Joe Proctor

R1: They trade left kicks. Proctor lands an outside low kick, then another that digs in deep. Make it a third. Madeiros grazes with a left hand and lands a spinning heel kick to the body. Proctor steps into a hard leg kick that connects with the shin. Madeiros pumps a jab and a front kick but he’s unable to find his range … until he bores a scorching right hand through Proctor’s guard and it’s the best punch of the round.

Proctor lands a spinning kick to the body and pounces as Madeiros seems to indicate it landed low. They separate and restart in the center. Proctor lands a counter and Madeiros waves it off. Madeiros lands a lead left downstairs and Proctor answers with a spinning back fist. Outside low kick from Proctor. Madeiros gets sneaky with a spinning heel kick after feinting with a knee, and it plunges deep into the body of Proctor, who drops after the impact. Madeiros stays on him and cinches up a guillotine choke to force the tapout.

Randa Markos vs. Jessica Penne

R1: Markos lands a stiff left and follows behind it to clinch. She gets too aggressive with her hips and Penne hits a beautiful counter hip throw, landing on top in the half guard of Markos. Penne steps out half guard to pass into full mount; Markos immediately bucks her off and gets back to her feet but Penne hits a trip to retain top position. Penne again passes into full mount and bases down hard, then traps one of Markos’ arm in. Markos bucks her off and creates a scramble, ending up in top position.

Penne backs her off with up-kicks and catches Markos with one. Markos stacks the legs and dives into Penne’s guard, but falls right into a triangle. Markos avoids it and stands up to rain down a right but Penne craftily hits a single ankle-pick sweep and lands on top. 10-9 Penne.

R2: Markos stings Penne with quick punches in their first two exchanges, then backs her off with a Superman punch. Penne shoots and pulls guard when Markos stuffs it; Markos spears down a right hand and lands two kicks to Penne’s thigh before she can stand as well. Markos lands a counter right to the body. The feisty Markos continues to build momentum with fast and reactive flurries. Markos unloads a six-punch combo, then plasters Penne with a straight right.

Lead right glances for Penne, who then has a kick caught and converted to a takedown by Markos. Brief mount for Markos until Penne back-rolls out of it and assumes top position. Penne in half guard while Markos bounces short rights off her ribs. Penne postures up and throws a few strikes with 15 seconds left. 10-9 Markos.

R3: Markos lands a spinning heel kick to the abdomen and follows with a right hand. Markos’ spinning back fist grazes and Penne lands a right cross. Hard counter uppercut scores for Markos. Penne lands a clean right over the top. Lead uppercut is there for Markos. Markos whiffs on a spinning back fist but connects on a counter right.

Penne changes levels and gets deep on a double leg, finishing it. Closed guard for Markos with her head on the fence. Short left forearm for Penne. Markos goes for an armbar and Penne stands up and slips her head out, falling into a loose rear-naked choke, but she’s out of position and Markos escapes. Penne transitions into full mount and settles for north-south position due to the scrambling of Markos. Markos slyly ties on an inverted triangle that’s deep, but Penne is able to post the trapped arm to alleviate the pressure. 10-10 for evenly effective offense. I have it a draw.

FOX Sports 1 Prelims

Lisa Ellis vs. Felice Herrig

R1: Ellis hits a nice head-and-arm throw to open the round, then cinches on an elbow-lift guillotine as Herrig is escaping. Ellis torques the hold for some time until Herrig valiantly explodes forward and hits a takedown. High half guard for Herrig, looking to pass. Ellis times Herrig’s pass attempt and bucks her off for a sweep, but falls into a deep triangle from Herrig shortly after. Herrig uses it to sweep into a mounted triangle/armbar, then falls back to wrench the triangle by pulling on Ellis’ head.

Ellis guts it out but quickly sacrifices top position by falling back for a guillotine. Herrig gets on top but she’s greeted by two back-elbows from Ellis, who’s looking to set up a triangle. Ellis transitions from the triangle into an armbar, then into a leg lock attempt. Smart defensive grappling allows Herrig to survive. Herrig with a short left elbow in a high half guard. 10-10.

R2: Ellis hits the same head-and-arm throw early but Herrig reverses it this time, falling into the half guard of Ellis. Ellis rolls onto a knee and hits a beautiful counter double leg, but loses her base and gets swept right back by Herrig. Herrig peels her leg out and mounts Ellis, then takes her back when she spins out. Herrig fishes for the rear-naked choke but settles for back control with both hooks in after Ellis almost slips out the back door. Herrig bravely pursues an armbar from back control and Ellis tripods her way out of it.

Herrig bursts into a double triangle as Ellis slips out and somehow uses it to sweep. From the top, Herrig switches to an armbar and forces Ellis to tap. Exciting, technical grappling there on both sides.

Heather Jo Clark vs. Bec Rawlings

R1: They collide in the center with Rawlings throwing knees from the double collar tie. Sharp outside low kick lands for Rawlings. Then another. Rawlings at least glances with a big right but Clark bowls her over with a double-leg takedown. Rawlings rolls into an armbar and Clark defends, threatening to take the back and landing a right hand. Clark grazes with a knee to the face as Rawlings struggles to turn into Clark. She succeeds and clears space for a knee with a cross-face.

Clark keeps her on the fence with an underhook but isn’t offering much offense. They’re separated by the ref but quickly tie up again after the restart with Clark looking for a hip throw. Rawlings scores with a hard, short punch before Clark adheres herself again with a smothering clinch. They both lands shots in the clinch, then Clark connects with a short elbow and Rawlings rattles off a burst of her own. Rawlings hits a counter hip throw and falls into scarf hold position; Clark works a back-take but time runs out. 10-10 for even offense.

R2: They both come out swinging tight combos. Rawlings lands an outside low kick and Clark scores with a right. They accidentally clash heads in the next exchange but it goes unnoticed. Rawlings gets popped with a right cross while throwing a stomp kick to the knee. Lead left hook for Rawlings and Clark takes her down with a body lock, falling into side control. Short elbows from Clark on top. Rawlings tries to spin out and Clark takes her back with one hook in.

Rawlings gets double wrist control and nearly spins out but Clark holds on to back mount, now with both hooks in. Clark fishes for a rear-naked choke but settles to wrench a neck crank instead. Rawlings slips her head out and, with a minute left, Clark starts to isolate an arm from back control. Rawlings senses the danger and turtles, surviving the round. 10-8 Clark — Rawlings was 100% defense for the bulk of the round.

R3: Rawlings heaves both hands in Clark’s face with an aggressive flurry. Rawlings persists with a combination and follows with an elbow upstairs. Clark weathers the storm but appears a bit slower and fatigued. Rawlings clinches up to the chagrin of her corner and Clark puts her on the fence to stall the change in momentum. Rawlings breaks free and lets her hands go but Clark reattaches immediately.

Rawlings pushes Clark away and lands a knee downstairs. Clark continues the control-only strategy until the ref intervenes. Rawlings leads with a knee to the face and follows with a right hand. Clark glances with a right but Rawlings lands a short burst in return. Clark clinches up but Rawlings’ elbows interrupt her head-and-arm throw attempt. Clark glances with a right, then backs Rawlings up with a charging three-punch combo. Short elbows from Rawlings with her back on the cage. Rawlings separates and throws a knee and a right hand. 10-9 Rawlings. I have it an unconventional 29-27 for Clark.

Joanne Calderwood vs. Seo Hee Ham

R1: Calderwood pesters with various kicks from outside, exploiting her range advantage. Sharp inside low kick for Calderwood. Ham answers with a low kick and Calderwood scores with a side kick. Ham throws a quick high kick that Calderwood barely gets a glove in front of. Right hook and left kick for Calderwood, then a one-two. Ham lands a straight left but Calderwood follows with a one-two.

Left high kick from Calderwood is partially blocked. Ham looks for the lead left downstairs; Calderwood misses with a spinning back elbow. Calderwood lands a hard spinning heel kick to the hip. Ham clinches up with the larger Calderwood and succeeds in keeping her on the fence. Calderwood with a body knee to make enough space to spin off the cage, though Ham glances with a left on the exit. Calderwood snaps Ham’s head back with a shot. Calderwood gets lazy with her left and Ham plugs her with a counter left. Calderwood lands two knees with the double collar tie and puts Ham on the fence, landing a knee downstairs. Ham lands a clean left to close the frame. 10-9 Calderwood.

R2: Ham lands a left and Calderwood answers with a short right, then a knee in the next exchange. Calderwood evades a Ham flurry and lands a low kick followed by a snapping left hand. Sharp right cross is there for Calderwood, who seems to be finding her rhythm. Ham glances with a quick left. Calderwood throws a punch/kick combo and closes it with a short horizontal elbow.

Ham zings in a few quick lefts, leaving Calderwood with a bloody nose. They clinch up and Calderwood moves behind Ham, looking for the rear waist lock; after a short struggle, she gets it. Hard knee upstairs from Calderwood that just misses Ham’s head as she spins to face Calderwood. They separate and Ham slices through Calderwood’s guard with more fast lefts. Ham lands the left cross again and Calderwood clinches, hitting a rear-waist cinch takedown at the bell. 10-9 Ham for the cleaner strikes.

R3: Calderwood slings an overhand right and lands a side kick to the body, then puts Ham on the fence. Short knees to the thigh from Calderwood, then one to the body. They separate and Calderwood lobs a right hook and then scores with a body knee after locking horns with Ham. Calderwood looks for a high-crotch takedown but lets it go to throw more knees with Ham’s back on the fence. Short elbow lands for Calderwood, then a knee with strong head control.

Ham tries to scurry free but Calderwood keeps her on the fence, then steps back to throw strikes. Calderwood lets her hands go and then plasters Ham with a left front kick to the face, finishing the sequence with a body-lock takedown. She lands in side control and gets into arm-triangle position, then switches into a mount pass. Ham defends and Calderwood goes back to side mount, then takes Ham’s back and puts both hooks in. Calderwood finishes the round throwing lefts to the head from back control.

Angela Magana vs. Tecia Torres

R1: They trade left low kicks. Magana throws a front kick and Torres comes high with a one-two. Three-punch combo from Torres and Magana lands a low kick as Torres ejects from the pocket. Double right hands from Torres with the second landing upstairs. They both score with rights as Torres presses forward but Torres gets the better of the next exchange. Magana lands a short knee to the thigh that Torres nearly counters with a right.

Side kick to the body from Torres, then a right. They trade inside low kicks. Torres flashes her hand and briefly drops Magana with the quick flurry. Magana pops back up and forces a clinch but Torres fights her way loose. Torres continues to pressure with punches. Magana lands a counter right and Torres answers with a hard straight left to the face. 10-9 Torres.

R2: Magana is warier of Torres’ wheelhouse and stays outside, whiffing with a spinning back kick. Torres loosens a fast combo but Magana blocks and sidesteps. Torres glances with her next combo and Magana lands a body knee as they tie up. They break shortly after. Magana with two kicks from outside but she gets tagged with another Torres right in the pocket. Torres just misses with a left high kick.

Torres rushes in with punches and Magana lands a clean knee to the body. Lead right is there for Torres. Hook/cross combo from Torres, who flings right hands while scurrying away from Magana’s takedown attempt. Another hook/cross flurry from Torres, who then thuds a right hand to the face of Magana and it stuns her. Torres closes the frame with another snapping right to the face. 10-9 Torres.

R3: Torres is methodical to start but connects on a clean combo less than a minute in. Torres unbolts another quick succession of lefts and rights, finding the mark on several punches. Front-leg side kick to the gut from Torres. Magana is content to throw half-hearted counters and circle out while Torres attacks with controlled striking bursts. Torres lands another right and then puts Magana off-balance with a hard side kick to the body.

Torres lands a three-punch combo and follows with a high kick, which connects clean with the foot. Magana is yet to impose or even threaten with any notable offense. Torres repeats the three-punch/high kick sequence and then pours it on with more punches as Magana covers. Front kick to the body for Torres, then a takedown to end the round. 10-8 Torres for a 30-26 her way overall.

Fight Pass Prelims

Alex Chambers vs. Aisling Daly

R1: Chambers opens with an inside low kick and a short right as Daly’s coming in. They clinch and Chambers circles Daly onto the cage; Daly circles off and they split. Chambers slips in a right hand and catches Daly off-guard with a takedown. Daly gets double wrist control and gradually swivels her hips into an armbar. Daly tries to go belly-down, then rolls onto her back, still in armbar position. Chambers is relegated to hand-fighting her way out and surprisingly slips free.

Daly quickly passes to full mount. Chamers tries to stuff a leg in and retain half guard but Daly goes high in mount to prevent it, all the while adding in short right and left hands. Daly switches to side control but Chambers escapes as Daly tries to isolate an arm. Daly puts Chambers on the fence and hits an outside trip, again passing to mount immediately. Chambers tries to roll out but gets her arm caught and Daly falls back to wrench it and finishes with a bent-arm armbar.

Angela Hill vs. Emily Kagan

R1: Kagan clinches up behind a wave of straight lefts and puts Hill on the fence. Hill nearly counters with a throw and catches Kagan with a knee to the face as she’s regaining her balance. They separate and Kagan glances with a lead uppercut, then another in the next exchange. Hill responds with a flurry that closes with a nice leg kick, and then catches Kagan with a right when they re-engage. Kagan puts Hill back on the fence with the body lock.

Hill lands a knee and circles off, lands a left and drills Kagan with two stiff rights. Hill tags Kagan with another right cross before Kagan puts her back on the cage, landing a left hook after separating. Hill catches Kagan’s knee and heaves a right, then drops Kagan with a big right cross. Kagan is back up quickly but now it’s Hill sealing her on the fence and pouring on the offense. Hill thuds a heavy knee into Kagan’s face and it opens a cut, and Hill pounces with more punches and knees until the bell sounds. Arguably a 10-8 but I’ll go 10-9 Hill.

R2: They exchange left hands at close range, then mid-range roundhouse kicks. Kagan gets countered by a Hill right while throwing a kick and Hill punches her way into the clinch, landing a knee and right to the head. Kagan circles off and tries to punch but immediately eats another sharp knee to the face. Hill flurries with a vicious stream of punches, knees and elbows in the clinch. Kagan pushes her way off the fence but takes a knee to the body.

Kagan puts Hill on the cage and grapevines the outside leg and is unable to work a trip or get behind Hill, but it does stifle Hill’s frenetic offense … briefly. Hill cross-faces to make space and explodes into another punch/knee barrage. Kagan clinches to stem the tide but Hill breaks loose and opens her up even more with another knee to the head. Kagan, showing a huge heart, escapes out into open space and they end the frame trading. 10-8 Hill.

R3: Hill slips a body kick in under Kagan’s ribs. Kagan comes forward with punches but can’t follow up with a clinch. Kagan scores with a left body kick but takes a right hand in return. Hill puts Kagan back on the fence, looking for a high-crotch takedown. Hill bails on it to throw another knee, then lands three more to the ribs at close range. They separate and Hill keeps more right hands in Kagan’s face, then has a left high kick blocked.

Kagan, still game, covers up and circles Hill onto the fence, seeking a single leg. Kagan stays on it and turns the corner once, then gets Hill down after hitting a new angle. Hill pops back up but Kagan persists and puts her on her back. Hill shrimps out and starts to work Kagan over with more knees to the body in the clinch. Hill with a guard-breaking horizontal elbow and more punishment via knees until the bell sounds. 10-9 Hill for a 30-26 her way on my card.

• Angela Hill defeats Emily Kagan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)