Join us tonight on Bloody Elbow for live play-by-play and discussion for UFC 187: Cormier vs. Johnson. Two belts are on the line, as Daniel Cormier faces Anthony Johnson in the main event for the vacant light heavyweight title, while Chris Weidman defends his middleweight strap vs. Vitor Belfort.
Follow the main card action at our UFC 187 main card play by play and quick results.
This is your hub for all of the play-by-play and results for the UFC 187 preliminary card, which starts off with flyweights Justin Scoggins and Josh Sampo and concludes with flyweight contenders John Dodson and Zach Makovsky. The preliminary card broadcast begins on Fight Pass at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT (due to Rose Namajunas/Nina Ansaroff being called off) and continues on Fox Sports 1 at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.
Feel free to check out this week’s MMA Vivisection for detailed analysis and predictions of the whole event. Following the completion of the preliminary card, Bloody Elbow will provide play-by-play of the pay-per-view main card.
Kid Nate is here for play-by-play duties. Here’s the official bout order for the prelims:
Fight Pass prelims (7:00 PM ET)
Justin Scoggins vs. Josh Sampo – Flyweights
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Round 1: Scoggins fires a spinning back kick right away. Sampo lands a leg kick. Scoggins with a leg kick and a front kick. Spinning kick, hook kick. Scoggins switching stances back and forth. Coming forward behind a 1-2. Sampo charges behind a combo. Scoggins fends him off. Scoggins hard straight left to the body. Sampo answers with a nice punch. Sampo struggling with the range. Sampo catches Scoggins on the chin. Leg kick from Scoggins. Hard left punch then body kick from Scoggins. Inside leg kicks from Scoggins. 10-9 Scoggins.
Round 2: Early exchanges don’t add up to much but Scoggins drops Sampo with a hook kick to the head at ~30 seconds in. Sampo hops back up. Scoggins continues to bounce in and out, peppering Sampo with a mix of straight punches and kicks to the body. Sampo charges in, briefly gets a body lock. Forces Scoggins down. They scramble. Scoggins gets back up. Sampo lands a cracking body kick. Scoggins with a body kick. Sampo trips Scoggins with an inside leg kick. Scoggins lands a counter left. Sampo shoots and Scoggins fends him off. Sampo with a superman punch to end the round. 10-9 Scoggins based on the quick knock down.
Round 3: They trade kicks at cage center. Scoggins leaping into some straight punches. Body kick from Scoggins. Sampo charges behind a combo. Gets pushed away. Forces another clinch. Scoggins gets body lock. They break. Sampo misses a head kick lands a superman punch. Scoggins with a pair of front leg side kicks. First to the body, second to the head. Sampo forces a clinch, tries to dirty box. Scoggins is out. Sampo catches a kick and gets Scoggins down. Sampo in Scoggin’s guard. Sampo working from top with elbows and punches. Scoggins using a closed guard, pretty inert from his back. Sampo forces him to the cage and Scoggins pops up and gets free. Scoggins tosses Sampo aside on another charge. Scoggins bleeding from a cut to the left brow. Scoggins gets a take down. Sampo stands. It’s over. I have it 10-9 for Sampo based on the damage done on the ground. 29-28 for Scoggins overall.
Official Result: Justin Scoggins defeats Josh Sampo via unanimous decision (30-27×3).
Follow the main card action at our UFC 187 main card play by play and quick results.
Islam Makhachev vs. Leo Kuntz – Welterweights
Round 1: Kuntz comes in for a leg kick and eats an overhand left. Kuntz lands a right in response to a Makhachev kick. Makhachev forces a clinch against the cage. Knee to the body by Makhachev. Kuntz circles away. Makhachev lands a right hook backing away. They clinch in Octagon center and Makhachev lands a sweet sweet hip toss/trip. Quickly takes Kuntz’ back. Gets the hook in. Kuntz defends and gets out the back door. Comes out swining. Makhachev forces a clinch and lands some uppercuts. Left to the body by Makhachev. High kick by Makhachev blocked. Right hook and elbow from Makhachev. Kuntz lands an inside leg kick. Kuntz misses a head kick lands a same leg side kick to the body. Makhachev forces a clinch lands some wicked dirty boxing and another take down by Makhachev. Side control. Kunzt gets on his hands and knees before the bell rings. Dominant 10-9 for Makhachev.
Round 2: Kuntz misses a pair of kicks. Eats a pair of hooks to the head. A left, clinch then two uppercuts by Makhachev. Kuntz pokes Makhachev in the eye, no time out. Hook and head kick by Makhachev. Check hook to the chin by Makhachev lands hard. Makhachev catches a stumbling Kuntz, takes him down and takes the back. Hard shots from the top. Kuntz rolls. On top now with Makhachev on his back. Makhachev gets the body triangle. Kuntz rolls to his knees. Makhachev hooks the RNC. Kuntz taps.
Official Result: Islam Makhachev defeates Leo Kuntz via submission (rear naked choke) at 2:38 of Round 2.
Fox Sports 1 prelims (8:00 PM ET)
Mike Pyle vs. Colby Covington – Welterweights
Round 1: Covington takes center cage and shoots at around the 30 second mark. Fighting for the body lock, Pyle trying to keep his underhooks Pyle spins Covington around briefly and tries to get the TD. Covington fends it off, forces Pyle’s back to the cage again and lands a knee to the nads. Pyle takes a time out. They resume at the center of the cage. Covington with a high kick. Right hand counter by Pyle. Covington charges, forces Pyle to the cage. Pyle pushes him off, eats a looping left to the temple. Back to the clinch. Pyle drops for a kimura roll. Covington stands but Pyle has the double wrist lock still and lets it go. Covington finally gets him elevated and drops Pyle. Inside Pyle’s guard. Covington with an elbow from the top. Pyle in a closed guard, legs high up near Colby’s armpits. Pyle trying to isolate an arm. It’s over. 10-9 Covington.
Round 2: Covington immediately charges, gets Pyle down. Pyle back to his feet but still in the clinch. They break. Covington lands a series of looping punches. Tags Pyle. Forces him to the cage. Covington takes his back, Pyle working a double wrist lock, loses it. Covington gets him down. Pyle in empty-half, now Covington in side control. Pyle tries for an arm bar, loses it. Now Pyle in full guard. Covington peppering Pyle’s body and head. Pyle goes for a body triangle. Lets it go. Herb Dean stands them up. Covington lands an overhand left. Pyle lands a standing knee. Covington lands an overhand left. Pyle trying to cut off the cage as the round ends. Another 10-9 for Covington.
Round 3: Pyle tries a flying knee and Covington shoots. Pyle trying for a guillotine. Covington escapes gets the take down. Back to Pyle’s guard. Some work from Covington on top. Pyle trying for a kimura. Pyle rolls Covington over. Takes full mount. Covington has his arms locked around Pyle’s back. Pyle slamming him down. Pyle takes the back. Pyle working a choke attempt but Covington rolls out of it. Covington back on top. Pyle came close but couldn’t get it done. 10-9 Pyle.
Official Result: Colby Covington defeats Mike Pyle by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27).
Follow the main card action at our UFC 187 main card play by play and quick results.
Uriah Hall vs. Rafael Natal – Middleweights
Round 1: Natal opens with a low kick right to the groin. Hall takes a time out. Replay shows it wasn’t even an inside leg kick but instead just a straight kick to the groin. They resume. Hall moving forward, throwing the punches. Natal throwing leg kicks. Hall tries a spinning kick to the body, Natal steps in and spoils it. Natal circling, circling. Hall stops and steps back. Natal lunges in. Hall with a punch-low kick combo. Front snap kick from Hall. Natal backs Hall up with an overhand. Natal shoots. Stuffed. Hall spins again. Natal throws a high kick. Natal throws a low kick. Answered with a hard high kick from Hall. Spinning back kick to the body, busted up. Natal spinning back fist misses. Hall switching stances. Natal shoots. Gets in deep. Gets Hall down for a second. Back up but Natal still has a body lock as the round ends. Very close round. 10-10 on my card.
Round 2: Hall firing high kicks from both legs. Inside leg kicks from Hall. Jabs from Hall landing. Outside leg kick from Natal. Hall lands body kick. Leg kick from Natal followed by a 1-2 to the head. Natal lands a perfect double leg. Gets on top in center cage. Brazilians in the crowd erupt. Hall gets guard. Natal landing punches to the head and body. Hall keeping Natal’s upper body mostly under control. Natal gets to half guard. Hall stands up. They’re clinched against the cage with Natal having a back body lock. Knees to the thighs. Hall escapes. Standing knee to the body from Hall. Hall slower after the time on the ground. Hall shoots and pushes Natal to the cage. Hall with a big take down but Natal pops right back up. Hall slams Natal down twice before the round ends. Natal 10-9 on my card.
Round 3: Leg kick from Hall. Another. Hall bouncing on his feet. Knee to Natal’s body. Natal with a big right hand. Hall lands a head kick. Natal shoots, gets shucked off. Leg kicks from Hall. Jabs from Hall. Natal lands a wild overhand right. Charges in for a knee tap, Hall evades it. Natal shoots. Forces a clinch. Ref breaks them up. Hall with a spinning kick. Natal charges. 10-9 Hall. It’s a tied fight on my card. Judges won’t agree.
Official Result: Rafael Natal defeats Uriah Hall via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29).
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Josh Burkman – Welterweights
Round 1: Kim charges. Burkman side steps and lands a short hook. Burkman with a leg kick. Burkman forces a clinch, had Kim up against the cage. Kim takes the back. Tries for a trip. Burkman reverses tries for a trip of his own. Kim gets the back and jumps up on Burkman’s back. Punching Burkman in the face. And they spend the rest of the fight in that same spot. 10-9 Kim.
Round 2: Kim throws a high kick. Falls on his ass. Burkman charges in firing punches. Lands a left. Kim swings, misses. Burkman lands. Burkman shoots. Stalls out. Kim hits a switch. Kim on Burkman’s back has a leg grapevined. Burkman turtled up. Kim punching away to the head with pot shots. Kim lands a hard elbow to the head. Crowd restless but Kim is utterly dominating Burkman here. Burkman stands with 10 seconds left. 10-9 Kim.
Round 3: Burkman charging forward. Lands a combo. A flying knee! Kim is hurt. Burkman eases off. Kim staggers forward. Kim fires a slow punch and a lazy front kick. Kim shoots in, takes Burkman down. Burkman gets a guillotine but doesn’t have guard. Kim in side control. Kim working for an arm triangle choke. Gets it. Burkman taps.
Official Result: Dong Hyun Kim defeats Josh Burkman via submission (arm triangle choke) at 2:13 of Round 3.
Follow the main card action at our UFC 187 main card play by play and quick results.
John Dodson vs. Zach Makovsky – Flyweights
Round 1: Some quick but inconclusive exchanges early. Makovsky lands a straight left. Makovsky shoots in. Lands to the body in the clinch. Dodson is free. Zach shoots again. Nada. Makovsky shoots. Dodson lands a body punch. Dodson with a nasty leg kick. 10-9 Makovsky.
Round 2: Makovsky lands a right. Eyepoke from Makovsky, no time out. Makovsky forces Dodson up against the cage, eats some knees. Makovsky lands a left. Dodson answers. Dodson with a left over the top. Makovsky cutting off the cage and forcing Dodson back. Dodson circles out. Uppercut by Dodson. Makovsky shoots for a knee tap, Dodson shucks him off. Dodson wings a huge left and misses badly. Makovsky lands a head kick. Makovsky catches a leg kick, almost takes Dodson down but the magician reverses and ends up on top. Dodson stands and invites Makovsky up, even gives him a hand to his feet! 10-9 Dodson to even it up.
Round 3: Big hug to open the round. Boo! Lots of feints. Lots of near misses. Dodson more dominant in center cage. Makovsky with a nice straight right. Multiple lefts. Dodson with a leg kick. Slams Makovsky. 10-9 Dodson. Sorry for bad blogging. Tornado warning here in Austin had me distracted. The storm seems to be to the north and moving away.
Official Result: John Dodson defeats Zach Makovsky via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
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