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[ads1]UFC 159: JONES vs SONNEN takes place this evening at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and is headlined with a light heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen. Middleweights Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher will clash in the co-main event, and the third women’s bout in UFC history takes place as Sara McMann and Sheila Gaff clash at bantamweight.
The action kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PT) on Facebook, moves to FX at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT), with main card action kicking off on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT).
ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) will provide LIVE results and play-by-play commentary for UFC 159. While waiting for the fights to start, check out our UFC 159 staff picks, win a free copy of Georges St-Pierre’s new book in our UFC 159 pick-em contest, see UFC 159 weigh-in photos and/or check out the Countdown to UFC 159 video.
UFC 159 quick results:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
- Champ Jon Jones def. Chael Sonnen by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (4:33) – for light-heavyweight title
- Michael Bisping def. Alan Belcher by technical decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Roy Nelson def. Cheick Kongo by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (2:03)
- Phil Davis def. Vinny Magalhaes by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Pat Healy def. Jim Miller by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 3 (4:02)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 8 p.m. ET)
- Rustam Khabilov def. Yancy Medeiros by TKO (injury) Rd 1 (2:32)
- Ovince St. Preux def. Gian Villante by majority technical decision (30-28, 30-29, 29-29)
- Sara McMann def. Sheila Gaff by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (4:06)
- Bryan Caraway def. Johnny Bedford by submission (guillotine choke) Rd 3 (4:44)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 6:30 p.m. ET)
- Cody McKenzie def. Leonard Garcia by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Nick Catone (173) vs. James Head (170.25)- Steven Siler def. Kurt Holobaugh by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC 159 play-by-play:
Kurt Holobaugh vs. Steven Siler
Round 1 – Leg kick inside from Siler. They trade high kicks. Right to body from Siler. Thai plum from Siler, body shots from Holobaugh, presses Siler to cage. Siler still holding plum, lands some knees to body. They separate and reset. Leg kick exchange. Siler clinches, body shots from Holobaugh. Knees from Siler, elbow, drops levels and gets a beautiful double leg. Holobaugh gives up the back and Siler locks in the hooks and landing ground and pound. Siler looking very strong to start. Holobaugh on his knees as Siler rides his back landing punches. Holobaugh stands up hunched over with Siler still on him looking for the rear naked choke. 90 seconds left. Holobaugh throwing blind punches, he dives and rolls, Siler stays on him, locks up the choke but Holobaugh survives. Back to his knees and Siler lands more punches before the bell. That’s pretty much a 10-8 round for Siler as I see it.
Round 2 -Touch gloves, Holobaugh comes out swinging. Siler shoots in but gets caught in a guillotine. Siler escapes and is now on top inside guard. Nice elbows to the top of the head from Holobaugh. Siler stands, Holobaugh gets up and takes him down, now on top inside guard. He postures up, Siler trips him, gets to his feet. Big right hand from Holobaugh hurts Siler, goes for a guillotine, readjusts, Siler escapes, lands a big upkick as Holobaugh stands over him. Holobaugh dives in with a punch, lands some punches and elbows. Siler with full guard. Holobaugh picks him up for a little slam but Siler keeps him in guard. Siler with a high guard. Short elbows from Holobaugh and Siler appears to be bleeding. Holobaugh stands up and Siler follows. One two from Siler. A right hand, knee. Leg kick from Holobaugh. Again. They trade rights. Siler shoots, ends up on bottom with Holobaugh punching his leg. I have it 10-9 Holobaugh.
Round 3 – Touch gloves. Leg kick Holobaugh, another, another and another and another. One two Siler. Right from Holobaugh. Siler checks a leg kick. Nice one two punch, Thai plum, body shots from Holobaugh. Then a knee. Siler presses him to the cage. Holobaugh turns him around, lands knees and punches to the body. Elbow. Siler turns him around. Holobaugh turns him around. Siler seems to be fading. Holobaugh staying busy. Knee and a big right from Siler, left hook. Nice right and a knee, front kick. Holobaugh goes for a headlock hip toss and ends up on the bottom with Siler on his back with both hooks in with 2 minutes to go. Siler with a body triangle and looking for the choke/neck crank. Holobaugh gets his feet on the cage. Siler controlling him, trying to soften him up. Holobaugh gets to his knees and Siler stays on him, still landing punches and looking for the choke. Siler landing a lot of punches before the bell. Good comeback by Siler in the third to take the round 10-9 and the fight 29-27 as I see it (10-8 first round).
OFFICIAL RESULT: Steven Siler def. Kurt Holobaugh by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Leonard Garcia vs. Cody McKenzie
Round 1 – Cody rushes out to the center. Shoots, gets the single leg takedown. Garcia gets to his feet but Cody gets a body lock from the back and puts him back down, now has his back with one hook in, now both hooks. Body triangle. Cody softening him up and looking for the choke. Cody goes for the choke, Garcia pushes the arm off and gets to a knee. Cody being relentless with punches. Goes for a neck crank but lets it go and keeps with the punches. Garcia to his knees and feet. Cody stays on his back and relentless with punches and the body triangle. Garcia squirming and now trying to spin around for top position but Cody stops it and has top control. Garcia looks for his arm and has full guard. Cody passes to half guard, now side mount. Cody lands a couple shots, looking for the guillotine. Scramble, Garcia eats a couple big shots. Cody goes for a triangle from the top, they roll with under 10 seconds and Garcia was very likely just saved by the bell. 10-9 for McKenzie.
Round 2 – No glove touch. High kick from cody. Garcia staying low. Cody shoots, Garcia escapes a single. Cody presses him to the cage, drops levels and gets Garcia to his butt. Garcia gets to a knee, now his feet. They reset in the center. Body kick and a one two from Garcia. Nice right jab from Cody. Left hook from Garcia. Cody presses him to the cage. Garcia holding a guillotine for a moment. Scramble and Cody pulls him to the ground, taking his back while locking up a body triangle. Cody softening him up with punches, they roll. Garcia is just getting dominated on the ground. Despite the fact he’s a BJJ brown belt he is out-matched here. Cody landing some hard punches while on Garcia’s back. Garcia has been warned several times about grabbing Cody’s glove. Garcia tries to spin around but is unable and uses a TON of energy squirming. 10-9 McKenzie.
Round 3 – Garcia comes out quick, misses a one two. Head kick. Stuffs a shot. Misses a spinning backfist. cody shoots, Garcia avoids it. Garcia winging punches. Cody throwing some punches and kicks, nothing landed. Eats a head kick from Garcia. Nice right from Garcia and Cody stumbles. Cody looks for the clinch. Cody sticks his tongue out at Garcia taunting him, lands a couple jabs. Garcia throwing big heat and flailing. Cody landing some nice jabs and taunting. Knee from Cody to the body. Nice jab from Cody. Front kick. Cody avoiding Garcia’s strikes for the most part. He can’t land anything it seems. Leg kick from Cody. Cody staying very calm and relaxed. Cody shoots and gets a single leg trip. Under a minute to go. Cody on top in half guard, drops some elbows. Garcia tries to escape, gives u his back before the bell. 10-9 and 30-27 for McKenzie.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Cody McKenzie def. Leonard Garcia by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
I sure am curious how any judge scored a round for Garcia. Seems unthinkable.
Johnny Bedford vs. Bryan Caraway
Round 1 – Touch gloves. Left hook by Caraway. Misses a couple others, shoots, stuffed. Shoots, stuffed, takes a knee from Bedford. Right from Caraway. Jab from Bedford. Caraway keeps looking for the left hook. Brief clinch. Left jab from Caraway. Front kick. One two from Bedford. Shoots, stuffed. Caraway takes his back, drags Bedford to the ground with both hooks in. Caraway softening him up with punches. Bedford escapes to his feet. They reset with 90 seconds to go. Jab from Caraway. Nice kick to the body from Bedford. Nice right from Bedford. Nice uppercut from Caraway. Clinch, knee from Bedford, lands a big right hand over the top. Caraway shoots, gets a single leg takedown before the bell. I’ve got it 10-9 Caraway.
Round 2 – Caraway shoots, stuffed. Stuffed again. Clinch, uppercut from Caraway. Nice right from Bedford, followed by a knee. Clinch, uppercut from Caraway. Left from Bedford, right, then a leg kick. Beautiful combo. Caraway shoots, stuffed. Big leg kick from Bedford, swinging with heat with his punches. Nice clinch, uppercut from Caraway. Shot is stuffed again by Bedford. Caraway finally gets a double leg. Caraway on top in half guard and landing elbows to the body and side of the head. Caraway postures up with punches before the bell. 10-9 Caraway.
Round 3 – Left hook from Caraway, leg kick from Bedford. Jab from Caraway. Bedford fires back with a one two. Caraway shoots, stuffed, lands an uppercut on the break. Caraway shoots again. Bedford defends, pushes through and gets Bedford down. Bedford goes for the armbar, Caraway steps over and escapes, now on top inside guard, moves to half guard. Under 2 minutes to go. Couple body shots from Caraway, couple to the face and staying busy. Caraway maintains top control, looks for a guillotine, drops back with it, readjusts and Bedford taps out. Not too damn bad on six days notice.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Bryan Caraway def. Johnny Bedford by submission (guillotine choke) Rd 3 (4:44)
Sheila Gaff vs. Sara McMann
Round 1 – Gaff rushes to the center and immediately gets put on her back. That was easy. McMann inside full guard landing body shots. Gaff holding her neck close in so she can’t posture up very well. Ref stands them up, clinch, knees to body from Gaff. McMann fighting in the clinch looking for the takedown. Looks like she was trying to go for a guillotine and ends up on bottom. McMann has her in a crucifix from the top and pounds her out. Elementary.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Sara McMann def. Sheila Gaff by TKO (punches) Rd 1 (4:06)
Ovince St. Preux vs. Gian Villante
Round 1 – Big inside leg kick from Villante. High kick from OSP, inside leg kick. Body kick. Villante catches it, tries to dump him, presses him to the cage. Looking for the single. Villante lifts his leg up high, OSP keeps up. Villante pressing him to the cage, backs up. Nice straight left. Front kick. Front kick from Villante, leg kick. One two three from OSP. High kick from Villante is checked. OSP staggers Villante with a big punch combo. He clinches up, looks at clock. OSP with some body shots in the clinch. OSP pressing him to the cage, backs out. Big left hook. Punch combo, knee from OSP as Villante looks for the takedown. OSP defends. Villante backs out. Nice left from OSP. Villante shows the ref his tape is loose and the ref calls time to cut it. OSP shoots in, stuffed. Presses him to the cage, knee from Villante and an elbow on the break. Big inside leg kick. High kick from Villante blocked. Right hook from OSP, high kick checked. 10-9 Ovince.
Round 2 – Leg kick from Villante catches OSP throwing a kick at the same time and it trips OSP. Bog round kick from OSP to the forearm. Straight left from OSP. Front kick. Leg kick. Big inside leg kick from OSP. Again. One two punch from OSP. Another inside leg kick from Villante. Body shot from OSP. Big left hand. Inside leg kick, one two punch. Inside leg kick. OSP shoots, stuffed, Villante holding him in a front headlock, backs out with a one two. Big leg kick. Nice left from Villante. Big leg kick from Villante. Nice left from OSP. One minute to go. Big leg kick from Villante. Both guys have slowed. Left to body right to head from OSP. He takes an eye poke but ref didn’t see it. Leg kick Villante. Nice right from Villante before the bell. Villante 10-9 as I see it.
Round 3 – Rogan thinks OSP has had an adrenaline dump. Keep in mind neither guy has fought in over eight months as well. UFC debuts. I’d be surprised if they didn’t have an adrenaline dump. Nice leg kicks from Villante. OSP lands counter left as Villante rushes in. He takes an eye poke. The ref asks him if he can see and he asks him immediately if he can see. Villante said no, because he immediately took an eye poke duh! So referee Kevin Mulhall just ruined the debut for two guys who have been waiting for months and months and months for this opportunity and stops this fight. How ridiculous can you get? He literally gave him NO TIME to recover. And 5 seconds later he was fine. I’m so mad right now. To be fair Mulhall may have been following the rules by the letter, but that’s a ridiculous rule to give a guy no amount of time to recover from an accidental eye poke.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ovince St. Preux def. Gian Villante by majority technical decision (30-28, 30-29, 29-29)
Rustam Khabilov vs. Yancy Medeiros
Round 1 – Leg kick from Medeiros. Right hand. Leg kick from Medeiros is caught, Khabilov takes him down. Scamble, Medeiros is up, Khabilov gets a takedown but Medeiros gets back to his feet. Medeiros dislocates (or breaks) his thumb and the bout is stopped by the referee. Not good. Not good for FX prelims but this is live sports people. That’s what happens.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Rustam Khabilov def. Yancy Medeiros by TKO (injury) Rd 1 (2:32)
Pat Healy vs. Jim Miller
Round 1 – Left from Miller. Clinch, separate. Left to body, inside leg kick from Miller. Nice straight left from Miller. Thai plum and elbow from Miller. Healy pressing forward, inside leg kick. Clinch, body shot from Miller. Big inside leg kick. One two from Miller, clinch, trip takedown from Miller after taking a knee to the body. Healy looking for an arm. Miller stays on him as they scramble. Miller looking for an armbar. They roll. Healy gets free and to his feet. Clinch, knee to body from Healy. Big inside leg kick from Miller. Body kick Healy. He shoots in, double leg takedown. Inside Miller’s full guard. Healy lands some big right hands as Miller looks for a leg. Healy rides his back as they get to their feet. Miller looks for a kimura and gets suplexed. Healy looking for a choke but Miller spins around and has top control, Miller lands a few big punches and the bell saves Healy. 10-9 Miller.
Round 2 – Left hand from Healy, right hook. Body kick, shoots, stuffed. Clinched, he trips Miller, back up, clinch. Elbow from Healy on the break. Leg kick Miller. clinch, knee from Healy. Miller presses him to the cage. Lands a nice elbow. Healy puts him on his back. He stacks him and takes top control with punches. Miller looking for an arm. Healy escapes and lands a nice elbow. Healy landing nice ground and pound wearing Miller down. Miller looks for a leg but pays for it with punches and elbows. Miller gets to his knee and Healy jumps on his back with one hook in, looks for the choke, Miller gets free but is mounted and taking punches. Miller looking for a choke, Healy stands pressing Miller to the cage, lands some punches and a knee to the body before the bell. 10-9 Healy.
Round 3 – Right hand from Healy. Right hook from Miller. Healy shoots, stuffed. They exchange punches, clinch, knee from Healy. Nice inside leg kick from Miller trips Healy to the ground. Nice big one two from Healy, presses him to the cage, knee to the face and puts Miller on his back. Healy overwhelming him and imposing his will on Miller. Healy on top in half guard dropping elbows and punches. Miller with mission control. Healy continues the assault as Miller opens his guard. Miller gets to his knees and Healy jumps on his back, both hooks in, they roll and Pat Healy chokes Jim Miller out — no tap and Miller takes a nap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Pat Healy def. Jim Miller by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 3 (4:02)
Bruce Buffer accidentally calls Jim Miller the winner. He quickly corrects himself. It happens. He is human after all. A playboy, but human.
Phil Davis vs. Vinny Magalhaes
Round 1 – Leg kick from Vinny. Right to body from Davis. Leg kick Vinny. Good punch defense. using nice high kicks, blocked by Davis. Clinch. Davis pushes him off. Leg kick Vinny. Davis rocks him with a high kick. Vinny is hurt but catches his breath. Front kick from Davis. Vinny seems recovered. Davis let him off the hook a bit. Vinny catches a kick and takes Davis down, jumps on his back. One hook in. They trade punches. Leg kick Vinny. Nice jab and uppercut from Davis. Leg kick from Vinny. Overhand right from Vinny. Leg kick from Vinny, again. High kick. One two from Davis. 10-9 Davis.
Round 2 – Right hand from Vinny as Davis comes in with punches. Leg kick Vinny. Right from Davis. Davis with a body lock looking for the takedown. Vinny tries to pull guard. Davis stands up and lets Vinny up. Nice right from Davis, left to follow. Vinny with a leg kick. Right hand from Davis, working the jab. Left jab, right high kick from Vinny. Big leg kick from Vinny. Inside this time. Davis staying busy with the punches. Jab. Nice double jab. Another jab. Boos from the crowd. Davis catches a leg kick, dumps Vinny on his back. Lets him up. Big right to the body from Davis. Inside leg kick, outside leg kick from Vinny. Double jabs from Davis. His boxing is looking nice. Stiff jab. Vinny with very little to no head movement. He shoots, stuffed. Jab from Davis. Two more. 10-9 Davis.
Round 3 – Vinny knows he’s down two rounds. His coach tells him he needs to take Davis down. Easier said than done. Nice jab from Davis. One two. Left from Vinny. Vinny being very timid. He tries to pull guard but Davis declines to go with him. Davis backs him up with big punches against the cage. Keeping the pressure on. Overhand right. Crowd boos. Right hand from Davis. Jab. Body shot from Davis. Leg kick Vinny, again. Body shot from Davis, right hand. 2 minutes to go. Right hand from Davis, one two. Leg kick from Vinny. Vinny shoots and grabs at air. Leg kick from Vinny. Boos at what may be perceived as a sparring round. Vinny comes over and shakes his hand afterward.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Phil Davis def. Vinny Magalhaes by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
How could one judge score any round for Vinny — no idea.
Cheick Kongo vs. Roy Nelson
Round 1 – Roy catches a leg kick, pushes Kongo to the cage. Knee from Kongo. They trade knees. Knee to body from Kongo. Roy with a body lock. They spin a 360. Ref separates them and this makes Rogan mad, “Kevin what are you doing, let them work,” he says. Kongo throws a leg kick and he lands a huge counter overhand right that flattens Kongo to the canvas with one shot. Nelson follows up with an uppercut while Kongo’s sitting up, Kongo goes face down and out. Kongo is asleep. Nelson hops on the cage for his belly rub celebration. Stay tuned for the GIF. Nelson says he wants a shot at the belt.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Roy Nelson def. Cheick Kongo by knockout (punches) Rd 1 (2:03)
Alan Belcher vs. Michael Bisping
Round 1 – They cut Belcher’s ankle wraps off. Even though they were signed by the commission. Leg kick from Bisping checked. Side kick to thigh from Belcher. Body kick from Belcher. Low kick from Belcher. Leg kick Belcher. Body kick. Leg kick from Bisping. Left jab from Belcher. Body kick from Bisping. High kick from Belcher blocked. Leg kick Bisping. Leg kick Belcher. Leg kick overhand right, leg kick. Nice right. Leg kick Bisping, right hand. Right hand backs Bisping up. Bisping takes a poke in the eye. He’s okay. Body jab from Belcher. Body kick and he slips to the ground. Leg kick from Bisping. Body kick Belcher. Jab from Bisping. Belcher shoots, stuffed, eats a right hand on the break. 10-9 Bisping.
Round 2 – Belcher comes out quickly. Left from Bisping. Nice right. Leg kick. Leg kick Belcher. Jab from Bisping. Big leg kick from Bisping. Belcher looks flat. Right hand from Bisping. Leg kick. Leg kick. Leg kick. Bisping counters a right with a nice combo. Nice right from Bisping. Another. Leg kick. Right hand, high kick from Bisping. Nice jab from Bisping. Leg kick from Belcher. Leg kick Bisping. Boos from the crowd. Big right from Bisping. Leg kick. He’s being a LOT busier than Belcher. Huge left from Bisping. Left hand from Belcher. Right hand. Couple jabs from Bisping. He unloads a nice combo in the pocket. All Bisping 10-9.
Round 3 – Belcher comes out swinging and Bisping just steps aside and lets him flail. Right from Bisping. Big right from Bisping. Big leg kick. Big right. Belcher may have just gotten too emotional for this fight because he’s getting picked apart, has his hands down, looks like he’s sparring… lazily. Overhand right from Bisping. Left head kick. Jab from Bisping. Body kick Belcher. Left to body. One two Bisping. Leg kick, right hand. Right from Belcher. Big right from Bisping, again. Nice combo from Bisping, staying with a very high pace. Leg kick. Belcher shoots from the outside, stuffed easily, Bisping pushes him to the cage. Belcher backs out. Nice one two from Bisping. Belcher takes a poke in the eye and falls to the ground covering up. He’s had a detached retina before. His eyeball is bleeding. They shake hands. Two fights ruined tonight by eye pokes. There wasn’t much time left anyway and it wouldn’t have probably changed much. Still sucks but not so bad.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Michael Bisping def. Alan Belcher by technical decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
There is one ref that’s clearly crazy tonight.
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship:
Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen
Round 1 – They touch gloves but don’t look in each other’s eyes. Just like weigh ins. Sonnen comes out quick and Jones puts Sonnen on his back. Sonnens up and landing uppercuts in the clinch. Jones shoots, stuffed. He presses Sonnen to the cage. Body shots from Sonnen. Jones drops levels and puts Sonnen on his back. Big elbow from Jones. Sonnen gets to his feet. Jones presses him to the cage. Shots to the side of the head from Sonnen. Jones drops levels. Sonnen holding his neck. Uppercut from Jones, elbow, spinning elbow. Knees to body from Sonnen. Jones drops levels for another takedown. Two minutes to go. Closed guard from Sonnen, he tries to hold tight. Nice elbow from Jones. Jones staying in his guard putting a Sonnen-like performance on. Elbow from Jones. Sonnen tries to get up but got swarmed with punches and elbows. The ref stops it and Sonnen immediately protests it. It was pretty quick. Jones looks down and sees his toe is practically broken off. Joe Rogan continues to interview him despite him being in serious pain. This was one crazy night guys. Just weird all the way around.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jon Jones def. Chael Sonnen by TKO (strikes) Rd 1 (4:33)
Is anyone surprised?
GIF courtesy @ZProphet_MMA