UFC 188 takes place this evening from Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City and is headlined with a heavyweight title unification bout between champion Cain Velasquez and interim champ Fabricio Werdum. This is Cain’s first fight back in two years while Werdum has been climbing the ranks. Will there be an upset in Mexico City tonight? Stick with us here at PMN to find out as we provide live results and round-by-round updates of all the action, starting with the Fight Pass prelims at 7 p.m. ET, moving to the FX prelims at 8 p.m. ET and PPV main card at 10 p.m. ET.
UFC 188 quick results:
Main Card (PPV)
- Heavyweight Title Match: Fabricio Werdum def. Cain Velasquez via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 2:13
- Lightweight: Eddie Alvarez def. Gilbert Melendez via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Middleweight: Kelvin Gastelum def. Nate Marquardt via TKO (retirement) – Round 2, 5:00
- Featherweight: Yair Rodriguez def. Charles Rosa via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Women’s Strawweight: Tecia Torres def. Angela Hill via unanimous decision (30-37, 30-37, 29-28)
Preliminary Card (FX)
- Flyweight: Henry Cejudo def. Chico Camus via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Lightweight: Efrain Escudero def. Drew Dober via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:54
- Bantamweight: Patrick Williams def. Alejandro Perez via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:23
- Lightweight: Johnny Case def. Francisco Trevino via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
- Welterweight: Cathal Pendred def. Augusto Montano via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Featherweight: Gabriel Benitez def. Clay Collard via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
UFC 188 round-by-round updates:
Clay Collard vs. Gabriel Benitez
Round 1 – Collard takes a big punch early and Benitez follows up with some body kicks. Collard lands a low blow while landing some body shots against the cage. Benitez jumps on a guillotine as Collard shoots in, it’s deep but he escapes. Collard jumps on his back with both hooks in and looking for the choke with under 2 minutes to go. Benitez lands a couple nice blind elbows and scrambles to his feet. German suplex from Collard but Benitez is right back up. Another exchange before the bell. Benitez started strong but Collard made a good comeback. Close round.
Round 2 – Leg kick Benitez and a body kick. Collard with his own low kick. Another inside leg kick from Benitez buckles Collard. Nice left from Benitez snaps Collard’s head back. Collard with a takedown but doesn’t do anything with it and Benitez is back up. Body kick from Benitez hurts Collard, he then lands a knee to the body but Collard gets another takedown. Benitez gets back up twice. Collard looks exhausted. The altitude in Mexico City is no joke and is going to play a factor tonight for sure. Benitez punishes the leg again. Collard can barely throw punches at this point. Clear 10-9 from Benitez.
Round 3 – Benitez attacking the legs again. Another body kick from Benitez. Collard with hands on legs, tired. Collard catches a hard leg kick and goes for the takedown but Benitez ends up on top. He lets Collard up with 2:30 to go. Nice solid left from Benitez. Takedown from Collard as Benitez softens him up with hammerfists and is able to get to his feet. Collard still going for his legs and scoops him to his butt. Collard is able to take his back with under a minute to go. Crowd boos as Collard basically holds on. They both raise their hands after the bell. Benitez should have the decision.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Gabriel Benitez def. Clay Collard via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Augusto Montaño vs. Cathal Pendred
Round 1 – Leg kick Pendred. Pendred shoots in against the cage. Backs out. Inside leg kick from Pendred. Outside leg kick. Inside. Pendred misses a spin kick. Inside leg kick from Montano. Side kick to the gut next. Front kick from Montano grazes Pendred’s face. Leg kick from Pendred. Front kick from Montano. Pendred reaching. Needs to be careful. Montano falls down after the wind from a Pendred overhand right that misses knocks him over. For reals. Round ends in the clinch. Crowd boos.
Round 2 – Montano warned from ref Herb Dean about timidity and wants engagement. Leg kick from Pendred, and another. Pendred runs into a big right that causes him to immediately shoot in against the cage. Pendred finally gets the takedown but Montano is able to get back up for a moment but is dragged back down. Repeat. And repeat. Pendred locks on a guillotine that looks painful but loses it. Montano makes his way back up but Pendred stays on him against the cage. Crowd boos again.
Round 3 – Inside leg kick from Montano. But Pendred pushes him back to the cage. Montano breaks free and lands a knee to the body. Inside leg kick from Montano. Pendred takes a couple shots but puts Montano back against the cage. Montano gets off with a combo at the break. Leg kick from Pendred. Both guys have slowed considerably. Side kick to the face from Montano but nothing on it. Pendred asks Montano to bring it on. He doesn’t. Crowd hates it. Pendred should get the win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Cathal Pendred def. Augusto Montano via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Francisco Trevino vs. Johnny Case
Round 1 – Leg kick from Case. He catches a kick and trips up Trevino and scores a couple punches. One two from Case and a low kick. Body kick from Case. His standup is looking much better than Trevino’s at this point. Low kick from Case. Trevino returns same. Inside low kick from Trevino. Body kick from Case. Inside leg kick from Trevino. Nice punch exchange. Low kick from Case. Uppercut. Overhand right from Trevino. Left hook from Case. Low kick from Case. Trevino with same, but he accidentally pokes Case in the eye and he screams in pain. After a timeout and Case finally says he can see, we continue. Takedown from Case but Trevino is able to reverse. Case sweeps with a guillotine, ends up inside full guard. 30 seconds to go. Trevino goes for an armbar at the 10 second mark but Case pulls free. 10-9 Case.
Round 2 – Takedown from Case. He gets to side mount, then takes Trevino’s back, both hooks in. Case goes for a guillotine but Trevino escapes and now is on top. Case gets to his feet, still blinking that eye that got poked. Low kick from Case and a takedown, but Trevino gets up and they remain clinched til the bell. 10-9 Case.
Round 3 – Right from Case. Low kick from Trevino. Case touches him up with a punch combo. Uppercut. Spinning backfist and a right from Trevino. Front kick from Case. Takedown from Case. Lands a couple elbows and Trevino lands some off his back. Case postures up with punches, Trevino gives up his back. Scramble to the feet. Trevino with a body lock from behind against the cage, puts some knees to the thigh of Case. Case backs out. Crowd boos. 10-9 Case.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Johnny Case def. Francisco Trevino via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Alejandro Pérez vs. Patrick Williams
Round 1 – After landing an uppercut, Williams drops Perez with a right, he locks on a guillotine and chokes Williams unconscious. Boom!
OFFICIAL RESULT: Patrick Williams def. Alejandro Perez via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:23
Fastest submission in UFC/WEC bantamweight history. Take a look:
Efrain Escudero vs. Drew Dober
Round 1 – Dober slips on a kick and gets caught in a standing guillotine. After struggling for a few moments Dober taps out.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Efrain Escudero def. Drew Dober via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:54
Chico Camus vs. Henry Cejudo
Round 1 – Nice right hook from Cejudo. Clinch, he presses Camus to the cage. Knees to the thigh. Cejudo backs out. Body kick from Cejudo, slips as Camus counters with a right. Clinch, Cejudo pushes him to the cage again. Front kick from Cejudo. Nice left jab follows. Camus with a left hook, clinch, Cejudo with the underhook. Can’t get the takedown though. Right from Camus after a brief clinch. Left hook from Cejudo. Left from Camus. Cejudo presses him to the cage. Ref separates them. Nice right from Camus. Cejudo shoots, sprawl from Camus. Catches a kick and lands a right on Cejudo. Cejudo presses him to the cage, backs up with a left, goes back in and dumps Camus but he bounces straight up. Close round. Camus is a heavy underdog with the oddsmakers but that round showed it’s really a much closer fight.
Round 2 – Camus stuffs a takedown and is landing some punches. Cejudo lands a nice right and a couple one-two combos. Cejudo presses him to the cage. Looks for a single but Camus defends. Camus lands a nice right during an exchange. Body kick from Cejudo, goes for a single but Camus stuffs it. Camus backs out of the clinch. Camus looks to get the better of a punch exchange. Cejudo presses him to the cage again. Camus pushes him off to get distance. Low kick from Cejudo. They box for the final minute or so but nothing significant lands for either guy.
Round 3 – Right from Cejudo. Left jab from Cejudo. Clinch, Camus stuffs the takedown. Camus takes an eye poke and time is called. … Back at it. Uppercut from Camus. He stuffs another takedown. Knee to the body from Camus as Cejudo shoots in. Cejudo presses him to the cage. Knees to thighs and a punch combo before moving back to center. Clinch, knee to body from Camus. Cejudo pushed to the cage by Camus at the 2 minute mark. He backs out after several seconds. Cejudo presses him to the opposite wall. Knees from Cejudo. Left hook from Camus, body kick. Cejudo dumps Camus and takes top control with 30 seconds to go. Cejudo unloads some strikes as Camus gets to his feet at the bell. Pretty close fight but Cejudo likely got it.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Henry Cejudo def. Chico Camus via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Tecia Torres vs. Angela Hill
Round 1 – Inside leg kick from Torres, push kick. Inside leg kick again. Outside this time. Right from Torres. Right counter from Hill. Side kick from Torres. Hill pressing. Torres shoots, stuffed, but presses Hill to the cage. Clinch fighting, Torres backs out with a right. Torres with a successful takedown this time. Torres controlling from half guard with now under a minute to go in the round. Torres not able to get anything going from top but stays there the remainder of the round. 10-9 Torres.
Round 2 – Torres looks for a trip takedown but it’s stuffed. Right counter from Hill after Torres lands a couple. Takedown from Torres. Side mount. Hill recovers with half guard. Kind of a stale mate here. Ref wants activity. Torres passes to side mount. Torres gets full mount briefly but Hill recovers with half guard. Finally, ref stands them up. Rogan agrees it was boring. Clinch fighting, Hill holding her own. They trade knees. 10-9 Torres.
Round 3 – Torres attacks the legs. Hill with a leg kick. Hill pressing, both landing now. Left hook from Torres. Boos from the crowd. Right from Hill. Torres pushes her to the cage. Knee to the body from Hill. Torres trying for a single but ref separates them. Torres once again pushes Hill to the cage. Not much action in this one. Crowd doesn’t like it either. Fight ends with Torres still pressing on her. 10-9 Torres and she should get the win — but a very boring fight.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Tecia Torres def. Angela Hill via unanimous decision (30-37, 30-37, 29-28)
Yair Rodríguez vs. Charles Rosa
Round 1 – Wheel kick and switch kick from Rodriguez early. Right from Rodriguez. He catches a kick and dumps Rosa but ends up on bottom. Rodriguez locks on a triangle choke, pulls the head down. Yair readjusts. Pulls it tighter. Rosa escapes after covering Rodriguez’s mouth. Rosa dropping punches from the top as Rodriguez gives up his back. Rosa with a body lock and takedown. Rosa comes in swinging taking top control. Postures up with elbows and punches. Rodriguez tries to sweep, Rosa looks for a leglock as Rodriguez escapes to the feet. They trade some shots before the bell.
Round 2 – Leg kick from Rosa. He shoots in. Elbow from Rodriguez. Rosa goes for a body lock takedown but ends up on bottom. He’s back up and bleeding. Rosa shoots in. Takes a couple shots on the break. Ref calls time to check Rosa’s cut as his face is crimson now. Back at it. Rosa shoots but can’t get it as Rodriguez gets the better of the standup, buckling the leg of Rosa with a kick. Rodriguez defends a takedown. Rosa ducks a head kick. Right hand from Rosa. Gets a takedown before the bell but gets reversed and elbowed before the bell. 10-9 Rodriguez.
Round 3 – Rosa gets a takedown but gets caught in a triangle. Rosa escapes and works from top. They scramble and it’s back to the feet with under 2 minutes to go. Rosa with another takedown and takes side mount. Rosa finishes on top dropping punches. 10-9 Rosa.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Yair Rodriguez def. Charles Rosa via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Rodriguez pukes on himself in the post-fight interview. That’s a first in UFC history. Check back for the gif, you know it’s coming.
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nate Marquardt
Round 1 – Right from Nate, then a body kick. Kelvin touches him with a couple punches. Inside leg kick. Body kick. Leg kick from Gastelum. He’s pressing and backing Nate up. Left hand and a right hook from Kelvin, a knee. Clinch, knee from Nate, couple punches from Gastelum. Nice right from Nate. Left from Kelvin. Clinch, elbow from Gastelum on the break. Nate pushes him to the cage where they trade knees. Jab from Kelvin. Nate fires back, one to the body. Trip takedown from Nate but Kelvin is right back up. Takedown from Gastelum, takes Nate’s back one hook in. Nate goes for a leg and it’s back to the feet. Body kick from Kelvin. Nate’s hurt after Kelvin lands a big punch combo and uppercut. Bell probably saved him. 10-9 Gastelum.
Round 2 – Two big inside leg kicks from Gastelum. Kelvin very light on his feet. Clinch, some dirty boxing. Body kick from Kelvin. Body shot from Nate. Nice jab from Kelvin snaps the head of Marquardt. Kelvin teeing off now. Big body shot, Nate’s breaking. He turtles up and is offering no real defense. Now on his back eating shots. Somehow Nate trips him and gets back to his feet. Kelvin drags him back down by the neck. Nate turtles up as Kelvin softens him up with hammerfists. Nate gets to full guard. Gastelum passes guard. Nate scrambles a couple times and goes for a leglock. Kelvin pulls out. Nate goes for another and Kelvin lets him up at the bell. 10-9 Gastelum.
Round 3 – Ref wants a doctor to look at Marquardt before the round starts. Nate says he has nothing left. His coach says that’s it. Smart.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Kelvin Gastelum def. Nate Marquardt via TKO (retirement) – Round 2, 5:00
Gilbert Melendez vs. Eddie Alvarez
Round 1 – Alvarez takes center. Feeling out. Body shot from Alvarez as he scores first. Gilbert with a few jabs that score. Big counter overhand right wobbles Alvarez. Then a left. Jab from Gilbert. Leg kick from Alvarez. Leg kick from Alvarez. One two from Gilbert. Another jab. Body shot from Eddie. Right from Melendez snaps the head back. Alvarez hesitating, but scores with a leg kick. [missed the rest of round] Apparently Gilbert won the round.
Round 2 – [missed the first half of round] Alvarez has a badly swollen left eye. Gilbert lands a nice right. Alvarez shoots and presses Gilbert to the cage. Alvarez completes the takedown. Gilbert up pretty quickly. Alvarez still pressing on him, lands a spinning elbow before the bell. 10-9 Alvarez.
Round 3 – Alvarez shoots early and gets Melendez down again. Gilbert gets to a knee, then his feet. Eddie pressing him to the cage. Gilbert complains of a low blow. They square up again. Overhand right from Alvarez. Leg kick from Alvarez. He shoots for the single and dumps Melendez but he’s right back up. Alvarez gets him back down but Gilbert right back up. Gilbert looking very tired. Leg kick from Alvarez. Melendez with a punch combo. Alvarez with a front kick and spinning elbow. Melendez cut up now. Great fight. Alvarez 10-9.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Eddie Alvarez def. Gilbert Melendez via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
We're throwing spinning s**t now? #ufc188 https://t.co/pAFbfDVCXx
— Derrick Burnsed (@DerrickBurnsed) June 14, 2015
Cain Velasquez (c) vs. Fabricio Werdum (ic) – for HW Title
Round 1 – Werdum looks comfortable, smiling. Cain looks ready to go to work. Serious. Cain looks like he wants to hurt someone. Right counter from Werdum, he slips on a kick. They slug it out in the pocket after Werdum gets up. Thai plum from Werdum. Cain presses him to the cage and does work. Thai plum from Werdum and Cain takes him down. Cain lets him up. Leg kicks from Cain, he presses Werdum to the cage. They trade shots, Cain looks to stun Werdum, presses him to the cage. Werdum catches a leg for a takedown. Cain gets up and takes a knee from Werdum. Cain pressing him to the cage and working. He backs out. Leg kick inside from Werdum but Cain counters with punches. Werdum with the jab and some good punches. Cain attacking the legs. Uppercut from Cain in the clinch. Cain catches a leg and sweeps Werdum. Lets him up. Werdum with a front kick. Right from Werdum and Cain is bloody. Uppercut from Cain. Werdum with an inside leg kick before the bell buckles the leg. Great fight.
Round 2 – Big leg kick from Cain. Inside leg kick. Werdum fires back. Stiff jab from Cain. Big leg kicks. Werdum fires back. Nice boxing from Werdum. Leg kick from Werdum. Uppercut from Werdum. Front kick from Werdum. Cain coming forward like a hard headed bull. Leg kick from Cain. Another big one. Body kick. Another big one. Werdum rocks Cain with punches. Cain fires back. Werdum connects big. Cain is hurt. But he gets off three leg kicks, staying busy. Cain tees off with punches but none of them seem to faze Werdum. Big right from Werdum. Big punches and knees from Werdum. Cain looks wobbly. This altitude is messing with him. Inside leg kick and some solid punches from Werdum. He understands Cain is in bad shape here. Werdum picks him apart until the bell. Cain is a wobbling lumbering punching bag right now. 10-8 Werdum.
Round 3 – Doctor checks out Cain before the round. Lets it go. Takedown from Cain, he kicks Werdum’s legs while standing in front of him. Werdum back up. Jab from Werdum. Inside leg kick from Werdum. Cain presses him to the cage and Werdum locks up a guillotine. Cain is free. He shoots in for another takedown and gets caught in a guillotine and Werdum taps him out. That’s it. NOW GO READ THIS.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Fabricio Werdum def. Cain Velasquez via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 2:13