ufc 197 results

UFC 197 Results: Jones vs Saint Preux, Johnson vs Cejudo

MyMMANews.com has complete UFC 197 results, live from Las Vegas. The UFC 197 main card will be on pay-per-view tonight beginning at 10 pm EST with preliminary bouts airing on FS1 at 8pm EST.

In the main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion and the number one pound-for-pound fighter on planet, Jon Jones returns to the octagon after more than a year lay off as he battles Ovince Saint Preux for the interim title.

Saint Preux joined the card several weeks ago after current champion, Daniel Cormier dropped out due to an injury.  Since he could not defend, Saint Preux stepped up and the bout is now for the interim title.  It was obvious going through the fight that Jones that was the more conditioned fighter, even with the layout, but Saint Preux stayed in there.  Somehow, he managed to stay in there.  Through four rounds of assault from Jones, Saint Preux hung in there.  The challenger even made it to the fifth.  With champion Daniel Cormier cageside….. it was not Jones’ best performance, but he won.

In the co-main event, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson defended against Henry Cejudo.  The Olympic wrestling gold medalist in Cejudo found early wrestling success with a takedown but it had little effect on the champion who worked to his feet, used his Muay Thai and TKO’d the challenger with knees and fists as Cejudo crumbled on the mat.  With the win, Johnson becomes the 5th UFC fighter to rack 10 consecutive wins.

What a lightweight war between former champion Anthony Pettis and top contender, Edson Barboza.  Barboza worked every angle he could to soften the legs and body of the former champion.  The bout would go to a decision with Pettis dropping his third straight bout.

Rafael Natal and Robert Whittaker, each winners of their last four fights, met in the center of the octagon in a hard fought bout.  Whittaker hurt his hand mid-fight and Natal was landing hard hitting leg kicks to his opponent, yet Whittaker was able to use point fighting to get the unanimous decision victory win over Natal.

In the opening bout of the pay-per-view card, Yair Rodriguez had a spectacular round house, shin to the face, knock out on Andre Fili in the second round.

The UFC’s first female strawweight champion Carla Esparza returned to the octagon for the first time in more than a year since losing her title to the current champion in Joanna Jedrzejczyk.  Esparza used her wrestling experience to take the fight to the ground after her opponent, Juliana Lima found success on the feet.  Esparza controlled the majority of the first round with ground and pound.

Esparza once again found success in the second round, getting the fight to the canvas, controlling the jiu-jitsu and wrestling aspect of the sport while scoring peppering shots to her opponent.  Somehow in the exchange, possibly from one of the several upkicks from Lima, Esparza was split open and blood dripped from her head, down to the canvas and also onto the head and face of Lima.

In the third and final round, Esparza scored another takedown and worked her ground and pound for the better half of the five minutes.  In the final 90 seconds, Lima was able to reverse the position but did not do enough to win the contest.  Esparza went on to win a unanimous decision in her return to the UFC octagon.

Below are the official UFC 197 results:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Jon Jones defeated Ovince Saint Preux – for interim light-heavyweight title via decision (50-44, 50-45, 50-45)
  • Champ Demetrious Johnson defeated Henry Cejudo – for flyweight title, via TKO – Round 1, 2:49
  • Edson Barboza defeated Anthony Pettis via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Robert Whittaker defeated Rafael Natal via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Yair Rodriguez defeated Andre Fili via KO – Round 2, 2:15

PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Sergio Pettis defeated Chris Kelades via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Danny Roberts defeated Dominique Steele via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Carla Esparza defeated Juliana Lima via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • James Vick defeated Glaico Franco via unanimous decision (29-28,  29-28, 30-27)

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)

  • Walt Harris defeated Cody East via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:18
  • Marcos Rogerio de Lima defeated Clint Hester via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:35
  • Kevin Lee defeated Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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