UFC 248 results: Neil Magny returns with dominant decision win over Li Jingliang
Neil Magny dominant
On Saturday night, March 7, 2020, the UFC returns to their home base in Las Vegas with two world title fights.
UFC 248 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena and will be headlined by Israel Adesanya defending his middleweight title against Yoel Romero. In the co-main event, Zhang Weili makes her first defense of her women’s strawweight title, taking on the longtime former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
In the welterweight division, Neil Magny returns to action for the first time in over a year to take on Li Jingliang during the event’s main card. Magny last competed in the headliner of UFC Fight Night 140 in November 2018 and was finished via KO in the fourth round by Santiago Ponzinibbio. The 32-year-old was scheduled to fight Vicente Luque and UFC Rochester in May 2019 but was removed from the card due to a USADA violation which has kept him out of action. Magny was cleared of any wrong doing and will be looking to make a statement in his return bout.
Jingliang has been surging in the Octagon as of late, winning his last three fights and seven out of his last eight. Most recently, “The Leech” finished Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos with less than 10 seconds remaining in their bout at August’s UFC Shenzen event.
Here is how the welterweight bout between Neil Magny and Jingliang Li went down at UFC 248, including round-by-round scoring. For full results of the event, you can check them out right here.
ROUND 1
They touch gloves and Li comes out mixing things up nicely. Li lands a left hand, counter right from Magny. Straight left hand from Magny and Li tries to clinch against the fence. Li has Magny’s back and takes him down momentarily. Magny defending well and gets taken down once more. Again, Magny gets right back up. Li lands a hard right hand on the break and Magny looks hurt. Li trying to impose his will and Magny takes the fight to the mat now. Li gets back to his feet and Magny is on sticking on him. Li reverses position and shoots a single. Magny is able to reverse as well before separating. Clean jab from Magny and they tie up once again. Hard knee to the head from Magny and Li is looking for another takedown. He gets it with under a minute to go. Magny is able to push Li off with his feet and get back up. Magny with the Thai clinch, beautiful knees, following up with a series of perfectly timed jabs. They circle around as the round ends.
Leech finding the mark but Magny rallies! 👊@NeilMagny @UFCJingliang #UFC248 pic.twitter.com/i6cHfviFsy
— UFC (@ufc) March 8, 2020
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Magny
ROUND 2
Magny has all the momentum to start the second round and lands another hard jab, right hand behind it. Flying knee attempt from Magny comes up short and Li clinches against the fence. Magny reverses the position and almost takes Li down. Back take from Magny and he is landing big shots. Takedown attempt from Magny, but Li looks to grab the fence to stay on his feet. Magny almost drops Li with a piledriver… yes, you read that right. Li still looking for that takedown and Magny continues to show stellar defense. Shoulder strikes from Magny in the clinch as we’re halfway through the round. Knees to the body from Magny, followed by a beautiful takedown. Li gets back to his feet and Magny still has the back, landing punches. Li is able to get his back to the fence, Magny continues to work. Li separates and lands a combination. Magny continues to land that jab at will as the fight gets back against the cage. Li shoots for a double with under a minute to go. Magny with three hard elbows, Magny answers with a knee to the body. Magny with a nice combination, just missing with a flying knee. Magny is teeing off on Li and lands a takedown, into full mount as the round ends. Magny is looking impressive.
MAGNY POURING IT ON. 🔥@NeilMagny is RELENTLESS! #UFC248 pic.twitter.com/1tdbwmnrxN
— UFC (@ufc) March 8, 2020
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Magny
ROUND 3
Magny comes out bouncing on his toes looking as comfortable as ever. Li lands a nice left hand, another one behind it. Magny opens up with that jab once again and Li charges forward with a left hand. Li with a looping right hand that misses the mark. Another jab from Magny on the button as he is using his 8-plus inch reach advantage to perfection. Magny shoots for a double and can’t get it. Li with a hard body kick, Magny with a jab. Li misses with a combination, Magny does not in return. Leg kick from Li who continues to try to move forward. Magny puts Li against the cage and lands a pair of knees to the body. Final 90 seconds of the fight and Magny gets double under hooks against the fence before taking Li down. Magny trying to flatten Li out, landing a barrage of left hands in the process. Magny looking to take the back of Li and is landing to the head and body. Knees to the butt of Li before landing another barrage of strikes. The horn sounds and that is it. Welcome back, Neil Magny!
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 and the fight 30-27 for Magny
Official result: Neil Magny def. Li Jingliang via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
