UFC Rio Rancho results: Jan Blachowicz KOs Corey Anderson to cap off wild night
The UFC will hold UFC on ESPN+ 25, otherwise known as UFC Rio Rancho, on Saturday, February 15 from the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
In the main event, Corey Anderson and Jan Blachowicz squared off for the second time with a shot at Jon Jones and the light heavyweight title potentially hanging in the balance. These two men met once before at UFC 191 with Anderson receiving the nod on the judges’ scorecards.
This time around, things were different as Blachowicz quickly, and emphatically, finished Anderson in the first round via a vicious KO.
Would this set up Blachowicz vs. Jones?
ABSOLUTE MADNESS! 🏆 #UFCRioRancho pic.twitter.com/r2EolP96hn
— UFC (@ufc) February 16, 2020
In the co-main event, Michel Pereira absolutely dominated Diego Sanchez through the first 12-plus minutes of their welterweight bout. Unfortunately, Pereira landed an illegal knee on a grounded Sanchez. Even though the cage side doctor cleared Sanchez to continue, the original TUF winner said he couldn’t continue, leading to the DQ win.
Knees to the body drop Sanchez followed by an illegal knee resulting in him winning via DQ #UFCRioRancho pic.twitter.com/33vd5duifj
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 16, 2020
After an impressive appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series over the summer to earn a UFC contract, Brok Weaver’s Octagon debut didn’t go the way he had planned. Weaver was able to leave Rio Rancho with a win, but he also took an illegal knee from Kazula Vargas while on the ground, which almost knocked him clean out. Vargas, who was winning every second of the opening round, is now 0-2 in the UFC.
After an illegal knee in the first round, Brok Weaver wins via DQ #UFCRioRancho pic.twitter.com/jusGRuXUdO
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 16, 2020
The card kicks off with a preliminary card stream on ESPN+ at 5 p.m ET. The main card follows at 8 p.m. ET, also on ESPN+. Sign up for ESPN+ here.
UFC Rio Rancho Results below:
ESPN+ Main Card
Jan Błachowicz def. Corey Anderson – Round 1, 3:08
Diego Sanchez def. Michel Pereira via DQ – Round 3, 3:09
Montana De La Rosa def. Mara Romero Borella via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Brok Weaver def. Kazula Vargas via DQ (illegal knee) – Round 1, 4:02
Ray Borg def. Rogerio Bontorin via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-25)
Lando Vannata def. Yancy Medeiros via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
ESPN+ Preliminary Card
Daniel Rodriguez def. Tim Means via submission (standing guillotine) – Round 2, 3:37
When Daniel Rodriguez locked up this choke, the tap came quickly #UFCRioRancho pic.twitter.com/ZNHGmBm11s
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 16, 2020
John Dodson def. Nathaniel Wood via TKO – Round 3, 0:16
For his next trick, The Magician pulled a knockout out of thin air. 😯@JohnDodsonMMA #UFCRioRancho pic.twitter.com/GWjSJXHcRi
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 16, 2020
Scott Holtzman def. Jim Miller via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Devin Clark def. Dequan Townsend via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)
Merab Dvalishvili def. Casey Kenney via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 29-28)
Macy Chiasson def. Shanna Young def. unanimous decision (30-26 x3)
Raulian Paiva def. Mark De La Rosa via KO – Round 2, 4:42
Big right hand from @raulianpaivamma knocked him OUT #UFCRioRancho pic.twitter.com/E6cGMvI55U
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 15, 2020
