MMA Fighting brings you UFC 171 play-by-play and more for the Hendricks vs. Lawler fight card. Tonight’s event is headlined by a fight between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler for the UFC welterweight championship. This bout is scheduled for five, five-minute rounds. Also appearing on the main card are Carlos Condit vs. Tyron Woodley, Diego Sanchez vs. Myles Jury, Jake Shields vs. Hector Lombard, and Ovince St. Preux vs. Nikita Kyrlov. Tonight’s fights take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
This is the UFC 171 undercard live blog for the UFC 171 event at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
There will be eight fights on the UFC 171 undercard. Kevin Gastelum vs. Rick Story, Raquel Pennington vs. Jessica Andrade, Dennis Bermudez vs. Jimy Hettes, Sean Spencer vs. Alex Garcia, Renee Forte vs. Frank Trevino,
Will Campuzano vs. Justin Scoggins, Robert McDaniel vs. Sean Strickland,
and Daniel Pineda vs. Robert Whiteford will be featured on the prelims.
Check out the UFC 171 undercard live blog below.
Daniel Pineda vs. Robert Whiteford
Round 1: Here we go, folks. Don Turnage is our referee for tonight’s curtain jerker. Pineda and Whiteford trade low kicks early. Whiteford swings for the fences and misses. Whiteford closes the distance and hunts for the trip. He can’t get it, but he muscles Pineda up against the fence. Whiteford finally turns the corner and gets Pineda to the mat, immediately advancing into side control. Pineda uses the fence to climb to his feet, but Whiteford is still latched onto him. Pineda breaks off then wades inside with an uppercut. Pineda fails on a trip attempt. Whiteford connects on a combination. Pineda just moves out of the way of a high kick. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Whiteford.
Round 2: Whiteford secures an early takedown and beings working from full guard. Pineda climbs back to his feet, then scrambles to his feet once more after another quick double leg. Huge exchange and blood is leaking down from the right brow of Pineda. They’re swinging for the fences. Pineda lands a hard kick to the body. Whiteford fires back. Whiteford changes levels for a single. Pineda defends along the fence but gives up his back in the process. Pineda drops low for a heel hook attempt. Whiteford grimaces in pain. Wow, Whiteford coaxes the crowd and they explode. He’s out. That was interesting. Whiteford working from side control now. Pineda breaks free and stands, but eats a knee for his troubles. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Whiteford. (20-18 Whiteford.)
Round 3: Right away Whiteford wrestles Pineda to the mat and begins working from full guard. Whiteford looking to pass but Pineda is maintaining his guard. Turnage has seen enough and stands ‘em up. Pineda dives low for a single but can’t get it. Whiteford ducks under a wild spinning backfist and dumps Pineda on his back. Pineda wriggles for and hunts for a heel hook. He can’t get it, and Whiteford begins to work on top from half guard. Pineda throws his legs up for a triangle but Whiteford just stacks him then passes to side control. Pineda reclaims his guard. Turnage stands it up. Pineda finally gets a takedown. He has 40 seconds to do something here. Whiteford holds on while Pineda works short elbows to the thigh. There’s the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Whiteford. (30-27 Whiteford.)
Robert Whiteford def. Daniel Pineda via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Bubba McDaniel vs. Sean Strickland
Round 1: Kerry Hatley is our referee. Big exchange early and McDaniel is smiling. McDaniel catches a push kick and tosses it aside. McDaniel goes high and misses. McDaniel wades forward with a flurry but nothing lands flush. McDaniel ducks under and hoists Strickland into the air, but fails to get the takedown. Strickland with his back pushed against the fence, reverses and trips McDaniel. Strickland nearly climbs onto McDaniel’s back but instead settles into top position. Strickland advances into half guard then rains down a few short elbows. Strickland postures up and unloads with punches. McDaniel scrambles but gives up his back. Strickland instantly sinks in a rear-naked choke. McDaniel taps. That was slick.
Sean Strickland def. Bubba McDaniel via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:33 of round one
Will Campuzano vs. Justin Scoggins
Round 1: Referee Jacob Montalvo oversees the action. Scoggins wades inside and immediately takes Campuzano’s back. Scoggins stays latched onto Campuzano, but cant do anything with the position and Campuzano eventually breaks free. Both men bouncing on their heels. Scoggins kicks low, then high. Scoggins connects on a push kick to the chest. Scoggins closes the distance then muscles Campuzano to the mat. Campuzano scrambles to his feet and lets out a yell of frustration. Spinning back kick connects for Scoggins. Scoggins goes low, then high again. Big ‘ooooh’ from the crowd on that one. Scoggins changes levels and plants Campuzano on his butt. Campuzano gives up his back to stand. High kick misses for Campuzano. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Scoggins.
Round 2: Campuzano misses with a flurry then kicks low. Scoggins paws out his jab. Scoggins catches Campuzano with a stiff left. Both men picking and choosing their shots. Scoggins dives inside and Campuzano slithers in a tight guillotine! Campuzano may have this one. Scoggins staying patient, not panicking. Eventually he breaks free. That was close. Scoggins drops a hard elbow from side control. Campuzano reclaims his guard then sinks in butterfly hooks. Scoggins works around them then looks to take Campuzano’s back. Campuzano defending but this is still a bad spot. Scoggins eventually gets Campuzano’s back. Campuzano reverses out but Scoggins is relentless with his pressure. Scoggins can’t get anything done and finally stands. Campuzano eats a few hard counters at the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Scoggins. (20-18 Scoggins.)
Round 3: Scoggins rushes out to the center of the cage and connects on a few high kicks. Pace is picking up here. Scoggins ducks under a shot and double legs Campuzano to the mat, immediately passing to half guard. Scoggins’ corner wants him to stay in half, and he does. Big punches from Scoggins. Campuzano rolls to give up his back. Scoggins unloading with punches. Campuzano rolls again and now Scoggins is working from side control. Scoggins is having his way with him right now. Another big right lands. Campuzano nearly climbs to his feet, but Scoggins dumps him back down. Campuzano eats a short elbow. Scoggins back in half guard, continues to unload a steady procession of short strikes. Scoggins is transitioning back and forth at will. Big flurry from Scoggins closes out the fight. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Scoggins. (30-27 Scoggins.)
Justin Scoggins def. Will Campuzano via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Renee Forte vs. Frank Trevino
Round 1: “Big” Dan Miragliotta is our referee for this final UFC Fight Pass prelim. Forte stalks forward, unloads a flurry then wrestles Trevino to the mat. Forte works to Trevino’s back and sinks in one hook. There’s the other hook. Bad spot early for Trevino. Trevino defending the choke but not doing much else. Trevino ties up Forte’s right arm and scrambles to his feet. Forte is relentless with his takedown attempt. He gets it, then immediately passes to half guard. Trevino tries to scramble up but can’t. Second time’s the charm, we’re back to our feet. Trevino tosses out a hard right. Trevino kicks high then goes to the body. And again. Forte swarms forward with a flurry but Trevino just shakes his head. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Forte.
Round 2: Touch of gloves kicks off round two. Trevino eats a right. Trevino measures his distance then kicks low. Forte catches a body kick and closes the distance along the fence. Trevino reverses and releases. Trevino stalks forward winging punches. Trevino goes low his kicks. Forte answers with a body kick of his own. Trevino keeping Forte at bay with his right hand. Trevino throws up his hands Nick Diaz style then misses with a high kick. Boos rain down from the crowd. Forte ducks under a shot and dumps Trevino on his back, landing inside Trevino’s guard. Forte stands and Trevino scrambles to his feet. Trevino ties and his plants Forte on the mat. Forte works to his feet, but Trevino has a front headlock locked in and hits him with a few knees. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Trevino. (19-19 overall.)
Round 3: Big exchange early. Trevino hoists Forte off his feet and slams him down. Forte scrambles up, then eats a spinning back elbow off the break. The two collide in an exchange and Forte winds up with his back against fence. Trevino takes his back. Forte briefly grabbed the fence but Big Dan missed it. Another big exchange. Trevino paws out his jab, then catches Forte with a pair of right hands. Trevino goes low then high. Forte puts his head down and blasts a power double through Trevino. Trevino tries to use the fence to climb to his feet, but Forte takes his back. Trevino stands anything and shakes off his new Forte backpack. Trevino muscling Forte up against the cage. Trevino eats a big hook off the break and continues to push forward. Forte dives inside for a last second takedown but Trevino shakes it off and connects with a flurry. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Trevino. (29-28 Trevino.)
Francisco Trevino def. Renee Forte via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Sean Spencer vs. Alex Garcia
Round 1: Don Turnage is the referee for this first bout on the night’s FS2 prelims. Garcia comes out headhunting. Spencer ducks under a flurry but succumbs to a takedown attempt. Garcia trying to achieve top position but Spencer is keeping himself up against the fence. Spencer breaks away to the center of the Octagon. Spencer ducks under another wild hook then cracks Garcia with a right. Garcia kicks low. Spencer kicks to the body. Garcia cracks Spencer with a high kick. Garcia lowers his head and bulldozes Spencer to the mat, unloading a flurry of punches before Spencer hops to his feet. Spencer kicks low. Exchange ends the round, with neither man connecting flush. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Garcia.
Round 2: Spencer pumps his jab. Garcia misses with a jumping front kick, and Spencer connects with a clean counter. Spencer starting to open up now, mixing together his punches and kicks. Body kick cracks Garcia. Garcia scoops up Spencer’s left leg and bowls him over. Spencer jumps to his feet then lands a huge right! High kick from Spencer! Garcia is wobbly. Spencer pours it on but Garcia survives. Garcia drops Spencer with a counter! Suddenly this is a slugfest, folks. Garcia dumps Spencer on the mat but Spencer reverses and stands. That was a wild sequence. Spencer still swinging for the fences. Garcia cracks him with a big right! Spencer shakes it off. Garcia connects on an uppercut and double legs Spencer to the mat. Garcia advances to half guard. Spencer scoots back to the fence and scrambles out. The crowd roars behind their hometown fighter. Jumping knee from Spencer. Great round. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Garcia, but that could go either way. (20-18 Garcia.)
Round 3: Spencer rushes out to meet Garcia. He wants to keep this going. Garcia lands first, and again with a left hook. Spencer counters with an overhand right, then kicks high. Spencer circles and eats a left. Garcia goes over the top with a clubbing right. Garcia dives inside and hunts for a double. He gets it. Spencer active from the bottom with punches, then scoots back the fence and stands. Spencer swings for the fences and nearly connects. Body kick from Spencer. Garcia with a resounding double leg. Garcia hunts for Spencer’s back, then climbs into mount. Wild scramble and we’re back to our feet! What a fight. Garcia wades inside but can’t complete the takedown. Spencer is stalking Garcia. Big flurry from Spencer. Spinning back elbow misses from Spencer at the horn. The crowd loves it. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Spencer (29-28 Garcia), but this is going to come down to that second round. Tough call.
Alex Garcia def. Sean Spencer via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Dennis Bermudez vs. Jimy Hettes
Round 1: Kerry Hatley is our referee. Hettes ties up but Bermudez reverses against the fence. Bermudez briefly gets a trip but Hettes rockets to his feet. Bermudez closes the distance again but Hettes refuses to stay down. Bermudez hoists Hettes upward and slams him down. Hettes gets up, only to get slammed back down. And again. Wow. Those last two were powerful. Bermudez is just relentless. Another slam from him, and this time he settles inside Hettes’ guard. Hettes not letting Bermudez get off any offense. He scrambles to his feet, but with 10 seconds left Bermudez nearly sinks in a guillotine. Bermudez rolls into mount still holding the choke. There’s the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Bermudez.
Round 2:
Round 3:
Raquel Pennington vs. Jessica Andrade
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Round 2:
Round 3:
Kevin Gastelum vs. Rick Story
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Round 2:
Round 3: