This is the UFC 178 live blog for Donald Cerrone vs. Eddie Alvarez, a lightweight bout at Saturday night’s UFC event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Cerrone, who has won four of his past five fights, will face Alvarez, who is making his UFC debut, on the main card.
Check out the UFC 178 live blog below.
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Round 1: Big John McCarthy is the third man. Longtime coming for former Bellator champ Alvarez to have this moment. Cerrone at center, and Alvarez orbits. Body shot from Alvarez, and Cerrone answers with whirling leg kick. Looping left misses from Alvarez, as does the follow-up right. Quick hit from Cowboy. Cerrone using his jab early. Nice kick from Cerrone, and Alvarez, from crouch, comes in low with counter. Front kick from Cerrone misses. Leg kick doesn’t. Now Alvarez in a clinch starts dirty boxing, and he starts landing from that position…one, two, three, four…big punches! He is still landing. Cowboy eating them. But after eating at least a dozen, he backs away and lands a body kick. What a skirmish that was! Alvarez for real, and Cerrone just at them! Body kick from Cerrone, who seems fine. He has a chin. Alvarez goes low then comes up top with a right. Cerrone with a leg kick. He’s a little wobbly, but he’s still throwing. Big overhand right misses from Alvarez, who now tries for a takedown and is thwarted by Cerrone. They waltz to fence, with Cerrone on the links. Alvarez tries to pry him off, and he eats a knee on the break. Cerrone bleeding over right eyebrow. Cerrone tries a high kick, then grabs Alvarez in clinch and tries to deposit a knee…can’t. Cerrone now with a takedown attempt late in round, but can’t move Alvarez. A couple of body kicks at the end of the round for Cerroen. MMA Fighting scores R1 for Alvarez, 10-9.
Round 2: Crazy first round. They touch them up, and here we go for second. Alvarez comes in low with a body punch, and again. He is feinting a good deal, and keeping Cowboy off center. Alvarez again moves in close and strikes quick and gets out. Knee followed by right hand. Now Cerrone with a body kick, and a leg kick. He’s been doing that variation a lot in the fight so far. Alvarez switches stances. Kick to the body from Cerrone. And again. Alvarez trying to amp up and get in on Cerrone, but he’s getting touched up for it. A knee from the clinch from Cerrone, and bounces off Alvarez’s forehead. They come together again, and Cerrone gets the better of that exchange. Cerrone is all knees in this round. Alvarez got wobbled that time with the leg kick, and he nearly fell. Cerrone now picking his shots. Alvarez tries for a takedown, and now they tie up. Cerrone has his back standing, and on separation lands a right. Alvarez moves in and lands a left. Cerrone grabs Alvarez head and tees off with a high kick, but it doesn’t land flush. Cerrone is picking him apart. Yet Alvarez lands stiff jab there that halts Cerrone momentarily, and Cerrone follows with a high kick. Nice combo from Alvarez there, but he’s not moving as fluidly, with his leg smarting from kicks. He comes in with a combo to the body, and Cerrone counters with a high kick that lands. Cerrone narrowly misses on high kick and then spinning backfist. MMA Fighting scores R2 for Cerrone, 10-9 (19-19 overall)
Round 3: Alvarez wastes little time is shooting for a takedown, can’t get it. Again on the separation, Cerrone slams a body kick home. He has frustrated Alvarez with his takedown prevention. Alvarez lands a big right hand! But Cerrone still bringing it. Both guys fine in the wheelhouse. Combo from Alvarez. Leg kick from Cerrone again; he is dominating from range. Cerrone lands again, and that sends Alvarez on his bicycle around the cage. Cerrone pursues, thinking he has him hurt. They stand and plant in the middle and swing. Alvarez is huffing air. A lunging right jab lands for Alvarez, and Cerrone buckles him again with a leg kick. Flurry from Cerrone, and that snaps Alvarez’s head back. Again, Alvarez plants and fires. Leg kick again. Alvarez is hurting in a lot of areas here. Can’t stand very well, or move as fast as he can. Another leg kick, and now Cerrone moves in for the finish. Big shot, and a knee. Now he has Alvarez down at the center of the cage, and Cerrone jumps down on him and goes to work. Cerrone perhaps thinking submission, but right now he’s trying to do some ground and pound. A couple of knees from Cerrone. Alvarez is taking the punishment, and now he’s eating left hands. This should be Cerrone’s fight. He took control from the second round on. Alvarez is going to lose his UFC debut. MMA Fighting scores R3 for Cerrone, 10-9 (29-28 overall for Cerrone)
UFC 178 official results: Donald Cerrone def. Eddie Alvarez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)