Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is all set to uncork its UFC 223: “Khabib vs. Iaquinta” pay-per-view (PPV) event this Saturday night (April 7, 2018) inside Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., after dealing with an unprecedented Conor McGregor-fueled disaster (full details here), as well as a dangerous weight cut. UFC 223 will now be headlined by a Lightweight title fight that pits top 155-pound contender, Khabib Nurmagomedov, against Al Iaquinta. “Raging Al” was among a handful on fighters who were considered to fill the pay-per-view (PPV) main event void left by Featherweight champion, Max Holloway (and before him, Tony Ferguson). However, because he unknowingly weighed in .2 pounds over the division limit for title fights (he weighed in before the Holloway news was announced), he will be unable to win the division title even in victory. Joining them in the “Empire State” is UFC 223 co-headliner and current women’s Strawweight champion, Rose Namajunas, who will try to repeat last November’s win over Joanna Jedrzejczyk and cement herself as the new face of the 115-pound ladies division.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 223 fight card below, starting with the FOX Sports 1-televised “Prelims” undercard matches at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.
Many of our readers check-in before, during and after the televised fisticuffs to share their thoughts on all the exciting action. Therefore, feel free to leave a comment (or 223) before you split and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it always turns out to be a great discussion.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after “Khabib vs. Iaquinta”
Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 223 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC 223 QUICK RESULTS:
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta
Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Calvin Kattar vs. Renato Moicano
Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Kyle Bochniak
Joe Lauzon vs. Chris Gruetzemacher — Gruetzemacher def. Lauzon by TKO (corner stoppage) at 5:00 of Round Two
Felice Herrig vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz — Kowalkiewicz def. Herrig by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Evan Dunham — Aubin-Mercier def. Dunham by TKO (knees to the body) at 0:53 of Round One
Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Bec Rawlings — Evans-Smith def. Rawlings by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Devin Clark vs. Michael Rodriguez — Clark def. Rodriguez by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)
UFC 223 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
155 lbs.: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Al Iaquinta
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
115 lbs.: UFC Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
145 lbs.: Calvin Kattar vs. Renato Moicano
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
145 lbs.: Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Kyle Bochniak
Round 1:
Round 2:
Round 3:
Final result:
155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon vs. Chris Gruetzemacher
Round 1: Lauzon does damage early with 1-2s, forcing Gruetzemacher back. Good left hand. More combinations from Lauzon. Nice elbow, unsuccessful shot. Lauzon pulls guard. Butterfly guard a minute in. Lauzon elevates him, can’t get the sweep. Gruetzemacher stands over him and looks to punch. Body punches by Gruetzemacher. Lauzon looks for a leg. Two minutes in. Lauzon commits to a heel hook, no luck and he stands. Front kick and knee from Lauzon. Short punches by Gruetzemacher. Two minutes to go.
Elbows from Lauzon. Combination lands for Gruetzemacher, including an uppercut and body shot. Hard 1-2 by Gruetzemacher. Lauzon’s slowing down already. One minute to go. Good body shot. Gruetzemacher finds the mark with an uppercut in combination. 1-2 from Lauzon, body shot by Gruetzemacher. Another nasty uppercut. Hard knee. 10-9 Gruetzemacher.
Round 2: Leg kick from Gruetzemacher, walking Lauzon down. Short elbow from Lauzon, Gruetzemacher goes low-high. Lauzon shoots, denied, keeps going, still can’t get it. 1-2 from Lauzon. His right eye’s got some blood. Gruetzemacher drills him with a knee to the body and right hook a minute in. Another nasty knee. Nice body work by Gruetzemacher. He’s breaking Lauzon on the inside. Lauzon back against the fence as Gruetzemacher chips away. Back to the center. Two minutes in. Gruetzemacher with a hard right hand, knee, elbows. Elbows from Gruetzemacher. Hard right downstairs. Lauzon comes back with a 1-2. Bit of a rally from Joe. Gruetzemacher wades back inside. Two minutes to go.
More work on the cage. Lauzon right hand. More right hands by Gruetzemacher. Body kick. Lauzon’s a bloody wreck. Gruetzemacher with a heavy uppercut with a minute to go. Gruetzemacher putting together combinations. Body shots. Nasty elbow. 10-8 Gruetzemacher.
Lauzon’s corner thankfully stops it.
Final result: Gruetzemacher def. Lauzon by TKO (corner stoppage)
115 lbs.: Felice Herrig vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Round 1: Both women meet in the center. Counter jab lands for Herrig. One minute in. Counter right. Kowalkiewicz active, not landing clean so far. Left hook lands for Herrig. Kowalkiewicz tries a head kick. Two minutes in. Body kick from Kowalkiewicz met by a left hook. Nice exchange in the clinch. Herrig takes her to the fence. Herrig looks for the trip, can’t get it. They separate with two minutes to go.
Jab from Kowalkiewicz and they trade right hands. Hard right by Kowalkiewicz and they trade knees as Herrig takes her to the fence. The jockey for position, elbow by the Pole. One minute to go. Kowalkiewicz goes for an Imanari Roll, winds up on the bottom in guard. She immediately moves to a triangle and uses it to sweep, ultimately landing on top in guard. 10-9 Kowalkiewicz.
Round 2: Right hand by Herrig early on. Kowalkiewicz low kick. 1-2 by Kowalkiewicz as Herrig lands a body kick. Nice counter right lands for the Pole. Low kick. One minute in. Herrig counters a leg kick with a two-piece. Jab exchange. Knee, right hand by Kowalkiewicz in the clinch. Definitely more in control than in the first round. Good rights land for her. They trade two minutes in. Spinning back fist from Kowalkiewicz. They duke it out in the clinch, both landing. Kowalkiewicz with the bigger elbows, looks for a takedown. Two minutes to go.
She trips Herrig down, can’t keep her there. Hip toss attempt and they separate. Uppercut and knees by Kowalkiewicz. More knees, elbow. Tries another hip toss, no dice. One minute to go. Kowalkiewicz still can’t get the throw. They separate. Right by Kowalkiewicz. Uppercut. 10-9 Kowalkiewicz.
Round 3: 1-2 from Herrig. Right hand by Kowalkiewicz. 1-2 again, nicely anagled. 1-2. Jab lands a minute in. Lead right. Again. Body kick. Counter hook by Herrig. Combo by the Pole. Uppercut from Kowalkiewicz. Another right hand. Right hand, knee, elbow. Two minutes in. Right to the body. Low kick to right cross. Nice exchange, both connect in the center. Front kick to right hand by Kowalkiewicz. Two minutes to go.
Right hand by Kowalkiewicz, stiff jab by Herrig. Counter right this time by Herrig, then a combo from Kowalkiewicz. One minute to go. Left hook by Herrig has Kowalkiewicz backing off. Herrig grabs a body lock. They separate in the last few seconds and slug it out. 10-9 Kowalkiewicz.
Final result: Kowalkiewicz def. Herrig by split decision
115 lbs.: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Evan Dunham
Round 1: Dunham coming out pressuring, dings Aubin-Mercier with a straight left. Body shot from Aubin-Mercier. Knee to the body hurts Dunham, who all but collapses as Aubin-Mercier pours it on. Another knee and Dunham falls to his knees, prompting the ref to step in.
Final result: Aubin-Mercier def. Dunham by TKO (knees to the body)
125 lbs.: Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Bec Rawlings
Round 1: Low kick from Evans-Smith to start, fake level change into a right hand. Another right from Evans-Smith. 1-2 counters a Rawlings low kick. Low kick. One minute in. Evans-Smith finding a home for her punches as Rawlings throws naked low kicks. Nice combos. Punches, body blows. Uppercuts in the clinch. Two minutes in. Low kick from Rawlings, body kick and 1-2 from Evans-Smith. Rawlings tries to counter as Evans-Smith muscles into the clinch, where they exchange. Two minutes to go.
Evans-Smith tries to spin, eats a right hand. Rawlings combo, leg kicks. Evans-Smith steps into the clinch and they continue to trade there. One minute to go. Another striking march. Good right from Rawlings. Evans-Smith hits a last-second takedown. 10-9 Evans-Smith.
Round 2: Evans-Smith sends out early kicks. Low kick from Rawlings countered. Right hand and low kick by Rawlings. One minute in. Clinch uppercut by Evans-Smith, right cross by Rawlings. Evans-Smith shoots, stuffed. Head kick by Evans-Smith, flurry up top. Low kicks from Evans-Smith, knee inside met by a right hand and jab. Two minutes in. Another uppercut by Evans-Smith. 1-2. Slow wheel kick blocked. They trade punches inside. Two minutes to go.
Hard right from Rawlings, combination afterwards. Evans-Smith catches her with a knee inside and flurries. Evans-Smith clubbing inside. Uppercut connects at range. One minute to go. Evans-Smith tries a spinning back fist, eats a jab. 1-2 lands. She shoots from too far out, eats punches and a knee on the way up. 10-9 Evans-Smith.
Round 3: Evans-Smith tries sending out kicks. Body kick lands. They trade right hands in the center a minute in. Head kick from Evans-Smith, low kick by Rawlings. Evans-Smith lands a counter uppercut. Jab from Evans-Smith, Rawlings looks for the body. Rawlings leg kick met by counters. Two minutes to go.
Neither woman landing clean at the moment, both firing at range. Low kick by Rawlings. Evans-Smith tries to spin, eats a leg kick. Combination from Evans-Smith. Leg kick by Evans-Smith. One minute to go. Counter right by Rawlings connects. Right hand by Evans-Smith in combination. She keeps looking for a telegraphed up-elbow. Rawlings dings her with another nice counter right. Closer round. 10-9 Evans-Smith.
Final result: Evans-Smith def. Rawlings by unanimous decision
205 lbs.: Devin Clark vs. Michael Rodriguez
Round 1: Clark orthodox, Rodriguez southpaw. They trade punches until Clark gets double-unders for a bodylock takedown. Rodriguez scoots to the fence and stands. They trade knees against the cage. One minute in. Clark occasionally ducking down to tease a takedown. Ref separates them. Rodriguez tries a front kick, Clark tries to spin. Rodriguez knocks Clark off his feet with a low kick and ties up when he stands. Rodriguez landing well inside. Clark reverses position. He changes levels, no dice. Two minutes to go.
Nice elbow from Clark. Threatens a high-crotch. They separate with strikes. Rodriguez tries a flying knee, gets taken down into side control. He gets butterfly guard with a minute to go. He scoots to the fence, eats a good knee downstairs. Clark takes the back and drops punches. 10-9 Clark.
Round 2: Clark steps in with a right hand. Straight left and body kicks from Rodriguez, then a heavy knee after eating a body kick. Clark ties up on the cage. One minute in. Rodriguez reverses position, lands a good knee and elbow on the break. 1-2 from Rodriguez, Clark tries some awkward spins. Straight left to low kick by Rodriguez, clinch two minutes in. Elbow by Clark, pressing him against the fence. Good knee by Rodriguez. Two minutes to go.
Clark changes levels, still not there. Again. Rodriguez separates, eats a pair of body kicks. Clark with a left hook into a blast double, landing as Rodriguez stands with a minute to go. They separate. Rodriguez lands a knee, eats one. 10-9 Clark.
Round 3: Clark shoots, eats a couple elbows before taking Rodriguez to the fence. Knee from Rodriguez, can’t get off the cage. Clark hits a slick transition to the back. One minute to go. Rodriguez trying to stand, Clark pulls his post out. Back to his feet. Two minutes in. Clark straight-up heaves Rodriguez into the air and takes him down into guard. Rodriguez scoots to the fence with two minutes to go.
Clark digs in a knee to the body. Rodriguez makes it to his feet, lands a knee as Clark uses dirty boxing. More knees. One minute to go. Takedown by Clark, he lands right hands as Rodriguez stands. Clark lands a combination before the bell. 10-9 Clark.
Final result: Clark def. Rodriguez by unanimous decision