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The day we thought may never come is finally upon us, despite a lengthy postponement and roughly a dozen fight card changes. UFC 249: “Ferguson vs. Gaethje” takes place TONIGHT (Sat., May 9, 2020) inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., one of the few stateside locations able to bypass current coronavirus restrictions. The pay-per-view (PPV) extravaganza — which requires a subscription to ESPN+ to order — will still take place behind closed doors and no longer features the lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Instead, “El Cucuy” will compete for the interim 155-pound strap against king of the “Highlight” reel, Justin Gaethje, while “The Eagle” watches from lockdown in Dagestan. Similarly, top bantamweight contender Jose Aldo will remain on the Brazilian bench as Dominick Cruz steps in on short notice to battle UFC 249 co-headliner Henry Cejudo for the 135-pound belt, currently in possession of “Triple C.”
All that and so much more.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 249 fight card below, starting with the ESPN+/Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN+/ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Ferguson vs. Gaethje.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 249 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC 249 QUICK RESULTS:
Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje — Gaethje def. Ferguson by TKO (punches) at 3:39 of Round Five — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz — Cejudo def. Cruz by TKO (knee and punches) at 4:58 of Round Two
Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik — Ngannou def. Rozenstruik by KO (punch) at 0:20 of Round One
Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar — Kattar def. Stephens by TKO (elbows and punches) at 2:42 of Round Two
Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan de Castro — Hardy def. de Castro by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis — Pettis def. Cerrone by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Fabricio Werdum vs. Aleksei Oleinik — Oleinik def. Werdum by split decision (29-28 W, 29-28 x2)
Carla Esparza vs. Michelle Waterson — Esparza def. Waterson by split decision (27-30, 29-28, 30-27Uriah Hall vs. Jacare Souza – CANCELED (Details)
Vicente Luque vs Niko Price — Luque def. Price by TKO (eye injury) at 3:37 of Round Three — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
Bryce Mitchell vs. Charles Rosa — Mitchell def. Rosa by unanimous decision (30-25 x2, 30-24)
Ryan Spann vs. Sam Alvey — Spann def. Alvey by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
UFC 249 LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY:
155 lbs.: Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje for interim lightweight title
Round 1: Front kick from Ferguson to start things off. Low kick by Gaethje. Ferguson switching stance, lands a straight left. 1-2. One minute in. Gaethje slips, lands a leg kick and left hook. Another leg kick and left hook. Counter right lands for him after taking a low kick. 1-2 by Gaethje. Left hook connects two minutes in. Ferguson with some body shots, eats a right hand and avoids a looping left. Another leg kick and left hook. Ferguson with a head kick and straight left. Again with that snap body kick. Two minutes to go.
Both whiff with monster rights. Gaethje leg kick. Counter 2-3. One minute to go. Counter right connects. Clean 1-2. Counter left by Ferguson, jab exchange. Big left hook and another from Gaethje, follows up with a leg kick. 10-9 Gaethje.
Round 2: Ferguson opens with a Superman punch, answered with a counter right. Gaethje low kick, lands a big left hook. Left hook on the lead. Counter right from Gaethje, then another wound-up left. One minute in. Ferguson low kicks. 1-2 from Gaethje. Leg kicks landing. Ferguson jab to uppercut. Gaethje 2-3 whiffs. Counter right. Left hook. Two minutes in. Ferguson 3-2. Gaethje leg kick. 2-3 connects. Body shot, leg kick. Shifting left hook. Two minutes to go.
Ferguson leg kick. Counter 2-3 sends Ferguson stumbling back. More huge counters. Jab exchange. Ferguson tries a spinning elbow. Leg kicks land. Another Gaethje leg kick. Lead right. One minute to go. Massive 2-3. Ferguson 1-2, eats a two-piece counter. Gaethje 2-3. Ferguson low kick, eats one in turn. Gaethje tries to wing an uppercut in the final seconds and gets cracked by one in return, but Ferguson doesn’t have time to capitalize. 10-9 Gaethje.
Round 3: Ferguson tries a head kick. Counter right from Gaethje. Low-high, leg kick. One minute in. Low kick and left hook, then a counter right. Ferguson remains undaunted. Ferguson bounces some shots off the guard. Lead right connects. Counter right by Gaethje met by a straight right two minutes in. Another huge counter right and this one finally hurts Ferguson. Ferguson throwing back, lands a right hook. Uppercut from Ferguson. Huge lead right, counter 2-3 by Gaethje. Two minutes to go.
Ferguson fires a level elbow. 1-2 lands. Left cross met by a counter right. Ferguson shifting left and body jab. One minute to go. Fancy cut kick. Head kick and counter right land for Gaethje, who takes a low kick and body shot.
Round 4: Leg kick from Gaethje. Ferguson teep and leg kick. Jab lands. Wheel kick misses. Gaethje leg kick, Ferguson jab, another booming Gaethje right hand. One minute in. Check hook catches Ferguson coming in. 1-3 by Gaethje. Double jab. Massive left hook by Gaethje. Leg kick spins Ferguson around. Tow minutes in. Ferguson front kick and thigh punch. Right hand from Gaethje, left hook from Ferguson. Huge overhand right and out go Ferguson’s legs. Gaethje tries to put him away, only manages a couple of clean punches. Back to the leg kicks. Two minutes to go.
Huge overhand by Gaethje. He takes a low blow. tells the ref he’s good. Ferguson with a nice body shot. One minute to go. 1-3. Another low kick stumbles Ferguson and they trade punches. Gaethje low kick, Ferguson punches. Gaethje head kick, eats a left. 10-9 Gaethje.
Round 5: Another leg kick from Gaethje. Ferguson Superman punch met by a counter right. 1-2-3 lands clean for Gaethje. Ferguson to the body, spun around by a leg kick. One minute in. Gaethje leg kick, Ferguson body and leg kicks. Monster 2-3 sends Ferguson stumbling back. Another big right hand. Ferguson tries an Imanari roll. Two minutes in. Gaethje jab. More huge punches by Gaethje. Another leg kick. Swatting left hook, then a counter jab that stumbles Ferguson. Brutal lead right. Ferguson to the body. Two minutes to go.
Crushing jab discombobulates Ferguson and the ref waves off the beating.
Final result: Geathje def. Ferguson by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz
Round 1: Low kick from Cejudo as Cruz does his usual movement. Another low kcik. Cruz low kick. They exchange. One minute in. Another heavy Cejudo low kick and another. Another inside low kick. Cruz catches one for a brief takedown. Jab lands for him two minutes in. Step-in knee from Cruz, gets taken down for it. Nice scramble. More low kicks. Two minutes to go.
Cruz with a body kick and straight right. Another body shot. Boxing combo by the champ. One minute to go. Another Cejudo low kick. Cruz to the body. Quick exchange. Low kick exchange, combo from Cruz behind it. 10-9 Cejudo.
Round 2: Cruz a little more aggressive in the early going. Low kick exchange. Cejudo body kick. Cruz leg kicks. One minute in. Heavy Cejudo low kick, Cruz clips him on the way in with an uppercut. Cruz trading with him, still taking low kicks. Right cross lands for Cejudo. Head kick just misses. Two minutes in. Cruz avoids a level change. Cejudo goes low-high. 1-2 by Cruz. Cejudo low kick, eats a three-piece in return. Another leg kick. Two minutes to go.
Good exchange on the fence. Cejudo catches Cruz coming in with a right hand. Straight right connects. Low kick exchange. Cejudo fakes a single-leg. Body kick lands. One minute to go. Cruz changes levels, lands a left hand. Their heads come together and Cejudo’s sporting a gnarly cut on the forehead. Quick exchange when they resume, left hook by Cejudo. As Cruz dips his head, Cejudo slams him with a knee. Cruz drops and Cejudo and pounces on him, unloading left hands before the ref steps in possibly prematurely.
Final result: Cejudo def. Cruz by TKO (knee and punches)
265 lbs.: Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Round 1: Low kicks from Rozenstruik. Ngannou responds by stomping after him and unleashing a blitz, finding the mark with a left hook that leaves “Bigi Boy” out cold.
Final result: Ngannou def. Rozenstruik by KO (punch)
145 lbs.: Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens
Round 1: Stephens on the advance, throwing head. Right hand splits Kattar’s guard. Kattar jabs the body. One minute in. Stephens to the body, low kick. Kattar body jab, right cross. Low kick lands. Stephens far busier so far. Nice exchange. Low kick exchange two minutes in. Good body shot from Stephens. Inside low kick. Counter right inside. Two minutes to go.
Low kick exchange. 3-2 from Stephens. Heavy left hook by Kattar answered by a body kick. Stiff jab. Nice combo by Kattar, capped off by a body shot. Stephens low kicks. One minute to go. Kattar with a low kick and jab, eats a cross counter and low kick. BIG right hand knocks Stephens back and they trade heat. Combination from Kattar near the fence. Fake level change. Stelphens catches a body kick and slams hom eright hands. 10-9 Stephens.
Round 2: Low kick from Stephens to start. Kattar answers in kind. Jabs land. Good exchange near the fence. Another Kattar low kick. Good two-piece by Stephens. Low kick. Kattar with a lovely combination, big uppercut and overhand. Another overhand; he’s swinging big. Stephens changes levels. Elbow lands for him on the break. Both swing in the center. Both swing at the same time and a colossal elbow just folds Jeremy Stephens. Kattar’s too off-balance to immediately respond, but managed to follow him into guard and force the finish with GnP.
Final result: Kattar def. Stephens by TKO (elbows and punches)
265 lbs.: Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan de Castro
Round 1: de Castro with an early counter right. Another looping right connects. Hardy tries a leg kick, eats one in return. Low-high goes de Castro. de Castro constantly throwing counters as Hardy steps in. One minute in. Counter 2-3, glancing low kick. Counter overhand falls short. Hardy right hand to the body, they another. Low kicks from both men. Hardy tries a head kick, caught by a counter left. Jab connects. Two minutes in. Low kick lands. Counter right catches Hardy leaning in, follows up with a heavy leg kick. Two minutes to go.
de Castro falls short with punches. Brutal exchange on the fence, good shots from Hardy. One minute to go. Hardy goes for a head kick. 10-9 de Castro.
Round 2: Heavy leg kick by de Castro. Hardy lands one in return. Blitz by de Castro. Two minutes in. Hardy low kick. Some more two minutes in. Not much from de Castro this round. Counters come up short. Two minutes to go.
Hardy working behind the jab and low kick. More jabs. One minute to go. Hardy still working at range. 10-9 Hardy.
Round 3: Hardy opens with a good right hand. de Castro looking more aggressive, lands a leg kick. Hardy leg kick. Another a minute in. Low kick exchange. Two minutes in. Quick exchange in the center, de Castro slips and Hardy punches him in the leg. Two minutes to go.
Hardy kicking at his legs. Back to the feet. de Castro’s coach begging him to attack. One minute to go. de Castro has just refused to throw anything meaningful for most of the last two rounds. 10-9 Hardy.
Final result: Hardy def. de Castro by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis
Round 1: Cerrone falls short with a body shot. Teep connects. Low kick from Pettis. Cerrone steps in with a jab a minute in. Pettis low kick, avoids a single-leg. Pettis with a right downstairs. Cerrone low kick, Pettis 1-2. Counter two-piece. Two minutes in. Cerrone blitz doesn’t connect, low kick does. He grabs a rear waist lock as Pettis turns, can’t wrangle him. Two minutes to go.
Counter right lands for Pettis. Jumping switch kick catches Cerrone in the face, but he powers through for a takedown into side control. Pettis threatens an armbar as he regains guard. One minute to go. Pettis stands. Good combo by Cerrone met by a Pettis jab. Pettis tries to spin. Low-high combo by Cerrone, eats a hard counter left in return. 10-9 Pettis.
Round 2: Counter left lands for Cerrone. Pettis hops in with a right cross. Head kick appears to land, two-piece counter definitely does. Simultaneous kicks lead to a low blow. Cerrone goes low-high a minute in. Big 3-2 from Pettis. Spinning back fist attempt after eating a leg kick. Cerrone up-jab. Two minutes in. Pettis snuffs out a level change, eats a right after trying to jump. Cerrone low kick. Pettis head kick attempt. Counters from Pettis. Leg kick exchange. Two minutes to go.
Pettis digs a body shot, has to deal with a counter flurry in return. Cerrone body kick. Pettis answers in kind, then another. Cerrone shoots and dumps him into guard. One minute to go. Cerrone on top against the fence. Pettis stands, eats a knee downstairs. Cerrone nearly lands a head kick on the break. Body shot by Pettis. Cerrone low kick, avoids a spinning back kick. Pettis threatens his own level change. Counter right lands for him. 10-9 Pettis.
Round 3: Pettis lands a right hook, avoids a level change. Hard counter two-piece. Cerrone head kick blocked. Good exchange in the center. Again. One minute in. Body kick from Cerrone. He tries to change levels, can’t get anything. Head kick attempt. Pettis right hook. Straight left. Cerrone catches a body kick and takes him to the fence two minutes in. They separate. Pettis haed kick misses, as does Cerrone’s straight right. Hard Cerrone leg kick. Cerrone claims an eye poke as he takes a shot, tries to signal the ref and eats punches. Two minutes to go.
Cerrone throwing back. Pettis head kick just misses. Now Cerrone lands a head kick and they trade punches. One minute to go. Cerrone body kick. Big counter left and jab from Pettis. Cerrone briefly threatens a takedown and follows up with a head kick attempt. Pettis body shot, cracked by a big right hand. They slug until the bell. 10-9 Cerrone.
Final result: Pettis def. Cerrone by unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Fabricio Werdum vs. Aleksei Oleinik
Round 1: Oleinik pressing forward, lands a right hand. Aggressive punching from Oleinik. Looping right bounces off the guard. Werdum changes levels, denied, avoids a haymaker. Next huge right hand lands and Werdum backs off. Oleinik swinging heat, gets cracked by a 1-2 a minute in. Oleinik ties up on the fence, tries to grapple. Werdum tries knees, eats some heavy punches, pressed against the fence again. Oleinik continues to swing against the high guard. Huge right hand, uppercut, overhand right. Werdum taking them so far, lands a 1-2 and fires a knee. Trading in the clinch. Oleinik jabs, Werdum right hand. Two minutes to go.
Big knee by Werdum with his back against the fence. Jockeying for position. Werdum haed kick after separating. Oleinik digs a right hand downstairs and they tie up. 2-3 by Oleinik on the fence, continuing to harass Werdum. Swatting right hands and he denies a level change. Werdum 1-2 and uppercut. Oleinik looking for the rear waist lock. 10-9 Oleinik,
Round 2: Slow spinning back first from Oleinik. Werdum grabs a front headlock after Oleinik slips. Oleinik looking for a takedown, can’t get it. Werdum tries a trip, likewise unsuccessful. Oleinik continuing to wade after him. Werdum body kick. Trading on the fence. Body shot from Oleinik met by knees. Werdum 1-2. Low kicks. Werdum tries a jump knee, fires a head kick on the break two minutes in. Left hook stings Werdum, who comes back with a clean knee. Now Werdum changes levels and takes half guard. Brief kimura attempt with two minutes to go.
Werdum takes the back, one hook and then the next. Oleinik slips out the back door and stands. Low kicks by the Russian, then a spinning elbow attempt. More haymakers by Oleinik, forcing Werdum back to the fence. Oleinik grabs a rear waist lock, can’t use it, lands a body kick and straight right. 10-9 Werdum despite the late surge.
Round 3: Oleinik continues to stalk, taken down again into half guard. He gives up the back, and Werdum puts in the hooks before switching to an armbar. One minute in. Oleinik avoids it and turns into guard. Werdum keeping his guard active, wraps up a kimura. Oleinik defending. Werdum wrenches it up and rolls Oleinik into mount; he can’t get the kimura or straight armbar, but he takes the back. Better armbar entry this time. Oleinik avoids it, still stuck in mount. Two minutes to go.
Werdum isolating the left arm, but Oleinik slips out the back and stands. Knees from Werdum. He shoots, denied, lands another knee. Oleinik still marching onwards. Oleinik trying to open up against the fence with a minute to go. Right hand freezes Werdum for a second, but he answers with a knee. Swatting right by Oleinik, taken down again into half guard. Werdum goes for a guillotine before the bell. 10-9 Werdum.
Final result: Oleinik def. Werdum by split decision
115 lbs.: Carla Esparza vs. Michelle Waterson
Round 1: Tentative start. Both women staying out of range. One minute in. Esparza steps in with a right hand. Waterson counter right. Two minutes in. Waterson tossing out kicks, eats a right cross. Head kick attempt. Low kick lands. Two minutes to go.
Big right hand by Esparza, cleanest punch of the fight. Waterson body kick. Low kick to head kick attempt with a minute to go. Esparza catches a kick for a takedown into guard. Elbow from Esparza. 10-9 Esparza?
Round 2: Esparza tries to flurry, falls short. Waterson low kick. Esparza lands a lunging right. Waterson tries a front kick, lands an oblique kick. Two minutes in. Esparza 1-2. Waterson leg kick. Again. Front kick misses. Low kick. Two minutes to go.
Esparza shoots, can’t complete it. Waterson oblique kick, Esparza fires counters. One minute to go. Esparza right hand. She shoots, takes a knee downstairs. Waterson low kick. Esparza combination. Esparza tries a last shot, 10-9 Waterson.
Round 3: Both land in the first minute. counter left from Waterson. Esparza rushes, fires a body kick. Waterson oblique kick. Two minutes in. Waterson leg kick. Esparza with a leg kick as well. Waterson denies a takedown, eats knees, takes a right hand afterwards. Esparza stalking forward, can’t get the takedown. Two minutes to go.
Waterson oblique kick. Esparza catches a knee and takes her to the fence. Waterson separates. Leg kick. Esparza lands one. One minute to go. Clean 1-2 from Esparza. Waterson tries a hook kick. Esparza shoots, eats knees. Esparza rushes after her and they trade heat. Waterson fires a head kick, Esparza comes back with a combination. 10- 9 Esparza on activity.
Final result: Esparza def. Waterson by split decision
170 lbs.: Vicente Luque vs. Niko Price
Round 1: Trading kicks early. Counter right and body shots from Luque. Another low kick trips Price up. Price body kick, eats a leg kick, lands a jab. Luque targeting the lead leg, avoids the knee. One minute in. Another calf kick, Price tries to counter. Combination by Price, lead right. Good exchange in the center. Price counter right, eats a huge 2-3 from Luque. Another low kick trips Price up. Luque left hook. Another leg kick. Big right cross by Luque; Price having issues with movement and range. Price right hook, lanced by a counter right. Good overhand right by Price, Luque hurls a bigger one in return. Price eats a low kick, tries a head kick. Good body shot and right cross by Price. Two minutes to go.
Both land right hands. Luque 1-2 to 2-1, eats a counter right. Price blasts him with a front kick and they trade bombs until Price takes him down, avoiding a guillotine. Price wraps up a d’arce with a minute to go, can’t get it. Luque makes it back to his feet and lands a combination. Trading jabs. Left hook from Luque. right hand catches Price above the ear and wobbles him at the bell. 10-9 Luque.
Round 2: Low kick exchange. Lead right lands for Price, then a jab. 2-1-3 by Luque. Price looking for the front kick again, takes a low blow. Counters from Luque when they resume. One minute in. Both firing low kicks. Price tries a crescent kick. Luque left hook. Price body kick, eats a leg kick, lands a pair of big punches and pressures. Good elbow. He’s teeing off on the fence, but gets slumped by a counter right and tries to change levels. Price lands an uppercut on the way up, slips, Luque lets him up. Luque hook, 2-1 combo. Price takes him to the fence. Two minutes to go.
Short lefts from Price. He tries a foot sweep, can’t get it and they separate. Counter left and low kick by Luque. Trading jabs. Luque low kick, Price jab. One minute to go. another jab from Luque met by a right hook and body kick. They trade left hooks. Luque left hook met by a body shot. Good exchange. 10-9 Luque.
Round 3: Price on the advance early. Back to exchanging. Big left hook by Luque, big right cross by Price. Lancing cross by Luque. Price low kicks. Jab exchange. One minute in. Price continuing to land leg kicks, lands some body shots. Price the busier of the two this round. Price shoots, Luque denies it after considering a guillotine. Two minutes in. Back to trading heat in the center. Big 2-1 by Luque. Jab exchange. Price lead right and uppercut. Right hook. Luque counter right. Counter hook. 2-1. Two minutes to go.
Huge left hook and down goes Price! Luque waits a moment before jumping on him, then comes down punching. Price firing elbows off of his back, Luque lets him up. Price is slow to stand and they pause the fight to look at Price’s ruin of an eye. Yeah, it’s swollen shut.
Final result: Luque def. Price by TKO (eye injury)
145 lbs: Bryce Mitchell vs. Charles Rosa
Round 1: Mitchell pressuring early. Quick double-leg against the fence. Looking for the back, wraps up an arm triangle. He’s stymied by the fence and stuck in half guard, but he’s squeezing. Not to mount, but he loses it. Rosa rolls for a leglock, only for Mitchell to threaten the back again. Rosa attempts a reverse triangle, gets stuck in side control and now quarter mount. Hard right hand and now he’s going for another twister. Rosa holding onto Mitchell’s arm. Two minutes to go.
Mitchell can’t get the submission, but takes mount. Right hands from Mitchell. One minute to go. There’s the arm triangle again and that one looks good. Rosa manages to survive and regain guard. Half guard now. 10-8 Mitchell.
Round 2: Leg kick and body kicks from Rosa. Mitchell catches a kick and takes him down, avoiding a guillotine in the process and looking for the arm triangle again. Quarter mount. Fence is in the way a minute in. Full mount, can’t get the choke. He postures up for a hard elbow two minutes in. Left hands. Rosa tries to use the fence to roll over, abandons it when Mitchell threatens an armbar. Rosa slipping out the back door. Two minutes to go.
Rosa holding onto a leg as Mitchell wraps up another arm triangle. drops it, side control, mount, elbow, arm triangle. One minute to go. Mitchell drops it, lands some ground and pound. Now the back. There’s the twister setup, uses it to drop hard elbows but runs out of time after getting the squeeze. 10-8 Mitchell.
Round 3: Rosa tries a wheel kick and gets taken down right into a twister setup. One minute in. Mitchell gets his arm behind the head and Rosa explodes, but can’t get back to his feet. Side control. Rosa holding onto a futile guillotine, drops it. Full mount, back with one hook in two minutes in. Back to the arm triangle setup from mount. Two minutes to go.
Still can’t get the arm triangle, still on top in mount. One minute to go. Rosa goes for a leg, slips out the back door, taken right back down. Side control, crucifix. Mitchell lets him stand, then rushes in for a right hand. 10-9 Mitchell.
Final result: Mitchell def. Rosa by unanimous decision
205 lbs.: Sam Alvey vs. Ryan Spann
Round 1: Spann on the front foot, lands a trio of right hands before ducking in for a takedown. Alvey pops back up after getting his base kicked out. Spann grinding against his head, changes levels and dumps him down again a minute in. As Alvey rises, Spann wraps up a standing arm triangle. Alvey thumping his body as he defends. Spann continuing to squeeze as Alvey’s face makes some ghastly expressions, but Alvey manages to get away two minutes in. Body kick from Spann, takes a right hook. Another counter right. Lead left from Alvey. Two minutes to go.
Spann slips throwing a left hook. Low kick from Alvey. Low blow pauses things, after which both men land clean counters. Alvey calf kick. Another Alvey hook and low kick. Spann with a sharp right cross with just under a minute to go. Alvey continuing to chip away at the lead calf, takes an uppercut and right hand. Spann looks for a high crotch against the fence, eats a knee and elbow. 10-9 Alvey.
Round 2: Spann fires a head kick, clipped by counters. More rights from Alvey and Spann punches his way into a takedown attempt. Alvey defends. Spann fires a 1-2 a minute in. Alvey tries a side kick, avoids another takedown. More calf kicks, gets caught leaning with a right hand. Clash of heads as Spann steps in. Two minutes in. Good front kick to the body by Spann and they swing big; Alvey closes the exchange with a right hand. Lunging 2-3 by Alvey. Spann front kick. Two minutes to go.
Spann finding a home for the front kick to the body. They trade rights. Alvey low kick and right hook. One minute to go. Long straight left lands for Spann. Good combination. 1-2-3 seems to sting Alvey. Another body kick. Alvey comes back with a 2-3. Spann awkwardly tries to jump, met by an awkward attempt to spin. 10-9 Spann.
Round 3: Spann enters the clinch behind a 1-2. Good punches on the exit. Alvey low kick. One minute in. Not much action so far. Good Alvey right hook. 3-2. Spann with a glancing head kick and he unloads on the fence, just missing with a flying knee. Two minutes in. Front kick to 1-2. Lead left from Alvey, tries to fire inside. Another left. Four-piece from Spann backs Alvey off and he follows up with another right. Two minutes to go.
Spann 1-2. Alvey lead left. Alvey tries a head kick. Another lead left. Hard right hook stings Spann, who changes levels for a double-leg. Alvey sprawls, clamps down on a ten-finger guillotine. Loses it. They separate with less than 30 seconds to go. Alvey lead left. Spann lands an uppercut, gets blasted with a right hook. Alvey can’t get the finish. 10-9 Alvey.
Final result: Spann def. Alvey by split decision