LAS VEGAS — This is the TUF 14 live blog for Yves Edwards vs. Tony Ferguson, a lightweight bout on tonight’s UFC on Spike TV event at the Pearl at the Palms.
Edwards (41-17-1) won in October with a head kick followed by punches against Rafaello Oliveira. Ferguson (12-2) won the season 13 title in June and went on to beat Aaron Riley at UFC 135.
Round 1: Ferguson pumps out the jab as each man tries to gauge the distance. Edwards bounces around on the outside, but makes absolutely no effort to check Ferguson’s leg kicks. Ferguson sees this, and tosses out a couple more in rapid succession. Nice head kick by Edwards fools Ferguson and lands flush, but he takes it well. Edwards digs to the body and then chops at the leg. Ferguson goes to work with a nasty uppercut that just misses its mark. More stinging leg kicks by Ferguson. There’s that uppercut again, and this time it may have clipped Edwards. Ferguson flips out a straight right and Edwards is on wobbly legs. Ferguson goes on the attack and Edwards is barely staying upright. He recovers another to smack Ferguson with another head kick that stops the assault. Edwards goes for a takedown and Ferguson rolls into a nifty oma plata before the round ends. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Ferguson.
Round 2: Round 2: Edwards punches his way in and takes a right hand behind the ear. Moments later Edwards catches Ferguson coming in and cracks him with a brutal right, followed by a head kick. Somehow Ferguson maintains his poker face, but Edwards looks positively menacing as he presses the attack. Ferguson weathers it well and blows a mix of blood and snot out his nose once the onslaught subsides. That might not have been a great idea if his nose is broken, which it may well be. Ferguson lands that right uppercut again and Edwards may have gone cross-eyed for just a moment. A looping left hand from Edwards smacks of Ferguson’s jaw. Seconds later, there’s that head kick again. Ferguson’s corner screams for him to get his hands up. He’s getting caught with that entirely too much. Edwards tries for a takedown in the final 30 seconds, but Ferguson defends and then gets one of his own before the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Edwards.
Round 3: Round 3: Brutal, close fight so far, and neither man looks too tired as they start the final round. Ferguson does a nice job of staying in the pocket and landing some sharp counterpunches, but Edwards comes back with that head kick yet again. They trade kicks, and Edwards seems a tad reluctant to trade in close. “Get ready to drop that hammer,” says Ferguson’s corner. Another Edwards head kick sends sweat flying off Ferguson’s head. He tries to respond, but it’s blocked. Edwards is touching Ferguson to the body, but getting out of there in a hurry. Stiff right pops Edwards’ head back. Both men feeling a sense of urgency in the final minute, and Edwards gets the blood flowing from Ferguson’s nose again with a looping right. Good left hand from Edwards before the horn, and they two men exchange smiles, confident in the performance they put on. As for how this decision will go, neither can feel terribly confident right now. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Edwards, but the consensus opinion on press row is that the last round is almost a toss-up.
Tony Ferguson def. Yves Edwards via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Edwards looks stunned, and there’s a lot of eye-rolling on press row at the two 30-27s.
LAS VEGAS — This is the TUF 14 live blog for Yves Edwards vs. Tony Ferguson, a lightweight bout on tonight’s UFC on Spike TV event at the Pearl at the Palms.
Edwards (41-17-1) won in October with a head kick followed by punches against Rafaello Oliveira. Ferguson (12-2) won the season 13 title in June and went on to beat Aaron Riley at UFC 135.
Round 1: Ferguson pumps out the jab as each man tries to gauge the distance. Edwards bounces around on the outside, but makes absolutely no effort to check Ferguson’s leg kicks. Ferguson sees this, and tosses out a couple more in rapid succession. Nice head kick by Edwards fools Ferguson and lands flush, but he takes it well. Edwards digs to the body and then chops at the leg. Ferguson goes to work with a nasty uppercut that just misses its mark. More stinging leg kicks by Ferguson. There’s that uppercut again, and this time it may have clipped Edwards. Ferguson flips out a straight right and Edwards is on wobbly legs. Ferguson goes on the attack and Edwards is barely staying upright. He recovers another to smack Ferguson with another head kick that stops the assault. Edwards goes for a takedown and Ferguson rolls into a nifty oma plata before the round ends. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Ferguson.
Round 2: Round 2: Edwards punches his way in and takes a right hand behind the ear. Moments later Edwards catches Ferguson coming in and cracks him with a brutal right, followed by a head kick. Somehow Ferguson maintains his poker face, but Edwards looks positively menacing as he presses the attack. Ferguson weathers it well and blows a mix of blood and snot out his nose once the onslaught subsides. That might not have been a great idea if his nose is broken, which it may well be. Ferguson lands that right uppercut again and Edwards may have gone cross-eyed for just a moment. A looping left hand from Edwards smacks of Ferguson’s jaw. Seconds later, there’s that head kick again. Ferguson’s corner screams for him to get his hands up. He’s getting caught with that entirely too much. Edwards tries for a takedown in the final 30 seconds, but Ferguson defends and then gets one of his own before the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Edwards.
Round 3: Round 3: Brutal, close fight so far, and neither man looks too tired as they start the final round. Ferguson does a nice job of staying in the pocket and landing some sharp counterpunches, but Edwards comes back with that head kick yet again. They trade kicks, and Edwards seems a tad reluctant to trade in close. “Get ready to drop that hammer,” says Ferguson’s corner. Another Edwards head kick sends sweat flying off Ferguson’s head. He tries to respond, but it’s blocked. Edwards is touching Ferguson to the body, but getting out of there in a hurry. Stiff right pops Edwards’ head back. Both men feeling a sense of urgency in the final minute, and Edwards gets the blood flowing from Ferguson’s nose again with a looping right. Good left hand from Edwards before the horn, and they two men exchange smiles, confident in the performance they put on. As for how this decision will go, neither can feel terribly confident right now. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Edwards, but the consensus opinion on press row is that the last round is almost a toss-up.
Tony Ferguson def. Yves Edwards via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Edwards looks stunned, and there’s a lot of eye-rolling on press row at the two 30-27s.
LAS VEGAS — This is the TUF 14 live blog for Yves Edwards vs. Tony Ferguson, a lightweight bout on tonight’s UFC on Spike TV event at the Pearl at the Palms.