UFC 221 emanated tonight (Saturday, February 10, 2018) from the Perth Arena in Perth, Australia. The main event saw Luke Rockhold vie for the interim middleweight title against Yoel Romero. Romero came in overweight and was thus ineligible to win the title.
The two middleweight titans engaged in a tense, back-and-forth battle. Rockhold took the first with his volume of kicks while Romero took the second with a flurry of power punches that had Rockhold on the ropes. The former champ survived the second frame, but Romero would net himself yet another unlikely third-round stoppage. He floored Rockhold with a massive overhand left and one follow-up shot left Rockhold completely unable to defend himself. Romero would be the interim middleweight champion had he made weight yesterday.
The co-main event saw local hero Mark Hunt look to turn back heavyweight prospect Curtis Blaydes. He had his moments, particularly in the first round, but Blaydes’ wrestling proved too much for the New Zealander. “Razor” Blaydes took a clear-cut unanimous decision in the co-headliner.
See how Twitter reacted to these explosive bouts below:
This feels like it's either Romero in the first or early second or Rockhold getting the decision.
— Suzanne Davis (@SoozieCuzie) February 11, 2018
#UFC221 pic.twitter.com/ptY5HqOeBN
— Justin Golightly (@SecretMovesMMA) February 11, 2018
Overweight Romero is the ultimate chaos play, but I think Rockhold takes this. Then he beats Whittaker and moves up to 205 because belts don't matter lol.
— Derek (@ricketyoldshack) February 11, 2018
Well, at least Rockhold didn't wear his sunglasses out.
#ufc221 pic.twitter.com/ptLg2S5AtQ
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) February 11, 2018
Main event time!! Who takes it? #Rockhold or #Romero #UFC221
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) February 11, 2018
Fun seeing Bob Cook/Javier Mendez cornering with Henri Hooft after going against each other in the DC v Rumble fights and DC v Oezdemir. Rockhold bringing teams together.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 11, 2018
Me if Rockhold loses tonight… #UFC221 pic.twitter.com/6rSO4Fj66p
— TheMMATrader (@TheMMATrader) February 10, 2018
More like Luke LOCKHOLD, am I right?
(No but seriously I hope he gets knocked out so hard that his spirit cannot reincarnate for a thousand generations.)
— The Naked Gambler (@NakedGambling) February 11, 2018
I will never understand how this man is 40.
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) February 11, 2018
When you get cornered by an obnoxious person you don’t really know at a party and you’re looking around for the host to come save you. pic.twitter.com/qJgqW8YCfC
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) February 11, 2018
Oh my god he can’t walk, holy shit #UFC221
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) February 11, 2018
I hope Luke can come back soon. He looked sooo much better on his feet than ever before. Just lost track of the distance thanks to a timely double jab from Romero, and we know Luke's chin isn't the best. That boxing was sharp, though! #UFC221
— White Roy Nelson (@BoxingBusch) February 11, 2018
I genuinely don't think I've ever heard punches make the sound that Romero's last two shots did. How can a human being do that?
— Patrick Wyman (@Patrick_Wyman) February 11, 2018
Yoel is now the non-interim-interim champ of the world!
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) February 11, 2018
Oh. My. God.
— Megan Anderson (@MeganA_mma) February 11, 2018
Yoel just kissed Luke on the cheek. pic.twitter.com/xQatpPkYTM
— MMA mania (@mmamania) February 11, 2018
Soldier of God#UFC221 @YoelRomeroMMA pic.twitter.com/tWa3Efuukw
— UFC (@ufc) February 11, 2018
UFC Middleweight division #UFC221 pic.twitter.com/YxTtDMJp4F
— MMA GIFS (@mma_gifs_) February 11, 2018
I believe Hunt really can "knock out anyone in the Universe." #ufc221 pic.twitter.com/20CGaLwfAY
— The Spartan (@EliasTheodorou) February 11, 2018
MORTAL KOMBATTTTTTTTTT@RazorBlaydes265 #UFC221
— UFC (@ufc) February 11, 2018
Mark hunt by flying armbar round 2 trust me
— UFC YouTube Comments (@UFC_YT_Comments) February 11, 2018
Can the old guard hold ground or will the new school take over? #Hunt or #Blaydes #UFC221
— Dan Hardy (@danhardymma) February 11, 2018
Markeeeeeee Huntoooooooooo
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) February 11, 2018
Australia is 3-0 on the main card; Mark Hunt trying to make it a perfect sweep but is the underdog vs. Curtis Blaydes #UFC221
— Mike Chiappetta MMA (@MikeChiappetta) February 11, 2018
The Super Samoan has entered the Octagon in front of his fellow countrymen!#UFC221 @MarkHunt1974 pic.twitter.com/zcinQTOEPb
— UFC (@ufc) February 11, 2018
Mark Hunt won that round.
If you disagree, your opinion is dog shit. #UFC221
— MiddleEasy (@MiddleEasy) February 11, 2018
10-9 Hunt. Blaydes chin …
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) February 11, 2018
Does Blaydes have the greatest chin in MMA history… He took fucking BOMBS!!!! #UFC221
— TheMMATrader (@TheMMATrader) February 11, 2018
FIGHT HUNTO FIGHT pic.twitter.com/J143rpAXoC
— smoogy (@smoogymma) February 11, 2018
My man @RazorBlaydes265. Win or lose, baby, you have fucking arrived. @ufc
— Robin Black (@robinblackmma) February 11, 2018
10-9 Blaydes, I got this all tied up 19-19 #UFC221 pic.twitter.com/jXgHqiJJCR
— James Lynch (@LynchOnSports) February 11, 2018
Booing Curtis Blaydes for trying to keep Mark Hunt on the mat is like booing the 1994 LA Kings for passing the puck to Wayne Gretzky. When it's the only chance you have, no one can blame you for trying it.
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) February 11, 2018
Blades used his wrestling perfectly. Congrats. Big win
— Dan Henderson (@danhendo) February 11, 2018
Don’t worry Curtis, we’re all afraid to get hit by Mark Hunt. #UFC221
— Yves Edwards (@thugjitsumaster) February 11, 2018
The post Twitter Reacts To Yoel Romero’s Crushing KO Of Luke Rockhold appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.