It was two weeks late, and worth the wait. UFC 155’s prelim bout between Jamie Varner and Melvin Guillard was originally supposed to take place on Dec. 15, but was pushed back after Varner fell ill on the day of the fight. That led to some bad blood, and ultimately, a great fight.
After three action-packed rounds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, it was Varner emerging victorious in a split decision by the bizarre score of 30-27, 30-27, 27-30.
More Coverage: UFC 155 Results | UFC news | Videos
Download MMA Fighting iPhone App
That led UFC color commentator Joe Rogan to remark that whoever scored it for Guillard three rounds to none “should never work again.”
The fight wasn’t quite so easy to score though, as Varner was the man moving forward and scoring more takedowns while it appeared that Guillard was the one landing cleaner strikes, particularly in the second half of the fight.
Both fighters had their moments. Varner briefly dropped Guillard with a left hook behind the ear in the first, and Guillard landed a stinging uppercut in the second that scored points. But it was mostly Varner’s forward movement and ability to take the fight to the mat that likely won him the bout.
The third round was the closest, as the two exchanged top position and momentum shifts. The bout ended seconds after Varner slammed Guillard down on the mat, and the two shared an embrace before the final decision was read.
Varner has now won two of his three bouts since returning to the UFC, improving his record to 21-7 with 2 no contests.
Guillard’s struggles continued, as the loss made it defeats in four of his last five. He’s now 30-12-2 with 1 no contest.