This is the UFC 173 live blog for Renan Barao vs. T.J. Dillashaw, a bantamweight bout at Saturday night’s UFC event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
Barao, who has won seven straight in the UFC, will face Dillashaw, who has won four of his past five fights, in the main event.
Check out the UFC 173 live blog below.
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Round 1: Herb Dean is the referee. Both fighters are orthodox. Dillashaw is trying to potshot and move, but Barao is doing all the stalking. Outside leg kick from Dillashaw. And another. Missed Superman punch from Dillashaw. Dillashaw is landing with a nice uppercut and outside punches. Good right straight from Barao in response. Dillashaw trying to blitz just a bit and having some ok success with it. Then, out of nowhere, a monster right cracks Barao and drops him to canvas. HARD. Barao fights off a few submission attempts, but manages to hang on. Barao is able to stand and even attempts a loose takedown attempt before the round closes.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Dillashaw
Round 2: Good left hook from Barao to start the frame plus a knee. Dillashaw is loose and moving, attacking, but has a mouse swelling on the right side of his face. Left hook connects for Barao after he’s grazed by a Dillashaw right hook bomb. Head kick from Dillashaw is blocked, twice. Barao whiffs on a spinning back kick. Dillashaw shoots and almost scores a takedown, can’t get it and they separate. Barao scores an inside leg kick and it hits Dillashaw’s groin, so they bout is temporarily halted. The bout resumes. Both fighters trade heavy straight punches. Hard right hand cracks Barao as he back up. And another. Inside leg kick nails Dillashaw. Uppercut and left hook combo scores for Barao, but Dillashaw scores to the body.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Dillashaw
Round 3: Left hook scores for Barao to open the third. Outside leg kick for Dillashaw and a partially landed head kick, but without much authority. Good outside leg kick from Dillashaw plus a left hook. And another one and this one rocks the Brazilian. Decent body kick from Barao, but Dillashaw returns the favor. A jab now from the American. Left straight connects for the American now. Barao says he’s eye poked, but the referee doesn’t intervene so Dillashaw cracks Barao with a one-two. He level changes for a takedown, but Barao stuffs it.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Dillashaw
Round 4: Dillashaw reaches for a single and Barao stuffs it. Good left from Dillashaw, plus a kick to the body. Dillashaw chases with punches and largely misses but connects with a left straight. Barao whiffs on a spinning back kick and the two exchange hard shots, both landing. Barao throws a strike and slips, but ends up on his back and now Dillashaw is on top. Barao rolls for a leg lock, but Dillashaw escapes and is back on top in half guard.
MMA Fighting scores this round 10-9 Dillashaw
Round 5: Barao takes center cage, but Dillashaw is bouncing and moving on the outside. Good left to the body from Barao. Barao whiffs again on the spinning back kick. Nice jab from Dillashaw plus a partially landed head kick. Barao leaps in with a body kick and eats a jab as a consequence. Another head kick scores for Dillashaw and Barao is rocked. Barao tries to fire back and Dillashaw cracks him with a left hand that sends Barao crashing to the mat. A few follow-up shots and that’s all she wrote. Dean stops the contest.
T.J. Dillashaw def. Renan Barao via TKO (strikes) at 2:26 of round 5