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Live, blow-by-blow updates for the UFC 241 co-main event between Nate Diaz and Anthony Pettis.
Join us today (Saturday, August 17th) on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round by round scoring, and play-by-play commentary for UFC 241, which takes place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
The big main event sees reigning UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier defending his title against Stipe Miocic, the man Cormier knocked out last year to win the title back at UFC 226. In the co-main event, former UFC lightweight contender Nate Diaz takes on Anthony Pettis in a hotly anticipated welterweight clash, as Diaz fights for the first time in three years.
UFC 241 begins on UFC Fight Pass at approximately 6:30 PM ET with three fights. The card then moves to ESPN at 8 PM ET for four more bouts, then onto the main PPV card at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT. Remember that you can only order UFC PPVs now through ESPN+, so you have to sign up for that service beforehand if you haven’t already.
This post covers play-by-play and scoring of Nate Diaz vs. Anthony Pettis. We bust these out for bigger fights and bigger cards, and Diaz vs. Pettis is a big deal.
UFC 241: Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic live results, discussion, play by play
Nate Diaz vs. Anthony Pettis – Welterweights
Round 1 – Pettis with a low kick but he misses. Early punch lands for Diaz as he goes forward. Front kick by Diaz. Pettis with strong countershots that back Nate up. Leg kick by Pettis. And a hard right by Pettis. “DIAZ!” chants rolling around the arena. They both connect on big power punches as Diaz closes the distance and has an underhook. Knee to the body by Diaz. Big body shot by Pettis. Front kick by Diaz. Head kick by Pettis just clips Diaz’s forehead. Left by Diaz and then a knee as he clinches Pettis up. Diaz with a knee to the thigh and back to the body. Good two-punch combo by Diaz. Counter right hand by Pettis. Anthony with a knee up the middle and Diaz takes Pettis down. Anthony with an arm-in guillotine but has nothing locked in. Diaz now in Pettis’ guard droping some punches on the ground. Pettis scrambles but Diaz took his back. Another scramble and Diaz is in mount. Pettis hip escapes but Diaz lands more punches and takes the back again. Body punches by Diaz and soft ones to the head. 10-9 Diaz.
Round 2 – Leg kick by Pettis buckles Diaz and then Pettis might have hurt himself on that kick. Brief rush of shots in the clinch and now they’re back to the center. Good right hand by Pettis. Anthony with a leg kick. Diaz back to pressuring but he is bothered by blood around his eye. Nice body work by Pettis. Fight is stopped to check on Diaz’s eye. Doctor checks on him and Diaz obviously says he’s fine. Fight is back on. Big right by Pettis and a head kick barely misses. Knee by Diaz in a clinch. Nate moving forward and lands a right and a body shot. Pettis replies with a body shot. Nate takes Pettis’ back. Big knee by Diaz hurts Pettis and now Nate is in side control. Pettis keeping an active guard. Pettis is back up and is jarred with another knee. Big right hand by Diaz. Elbow by Diaz on the break. Pettis with two right hands. Jab by Diaz! Pettis looks like he’s fading but he’s swinging back. Pettis with a knee but Diaz with a knee in return and a right hand and a hard uppercut. Diaz is cut above the right eye. Great elbow by Pettis. Diaz rips the body. Big shots by both men but Diaz is getting the better of it! Pettis slumped before he even got to his stool. 10-9 Diaz, 20-18 Diaz.
Round 3 – Pettis throwing inside uppercuts and this is a phone booth war to start the final frame. Head kick blocked by Diaz. A 1-2 by Diaz and Pettis appears to be gimpy. He might have hurt one of his ankles. Body shot by Diaz. Pettis now has Diaz against the fence initiating the clinch but it is short-lived. Another 1-2 by Diaz. Nate is teeing off and Pettis hurt by several Diaz knees! Pettis turns his back from this onslaught of Diaz strikes and down he goes! He’s in all sorts of trouble and Diaz could get the finish on the ground. Nate has got the back and both hooks in. Pettis reverses him with 2:40 to go. Anthony needs a finish badly. Diaz tries to threaten with a triangle choke but it’s not there. Elbow by Pettis and now he gets out of Diaz’s guard. Nate invites him back down and Anthony obliges, and gets elbowed repeatedly. Armbar attempt by Diaz but Pettis scrambles, he goes for a submission but Diaz is out of that spot and he’s back on top with under a minute to go. Nate has the back again and has both hooks again. Pettis defends the choke and reverses Diaz again but he’s lost this fight. Nate Diaz is back, everyone! 10-9 Diaz, 30-27 Diaz.