Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Live, blow-by-blow updates for today’s UFC 251 preliminary card from Vegas. To stream UFC 251 LIVE on ESPN+ PPV click here!
Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play as UFC 251 goes down on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
The biggest card of the year has three title fights on top. The main event will see Kamaru Usman defending his welterweight title against Jorge Masvidal. In the co-main, Alexander Volkanovski will look to take out Max Holloway for the second time. And Petr Yan will face of with the legend, Jose Aldo, for the vacant bantamweight title.
This post will cover the two main card fights before all the titles are on the line. Both come in the woman’s divisions, with super prospect Amanda Ribas facing off with Paige VanZant, and former champions Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade facing off in a much-anticipated rematch.
This post will cover the first two fights of the main card.
The card kicks off on Fight Pass and ESPN+ at approximately 6pm ET with four fights. The card then moves to ESPN and stays on ESPN+ at 8pm ET for four more bouts, then onto the main PPV card at 10pm ET. The full lineup and schedule follows. The preliminary card will be covered in a separate post.
Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade
Round 1 – Thug Rose is feinting and staying out of range. Andrade is using head movement but not opening up. Namajunas puts together a combination but doesn’t land a thing. She goes low with kicks. She finally connects with a straight right. Jab. She’s ducking and dodging. Excellent so far. Two left hooks from Andrade land. Nice right hook and more jabs from Rose. Andrade with the left again, but she ate a counter. Lead left from Namajunas. Nice knee inside from Rose, and a front kick. Inside left kick from Andrade. Lead right from Namajunas. Andrade shoots but is welcomed with a knee to the grill. 10-9 Namajunas.
Round 2 –
Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant
Round 1 – Ribas with a right cross and a knee. She gets inside and gets VanZant to the ground. She’s in side with a headlock. Ribas steps over and locks up an armbar! It looks tight and PVZ taps! She tried to roll over but she was stuck and had no choice. That was nice!
Amanda Ribas defeated Paige VanZant via submission (armbar), 2:21 of round 1
Main Card