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UFC 214 Results: Jon Jones, Cyborg Justino TKOs Highlight Card

The bitter rivalry between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier came to an epic conclusion to close out the show at UFC 214 on Saturday in Anaheim, California. With one hellacious left high kick, Bones reclaimed the division he once ruled over so forcefully.&n…

The new champion dethroned Cormier with a third-round TKO, but it wasn’t the easiest of his long list of victories.

Cormier had his moments. The former Olympian looked much more prepared for the second fight against Jones. In the first two rounds, he gave Jones problems with his aggressive pressure on the inside, even knocking out Jones’ mouthpiece with uppercuts in the early going, as UFC Canada showed:

A much more confident, relaxed DC had it looking like this fight was headed toward another five-round brawl. Josh Gross of The Guardian had the score in favor of Cormier in both of the first two rounds:

However, Jones showed he can change the complexion of a fight in just one strike. Though one-strike power is rare from him, the left high kick he landed as Cormier ducked his head was showcased in the UFC’s congratulatory tweet:

The kick stymied Cormier and sent him across the cage searching for consciousness. Jones, who was ready to take his division back, met him instead.

After the fight, Jones was complimentary of his longtime rival, potentially closing the door on this series for good while calling out another potential opponent in Brock Lesnar:

Overall, it was an excellent ending to a great night of fights. The stacked card lived up to the potential in many ways, including the coronation of Cris Cyborg and a great welterweight collision between Robbie Lawler and Donald Cerrone.

Here’s a look at all the results, along with a closer look at each of the main card bouts.

UFC 214 Quick Results

Main Card on pay-per-view

Jon Jones def. Daniel Cormier, TKO (Round 3, 3:01)
Tyron Woodley def. Demian Maia, unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Cris “Cyborg” Justino def. Tonya Evinger, TKO (Round 3, 1:56)
Robbie Lawler def. Donald Cerrone, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Volkan Oezdemir def. Jimi Manuwa, knockout (Round 1, 0:42)

Prelims on FXX

Ricardo Lamas def. Jason Knight, TKO (Round 1, 4:34)
Aljamain Sterling def. Renan Barao, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-26)
Brian Ortega def. Renato Moicano, submission (Round 3, 2:59)
Calvin Kattar def. Andre Fili, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

Alexandra Albu def. Kailin Curran, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jarred Brooks def. Eric Shelton, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Drew Dober def. Josh Burkman, knockout (Round 1, 3:04)

Tyron Woodley vs. Demian Maia

If Tyron Woodley was hoping this would be the title defense that would turn him into a fan favorite, he has to be disappointed. The champion successfully defended his title in an oddly lopsided decision, though.

Maia’s attempt to take the title looked a lot like his bizarre performance against Anderson Silva seven years ago. The dangerous jiu-jitsu practitioner looked for takedown after takedown, but forcing the matter was Plan A, B, C and D for the 39-year-old.

The problem was the Brazilian didn’t land a single one.

Essentially, the fight looked a lot like this highlight posted by the UFC—for five rounds:

Woodley did land an overhand right that floored the challenger in the second round, but that excitement was short-lived.

Overall, Woodley was put in a bad position. Maia is such a dangerous opponent on the ground that Woodley had to go to great lengths not to let the fight go there, yet Maia refused to engage in the striking department.

It wasn’t his most impressive performance, but Woodley did what he had to do in winning the bout on points. After the fight, the champion was ready to move on to a date with Georges St-Pierre later this year, per Mike Dyce of Sports Illustrated:

Cris Cyborg vs. Tonya Evinger

The Cyborg era has officially started in the UFC. The longtime Strikeforce and Invicta star became a UFC champion with her third-round TKO of Tonya Evinger.

The fight played out just about like any other Cyborg fight, with the exception of the timetable. Where most mortals get put away by Cyborg’s overwhelming speed and power in the first round, Evinger was able to move, clinch and tough her way through two frames before meeting her demise.

The UFC provided a good example of the average Cyborg offensive in this fight:

Evinger gets credit for extending this matchup with her toughness and movement. It does nothing to damage the stock of Cyborg, though, as she’s been the most dominant force in women’s MMA for years.

This result just opens the door to many more intriguing matchups for the new champion in the relatively new division. Damon Martin of UFC.com said what had to be on a lot of fans’ minds:

Whether it’s Holly Holm, Germaine de Randamie or Ronda Rousey, Cyborg established that she’s the kind of fighter fans will want to tune in to see because there’s going to be action.

This was just the beginning of what’s sure to be an interesting championship campaign.

Donald Cerrone vs. Robbie Lawler

This fight promised violence, and it delivered. Lawler and Cerrone might not be as sharp as they once were, but they’re still two of their division’s best action fighters, and they didn’t disappoint here.

Lawler appeared ready to put the fight away early. He swarmed Cerrone in Round 1 and looked like he was going to be able to hand Cowboy a quick loss. The UFC provided the highlight:

Taking damage early and coming back to win isn’t a foreign concept to Cerrone. He’s been there before, and he proved he can still go there when necessary. By the end of the first frame he was firing back at Lawler:

The second round was clearly a five-minute stretch in Cerrone’s favor. The Cowboy put together impressive kickboxing combinations, while Lawler’s output was significantly slowed.

That set up a third round before which each fighter clearly had one frame. Both worked hard to take the fight, but Lawler landed the cleaner, more powerful shots, while Cerrone went for volume. The effective striking was why Patrick Wyman of The Washington Post scored the round for Ruthless:

This was a fun bout that proved both fighters are still capable of putting on entertaining shows for the fans. Lawler might not be ready to jump back in the title picture, but he can still put together awesome scraps.

Jimi Manuwa vs. Volkan Oezdemir

Jimi Manuwa was put on this card as insurance if anything were to happen with Jones or Cormier. That’s as close as anyone can be to a title shot without actually having one.

It’s safe to say UFC 214 significantly hurt his stock. Volkan Oezdemir quickly put an end to any thoughts of Manuwa’s being the next contender in the light heavyweight division. As ESPN Stats & Info noted, it’s becoming a bit of a trend:

The fight only lasted 42 seconds, so there isn’t much to analyze other than the fact that the beating started with Oezdemir backed up by Manuwa against the fence. The fact that the Swiss fighter can turn that position into a knockout win speaks volumes about the 27-year-old’s potential.

No Time came into this bout ranked fifth in the division. He’s only three fights into his UFC career, but a win like this could put him on the fast track to the title. He even called out the winner of the Jones-Cormier main event, per MMA Fighting:

That’s probably wishful thinking at this point. He needs at least one more fight to both build more name recognition and gain some fight experience before getting the opportunity to win a belt.

But he should be the favorite for the first time in his UFC career next time he puts the gloves on.

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UFC 214 Results: The Real Winners and Losers from Jones vs. Cormier 2

In a paper world, Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 2 had a case as the best fight in MMA history. Did the real world deliver on Saturday?
Jones, who many believe is the best MMA fighter ever, returned after steeping for essentially two years in a heady bre…

In a paper world, Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 2 had a case as the best fight in MMA history. Did the real world deliver on Saturday?

Jones, who many believe is the best MMA fighter ever, returned after steeping for essentially two years in a heady brew of suspension and personal problems, all of which are extremely well-documented. At UFC 214, the idea was that he was returning to take what was his, namely the UFC light heavyweight championship and his ranking as the MMA GOAT.

In his way was Daniel Cormier, the current champion whose only pro loss came to Jones. Oh, and they don’t like each other. Genuinely. At all.

If that wasn’t enough, it was only one of three title fights on the evening. The other two saw Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino and Tonya Evinger fight for the vacant women’s featherweight crown, and Demian Maia challenge Tyron Woodley for the welterweight strap.

But there was still more. I can’t even believe it. This was the kind of talent-dense card that can’t be recapped up by one single result or stat line. As such, now more than ever, these are the essential facts. These are the real winners and losers from UFC 214 in Anaheim, California.

For the literal-minded among us, full card results appear at the end.

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Jon Jones TKOs Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 to Win Light Heavyweight Title

In case anyone was wondering, Jon Jones is still pretty great at this fighting thing. Bones reclaimed the light heavyweight championship with a third-round TKO of Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 214 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California,…

The first round showed that the two could put on something special. Jones came out especially aggressive, attacking with punches, leg kicks and knees to the body, but Cormier found ways to land punches as the round went on.

The UFC highlighted some of the work from DC toward the end of the round:

Mike Chiappetta of Bleacher Report scored the round for the challenger but acknowledged the end of the frame made it a tough call:

That momentum carried into the second round as Cormier continued to pressure his foe. Jones continued to throw, but DC was consistent in staying in Jones’ face and throwing an array of hooks, uppercuts and leg kicks to keep Jones guessing.

Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie commented on how confident Cormier looked:

Jones’ patience in the face of Cormier’s pressure paid off, though. A massive left head kick turned the fight on a dime, stumbling Cormier across the cage where an aggressive Bones followed him to the mat and followed up with ground-and-pound to put the finishing touches on an incredible round.

As Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting noted, he also became the first man to finish Cormier:

After the bout, Jones looked to bury the hatchet with his bitter rival, giving the former champion props as a fighter and man, per MMA Fighting:

And he took the time to call out Brock Lesnar while he was at it:

The win for Jones marks a long, winding path back to champion status. It’s been more than two years since he’s been the undisputed light heavyweight champion, but none of that streak had anything to do with what happened in the cage.

Jones was originally stripped of his belt due to his role in a hit-and-run incident, an exodus that forced him to wait until April 2016 to return. Previously, Jones had tested positive for cocaine after his first win over Cormier. It also opened the door for Cormier to become the new light heavyweight champion by defeating Anthony Johnson.

Upon his return, trouble once again found Jones. He was suspended from the UFC for a USADA violation that turned out to be the result of a banned supplement, per Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com.

Now 30, Jones is saying all the right things. Before the fight, he talked about growing up and having higher expectations.

“I’ve come to expect more out of myself—as a citizen, as a man, as an athlete—to reach a better place, a place I’ve never been,” Jones said, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times. “I’m just loaded with good energy right now and I’m excited to take all this with me into the Octagon.”

A Jones who can keep himself out of trouble is a good thing for the UFC. Regardless of actions outside the cage, fans love to witness greatness, and Jones provides that.

Bones is by far the most successful light heavyweight of all time with a slew of Hall of Fame-caliber victims on his resume. With Ronda Rousey’s fall from grace, Conor McGregor off boxing and the iffy status of Georges St-Pierre, Jones is one of the few fighters with serious star power available to the promotion.

It also appears the new champion might do his best to bring back one of the sport’s biggest stars.

“I would love to fight Brock Lesnar,” Jones said in the Facebook chat, per Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting. “He’s a massive dude; it would be a massive draw. Really big for the sport. It would be a great challenge. That’s a big, old boy. I doubt Brock Lesnar would take that fight, though.”

Regardless of whether Lesnar would really leave the WWE to fight Jones, who has always teased a foray into the heavyweight division, the mere fact that it’s a discussion is a sign of the impact Jones’ return could make.

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Cyborg Justino TKOs Tonya Evinger at UFC 214, Wins Women’s Featherweight Title

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino finally captured the one thing it looked like she may never get in her illustrious career: a UFC championship.
Cyborg won the women’s featherweight title Saturday with a third-round TKO of former Invicta FC champion Ton…

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino finally captured the one thing it looked like she may never get in her illustrious career: a UFC championship.

Cyborg won the women’s featherweight title Saturday with a third-round TKO of former Invicta FC champion Tonya Evinger on the main card of UFC 214 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Bleacher Report MMA had the official time of the stoppage:

Right off the bat, Cyborg’s devastating power was on display. The former Strikeforce star landed a left hand that buckled Evinger in the opening exchange. UFC Canada captured the moment:

From there, Evinger appeared to be fighting off her back foot. She forced a few clinches and even landed a brief takedown, but did little in the way of offense. Bloody Elbow noted Evinger’s tentative approach:

Evinger is known for her toughness, and she didn’t disappoint. Where Cyborg finishes most opponents inside the first round, the former Invicta bantamweight champion stood in front of her for the duration of the second round while the Brazilian stalked her and picked her apart.

Ben Fowlkes of MMAJunkie gave credit to Evinger for surviving as long as she did:

But that’s all Evinger was doing: surviving. Grit and toughness can only take someone so far against the likes of Cyborg. In the third round, Cyborg landed a big knee against the fence that buckled Evinger to the ground and ended the bout.

It was a perfect display of patience, power and technical skill to kick off her title reign in the women’s featherweight division.

After years of drama between the UFC and Cyborg, it felt like this moment may never come. Before the UFC created a women’s 145-pound class, the question surrounding the “will they, won’t they” relationship between the dominant fighter and the organization centered on whether the Brazilian could cut down to 135 pounds.

Now that it has Cyborg’s native division, it could be game over.

Cyborg is quite simply violence personified. After losing her professional debut, the 32-year-old has been undefeated since 2005, with the last of her two fights to go to decision coming in 2008. Only six of her 13 opponents since then have made it out of the first round.

For all the hype surrounding Ronda Rousey during her reign as UFC champion and the building hype train surrounding Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Cris Cyborg has been devastating competition for the longest and most consistently.

Now that she has the belt, the UFC has another women’s star to push.

As for what’s next for the new champion, Megan Anderson remains a possibility. The Invicta FC featherweight champion has won her last four fights by knockout, was originally scheduled to fight Cyborg at the event before being forced to pull out and believes she can do the unthinkable.

“I was even more confident going into that fight,” Anderson said on the Sean, Funky, & the Baddest Man podcast (via MMA Fighting). “I seen a lot more holes in her game from that footage than I saw positives. I was even more excited for the fight. It was almost like the opposite of what people said and maybe we can rematch that fight when on the card when McGregor comes back.”

However, Cyborg also has her eyes set on an even bigger name in Holly Holm. The kickboxer famously beat Rousey. The idea that she could unseat another one of the sport’s dominant forces is an interesting narrative.

“Since Holly Holm fought for the 145-pound belt, I believe it would be a good fight,” Cyborg said, per Mike Bohn of Rolling Stone. “The fans would like it. She’s a striker; she likes stand-up, I like stand-up. Why not? It could be my next fight.”

After watching her dismantle yet another opponent, fans will want to see this matchup.

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Robbie Lawler vs. Donald Cerrone Results: Winner and Reaction from UFC 214

UFC 214 gave us all a fight we previously only dreamed about: Robbie Lawler vs. Donald Cerrone. Two high-output strikers who love nothing more than to bite down and fight.
It was everything fight fans could have wanted from the two.
Lawler picked …

UFC 214 gave us all a fight we previously only dreamed about: Robbie Lawler vs. Donald Cerrone. Two high-output strikers who love nothing more than to bite down and fight.

It was everything fight fans could have wanted from the two.

Lawler picked up the unanimous-decision victory by taking the first and third rounds. Cerrone tried to answer, but it wasn’t enough.

Ruthless came right out and started to put it on Cerrone. Lawler crowded him and started landing heavy haymakers in tight, but Cerrone stood tough to weather the first storm that came his way. Cerrone’s eye wore the markings of the first exchange.

Lawler continued to crowd Cerrone against the fence. The southpaw took his time to pick out which shots he wanted to throw: uppercuts, knees and elbows. Cerrone landed a couple solid knees from inside the clinch, but he was on the receiving end of most of the action. It was a firestorm of an opening for the fight.

Cerrone took Lawler down to the mat to change the tone of the fight. Cowboy passed to side control with just over a minute left in the opening round. Lawler got back to his feet, but Cerrone finally began landing his offense. Lawler would take the first, but his opponent settled in at the tail end of the round.

Cowboy looked much more composed at the start of the second round. Lawler allowed him to fight at range. The diversity of Cerrone’s attacks kept Ruthless guessing throughout the second, and Lawler paced himself through the round without expending a lot of energy. The round would be Cerrone’s and set up a decisive and tension-filled third round.

Lawler touched Cerrone with a high kick to open the third, and he began to up his tempo after it landed. Cerrone’s defense was improved from the first and put a stop to the pressure for a moment. Cowboy kept looking for opportunities to take Lawler down, but he defended the weak attempts.

The former welterweight champion attacked Cerrone’s body with kicks and forced him to become defensive as he marched forward. The pressure of Lawler proved to be the difference in the third round. Cerrone would try to stop it with takedown attempts but was unable to complete any shot. Lawler’s forward pressure and punches would win the round and the fight.

The win has put Lawler back in the title picture, but the performance itself didn’t inspire confidence. With Georges St-Pierre waiting in the wings, Lawler will likely have to take one more fight before getting a crack at getting his belt back.

Cerrone loses no ground. He performed admirably and competed against the elite of the division. He will still be an exciting matchup for anyone at lightweight or welterweight. He’s a fighter fans will want to see regardless of what’s on the line.

Lawler vs. Cerrone was supposed to be a stand-up war, and that is exactly what they gave us. No one should be complaining after that fight.

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UFC on Fox 25 Results: Chris Weidman Beats Kelvin Gastelum Via Submission

On a three-bout losing streak and facing the pressures of fighting in front of a home crowd in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, Chris Weidman found his way back to the win column in a big way at UFC on Fox 25. The former champi…

UFC on Fox provided the video of the finish:

Weidman started out looking like he was ready to return to championship form. He established distance from his shorter opponent with kicks and jabs before shooting for a successful takedown in the early minutes.

From there, Weidman patiently worked his top game, taking side control and eventually working on a kimura. The submission attempt gave Gastelum the opportunity to stand up and led to the first signs of life from the former welterweight.

A straight left smashed into Weidman’s jaw and nearly ended the fight. UFC on Fox provided the highlight:

Fortunately for the All-American, the bell allowed him to regroup. He once again secured a takedown early in the second and took control of Gastelum’s back. Unlike the first round, Gastelum didn’t find his way up, and it was all Weidman.

Jason Floyd of The MMA Report had the stats after a dominant two rounds from Weidman, save the knockdown:

In the third frame, the former champion let his hands go and showed he still had plenty of cardio left to keep pressuring. The UFC passed along the highlight:

The threat of the striking game set up yet another takedown opportunity. Weidman reminded the hometown fans that he is an elite grappler as he set up the arm-triangle choke that announced he’s back as a force in the middleweight division and put Gastelum out.

Weidman didn’t shy away from making a not-so-veiled callout of current middleweight champion Michael Bisping, per MMA Fighting:

The main event provided a memorable moment and performance to end a card that was marked by a trio of decisions and gritty performances from ranked contenders. Here’s a look at the results for the entire card and a closer look at the main card fights.

UFC on Fox 25 Main Card

Chris Weidman def. Kelvin Gastelum, submission (Round 3, 3:45)
Darren Elkins def. Dennis Bermudez, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Patrick Cummins def. Gian Villante, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Jimmie Rivera def. Thomas Almeida, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-26)

Prelims on Fox

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Lyman Good, split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
Eryk Anders def. Rafael Natal, knockout (Round 1, 2:54)
Alex Oliveira def. Ryan LaFlare, knockout (Round 2, 1:50)
Chase Sherman def. Damian Grabowski, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

Jeremy Kennedy def. Kyle Bochniak, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Marlon Vera def. Brian Kelleher, submission (Round 1, 2:18)
Junior Albini def. Timothy Johnson, TKO (Round 1, 2:51)
Shane Burgos def. Godofredo Pepey, unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-28)
Chris Wade def. Frankie Perez, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Dennis Bermudez vs. Darren Elkins

It might be time to start taking Darren “The Damage” Elkins seriously in the featherweight division. The perennial midtier featherweight picked up his fifth consecutive win in the co-main event with a hard-fought split decision over Dennis Bermudez.

Bermudez—who was once one of the top fighters in the division—tried to ply his aggressive striking game, but quickly found that Elkins is capable of finding ways to turn things into a grappling match pretty quickly.

This takedown from late in the first round was a perfect example of Elkins simply imposing his will on The Menace, courtesy of the UFC:

Bermudez fought back in the second round. He kept Elkins at bay more effectively and scored a takedown of his own to make it an interesting fight to score. In the end, it wasn’t enough to convince more than one judge that he won.

Elkins might not be the most exciting fighter, but he seems to have elevated his game. Sports Illustrated contributor Ryan McKinnell attributed the improvements to the time Elkins has spent at Team Alpha Male.

Where Elkins was once considered a gatekeeper, the 33-year-old just continues to win fights he isn’t supposed to. Going into the top 10 now, he’s an opponent no one in the featherweight division wants to fight.

Gian Villante vs. Patrick Cummins

The longer a fight goes, the more the momentum shifts to Patrick Cummins. That’s the lesson Gian Villante had to learn the hard way in a battle of ranked light heavyweights.

Hometown favorite Villante got off to a strong start. He landed one of the overhand rights that have become his calling card and rocked Cummins early, as the UFC showed:

However, Cummins is the kind of fighter who will keep coming. When Villante didn’t finish the job in the first round, he was in a precarious position.

After surviving the initial damage, Cummins went to work plying his smothering pressure game. He controlled Villante in the clinch and against the cage, fighting his fight and forcing an ugly, exhausting match.

As the bout went on, Cummins’ volume allowed him to start getting the better of the striking exchanges, too.

Villante did make a bit of a come back in the third round. He landed a few more shots that seemed to have an impact, but it wasn’t enough to convince the majority of the judges he earned the nod—even if Cummins looked like anything but a winner when he took to Instagram after the fight:

The win marks back-to-back victories for Cummins and a likely trip into the top 10.

It isn’t going to be pretty with the former All-American wrestler, but he has to get props for neutralizing a dangerous striker.

Jimmie Rivera vs. Thomas Almeida

You’d be forgiven if you forgot about No. 4 bantamweight Jimmie Rivera. Going into UFC on Fox 25, he hadn’t fought since September 2016 when he picked up a unanimous-decision win over Urijah Faber.

Rivera put together a nice reminder to fans that he’s a contender to watch with the same result over Thomas Almeida to kick off the main card.

Rivera’s power was on display early as both fighters engaged in exchanges on the feet. Rivera scored two early knockdowns as Almeida’s penchant for getting hit early set him up for failure again. UFC Canada tweeted out the first knockdown:

Almeida had his own moments. He floored Rivera in the second round, but the man who started his MMA career 21-0 now has lost two of his last three fights. At 25 years old, Almeida still has plenty of time to develop.

The bothersome thing is that so many of his problems come from a lack of head movement, and there are many fighters who never get that figured out.

Where Almeida has struggled to evolve of late, this was an impressive showing of Rivera’s diverse skill set. Luke Thomas of MMA Fighting praised his well-rounded performance:

Now that he’s back in the conversation, Rivera’s next fight should be a high-profile title eliminator.

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