UFC 180 Results: ‘Werdum vs. Hunt’ Play-by-Play & Updates

Marco Beltran vs. Marlon Vera

Round 1

Vera tries to find his range by pumping his jab, but it’s Beltran scoring down the center with a long left hand. Beltran eats a punch and leaps into range with a knee, then digs an underhook and puts Vera on the fence to score a knee in the clinch. Vera gets underneath with a body lock, slips around to the back with a rear waistlock but only manages to get one hook in before Beltran twists around to reverse the position. Vera pulls guard with a guillotine but loses it soon after the bantamweights hit the mat. Vera switches to a triangle attempt, Beltran slips out and then dives down into Vera’s guard with a right hand. Vera stays active underneath until he nearly snares Beltran in a triangle, then quickly switches to an armbar. Beltran surrenders top position in order to pull his arm free, and now it’s Vera standing over Beltran with 30 seconds left in the round. Vera stomps on Beltran’s cup with a sloppy axe kick, and referee Herb Dean steps in to pause the action. Beltran recovers and the round ends without further incident. 10-9 Beltran.

Round 2

Vera puts Beltran on the ground with an early slam and quickly moves to take the Mexican fighter’s back as they sit up against the fence. Securing the position with a body triangle, Vera rolls with Beltran and waits for an opening as Beltran throws punches over his shoulder. Vera slaps on a rear-naked choke, but Beltran peels his hands away. A second RNC attempt fails, too, and now Beltran sweeps into Vera’s guard with just under two minutes remaining. Beltran stands over Vera, evades a heel hook and comes down straight into full mount, where Beltran drops four or five heavy elbow strikes that open a cut under Vera’s left eye. 10-9 Vera.

Round 3

Beltran comes swinging at Vera with both hands, then catches “Chito” stepping into the pocket with a slugging right hand. Beltran backs up Vera with a front kick to the body, then backpedals away when Vera flies forward with knees and punches of his own. Vera initiates a clinch on the fence but slips to the ground while throwing a knee and winds up with Beltran in his guard. They work back to their feet and separate with half the round remaining. Vera grabs Beltran in the Thai clinch and drills him with a couple knees to the body which have Beltran slumping to the ground. Vera postures up in Beltran’s half guard and throws heavy elbows, then big left hands as Beltran turns away and tries to wrap up his opponent’s arms. Vera goes to the other side now, landing right-handed hammer fists on his kneeling opponent, then setting up a brabo choke with 50 seconds on the clock. Vera loses the choke, and Beltran comes alive with elbows from his back. Vera stands and finishes the fight diving into Beltran’s guard with one last punch. 10-9 Vera (29-28 Vera).

The Official Result

Marco Beltran def. Marlon Vera via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Enrique Briones vs. Guido Cannetti

Round 1

Briones lands a leg kick and sidesteps the charging Cannetti to stick a right hand. Cannetti glances with a front kick up high, then puts one in Briones’ breadbasket. Cannetti wraps up Briones and trips him to the ground, landing in side control but losing it just as quickly. Cannetti turns to circle away and falls to his knees, and Briones tries to take advantage by jumping on his opponent’s back. Cannetti is able to shake him off, lands a couple punches and stands to throw more ground-and-pound, but Briones uses the opening to get to his feet again. The bantamweights tie up briefly, Cannetti landing a knee to the body while Briones answers with a level elbow. Cannetti stings Briones with a liver kick and stalks “Bure” as he tries to cover up and back away. Briones is still favoring his right side as he withstands more punches and a knee to the gut. Cannetti just misses with a left high kick, connects with a short hook and closes the gap to push Briones against the cage. Another liver kick sends Briones backing up just before the end of the round. 10-9 Cannetti.

Round 2

Cannetti lands a leg kick, takes a whipping right hand upstairs and answers back with a kick to the body. A two-punch combo lands hard for Cannetti, who rushes in behind it and holds Briones on the fence briefly to stick a knee to the gut. Out of nowhere, a Briones counter-uppercut floors Cannetti. Referee John McCarthy is looking on closely as Briones tries to pound out his man. The punches aren’t working, so Briones switches to a rear-naked choke, forcing Cannetti to tap almost immediately.

The Official Result

Enrique Briones def. Guido Cannetti via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R2 1:44

Gabriel Benitez vs. Humberto Brown

Round 1

The southpaw Benitez clips Brown with a left hook, then catches him rushing against the fence and jumps guard with a tight guillotine choke. Things look dire for Brown, but he struggles and fights off Benitez’s hands as they hit the ground, eventually popping his head loose. Benitez tries another guillotine, but this one doesn’t come as close and now Brown is on top in Benitez’s guard with half the round remaining. Benitez swings his legs around to attempt a triangle or armbar but can’t find the angle, and now Brown stacks him up against the fence to drop a couple right hands. The featherweights fight back to their feet, where Brown holds Benitez in a body lock and drills him with a knee to the groin. Referee Mario Yamasaki gives Benitez a moment to recover, and action resumes with about 30 seconds on the clock. Benitez walks into a clubbing right hands, grabs hold of Brown and pulls guard with another guillotine. Brown escapes danger from the choke before the round ends. 10-9 Benitez.

Round 2

Benitez grabs Brown in the Thai clinch and throws a few knees to the body which are blocked. Brown follows as Benitez circles away, lands a couple punches and then takes a left hand from “Moggly.” Brown lands another kick to Benitez’s groin, and referee Yamasaki docks Brown a point for the second foul. When the fight resumes, Brown comes diving for a takedown, but Benitez defends the long single-leg with a sprawl against the fence. Benitez hits Brown with an elbow to the head before being dragged to the ground. Right back up pops Benitez, back to defending the takedown on the cage. The fighters stall out in the clinch and are separated by Yamasaki with 90 seconds to go. Brown lands a right hook and changes levels again to try another takedown, this time working a double-leg. 10-9 Benitez.

Round 3

Benitez hits Brown with a shin to the face, causing Brown to grab for another single-leg takedown as they hit the fence. As soon as Brown shoots low, Benitez has him snared in a guillotine. This one is tight, and Brown falls backwards unconscious. Benitez takes full mount, still cranking the choke until referee Yamasaki intervenes.

The Official Result

Gabriel Benitez def. Humberto Brown via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke) R3 0:30

Jessica Eye vs. Leslie Smith

Round 1

Eye comes out firing with punch-kick combos, sending shots straight down the center to rock Smith’s head with right hands. Smith answers with a few leg kicks, but she’s on her back foot as Eye applies pressure in the opening minute of the fight. Eye mixes in some low kicks of her own, then takes a left high kick to the face. Eye rips Smith’s body with a left hook, then goes back upstairs with a straight right. Eye counters a low kick with two or three fast punches to the head. Smith finds a good, straight left hand down the center as she pushes Eye backward. Now it’s a straight right from Smith midway through the round, and “The Peacemaker” is beginning to take back some momentum. Eye blocks a high kick and pops Smith with an uppercut in the clinch. Another right cross from Eye perfectly counters a Smith low kick. A couple more right hands from Eye cause some bleeding from above Smith’s left ear. A few seconds later, Smith is bleeding profusely from the ear as she tries to walk down Eye at the end of the frame. 10-9 Eye.

Round 2

Smith has a nasty cut on the top of her ear, but she’s cleared to continue for the second round. The bantamweights tie up and throw strikes in the clinch, Smith finishing with a right hand but taking a few shots to the ear in the process. After they break, Eye puts a couple more puches on Smith’s damaged ear. A few seconds later, referee Herb Dean pauses the action, as Smith’s cauliflower ear has come detached. The damage is too severe now, and the cageside physician advises Dean to stop the bout.

The Official Result

Jessica Eye def. Leslie Smith via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) R2 1:30

TUF Bantamweight Final: Alejandro Perez vs. Jose Alberto Quinonez

Round 1

Perez circles the outside while southpaw Quinonez works from the center of the cage. After 30 seconds, Perez presses out and the bantamweights clash low kicks. Perez changes levels for a takedown but gets overpowered and stuffed to the ground. Quinonez tries to take the back as Perez scrambles to stand, can’t secure the position, and they wind up in an awkward position on the fence for a few seconds before disengaging. The “TUF” finalists exchange inside leg kicks, with Perez appearing to land the harder shots. Quinonez is cut behind his right ear as he circles Perez, who continues to rattle off leg kicks. Perez catches Quinonez with a hard overhand right but can’t find the mark with his follow-up shots. Quinonez steps into the pocket with a long combo and eats a hard right-handed counter for his troubles. Perez goes to the body of Quinonez with a jab, blocks a high kick from the taller man and staggers Quinonez with a right hand behind the ear to end the round. 10-9 Perez.

Round 2

Quinonez is finding success with low kicks and step-in knees early in round two, while Perez keeps up his leg-kicking and attempts to counter Quinonez’s kicks with bombing overhand rights. A low kick takes the balance away from Quinonez, who scrambles back up before Perez can capitalize. Perez lunges into range with a lead left hook and takes a return right hand from Quinonez on the way out. Halfway through the round, Quinonez tries a double-leg takedown, but Perez stays standing and pushes him away. Perez counters a pair of knees from Quinonez with overhand lefts, and now Quinonez looks to be bleeding on the right side of his head. Perez eats a punch and sprints away, stumbling as he goes and then turning around to swing at the oncoming Quinonez. Neither man lands anything clean in the sloppy exchange. Quinonez puts a kick in Perez’s breadbasket and gets knocked backward with an overhand counter just before the horn. 10-9 Quinonez.

Round 3

Perez catches a kick and counters with a left hook before releasing. Quinonez is backpedaling as Perez chases after him with both hands flying. Quinonez lands a left hand but Perez gets hold of him and dumps him to the ground with a suplex. Perez tries a no-hooks rear-naked choke, winds up on bottom and switches to an armbar attempt. Quinonez gets the limb free and sits up in Perez’s half guard, drilling his former teammate’s body with knee strikes. With 3:30 on the clock, it’s Quinonez on top in half guard on Perez’s right side, leaning across to the left and possibly framing up an arm-triangle choke. Quinonez gives up the choke momentarily, then finds it again and tries to step over to mount. Perez stays out of danger by trapping Quinonez in half guard, blocking the pass until Quinonez releases. Back in half guard, Quinonez hits Perez with a flagrant headbutt. Referee John McCarthy pauses the fight and checks on Perez, who is cut on the bridge of his nose from the foul. The doctor clears Perez to continue, then checks on Quinonez, who is bleeding from the corner of his left eye. McCarthy takes two points from Quinonez before the fight resumes with half a round remaining. Quinonez rocks Perez’s head with a straight right, steps out of range and then dodges a couple wide punches from Perez to clinch. Quinonez gets a trip takedown, lands in half guard and works to pass. He slams Perez’s face with a few elbows, winds up in north-south position when Perez gets to his knees, and then drops back to attempt a guillotine. Perez withstands the choke for the final few seconds and raises his arms at the horn. 10-7 Perez (29-26 Perez).

The Official Result

Alejandro Perez def. Jose Alberto Quinonez via Unanimous Decision (29-26, 29-26, 28-27) R3 5:00

TUF Featherweight Final: Leonardo Morales vs. Yair Rodriguez

Round 1

Morales opens with a body kick as he closes in on Rodriguez, who circles off the fence and blocks the next kick with his forearm. Rodriguez wraps up Morales in the clinch and trips him to the ground, landing in full mount. Morales gives up his back, secured by Rodriguez with both hooks in. Morales uses two-on-one defense to keep Rodriguez’s hands tied up, then twists around to take top position and immediately has to defend against an armbar. Rodriguez switches to a triangle, back to an armbar, but Morales stacks him up and pulls the arm free to stand. Rodriguez grabs for a heel hook while referee Mario Yamasaki repeatedly warns Morales, seemingly for grabbing the fence. After a confusing intervention from the ref, both fighters are brought to their feet and the fight resumes. Morales catches Rodriguez near the fence with a blistering left straight. Rodriguez recovers quickly and finishes the round countering the incoming Morales with a right hook. 10-9 Rodriguez.

Round 2

The featherweights tangle up on the fence and wind up in a whizzer, both men looking for a trip. Neither manages to get the takedown, and they separate. Rodriguez chases after his man and changes levels for a takedown, which he gets despite Morales grabbing the fence again. Rodriguez stands over Morales, catches him trying to stand and shoves him back to the ground. With three minutes left in the round, it’s Rodriguez on top in Morales’ half guard. Rodriguez seems to be angling for a kimura, but nothing comes of it, so he stands up and cartwheels back to the ground, getting caught by Morales’ foot on the way. Rodriguez drops back to try a heel hook while Morales sits up and puts elbows on Rodriguez’s legs. Rodriguez traps Morales’ right arm but can’t do anything with it. Morales stands and leaves Rodriguez on the ground, giving him a few leg kicks. Rodriguez finishes the round with an upkick and another heel hook attempt. 10-9 Rodriguez.

Round 3

Morales catches Rodriguez spinning and hits him with a hard outside leg kick on the turn-around. Morales launches a flying knee at Rodriguez but it lands below the belt, and Rodriguez takes a few seconds to recover. Morales lands a body kick that knocks Rodriguez to the ground, so Rodriguez pops back up and rushes after his opponent with a punching combination. Morales backpedals out of range and resets to continue low-kicking. Rodriguez steps into the pocket and lands a body kick and a pair of punches. Morales has a delayed reaction to the kick, as Rodriguez’s foot clipped the groin on its way up. When the fight resumes midway through the final round, Rodriguez gets an underhook and puts Morales on the fence. Both men tumble to the ground and stand back up right away. Rodriguez is now sporting a cut on the outside of his right eye, the product of an accidental headbutt. Sixty seconds to go, and Rodriguez counters Morales’ next kick with a pair of punches. Rodriguez leaps into the air with a flying knee, blocked by Morales, who fires off a solid body kick inside the final half minute. Morales gets the final word with a pair of left hands that send Rodriguez stumbling backward just before the horn. 10-9 Morales (29-28 Rodriguez).

The Official Result

Yair Rodriguez def. Leonardo Morales via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Edgar Garcia vs. Hector Urbina

Round 1

Garcia backs away from some high kicks from Urbina, then catches one and trips “El Toro” to the ground. Garcia wastes no time establishing back-mount with both hooks in, sitting up to drop hard right hands to the kneeling Urbina’s face. Urbina tries to roll away and shake Garcia loose, and he succeeds in ditching one of Garcia’s hooks. Garcia comes unglued and Urbina sweeps to top position, then tries a guillotine as Garcia drives forward and leaves his neck exposed. The guillotine doesn’t catch, so Urbina switches to an anaconda choke. Garcia keeps driving forward and frees his head, then stands to push Urbina against the fence. Garcia drops levels to attempt a double-leg, leaving his neck out for Urbina, who applies another guillotine and this time forces the tap.

The Official Result

Hector Urbina def. Edgar Garcia via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1 3:38

Chris Heatherly vs. Augusto Montano

Round 1

Heatherly takes a leg kick and tries to shoot in behind a wild right hand, but he’s sidestepped by “Dodger.” The next takedown attempt from Heatherly succeeds, and now the American works from Montano’s half guard with four minutes left in the round. Montano regains full guard and looks for a triangle or armbar, but Heatherly takes advantage and passes to side control. Montano slips out the back door and climbs to his feet, where he pops the shorter man with a pair of punches and circles away. Montano dodges a takedown attempt and hits Heatherly with a leg kick. The Mexican fighter uses underhooks to pin Heatherly to the fence, then releases and unloads with some heavy right hands and uppercuts. Heatherly takes the punishment and circles out, then fakes a takedown to crack Montano with an uppercut of his own. Heatherly goes for a single-leg in the center of the cage, gets forced backward and pulls Montano into his open guard. Montano postures up to land a few elbows, then backpedals as Heatherly drives forward on a single-leg. The welterweights stand and Montano rushes Heatherly against the fence with a step-through knee. More knees follow as Heatherly leans over, and now referee John McCarthy is taking a close look. Five, six, seven knees collide with Heatherly, and although he is covering up, he’s offering nothing in return and the fight is stopped.

The Official Result

Augusto Montano def. Chris Heatherly via TKO (Knees) R1 4:50

Ricardo Lamas vs. Dennis Bermudez

Round 1

Lamas starts the fight with a pair of leg kicks and backs up as Bermudez presses forward. Bermudez avoids a pair of high kicks and lunges into range with a right hand before shoving “The Bully” against the cage. Lamas breaks free with a knee to the gut of Bermudez, who marches straight at Lamas and lands a chopping leg kick, then another a few moments later. Lamas kicks the leg out from under Bermudez and catches the kneeling “Menace” in a front headlock. Lamas delivers a couple of knees to Bermudez’s body, but Bermudez stands up and uses a double-leg to break Lamas’ posture. Bermudez stands up and puts a forearm across Lamas’ throat as they fight on the fence. Lamas gets his head free and drills Bermudez’s body with a hard knee. Bermudez backs up a step and grazes with a pair of right hands, answered by a right hook from Lamas as he circles out to the center. A stiff jab from Lamas sends Bermudez to his seat in the middle of the Octagon. Lamas pounces instantly, wrapping up Bermudez with a guillotine and pulling guard. Lamas rolls to mount and bears down on the choke, forcing Bermudez to tap out.

The Official Result

Ricardo Lamas def. Dennis Bermudez via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1

Jake Ellenberger vs. Kelvin Gastelum

Round 1

Gastelum shoots early but can’t get hold of Ellenberger’s legs. The former “TUF” winner steps to the center and pops Ellenberger with a jab down the center, so Ellenberger circles and dodges the next combo to land a clean right hand of his own. Gastelum catches a kick, can’t do anything with it, and Ellenberger hops away to deck the incoming Gastelum with a nice right straight-left hook combo. Gastelum lunges into range with a Superman punch and eats a stinging right hand for his trouble, then another. Gastelum plows Ellenberger to the ground with a takedown and lands in the half guard of “The Juggernaut.” Ellenberger lands a couple punches from the bottom before Gastelum regains his senses and sits up to throw shots. Gastelum fires off some elbows, blocked by Ellenberger before he scrambles to his feet. The welterweights clinch on the fence now, Gastelum on the outside throwing knees to Ellenberger’s midsection. Ellenberger slips out and turns the corner to take Gastelum’s back and suplex him to the ground. Gastelum hits a quick switch and moves to take Ellenberger’s back in a flash. Ellenberger is kneeling, but a few punches from Gastelum soften him up and leave his neck exposed. Gastelum grabs a rear-naked choke and drops back; the choke is very deep, and Ellenberger has no choice but to tap.

The Official Result

Kelvin Gastelum def. Jake Ellenberger via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1 4:46

UFC Interim Heavyweight Title Fight: Mark Hunt vs. Fabricio Werdum

Round 1

Herb Dean is the third man in the cage for tonight’s main event, with judges Sal D’Amato, Chris Lee and Cardo Urso scoring at cageside. Werdum opens the fight with an outside leg kick that spins Hunt around. Hunt gives Werdum one back on the inside, and Werdum answers with a kick to the body. Hunt grazes Werdum’s temple with an overhand right and the Brazilian goes to the ground, ready to pull guard. Hunt allows him to stand, waits outside of range and then hops away from a long Werdum single-leg attempt. Werdum clips Hunt’s chin wth a heel kick but there’s no reaction from the “Super Samoan.” When Hunt presses into the pocket, Werdum changes levels, but Hunt hooks an arm and forces the larger man to the ground. Werdum wraps up hunt in guard and begins to creep his legs up the New Zealander’s body for a triangle. Hunt snuffs out the sub attempt and pops Werdum with short, hard left hands as opening the round enters its final two minutes. Hunt spends a minute in Werdum’s guard, then gets up and wants Werdum to stand with 55 seconds to go. Hunt scores with an uppercut, then whiffs on another but stands up Werdum on an attempt to change levels. 10-9 Hunt.

Round 2

Hunt tries to take off Werdum’s head with a massive overhand right but gets air. Hunt takes his time and counters a Werdum low kick with a right straight, knocking “Vai Cavalo” to the ground again. Werdum gets back to his feet and puts a jab on Hunt’s chin. Hunt is breathing heavy already, but his offense so far hasn’t involved much movement anyway. He catches Werdum throwing a spinning kick and dumps him to the ground. Werdum stands up and tries to grab hold of Hunt, gets shoved away. Hunt takes the center of the cage and sprawls all over a long Werdum shot. Werdum lunges into range and catches Hunt leaning over with a massive knee to the jaw. Hunt hits the deck and Werdum is all over him, pounding away with hammer fists while referee Dean gives Hunt every chance to recover. Hunt isn’t offering anything in return, so Dean steps in to call a halt to the fight. Fabricio Werdum is the new UFC interim heavyweight champion.

The Official Result

Fabricio Werdum def. Mark Hunt via TKO (Knee and Punches) R2 2:27