UFC 228 Final Results

The champion Woodley came out fast, looking to pressure Till in his own style, getting off a few punches before pinning him against the fence. Till was tentative to start the round, but gradually picked up steam and found his range. Woodley dropped Till dramatically with a right hand to start the second round and rained down a flood of fists and elbows that Till miraculously weathered for several long minutes, allowing Woodley the time to work into position and execute the submission..

#UFC228 Official Result: @TWooodley def @darrentill2 by submission, D’arce choke, 4:19, second round.

In a battle that is nearly certain to determine the next opponent for strawweight champion Rose Namajunas, both Andrade and Kowalkiewicz came out swinging with purpose. It was quickly apparent, however, that the powerful Andrade was getting the better of the exchanges, nearly doubling the striking output. It was a stiff right hook to the chin of Karolina a mere 1:58 into the fight that gave Andrade a legendary one-punch KO, the second fastest in the history of the division. #UFC228 Official Result: @JessicaMMApro def @KarolinaMMA by KO, first round, 1:58.

Accepting the bout on short noticed, Brandon Davis looked crisp nonetheless in the early going, giving angles to Magomedsharipov and hitting him with plenty of leg kicks. Zabit scored a takedown late in the round, but Davis bounced back up immediately. He had better luck keeping him either down or against the fence in the second, keeping Davis on the defensive as he had few answers for Zabit’s wrestling. Improbable as it seems, Zabit finished the fight with a knee bar, the second of the evening but only the third in UFC history.

Both fighters started off with a little more hesitation than either is known for, circling around and trying to find range. Rivera had the most success early, blocking a Dodson high kick, and delivering a few leg kicks of his own. In a more engaged second round, Rivera began finding a home for his combinations, although Dodson’s speed kept him out of any serious trouble. Rivera rocked Dodson early the third with stiff left hand, and Dodson seemed to be increasingly tentative and frustrated, constantly backing away from the forward-marching Rivera. #UFC228 Official Result: @JimmieRivera135 (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) def @JohnDodsonMMA by unanimous decision.

THEY SAID IT:
Jimmie Rivera: “I need to sit down with my managers and coaches to see what’s next, I’m not going to pick and choose. Of course the fans wanted a war, but let’s remember that John Dodson beat the champion of this division in the past. He’s unbelievably fast and so much talented. I mean, this puts me right there for a title shot, but anything can happen.. Maybe a fight with Cody, maybe a rematch with Marlon, maybe Cruz, as he got hurt last time. I’m number five right now, just fought one of the best guys in the bantamweight division. I got into the Octagon tonight trying to land my shots and not make mistakes. With an opponent like him, you have got to be careful.”

Ghana native and Texas resident Alhassan continued his streak of finishing every single one of his wins by first round knockout. 43 seconds was all he needed as his flurry of punches caused Price to drop his hands, unconscious on his feet, and set up the kill shot. #UFC228 Official Result: @JudoRazak def @NikoHybridPrice by KO, first round, :43

THEY SAID IT:
Abdul Razak Alhassan “I feel amazing, I didn’t expect to finish him that quick, I was ready for 3 rounds because I knew he is a tough fighter, so I’m pretty happy. I want to get back as soon as possible as I’ve been out for a while, since my fight in January. I heard there is a card in Milwaukee, I would like to be on that one. Whoever the bosses and my managers want me to fight, I’m ready to go for it.”

Scoring a takedown on her first attempt early in the fight, former Olympian Suarez took immediate control of the bout, keeping Esparza on her back and raining down the fists and elbows. More of the same in the second round as Suarez used her size advantage to control from the top with each successive takedown. Suarez has been wrestling since the age of 3, and it was evident in her ability to keep Esparza, an accomplished wrestler in her own right, constantly on the defensive. Suarez smothered Esparza from start to finish and dominated in every category, notably an unofficial strike differential of 125 to 12, with the last few being brutal elbows that sealed the TKO victory. Suarez now owns the longest active UFC win streak in the strawweight division with four consecutive victories. #UFC228 Official Result: @TSPMMA115 def @CarlaEsparza1 by TKO, third round, 4;33.

THEY SAID IT:
Tatiana Suarez “I got in there believing I’m really strong, I’ve worked on my wrestling since I was a kid and I have knockout power. I think I’ll be at 115 until I get the belt and once I get the belt I’ll move to 125, but I really do not cut that much weight, I’m just taller. Carla was my toughest opponent. Her wrestling is good, she never quits. I knew going into this fight that it would be a war, but I knew deep in my heart I was going to win. I’m a top contender, I just beat a former champion. I was born to fight and I want to keep getting better from here. If the UFC don’t give me the title shot I want to fight the loser of Jessica and Karolina, because I know the winner will be the next contender for the belt. I want to fight as soon as possible and keep this flow going.”

A long-simmering social media beef finally had a chance to get settled, and it was Sterling having most of the early success with a vast advantage in the number of strikes landed. Two takedowns started a momentum shift to Stamann as the round concluded, only for Sterling to steal it back in the second with some solid clinch work. Sterling scored his only takedown of the fight in the second round, and it would be the only takedown he’d need, eventually working to back mount and executing the rare „Suloev Stretch“ knee bar. #UFC228 Official Result: @FunkMaster_UFC def @CodyStamann by submission, knee bar, second round, 3:42.

A well-played back-and-forth striking battle generally favored the larger Neal, who almost finished Camacho at the conclusion of the first round with an onslaught of fists. Neal kept up the energy to start the second, repeatedly rocking a dogged Camacho until a perfectly placed head kick shut off Camacho’s lights as he fell limp to the canvas. The alumni of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series scores a huge win in front of his hometown crowd.

THEY SAID IT:
Geoff Neal “This win in my home state meant a lot. Everything I’m doing now is a small accomplishment. I’ve knocked people out before, that’s what I do. I’m looking at the end game. I knew he was going to be tough. I was mentally ready for a three-round battle, but knew it could also end quickly. I saw that every time I threw a punch, he dipped that way and it set me up to deliver the kick. I didn’t think the kick would knock him out, but I got him clean.”

It wasn’t the homecoming Dallas fighter Charles Byrd was looking for. In the early going Byrd fired off some nice right hands, but Stewart easily rolled with the strikes and thwarted several takedown attempts. When the fight came out of the clinch in the second round, Stewart appeared to have a surge of momentum, throwing a series of heavy shots including a right elbow that crumpled Byrd to the mat and moved the referee to step in. #UFC228 Official Result: @darren_mma def @DynamiteByrd170 by TKO, second round, 2:17.

THEY SAID IT:
Darren Stewart “I pictured a knockout, I didn’t know how it was going to happen or when but I knew I was going to knock him out. I started slow which I apologize for, but I visualized the knockout and it came true. My preparation for this fight has been perfect, 100%, my training, my team, my nutrition, everything has been great, so it’s only right I got the win. I’m not carrying any injuries so I want to get back in the Octagon in November.”

Sanchez came into the Octagon hyped up and mugging his opponent, and at the opening bell he thundered over to White and promptly slammed him to the mat. The original TUF winner continued the energetic pace throughout, controlling the whole of the first round by keeping White on his back. A similar sequence was the story of the second round, with White vainly looking for a submission while Sanchez attacked from the top. White rocked Sanchez early in the third, but still managed to return White to his back where The Thundercat ran out of opportunities to get back any control of the fight. #UFC228 Official Result: @diegosanchezufc (30-27 x 3) def @theTHNDRcat, by unanimous decision.

THEY SAID IT:
Diego Sanchez “I’ve been always the friendly guy, shaking hands, thinking MMA as the sport. I’ve been through knockouts, injuries, and now when I get into a fight I know my opponent wants to hurt me, so I’m not going to shake hands. Not even in weigh-ins. I feel this is the rebirth of Diego Sanchez, I’m changing things in my life and also in my training. I didn’t get the finish tonight but all I can say is that he is a tough opponent. His condition was on point. I’m looking forward to fight anyone that UFC puts in front of me. Another Goliath for this David, I’m ready”.

Veteran lightweight Jim Miller snapped a four-fight losing streak in thrilling fashion, knocking upstart Alex White to the canvas with a barrage of punches and moving directly in for the rear naked choke. In his post-fight interview, Miller detailed his battle the Lyme disease, fighting back tears of happiness at nailing the win in his record-setting 30th UFC fight. #UFC228 Official Result: @JimMiller_155 def @Alex_White_145 by submission, rear naked choke. 1:29 first round.

THEY SAID IT:
Jim Miller “The game plan for me is always just to fight. Whatever comes, comes. I was able to land that good cross over the top and I hit him and then again, it felt good. It’s just one of those things, his neck appeared and I took it. I lost my last four fights, two of those guys were not in the top 10, so I feel I needed this win. I just want to continue fighting, I know I can beat the best in the world, especially feeling like I’m feeling now, that I got this under control, I’ll take anybody. I want to have a 3rd fight this year, maybe in Milwaukee.”

Two bantamweights with a similar stand-and-trade style stayed busy and put on a slugfest from the opening bell, with Pudilova’s shots appearing to inflict more damage and occasionally stalling Aldana’s persistent advance. Pudilova calmly stepped forward throughout, make the most of combinations and headkicks, seemingly undeterred by the barrage of counter-stikes Aldana served up for her. Battered and bloodied, both fighters received massive cheers from the crowd for an exciting, determined effort. The bout produced the fourth most combined significant strikes in women’s bantamweight history with 224. #UFC228 Official Result: @IreneAldana_ (29-28, 29-28) def @lucie_pudilova (29-28) by split decision.

THEY SAID IT:
Irene Aldana “The training for this fight was completely different of what I was getting prepared for before (Bethe Correia). I had to adapt and especially to keep the distance in this fight, as my opponent has a long reach and is very active. I’m just very happy I had Lucie as my opponent, I could hear people cheering and our fight made the public excited. She is very tough, and although she’s a striker, I knew she could change the game plan at any time. I think I hurt my hand in the second round, so in the third one I was not performing the way I expected. I would love to have finished her, but I will keep following my plan and come back better next time. I want to make to the top 10 list of this division. I know the competition is tougher at this level, but I’m ready. I’m getting more confident inside the Octagon and I’m just in the beginning of my career, a lot more is coming.”

While Sanchez was able to control a large portion of the fight with his trademark takedown game, Brooks’ speed gave him problems getting mount or taking the back. Brooks in turn was able to fire off several well-timed strikes while his opponent continued his search for a submission. Brooks gained momentum throughout the fight, dominating from top and side position in the third round, pouring on the shots. The effort was enough for the split. #UFC228 Official Result: @the_monkeygod (29-28, 29-28) def @Littlefury_MMA (29-28) by split decision.

THEY SAID IT:
Jared Brooks “I lost my two last fights, this one was on five days-notice so there was some pressure, but at the end of the day I got the win. It was not my best performance, but I want to continue winning with better performances in the future. I’m a winner, not a loser and this mindset is what is going to make me achieve my goal of becoming the world champion. You see people like Henry Cejudo, shaking the flyweight division… nothing but respect to Henry Cejudo, but in the next two years, he better watch out.”