[ad_1]
Daniel Cormier is enjoying the loot of victory on Saturday night in New York. (AP Photo / Julio Cortez)
The fight was arranged hastily. And that ended quickly.
Two-division champion Daniel Cormier helped Derrick Lewis quickly participate in the UFC 230 main event to retain his heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
Cormier was quite dominant and led the ground fight early in the first and second rounds. Lewis, a prohibitive outsider, needed to stay on his feet to have any hope of a big shot, like the one who had finished Alexander Volkov in the closing seconds of their fight against UFC 229.
But he never had the chance. Cormier just did not want to let Lewis leave the bridge. A naked back choke finished the job at 2:14 of the second round – with Lewis for the first time as a professional.
It was a somewhat disappointing result for a fight that was hit at the last minute, the UFC 230 card badly needing to attract attention. Cormier, one of the best players ever to win the octagon, came in with a decisive advantage in all categories except one – power. And that provided the plot for this match: Could Lewis make a big move?
Cormier quickly settled this question
"If you have a chance of a puncher … it's not enough," Cormier said. "You have to be one of the best in the world to even compete with [with me]. And Derrick is good, but not yet at this level.
Cormier, 39 – who insisted he retire at the age of 40 – seems to be heading for a big money showdown with Brock Lesnar – a fight he's been aiming for for a while.
"Let's go!" Said Cormier to Joe Rogan's question about the prospect of facing Lesnar. "Come on, Brock!"
If Cormier keeps his promises, this clash will become his UFC Swan song. Sport would not be the same without him.
UFC 230: Daniel Cormier vs. Derrick Lewis
Daniel Cormier (22-1) def. Derrick Lewis (22-6) by submission (Starter naked at the back at 2:14 of the second round).
2nd round: Lewis makes a home run around 30 seconds after the start of the round. Cormier scarily reminds us that a Lewis shot is enough to put an end to it. But he can not land that shot. And that's exactly where he is once again, while Cormier gets his third shot on goal. He has side control, and now he has Lewis's back. The challenger is in a dangerous place here. And here he is! Cormier applies naked choke to the back. And it will do it. Lewis is going away. Dominant victory by bid for the legend of UFC Cormier.
Tour 1: In progress at Madison Square Garden. Three kicks to start the game for Lewis, maybe a little surprising. It would seem to open it to a Cormier takedown. There you go. Barely a minute has pbaded, Cormier is leading the fight in the field, where he wants it. Lewis can not land one of his punishing right hands from there. Cormier occupies the first position and controls the action. Lewis manages to get up, but Cormier straight up. Cormier has Lewis's back – and he hits hard on the ground. All Cormier in the first round. He was dominant and lost a fraction of the run against 10-8. 10-9 Cormier.
THE DATA
Or: Madison Square Garden, New York
TV: FS1 (preliminary), PPV (main board) | Current: UFC.TV
While the UFC 230 was badly in need of a header, Dana White's choice was easy: take Derrick Lewis back for a showdown with the great UFC player Daniel Cormier. One wondered, however, whether Lewis would be willing to do it.
The subject appeared in the Octagon just after his previous fight on October 6 at UFC 229, and Lewis (21-5) seemed cool to the prospect, due to his less than stellar physical conditioning.
But it's happening. Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, after Lewis reversed his position and agreed to fight against Cormier with less than a month of delay. What's changed?
"It's the money," Lewis told the Washington Post. "It's worth going back. We do not know when I'm going to have another opportunity like this one. "
[Derrick Lewis, already an Internet sensation, returns to the octagon in UFC 230]
Main card (10h, PPV)
Daniel Cormier against Derrick Lewis
Jacare Souza (26-6) def. Chris Weidman (14-4) by technical knockout (2:46 of the third round)
It was an exceptional fight to crown the quartet of middleweight competitions leading to Cormier vs. Lewis. The two men showed why they were ranked in the top five at dawn. This one has been challenged at a high level. Souza accelerated the pace early in the second round and his aggression paid off. He was ruthless, fighting with a bloody nose to win big shots. Surprisingly, given the skills of both men on the field, most of this fight was spent standing up.
The battle ended in a controversial way. Souza put an overwhelming right hand on Weidman's temple, which let go instantly. Souza, the No. 5 middleweight, knew that he had managed the final shot and he begged referee Dan Miragliotta to stop the fight. But Miragliotta let the action continue and Souza managed two more shots on a completely defeated Weidman. It was a poor stop. Weidman did not have to take these last shots.
Nevertheless, a big victory for Souza – who has emerged as a major player at 185 years.
Jared Cannonier (11-4) def. David Branch (22-5) by technical knockout (0:39 of the second run)
A little upset here, while Cannonier out the favorite branch with a great wave of second round. Branch's intention was clear from the start: he wanted the fight on the ground. But Cannonier was able to get up and avoid trouble. Then a straight square on Branch's chin overturned him and erected the barrier that followed. Cannonier ended his victory with a series of punches and hammer elbows – enough to land to force the stop. Cannonier, like Karl Roberson, is in the top 10 when the new middleweight rankings are released.
Karl Roberson (7-1) against Jack Marshman (22-8) by unanimous decision
Marshman has shown incredible stamina and a good chin. But that was just about everything. Roberson dominated this one from beginning to end. For Roberson, the shot on the left was money in the bank. This one has foiled Marshman's rare attacks. Roberson defeated a right knee injury and suffered the final round. He had the ground fight about halfway through the third, and that's where it stays. Certainly not as impressive as a performance of Israel Adesanya in the previous match, but Marshman may well end up after the top 10 middleweight.
Israel Adesanya (15-0) def. Derek Brunson (18-7) by technical knockout (04:51 in the first round)
Turning to the main map while Adesanya kept his perfect record intact with a superb burst at the end of the first round to defeat Brunson. Adesanya, a ninth-ranked middleweight, touched Brunson's jaw in less than 40 seconds and never started again. Adesanya showed a great finishing instinct to close the competition by winning several more knees and a series of punches. A right-left combination finished the job for Adesanya, who handled his progress well in the competition. He seems ready for the big things in the middleweights.
Read more:
UFC 230 becomes spicy: Derrick Lewis says Popeyes chicken is "disrespected" by Daniel Cormier
Nevada extends suspensions of Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov as investigation continues
"Go open a wine and liquor store": Conor McGregor blew himself up by Khabib Nurmagomedov's director
Conor McGregor tells Jerry Jones that he wants a fight from the UFC at the AT & T stadium
[ad_2]
Source link
