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The first title defense of the double champion UFC heavyweights could not have gone as planned if he had scripted it with the help of his opponent.
Daniel Cormier knocked out Derrick Lewis, manhandled him on the mat, then blocked a rear throttle to force the submission in the middle of the second round. In addition, Cormier was virtually unharmed, taking advantage of his fight to cancel Lewis's power before exploiting his weaknesses on the mat to get the score at 2:14 of the second round.
The fight was the main event of the UFC 230 Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card has been broadcast à la carte, with selections for FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Cormier's strategy in combat was more or less exactly what most people expected, and challenger Lewis was unable to do anything to stop it.
After repelling early attempts and even a header from Lewis, Cormier clinched a takedown with relative ease against the barrier, then spent most of the round softening Lewis with a shot on the mat worked for get up.
It did not seem to trouble Lewis, who was to expect Cormier to try to put his fight to work. But as the fight came in the second frame, the adjustments were made more easily because Lewis found less and less room to open with his powerful punches.
After trying one leg early in the second, Cormier pushed Lewis' right foot away, placing him in a sitting position with a thud. Lewis struggled to get up, but Cormier, agile, found himself trapped in front of an ankle, which once again took an advantageous position.
As soon as Lewis exposed his back in the effort to get up, Cormier jumped on his neck, catching Lewis's neck in a smothered backless and squeezing it to the end.
This victory brings Cormier his first title defense as a UFC heavyweight champion, making him the first man to have defended both the 205-pound belt and the heavyweight belt. This is his third consecutive victory since a draw against Jon Jones at UFC 214 last year. Lewis' defeat marks a series of three consecutive victories.
UFC 230 minute results include:
- Daniel Cormier def. Derrick Lewis via submission (naked choke on the back) – Round 2, 2:14
- Ronaldo Souza def. Chris Weidman via TKO (punches) – 3rd day, 2:46
- Jared Cannonier def. David Branch via TKO (Punch) – Turn 2, 0:29
- Karl Roberson def. Jack Marshman by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
- Israel Adesanya def. Derek Brunson via TKO (Strikes) – 1st day, 4:51
- Jordan Rinaldi def. Jason Knight by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-26)
- Sijara Eubanks def. Roxanne Modafferi by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Sheymon Moraes def. Julio Arce by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-26)
- Lyman Bon def. Ben Saunders via knockout (punched) – 1st day, 1:32
- Matt Frevola vs. Lando Vannata – Majority Draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)
- Shane Burgos def. Kurt Holobaugh via submission (armbar) – Turn 1, 2:11
- Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Adam Wieczorek by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
For full coverage of UFC 230, see the UFC Events section of the site.
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