WOMEN’S bantamweight wrecking ball Amanda Nunes defended her title against American Raquel Pennington.
Main card
Women’s Bantamweight
Amanda Nunes (c) defeated Raquel Pennington via TKO (punches) — R5, 2:36
Amanda Nunes bludgeoned Raquel Pennington for more than 20 bloody minutes on her way to retaining the 135-pound strap.
Nunes returned for the first time since a split decision win against Valentina Shevchenko in September last year and showed no signs of losing her status as the best female bantamweight in the world.
She butchered Pennington with leg kicks before appearing to break her nose with a knee in the clinch.
The American, who was fighting for the first time since defeating Miesha Tate in late 2016, told her corner she was done after round four but was sent back out for more punishment.
“She was physically in the fight in round five but she wasn’t mentally in the fight,” a UFC commentator said.
“We could see, it was right in front of us, her nose basically exploded.”
Pennington’s corner faced immediate criticism for telling her to “change her mindset” instead of throwing in the towel.
That’s a shitty corner! — Yves Edwards (@thugjitsumaster) May 13, 2018
Raquel Pennington tells her corner that she wants to be done. They send her back out there though. #UFC224 — Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) May 13, 2018
Middleweight
Kelvin Gastelum defeated Jacare Souza via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Kelvin Gastelum recorded another unpopular win in Brazil by edging Jacare Souza in a lineball decision.
Gastelum was on the back foot early before a wild back-and-forth second round. Souza tired badly in the third round, allowing the American to get the edge in the eyes of two of the judges.
Gastelum defeated Vitor Belfort in his last visit to Brazil, a result that became a no-contest after he tested positive for marijuana.
He asked for the winner of the title fight between Rob Whittaker and Yoel Romero next.
Women’s Catchweight
Mackenzie Dern defeated Amanda Cooper via submission (rear naked choke) — R1, 2:27
Mackenzie Dern moved to 7-0, including two from two in the UFC, by making short work of Amanda Cooper.
Dern landed a wild overhand right on Cooper’s chin midway through the first round that put her opponent on the floor. The submission specialist pounced and locked in a rear naked choke to finish the fight.
But she was roundly criticised after the performance because it came a day after she missed the designated 116 pound limit for the fight by seven pounds.
Fellow UFC fighter Colby Covington branded Dern a “slob” and compared her to the Muppet character Miss Piggy after her shock result on the scales.
I'm sorry I can't be impressed 7lbs over wtf this looks like 2 different weight classes and I love Dern but this feels wrong #UFC224 — Truck Gordon (@TruckMMA_UFC) May 13, 2018
Fighters who miss weight improve to 6-0 in the UFC this year with Mackenzie Dern's victory. #UFC224 — Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) May 13, 2018
Bantamweight
John Lineker defeated Brian Kelleher via KO (punch) — R3, 3:43
John Lineker produced the second highlight reel finish of the main card by flooring Brian Kelleher late in their three-rounder with a textbook left hook.
“That John Lineker left hook is one of the single best weapons in MMA,” commentator Jon Anik said.
Lineker remains in the title picture at 135 pounds. He’s only lost once in his past nine fights — and that was to current champ TJ Dillashaw. He called for another title shot in his post-fight interview.
It’s Kelleher’s second defeat in the UFC and puts a stop on his two-fight win streak.
Middleweight
Lyoto Machida defeated Vitor Belfort via KO (head kick) — R2, 1:00
Lyoto Machida ended UFC legend Vitor Belfort’s career in the most respectful way possible.
Well, as respectful as you can be when you lay another man out with a kick to the face.
After a snoozefest of an opening round, Machida found an opening a minute into the second and landed a left front kick to Belfort’s jaw.
There was no need to follow up with ground-and-pound. Machida simply stood back, admired his work and bowed to his fallen opponent. “That’s a magician, right there,” UFC commentator Jon Anik said.
“Massive respect to Lyoto Machida for showing complete restraint in the moment,” MMA journalist Chamatkar Sandhu wrote on Twitter. “He knew the second the ball of his foot hit Belfort’s chin, that was all she wrote. That was as beautiful as it was brutal. Another highlight reel KO for the Dragon.”
After regaining consciousness, Belfort placed his gloves down in the centre of the Octagon and declared it was over. “He surprised me pretty well,” Belfort said. “It’s been a long ride and ... I think I’ve come to the end.”
Belfort, who first fought in the UFC at UFC 12 in 1997, finishes his mixed martial arts career with a 26-14 record. He won the light heavyweight championship against Randy Couture in 2004 before losing it in a rematch. He later unsuccessfully challenged for the middleweight championship twice — against Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman — and for the light heavyweight championship against Jon Jones.
Machida, who has now won two in a row after his own career appeared to be winding down, called out Michael Bisping after the fight, saying the former champ could not retire before facing him.
UFC is back in Brazil with a loaded fight card set for Saturday night when UFC 224 kicks off in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will look to defend her title successfully for the third straight time when she takes on No. 2-ranked contender Raquel Pennington. Nunes is on a roll and hasn't lost a fight since 2014 while taking out some of the best fighters at 135 pounds, including Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey and Valentina Shevchenko.
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If Pennington (9-5) is going to shock the world with a title win, she'll have to do so by shaking off some rust inside the Octagon. Pennington's last UFC appearance was at UFC 205 in November 2016, but she did earn a huge win in that bout, a three-round unanimous decision victory over former champion Miesha Tate.
More UFC 224: Fight predictions | DFS picks | Dern misses weight badly
Below is all the information you need to watch the UFC 224 card on Saturday from Rio de Janeiro.
How to watch UFC 224 prelims
Date: Saturday, May 12
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Jeunesse Arena -- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Channel: FX (check local listings)
How to watch UFC 224 main card
Date: Saturday, May 12
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: Jeunesse Arena -- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Stream: UFC.TV or Amazon
Channel: PPV (check provider)
Now, here's a look at the UFC 224 main card and betting odds.
UFC 224 main card, odds
Favorite Underdog Weight Class Amanda Nunes (c) -1000 Raquel Pennington +600 Women's bantamweight title Jacare Souza -150 Kelvin Gastelum +120 Middleweight Mackenzie Dern -250 Amanda Cooper +195 Strawweight John Lineker -250 Brian Kelleher +195 Bantamweight Lyoto Machida -270 Vitor Belfort +210 Middleweight
In the seventh episode of UFC 224 Embedded, Mackenzie Dern discusses badly missing weight, Amanda Nunes gets her lion headdress ready for weigh-ins, Amanda Bobby Cooper gets a gift basket with cookies for Dern and much more.
UFC 224 is not a bad pay-per-view by any means, but it’s not amazing, either. This event is being headlined by a solid women’s bantamweight title bout between Amanda Nunes and Raquel Pennington. This title fight is accompanied by other good bookings, as UFC 224 features a key middleweight contest between Ronaldo Souza and Kelvin Gastelum, jiu-jitsu star Mackenzie Dern’s second UFC fight (she faces Amanda Cooper), an intriguing 185-pound fight pitting together legends and former champs Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida, and a fan friendly scrap in John Lineker vs. Brian Kelleher.
What: UFC 224
Where: Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
When: Saturday, May 12. The four-fight UFC Fight Pass preliminary card begins at 6:15 p.m. ET, the four-fight FX preliminary card begins at 8 p.m. ET, and the five-fight main card begins at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view.
Amanda Nunes vs. Raquel Pennington
I like this fight a lot. Amanda Nunes vs. Raquel Pennington is a competitive bout on paper that involves two of the toughest fighters in the women’s bantamweight division.
Nunes is a very technical striker who carries plenty of power. She has good movement and is great at putting combinations together. The Brazilian champion also has a dominant ground game with good takedowns, solid top control and strong submissions. Nunes is one of the most well-rounded fighters in her division.
Pennington might not be as well-rounded as Nunes, but she doesn’t need to be to win this fight. Pennington is a good striker with good power behind her strikes. She likes to pressure forward and keep up a solid pace. She’s not a decorated grappler, but she can hold her own, and more importantly, she’s tough to takedown and can defend submissions.
This is an interesting fight. I believe Nunes is the more skilled fighter here. Her striking and ground game are more polished than Pennington’s. I can see Nunes out-striking or out-grappling Pennington. However, I’m not sure Nunes can do that for 25 minutes. Pennington is durable, tough, well conditioned and can take a punch. I can definitely see a scenario were Pennington outlasts Nunes, who’s had questionable cardio in the past.
So, it’s somewhat of a tough call. I see a path to victory for both fighters, but I think Nunes has the better one. Nunes showed against Valentina Shevchenko she can go all five rounds and still have energy if she paces herself and stays composed. I think Nunes is pretty experienced at this point and I think she should be able to manage her energy well here.
Pick: Nunes
Ronaldo Souza vs. Kelvin Gastelum
This has to be toughest fight to call on the main card.
Not so long ago I thought Ronaldo Souza’s days might have been over. The loss to Robert Whittaker didn’t make Souza look good, at all. But the Brazilian managed to erase that image with a knockout win over contender Derek Brunson. Souza has great takedowns and a fantastic ground game. He also has good boxing and plenty of power. And on top of that, Souza is a great athlete. He’s quick, explosive, strong and well-conditioned.
Kelvin Gastelum is a fantastic fighter. He’s been able to be a title contender at two different weight classes — middleweight and welterweight. Gastelum has slick boxing, good head movement and footwork, and a strong ground game that’s wrestling based.
If all physical attributes were equal, I’d lean toward Gastelum. I think Gastelum has better boxing than Souza, not by a huge amount, but definitely a significant one. On the ground, Souza is the better fighter. Souza is far more dangerous and knowledgeable. However, Gastelum has a strong takedown defense and a good awareness on the ground, which can keep Souza from getting him to the canvas or submitting him.
Yet, this is middleweight. I still think Gastelum might better suited for welterweight. Maybe I’d think differently if Gastelum bulked up a bit and felt more like a middleweight. Ilir Latifi is short for light heavyweight, but he doesn’t feel like a weight class smaller. I can’t say the same thing for Gastelum at middleweight. I think Gastelum is undersized here, and that matters a lot in the grappling department. I think Souza is one of the Gastelum’s toughest matchups at 185 pounds. I’m split on this one, but I think Souza’s size, power and grappling skills will get him the win.
Pick: Souza
Given Amanda Cooper’s record and Mackenzie Dern’s popularity, it may seem that this is just a a stepping stone on Dern’s path to stardom. However, if you look closely, this is not an easy booking for Dern.
Cooper is very well-rounded. She fights very smoothly, composed and doesn’t make any big mistakes. Despite only having seven pro bouts under her belt, Cooper fights like a veteran. She has a tight, high-volume striking game and solid ground fundamentals. Cooper is also quite strong and has a reliable gas tank.
Dern’s jiu-jitsu credentials are the best in women’s MMA. Although I feel she hasn’t fully been able to transition all her knowledge to MMA, whatever degree she’s been able to use is still levels higher than her opponents. Dern’s striking is still very raw and unpolished, but she has decent power and is not hesitant or afraid to throw down.
I think there is a path to victory for Cooper. If she’s able to stuff Dern’s sometimes questionable takedowns and keep it technical on the feet, she might be able to pull off a close decision win. However, I think Dern will likely draw Cooper into a brawl and open the opportunity for takedowns.
Pick: Dern
Any time John Lineker is in the Octagon, you know you’re going to get an entertaining scrap.
Lineker is a powerhouse at 135 pounds. “Hands of Stone” is the perfect nickname for Lineker. The Brazilian attacks with wild hooks that can sleep almost anyone. Lineker is relentless with his attacks and has great takedown defense that allows him to strike with confidence. Lineker is also extremely tough and durable.
Brian Kelleher is a solid fighter. He’s pretty skilled on the feet and mixes things up well. Kelleher also possesses a complete ground game with dangerous submissions. Kelleher is durable and keeps up a high pace.
This could be fight of the night. I think Kelleher is a game fighter, but I don’t see him taking down Lineker. On the feet, Kelleher skill and range will allow him to have success against Lineker, but I don’t think enough to get him a victory.
Pick: Lineker
Although I enjoy the veteran vs. prospect narrative, it’s always fun to see two legends and former champs getting matched up.
Vitor Belfort will always be dangerous. “The Phenom” might not be the same fighter he once was, but he still has plenty of power, explosiveness and high-level technique behind his striking. Belfort’s chin, cardio, takedown defense and ground game are suspect, but he won’t have to worry about the last two in this bout.
Lyoto Machida is also on the tail end of his career, but he does seem to be a little better preserved than Belfort. Machida is quick, elusive, and possesses a very technical stand up game. Machida also has a pretty decent ground game and he’s extremely experienced.
I see Belfort ending this quick or I see Machida winning a decision. In his last fight, Belfort proved he can pace himself and go the distance, but with a very low attacking rate, which is usually not good for winning decisions. Both guys are game here, but Machida should be the favorite to win.
Pick: Machida
Undercard:
Karl Roberson def. Cezar Ferreira
Junior Albini def. Alexey Oleinik
Davi Ramos def. Nick Hein
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Sean Strickland
Warlley Alves def. Sultan Aliev
Thales Leites def. Jack Hermansson
Ramazan Emeev def. Alberto Mina
Markus Perez def. James Bochnovic
