This is the UFC 225 live blog for Robert Whittaker vs. Yoel Romero 2, a middleweight bout at Saturday night’s UFC event at the United Center in Chicago.
The bout was originally scheduled to be a title defense for Whittaker, but Romero failed to make the championship weight limit of 185 pounds and he will not be competing for a belt.
Whittaker defeated Romero by unanimous decision at UFC 213 last July to win an interim title, which was later promoted to undisputed status. The two will face each other in a rematch in the main event.
Check out the UFC 225 live blog below.
Round 1: Dan Miragliotta on hand to oversee the main event. Whittaker going after Romero’s leg with straight kicks right away. Unsurprisingly, it’s Whittaker probing with jabs and low kicks as Romero looks to bide his time. Left hook gets through Romero’s defenses. Romero lands a glancing left hook of his own. Whittaker with a steady stream of low kicks and he’s whipping out combinations whenever Romero gets too close. His jab is also keeping Romero at bay. Romero just turtling up as Whittaker is keeping a steady pace. Romero explodes off the fence and lands a good inside leg kick, but otherwise his output in first round has been low.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Whittaker.
Round 2: Low kicks to the leg and body from Whittaker. Left hand over the top glances Romero, but he hits Whittaker with a body kick. Teep to the body by Whittaker. He’s mixing his punches and body kicks well. Romero only finding success with outside leg kicks. Whittaker with right hook, then a left, and another kick to the body. Romero’s right eye is starting to swell up from the steady stream of jabs he’s been taking. 1-2-kick combo by Whittaker backs Romero up. Whittaker just beating Romero to the punch on every occasion. Takedown attempt in the final 30 seconds is easily avoided. Whittaker has Romero retreating as he jabs at him.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Whittaker. Overall 20-18, Whittaker.
Round 3: Romero coming out with a lot more energy in round three, he scores with a few short punches inside. A huge right hand by Romero rocks Whittaker! He’s stumbling around and needs a desperation shot to keep Romero from finishing. It’s enough, though Romero secures a body lock and has completely turned the fight around. Uppercut by Romero. He’s swarming. Whittaker hurts Romero with a couple of elows. They’re scrapping right in front of each other’s faces. Romero throwing little punches to the body as he leans on Whittaker against the cage, both fighters sill looking hurt. Spinning back fist lands for Whittaker, Romero answers with a 1-2. Whittaker somehow able to avoid getting taken down. Romero looking for a homerun swing as they separate. Stiff jab by Romero. He has Whittaker against the fence and he is looking for the finish with some heavy hands, though Whittaker is in survival mode and he manages to avoid the worst shots before cracking Romero with a head kick. Romero walks through it. Whittaker gives up a takedown, but is soon back up with Romero hanging off of him. Whittaker reverses positions and they end clinched up against the fence. Intense round.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Romero. Overall 29-28, Whittaker.
Round 4: Whittaker strikes first with a straight punch, but he looks tentative given the hits he took in round two. High kick is partially blocked by Romero. Whittaker throws another that scores. Jab down the middle by Whittaker. The straight kick to the leg is hurting Romero, but a low shot puts a temporary stop to the action. Romero takes most of the break to recover. When the action resumes, Whittaker quadruples up on his jab to strike Romero. He’s still utilizing the low kick effectively too, both to the knee and Romero’s mid-section. Commentators suggesting something may be wrong with Whittaker’s right hand as he’s hardly throwing it. His jab has been enough to hold Romero off this round. There simply hasn’t been much to score on Romero’s end. They trade jabs, but it’s Whittaker who follows up with punches and then a kick to the body. Romero lands a straight right. Whittaker ramps up the aggression only to eat a stiff counter punch from Romero and the champ might be stunned again. The round ends before we can see the extent of the damage done.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Whittaker. Overall 39-37, Whittaker.
Round 5: Like in round three, Romero comes out hot. A 1-2 sends Whittaker stumbling back. Moments later, Romero scores with a spinning back kick to the body. Whittaker settles in and starts to find his jab again. Whittaker lands a solid kick to the leg, but Romero makes him pay with punches over the top. He’s remaining just out of reach until Romero lands a huge left hook! Down goes Whittaker with Romero on top of him, trying to finish with ground-and-pound, though he’s pacing himself. Whittaker grabs a leg and hangs on. Romero landing punches to the body. Somehow, Whittaker is able to power up and drive forward for a takedown attempt. Romero stuffs him. Knee by Romero. He’s on Whittaker’s back, landing big punches from behind. Romero just leaning on Whittaker now. Whittaker struggles back to his feet and Romero tries to trip him down, but Whittaker resists. Romero hanging onto his back with a minute to go. Miragliotta orders a break with about 45 seconds remaining and they reset. Neither man can land a finishing blow and this is going to be a close one on the scorecards.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-8, Romero. Overall 47-47.
Official result: Robert Whittaker def. Yoel Romero via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) to remain the UFC middleweight champion
This is the UFC 225 live blog for Rafael dos Anjos vs. Colby Covington, an interim welterweight championship bout at Saturday night’s UFC event at the United Center in Chicago.
Dos Anjos, a former UFC lightweight champion who is 3-0 since moving up to 170 pounds, fights Colby Covington, who has won five straight bouts, in the co-main event.
Check out the UFC 225 live blog below.
Round 1: Referee Herb Dean will be in charge for this interim title fight. No glove touch ahead of this one. They come out swinging right away and Colby is able to jump in and get a takedown. Dos Anjos uses the fence to get back up, but Covington is holding on to a body lock. He’s muscling Dos Anjos down, but dos Anjos again stands up. Covington already pushing the pace. They separate. 1-2 connects for dos Anjos as Covington forces a grapple situation against the cage. Great takedown defense by dos Anjos. Short elbow lands for Covington. Round kick partially connects for Covington. Dos Anjos throws an uppercut that hits the body as Covington continues to come forward. Punch lands in the clinch for Covington who has been keeping up the pressure for three minutes. He drops down for a takedown by absorbs some elbows from dos Anjos. Another uppercut to the body, then a knee by dos Anjos. Covington connects with a pair of leg kicks. They trade kicks to the body. Covington’s continues to initiate the clinch, but cannot get a takedown like he did at the start. High paced opening period.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, dos Anjos.
Round 2: Covington explodes early and gets the takedown, but once more cannot hold dos Anjos down. He is just looking to bully the former lightweight champion. Elbow inside by Covington and they separate. Dos Anjos lands a kick to the body. Inside leg kick by Covington. 1-2 for RDA, but Covington again presses him against the cage. He’s looking for a double leg and almost gets it, but dos Anjos scrambles out. Covington eats a body shot. And another one. Left hand for Covington scores. Takedown defense for dos Anjos is holding up. Covington not afraid to stand and trade, though his body is taking a lot of damage. Uppercut by Covington lands solidly. Back to the fence. Another good uppercut for Covington and he’s able to drag dos Anjos down with about 45 seconds to work. He’s trying to score as much as he can with little shots on the mat and could steal this round with the takedown. Dos Anjos back up. Both men are bloodied, Covington around the face, dos Anjos with a cut around his left ear.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, dos Anjos. Overall 20-18, dos Anjos.
Round 3: Covington coming forward with the jab, he absorbs another uppercut to the body, but clinches up. Dos Anjos slips out. 1-2 scores for Covington. He’s having success with leg kicks as well. Back to the clinch. Knee to the body by dos Anjos. Covington explodes with a short elbow. They separate. Kick to the body and a kick to the leg by Covington. Jab connects for Covington and it allows him to get inside for a body lock. Accidental low blow by Covington as both men throw kicks. Covington smiles as he’s throwing a lot of volume punching out there. He’s keeping dos Anjos stuck to the fence. They break and dos Anjos throws a rapid 1-2. Covington eats it, goes in with a knee to the body, and clinches up. Body kick for Covington lands, then punches over the top. He’s deep in on a takedown attempt and now he’s positioning himself behind dos Anjos. Dos Anjos fights off the hands to get back into a neutral position. Kick to the body scores for Covington.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Covington. Overall 29-28, dos Anjos.
Round 4: Dos Anjos cracks Covington with a Superman punch. Dos Anjos having success with straight punches. Covington looks to tie him up and he just drives him against the cage. It doesn’t go anywhere and now it’s dos Anjos who goes in for the takedown, and he gets it. Covington quickly gets off his back, dos Anjos having to work from front choke position. Covington looking calm. He powers up and gets dos Anjos back against the fence. The separate and dos Anjos scores a second takedown. Covington uses the fence to walk back up. Knees to the thigh by dos Anjos. He gets a third takedown, though it doesn’t last long. Covington finally breaks dos Anjos’s grip. Dos Anjos trying to slip punches, but Covington gets an elbow and a jab to land. Covington with a takedown attempt, dos Anjos turns the tables and goes for one of his own, both men able to stay upright. Dos Anjos making Covington pay with knees to the body. Covington with a 1-2, then another, he’s keeping his output high through almost 20 minutes of action. Straight left for dos Anjos, but it’s Covington who’s throwing much more. He gets a single leg to take dos Anjos down and end the round in top position.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, dos Anjos. Overall 39-37, dos Anjos.
Round 5: Covington immediately closes the distance and goes to work against the fence with his grappling. RDA fighting the hands while Covington drives knees into his thigh. Dirty boxing from Covington. A flying knee by RDA doesn’t land clean, Covington drives in for a takedown, gets it, but dos Anjos is back up. Covington making good use of kicks to attack dos Anjos’s body. Covington absolutely smothering dos Anjos now. Dos Anjos tries to create separation, but Covington lands a good left hand and gets right back to pressing dos Anjos against the fence. Jab for dos Anjos, body kick by Covington. Left hand by dos Anjos causes Covington to pause, but he looks like he was just taking a breather. Back to the body lock, then a single leg for Covington. Huge takedown for Covington with a minute to go. RDA able to use a submission attempt to create. ascramble and get free. They’re swinging with less than a minute to go. Covington clinches up and takes the action to the fence again. They end on another exchange. Excellent, closely contested fight. Interim strap would be well deserved for either man.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 Covington. Overall 48-47, dos Anjos.
Official result: Colby Covington def. Rafael dos Anjos via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) to become the new UFC interim welterweight champion
The UFC 225 post-fight press conference is the last piece of business to take care of after the action is over in the Octagon, and we have the live video below at MMAFighting.com.
UFC officials will announce the winners of the Fight of the Night and the Performance of the Night bonuses, and winning fighters will meet the media after their fights.
The UFC 225 post-fight press conference takes place about 30 minutes after the main event ends, meaning it will start around 2 a.m. ET.
