UFC Fight Night 143 ‘Cejudo vs. Dillashaw’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round-by-Round Scoring

Chance Rencountre vs. Kyle Stewart

Round 1

Rencountre lands an early punch and Stewart returns. Stewart lands a groin shot and referee Dan Miragliotta calls time. Stewart is given a hard warning for the foul. Fight restarts and Rencountre lands a takedown but Stewart gets back up. They fight for position along the fence. Rencountre takes Stewart’s back and gets the fight to the ground. Now Rencountre is riding Stewart on the mat. He gets under the neck and it’s all over. Rencountre wins by rear-naked choke for his first UFC victory.

The Official Result

Chance Rencountre def. Kyle Stewart via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1, 2:25

Belal Muhammad vs. Geoff Neal

Round 1

The first round starts off with both men circling and throwing very few strikes. We’re in a minute in and no one has landed anything significant. Neal throws hands and get Muhammad into the clinch against the fence. Muhammad escapes. The two men circle again. Neal throws a body kick. Neal is starting to get loose now. Muhammad fires back. Muhammad shoots for a takedown and almost gets it but Neal stays upright. Impressive takedown defense there from Neal, who starts stalking Muhammad again. Neal is starting to close the distance and land now. Neal lands a huge combination right on Muhammad’s chin. Muhammad attempts a flying knee then shoots for another takedown but doesn’t get it. Neal continues to stalk Muhammad until the bell rings. 10-9 Neal.

Round 2

Muhammad throws a high kick but Neal blocks it. Neal is stalking Muhammad and throwing hands. Muhammad lands a body kick and Neal returns with a combination of strikes along the fence. Neal is really starting to land now and Muhammad is cut on the nose. Neal lands a huge straight left right on Muhammad’s chin. Muhammad shoots for a takedown and briefly gets it but Neal gets back up. Impressive athleticism shown here by Neal. The two men circle and continue to throw strikes but Neal is getting the better of the exchanges. Muhammad lands a nasty punch to the body of Neal. Both men continue to stand and trade. Muhammad is doing a better job now but Neal still gets the round. 10-9 Neal in round 2.

Round 3

Round 3 is underway and Muhammad needs a finish. Muhammad shoots for a takedown but Neal stuffs it again. He throws a high kick but Neal blocks it. Neal continues to march forward on Muhammad, who is still game. Neal lands a huge punch on Muhammad and knocks him down. He’s on top of Muhammad now on the mat but Muhammad gets back to his feet. Muhammad lands a kick to the body. He’s far own on the scorecards and desperately needs a finish if he wants to win this fight. Neal continues to throw the heat on Muhammad, who is still standing in the pocket. Neal lands a huge head kick but somehow Muhammad didn’t get knocked out. Neal is landing again and Muhammad is countering. His face is a bloody mess and the crowd is going wild. Muhammad showed tremendous durability in this fight but Neal landed far more. 10-9 Neal (30-27 Neal).

The Official Result

Geoff Neal def. Belal Muhammad via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) R3, 5:00

Dennis Bermudez vs. Te Edwards

Round 1

Bermudez comes out landing leg kicks. Edwards lands one of his own and Bermudez gets into the clinch along the fence. Edwards gets out of it and lands big on Bermudez’ chin. Edwards lands a big punch and knocks Bermudez down but he recovers quickly. Bermudez tries for a takedown but doesn’t get it. Edwards continues to land. Bermudez shoots but Edwards shows off some nice takedown defense. Bermudez is fighting hard for a single leg. Bermudez starts to land against the fence and shoots for another single but Edwards defends it. Bermudez is landing some nice shots against the fence. Bermudez finally gets the takedown and Bermudez is on top. He now moves into half guard and starts to drop some hard elbows from the top. Close round but Bermudez finished strong and took it. 10-9 Bermudez.

Round 2

Bermudez gets the takedown almost immediately. He’s now in side control and looking for a kimura. Edwards is on his back and can’t get up. Bermudez is looking for a straight armbar now. He’s stepped over the head and Edwards is now in a horrible position on the ground. Bermudez can’t finish the submission but is still in a dominant position on the ground. Edwards is finally able to get out but Bermudez is fishing for a front choke. Edwards finally is able to get up to the feet and lands a couple big elbows off the break. Bermudez and Edwards are now in the middle of the Octagon looking for a chance to catch their breath. Bermudez lands another easy takedown. He’s on top now and content to ride out the round. 10-9 Bermudez.

Round 3

The two are standing in the middle exchanging shots. Bermudez shoots for another takedown and gets it easy. Bermudez is now looking for a guillotine choke. It’s very tight but Edwards is able to defend it. Bermudez is now on top of Edwards in full mount. He’s landing bombs from top now. Bermudez is now fishing for an armbar. Edwards is able to slip out but Bermudez counters and they stand up. Bermudez shoots and gets yet another takedown. A terrible display of takedown defense by Edwards tonight, and Bermudez used his bread-and-butter wrestling game to snap his four-fight losing skid. 10-9 Bermudez (30-27). After the fight, Bermudez announced his retirement from MMA.

The Official Result

Dennis Bermudez def. Te Edwards via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26) R3, 5:00

Mario Bautista vs. Cory Sandhagen

Round 1

Both men start off throwing strikes in the center of the Octagon. There’s no feeling out process between these two. These two are really hitting each other hard early on. Sandhagen lands a massive flying knee out of nowhere. He’s on top of Bautista now holding him on the mat but Bautista is able to counter and briefly get a takedown of his own. Bautista lands a huge takedown but puts himself into an inverted triangle choke. Bautista is able to get out. Sandhagen now gets another takedown and is fishing for a kimura. He’s changed it to an armbar and he gets the first-round submission. Wow. Very impressive performance by Sandhagen.

The Official Result

Cory Sandhagen def. Mario Bautista via Submission (Armbar) R1, 3:31

Alonzo Menifield vs. Vinicius Alves Moreira

Round 1

Menifield lands big on Moreira early and knocks him down. Menifield lands some ground-and-pound but Moreira is able to recover and get back up. Menifield lands big again on the feet. He’s landing big shots against Moreira, who is a very stationary target. Moreira is able to push Menifield against the fence. Menifield is doing a good job of staying upright. Menifield is now fishing for a choke but doesn’t get it. Menifield lands a huge punch and knocks Moreira down. He starts to land punches on the ground and the referee jumps in and stops the fight.

The Official Result

Alonzo Menifield def. Vinicius Alves Moreira via TKO (punches) R1, 3:56

Ariane Lipski vs. Joanne Calderwood

Round 1

Lipski comes out strong and lands a nasty combination on Calderwood. The two push against the fence and jockey for position. Calderwood shoots and gets a takedown. Calderwood is controlling Lipski on the mat and is looking to take her back. Calderwood locks in a neck crank but Lipski gets out of it. Calderwood is now on top position. She has now moved into an arm-triangle position. Calderwood is squeezing on the choke but Lipski gets out of it. Calderwood is able to take the back of Lipski and is now looking for a rear-naked choke. Lipski is doing a good job of defending the choke but she’s in a bad spot on the ground. Calderwood switches to an armbar and is looking to finish the fight but she runs out of time. 10-9 Calderwood.

Round 2

Lipski and Calderwood are exchanging on the feet to start the second round. Lipski lands a head kick but it’s partially blocked by Calderwood, who keeps marching forward. Calderwood lands a nice right hand on Lipski, who is keeping her chin in the air. Calderwood is throwing but not landing anything significant. She finally lands a nice left hook on Lipski, who returns fire. Lipski throws a combination but there’s no zip on her strikes. Calderwood now has Lipski shoved up against the fence. Uneventful round but the Scot landed slightly more and edges it out. 10-9 Calderwood.

Round 3

The two flyweights start off the third round standing and trading in the center of the Octagon. Lipski must know she needs a finish now. Both women are landing good shots. Calderwood lands a spinning back elbow but Lipski doesn’t get rocked. Lipski is able to get a takedown and she is now on top of Calderwood working in side control. Calderwood is able to get back to her guard. Calderwood is now looking for an armbar. Lipski is defending, but there’s still 90 seconds left in the fight and plenty of time left to get the sub. Lipski finally gets out of it. She’s now back in top position and needs a finish with 30 seconds left. She seems content to just lay in top position until the fight is over. 10-9 Lipski, but 29-28 Calderwood overall.

The Official Result

Joanne Calderwood def. Ariane Lipski via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)

Donald Cerrone vs. Alexander Hernandez

Round 1

Hernandez comes out flying and lands a right hand. He lands a big uppercut and has Cerrone hurt. Cerrone changes levels and gets the takedown. Hernandez gets back up but Cerrone gets him down a second time. Now Hernandez is back up on the feet. Cerrone lands a straight right. Hernandez fires back and has Cerrone backing up. Cerrone lands another right hand. They exchanges big shots again and Hernandez lands a kick. Cerrone is starting to tag Hernandez now. Cerrone lands a head kick. Cerrone is starting to find his range and has Hernandez hurt. Hernandez’ face is busted open but he continues to walk forward. Cerrone once again lands a big combination on Hernandez. Cerrone is lighting Hernandez up on the feet. Great round for the veteran. 10-9 Cerrone.

Round 2

Second round starts off more of the same, with Hernandez marching forward and Cerrone piecing him up. Cerrone is landing some huge shots and the end could be near. Big body kick by Cerrone. Another body kick. Some knees from Cerrone now. And now some elbows. Cerrone is landing everything that he throws. Cerrone lands a head kick and knocks Hernandez down. Cerrone is looking to finish with ground-and-pound and the referee steps in to stop the fight. Amazing performance by Cerrone.

The Official Result

Donald Cerrone def. Alexander Hernandez via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) R2, 3:42

Glover Teixeira vs. Karl Roberson

Round 1

Teixeira shoots for a takedown but Roberson lands some nasty Travis Browne-style elbows and nearly finishes him in the first minute. Roberson now moved into full mount and is raining down strikes on Teixeira. The Brazilian is able to get out and now he lands a takedown of his own. Now Teixeira is in full mount. Unbelievable sequence of events to start this fight. Teixeira looks for an arm triangle but doesn’t get it. He’s now in guard and is raining down punches on Roberson. Teixeira goes back to the arm-triangle and this time he gets it. Great comeback win for Teixeira.

The Official Result

Glover Teixeira def. Karl Roberson via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) R1, 3:21

Paige VanZant vs. Rachael Ostovich

Round 1

VanZant lands a high kick that is blocked by Ostovich, who quickly gets a takedown. Ostovich is in half guard and is looking to move into full mount. Ostovich goes back into guard and is pressing into VanZant on the mat. The referee breaks it up as no one was able to advance position. Ostovich gets another takedown and goes into side control and then back into half guard. Not much is happening now. Ostovich is trying to get a guillotine choke but can’t because she’s in half guard. Ostovich continues to stay on top while VanZant is just surviving. Now VanZant goes for an ankle lock but Ostovich gets out of it and lands back on top. VanZant is looking for a heel hook now. Ostovich gets out and then lands another takedown. She is looking for an armbar but the round is over. 10-9 Ostovich.

Round 2

Ostovich lands a left hand on the feet. VanZant really needs to get going. Ostovich lands another punch and gets another takedown. But VanZant is able to get to her feet, and then put Ostovich in a bad position and take her back. Ostovich gets out of the choke but is now in a terrible position with VanZant on her back raining down strikes. Ostovich is now looking to get out but VanZant locks in an armbar and gets the submission.

The Official Result

Paige VanZant def. Rachael Ostovich via Submission (Armbar) R2, 1:50

Joseph Benavidez vs. Dustin Ortiz

Round 1

The two men are exchanging kicks early. Benavidez lands a big left on Ortiz. Now Ortiz catches Benavidez and goes in for a takedown. Benavidez is looking for a guillotine along the fence. Ortiz gets out, then the two exchanges strikes on the feet. Benavidez lands a takedown but Ortiz is able to get up. Benavidez is then able to get another takedown. Ortiz gets up. Benavidez lands a huge punch and knocks Ortiz to the floor. He’s now back in top position. Benavidez is looking to advance position but the round runs out. Clear round for him. 10-9 Benavidez.

Round 2

Benavidez looks for an early takedown again. Ortiz is able to push Benavidez against the fence and is starting to finally show some life. Ortiz is stalking Benavidez around the Octagon. A lot of jockeying for position between the two against the fence. Benavidez is able to get another takedown but Ortiz gets up. Now Ortiz is looking for the takedown. And he gets it and now takes Benavidez’ back. Benavidez is able to get out of it and get on top of Ortiz. Benavidez gets another takedown. The two switch positions. Some very nice transitions on the ground in this fight. Now they are back to the feet. Benavidez clips Ortiz again. Ortiz is able to land a powerful takedown and get the back of Benavidez. He is now looking to get a choke with 10 seconds left. He isn’t able to do so, but wins the round. 10-9 Ortiz.

Round 3

Benavidez makes a nice level change and gets the takedown. Ortiz is throwing something close to 12-6 elbows and is warned by the referee. The two go back to grappling. Ortiz is able to get the back briefly but Benavidez gets back on top. Now some more grappling and Benavidez has the back of Ortiz. Benavidez is spending a lot of time holding Ortiz from behind but Ortiz finally gets out of it. Benavidez looks to take the back again but instead winds up on top. Ortiz is able to flip him over. Now Benavidez flips him over. Amazing transitions in this fight. Benavidez is back up but Ortiz is looking for another takedown along the fence. Benavidez looks to be slightly stronger and is able to end back on top in the transition. Ortiz now nearly takes the back of Benavidez late but Benavidez is able to stop it. The fight is nearing its end and and Ortiz likely needs a finish he doesn’t get it. Great fight. 10-9 Benavidez (29-28)

The Official Result

Joseph Benavidez def. Dustin Ortiz via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Gregor Gillespie vs. Yancy Medeiros

Round 1

Gillespie shoots for a takedown right away and temporarily gets it but Medeiros is able to scramble up to the fence. Gillespie is holding Medeiros against the fence and landing heavy knees to the thigh and body. Now Gillespie briefly has the back of Medeiros, who is doing a good job of not getting takedown. Gillespie looks to get the back of Medeiros but the Hawaiian scrambles and is then able to nearly take Gillespie’s back. Gillespie pushes Medeiros back against the fence. Gillespie is just riding Medeiros and getting brief takedowns and buy time. Medeiros has an incredible ability to scramble but Gillespie is riding him hard. There’s a clear strength advantage for Gillespie in this fight. 10-9 Gillespie.

Round 2

Gillespie lands an overhand right. He then immediately shoots for another takedown. He gets Medeiros to the ground and he’s riding him hard again. A powerful takedown for Gillespie. He’s now in full mount and back into Medeiros’ guard. Now Gillespie is in side control and now he’s in mount. Gillespie is in full mount and has Medeiros in a bad spot. Gillespie is fishing for an arm-triangle choke. Now he’s raining down strikes on Medeiros, who is in a horrible position here. The referee tells Medeiros to fight back. Medeiros is able to get back up to his feet but Gillespie is riding him hard against the cage again. Gillespie takes the back of Medeiros yet again. Now he’s raining punches on Medeiros and the referee stops the fight with one second left in the round.

The Official Result

Gregor Gillespie def. Yancy Medeiros via TKO (punches) R2, 4:59

Greg Hardy vs. Allen Crowder

Round 1

Hardy is landing some huge punches right away on Crowder. These are two big boys swinging hard and heavy early. Now Crowder is pushing Hardy against the fence and trying to slow down the fight. Hardy gets out of it. Hardy is throwing huge punches but Crowder is surviving. Hardy is still throwing heat. Crowder is just standing at the end of his range. Hardy lands a big knee to Crowder. Now Crowder gets a takedown. He’s holding Hardy to the ground. Now Crowder is in side control. Now Crowder has the crucifix position. Hardy is in trouble but somehow manages to escape. Crowder is just riding Hardy now and tries or a guillotine choke. But Hardy gets out of it and lands on top. Bad fight IQ by Crowder there. Hardy is on top and throwing hammerfists. Crowder is trying to get the triangle but Hardy gets out of it. Now Hardy is holding him down again. Hardy finishes the round with a couple big punches. 10-9 Hardy.

Round 2

Both guys look fatigued. Hardy tries to land a superman punch. Crowder lands a couple punches on Hardy. The pace of this fight has really slowed down now. Hardy has the center of the Octagon but isn’t landing much. Crowder isn’t landing much either. Now Crowder is talking to Hardy. They end up on the ground and Hardy lands a brutal illegal knee while Crowder was grounded. Unreal. Crowder cannot continue and Hardy loses by disqualification.

The Official Result

Allen Crowder def. Greg Hardy via DQ (illegal knee to a downed opponent) R2, 2:28

UFC Flyweight Title Fight
Henry Cejudo vs. T.J. Dillashaw

Round 1

Both champs come out strong exchanging kicks. Cejudo, the 125-pound champ, catches Dillashaw, the 135-pound ace, with a flurry of punches and nearly knocks him out. Dillashaw stumbles before getting back to his feet but Cejudo swarms with lefts and rights and drops Dillashaw several times. Referee Kevin MacDonald has seen enough and it's over. Wow! Amazing performance by Cejudo. Dillashaw protested the stoppage, but he was clearly rocked several times.

The Official Result

Henry Cejudo def. TJ Dillashaw via TKO (Punches) R1, 0:32