UFC Brooklyn live blog: Donald Cerrone vs. Alexander Hernandez

NEW YORK – This is the UFC Brooklyn live blog for Donald Cerrone vs. Alexander Hernandez, a lightweight bout at Saturday’s UFC event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Cerrone, who returns to the lightweight division after a 4-4 run at welterweight, faces Hernandez, winner of his last eight fights including two UFC appearances, in the preliminary headliner.

Check out the UFC Brooklyn live blog below.

Round 1: Cowboy’s return to lightweight — tough welcome back here. Big pop as he walked out. The referee for this one is Todd Anderson. No touch of the gloves. It’s Hernandez to center, and they trade right off, Hernandez looked to have gotten the better of it. A couple of body punches, and Cerrone kicks out Hernandez’s leg and down he goes. Now as he recovers Cerrone pounces on him again, and he seems possessed in there. Hernandez back up, and back to center. Stiff right hand from Hernandez, who shoves Cerrone to the fence. Cerrone with the plum, and he lands a knee and then nearly gets his head taken off on the break. Nice heat there from Hernandez. Crowd way into this. Skirmish on fence, and Cerrone hit a counter. A chant for Cerrone breaks out in Brooklyn. Nice combo from Hernandez, and now Cerrone tees off and lands. Some swelling on Hernandez’s eye. Crowd living and dying with every Cerrone salvo. Push kick from Hernandez lands, and now Cerroe with a head kick that mostly landed. In the middle, a short elbow to Hernandez’s head, and there’s some blood there. He is lighting Hernandez up, as blood trickles down. Tough kid is Hernandez, though, still coming forward. Very nice series of punches there from Cerrone, and that had Hernandez squeegeeing his eye. This is a phenomneal pace, as Hernandez catches a knee to the chin right as he changes levels. That kid’s chin is granite; he’s still there. He is losing most exchanges, but he’s not backing down. Head kick from Cerrone, and another loud ovation for Cerrone as he walks to his corner at the horn. Damn. MMA Fighting scores R1 for Cerrone, 10-9.

Round 2: Crowd still buzzing; the old Cowboy is a dog. Hernandez comes out quick, throws a right and then a push kick. Now he lowers and tries dump Cerrone on the fence, but Cerrone is proving himself to be unbudgeable. Back to center, and a whipping leg kick that made a loud smack. Now Hernandez with a head kick that gets through. Cerrone retaliates, and Hernandez finds himself going backwards eating punches. Cerrone so crisp, and so determined — he’s a killer tonight. Another head kick, and now a body kick on the move. Hernandez is taking this punishment, and that’s an equal marvel. Another chant for Cerrone. Now the plum again from Cowboy, and he lands a couple of rude shots in close. Hernandez doing his damndest to get this to the ground there, but Cerrone grabs his head and drops an elbow down Main. A little blood now on Cerrone’s face, too, and he’s huffing a bit — but he’s also staring ahead like he can’t see anything other than a thing to destroy. Huge head kick drops Hernandez — wow! Now Cerrone is pouring it on! Punch after punch, and the referee stops it! That was one hell of a show there from Cerrone. Beware when he kisses his baby on the way to the Octagon.

Official result: Donald Cerrone def. Alexander Hernandez via TKO (head kick/punches) at 3:43 or R2