UFC 189 McGregor vs Mendes Review
Last night, I watched the greatest UFC main card I have ever seen.
Many thought that when Jose Aldo went down with a rib injury a few weeks ago, this show would become a total letdown. I was not one of those people. Mainly because the guy the show was built around, Conor McGregor.
McGregor captured the interim Featherweight championship, with an exciting come from behind victory over Chad Mendes.
Chad was working with only a 2 week training camp, and we all knew conditioning would be an issue of he didn't finish McGregor early. He took Conor down repeatedly and enforced some excellent ground and pound. But it wasn't enough to finish him.
Unbelievable. Check out the fight for yourself. The crowd was electric to say the least.
Many thought that when Jose Aldo went down with a rib injury a few weeks ago, this show would become a total letdown. I was not one of those people. Mainly because the guy the show was built around, Conor McGregor.
McGregor captured the interim Featherweight championship, with an exciting come from behind victory over Chad Mendes.
Chad was working with only a 2 week training camp, and we all knew conditioning would be an issue of he didn't finish McGregor early. He took Conor down repeatedly and enforced some excellent ground and pound. But it wasn't enough to finish him.
Unbelievable. Check out the fight for yourself. The crowd was electric to say the least.
UFC Featherweight Title:
CHAD MENDES VS. CONOR MCGREGOR
First round: This is one of the biggest pops in UFC history. Mendes booed out of the place. The Americans can’t compete with the Irish tonight. There is intensity in the crowd like few fights in history.
McGregor threw a knee and was taken down. Mendes blasted him but couldn’t get the second takedown. Mendes mssed on a wild punch. Spin kick to the body by Conor. Left by Conor. Right by Chad. Left by Conor. Spin kick by Conor. Traded punches. Head kick by Conor. Head kick by Conor. Head kick by Mendes and a right and a left. Conor took his best shots. Spin kick by Conor but Mendes back with punches.
Takedown by Mendes. Hard punches by Mendes and Conor is bleeding. Conor up. Mendes with a right. Body kick by Conor. Body shot by Conor. Hard left by Conor and a right by Chad. Uppercut by Chad. Body kick by Conor and a right. Another takedown by Chad. .He moved to side control as the round ended. Mendes 10-9
Second round; Loud Conor chant. They traded punches. Body kick by Conor. Takedown by Mendes. Mendes on top. Hard elbow by Chad. Punch by Chad. Crowd still going crazy for Conor. Another elbow. Another elbow. Crowd starting to boo as Conor is being held down.
Conor throwing hard elbows from the bottom. Another punch by Chad. Another punch by Chad. More punches by Chad. Hard punches by Chad. Crowd booing at this point because Conor isn’t getting up.
Chad went for a guillotine and Conor scrambled and got to his feet. Conor up and landing punches and kicks. Chad fired back with hard shots but Conor took all of them. Conor started hurting Mendes with punches and Mendes is in trouble. A left put Mendes down and and finished him right before the end of the round it was over. TKO 4:57
CHAD MENDES VS. CONOR MCGREGOR
First round: This is one of the biggest pops in UFC history. Mendes booed out of the place. The Americans can’t compete with the Irish tonight. There is intensity in the crowd like few fights in history.
McGregor threw a knee and was taken down. Mendes blasted him but couldn’t get the second takedown. Mendes mssed on a wild punch. Spin kick to the body by Conor. Left by Conor. Right by Chad. Left by Conor. Spin kick by Conor. Traded punches. Head kick by Conor. Head kick by Conor. Head kick by Mendes and a right and a left. Conor took his best shots. Spin kick by Conor but Mendes back with punches.
Takedown by Mendes. Hard punches by Mendes and Conor is bleeding. Conor up. Mendes with a right. Body kick by Conor. Body shot by Conor. Hard left by Conor and a right by Chad. Uppercut by Chad. Body kick by Conor and a right. Another takedown by Chad. .He moved to side control as the round ended. Mendes 10-9
Second round; Loud Conor chant. They traded punches. Body kick by Conor. Takedown by Mendes. Mendes on top. Hard elbow by Chad. Punch by Chad. Crowd still going crazy for Conor. Another elbow. Another elbow. Crowd starting to boo as Conor is being held down.
Conor throwing hard elbows from the bottom. Another punch by Chad. Another punch by Chad. More punches by Chad. Hard punches by Chad. Crowd booing at this point because Conor isn’t getting up.
Chad went for a guillotine and Conor scrambled and got to his feet. Conor up and landing punches and kicks. Chad fired back with hard shots but Conor took all of them. Conor started hurting Mendes with punches and Mendes is in trouble. A left put Mendes down and and finished him right before the end of the round it was over. TKO 4:57
The scene was amazing. In more ways than one this was a landmark night in UFC history. They may have the biggest star in their history and you can no longer argue that he’s not the real deal.
In the semi main event, we had an absolute slugfest.
Robbie Lawler came from behind to destroy the nose of Rory McDonald and finish him in the 5th round. These two beat the absolute shit out of each other and it is definitely a fight of the year candidate.
Check out the fight for yourself. A bloodbath.
Robbie Lawler came from behind to destroy the nose of Rory McDonald and finish him in the 5th round. These two beat the absolute shit out of each other and it is definitely a fight of the year candidate.
Check out the fight for yourself. A bloodbath.
UFC WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: ROBBIE LAWLER(C) VS. RORY MACDONALD
First round: MacDonald with front kicks and a punch. USA chant. Lawler with a left and right. Body kick by MacDonald. Rory chant. Right by Rory. Another right by Rory. Body kick by MacDonakd. Head kick by Rory. Right by Rory. Body kick by Rory and right. Lawler threw but didn’t land. Slow round. Crowd starting to boo. Rory went for a takedown. Lawler sprawled and threw a knee. Body kick by Rory. Lawler threw a right that barely grazed him. Left by Lawler. MacDonald 10-9. Crowd booing the round.
Second round: Crowd booed Johny Hendricks on the screen. Both trading. No advantage. Body kick by Rory. Body shot by Rory. Good head kick by Rory. Best blow of the fight so far. Lawler landed a left which was his best blow. Right by Rory. Left and right by Lawler and Rory is bleeding Left and right by Lawler. Rory back. Rory with a right and left. Left by Lawler. This is getting good now. Rory’s face is a crimson mask. Both landing big shots. Lawler’s round 19-19. Crowd giving hem a big hand now.
Third round: Rory kick blocked by Lawler. USA chant. Both throwing, Lawler got the best shot Both trading again. Body kick by Lawler. Blood coming out of Rory’s mouth. He went for a takedown, almost had it but Lawler blocked and throwing punches and Lawler landed a punch as he got up. Head kick by Rory and body kick. Another head kick by Rory. Lawler short on his punches. Right by Rory. Another head kick by Rory. Lawler is hurt. Both throwing. Another head kick by Rory. Flying knee by Rory. Rory taking him apart with 15 seconds left. Uppercut by Rory. Rory’s round. The bell may have saved Lawler 29-28 Rory.
Fourth round: Crowd going nuts now. Head kick and punches by Rory. Body kick. Head kicks and elbows by Rory. More head kicks and elbows by Rory. Slowing down now. Another head kick by Rory. These blows were partially blocked. Right by Lawler. Body kick by Lawler and he threw a right. Lawler bleeding from the mouth. Head kick. Traded big punches. Rory with two punches, Rory went for a takedown, couldn’t get it and Lawler blasted him. Both guys are covered in blood now. Rory with a right. Blood is flying everywhere. This is a killer fight for drama at this point. Head kick by Rory. Rory’s round 39-37.
Fifth round: Lawler landed a few shots. Trading punches. Rory with a head kick and body kick. Lalwer hurt him with a punch. Lawler landed a left to the nose and Rory couldn’t see and he went down. Lawler landed punches on the ground and it was stopped. Fantastic fight. Match of the year candidate. 1:00
Lawler did an interview with a ton of passion and heart and the place went nuts for him. An incredible performance by Lawler coming back from near defeat in the third.
First round: MacDonald with front kicks and a punch. USA chant. Lawler with a left and right. Body kick by MacDonald. Rory chant. Right by Rory. Another right by Rory. Body kick by MacDonakd. Head kick by Rory. Right by Rory. Body kick by Rory and right. Lawler threw but didn’t land. Slow round. Crowd starting to boo. Rory went for a takedown. Lawler sprawled and threw a knee. Body kick by Rory. Lawler threw a right that barely grazed him. Left by Lawler. MacDonald 10-9. Crowd booing the round.
Second round: Crowd booed Johny Hendricks on the screen. Both trading. No advantage. Body kick by Rory. Body shot by Rory. Good head kick by Rory. Best blow of the fight so far. Lawler landed a left which was his best blow. Right by Rory. Left and right by Lawler and Rory is bleeding Left and right by Lawler. Rory back. Rory with a right and left. Left by Lawler. This is getting good now. Rory’s face is a crimson mask. Both landing big shots. Lawler’s round 19-19. Crowd giving hem a big hand now.
Third round: Rory kick blocked by Lawler. USA chant. Both throwing, Lawler got the best shot Both trading again. Body kick by Lawler. Blood coming out of Rory’s mouth. He went for a takedown, almost had it but Lawler blocked and throwing punches and Lawler landed a punch as he got up. Head kick by Rory and body kick. Another head kick by Rory. Lawler short on his punches. Right by Rory. Another head kick by Rory. Lawler is hurt. Both throwing. Another head kick by Rory. Flying knee by Rory. Rory taking him apart with 15 seconds left. Uppercut by Rory. Rory’s round. The bell may have saved Lawler 29-28 Rory.
Fourth round: Crowd going nuts now. Head kick and punches by Rory. Body kick. Head kicks and elbows by Rory. More head kicks and elbows by Rory. Slowing down now. Another head kick by Rory. These blows were partially blocked. Right by Lawler. Body kick by Lawler and he threw a right. Lawler bleeding from the mouth. Head kick. Traded big punches. Rory with two punches, Rory went for a takedown, couldn’t get it and Lawler blasted him. Both guys are covered in blood now. Rory with a right. Blood is flying everywhere. This is a killer fight for drama at this point. Head kick by Rory. Rory’s round 39-37.
Fifth round: Lawler landed a few shots. Trading punches. Rory with a head kick and body kick. Lalwer hurt him with a punch. Lawler landed a left to the nose and Rory couldn’t see and he went down. Lawler landed punches on the ground and it was stopped. Fantastic fight. Match of the year candidate. 1:00
Lawler did an interview with a ton of passion and heart and the place went nuts for him. An incredible performance by Lawler coming back from near defeat in the third.