UFC 205 PPV Review: McGregor vs Alvarez
Conor McGregor made history by becoming the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously with a second-round knockout of Eddie Alvarez at New York's Madison Square Garden.
McGregor dominated from the opening bell of the biggest card in UFC history - on pace to set an MMA pay-per-view record - and the sold-out crowd of 20,427 loaded with A-listers from Madonna to Hugh Jackman went wild with each punishing blow.
UFC was live and legal in New York for the first time since an MMA ban was lifted earlier this year.
To celebrate, UFC stacked the card with three title fights that set a promotion and MSG gate record with $17.7 million. The 1999 boxing match between Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield drew a record $13.5 million.
McGregor dominated from the opening bell of the biggest card in UFC history - on pace to set an MMA pay-per-view record - and the sold-out crowd of 20,427 loaded with A-listers from Madonna to Hugh Jackman went wild with each punishing blow.
UFC was live and legal in New York for the first time since an MMA ban was lifted earlier this year.
To celebrate, UFC stacked the card with three title fights that set a promotion and MSG gate record with $17.7 million. The 1999 boxing match between Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield drew a record $13.5 million.
UFC Lightweight Championship
Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor
First round: McGregor landed and stumbled. Low kick by Alvarez. Body kick by McGregor. McGregor dropped him with a left and Alvarez back up. Head kick by Alvarez. The crowd is really loud. Alvarez shot for a takedown. McGregor with a body kick. Alvarez landed punches and then slipped. Head kick by McGregor. McGregor dropped him with a left . McGregor with punches on the ground. Now he’s dropping elbows on him. Alvarez back up. Loud Conor chants. Alvarez shot in and McGregor evaded and landed an elbow. McGregor with a left. Body kick by McGregor. Right by McGregor. Alvarez with body shots. Alvarez with a body kick. Alvarez landed a good left. Body kick by Alvarez. McGregor 10-8.
Second round: Big left by McGregor hurt him. Alvarez shot for a takedown and it was easily stuffed. McGregor put his arms behind his back and dared Alvarez a free shot. Alvarez didn’t do anything. Body kick by McGregor. Right and left by McGregor. Alvarez with a right. He missed a left and McGregor put him down with a left. Alvarez working for a takedown. Alvarez pushing hard and couldn’t get the takedown. Push kick by Alvarez. McGregor with a series of punches put Alvarez down and ref John McCarthy waved it off. McGregor is the first two division champion in UFC history. It was a left hook, a right, a left and another right that put Alvarez down. A great combo, all four shots landed hard and McCarthy waved it after two punches on the ground. 3:04
He I’ve ridiculed everyone on the roster, and I’d like to apologize to absolutely nobody. The place erupted on that one. Then he had both belts.
Second round: Big left by McGregor hurt him. Alvarez shot for a takedown and it was easily stuffed. McGregor put his arms behind his back and dared Alvarez a free shot. Alvarez didn’t do anything. Body kick by McGregor. Right and left by McGregor. Alvarez with a right. He missed a left and McGregor put him down with a left. Alvarez working for a takedown. Alvarez pushing hard and couldn’t get the takedown. Push kick by Alvarez. McGregor with a series of punches put Alvarez down and ref John McCarthy waved it off. McGregor is the first two division champion in UFC history. It was a left hook, a right, a left and another right that put Alvarez down. A great combo, all four shots landed hard and McCarthy waved it after two punches on the ground. 3:04
He I’ve ridiculed everyone on the roster, and I’d like to apologize to absolutely nobody. The place erupted on that one. Then he had both belts.
UFC Welterweight Championship
Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson
First round: Body kick by Thonpson. Thompson threw a kick, Woodley countered with a right and took him down. Woodley with body shots. Woodley with a lot of short punches on the ground to smother him . He land hard body shots late, bloodied him with elbows and landed a hard shot at the horn. 10-9 Woodley, almost a 10-8.
Second round: Thompson landed some punches and Woodley tied him up. Thompson turned him around and then Woodley turned him back around. Spin kick to the body by Thompson. Left by Thompson. Right by Thompson. Thompson with punches. Thompson landing more. Woodley with a nice right. Body shot by Thompson. Another body shot by Thompson. Woodley with a nice right. Thompson’s round so 19-19 after two.
Second round: Thompson landed some punches and Woodley tied him up. Thompson turned him around and then Woodley turned him back around. Spin kick to the body by Thompson. Left by Thompson. Right by Thompson. Thompson with punches. Thompson landing more. Woodley with a nice right. Body shot by Thompson. Another body shot by Thompson. Woodley with a nice right. Thompson’s round so 19-19 after two.
Third round: Side kick by Thompson. Woodley moved forward with punches. Woodley moved forward and landed again. Ole chants. Head kick by Woodley. Low kick by Thompson. Thompson moved in with punches. Good right by Thompson. Left by Woodley. Left by Thompson and landed more punches. Woodley moved in but didn’t connect. Thompson landed a few. Woodley with two nice rights late in the round. Close round. Thompson’s so 29-28 Thompson after three.
Fourth round: Thompson in with a few punches. Woodley dropped him with hard right. Woodley throwing punches. Woodley dropped him again with a right and throwing punches on the ground. Thompson is in trouble. Woodley is landing shot after shot. Knees by Woodley and punches. Woodley going for a guillotine. Thompson out of it but he’s hurt. Woodley went for a guillotine again and it’s tight. Thompson is surviving so far. Thompson punching back. The crowd went nuts seeing Thompson punch back. He popped out for the biggest pop so far this show. Wonderboy chants. Thompson landing big punches late. This place is now really alive. 10-8 but that comeback could keep it 10-9, but I’ve got 38-37 Woodley after four. This is going to be very interesting how it’s judged.
Fifth round: Jumping kick by Thompson. Body kick by Thompson. Low kick by Thompson. Loud Wonderboy chants. Right and a head kick by Thompson. Body kick by Thompson. Spin kick to the head by Thompson. Left and right by Thompson. Right by Thompson. Left and right by Thompson. Body kick by Woodley. Left by Thompson. Low kick by Thompson. Woodley landed a right. Body shot by Thompson. Left and right by Thompson. Thompson with a left. Two lefts by Thompson. Thompson with a good right. Thompson’s round.
Scores: Derek Cleary scored it 47-47, Doug Crosby scored it 47-47, Glenn Trowbridge 48-47 Woodley.
UFC Women's Strawweight Championship
Joanna Jedrzejczyk
vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
First round: Joanna with low kicks. Ole chants. Joanna with a combo. Both landing. Nice combo by Joanna. Karolina landed some punches. The Irish are singing to entertain themselves. Joanna with another combo. Joanna 10-9
Second round: Karloline pushed her against the fence and went for a takedown but didn’t get it. Joanna with a flurry. Karolina working for a takedown. Joanna has her against the fence and threw a knee. Front kick by Joanna. Spijnning backfist by Joanna. Joanna 20-18.
Second round: Karloline pushed her against the fence and went for a takedown but didn’t get it. Joanna with a flurry. Karolina working for a takedown. Joanna has her against the fence and threw a knee. Front kick by Joanna. Spijnning backfist by Joanna. Joanna 20-18.
Third round: Joanna with a knee and punches. Joanna outlandig her. Arolian landed a right. The crowd is so quiet for this fight except a few chants having nothing to do with the fight. It’s like this is Raw from last Monday. Body kick by Karolina. Karolina with a floury. Joannan back and landed a body kick and knee. Elbow and punches by Joanna. Trading punches. Joanna 30-27. Some boos at the end. I can’t tell you how little the people care about this fight.
Fourth round: Joanna with a few kicks and they are back against the fence. Karolina with elbows. Spinning backfist by Karolina. Karolina hurt her bad with a right to the nose. Both are trading. Both trading some more. Karolina landed a big right. Karolina is landing big rights. Joanna took her down but Karolina back up. Joanna looking at the clock. Karolina with more punches from close range. Joanna landed aan elbow. Karolina landed a good right. Trading punches. Joanna seems recovered now. Backfist by Karolina. Joanna tried the same. Joanna with a combo. Both traded punches. Hard knee by Joanna. Joanna got good shots In late in the round. The crowd completely turned and gave both a huge ovation. Karolina’s round 39-37 Joanna.
Fifth round: Good combo by Joanna. Karolina with punches and Joanna with an elbow. Joanna using her kicks to keep Karolina at a distance by Karolina got in and landed a punch. Front kick by Joanna. Joanna landing more punches. Joanna with a left. Karolina back with punches. Joanna with solid punches now. The crowd came alive. Karolina with a spinning punch and Joanna back with punches. Joanna landed punches and elbows. Knee by Joanna. Body kick by Joanna. Joanna 49-46. After all that, the whole place is standing. The fourth round turned the crowd around.
Scores: All three had it 49-46 for Joanna.
Fourth round: Joanna with a few kicks and they are back against the fence. Karolina with elbows. Spinning backfist by Karolina. Karolina hurt her bad with a right to the nose. Both are trading. Both trading some more. Karolina landed a big right. Karolina is landing big rights. Joanna took her down but Karolina back up. Joanna looking at the clock. Karolina with more punches from close range. Joanna landed aan elbow. Karolina landed a good right. Trading punches. Joanna seems recovered now. Backfist by Karolina. Joanna tried the same. Joanna with a combo. Both traded punches. Hard knee by Joanna. Joanna got good shots In late in the round. The crowd completely turned and gave both a huge ovation. Karolina’s round 39-37 Joanna.
Fifth round: Good combo by Joanna. Karolina with punches and Joanna with an elbow. Joanna using her kicks to keep Karolina at a distance by Karolina got in and landed a punch. Front kick by Joanna. Joanna landing more punches. Joanna with a left. Karolina back with punches. Joanna with solid punches now. The crowd came alive. Karolina with a spinning punch and Joanna back with punches. Joanna landed punches and elbows. Knee by Joanna. Body kick by Joanna. Joanna 49-46. After all that, the whole place is standing. The fourth round turned the crowd around.
Scores: All three had it 49-46 for Joanna.
Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero
First round: This is a really big fight because a strong Weidman win can make him a New York superstar. Not to mention he’ll probably get a title match with a win. Romero is a freak athlete, but he’s also 39 years old. They showed Bisping watching the fight. USA chant to start. Hard body kick by Romero. Weidman tried a takedown but not hard, more diversion. Body kick by Weidman. Ole chants. Weidman took him down once but Romero back up. Body kick by Weidman. Body kicks by Weidman. Another takedown by Weidman and Romero back up. Low kick by Weidman. Left by Romero. Romero with lefts. Body kick by Romnero. Weidman took him down and got his back. Weidman 10-9
Second round: The referee wiped Vaseline off Romero’s back at the start of the round. Left by Romero. Left by Romero. Body kick by Weidman. Knee by Weidman. Romero claimed an eye poke after the knee. Weidman in on the single but gave it up to land a head kick. Romero took Weidman down and got his back after Weidman got up. Romero with another takedown. Weidman escaped and Romero took him down again. Romero has his back on the ground. Romero’s round so 19-19.
Third round: Boyd kick by Weidman. Romero killed him with a flying knee that nailed Weidman in the left eye and and pounded on him and finished him. That’s not a good thing for UFC. Romero is strutting around the ring like he’s a foreign military soldier saluting the crowd. The crowd didn’t even boo him. They were just stunned. The two hugged. :24 The crowd was eerily quiet when this ended.
Romero said he wanted the belt. Joe Rogan said that Romero will be challenging for the title next. Michael Bisping said he wouldn’t face Romero. Bisping gave Romero the thumbs down and then flipped him off with both hands. Romero kept saying “I love you Mike, see you soon, boy.” Romero said you see now the real champion.
Third round: Boyd kick by Weidman. Romero killed him with a flying knee that nailed Weidman in the left eye and and pounded on him and finished him. That’s not a good thing for UFC. Romero is strutting around the ring like he’s a foreign military soldier saluting the crowd. The crowd didn’t even boo him. They were just stunned. The two hugged. :24 The crowd was eerily quiet when this ended.
Romero said he wanted the belt. Joe Rogan said that Romero will be challenging for the title next. Michael Bisping said he wouldn’t face Romero. Bisping gave Romero the thumbs down and then flipped him off with both hands. Romero kept saying “I love you Mike, see you soon, boy.” Romero said you see now the real champion.
Miesha Tate vs. Raquel Pennington
First round: Tate didn’t get nearly the reaction she usually gets. Tate with a right. Pennnington landing jabs. Pennington hurting her with punches. Rocky chant. Tate landing punches to the body and head and working for a takedown. Pennington lifted Tate up with a guollotone. It was crazy. Tate tried to kick off the cage. Tate finally go the takedown. Pennington back up. Pennington looks like she wants to do the old pump handle move. That’s a pro wrestling joke. Nothing much happening and crowd starting to get restless. Tate had her back. Tate did control the positioning but Pennington did more damage. Hard to score, 10-9 Pennington.
Second round: Pennington with a nice right. Left by Pennington. Anohter left by Pennington. Penningotn landed solid shots. Tate with lefts. Knee by Tate from the clinch. Tate trying for the takedown. Knee by Tate. Both throwing punches. Pennington got behind Tate. Tate throwing elbows. Crowd is bored by this fight. Pennington landing punches from the clinch. Tate with knees and Pennington with body shots as they’re in the clinch. Body shots by Pennington. Both landed punches as the round ended. Pennington 20-18.
Third round: Both the rounds were close so it’s anyone’s fight. Tate tried to pull guard to get it to the ground. She almost got an armbar. Pennington landing punches from the top. Tate again working for an armbar. Pennington landing punches from the top. Tate now trying for a triangle but doesn’t have it. Tate now going for a leglock. She tried a heel hook but didn’t get it. They’re in a clinch and Pennington is landing some short punches. Pennington took her down and is throwing more punches. Rare boring fight from Tate. Pennington landing a lot of punches late. Pennington 30-27.
Scores: 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 Pennington. Bad time for a loss for Tate.
Tate announced her retirement after. She said it's not her time anymore and she's been around for a long time and she couldn't pull it off.
Third round: Both the rounds were close so it’s anyone’s fight. Tate tried to pull guard to get it to the ground. She almost got an armbar. Pennington landing punches from the top. Tate again working for an armbar. Pennington landing punches from the top. Tate now trying for a triangle but doesn’t have it. Tate now going for a leglock. She tried a heel hook but didn’t get it. They’re in a clinch and Pennington is landing some short punches. Pennington took her down and is throwing more punches. Rare boring fight from Tate. Pennington landing a lot of punches late. Pennington 30-27.
Scores: 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 Pennington. Bad time for a loss for Tate.
Tate announced her retirement after. She said it's not her time anymore and she's been around for a long time and she couldn't pull it off.
