Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2018/12/29/ufc-232-report-jon-jones-vs-alexander-gustafsson-cris-cyborg-vs-amanda-nunes/
Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of the UFC 232 card from The Forum in Inglewood, California. We will have a UFC 232 POST Show late tonight with Phil Chertok, Ziggy Cao, and myself reviewing the entire card.
The show is being called by Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Dominick Cruz. This is the final night of the UFC’s coverage on Fox with the prelims airing on FS 1.
QUICK RESULTS:
*Montel Jackson def. Brian Kelleher by D’arce choke at 1:40 of Round 1
*Curtis Millender def. Siyar Bahadurzada by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
*Uriah Hall def. Bevon Lewis by knockout at 1:32 of Round 3
*Nathaniel Wood def. Andre Ewell by rear-naked choke at 4:12 of Round 3
*Ryan Hall def. BJ Penn by heel hook at 2:46 of Round 1
*Petr Yan def. Douglas Silva de Andrade by TKO at 5:00 of Round 2
*Megan Anderson def. Cat Zingano by TKO at 1:01 of Round 1
*Walt Harris def. Andrei Arlovski by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
*Alexander Volkanovski def. Chad Mendes by TKO at 4:14 of Round 2
*Corey Anderson def. Ilir Latifi by unanimous decision (29-28 all)
*Michael Chiesa def. Carlos Condit by kimura at 0:56 of Round 2
*Amanda Nunes def. Cris Cyborg Justino by knockout at 0:51 of Round 1 to win the UFC women’s featherweight title
*Jon Jones def. Alexander Gustafsson by KO at 2:02 of Round 3 to become the UFC light heavyweight champion
Montel Jackson def. Brian Kelleher by D’arce choke at 1:40 of Round 1 – Catchweight 137 pounds
Jackson missed weight by one pound on Friday. He has an enormous reach advantage of 9 ½ inches.
The reach was key as Jackson started tagging him with a beautiful jab and sent Kelleher down with an elbow strike. On the mat, Jackson locked on a D’arce choke and secured the win.
Jackson apologized for missing weight. Kelleher told him after the fight he was going to return the 20% of his purse he lost for missing weight.
Curtis Millender def. Siyar Bahadurzada by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) – Welterweight
I scored it 30-27 for Millender, but the second round was close enough that you could have given that round to Bahadurzada.
Millender connected with a spinning wheel kick in the first and attacked the legs and head with kicks throughout the round. In the second, Millender was landing more strikes but was taken down midway through the round and controlled on top for the duration, I still felt Millender did enough in the first half of the round. The third round was a strong one for Millender with a right hand that rocked Bahadurzada and started blasting him with clean right hands. Bahadurzada attempted to take the fight to the ground but Millender returned to his feet.
Millender called out Mike Perry after the win and improves to 17-3.
Uriah Hall def. Bevon Lewis by knockout at 1:32 of Round 3 – Middleweight
Lewis was way ahead as this went into the third round and was comfortably ahead 20-18. In the third round, Hall landed a right hook counter that dropped Lewis and he was out.
Lewis had done a masterful job in the first two rounds of shutting Hall down, throwing in combinations and stunned Hall early with a right hand. Lewis didn’t let up out striking Hall 39-9 in the first round. He tied Hall against the fence in the second round and was landing knees from behind.
Hall said after the fight he was fighting for his sister, who is battling depression and gave the most passionate speech about him failing on the biggest stage but kept getting up.
Hall rebounds after a TKO loss to Paulo Costa in July as he improves to 14-9.
Nathaniel Wood def. Andre Ewell by rear-naked choke at 4:12 of Round 3 – Bantamweight
Woods has won his last six fights and Ewell has won his last five.
The first round was exciting as Woods landed with a combination, got Ewell down, but he recovered to his feet. Wood utilized his striking advantage with a pair of right hands and left connecting. In the second round, Wood took him down and rode Ewell for the whole round that the audience was tiring from. I felt it was a 10-8 round as there was no resistance from Ewell and all Wood. The third was going the same as the second round, with Wood taking down Ewell and the audience getting restless again. Wood took his back and locked on a rear-naked choke in the final minute and Ewell tapped.
Wood improves to 15-3 earning his second win in the UFC after beating Johnny Eduardo in his promotional debut in June. He wants to fight in London, England on March 16th.
Ryan Hall def. BJ Penn by heel hook at 2:46 of Round 1 – Lightweight
Hall went to his back to try and lure Penn but was brought back to his feet. Hall used a low kick before shooting with a seamless application of an inverted heel hook as Penn immediately tapped and was favoring his knee afterward. It was the first time Penn has been submitted in his career.
This was one of the better submissions of 2018. It was Hall’s first fight since December 2016.
Petr Yan def. Douglas Silva de Andrade by TKO at 5:00 of Round 2 – Bantamweight
In the first round, it was close by Yan took the round with his clean right hands and mixing shots to the body. Andrade did find some success with his right hand.
The second round was brutal with Yan dominating the entire round as Yan found his range switching stances and tagging Andrade. Yan took a standing guillotine attempt and took Andrade down into side control and pelted him with elbows and hammer fists that cut him open. It was a 10-8 round and Andrade’s corner stopped the fight in between rounds, which was a good call.
Yan is now 3-0 in the UFC and was a sizable favorite going into this fight. At 25 years old, Yan is a big name to watch in 2019 in the bantamweight division. Yan mentioned that he would like to fight John Lineker.
Megan Anderson def. Cat Zingano by TKO at 1:01 of Round 1 – Featherweight
Anderson threw a head kick and her toe appeared to catch Zingano in her right eye, which she immediately shut and then turned her back against the cage. Anderson was forced to continue and then Goddard waved off the fight.
Zingano was not able to open her eye as the camera was on her after the fight. It was reported later in the night by Ariel Helwani that Zingano suffered an eyelid laceration, which was repaired on site and didn’t require a hospital visit.
This was Anderson’s first win in the UFC and given the lack of depth at featherweight, could find herself in line for a title fight in 2019.
Walt Harris def. Andrei Arlovski by unanimous decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28) – Heavyweight
This was a very bad fight with minimal action for fifteen minutes. Harris is a southpaw while Arlovski is an orthodox striker, so the first round saw each acclimating. Arlovski was poked twice in the eye, on the second a timeout was called with Harris being warned. Harris got a takedown in the second round and landed more, but this was a very dull fight.
Somehow a judge scored it 30-27 for Arlovski and that was nuts.
Alexander Volkanovski def. Chad Mendes by TKO at 4:14 of Round 2 – Featherweight
This was an awesome fight and opposite from the last one. Volkanovski has a great jab and it was effective throughout the fight as the shots added up and were displayed on the face of Mendes. The first round was close, I narrowly gave it to Mendes who did get a takedown and came at him with a flurry.
The second round excellent as Mendes dropped him with a left after setting it up with a right. Mendes got two more takedowns, including getting the back of Volkanovski, but he got to his feet each time and escaped. Volkanovski started landing big shots against the fence, with several elbows and a right hand took out Mendes’ legs, which gave out as Mendes went down and it was over.
Volkanovski is unbeaten in sixteen fights and is 6-0 in the UFC. After the fight, he said he is Max Holloway’s “worst nightmare”.
Corey Anderson def. Ilir Latifi by unanimous decision (29-28 all) – Light Heavyweight
This was a close fight. Latifi won the first round after landing a big calf kick that caused Anderson to buckle and then stunned him with a left hand. In the second, Anderson had a big round as Latifi slowed down and Anderson attacked the body and outstruck him. In the third, I felt it was close although the stats showed Anderson out landed him. Latifi landed a big shot on the break and partially connected with a spinning wheel kick to the head.
This was Anderson’s third straight win and all taking place in 2018 as he ascends in the light heavyweight ranks improving to 12-4. Anderson wants to fight Anthony Smith next.
Michael Chiesa def. Carlos Condit by kimura at 0:56 of Round 2 – Welterweight
The first round was fun with lots of scrambling. Physically, Chiesa looks much better at welterweight and it’s nuts he was fighting at lightweight. Chiesa had no trouble taking Condit down three times in the first round. Condit attempted an armbar off his back appeared deep, but he lost the grip and Chiesa escaped. Condit later tried for a heel hook. Chiesa controlled the round, but it was Condit with the big submission attempts and could have swung either way.
Chiesa took him down in the second round and managed a one-arm kimura and Condit was in pain and tapped out.
Chiesa called out Neil Magny to fight next.
Amanda Nunes def. Cris Cyborg Justino by knockout at 0:51 of Round 1 to win the UFC women’s featherweight title
This was the most incredible 51 seconds you are going to see. Cyborg immediately started throwing enormous right hands and charged at Nunes until Nunes caught her and Cyborg was stunned. Cyborg went down to a knee but got up, she ate several rights and lefts, went to a knee again and stood up once more. Nunes finished her with a right hand that dropped her for good.
Historic win for Nunes, who becomes a two-division champion and hands Cyborg the second loss of her career and first since November 2005.
This was unbelievable to watch.
Jon Jones def. Alexander Gustafsson by KO at 2:02 of Round 3 to become the UFC light heavyweight champion
It was a close first round as each was feeling the other out. They both attempted to attack the body and Jones landed a strong kick to the body near the end.
In the second round, Jones got busy attacking many parts of the body and piled up his kicks while ending the round with a spin kick to the body that registered.
Jones took him down in the third round and transitioned to side control and then went for the back. Jones started dropping big shots and finished Gustafsson with strikes to win the fight.
Jones is the light heavyweight champion again.
Jones challenged Daniel Cormier to come prove he is a double champion.