While Lawler was unable to finish challenger Carlos Condit, he did enough in the eyes of two judges to claim a split decision and begin 2016 with the title still around his waist.
Advertisement
UFC’s first offering of the year is in the books and we already have ourselves a fight of the year candidate, as the Welterweight main event showdown was an epic brawl.
A hard right-handed punch by Lawler (27-10) backed up Condit with about two minutes remaining in the fifth, followed by a left hand that forced the challenger to cover before being subjected to an avalanche of blows that sent Condit reeling so severely that referee John McCarthy looked on closely as if considering a stoppage. “I feel like I hit him with some big shots and he just kept coming”.
Highlighting the UFC FIGHT PASS prelims, Dustin Poirier vs. Joe Duffy finally went down at UFC 195 after months of anticipation.
In the opening frame, Condit caught Lawler with a punch that sent the champion to the canvas, but was unable to capitalize fully.
The UFC 195 early preliminaries have a start time of 7pm EST / 4pm PST, and will be televised on UFC Fight Pass. Watch these UFC 195 early prelims via live streaming at the official UFC website as well.
He had previously held the WEC championship and the UFC interim belt.
The volume continued for Condit in the fourth.
Miocic, who came into his fight tonight as the number four ranked heavyweight, stormed across the cage after his victory and screamed “give me my shot!”
Judges Chris Lee and Derek Cleary gave Lawler Rounds 2, 3 and 5 and scored the fight for him 48-47.
Condit, who amazingly accepts the referee’s decisions agreed that it was close and he himself didn’t know if he was leading or not during the fight. “It didn’t go my way tonight but I left it all in there and fought my ass off. I’m disappointed but proud of my performance”.
The two black eyes capping the trail of bruises and swells down Carlos Condit’s face failed to hide his emotions. Lawler immediately offered Condit the opportunity in his first words after retaining the belt. He persevered through several years of professional turbulence and brutal bouts to win the welterweight title in December 2014, and he had to survive a horrifying fight with Rory MacDonald to keep it in July. The 6-foot-4 firefighter from the Cleveland suburbs has won five of six fights despite enduring winter travel delays on his way to Vegas this week.
Miocic stunned the former champion with a short right hand and dropped Arlovski with a follow-up combination.
Advertisement
Before Tumenov won his fifth fight in a row, Brian Ortega continued his own streak, submitting Diego Brandao with his signature triangle choke after a tough stand up fight with the Brazilian.
