Read on for UFC 219 main card results...
NURMAGOMEDOV vs BARBOZA
On the day Khabib Nurmagomedov and his wife welcomed a son into the world, “The Eagle” also secured his place as the top contender for world title honors at 155 pounds, as he scored a dominant three-round unanimous decision victory over Edson Barboza in the co-main event of UFC 219 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“If the UFC gives me one hour rest, I can fight right now with (lightweight champion) Conor (McGregor) or (interim champion) Tony (Ferguson).”
Scores were 30-25 twice and 30-24.
The No. 4-ranked Barboza (19-5) opened with a series of inside leg kicks as Nurmagomedov pressured him, and while it took a minute, he ultimately was able to lock up with the Brazilian against the fence. Barboza escaped the initial takedown, but with a little over three minutes to go, “The Eagle” put his foe on the deck and fired off hard shots from the top position. As the round progressed, Nurmagomedov appeared to be getting stronger as he kept Barboza grounded, all the while drilling his foe with blows that didn’t stop coming.
It was Nurmagomedov opening up with kicks to begin round two, and when you add in the Dagestan native’s pressure, Barboza was forced into a defensive mode once more. After a spell against the fence, Barboza gamely fired off punches, but Nurmagomedov walked through them and put the bloodied Brazilian on the mat again, where the ground attack resumed again.
The third was more of the same for Nurmagomedov, and while Barboza was able to land a spinning kick and a knee in the final frame, the shots had no effect on the now 25-0 Nurmagomedov.
HOOKER vs DIAKIESE
Auckland’s Dan Hooker took a patient approach in his 155-pound bout with Marc Diakiese before finishing matters via submission in the third round.
It was a slow first round between the two lightweight prospects, with Diakese slightly busier on the feet, but Hooker scoring a late takedown.
Just past the midway point of the round, Hooker got a second takedown and quickly took his foe’s back. Diakiese would move out of trouble and into Hooker’s guard, but wasn’t able to do much from the improved position, and in the third, the New Zealander was able to put Diakiese away, as he took advantage of a shot by the Brit and ended the fight via guillotine choke, with the tap coming 42 seconds into the final round.
Hooker moves to 16-7 with the win. Diakiese falls to 12-2.
ESPARZA vs CALVILLO
Former strawweight champion Carla Esparza ended the year on a high note, handing hot prospect Cynthia Calvillo her first pro loss via unanimous decision.
Scores were 29-28 across the board for the No. 9-ranked Esparza, now 14-4. The No. 6-ranked Calvillo falls to 6-1.
Calvillo got the first takedown of the fight, putting Esparza on the mat a minute in. Calvillo controlled the action until an armbar attempt by Esparza, but after Calvillo escaped, she went back to her ground-and-pound attack. Yet just when Calvillo got into the mount late and appeared to start pulling away, a scramble saw Esparza get loose, drawing a roar from the crowd.
The fight remained standing for much of round two, with Calvillo holding a very slight edge on the feet. Esparza was able to pick up her first takedown, and though the former champ wasn’t able to keep her foe on the mat, it was a good point-scoring move.
The third round was another close one, but Esparza’s experience edge allowed her to put together some solid scoring runs, including a flurry at the end that may have sealed the deal for the “Cookie Monster,” who has won three of four since losing her title to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2015.
MAGNY vs. CONDIT
Welterweight contender Neil Magny opened the main card with an upset victory, as he spoiled the return of former interim champion Carlos Condit by way of a three-round unanimous decision.
The lanky welterweights were active from the start, Magny getting the bout to the mat early but not able to keep it there. The two proceeded to battle it out against the fence for a spell before breaking and going back to long-range kickboxing, where Condit finished strong with some solid shots.
Magny continued to put points on the board in the second with more takedowns and good work at close range. Condit got in some elbows over the course of the frame, but as the bout entered the final round, it was clear that he needed to make his move in the third if he wanted to win the fight. And while Condit tried to turn things around in the last round, Magny wouldn’t allow it, as he maintained his lead, taking the final nod by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28.
With the win, the No. 12-ranked Magny improves to 20-7. The No. 8-ranked Condit, making his first start of August 2016, falls to 30-11.