Well, the time has finally come. Two former UFC champions are now set to step inside the octagon for the Ultimate Fighting Championhip’s second ever trip to Winnipeg, Canada. Tonight, Dec. 16, the world’s most famous mixed martial arts promotion is inside the Bell MTS Place for UFC on FOX 26. Headlining the fight card, former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler and former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos are going to war for Winnipeg fans. With the night’s exciting main event now going down, here is a look at the UFC results.
The opened up with both of the former champions methodically testing their opponent’s striking. Probing with jabs, Lawler began to press the pace on his opponent. However, dos Anjos managed to return fire with some swift counters.
Halfway through the first round, Lawler managed to pressure dos Anjos against the fence with a punch combination. However, dos Anjos entered the Muay Thai clinch with his opponent and began throwing vicious knees to the body of Lawler.
Lawler escaped the position before being dealt too much damage, returning to the center of the octagon.
In the final minute of the round, dos Anjos pressed Lawler against the fence and had his opponent in the clinch. The fighter attempted to take Lawler to the ground, but failed to get the takedown.
The second round kicked off at a faster pace, as the two fighters entered a brutal exchange that had the Winnipeg crowd screaming in excitement.
Lawler continued to press forward on his opponent, but dos Anjos appeared to be the more active striker. With three minutes left in the round, dos Anjos let loose a flurry of punches that pressured his opponent into the fence. Lawler survived the onslaught and then retaliated with a flurry of his own. Neither fighter appeared interested in letting things make it the final round, as the two continued to trade in the center of the octagon.
Lawler began to pour on the pressure in the final minute of the round, probing his opponent with some tough jabs.
In the third round, Lawler walked down dos Anjos and pressured the fighter into the fence. From there, however, dos Anjos managed to get his opponent to the canvas.
Back to his feet, Lawler entered the clinch with the fellow former champion once again. Lawler then began to work the body of dos Anjos with a series of brutal punches and knees, but dos Anjos remained busy by offering some strikes to the body of his own.
In the final minute of the fight, dos Anjos dropped Lawler with a right hand. The fighter then followed Lawler to the canvas, gaining side control over the fighter.
Dos Anjos finished the round with a dominant series of ground and pound over the former champion.
Lawler opened the fourth round with a vengeance. The fighter managed to stick dos Anjos with a stunning right hand, but dos Anjos retaliated with a brutal counter. Dos Anjos then walked down his opponent and began dishing out some strong strikes to the body, before grabbing Lawler and entering the Muay Thai clinch to offer some more damage to Lawler’s midsection.
Dos Anjos began dictating the pace of the fight, as the former champion continued to pummel Lawler with a higher frequency of strikes.
With one minute left in the round, Lawler began letting off some bombs that connected on his opponent. But, dos Anjos quickly entered the clinch to avoid any more damage from the fighter.
The two mixed martial arts warriors touched gloves in the opening moment of the final round, before trading blows for the Winnipeg crowd. Dos Anjos appeared to be the more fresh of the two fighters, as the former champion continued to control the pace.
Dos Anjos managed to take Lawler to the canvas, but failed to capitalize on the moment. The two fighters were eventually stood up by the referee, offering dos Anjos another chance to unleash a flurry of strikes on his opponent.
With half of the final round left, Lawler connected with a right hand before being dragged back into his opponent’s clinch.
With a minute left in the fight, dos Anjos continued to pummel his opponent from the clinch. This one has gone the distance.
UFC Results: Rafael dos Anjos def. Robbie Lawler via unanimous decision (50-45 on all cards)
Here he comes.
RT if you're taking @RdosAnjosMMA. #UFCWinnipeg pic.twitter.com/3fUPzDrsAt
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2017
Who's taking @Ruthless_RL?
RT to show your support. #UFCWinnipeg pic.twitter.com/7FxO1U6g2U
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2017
Here comes @Ruthless_RL. #UFCWinnipeg pic.twitter.com/yEn7zgajjs
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2017
Got 'em on his heels.@RdosAnjosMMA #UFCWinnipeg pic.twitter.com/qHBRk3z3Mn
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2017
Wait, DC wasn't joking. Lawler was ACTUALLY SMILING!!#UFCWinnipeg pic.twitter.com/EbZd6V0zar
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2017
Mayhem. #UFCWinnipeg https://t.co/iFBCTrFvTy
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) December 17, 2017
Did @RdosAnjosMMA earn a shot at the ?? #UFCWinnipeg pic.twitter.com/Tscz5b2JDX
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2017