Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum from Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico. The event, headlined by a UFC Heavyweight Championship Unification bout between UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum, airs on pay-per-view at 10 PM eastern time. Preliminary card action kicks off at 7 PM eastern time on UFC Fight Pass before moving over to FX at 8 PM eastern time. We are looking for your thoughts on tonight’s show, so send a thumbs up, a thumbs down or a thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst fight to [email protected].
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 7 PM ET/4 PM PT)
FEATHERWEIGHTS: GABRIEL BENITEZ VS. CLAY COLLARD
First round: Collard out in a Lucha mask. You knew at least one American would do that. He’s also wearing a serape. Benitez from Tijuana is from TUF Latin America season one. Crowd super hot. Benitez dropped him with a left right away and a body kick. Crowd so loud for Benitez. Body kick by Benitez. Great low kick by Benitez. Left by Benitez. Hard body kick by Benitez. Collard landed several punches. Collard with a left to the groin for a time out. Collard working for a takedown. Benitez working for a guillotine, . He’s squeezing but slipped off. Collard is on top. Collard is bleeding and has Benitez’s back. Collard working for a choke. Hard elbows by Benitez. Collard up. Collard with a German suplex. Benitez up. Another body kick by Benitez. Good first round. Benitez 10-9.
Second round: Nice low kick. Collard bruised up everywhere. Low kicks by Benitez. Benitez with a left to the head and body. Collard got the takedown. Knee to the body and Benitez back up. Benitez bleeding from the side of the head. Benitez with a kick to the body and Collard took him down Another takedown by Collard. Collard punching the body. Collard bleeding from tje nose and right eye. Body shot by Benitez. Knee to the body by Benitez. Low kick by Benitez. Benitez with another body shot. Collard’s hurting. Benitez 20-18.
Third round: Benitez with low kicks. Left by Collard. Collard is hurting and exhausted. Benitez on top. Benitez let him up. Left to the jaw and kick to the face by Benitez. Collard with a takedown. Another takedown by Collard. Collard landing punches and has his back. Collard throwing punches. Benitez’s round 30-27, although this was close enough with the takedowns you could go 29-28.
Scores: All three have it 30-27 for Benitez.
WELTERWEIGHTS: AUGUSTO MONTANO VS. CATHAL PENDRED
First round: Montano is from Mexico City so the crowd going crazy for him. Side kick by Montano. Kick to the face by Montano. Slow first round. Crowd booing. Montano slipped but Pendred took no advantage of it. Pendred getting mad and Montano still dancing away. Knee by Montano. Montano 10-9. Crowd booing the round heavy.
Second round: Herb Dean threatened Montano that he’d take points for timidity if he doesn’t do more. Montano hurt him with a right. Pendred pushed him into the fence. Takedown by Pendred. Montano up. Pendred working for another taekdown. He got him down a second time. Third takedown by Pendred. Pendred punching the side of the head. Pendred’s round so 19-19 going into the third round. Crowd booed another round heavy.
Third round: Pendred pushed him against the fence. Knee by Montano. Crowd booing heavy. Low kick by Pendred. Nothing happening this round. Montano doing nothing. Crowd booed the hell out of this round. Pendred’s round 29-28.
Scores: Crowd booing even before the scores are. All three have it 29-28 Pendred.
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT)
LIGHTWEIGHTS: FRANCISCO TREVINO VS. JOHNNY CASE
First round: Case in with with a punch/kick combo. Case firing. Case with a body kick and body punch. Case landed a right. Side kick by Trevino. Trevino poked him in the eye and Case started screaming. The eye was scratched when a finger was put in. The doctor is checking. His left eye is closing. Case said he could see. They are letting it go. Case with a takedown. Trevino reversed to the top. Case 10-9.
Second round: Takedown by Case. Case moved to side control. Case has a guillotine and Trevino escaped and on top. Trevino with a knee to the body and Case back up. Both tired right now. Takedown by Case. Close round Case 20-18.
Third round: Case landed a series of shots. Case with an uppercut. Takedown by Case. Case moving forward. Crowd booed the round a lot when it was over. 30-27 Case
Scores: All three have it 30-27 for Case. Crowd cheered even though Trevino is of Mexican heritage.
BANTAMWEIGHTS: ALEJANDRO PEREZ VS. PATRICK WILLIAMS
First round: Williams out fast with punches, Williams dropped him with two rights and grabbed a guillotine. He choked him out cold. That was the fastest submission in bantamweight history. Not a good night for Mexico so far. :23
Williams tried a backflip after the win, lost balance and fell on his ass.
LIGHTWEIGHTS: EFRAIN ESCUDERO VS. DREW DOBER
First round: Dober slipped on a kick and Escudero grabbed a guillotine. Dober survived for a while in it before tapping.
FLYWEIGHTS: HENRY CEJUDO VS. CHICO CAMUS
First round: Camus is defending the takedowns well. Front kick by Cejudo. Camus with a left hook. Cejudo again pushed him into the fence. Camus landed a right. Camus pie faced him on a break and Mario Yamasaki told him not to do it again. Both missing and Camus defending another takedown. Cejudo with a single leg and a left. Cejudo got a takedown but Camus back up. 10-9 Cejudo.
Second round: Cejudo landed a right. Cejudo landed more punches. Fans chanting for Cejudo loudly. Both trading punches. Camus landed two rights. Body kick by Cejudo. Camus blocked another takedown. Both landing punches and Camus landing more. Foot stomps and knee by Cejudo as he has Camus pinned against the fence. Camus landed some punches. Cejudo with a left. Cejudo with a body kick. 20-18 Cejudo.
Third round: Camus landed a right. Camus got poked in the eye. Left by Camus. Cejudo again couldn’t take him down. Camus with a right. Left by Cejudo. Cejudo pushed him into the fence again. Right and left by Cejudo on a break. Left and body kick by Cejudo. Body kick and a right by Cejudo. Camus is going for a takedown with no success. Camus with a right and a left. Camus with a body kick. Cejudo got a takedown late in the round. Camus back up. Close round but I have 30-27 Cejudo.
Scores: 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 Cejudo
MAIN CARD *****
WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHTS: TECIA TORRES VS. ANGELA HILL
First round: Torres pushed her into the fence but couldn’t get her down. Torres then got the takedown. Torres landing a lot of punches late to win the round. 10-9 Torres.
Second round: Torres with punches and got the takedown. Torres landed in side control but Hill got guard. Torres into side control. McCarthy ordered a stand up. 20-18 Torres.
Third round: Trading low kicks. Nice exchange. Torres landed punches. Torres with a left hook. Hill landing a left. Both trading. Crowd booing as Torres was working for a takedown and didn’t get it. Ref John McCarthy called a break with 1:08 left. Both very tired in this round. Torres pushed her against the fence again working for a takedown and not getting it. Crowd booing. Torres 30-27. Crowd booed this a lot.
Scores: 30-27, 30-27 for 29-28 Torres
FEATHERWEIGHTS: YAIR RODRIGUEZ VS. CHARLES ROSA
First round: Spin kick by Rodriguez. Awesome enzuigiri by Rodriguez. Front kick by Rodriguez. Flying knee but Rosa took him down. Rodriguez working for a triangle. Place going crazy. Rosa landing punches from the top. Rosa has his back. Rodriguez getting up. Crowd loving this. Nice takedown by Rosa. Up kicks by Rodriguez and both throwing punches but Rosa was landing from the top. Rosa landing elbows to the body. Rosa went for a kneebar after Rodriguez went for an armbar. Super round. Rodriguez 10-9.
Second round: Crowd super loud. Side kick by Rodriguez. Rodriguez with a body kick. Rosa trying for a takedown and getting nowhere close. Spin kick by Rodriguez. Body kick by Rodriguez. Rosa landed a good left. Left by Rodriguez. Rodriguez with a judo takedown into mount. Rodriguez stands back up. Rosa bleeding badly from the left eye. Rosa trying for a takedown and not getting it. They are going to check the cut. They let the fight continue. Nice low kick by Rodriguez. Rosa tried a takedown but Rodriguez stepped away. Rodriguez missed a high kick. Rosa going for a leglock but Rodriguez punching him and stood up. Big right by Rosa. Rosa got a takedown. Rodriguez reversed and stood up. Rodriguez 20-18.
Third round: Rosa landed a right. Low kick by Rosa. Low kick by Rodriguez. Rosa working for a takedown and got him down. Crowd booing Rodriguez being on the ground. Rosa split him open with an elbow. Rosa landing punches on the ground. Rodriguez working for the triangle. Rodriguez is landing elbows while holding the triangle. Rosa escaped the triangle. Rodriguez out of trouble and back to his feet. Body kick by Rodriguez. Takedown by Rosa. Rosa into side control. Rosa landkng punches late . Rosa’s round 29-28 Rodrigeuz. Super fight.
Scores: 29-28 Rosa 29-28 Rodriguez 29-28 Rodriguez. Rodriguez threw up on himself during the post-fight interview.
MIDDLEWEIGHTS: KELVIN GASTELUM VS. NATE MARQUARDT
First round: Body kick by Marquardt. Gastelum landing lefts. Knee by Gastelum. Big right by Marquardt. Gastelum with more punches. Left and right by Gastelum. Marquardt back with punches. Gastelum with a left. Gastelum with an elbow Marquardt landed a right. Right by Gaselum. Loud Mexico chant. Right to the body by Marquardt. Marquardt with a takedown. Gastelum back up and landed. Gastelum got a takedown. Gastelum has his back. Body kick by Gastleum hard lefts by Gastelum. Gastelum has him hurt late in the round. 10-9 Gastelum
Second round: Gastelum with a right. Gastelum with a head kick. Gastelum with punches and two hard knees. He’s punching him on the ground. Gastelum on top with punches. Marquardt tripped him down and Gastelum went for a guillotine. Marquardt dropped. Gastelum has his back and is throwing punches. Marquardt tried a reverse but Gastelum blocked it and stayed on top. Gastelum with elbows from the top. Hard body shots by Gastelum. Gastelum 10-8 round 20-17 Gastelum.
Third round: Marquardt’s corner stopped the fight. Marquardt said I’ve got nothing left and they stopped it.
LIGHTWEIGHTS: GILBERT MELENDEZ VS. EDDIE ALVAREZ
First round: Alvarez in with punches. Melendez with jabs. Hard right elbow by Melendez hurt him. Left by Melendez. Another left by Meldnez. Right by Melendez. Both fighting far more cautious than expected. Melendez with a punch and Alvarez with a low kick. Alvarez landed a punch. Melendez with a jab. Alvarez staying on the outside. Melendez 10-9.
Seoind rund: Alvarez left eye looks real bad. Alvarez with a nice right. Alvarez’s left eye looks terriible. Left by Alvarez. Left by Alvarez. Alvarez working for a takedown. Low kick by Alvarez. Melendez faked a takedown and hit a knee. Crowd wants more action and now booing. Right by Melendez. Alvarez working for a takedown. Alvarez got the takedown. Spinnig elbow by Alvarez. Alvarez’s round so 19-19.
Third round: Alvarez working for a takedown. Melendez throwing short punches and Alvarez working for a takedown. Alvarez got him down. Alvarez went for a takedown and Melendez threw a knee. Alvarez landed an overhand right. Melendez is really tired. His mouth is wide open and breathing heavy. Low kick b Alvaerz. Takedown by Alvarez. Melendez back up. Alvarez with another takedown. Melendez breathing super heavy. Both trading. Spinning elbow by Alvarez cut him badly. Both swinging. Crowd booed hem. Alvarez’s round 29-28.
Scores: 29-28 Alvarez 29-28 Melendez 29-28 Alvarez
UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: CAIN VELASQUEZ VS. FABRICIO WERDUM
First round: Both swinging. Werdum dropped. Both trading punches. Werdum grabbed a clinch. Both swinging more. Velasquez with a knee and punches. Crowd is going crazy. Velasquez with a knee and punches. Velasquez punched him and is bleeding from the eye. Velasquez took him down into side control. Velasquez got back up and pushed him into the fence. Werdum tried a trip but didn’t get it. Both trading. Velasquez landing several punches. Werdum got a takedown. Werdum with a knee. Both trading again. Both are getting tired from the pace. Werdum with jabs and landing punches now. Velasquez landing punches and Werdum back. Takedown by Velasquez. Velasquez let him up and is all bloody. Right by Werdum but Velasquez back with punches. Velasquez 10-9.
Second round: Velasquez with a punch and low kick. Both trading. More low kicks by Velasquez. Werdum with a good punch but Velasquez with several more punches. Front kick by Werdum. Velasquez is tiring. Body kick by Velasquez. Werdum back. Knee by Werdum. Werdum hurt him with punches Velasquez back with punches. Werdum hurt him with a right. Velasquez landing a lot of punches. Werdum with two punches. Werdum hurt him with an uppercut and a knee. The altitude is killing Velasquez. Velasquez doesn’t have any power left. Right by Velasquez but Werdum back with a right. Hard right by Werdum. Werdum with a left and right. Werdum hurt Velasquez with a knee. Werdum with a right and a knee. Werdum’s round 19-19.
Third round: Werdum landing jabs. Takedown by Velasquez. Velasquez kicking the leg. Werdum back up. Left by Werdum. Head kick by Velasquez. Werdum has a guillotine, but Velasquez escaped. Werdum landing a punch and a knee. Velasquez back with a right. Both exchanging. Velasquez with a takedown, but got caught in a Werdum guillotine. Velasquez tapped out at 2:13.
We have a new undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.