UFC 259 play-by-play and live results

Round 1 – Jones lands a few leg kicks. Bautista throws a push kick to the midsection. Jones catches it and tosses it to the side. Bautista tries to repeat the kick but misses. Closing the distance, Bautista throws an exchange. Jones dodges the blows and grabs under-hooks on Bautista. Jones attempts a trip but the end result is spinning Bautista in a circle to the exact same position they started – Jones pushing Bautista against the cage. There’s a lot of pushing against the fence but not a lot of action. Finally, Bautista reverses Jones in the clinch and separates. Jones lands a knee on the break. Bautista whiffs on a high kick. Jabbing the body, Jones absorbs a knee to the body and returns fire with a boxing combination. Jones lands a punch and a leg kick. The two fighters sling leather and Bautista gets the best of the exchange. Jones connects on a looping left hand into a takedown attempt. The round ends with Jones pushing Bautista against the fence. Close round but MMA Junkie scores it 10-9 Jones.

Round 2 – Bautista opens with an aggressive, hard punching combination but gets reckless. Jones cracks him with a hard left hand that floors Bautista over backward. Jones pounces and lands vicious ground-and-pound. Bautista is hurt badly and referee Chris Tognoni steps in. Jones finishes his second straight fight with strikes (despite the first being overturned due to marijuana).

Result: Trevin Jones def. Mario Bautista via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 0:40
Recap: Trevin Jones opens card with nasty TKO of Mario Bautista
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Mario Bautista (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC), Trevin Jones (13-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Chris Tognoni

Round 1 – No touch of gloves. Cruz comes out flying with a front kick that hits nothing. Medic circles around and then moves straight forward with a kicking combination of his own. Cruz rushes in and Medic tags him with a right hook. Semi-stunned, Cruz shoots for a takedown. Medic stuns him again and comes charging across the cage with a flying knee. Medic drops Cruz again and pummels his downed opponent. Medic unloads a series of punches but Cruz is doing just enough to survive. Over and over again, Medic whacks Cruz, who somehow gets to his feet. He is swiftly met with another fierce combination from Medic that floors him. Medic once again lands a series of ground-and-pound punches. This time, referee Mark Smith waives it off.

Result: Uros Medic def. Aalon Cruz via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:40
Recap: Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier criticize referee in Uros Medic’s drawn-out TKO at UFC 259
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Aalon Cruz (8-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC), Uros Medic (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith

Round 1 – Patient start from both as they look for angles. Lemos able to establish the center and back Souza to the cage. Couple of range-finding strikes thrown out from both. Lemos with a crisp jab. Two punches follow, then a low kick. Lemos looking sharp with her strikes. The one-two lands again. Right hand lands to the chin, and Souza drops to the canvas. She seems to recover quickly, and Lemos tries to grab the neck. Not there. She wants to take top position. Souza scrambling and turns to grab the left leg. Lemos spins with it and unleashes a few big punches that force Souza to scramble, and she’s able to work back to the feet. Lemos back to work, and the jab lands clean and sets Lemos down again. She follows with a few punches to a stunned opponent, and referee Jason. Herzog has seen enough.

Result: Amanda Lemos def. Livinha Souza via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:39
Recap: Stiff jab caps off Amanda Lemos striking clinic in UFC 259 TKO win over Livinha Souza
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Amanda Lemos (9-1-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Livinha Souza (14-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Division: Women’s strawweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Jason Herzog

Round 1 – Early low kick from Brady as he sets up on the outside. Hands high, and blocks a few punches before kicking low again. Matthews looking to press and strike, but Brady covering well to start. Brady continues to work the lead leg. Matthews often the first to punch, but he’s not finding the mark just yet. Brady moving well and looking to attack the legs. Matthews keeps punching, and he catches a kick and lands a clean right over the top, sending Brady to the floor. As Matthews follows, Brady scrambles and is able to get to top position and immediately into side control. Matthews has the left leg high to prevent the step to mount. Brady looking to press down with the left arm and drive in a few short elbows and forearms. He’s controlling the head and keeping the shoulder pressure as Matthews is bale to gain half-guard. Short punches from Brady, and he slips his right arm around the neck. He wants tot he top-side guillotine. Can’t get the squeeze, so he lets go and punches until the bell. MMA Junkie gives the first to Brady, 10-9.

Round 2 – Quick pace to start. Matthews still seems to be the one setting the tone. He scores with a right. Brady’s left eye is busted up a bit. Still, he’s swinging back and having some success with his hands while also continuing to chop at the legs. Brady decides to change levels, and he drives through for a powerful takedown 90 seconds in. He looks to advance, and Matthews is able to to sit up and gets his back to the fence. Brady able to stay on top of the legs, and he wraps his right arm around the neck and looks for the guillotine again. Not there, but it forces Matthews to settle back on the floor. Brady on top again, and he continues to keep the neck wrapped. Still not there, so he punches a bit, keeping himself in top position with pressure on the neck and a few short punches here and there. Matthews trying to move bu just can’t get free. Brady postures and starts punching, forcing Matthews to expose the back, but there’s no time for Brady to get in the choke. Few more punches to close. MMA Junkie gives it again to Brady, 10-9.

Round 3 – Matthews again pressing with punches. Brady moving well on the outside and still working the legs. Matthews fighting like a guy down on the cards. Brady circles off the cage and lands a clean left that drops Matthews to a knee. Matthews pops back up, but Brady doesn’t swarm. Matthews recovers well and fires a big right. Brady fakes a shot that gets Matthews off-balance. Brady moves immediately forward and tries to grab the neck as they kneel. Not there, but he spins around to the back. Matthews turtles, and Brady happy to take control. He gets a hook in and looks to start striking. Brady with wrist control and just keeping the pressure up and Matthews stuck on the floor. Short punches landing. Brady sets up the arm-triangle perfectly. He’s close to the cage, but he sinks it in and squeezes anyway, dismounting and wedging himself in against the fence. It’s right, and Matthews has to tap.

Result: Sean Brady def. Jake Matthews via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 3:28
Recap: Sean Brady dominates Jake Matthews, sinks in third-round choke submission
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Sean Brady (14-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC), Jake Matthews (17-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Chris Tognoni

Round 1 – Ulberg kicks the legs and lays out a front kick, as well. He’s on the outside but very busy early. High kicks grazes the temple. Nzechukwu dazed but battling. Ulberg picking his shots well. He goes to the body. Knees inside. Nzechukwu keeps his guard high. Dangerous moments, but Nzechukwu survives. They move back to the center. It’s all Ulberg in terms of offense. He’s flashing out punches and kicks in rapid fashion. Nzechukwu defending well but has been unable to much in terms of offense. Ulberg mixing up the attacks and going to all levels. He looks incredibly comfortable on the feet. Nzechukwu finally starting to open up a little, but Ulberg is the one with volume. Nzechukwu does land two punches. A left hand lands clean. Nzechukwu having some moments now. Left hand lands again. Ulberg a little stunned. Ulberg grabs the wrists, but Nzechukwu pulls free. Ulberg’s hands a little low now. Nzechukwu the one talking froward. He gets stunned with a left. Ulberg swarming again. Nasty shots to the body. Nzechukwu is hurt, but he’s covering again against the fence. He lands a straight in reply. Uppercut scores. These guys are absolutely banging it out. Crazy action. Now it’s Nzechukwu’s time to be on the attack. He scores with a high lick. Ulberg slips on a kick just before the bell. Unbelievable opening round, and MMA Junkie gives it to Ulberg, 10-9.

Round 2 – Ulberg chopping at the legs to start, and then he targets the body. Left lands up top, but Nzechukwu pressing forward. Ulberg continues to try and control the wrists and pick his shots. Nzechukwu breaking his hands free each time with a little more sense of urgency. Ulberg spinning backfist partially lands. Nzechukwu with his guard high. Ulberg still finding the body. Nzechukwu absorbing it all and mounting his own offense. The left hands finds a home. Ulberg with a few nasty kicks to the body. Nzechukwu complains of an eye poke. Referee Herb Dean says to fight on. A second complaint shortly after does get a timeout. Nzechukwu’s corner yells for him to press on the restart. Ulberg with precise uppercuts. Nzechukwu is absorbing it all and firing back with left hands that keep finding the mark. Back and forth on the feet. Nzechukwu lands a clean right hand to the chin, and Ulberg drops to the canvas. Nzechukwu jumps on top with punches, and this is over. What a damn fight.

Result: Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Carlos Ulberg via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:19
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Kennedy Nzechukwu (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Carlos Ulberg (3-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Herb Dean

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Tim Elliott (16-11-1 MMA, 5-9 UFC), Jordan Espinosa (15-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Rogerio Bontorin (16-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Kai Kara-France (21-9 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Askar Askarov (13-0-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC), Joseph Benavidez (28-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Kyler Phillips (8-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Song Yadong (16-4-1 MMA, 5-0-1 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Dominick Cruz (22-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Casey Kenney (16-2-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: ESPN
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Aleksandar Rakic (13-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC), Thiago Santos (21-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Drew Dober (23-9 MMA, 9-5 UFC), Islam Makhachev (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Petr Yan (15-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC), Aljamain Sterling (19-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Amanda Nunes (20-4 MMA, 13-1 UFC), Megan Anderson (10-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Division: Women’s featherweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging:

Round 1 –

Result:
Recap:
Photos: UFC 259: Best photos from Las Vegas
Records: Jan Blachowicz (27-8 MMA, 10-5 UFC), Israel Adesanya (20-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee:
Judging: