Lawler Retains Via Split Verdict & Miocic KO Wins At UFC 195 From MGM Grand In Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 02: (L-R) Robbie Lawler punches Carlos Condit in their UFC welterweight championship bout during the UFC 195 event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 2, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Reigning UFC undisputed 170lbs welterweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (27-10, 1 NC) defended his title via split decision victory over former WEC and UFC Interim title holder, “The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit (30-9) in front of 10,300 plus at the MGM Grand Garden Arena inside the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas. The official scores we 48-47 twice in favor of the champion and one 48-47 for the challenger. Condit started off the bout whipping leg kicks then going back upstairs with a long jab or overhand shot on Lawler to keep him at bay and from opening up with much offense. The New Mexican got into a great rhythm finding his range as he peppered the champ with leg kick upon leg kick before stringing together a 2-punch combination or spinning back elbow as the minutes progressed. By Round 2 he settled into his zone very well using the same approach, hitting his angles and ‎moving out of the pocket. However, Lawler’s patience wouldn’t allow him to trade so early in the match or do something reckless in order to close distance on his taller opponent. The San Diego native waited for his opening and found it behind a picture perfect right hand counter that brutally snapped Condit’s face back sending him crashing backwards to the canvas. Lawler jumped on him immediately looking to finish but instinctively Condit pulled guard able to use it to recover. ‎He weathered a nasty storm as Lawler pounded on him with looping shots and hammer fists but Condit luckily used his long legs to push off simultaneously getting back up right.

In the 3rd Round a fire fighter ensued ‎making the fans at the MGM Grand Arena chant and applaud in a defening appreciation. You had Condit putting together his 2-punch-leg kick combinations which he has showcased all throughout his MMA career as Lawler stood in the pocket letting his hand go like only he can thanks to a granite chin and ruthless aggression. One of the errors made by Condit nonetheless was that as he found more and more success with the leg kicks and over hand punches his feet became planted increasingly more to the mat. The mistake of becoming stationary incidentally led to a shift in momentum as Lawler, a monster puncher in the pocket, put his 2-punch combos together and swung for the fences on his foe. On a few occasions if it wasn’t for the former WEC welterweight king’s supernatural beard he likely would have gone to sleep from the power right hands of “The Ruthless One”.

The live gate brought in just over $2,000,000.00 in revenue but for those in attendance the championship rounds were priceless. Both men visibly hurt one another and pressed on in a fight reminiscent of “Micky Ward vs Arturo Gatti “. Lawler stringing along shot after shot and mixing in his own leg kicks as well as uppercuts while he found his range as on the inside, Condit returning fire with standing knees, flying knees, spinning back fists or vicious elbows in the pocket.

The 5th and final Round will instantly go into an MMA time capsule as it topped the round before it which was already unbelievable. Condit absorbed the same shots that have put away countless of Lawler’s previous victims eating them like Tic Tacs only to pull a rabbit out of a hat in the form of one more spinning attack or high kick. Both men gave as good as they got, both were clearly hurt in those last five minutes and undoubtedly both combatants raised the bar another notch as far as what it means to be a warrior in the cage.

In the end , while the title remained ‎around the waist of Robbie Lawler, there was no loser in a fight that already is generating a “Fight of the Year” buzz on endless forums, websites and social media just 2 days into the year. Carlos Condit along with the champ became legends tonight, and their match will withstand the test of time echoing throghout the hallways of mixed martial arts immortality as they personified the word “warrior”.

The UFC 195 main event stars were true gentlemen during the post-fight press conference, agreeing to a rematch while ‎complimenting one another on their styles and actions, not surprisingly earning a “Performance of the Night” bonus check from the UFC . Condit was contemplating retirement before this bout, likely following through with the idea if he lost the match. However, a sequel of the instant classic known as “Lawler vs. Condit” would be ideal for the UFC 200 card this July.

Stipe Miocic (14-2) vs. Andrei Arlovsky (25-11, 1 NC)
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 02: (R-L) Stipe Miocic punches Andrei Arlovski in their heavyweight bout during the UFC 195 event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 2, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

(Heavyweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

The co-main event started off with a bit of a feeling out process by Top 10 heavyweight ranked Miocic and Arlovsky. That slow process did not last very long as the two giants came together and traded along the cage wall. Former UFC heavyweight champ, Arlovsky came forward with his patented 1-2 striking combination then Miocic landed a perfect counter straight right hand bomb that crash landed on the side of Arlovsky’s head, partially on the ear. The punch rocked him ‎completely sending him face first to the canvas to land on all fours. Unfortunately for him as he was going down, Miocic caught him again with a right hand-left hook combo to the face that took out whatever consciousness the Belarus native had left in his body away from him. “The Pitbull” Arlovsky hit the mat and Miocic followed up with five unanswered hooks that prompted referee Herb Dean to step in calling a halt to the bout.

Photo by Armando Romo

RESULT: ‎Stipe Miocic secures the winner of next month’s Werdum vs. Velasquez 2 title bout with a 54-second TKO stoppage of ex-UFC title holder Andrei Arlovsky in Round 1.

Lorenz Larkin (16-5, 1 NC) vs. Albert Tumenov (17-2)

(Welterweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

Larkin started off the round slapping low leg kicks at his man but Tumenov countered with a hard straight right hand every time. ‎The Californian circled out without much offense but when he stood his ground and threw those leg kicks it was money in the bank. Rinse and repeat for Larkin but after a minute and change Tumenov was expecting them anticipating the shot as he stepped to his right. Tumenov made the adjustment and past the middle of the 1st Round was countering with a big right hand followed by a left high kick. The Russian powerhouse kept his man at bay using the same combination of straight punch-high kicks with little retaliation from Larkin as the round came to a close.

Going into the 2nd Round Larkin chopped away at his man with faster low kicks but this time did not stop to admire his work. The lead left leg of Tumenov began to swell and turn red from the Larkin offense and he alertly shuffled his feet or slid to the side. This prompted “Einstein” Tumenov to press forward with a vicious body assault as he cracked his man’s stomach with double left hooks or a hard right hand punch. Nonetheless, “Monsoon” Larkin’s leg kick show went on as scheduled and it paid dividends since with a little over a minute left in the round Tumenov had switched stances completely from the damage his lead left leg had suffered as it swell and turn red.

Heading into Round 3 Larkin popped his jab and used lateral movement to avoid his opponent’s counters. The California native had all the condifence in the world as he hit a spinnibg back leg kick and spinning back fist before flicking another low kick at his man. Halfway into the 3rd Round another spinning leg kick connected unto Tomenv’s left leg making the Russian’s base buckle a little. The same amount of power was not there from him since he couldn’t put as much weight on his lead leg but he still pressed forward landing those mean left hooks. They traded kicks and punches for the final minute at close range before Larkin tried securing a takedown ‎which was stuffed by Tumenov. They then traded some hooks and uppercuts to the head and body in the pocket before the round came to an end in what was a high-level striking match.

RESULT: Albert “Einstein” Tumenov defeats Lorenz Larkin via Split Decision with two scores of 29-28, one judge saw it 29-28 for Larkin.

Diego Brandao (24-11) vs. Brian Ortega (10-0, 1 NC)

(Bantamweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

The Ultimate Fighter season 14 winner, Diego Brandao was firing on all cylinders early for his return to PPV tonight hitting his looping right and left hands on his foe Brian Ortega while getting two well-timed takedowns in the first couple of minutes of Round 1. The Brazilian stand out mixed his strikes well by landing a two-punch combination and ending with a low leg kick if not he would aim for the head and throw hooks to the body of Ortega. ‎To his credit, the Los Angelino stood in the pocket with his foe but Ortega’s attacks were a little too refrained as he undertook the role of counter puncher with slow hands.

Going into the 2nd Round Ortega maintained a steady pace but still backed up way too much not threatening his foe with much return fire. He did manage to land his straight left and left hook opening up a cut under Brandao’s right eye. He popped his jab more but not until the final 2 minutes of the round. This would have easily enabled him to set up more offensive strikes as he used his 3-inch heigh advantage over his opponent had he employed it a little more.

Heading into Round 3 both men traded heavy leather for the first 30 seconds to the crowd’s delight. It was a set up as Ortega dropped levels and went for a takedown which was in deep on Brandao. Off of a scramble Ortega put a body lock on his man, then dragged him down to the ground and slipped on a D’Arse choke while Brandao looked to defend. This allowed Ortga to switch attacks slapping on a slick Triangle Choke submission. As soon as “Triangle City” Ortega adjusted the angle his opponent had no choice but to tap to the crafty submission.

RESULT: Brian “T-City” Ortega submits Diego “DB” Brandao via Triangle Choke at (1:37) of Round 3.

Abel Trujillo (13-7-1 NC) vs. Tony Sims (12-4)

(Lightweight Bout – 3 Rounds)

Kicking off the Pay Per View card for UFC 195 inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena were 155ers Trujillo and Sims. Both men spent most of the first few minutes circling inside of the Octagon hitting angles or trying to cut off the cage. Not much heat was thrown aside from a missed punch or leg kick or two which prompted a few “boos” from the crowd. Then all of a sudden Sims shot in hard on his man looking for a takedown, it was deep on Trujillo who seemed rather content on going to the ground since he managed to wrap up a guillotine choke on his man. Sims’ head was caught and he did his best to manuever out of the position and hop up since his legs were free due to “Killa” Trujillo not having him in his guard. Apparently it did not matter due to his amazing strength since it was deep enough to force a tap from his opponent.
RESULT: ‎Abel “Killa” Trujillo submits Tony Sims via Guillotine choke at (3:18) of Round 1.