Tyron Woodley stands up to challenge from Maia at UFC 214
ANAHEIM, Calif. — UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley believed he would walk out of Honda Center on Saturday night with his belt still strapped securely around his waist as long as he could stay off the mat.
He was right.
Woodley, a former all-American wrestler at Missouri, stuffed all 21 takedown attempts from jiujitsu ace Demian Maia and cruised to a unanimous-decision victory in a stylistic stalemate that infuriated the sellout crowd.
“Every time I threw a hook and punch he was in on my legs,” Woodley said. “It would be silly for me to take him down and try to submit him. I went out there and did what I needed to do. For me, the exciting part was that he had won seven fights in a row, and he’s been able to take down all of his opponents. He didn’t take me down one time. He didn’t even come close.”
Woodley has been taken down just once in his UFC career. Maia never gave up trying to get the fight to the mat, despite his lack of success.
The action grinded to a halt at times as Woodley recognized he didn’t need to overcommit to his offense as long as Maia couldn’t get him down.
Justino wins first title
Cris “Cyborg” Justino was far more aggressive as she finally became a UFC champion after spending nearly a decade with the unofficial title of best female fighter in the world.
Justino stalked Tonya Evinger around the cage and punished her just about every time she dared slow down for even a brief moment. Justino finally finished her with two big right knees to the head at 1:56 of the third round, claiming the vacant women’s featherweight title.
“I don’t have the words to say,” she said after finally reaching the pinnacle by winning for the 18th consecutive time.
#UFC214 recap: Cris "Cyborg" Justino def. Tonya Evinger via TKO https://t.co/IpCamSHNaX 🎥: @Nate_Asselin64 pic.twitter.com/rb0ve0Hcc1
— CoveringTheCage (@CoveringTheCage) July 30, 2017
Justino toiled as champion in other organizations for several years when the UFC didn’t have a weight class over 135 pounds for women. Even when she was brought in, she was given two 140-pound catchweight bouts to test the possibility of her dropping to 135.
The 145-pound division was finally created this year, but Justino was out of action, and Germaine de Randamie became the inaugural champion with a win over Holly Holm.
De Randamie elected to vacate the belt rather than fight Justino and the door was finally open on Saturday night.
“I’m very happy to be world champion, and I think this is the perfect time because I think I’m at the top of my career now,” Justino said. “I am very happy and proud to own this belt, and it will be really hard to take it away from me.”
Lawler wins decision
Former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler got back in the win column in his return to the cage nearly a year to day after losing the belt to Woodley.
Lawler pressured Donald Cerrone with shots from close range and defended most of what Cerrone threw in the first and third rounds to earn the favor of the judges despite a one-sided second round in Cerrone’s favor.
Oezdemir impressive again
Light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir wasted no time dispatching another opponent as he knocked out Jimi Manuwa in just 42 seconds.
His last two victories have come in a combined 70 seconds.
Oezdemir landed two short left hands in the clinch against the cage and used his reached for two last shots as Manuwa retreated.
#UFC214 recap: Oezdemir knocks out Jimi Manuwa @CoveringTheCage https://t.co/rJqgt1oCBS 🎥: @Nate_Asselin64 pic.twitter.com/7MwLxREsRS
— CoveringTheCage (@CoveringTheCage) July 30, 2017
Lamas scores knockout
Featherweight contender Ricardo Lamas headlined the preliminary card with a first-round knockout to end the four-fight win streak of Jason Knight.
Lamas staggered Knight with a right hand as he was trying to get off the mat and then pummeled him with punches as he wobbled about, trying to catch his bearings, until the fight was mercifully stopped.
Aljamain Sterling won a unanimous decision over former bantamweight champion Renan Barao in a 140-pound catchweight bout.
Featherweight Brian Ortega remained undefeated by submitting Renato Moicano with a guillotine choke.
THE GUILLOTINE!!!@BrianTCity gets the sub here in round 3!!! The fourth, 3rd-round finish in a row for Ortega! #UFC214 pic.twitter.com/2qvwiRuv1r
— #UFC214 (@ufc) July 30, 2017
It was the third consecutive fight in which Ortega, who improved to 4-0 in the UFC, finished his opponent in the third round.
Aleksandra Albu earned a unanimous decision over Kailin Curran after 15 minutes of frenetic action in which defense appeared to be of little concern.
#UFC214 recap: Albu def. Curran (29-28, 29-28 29-28) @CoveringTheCage https://t.co/DE7OPB5o5K 🎥: @Nate_Asselin64 pic.twitter.com/rdVzf45vG9
— CoveringTheCage (@CoveringTheCage) July 30, 2017
Featherweight Calvin Kattar and flyweight Jarred Brooks both earned decision victories in their UFC debuts.
#UFC214 recap: Brooks def. Shelton in a split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) @CoveringTheCage 🎥: @Nate_Asselin64 https://t.co/I7goQnXDcu pic.twitter.com/4AYLoZi6Ef
— CoveringTheCage (@CoveringTheCage) July 30, 2017
Kattar won all three rounds over Andre Fili. Brooks won a split decision over Eric Shelton.
Lightweight Drew Dober opened the preliminary card with a first-round knockout of veteran Josh Burkman.
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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.
