UFC 205: Khabib Nurmagomedov Octagon interview
UFC 205 has arrived and mixed martial arts has booted boxing (at least for one night) from the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden. With you is Patrick Wyman and Marissa Payne, who will both be keeping you abreast of all the goings-on during this historic fight night. Patrick will cover the technical ins and outs, providing you the round-by-round analysis of every fight from the early prelims to the nights three title matches: Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez, Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson and Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Marissa will be following everything else, from celebrity sightings to Twitters most viral reactions, so sit back and enjoy and remember to keep refreshing this page.
Jump to: Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero | Miesha Tate vs. Raquel Pennington | Frankie Edgar vs. Jeremy Stephens | Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Michael Johnson |Rafael Natal vs. Tim Boetsch | Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad | Jim Miller vs. Thiago Alves | Liz Camouche vs. Katlyn Chookagian | Pre-fight background
Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero
The surging Romero, who has won seven in a row to start his UFC career, returns to action against former middleweight champion Weidman in his first bout back after losing the belt to Luke Rockhold last December. Both fighters desperately need a win here: Romero is 39 and coming off a drug suspension, while Weidman needs to prove he still belongs at the top of a division full of potential contenders. Its hard to say what the matchup will look like, as the hyper-athletic Romero tends to explode into unexpected bursts of violence and Weidman might be a bit gunshy after a year on the shelf. Its probably safe to expect Weidman to pressure, though, and Romero to stick and move while looking for an opportunity to land the big shot.
Conor McGregors in the house, hopefully wearing a tear-away suit that h**l still be sporting when he strolls into the octagon. MP
Raquel Pennington defeats Miesha Tate (unanimous decision)
Former UFC bantamweight champion Tate returns to action four months after dropping her belt to the fearsome Amanda Nunes and tries to get back on track against the rising Pennington. Tates opponent is no slouch: Pennington went to a close decision with former champion Holly Holm and has won three in a row. Both fighters are capable everywhere, but broadly speaking, Pennington would prefer a striking matchup and Tate would like to get this to the ground. The clinch will probably be the deciding factor, and both fighters have strong skills in that phase. PW
Round 1: Pennington comes out looking to pressure, but Tate backs her off with a jab and a couple of kicks, and and Penningtons combinations in the pocket come up short. Shortly after, Pennington lands a clean left hook and then a jab, then lands another jab moment later. A third jab lands at the same time as Tate lands a low kick. Pennington is now landing her jab at will, and Tates not liking it at all. As Tate comes in, Pennington grabs the clinch, but she gets the worse of the exchange as Tate lands a series of short punches. Pushing Pennington against the fence, Tate looks for a takedown chain, but Pennington defends well and locks up a guillotine choke. Tate is doing everything possible to defend, including running up the cage, and barely manages to avoid the submission. She finally gets the takedown and looks to move to the back as Pennington scrambles back to her feet. 10-9 Pennington in the first on the basis of the landed strikes and near choke. PW
Round 2: Pennington comes out looking to pressure again and lands a crisp jab, then another. When they clinch, Tate grabs a collar tie and lands a sharp knee, but when they get back to range, Tate eats yet another jab. They clinch again, but this time, Pennington sticks her with a series of shots. Tate pushes her to the fence and lands a couple of sharp knees. An attempted takedown goes nowhere, but Tate maintains control. Pennington creates a scramble and gets around to Tates back, standing, and Tate grabs the fence to avoid a takedown. Now Pennington is maintaining control against the fence, and shes landing short punches at will. Tate goes to the double-collar tie and lands a couple of hard knees with her back to the fence, but is still giving up control to Pennington. They exchange position a couple of times, but Pennington is clearly getting the better of these exchanges. 20-18 Pennington. PW
Round 3: Tate punches her way into the clinch, locks up an arm, and pulls guard, but Pennington has her pinned up against the fence and is raining down elbows and punches from the top. Tate switches between triangles and armbars, but isnt getting particularly close, and now Tate tries for a sweep that fails badly. Pennington gets to north-south position, but Tate scrambles out and looks for a takedown. Pennington gets the front headlock and tries for a guillotine, which fails, but she establishes top position. Tate looks for a heel hook, but Pennington escapes, and Tate is coming up with nothing as she looks for takedowns after takedown. Theyre in the clinch again, and Pennington is grinding her down with short punches. She takes Tate down with 30 seconds left and lands a few powerful punches from the top. 30-27 Pennington. PW
Summary: Raquel Pennington defeats Miehsa Tate by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). That was a great performance from Pennington, who dominated Tate with her jab at striking range, in the clinch, and on the mat. There were no holes in her game and frankly, Tate didnt look like the fighter who won the title. The former champion has taken a lot of damage in her nine-year career, and that might be catching up with her. Pennington should get a top-five opponent in her next outing. PW
And thats it for Tate as far as mixed martial arts goes, it appears. After her latest upset loss, the 30-year-old has decided to hang up her gloves.
Im announcing my retirement, you guys, she told Joe Rogan after the loss. I love this sport forever, but its not my time anymore. Its the futures time.
The UFC 205 audience gave her a standing ovation, while Twitter reels in shock. MP
UFCs ring girls had some fun ahead of the main card. Check out their stab at the mannequin challenge.
Unsurprisingly (theyre models, after all), theyre really good at this. And oh, look, Madonna! MP
Frankie Edgar defeats Jeremy Stephens (unanimous decision)
Former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar headlines the Fox Sports 1 prelims against veteran puncher Jeremy Stephens in a strong featherweight bout. Edgar is looking to get back on track after losing to Jose Aldo for a second time at UFC 200, while Stephens is looking for the biggest win of his career here. The question here is whether Edgar will be able to work his stick-and-move, in-and-out combination of striking and wrestling without eating too many powerful punches from Stephens. PW
Round 1: Edgar comes out as he usually does, circling and cutting angles to gauge the distance. He shoots in with a double-leg takedown, but Stephens stuffs it and lands a hard kick to the body on the way out. Again, Edgar shoots for a takedown, but gets no joy aside from a left hook on the exit. Edgar lands a sharp body kick and looks to be gauging the distance with his jab, and then sticks Stephens with a sharp jab-cross combination. Stephens steps into the pocket, but Edgar ducks under, grabs the clinch, and forces Stephens to the fence, where he lands a couple of hard knees before trying a single-leg takedown. Stephens defends it well, putting his size advantage to good use, and pops right back up after Edgar gets him down. Edgar gets Stephens down a second time, but again, Stephens pops back up. Finally, Stephens breaks off, and now hes trying to pressure, but he pokes Edgar in the eye and the referee stops the action. Stephens looks like hes trying to counter Edgar when he comes in, but hes just a touch too slow on everything. 10-9 Edgar for the control against the fence and the few clean shots he landed. PW
Round 2: Edgar shoots a half-hearted takedown early, but a body punch strays low and catches Stephens in the groin. When they restart, Edgar comes in with a combination and lands a nice right hand, but Stephens also lands a glancing counter left hook. Again, Edgar sticks Stephens with a right, and Stephens counter comes up well short. Edgar lands a clean jab-cross against the fence and briefly gets the takedown, then gets Stephens back before slamming him with authority. Stephens pops up and Edgar lands a three-punch combination, then another right hand. Stephens throws a head kick that catches Edgar and knocks him down! Edgar recovers quickly and shoots a takedown, but Stephens defends, creates space, and is stalking the former champion, landing a few shots. Edgar is still on rubber legs, though. He lands a three-punch combination as Stephens comes in, and when Stephens overcommits, Edgar blasts him off his feet with a takedown and then locks up a guillotine choke. Edgar is on top and postured up, landing a few shots. He finishes the round with a mounted guillotine attempt and then a few big elbows. 19-19 after two in a heck of a fight. PW
Round 3: Stephens starts the round with a hard low kick and then a jab. Edgar catches a low kick and completes the takedown, establishing himself in half guard. Stephens is looking for a kimura from the bottom, but Edgar defends and uses the opportunity to land a series of punches and elbows. Stephens manages to get back to his feet and Edgar slams him to the mat once again with 2:30 left. Finally, Stephens gets back to his feet, and he lands a stiff right hand, which Edgar follows with one of his own. Edgar is darting in and out while landing some good shots, and Stephens counters are just a bit too slow to land cleanly. Another combination lands for Edgar, then yet another right hand. Stephens lands a good right hand, but eats two more shots at the bell. 29-28 Edgar in a really good fight. PW
Summary: Frankie Edgar defeats Jeremy Stephens by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).Edgar gets back on track with a difficult but clear decision win that maintains his position as an elite featherweight, but doesnt do much else. Still, coming out on top in a bit of a trap fight is a real accomplishment. Stephens acquitted himself well, but he seems to be stuck at the fringes of the top 10. PW
Khabib Nurmagomedov defeats Michael Johnson (submission)
Nurmagomedov has cut a swathe of stifling destruction through the lightweight division, running his record to an undefeated 23-0 mark. Following a victory over future lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in April 2014, Nurmagomedov lost two years to injuries, but returned with a tune-up win over Darrell Horcher this past April. The Russian faces the surging Michael Johnson, who brutally knocked out Dustin Poirier in September to reestablish himself as a legitimate contender. With a win, Nurmagomedov would be one of the presumptive top choices to fight the winner of tonights title fight between McGregor and Alvarez, and Johnson could insert himself into that discussion as well.
This comes down to Nurmagomedovs stifling grappling against Johnsons smooth, stick-and-move southpaw striking game. Johnson is a strong defensive wrestler, but Nurmagomedovs takedown chains are simply otherworldly, and nobody has yet proven able to fight at his pace for three rounds. Still, he has never faced a striker as fast or as potent at Johnson. PW
Round 1: Johnson comes out circling, tossing out a couple of light low kicks. Nurmagomedov isnt really trying to cover the distance yet, and he eats a couple of straight lefts before landing a clean right hand of his own. Johnson is doing a great job of sticking Nurmagomedov on the end of his reach, and the southpaw is teeing off with combinations. He lands a clean left hand that staggers Khabib, but before long, Khabib gets into the clinch and works a trip against the fence. Nurmagomedov passes into side control and lands a few short strikes. The Russian is postured up and landing brutal ground strikes now. The control is absolutely stifling, and Nurmagomedovs shots are carrying serious power. Johnson wants nothing to do with these shots, is barely defending, and Nurmagomedov is looking at the referee to stop this. Despite being staggered by a shot, this was a 10-8 for Nurmagomedov. PW
Round 2: Johnson gets right back to work at range as the second round begins, tossing out kicks and left hands, one of which lands. Nurmagomedov gets in on the striking action with an uppercut-left hook combination and slides into the clinch, but cant hold Johnson against the fence. Johnson stuffs a great takedown from Nurmagomedov, but Nurmagomedov grown-man throws him into the cage, and for some reason, Johnson tries a guillotine; that only leads to Nurmagomedov dragging him to the mat. Nurmagomedov is working from the top now and passes into side control, then to a crucifix, and hes raining down vicious shots. As Johnson tries to escape, hes giving Nurmagomedov opportunities to land even harder shots, now from the top ride. This is a brutal mauling and the referee could consider stopping the fight. With 15 seconds left, Nurmagomedov fully postures and lands six or seven vicious shots to finish the round. 20-16 Nurmagomedov. PW
Round 3: Johnson is back to circling, but he eats a hard three-punch combination from Nurmagomedov to start the round. At the 4:30 mark, Nurmagomedov gets in on a single-leg takedown and finishes it easily. He has Johnson pinned against the fence and hes postured up, raining down punches and elbows. This fight should be stopped, and referee John McCarthy is doing Johnson a disservice here. Nurmagomedov passes to mount and is now looking for an arm-triangle choke; Johnson counters by looking to use the fence to roll out, but Nurmagomedov maintains effortless control. The Russian is digging for a kimura on his left arm, and Johnson taps. PW
Summary: Khabib Nurmagomedov defeats Michael Johnson by submission (kimura) at 2:31 of the third round.There has never been a wrestler or grappler like Nurmagomedov in MMA. Hes simply on another level. If he gets his hands on his opponent, the round is as good as over; theres simply no escape from his takedown chains and ground control. Even worse for Nurmagomedovs foes, hes getting even more vicious with his ground strikes. Frankly, I dont think theres a 155-pound fighter out there who can beat him. PW
Nurmagomedov may not be a household name, but he sure thinks he should be. After beating Johnson and thanking him for a good fight, the proud Dagestan native turned his sights on the UFC PR machine and complained about his inability to get a title shot, despite his now 24-0 record.
I want to fight with your chicken, he said, referring to Conor McGregor, one of UFCs biggest draws.
Well, at least he found one man to side with him.
I think you definitely deserve a title shot, announcer Joe Rogan said, wearing Nurmagomedov papakha, a traditional sheepskin hat. MP
Tim Boetsch defeats Rafael Natal (TKO punches)
Veteran middleweights meet in what looks like a gritty, grinding, and potentially fun fight at 185 pounds. Natal has been a reliable presence in the division and recently notched a four-fight winning streak, while Boetsch snapped a three-fight losing streak by knocking out the late Josh Samman in his last outing. Neither fighter is going to contend for a title, but theyre experienced, skilled competitors who have forgotten more about fighting than most of their contemporaries have ever learned. PW
Round 1 and summary:Theres a reason they call Boetsch the Barbarian. Coming hard straight outta the gate, Boetsch took it to Natal and didnt let up. With the first punch of the night, the Barbarian clipped Natalearly, putting Natal off his game until the fight ended early thanks to a TKO. Boetsch shota hard right fist to his challenger, who was backed up against the wall, sending him to the ground. Boetsch took advantage, peppering Natal with punches on the mat until the referee called the fight at 3:22 seconds.
With his 20th fight and his 12th career knockout,Boetsch told announcer Joe Rogan after his victory, I feel like that swords getting nice and sharp. I want to seee how far I could go. MP
Vicente Luque defeats Belal Muhammad (KO punches)
An action matchup at 170 pounds gets us started on Fox Sports 1. Muhammad, a native of Chicago, has produced a pair of fun fights in his two UFC outings, while Luque has been a surprising find, notching both slick submissions and one-punch knockouts in his brief UFC career.
Both are slick strikers, with the boxing edge going to Muhammad and the kicks to Luque. Luque is the more dangerous grappler, but Muhammad is the stronger wrestler. Wherever it plays out, this should be fun. PW
Round 1: Luque is sticking and moving early, sliding in a pair of hard low kicks as Muhammad tries to bull his way into the pocket. Another hard kick lands for Luque, this one to the body, and now Luque is pressuring. A clean left hook lands in an exchange for Luque, and Muhammad goes down! A few follow-up punches finish the job. Vicente Luque defeats Belal Muhammad by knockout at 1:19 of the first round.
Summary: That was a brutal knockout, the second one-punch finish in a row for Luque after a pair of submissions. He has now won four in a row and looks like an intriguing prospect at 170 pounds. PW
And the celebrities have started to arrive, including Zac Efron, who found a seat next to a bird-flipping Donald Cerrone, who was supposed to be in the octagon tonight. Unfortunately for him, his opponent Kevin Gastelum failed to make weight, so his fight was scratched from the card.
Demi Lovato is also in the house, sitting next to former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. MP
Jim Miller defeatsThiago Alves (unanimous decicion)
Former welterweight title challenger Alves takes on the veteran Miller in a firecracker of a matchup that serves as the Fight Pass main event.
Alves missed weight badly yesterday, coming in more than six pounds over the limit for his first fight at 155 pounds, which adds another dimension to an already intriguing fight. Neither man is likely to get into the elite of a deep weight class, but theyre contending for the lucrative title of king of the lightweight action fighters.
If Miller can get this to the mat, his grappling skills should be the difference, but Alves is a slick striker with outstanding defensive wrestling skills. Either way, its a barnburner in the making. PW
Round 1: Miller comes out looking to pressure and slips a hard straight left into Alves breadbasket. Alves times Millers next rush and grabs ahold of the clinch, sliding in a sharp knee that catches Miller on the chin. Another left hand lands for Miller, and Alves counter right comes up short. The Brazilian is looking a bit sluggish early, perhaps because of the brutal failed weight cut. Miller lands a left, but Alves replies with a punching combination and finishes with a high kick that glances off Millers head. Miller catches it, though, and finishes a takedown. Hes working from top position but isnt getting much done, and Alves manages to get his back to the fence. He makes a mistake as he tries to scramble back to his feet, though, and allows Miller to get to his back. The Brazilian adjusts beautifully and scrambles back to standing, landing a sharp knee before reestablishing distance. Miller lands a brutal left kick to the body that backs Alves off, and then slips yet another straight left onto Alves chin. Theyre exchanging now, and Alves gets the better of it. Alves pressures to end the round but its probably not enough. 10-9 Miller. PW
Round 2:The two fighters circle early and miss on a few shots, but Alves starts to get his kicking game going with a body and then a low kick. The Brazilian is picking up the speed and volume now and seems to be finding his range and timing. They exchange, and Alves lands a sharp left hook, then a right hand, then a body kick that forces Miller to shoot a bad takedown. Alves stuffs the takedown, and now hes pressuring, but Miller times a jumping knee, catches it, and takes Alves to the ground. As Alves tries to scramble back to his feet, Miller looks for a choke, which he gives up to maintain position. He does so again when Alves gets to the fence, and while Miller isnt landing much in the way of strikes, hes controlling position and threatening with submissions. Finally, Alves gets back to his feet, and hes back to pressuring once again. A sharp left lands for Miller, but Alves replies with a hard combination. Hes eating Miller up in the exchanges now, but Miller pushes him against the fence to buy time. A couple more exchanges close the round, and these go to Miller. The second was close, but its probably 20-18 Miller. PW
Round 3: The two fighters exchange low kicks to start the round, and then they trade a Miller straight left for an Alves body kick. Miller backs up to the fence, and as they exchange, Alves is sliding in sharp shots in the pocket. Again, however, he pauses for just a moment too long, and Miller takes advantage by changing levels and blasting him off his feet with a double-leg takedown. Millers doing an excellent job of threatening with passes to the back or chokes from the front headlock whenever Alves looks to create space to scramble, but Alves manages to slip out of the choke and get to his feet. He lands a glancing head kick on Miller, and both fighters are clearly exhausted. They trade body kicks, and Miller lands a sharp left before catching yet another kick and finishing a clean takedown. As Alves tries to scramble again, Miller grabs a guillotine, which he uses to sweep to top position. He has Alves mounted briefly, and again, hes looking for the choke from the front headlock. Alves slips out, though, and hes on top with 20 seconds left. He ends the fight dropping bombing ground strikes from the top. 30-27 Miller in a fun, back-and-forth outing. PW
Summary: Jim Miller defeats Thiago Alves by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)Miller looked excellent, particularly with the timing and technique on his takedowns. Every time Alves planted his feet to throw, Miller was ready to change levels and explode through. Alves, on the other hand, looked sluggish and slow, but his craftiness and skill on the feet made it a close affair. Miller retains his crown as the king of the lightweight action fighters; its back to the drawing board for Alves, whose first outing at (almost) 155 pounds didnt reinvigorate his slipping career. PW
Liz Camouche defeats Katlyn Chookagian (split decision)
A strong bantamweight bout opens tonights proceedings at Madison Square Garden as former title contender Liz Carmouche draws undefeated prospect Katlyn Chookagian.
This is an interesting matchup between the physical, grinding style of Carmouche and the stick-and-move boxing game of Chookagian. If the prospect can keep it at range, she should pepper Carmouche with a steady stream of jabs and crosses, but Carmouche can dominate her in the clinch and on the mat if Chookagian cant maintain the distance. PW
Round 1: Chookagian is sticking and moving, pumping her jab and tossing out half-hearted leg kicks, but everything is coming up short. A hard low kick lands for Carmouche and she presses forward, getting ahold of Chookagian and taking her down against the fence. Carmouche cant fully establish position, and Chookagian scrambles back to her feet. Though shes controlling Chookagian against the fence, Carmouche isnt doing much until she finally lands another takedown. This time, she controls Chookagian on the mat. Chookagian is content to work from her back, attempting a triangle, but with her hips pinned against the fence shes going nowhere. 10-9 Carmouche for the takedowns and control. PW
Round 2: Chookagian gets back to business to start the second round, peppering Carmouche with strikes. After a brief clinch, Chookagian gets back to range and turns up the volume with both punches and kicks. Carmouche catches a lazy body kick and finishes a big slam in the middle of the cage. Chookagian tries to scramble, but Carmouche catches a strong front headlock and uses that to reestablish top position. Carmouche isnt doing much from top position, landing only short punches, but Chookagian is far too content to play off her back and give away time. Finally, Chookagian gets back to her feet, but now shes pinned against the fence in the clinch. Once she reestablishes long range, Chookagian lands a series of light punches and kicks, including a good counter right, but its too little, too late. 20-18 Carmouche. PW
Round 3: Carmouche lands a hard low kick to open proceedings, and then another one, as Chookagian tosses out some half-hearted punches. Chookagian presses forward and lands a punching combination that she finishes with a flush head kick, and Carmouche goes down! Chookagian jumps in for the finish and lands a clean knee, but Carmouche pins her against the fence and buys some time to recover. Chookagian separates and lands a clean combination, and its clear Carmouche is still hurt. An overhand right lands for Chookagian and Carmouche is in survival mode, bleeding from her nose, with three minutes left. Carmouche gets in on a takedown and drags Chookagian to the mat, eating up nearly a minute. Finally, Chookagian gets back to her feet and creates space. Shes getting after Carmouche now, pressuring her toward the fence, but Carmouche has recovered. Another combination lands for Chookagian, but Carmouche replies with a hard low kick, and then another drops Chookagian to the ground. Carmouche changes levels, shoots, and presses Chookagian against the fence once again, and thats how the fight ends. 29-28 Carmouche. PW
Summary: Liz Carmouche defeats Katlyn Chookagian by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)While Chookagian made the most of the third round with a clean head kick, she couldnt get the finish, and we saw clearly the limitations of her game. Shes a bit plodding and doesnt pack much power, so if she cant fight a perfect fight, shes in trouble. Carmouche, on the other hand, did a great job of making this the kind of dirty, close-range fight that favors her strength and physicality. This was a big win that reestablishes Carmouche as a gatekeeper to the 135-pound elite. PW
Intro
Mixed martial arts willtake over one of boxings biggest stages Saturday night when UFC hosts its first-ever event at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
[UFCs climb, 23 years to the day, from freak show to one of sports most sacred stages]
UFC 205s cardis thebiggest, baddest, greatest card ever assembled in sports history, UFC President Dana White said last week, clearly not underpromoting the event.
While those latter two superlatives are debatable, the former was true until Friday when Kevin Gastelumfailed to make weight and his fight against Donald Cerrone was cut from the original six-fight main card.Now, there will be five fights on the main card, including three title fights.
Featherweight champion Conor McGregor will attempt to become a dual belt holder by taking on lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, at whom he attempted to toss a chairduring a press conference on Thursday. The fight looks good on paper, so itll be interesting to see it play out live. Both fighters have the ability to go the distance, although McGregor predicts a first-round knockout.
The nights penultimate bout will settle whether or notTyron Woodley can defend his welterweight title against Stephen Thompson, the slight favorite. Woodleys odds of winning arent bad, but he let himself get a bit distracted on Friday when he feuded with McGregor on Twitter.
Then theres the first title fight of the night between womens strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk andfellow Poland native Karolina Kowalkiewicz. White expressed particular excitement about this one in a phone interview last week.
Ive been in the fight business since I was 19 years old, the former boxer said, and Im blown away by [Jedrzejczyk]. The first night she ever fought with us, I had somebody go get her and I wanted her to sit next to me the rest of the night and watch the fights with me. I knew she was gonna be a star. Joanna wants to prove to Poland that shes the one.
Joining the title fights on the main card are Chris Weidman versus Yoel Romero and womens bantamweights Miesha Tate versus Raquel Pennington.
[UFC 205 takes Manhattan with Conor McGregor, Eddie Alvarez leading the way]
The main card is scheduled to kick off at 10 p.m. EDT on pay-per-view. Preceding it will be the preliminary and early preliminary cards, which begin at 7 p.m. on UFC Fight Pass, before the action transfers to Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. MP
Heres the full card. All fights are three rounds, unless otherwise noted.
MAIN CARD
Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor (five-round title fight)
Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson (five-round title fight)
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (five-round title fight)
Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero
Miesha Tate vs. Raquel Pennington
PRELIMS
Frankie Edgar vs. Jeremy Stephens
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Michael Johnson
Rafael Natal vs. Tim Boetsch
Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad
EARLY PRELIMS
Jim Miller vs. Thiago Alves
Liz Camouche vs. Katlyn Chookagian
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNF-W69iFn747UsYGPpJz4Xjsi48NA&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&cid=52779267107815&ei=1eUnWLC2PMTO3gHox5uwAg&url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/11/12/ufc-205-live-results-analysis-recaps-and-highlights/