Cejudo upsets Johnson at UFC 227
Dillashaw stops Garbrandt
LOS ANGELES, Aug 5, (AP): Henry Cejudo pulled off one of the most impressive upsets in mixed martial arts history at UFC 227. T.J. Dillashaw simply repeated himself, only quicker. Cejudo ended Demetrious Johnson’s nearly six-year reign as the UFC flyweight champion Saturday night at Staples Center, earning a split-decision victory over the most dominant active champion in the sport.
In the main event moments later, Dillashaw defended his bantamweight title with a vicious first-round stoppage of former champ Cody Garbrandt, beating his friend-turnedrival for the second time in nine months.
Cejudo (13-2) is an Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler who only started training in mixed martial arts five years ago, but he used five takedowns and relentless offense to earn the decision over the fighter widely considered the pound-for-pound best in MMA. Cejudo won 28-27 on two of the three judges’ scorecards to beat Johnson (27-3-1), who had won 13 consecutive fights since 2012 and had defended his 125-pound belt a UFC-record 11 straight times.
In the main event moments later, Dillashaw (17-3) exchanged furious strikes with Garbrandt (11-2) from the opening minute. Dillashaw finished it by stunning Garbrandt with a series of blows, dropping the challenger and then battering him against the cage until referee Herb Dean stopped it with 50 seconds left in the round.
Dillashaw and Garbrandt trained together in Sacramento until 2014, when Dillashaw left in a messy breakup with the Team Alpha Male gym.
The fighters met for the first time last November, and Dillashaw stopped Garbrandt in the second round to take the bantamweight belt. The rematch was just as violent, but even more decisive. Dillashaw held the 135-pound title belt for nearly two years before losing it to Dominick Cruz on a debatable split decision in early 2016. Garbrandt then took the belt from Cruz in December 2016, less than two years after he entered the UFC. game in a row and expand their lead in the AL East to season-high 8-1/2 games.
One night after Rick Porcello threw an 86-pitch, one-hit complete game, Eovaldi (5-4) shut out the Yankees on three hits in sending them to their season-high fourth straight loss.
Phillies 8, Marlins 3 In Philadelphia, Carlos Santana had three hits, including one of Philadelphia’s four homers, and Zach Eflin allowed three runs in eight strong innings.
Cesar Hernandez, Nick Williams and Asdrubal Cabrera also went deep for the Phillies, who won their fourth straight to move 1-1/2 games ahead of Atlanta for first place in the NL East.
Cubs 5, Padres 4 In Chicago, Kyle Schwarber and Anthony Rizzo homered in a five-run second inning and Chicago held off San Diego.
Jason Heyward added three hits and an RBI for the NL Central leaders.
Cardinals 8, Pirates 4 In Pittsburgh, Jedd Gyorko drove in three runs while Kolten Wong, just off the disabled list, and Yadier Molina both had three hits to lead St Louis.
Gyorko hit a pair of doubles, including a tiebreaking one in the fifth inning. Wong was activated before the game after being out since July 22 with left knee inflammation.
Brewers 8, Rockies 4 In Milwaukee, Travis Shaw hit a grand slam during Milwaukee’s sixrun first inning. The Brewers won for the fourth time in six games stayed one back of NL Central-leading Chicago.
Rookie Freddy Peralta (5-2) pitched six effective innings in his second win over Colorado this season. Trevor Story hit a pair of two-run homers for the Rockies, who have dropped five of six.
Twins 8, Royals 2
In Minneapolis, Max Kepler had three hits, including a two-run homer that put Minnesota ahead to stay, and Jose Berrios threw seven sharp innings.
Eddie Rosario and Logan Morrison also homered for the Twins. Kepler went 3 for 3 with a walk and scored two runs.
White Sox 2, Rays 1 In St Petersburg, Fla, Tim Anderson scored when third baseman Matt Duffy made a throwing error on Leury Garcia’s two-strike bunt in the ninth inning, sending the White Sox to their third straight win.
Anderson led off the ninth with a double off Yonny Chirinos (0-4). Garcia then bunted a 0-2 pitch and Duffy threw wildly toward first.
Blue Jays 5, Mariners 1 In Seattle, Marco Estrada baffled Seattle’s struggling bats with his mix of off-speed pitches, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning and leading Toronto to the road win.
Estrada (5-8) was masterful with his changeup, keeping the Mariners guessing all night. Mitch Haniger doubled with one out in the seventh for Seattle’s first hit.
Diamondbacks 9, Giants 3 In Phoenix, Nick Ahmed homered twice and had four RBIs, Steven Souza Jr drove in three more runs and Arizona jumped on San Francisco early.
Souza hit a two-run triple and Ketel Marte hit a two-run homer off Andrew Suarez (4-7) in Arizona’s secondstraight five-run first inning against the Giants.
Athletics 2, Tigers 1 In Oakland, Calif, Khris Davis hit his 30th home run and ninth since the All-Star break, Matt Chapman also went deep and Oakland beat Detroit for its fifth straight win.
Edwin Jackson (3-2) pitched into the seventh inning, allowing an unearned run on five hits. Jackson struck out three and walked one to win back-to-back starts for the first time this season.
Mets 3, Braves 0 In New York, Kevin Gausman was outpitched in his Braves debut by a blossoming Zack Wheeler, and New York stopped Atlanta’s five-game winning streak.
Rookie second baseman Jeff McNeil went 4 for 4, and Austin Jackson had an RBI infield single as the Mets halted a four-game skid.
Rangers 3, Orioles 1 In Arlington, Texas, Joey Gallo and Rougned Odor both homered for the third straight game, and Mike Minor worked an efficient seven innings for Texas.
Gallo’s 29th homer of the season put the Rangers up 2-0 against Baltimore starter Dylan Bundy (7-10).