UFC 227: Dillashaw doubles on Garbrandt; Cejudo new flyweight champ
ULTIMATE Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw showed no love to challenger Cody Garbrandt, making it 2-of-2 over the latter in their title reengagement with a technical knockout victory in the first round of their headlining fight at “UFC 227” in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday (Manila time).
Displaying aggressiveness and power that got him the bantamweight title back last time around, Mr. Dillashaw just took it to Mr. Garbrandt to bamboozle his way to the second straight victory over the former champion.
In the co-main event, meanwhile, Henry “The Messenger” Cejudo showed up better prepared in his own rematch title clash to seize the flyweight gold from long-time champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson by a close split decision.
Messrs. Dillashaw and Garbrandt got their title fight to an explosive start, with both fighters connecting with solid hits.
The champion though would connect with a solid right that instantaneously hurt Mr. Garbrant and signaled the end for him.
He followed it with a barrage of punches and a knee to the head, prompting the referee to stop the fight at the 4:17 mark of the first round.
“He caught me good early but it was not something to worry about. I just stuck with my game plan. I’m the best bantamweight of all time!” Mr. Dillashaw (16-3) said after the win.
It was the second defeat for Mr. Garbrantd (11-2) all in the hands of Mr. Dillashaw.
AND NEW CHAMPION
Earlier in the day, Olympic champion Cejudo added UFC champ to his impressive resume by topping Mr. Johnson by split decision, 48-47, 47-48 and 48-47.
Mr. Cejudo bucked a barrage of strikes, leg kicks and body shots throughout the fight with solid counters and takedowns of his own to edge out Mr. Johnson, the UFC champion for a solid six years since 2012.
With the outcome of the match very open entering the final round, the two fighters went back-and-forth with Mr. Johnson connecting early with strikes and leg kicks.
But Mr. Cejudo would gain some traction after he got hold of the former champion with a body lock and dished out strikes and knees. He continued to put pressure on Mr. Johnson all the way to the end where he eventually was proclaimed the new champion.
“I’ve shocked the world. I have come a long way since being knocked down in the first round,” said Mr. Cejudo (14-2), referring to the first encounter he had with Mr. Johnson in 2016 where he was stopped in the opening round by technical knockout (knees and punches).
He said composure did it for him in the victory.
“Composure won it for me. I knew I had the techniques to beat him and it boiled down to composure,” said Mr. Cejudo, who expressed his desire to take on the winner of the Dillashaw-Garbrandt fight.
In defeat, Mr. Johnson (27-3-1) was gracious, giving credit to the new champion.
“Henry Cejudo is the new champion. Credit to him. I go back home to my family and see what’s next for me,” Mr. Johnson said.
In other fights at UFC 227, featherweight Renato Moicano submitted Cub Swanson by rear-naked choke in the first round, women’s strawweight JJ Aldrich beat Polyana Viana via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28 and 29-27), and middleweight Thiago Santos got the better of Kevin Holland by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27 and 30-26).
Next for the UFC is “UFC Fight Night 135” in Nebraska on Aug. 26 (Manila time) that will be headlined by the lightweight clash between Justin Gaethje and James Vick.
In the Philippines, Cignal TV, the country’s foremost direct-to-home (DTH) company, is the home of the UFC after the two groups agreed to an extensive deal that will see the UFC beamed on various platforms.