McGregor takes belt, steals show at UFC 205

Brash Irishman drops Alvarez, rules two divisions

NEW YORK — UFC superstar Conor McGregor has proven time and time again to be the unquestioned king of self-promotion.

He’s now the organization’s undisputed champion in two weight classes.

McGregor, who already holds the featherweight title, battered Eddie Alvarez in the main event of UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night to take the lightweight belt and become the first fighter in UFC history to concurrently hold belts in two weight classes.

After dropping Alvarez three times with straight lefts in the first round, he sent the champion to his knee again with the same punch early in the second. The fight was finally stopped at 3:04 when McGregor dropped Alvarez again with a three-punch combination and finished

him on the ground.

“Where the (expletive) is my second belt,” McGregor said after the lightweight belt was placed around his waist. “$4.2 billion this company sold for, and you can’t bring me a second belt? Cheap mother (expletive).”

In the co-main event, Tyron Woodley didn’t get the result he wanted, but got to leave the cage with his welterweight belt.

Though Woodley almost finished Stephen Thompson with a right hand and a tight guillotine choke in the fourth round, Thompson recovered and lasted to the final bell.

There was some confusion when ring announcer Bruce Buffer announced Woodley as the winner, even though two judges scored the fight 4747 with Woodley winning the fourth round 10-8.

It was later corrected to a split draw, as Woodley won the third card 48-47. It didn’t change the fact Woodley retained the title, however, in his first defense after taking it from Robbie Lawler in July.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk took four of the five rounds to win a unanimous decision and retain the women’s strawweight title, handing Karolina Kowalkiewicz the first loss of her career.

Jedrzejczyk dominated in the clinch on her way to a fourth straight successful title defense. The Polish kickboxer changed training camps to prepare for the bout and believes the fight was won in the gym.

“You know why I’m still champion?” the undefeated Jedrzejczyk asked. “Because I’m humble every day, I work hard every day, and I’m very focused. I challenge myself every day.”

Two former champions lost in their first fights since losing the title.

Former middleweight champ Chris Weidman looked good early on, but Yoel Romero knocked him out with a perfectly timed flying knee early in the third round.

Romero jumped for the strike just as Weidman ducked for a takedown attempt. Weidman’s head was cut, and Romero finished the fight with short right hands on the ground.

After a taxing unanimous decision loss to Raquel Pennington, former women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate announced her retirement. The 30-year-old Las Vegan won the belt in March only to lose it in July when she was knocked out by Amanda Nunes in the main event of UFC 200. Tate appeared hesitant and never could get her offense going Saturday, as Pennington controlled the action.

Lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov remained unbeaten in 24 career fights, including eight in the UFC, with a third-round submission over Michael Johnson.

Former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, a New Jersey native who was one of several fighters instrumental in lobbying efforts to get professional mixed martial arts legalized in New York, won a unanimous decision over Jeremy Stephens in a featherweight bout.

Middleweight Tim Boetsch and welterweight Vicente Luque had an easier go of it, as they each recorded first-round knockouts. Boetsch dropped Rafael Natal with a straight right hand, and Luque set up the finish of Belal Muhammad with a left hook.

Liz Carmouche won a split decision over Katlyn Chookagian, and Jim Miller grinded out a unanimous decision in a catchweight bout against Thiago Alves, who missed the lightweight limit by 7 pounds.