Tune in at 3:00 PM ET for coverage of UFC London. David Esposto will be liveblogging the main card for your enjoyment.
Good afternoon fight fans! I'm David Esposto and welcome to theScore Live Blog's continuing coverage of the UFC. Today's event is live from London, England and features Canadian Ryan Jimmo on the Main Card. The Main Event is Bantamweight title bout between interim champion Renan Barao and Michael McDonald.
Looks like another exciting night of fights! Tune into theScore Live Blog for all the action!
What fight are you looking forward to most? I can't wait to see Ryan Jimmo in action! He had one hell of a debut, knocking out Anthony Perosh at UFC 149, tying the record for fastest knockout in UFC history. Let's see how things go this time around for the New Brunswick native.
First fight about to begin. Che Mills takes on Matthew Riddle in a Welterweight bout. Who ya got?
Tale of the Tape: Mills vs Riddle - Riddle has a one inch height advantage. Everything else is virtually identical.
Bruce Buffer with the formal introductions, as the UK fans rain the boos down on the American Matthew Riddle. Riddle all smiles though. Mills gets quite the pop from the crowd, being the home country favorite.
Kevin Mullhall the referee.
Here we go!
Round One 4:32 - Riddle chooses wisely not to trade with Mills early on, as he goes for a quick takedown, bringing Mills to the fence straight away. Riddle a grinding style wrestler, as he continues to hold Mills against the cage.
Round 1: 3:30 - Riddle finally takes Mills down with a single leg takedown, but Mills quickly back to his feet.
Round One 3:00 - Mills gets separation from Riddle, as Mills throws a front right kick. But Riddle changes the pace of the fight with another takedown. Mills back up to his feet quickly.
Round One 2:00 - Mills working the leg kicks on Riddle's right leg. Riddle again ties him up, but Mills with a nice overhook to avoid the takedown from Riddle.
Round One 1:00 - Riddle with another takedown, leaving Mills on his back. Riddle relentless with the takedowns, taking Mills, whose a striker and a predominately stand-up fighter, out of his element. Good strategy from the American.
Round one ends between Mills and Riddle. I give that round to Riddle, who dominated Mills with the takedowns all round long.
Round Two: Mills vs Riddle
Here we go!
Round Two 4:30 - What a great kick from Mills! Got the fans going after a dire first round. Riddle went for the takedown, but before he successfully got it, Mills with an acrobatic kick that got the crowd going.
Round Two 3:25 - Riddle with side control now, as he chips away at Mills with some ground and pound. Riddle's got the underhook that's keeping Mills at bay, pinning his shoulders to the mat. Tough, frustrating position for the Englishman, as Riddle continues to keep busy.
Round Two 2:20 - Riddle showing some strong ground work here, as he continues to pick away at Mills from the top position. Riddle moves around and finds the halfguard again. Riddle now in the mount position, as Mills gives up his back, but Mills switches back to the mount position.
Round Two :40 - Riddle trying to finish with a choke from the back of Mills. Riddle transitioning into the mount, as he tries to finish the fight before the end of round two. Plenty of action on the mat in the round, as round two comes to an end.
After two rounds, Riddle has dominated Mills with his effective ground game and wrestling. No match for the striker so far. Mills has to go for broke in the final five minutes.
Round Three: Mills vs Riddle
Here we go!
Round Three 4:20 - Mills in his element now, as the fight stays on its feet, but only momentarily, as Riddle again tries for the single leg takedown. He brings Mills to the cage and tries for the double leg takedown, but Mills escapes, before Riddle gets back into the clinch.
Round Three 3:10 - Mills moves away from the fence, showing good athleticism to push Riddle away, but Riddle's got a tight body lock on the Englishman.
Round Three: 2:20 - Mills on his back again, as Riddle mixes up body and head shots. Mills dropping elbows from the bottom.
Round Three 1:13 - Riddle with side control, doing a good job of getting through the defense of Mills.
Round Three :30 - They're back to there feet! Mills does well to go for the kimora and gets back to his feet. But as the fight ends, it's Riddle who had Mills pinned up against the cage. And that's it, the bell rings for the end of the fight.
Riddle fought a very smart fight, using his wrestling skills to outmatch the striker. Mills out of his element. I expect a unanimous decision win for Riddle. This will be his first on English soil.
@Aj: I thought so. But if you're a fan of wrestling and grappling, then not so much. That's what happens when you put a wrestler like Riddle against a striker like Mills.
OFFICIAL DECISION - Matthew Riddle gets the Split Decision victory over Che Mills. (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
I guess my prediction of a unanimous decision win for Riddle didn't come true.
@Shells: You're telling me! I thought for sure all three rounds would've went to Riddle.
Up Next: Ryan Jimmo vs James Te-Huna.
Wonder if Jimmo can impress like he did in his UFC debut at UFC 149.
Who ya got? The Canadian Jimmo or the New Zealander Te-Huna?
@Shells: So odd. Mills never seemed to have any sort of advantage over Riddle at all. Not sure how the judges could give him a one round advantage.
@Shells: Jimmo tied the record for fastest knockout in UFC history on his debut.
Tale of the Tape: Jimmo vs Te-Huna - One inch height advantage. And a two-inch reach advantage for Te-Huna.
Leon Roberts the referee.
Here we go!
Round One 4:40 - Te-Huna immediately gets the underhooks in on Jimmo and takes him to the fence immediately. Roberts separates the two fighters after inactivity against the cage. Good decision there.
Round One 3:10 - Wow! Jimmo nearly ends the fight with a massive head kick on Te-Huna. After the separation by the referee, he rocks the Australian and tried to finish by raining down strikes from the top, but Te-Huna survived..somehow.
Round One 1: 30 - Jimmo pinning Te-Huna against the cage with short elbows and short shots. Jimmo pacing himself as he's got the mount on Te-Huna.
Round One 1:00 - Te-Huna throwing some elbows from the bottom onto the head of Jimmo. The Canadian continues to pick away at Te-Huna, but that's the end of round one.
Round Two - Jimmo v Te Huna
Here we go!
Round Two 4:30 - Jimmo very flexible with some great footwork, changing stances quickly. Te-Huna tries to takedown Jimmo but the Canadian stuffs it, as the two fighters are in a body lock against the cage. Referee Roberts in close, as Jimmo tries an inside trip, that's unsuccessful.
Round Two 3:00 - Nice takedown from Te-Huna, whose got Jimmo mounted now, in side control. Jimmo with a body lock on Te-Huna before switching to a headlock. Te-Huna gets the full mount now, tough position for Jimmo here.
Good afternoon fight fans! I'm David Esposto and welcome to theScore Live Blog's continuing coverage of the UFC. Today's event is live from London, England and features Canadian Ryan Jimmo on the Main Card. The Main Event is Bantamweight title bout between interim champion Renan Barao and Michael McDonald.
