Live Blogging: UFC Phoenix: Ngannou vs. Velasquez: Main Card: 02/17/2019

ESPN TV Broadcast

Hello and welcome to another edition of 'Live Blogging on 'Shish on Mixed Martial Arts'. Tonight it is UFC Phoenix: Ngannou vs. Velasquez: Main Card. This is the first ever Main Card televised by ESPN. However, UFC will have their announcers calling this event. 

Tonight's Main Card has 6 fights on the card. Below are the fights 

Andre Fili vs. Myles Jury (Featherweight Bout):
In this featherweight bout features a couple of Americans. Andre Fili takes on Myles Jury. Fili comes in with a record of 18-6, while Jury comes in with a record of 17-3.  Both fighters are coming off a loss. 

Both fighters are known for their knockouts. Fili lands more significant strikes. While Jury is better at strike accuracy, absorbs fewer strikes, and defense. As for their grappling, Fili is better than Jury is takedown average and defense. While Jury is better than Fili in accuracy and submission average. 

For the Tale of the Tape, Fili has advantages in height and reach. While Jury has a leg reach advantage. 

Round 1:
Fili is in blue trunks. While Jury is in black trunks. 
4:55: Fili with a kick to start the fight. 
4:08: Jury with a kick to the side. 
3:55: Fili with a jab.
3:44: Fili with a leg kick.
3:33: Fili with a leg kick. 
3:17: Both fighters connected on their strikes.
2:51: Fili lands a leg kick.
2:42; Fili's jab, busted up Jury's nose.
2:18: Jury counters Fili's jab, with a leg kick.
1:47: Jury with a leg kick.
1:22: Jury fails on flying knee.
1:02: Jury connects a kick to the side.
:53: Fili with a jab to Fili's face.
:35: Jury lands on left, after a spinning fist.
:17: Jury with a leg kick. 
:00: End of Round 1.
My Guess: Fili wins Round 1, 10-9. 

Round 2:
​3:32: Fili looks like he is still in control of the fight.
3:02: Jury lands a jab.
2:47: Jury starting to counter Fili's jabs.
2:32: Jury blocks a spinning kick by Fili.
2:12: Fili with some combos.
1:48: Jury with a jab.
1:31: Jury with a kick.
:52; Jury lands a spinning fist. 
:43: Jury is on Fili, on the ground.
:22: Jury trying to get some elbows on Fili.
:00: The End of Round 2. 
My Guess: Jury wins Round 2, 10-9. 

Round 3:
:38: Fili appears look he is in control of the fight. 
:25: Fili with a kick. 
:13: Jury with some combo. 
:00: The End of fight.
My Guess: Fili wins Round 3, 10-9.  Fili wins fight, 29-28.

Result: Fili wins by unanimous decision, 29-28 * 3. 

Fili: (19-6)
​Jury: (17-4)
​
Vicente Luque vs. Bryan Barberena (Welterweight Bout):
In this welterweight bout, Vicente Luque takes on Bryan Barberena. Luque comes in with a record of 14-6-1, while Barberena comes in with a record of 13-5. Both fighters are coming off a win. 

Barberena is known for his knockouts, while Lugue is more balanced in his finishes. Barberena is better at significant strikes. While Lugue is better than Barberena in accuracy, absorbs fewer strikes, and defense. For the grappling, Lugue is the better grappler. 

As for the Tale of the Tape, they Barberena has advantages in height and leg reach. While Luque has an advantage in reach. 

Round 1:
Luque is in gold trunks. While Barberena is in black trunks.
4:14: Luque controlling the center of the ring.
3:50: Barberena with a leg kick.
3:30: Luque with a leg kick.
3:13: Luque lands some punches.
2:55: Luque with some more punches.
2:40: Luque with a knee.
2:20: Barberena with some combos.
1:46: Both fighters are in a clinch. 
1:30: Luque with some more punches.
1:14; Barberena with punch, that lands Luque.
:59: Luque counters with a choke.
:44: Luque with a rear naked choke.
:30: Barberena gets out of rear naked choke.
:04: Barberena with some ground and pound.
:00: The End of  Round 1. 
My Guess: Barberena wins Round 1.

Round 2: 
4:40: Barberena with some fury of punches.
4:28: Barberena with a punch.
4:13: Barberena with some punches.
3:59: Barberena with some more punches.
3:25; Barberena with some elbows.
3:11: Luque with some kicks.
2:44: Barberena with another combos.
2:20: Luque with some punches.
1;42: Barberena trying to tee off on Luque. 
1:15: Luque taking some punches, but he is taking them, like Barberena. 
:50: Luque with some cuts in the face.
:28: Barberena with some punches.
:17: Both fighters hitting each other as hard as he can. 
:10: Luque knees Barberena, Barberena goes to the ground.
:00: The End of Round 2.
My Guess: Barberena wins Round 2, 10-9. 

Round 3:
​3:22: Both fighters hitting each other hard. 
3:03: Barberena with some punches.
2:55: Barberena with a elbow.
2:30: Barberena with a knee to stomach.
1:54: Both fighters exchanging punches.
1:12: Both fighters are in the clinch.
:56: Luque lands a left. 
:43; Barberena with a leg kick.
:15: Luque with some punches.
:10: Luque lands a knee, Barberena goes down. 
:07: The Fight ends by TKO by Luque. 
Result: Luque wins by TKO.
​
Luque: (15-6-1)
Barberena: (13-6)

Alex Caceres vs. Kron Gracie (Featherweight Bout):
​In this Featherweight Bout, Kron Gracie makes his UFC Debut, as he takes on Alex Caceres. Caceres is 14-11-0, 1 NC. Caceres is known for taking his fights to the distance. Caceres is coming off a win. 

Round 1:
Caceres is in black trunks, while Gracie is in gray trunks. 
4:51: Caceres with some kicks.
4:30: Gracie counters Caceres' combo.
4:08: Gracie trying for a takedown on Caceres. 
3:38: Gracie gets a takedown.
3:23: Gracie trying to go for rear naked choke.
2:55: Gracie ends the fight, with a rear naked choke. 
Result: Gracie wins by submission (Rear Naked Choke)

Gracie: (5-0)
Caceres: (14-12)

Cortney Casey vs. Cynthia Calvillo (Women's Strawweight Bout):
In this women's strawweight bout, Courtney Casey will take on Cynthia Calvillo. Both fighters are Americans. Casey comes in with a record of 8-6, while Calvillo comes in with a record of 7-1. 

Casey is balanced in her finishes, while Calvillo is known for her submissions. Casey produces more significant strikes. While Calvillo is better than Casey at absorbing fewer strikes, and defense. For the grappling, Calvillo is the better grappler than Casey. 

For the Tale of the Tape, Casey has advantages in height and reach. 

Round 1:
Casey is in gray trunks. While Calvillao is in black trunks.
4:52; Calvillao with a leg kick.
4:26: Calvillao with some combo.
3:37: Casey had Calvillao cornered, but Calvillao got out of the fence.
3:12: Casey with some strikes.
2:47: Both fighters exchange strikes.
2:33: Calvillao missed with a left.
2;09: Calvillao with a leg kick.
1:57: Casey with a leg kick, but Calvillao counters with a combo.
1:30: Calvillao got Casey to the ground.
1:15; Casey with a combo.
1:03: Calvillao with a shot to the face of Casey.
:29: Calvillo with some combos.
:10: Casey with a leg kick.
:00: The End of Round 1.
My Guess: Calvillo wins Round 1, 10-9. 

Round 2:
3:55: Calvillo continuing to control the fight.
3:27: Calvillo with a takedown attempt. 
3:13: Calvillo with a takedown attmept.
2:33: Casey gets out of the takedown attempt.
1:11: Calvillo lands a leg kick.
:56: Calvillo with a combo.
:40: Casey with a leg kick.
:10: Both fighters exchange leg kicks.
:00: The End of Round 2.
My Guess: Calvillo wins Round 2, 10-9. 

Round 3:
3:55: Casey starting to take control of the fight.
3:40: Casey and Calvillo are by the fence.
3:12: Both fighters return to the center of the ring.
2:55: Calvillo had Casey, but did not takedown Casey.
2:06: Casey with some leg kicks.
1:48: Casey with some combos.
1:33: Calvillo lands a punch to the face.
1;07: Casey lands some punches.
:33: Calvillo lands a jab. 
:09: Casey with some punches.
:00: The End of 8Round 3 and Fight.
My Guess: Casey wins Round 3, 10-9. Calvillo wins fight 29-28.
​Result: Calvillo wins by unanimous decision.

Calvillo: (8-1)
Casey: (8-7)

Co-Main Event: James Vick vs. Paul Felder (Lightweight Bout):
In this co-main event, it is a lightweight bout, between James Vick taking on Paul Felder. Vick comes in with a record of 13-2, whild Felder comes in with a record of 15-4. Both fighters are coming off a loss. 

Vick is balanced in his finishes. While Felder is known for his knockouts. Vick lands more significant strikes and is better than Felder at defending strikes. While Felder is more accurate and absorbs fewer strikes per minute. As for their grappling, they appear statistically even, except for submissions, where Vick has the advantage. 

As for their Tale of the Tape, Vick has the advantages in height, reach, and leg reach. 

Round 1:
Vick is in black trunks, Felder is in blue trunks.
4:39: Felder with a punch to the face.
4:30: Vick kicks Felder to the side.
4:15: Felder with a punch to the head.
4;02: Felder blocks a kick to the head.
3:40: Vick with a leg kick.
3:31: Vick with a punch to the head.
3:13: Felder with a spinning elbow to Vick.
2:23: Vick with a punch to the head.
2:12: Felder with a leg kick.
1:52; Vick with a kick to the knee.
1:35: Vick knees Felder.
1;14: Felder with a leg kick.
:42: Vick kicks Felder to the stomach.
:20: Felder with a spinning fist.
:00: The End of Round 1.
My Guess: Felder wins Round 1, 10-9.

Round 2:
​4:05: Vick has Felder pinned to the cage.
3:12: Vick still had Felder pinned to the cage.
2:59: Both fighters are away from the cage.
2:41: Felder with leg kick.
2:33: Felder with leg kick.
2:20: Felder with some combo.
2:10: Vick with a leg kick.
2:04: Vick with a right.
1:55: Vick pins Felder to the ground.
1:23: Vick tries a spinning kick.
1:15: Vick with a flying knee.
:44: Felder with a leg kick, hurts Vick.
:19: Both fighters land a strike.
:00: The End of Round 2.
My Guess: Felder wins Round 2, 10-9.

Round 3:
4:15: Felder with some kicks.
4:06: Both fighters land some strikes.
3:47: Felder with an elbow.
3:32: Vick is limping.
3:25: Felder with some leg kicks.
3:08: Felder with a jab. 
3:00: Felder with a leg kick.
2:50: Felder with some combos.
2:38: Vick with a punch.
2:31: Felder with a leg kick.
2:25: Vick got wobby.
1:56: Felder with a kick to the shoulder.
1:40: Vick with some punches.
1:32: Vick has Felder pinned to the cage.
1:04: Vick runs into Felder's spinning elbow.
:27: Both fighters got out of the cage.
:00: The End of Round 3 and Fight.
My Guess: Felder wins Round 3, 10-9. Felder wins Fight, 30-27.

​Result: Felder wins by unanimous decision. 
​
Felder: (16-4)
Vick: (13-3)

Main Event: Francis Ngannou vs. Cain Velasquez (Heavyweight Bout):
In this Main Event (That could be a Main Event on a PPV Main Card) Cain Velasquez returns to the Octagon to take on the most physical heavyweight in UFC history, in Francis Ngannou. Ngannou is 12-3, while Velasquez comes in with a record of 14-2. The Cameroon Native is coming off a victory. 

Both fighters are known for their knockout finishes. Velasquez lands more significant strikes, is more accurate, and better defender than Ngannou. While Ngannou is the better at absorbing fewer strikes than Velasquez. Velasquez has more history with takedowns than Ngannou. But the fighters appear statistically even, when it comes to submissions. 

Round 1:
Ngannou is in gray trunks. While Velasquez is in black trunks.
4:53: Velasquez with a kick to the stomch.
4:36: Ngannou knocks out Velasquez, while Velasquez was trying for a takedown. Velasquez's knee gave out on him.

Result: Ngannou wins by TKO. 

​