UFC Fight Night 126 results: Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone back in business with big victory over Yancy Medeiros
But it was arguably Nate Diaz who stole the show
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is back in business and last night put an end to a three-fight losing skid with a big victory over tough Hawaiian fighter, Yancy Medeiros.
UFC Fight Night 126 didn't have the most fan-friendly timeslot with its Sunday night billing, but anyone that stayed up until the wee hours of Monday morning will have been pleased they did after it proved to be a fight card full of talking points.
The main event of the evening was contested by two men who are known for never taking a step back with Donald Cerrone taking on Yancy Medeiros in a welterweight clash.
Both men promised it was going to be fast and furious from the outset and so it proved to be as they both touched gloves and immediately went at it throwing a large volume of punches and kicks at no less than two paces.
Early on in the round, Medeiros looked to be getting the better of the exchanges as he landed a number of thudding leg kicks and some cuffing right hands, but midway through the opening five minutes Cerrone began to figure out the range and his beautiful counter striking began to catch Medeiros increasingly.
A nice moment took place towards the end of the round as the two acknowledged each other and embraced after a good exchange and a show of sportsmanship as Cerrone refused to take advantage of a Medeiros slip. Less than a minute later though, the finish to the fight came when Cerrone landed a beautiful right hand and dropped Medeiros to the mat face first.
"Cowboy" followed up with a few shots on the ground, but referee Herb Dean was quick to dive in and call the fight off with Medeiros unable to intelligently defend himself. With 4:58 on the clock, Cerrone just beat the buzzer for the end of the round and in turn picked up his first win since UFC 206 in Dec. 2016.
Speaking after the bout, Cerrone said he had no idea it was that late in the round and that he's still the man the UFC need to call if they need a last-minute replacement for any upcoming fight cards.
“I didn’t even know there were 10 seconds left either, just going for the finish," Cerrone said. “You know, they call me, I say ‘where are we going,’ and that’s all I need to know."
Nate Diaz steals the show with a three-second appearance
Cerrone may have won the main event last evening, but Nate Diaz arguably stole the show last night with a brief three seconds on camera.
In-between the co-main and main event, the UFC production team decided it would be a good idea to show Diaz, who was sat in the crowd, on camera. With the camera panning on him and the crowd going insane inside the Frank Erwin Center, Diaz proceeded to pull out a very suspect looking hand-rolled cigarette along with a lighter and pose to the camera with his signature hand pose.
It was an incredible moment as the camera quickly panned away with the young boy behind him with a mischievous smile on his face that said it all. Never change Nate Diaz.
Derrick Lewis back in business
Elsewhere on the card, Derrick Lewis picked up a win in the co-main of the evening as he took defeated Polish heavyweight Marcin Tybura via a third-round knockout.
“The Black Beast” was returning to the Octagon for the first time since his loss to Mark Hunt last June and he had to dig deep as Tybura looked to take the fight to him in round two.
Lewis nearly had the finish in the opening round as he caught Tybura with a right hook, but the Pole survived the onslaught until the end of the round and got an early takedown in round two to even it up heading into the third. The American wasn't to be denied a victory on his return though and he got the job done with a brutal combination against the cage as caught Tybura with two big right hands to send him to the mat for the finish.
“I just believed in myself,” Lewis said afterwards. “I knew I just had to touch him a few times. Those boys from Texas can hit, man.”
With sevens wins in his last eight fights, Lewis is now back in the UFC heavyweight title picture. A showdown with Francis Ngannou could be in the future with Stipe Miocic tied up fighting Daniel Cormier at UFC 226 in July.
UFC Fight Night Austin Full Results
Donald Cerrone def. Yancy Medeiros via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:58
Derrick Lewis def. Marcin Tybura via knockout (punches) – Round 3, 2:48
James Vick def. Francisco Trinaldo via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Curtis Millender def. Thiago Alves via knockout (knee) – Round 2, 4:17
Brandon Davis def. Steven Peterson via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-26)
Sage Northcutt def. Thibault Gouti via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Diego Ferreira def. Jared Gordon via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:58
Geoff Neal def. Brian Camozzi via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:48
Roberto Sanchez def. Joby Sanchez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:50
Lucie Pudilova def. Sarah Moras via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)
Alex Morono def. Josh Burkman via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:21
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