Lawlor caps off UFC on FOX 16 prelims with filthy KO of Villante
Tom Lawlor def. Gian Villante via second-round KO
It was a triumphant return to the cage for "Filthy" Tom Lawlor.
Having not set foot in the Octagon since 2013 due to a series of injuries, Lawlor, after being picked apart at range and with leg kicks during the first round, flipped the script and finished Villante with a blistering counter right hook at 0:27 of the second stanza.
Filthy. Filthy and devastating.
Jim Miller def. Danny Castillo via split decision
It was close. Almost too close. But in the end, Miller did just enough to sneak by Castillo with a split-decision victory.
Tougher than a $3 steak, Miller, who controlled the grappling exchanges early, ate multiple big head kicks like they were his breakfast and kept coming forward, narrowly outpointing Castillo on the feet over the 15-minute affair.
Although a case could be made for either man, one judge ridiculously scored all three rounds for Miller.
No robbery. Close fight. I had Castillo winning, but no problem with Miller taking it.
That 30-27, though...
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) July 25, 2015
Ben Saunders def. Kenny Robertson via split decision
It was sloppy, it was violent, and, at times, it was sublime.
Over 15 brutal minutes, Saunders and Robertson traded heavy combinations, massive bombs, and venomous knees from the clinch, and when the bloody mist settled, Saunders left with his hand raised.
A nightmare on his back, Saunders, who survived being blasted by Robertson in the first round, trapped the former school teacher in a tight rubber guard in the third stanza and started raining down elbows until Robertson was a bloody mess.
Robertson survived, but the work Saunders did off his back likely secured the decision on two of three judges' scorecards.
Are we sure Kenny Robertson is still alive in there? Hasn't moved in like a minute. Can we get a welfare check?
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) July 25, 2015
Bryan Caraway def. Eddie Wineland via unanimous decision
Wineland versCaraway looked like it was contested in a land where jabs had been outlawed.
Instead, Caraway lumped up Wineland with left hook after left hook, winning what was essentially a 15-minute kickboxing match.
Wineland, a former WEC bantamweight champion, likely would have feasted on Caraway in his younger years, but his reflexes just weren't there, and Caraway, who normally looks to overwhelm his opponents with heavy top control on the floor, beat him to the punch more often than not (though both men did their fair share of swinging at air).
After more than a decade in the sport, Wineland was contemplating retirement before this bout, and after such a lackluster performance, may decide to hang 'em up.
In a bizarre turn of events, Miesha Tate, Caraway's girlfriend, cornered him during the fight despite having a bout of her own later in the night.
I can't recall the last time I saw a fighter on the same card corner someone earlier in the night. Miesha was out there for Caraway, cool.
— TJ De Santis (@TJDeSantis) July 25, 2015