UFC on Fox 25 results: Full fight card winners and reaction from Weidman vs. Gastelum

Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman snapped a three-fight losing skid on Saturday in the main event of UFC on Fox 25. Weidman locked in a submission after two close rounds, securing an arm triangle choke that forced Kelvin Gastelum to tap in the third.

Weidman was controlling the first round well until Gastelum exploded with a huge punch that likely would have been the end of Weidman if it happened earlier in the round. But Weidman was saved by the bell. After smothering Gastelum from top position in the second round, he started to do that again in the third until he was able to lock in the choke.

Going into the card, Weidman was riding a three-fight losing skid after winning and defending the middleweight title in a series of fights against top contenders. He lost it to Luke Rockhold, and then had knockout losses to Yoel Romero and Gegard Mousasi, though the latter fight was mired in controversy.

Regardless, Weidman’s shocking knockout of Anderson Silva in July 2013 was well in the rear-view mirror. Gastelum was riding a three-fight winning streak until his knockout win over Vitor Belfort was turned into a no contest following a positive test for marijuana. Either way, Gastelum went into the fight looking good at middleweight and hoping to put himself in the title picture.

The first fight on the main card saw Jimmie Rivera defeat Thomas Almeida via unanimous decision. It was a very close fight, starting with Rivera dominating in the first with a pair of knockdowns to Almeida surging back in the second and third. The judges agreed that Rivera did enough to win, but it was close.

Patrick Cummins, a 9-4 fighter going into the card, took on Gian Villante and took a split decision in an absolute war. Cummins was bloodied and battered, but he took the win and likely saved his job in the process.

In the co-feature, Darren Elkins used his size to smother Dennis Bermudez, who consistently landed big shots in the striking game but couldn’t keep himself off the fence. Elkins didn’t do serious damage from his dominant positions, but he took Bermudez’s back multiple times and he too earned a split decision.

Below is the play-by-play recap of the main card and below that is the full list of fight winners from Saturday’s card.

Round 1: Weidman connects with a pair of strong leg kicks. Gastelum doesn’t throw a punch for the first minute, he’s waiting for Weidman to give him an opening. Weidman sneaks a right straight through the defense, and then lands a body kick. Gastelum starts to come forward and Weidman connects with a short left. Weidman is not letting Gastelum throw with the lead hand, as he’s keeping his own hand right in front of it. Weidman then explodes into a takedown and has Gastelum’s back. He tries some ground and pound and Gastelum manages to stand. Weidman keeps his back, and then falls down into side control on top. Weidman wants a kimura, but Gastelum eventually gets back to his feet with 1:15 to go. Gastelum just misses with a left head kick. Gastelum keeps his hand out there and Weidman keeps touching it, so Gastelum hasn’t thrown any punches really. Until the final 10 seconds when he throws a huge straight plus hook combo that lands flush on Weidman’s face and he goes down. This would be a TKO win for Gastelum, who swarms, but Weidman grabs onto his legs and holds on until the round ends. That will be a tough round to score.

Round 2: Gastelum swings big hooks at the start of the round but Weidman avoids. Weidman seems sufficiently recovered. Gastelum is bouncing around a little more than the first round. He throws a leg kick. Weidman lands one of his own. Weidman faes with the left hand and connects with a hard right straight on the chin, but Gastelum handles it. They clinch and Weidman tries for a trip. He doesn’t get it, but he does manage to pull a leg out from under Gastelum and he takes his back again, partially standing. Gastelum gets to his feet, but Weidman pulls him down to the ground again, still on his back. They get up again and Weidman lands a good knee to the shoulder. Weidman again gets a takedown and this time he moves into full guard. Weidman can’t pass, but he is landing some short shots in ground and pound. Gastelum is defending well, but Weidman is throwing enough to keep them on the ground, even if nothing big is landing. Weidman takes the back again, and the round comes to an end. If Gastelum took the first due to the knockdown, Weidman certainly took the second.

Round 3: Weidman stuns Gastelum early in the first with a huge right hand that lands flush. He faked the single leg takedown first, and Gastelum bit completely on it. Weidman swarms, but Gastelum survives. Weidman uncorks another short right that lands. He attempts a single leg takedown, but Gastelum gets out of the way. Weidman gets him against the fence, and gets the takedown, but Gastelum walks up the fence again. Weidman takes him down yet again, and this time he stays on top. They stay like that for awhile, and just when the action is looking a little slowed down, Weidman switches into a choke and it’s in deep. He’s got the choke in from the top, and Gastelum has to tap.

Round 1: Bermudez really wants to land his left hand, and he throws it a lot. He connects from the outside. Elkins is looking fro an opening, and lands a left hook of his own. Bermudez connects with a beautiful right leg kick. Elkins tries to secure a takedown. They end up against the fence but eventually they’re on the ground. Elkins manages to take Bermudez’s back and has a tight body lock with the legs. Bermudez wants to stand up and it seem like a bad choice, but Elkins can’t hang on and it ends up working out. Bermudez immediately presses him to the fence, but Elkins is bigger and stronger. Elkins picks him up, slams him, but they’re back to their feet quickly.

Round 2: Bermudez is aggressive from the start of the round, and he connects with a nice hook to the body. A left hook also lands on the cheek. Elkins tries a high kick and Bermudez catches it. Elkins swings a wild hook that misses as Bermudez flicks a jab through to the chin. Elkins gets Bermudez up against the fence and wants a takedown. He throws and lands a nice knee to the body and just misses with a right hook as Bermudez just misses with a spinning back fist. Bermudez connects with a right straight, and Elkins misses another takedown. Bermudez throws a body kick that misses and Elkins misses another double-leg attempt. Bermudez shoots for and gets his own double-leg takedown, but Elkins is up against the fence. Elkins walks up to his feet and Bermudez is warned for grabbing the fence, for the second time. Elkins lands a couple knees and Bermudez gets his hand down to make further knees illegal. They get standing again and Elkins lifts Bermudez and slams him. He takes the back again, but Bermudez slips out and gets back to his feet. The round ends with Elkins hanging on Bermudez’s back.

Round 3: Bermudez continues connecting with his hooks. Elkins’ face has absorbed more damage, but he’s controlled the positioning more, so it’s hard to tell how the judges have scored this. Bermudez just glances a flying knee and Elkins again clinches up and gets Bermudez against the fence. Bermudez can’t separate, he’s just outmatched in the power department. Bermudez finally gets himself out and he is trying to throw plenty of offense. He connects with his hooks, and lands some nice body shots. Elkins connects with a left hook of his own and tries another takedown as the round ends.

Round 1: Cummins tries to secure a takedown early, but he doesn’t get it and they are against the fence shortly. After they disengage, Cummins tries again to shoot for one. Villante lands some hammer fists and Cummins is bloody. Cummins gives up and Villante connects with a big right hook and and uppercut. There is a head clash and the referee stops the action. He deems it accidental, but Cummins is very bloody. They resume fighting and they end up pressed against the fence again. Cummins is holding Villante there. He’s not doing much damage, but he controls Villante and doesn’t absorb any more damage in the fight.

Round 2: Villante keeps backing up in straight lines, and Cummins is easily getting him pressed against the fence again. Villante lands a couple straight punches and weak leg kicks, but despite Cummins’ lack of defense, he’s really not throwing enough. Cummins pushes the action and is scoring points, though neither is really throwing hard. Villante sleepwalks through the round, and Cummins is winning the fight despite the damage.

Round 3: Villante connects with a big, big right uppercut that stuns Cummins. He doesn’t swarm, and Cummins tries a takedown in response. He fails. Villante connects with a big right hook. Villante and Cummins are both tired out. Villante lands some outside shots, and Cummins again gets him pressed against the head. Villante keeps throwing the same shots at the head, but he keeps opening himself for the takedown attempt. Cummins isn’t getting any of the takedowns, but he does end up getting him against the fence every single time. Cummins is connecting with knees to the shin but not much else. The round comes to an end and I’m honestly not sure how this one will go.

Round 1: Rivera connects with a couple low kicks, a favorite of his, and just misses with a three-punch combo. Rivera connects with two hooks to the body that do damage, and then he rocks Almeida against the fence. Almeida ties up with him against the fence briefly, and recovers. Almeida hasn’t produced much in the way of offense going into the final 90 seconds. He connects with a left hook to the head as Almeida conects with a left hook to the body. Rivera scores another right hand that stumbles and knocks down Almeida. He gets back up though, and appears recovered. Almeida connects with a one-two straight combo as the round ends. It was definitely a Rivera round.

Round 2: Rivera connects with a short inside right hook that does some damage. Almeida is sloppy in his defense and has been rocked at least three tmies, but his recovery is fact. Rivera connects with a right straight to the face and he briefly considers swarming, but Almeida again recovers. Almeida tries to rush forward with p punch combo of his own, but other than occasional straights sneaking through, he’s landing nothing of significance. Rivera finally gets rocked at the two-minute mark, when they both throw a flurry of shots. Almeida tries to swarm but Rivera also recovers well and nearly puts Almeida down with a huge right that just misses. Almeida has a cut over his eye and he’s blinking a lot. Almeida counters a leg kick with a head kick that lands. He then connects with a right staight. Rivera has definitely absorbed soem damage in this round. Rivera is trying to uncork big shots and Almeida has found his range. Rivera runs right into a left jab. Almeida lands an uppercut to the body as the round ends. It could have been an Almeida round.

Round 3: Rivera goes back to the low kick and finds some early success with it. Rivera is taking his time more in this round, but he still wants to land with a big shot. He connects with a couple big left hooks to the body. A right overhand glances Almeida’s brow and a left hook just misses. Rivera clinches up with two minutes left, and they get against the fence. Almeida gets out and lands a left body kick and left hook. Rivera attempts a takedown and doesn’t come close to landing it. Almeida tries a jumping knee, and Rivera turns it into a takedown. Almeida pops right back up though, and rolls out of Rivera trying to take his back. Almeida lands a one-two combo to the face, a knee to the body, and he is keeping the pressure on. Almeida’s face looks a lot worse than Rivera’s, but he probably took rounds two and three. Two knockdowns in the first may have resulted in a 10-8 for Rivera though, so this decision should be interesting.

Main Card

Middleweight: Chris Weidman def. Kelvin Gastelum via submission (arm triangle choke) at 3:45 of Round 3
Featherweight: Darren Elkins def. Dennis Bermudez via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Light heavyweight: Patrick Cummins def. Gian Villante via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Bantamweight: Jimmie Rivera def. Thomas Almeida via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)

Preliminary Card

Welterweight: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Lyman Good via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
Middleweight: Eryk Anders def. Rafael Natal via knockout (punch) at 2:54 of Round 1
Welterweight: Alex Oliveira def. Ryan LaFlare via knockout (punch) at 1:50 of Round 2
Heavyweight: Chase Sherman def. Damian Grabowski via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Featherweight: Jeremy Kennedy def. Kyle Bochniak via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Bantamweight: Marlon Vera def. Brian Kelleher via submission (armbar) at 2:18 of Round 1
Heavyweight: Júnior Albini def. Timothy Johnson via TKO (punches) at 2:51 of Round 1
Featherweight: Shane Burgos def. Godofredo Pepey via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-28)
Lightweight: Chris Wade def. Frankie Perez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)