UFC 258 Results, Live Coverage And Discussion: Usman vs. Burns
Welcome to Fightful.com‘s results, live coverage and discussion for UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns.
We will bring you full, fight-by-fight coverage of the main card, plus quick results for tonight’s preliminary bouts. Scroll down to the Disqus boards below and chat with fellow MMA fans during the event.
Main Card (ESPN+ Pay-Per-View, 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT)
Kamaru Usman def. Gilbert Burns via TKO (0:34, R3)
Alexa Grasso def. Maycee Barber via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Kelvin Gastelum def. Ian Heinisch via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Ricky Simon def. Brian Kelleher via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Julian Marquez def. Maki Pitolo by submission via anaconda-choke (4:17, R3)
Prelims (ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT)
Anthony Hernandez def. Rodolfo Vieira by submission via guillotine-choke (1:53, R2)
Belal Muhammad def. Dhiego Lima via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Polyana Viana def. Mallory Martin by submission via armbar (3:18, R1)
Chris Gutierrez def. Andre Ewell via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-27)
Early Prelims (ESPN+, 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT)
Gabriel Green def. Phillip Rowe via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
***Continue below for play-by-play coverage once the main card begins***
Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns
Round One: The main event to determine the best 170-pounder on the planet between champion Kamaru Usman and top contender Gilbert Burns is officially underway. Burns comes right after Usman and narrowly misses a heavy right hook. Burns lands a right kick to the body of Usman. Burns drills Usman with a right hook that sends Usman to one knee but Usman scrambles back to his feet and appears to be at least somewhat recovered. Burns partially lands a head kick but trips up and is on his back as Usman lands a few kicks to his legs and Burns continuously returns fire with a few up kicks to Usman’s legs. Burns gets back to his feet and lands a knee to Usman’s body. Usman initiates the clinch but Burns is able to separate after landing a shoulder to Usman’s chin. Usman lands a heavy front leg kick to Burns who returns the favor but Usman lands yet another one. Burns connects with a knee to the body and Usman narrowly misses a counter right hook. Usman lands a straight left that catches the attention of Burns who faints a level change and follows it up with a straight right that finds a home on Usman’s chin. Usman lands a left jab that’s countered by a right hook from Burns as the buzzer sounds and this action-packed opening frame comes to a close.
Round Two: The second round is underway and Burns again comes straight forward on the champion and just misses a right hook. Burns connects with a nice low leg kick to the lead leg of Usman, who’s counter left hook narrowly misses the mark. Burns lands a right hook that stuns Usman and follows it up with a left jab but Usman drills Burns with a right hook that sends Burns to one knee and Burns goes for a takedown but Usman shrugs it off and lands another heavy right hook. Burns continues to eat a flurry of punches from Usman but is still coming forward. Burns appears to be cut up on his nose and lands a left jab that sends Burns to the mat. Burns gets back to the feet but eats another left jab from Usman. Burns goes for a level change but Usman shrugs it off and the buzzer sounds and this one is heading to the third round.
Round Three: After eating a ton of shots in the second round, Burns looks a bit better but Usman sends him to the mat again with a left jab and pours on the ground and pound until referee Herb Dean waves it off. Kamaru Usman is on another level, right now. What a performance.
Result – Kamaru Usman def. Gilbert Burns via TKO (0:34, R3)
Maycee Barber vs. Alexa Grasso
Round One: The co-feature of the evening is underway with “No Nonsense” Keith Peterson as the third person in the octagon, who will be officiating this one. Grasso lands a kick to the lead leg of Barber who counters with a left hook and immediately presses Grasso against the fence. Grasso reverses momentum and now has Barber pressed against the cage but decides against the clinch and circles back to the center of the octagon. Grasso lands a hard left hook that catches the attention of Barber, who goes for a level change and gets Grasso against the fence yet again. Barber lands a pair of knees to the body of Grasso, who switches momentum and gets Barber against the cage but Barber returns the favor and is again in control of the clinch. Barber lands a nice 1-2 elbow/hook combo exiting the clinch that stuns Grasso. Barber lands a heavy right hook but Grasso returns the favor and drills Barber with a left hook and gets Barber against the fence inside of the clinch as the buzzer sounds and the opening frame comes to a close.
Round Two: The second round gets underway with Grasso landing another combo and Barber counters with a kick to Grasso’s lead leg. Grasso drills Barber with a left hook and Barber goes right after Grasso and presses her against the fence and narrowly misses a massive right hook. Grasso reverses control and now has Barber against the fence but Barber pushes away and circles back to the center of the octagon. Barber lands a heavy right hook that stings Grasso but the Mexican-born contender returns fire with a left hook that stops the barrage from Barber. Grasso eats a front kick to the body and Barber trips her up and ends up on top control. Grasso rolls out into an armbar and completely reverses the position and ends up on top and immediately transitions to side control, locks-in an arm-triangle and rolls to her back to gain more leverage on the hold but Barber survives until the buzzer sounds and this one is going to a third and final round.
Round Three: The third and final round is underway and it appears that Maycee Barber may need a finish to avoid back-to-back defeats following an 8-0 start to her professional MMA career. Grasso gets Barber against the fence and lands a few nice shots to the body of Barber and lands a right uppercut but Barber drags her down to the ground and ends up in mount. Barber lands a pair of elbows that stun Grasso but Grasso gets back to her feet. Barber keeps up the pressure and lands a front kick to the body and latches onto Grasso against the cage. Barber drills Grasso with a knee to the chin, goes for a takedown but is rejected by Grasso, who gets Barber against the fence. Barber reverses momentum and drills Grasso with an elbow against the fence. Barber lands yet another elbow and follows it up with a right hook but she eats a counter left from Grasso, Barber goes for a wild spinning back kick, misses and lands a takedown as the buzzer sounds and this one is heading to the judge’s scorecards.
Result – Alexa Grasso def. Maycee Barber via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Ian Heinisch
Round One: The people’s main event is officially underway. Heinisch lands a kick to the lead leg of Gastelum to open it up and immediately lands a takedown but Gastelum gets back to the feet and lands a takedown of his own. Heinisch briefly attempts a kimura but Gastelum rolls out and gets control of Heinisch’s back. Gastelum presses Heinisch against the fence, goes for a slam but Heinisch lands on his feet before Gastelum is able to drag him down to the mat but Heinisch again goes for a kimura but Gastelum escapes danger and ends up in full mount. Heinisch gets to the feet and narrowly misses a head kick, Gastelum looks for a level change and again has Heinisch pressed against the fence and ends up landing a takedown but Heinisch quickly gets back to his feet just to get slammed to the mat yet again. Heinisch again gets to the feet and pushes Gastelum out of the clinch and lands a nice lead leg kick as the opening frame comes to a close.
Round Two: The second round is underway and Gastelum lands a kick to the lead leg of Heinisch, who faints a level change but Gastelum is alert and pushes off the danger. Heinisch goes for a flying knee but Gastelum catches him and drags him down to the mat. Back to the feet, Gastelum has Heinisch pressed against the fence and lands a few shots to the body before Heinisch circles back to the center of the octagon. Heinisch lands a heavy front kick to the body and Gastelum latches onto him, pushes him against the fence but the buzzer sounds before the takedown can be completed.
Round Three: The final frame is underway and Heinisch lands a nice step-in elbow and follows it up with a takedown but Gastelum is able to get back to his feet and presses Heinisch against the cage. Heinisch escapes to the center of the cage and lands a knee that gets the attention of Gastelum, who lands a left uppercut that briefly sends Heinisch to the fence. Heinisch goes for another flying knee but again, it’s caught by Gastelum who lands another takedown. Heinisch rolls through side control and gets to Gastelum’s back and has about two minutes to go for a finish, which he most likely needs to steal a win. Gastelum ends up returning the favor and rolling out of danger and gets this one back to the feet with a minute to go. Heinisch shoots for a takedown but he’s stymied by Gastelum, who circles back to the center of the octagon. Heinisch lands a takedown, Gastelum gets back to the feet and lands a takedown of his own as the buzzer sounds and this one is going to the judge’s scorecards.
Result – Kelvin Gastelum def. Ian Heinisch via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Ricky Simon vs. Brian Kelleher
Round One: This bout, originally slated for the prelims but elevated to the main card due to a card reshuffling following the cancellation of Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller is officially underway. Simon goes right in for a takedown and gets it, Kelleher looks like he may have pulled something as he winces in pain but he takes an elbow across the face and is already opened up near his right eye. Simon goes for a head & arm choke but Kelleher escapes danger for the time being as Simon continues to apply pressure to a downed Kelleher. Simon loses control for a brief second and Kelleher uses that opening to get the fight back to the feet but Simon explodes towards him for another takedown. Simon teases another head & arm choke but Kelleher is able to escape the hold and get back to his feet for a second time. Kelleher lands a lead leg kick and the pair both narrowly miss right hooks as the buzzer sounds and the round comes to a close.
Round Two: Simon comes straight forward to start the second round but eats a front kick to the face from Kelleher that immediately stops him in his tracks. Kelleher lands a other front kick but Simon catches his leg on the way down and lands another takedown. Kelleher is able to immediately get back to his feet and circles back to the center of the octagon. Kelleher lands a leg kick onto the lead leg of Simon, who goes right for another takedown and successfully lands it. Kelleher gets back to the feet and lands a heavy right hook and ends up landing a front kick to the body of Simon right as the buzzer sounds that’ll send this one to a third and final round.
Round Three: The final frame is underway and the pair exchange lead leg kicks to begin the action. Simon latches onto Kelleher and presses him against the fence. Simon ends up working in a takedown on Kelleher and transitions to side control, where he actively tries to lock-in a kimura. Kelleher explodes back to his feet but is immediately dragged right back down to the mat by Simon. Kelleher avoids anymore damage and again gets back to the feet, lands a front kick to the body but it’s too little, too late and this one is heading to the judge’s scorecards.
Result – Ricky Simon def. Brian Kelleher via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Maki Pitolo vs. Julian Marquez
Round One: The pay-per-view opener is officially underway and Pitolo goes right on the attack and narrowly misses a left head kick then initiates the clinch and gets Marquez against the fence. Pitolo unloads a left hook and uses it to land a takedown on Marquez. Pitolo immediately gains side control and unloads hammer fists and begins to tease a guillotine. Pitolo uses the choke attempt to try and transition to back control and eventually does as Marquez powers to his feet but is dragged right back to the mat by Pitolo but Marquez again gets to his feet. Pitolo continues to latch onto his opposition, briefly trips Marquez up but again ends up clinched against the fence. Marquez locks-in a guillotine out of nowhere but Pitolo is able to sneak his way out of danger but continues the clinched up pressure. Marquez explodes out of the clinch, lands a heavy right hook but the buzzer sounds and the opening frame comes to a close.
Round Two: The second round begins and Marquez goes right after Pitolo but narrowly missed a right hook, Pitolo counters with a head kick that just misses the mark and Marquez lands a kick to the body that goes a bit low and referee Chris Tognoni steps-in to give Pitolo a minute to recover. Pitolo gives the OK to continue and this fight resumes. Pitolo lands a left hook that wobbles Marquez and the latter is again dragged down to the mat by his opponent. Marquez powers to the feet, Pitolo lands a right elbow but Marquez again locks-in a guillotine out of nowhere, Pitolo is able to roll out of it but Marquez ends up with back control and begins to reign down hammer fists on Pitolo. Marquez gets too high in back control and Pitolo rolls out and ends up in full mount. Pitolo doesn’t land much offense while in mount but lands a few shots to the body as the buzzer sounds and the round comes to an end.
Round Three: The main card opener reaches a third and final round and both men exchange pleasantries in the center of the octagon and this final frame is underway. Pitolo lands a head kick that momentarily stops Marquez in his tracks but Marquez drills Pitolo with a heavy right hook that forces Pitolo to retreat. Marquez lands a kick to the body (that may have gone low), follows it up with an elbow and a spinning back fist then adds a knee to the body for good measure. Pitolo is somehow still standing and ends up landing a takedown on Marquez and ends up on side control. Pitolo rolls onto the back of Marquez, locks-in a guillotine but Marquez powers out of the hold and gets back to his feet. Pitolo stays latched onto Marquez against the fence until Marquez reverses momentum and starts unloading right hooks and sends Pitolo to the canvas with a right knee to the head. Marquez, knowing he very well may need a finish for the win, rushes over to Pitolo, who’s downed, locks-in an anaconda-choke and he gets Pitolo to tap. What a comeback victory for Julian Marquez.
Result – Julian Marquez def. Maki Pitolo by submission via anaconda-choke (4:17, R3)
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