UFC 237 Results: Jessica Andrade Wins Title; Anderson Silva Injured on Main Card

It wasn't the best night for Brazilian fans at UFC 237 in Rio de Janeiro, but it ended on a high note, as Jessica Andrade won the women's strawweight championship with a second-round knockout over Rose Namajunas. 

In the first round, it looked like it would be a masterful performance for Namajunas. She was quick, sharp and had an answer for everything Andrade threw at her. 

As it turns out, having the answers cost her in the end. With Andrade looking to pick up the champion and slam her to the mat, Namajunas trapped the arm to prevent the slam. Instead, it prevented her body from hitting the mat first as she was dumped on her head. 

Andrade threw a few follow-up punches, but they weren't necessary. The now-former champion was already out, as Andrade gave the Brazilian crowd a big moment to end the night. 

The win officially made Andrade one of the best finishers in the division's short history:

MMAjunkie's Mike Bohn contextualized some of her accomplishments:

It was a memorable finish to a big night of fights that will have title implications in multiple weight classes.

Main card

• Jessica Andrade def. Rose Namajunas via second-round KO (2:58) 
• Jared Cannonier def. Anderson Silva via first-round TKO (4:47) 
• Alexander Volkanovski def Jose Aldo via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Laureano Staropoli def. Thiago Alves via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
• Irene Aldana def. Bethe Correia via submission (armbar) (R3, 3:24)

Undercard

• Ryan Spann def. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira via first-round KO (2:07) 
• Thiago Moises def. Kurt Holobaugh
 via unanimous decision (30-26 x2, 30-27)
• Warlley Alves def. Sergio Moraes via third-round KO (4:13)
• Clay Guida def. B.J. Penn via unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 29-27)
• Luana Carolina def. Priscila Cachoeira via unanimous decision (30-26 x2, 29-27)
• Raoni Barcelos def. Carlos Huachin via second-round TKO (4:49)
• Viviane Araujo def. Talita Fernando via third-round KO (0:48)

Anderson Silva vs. Jared Cannonier

It was a rough night for Brazilian legends in Rio. Anderson Silva lost the second fight in his career with a nasty leg injury as Jared Cannonier sent him home early with a leg kick TKO in the first round. 

The former heavyweight imposed his gameplan early in the fight which was to lead on the exchanges. Silva attempted to counter as he has done so masterfully in the past, but clearly struggled to catch the timing of Cannonier. 

Unfortunately, his body didn't give him enough time to figure that timing out. Cannonier timed up a nicely executed inside leg kick that buckled Silva and sent him to the ground where Herb Dean jumped in to call an end to the bout. 

It's a harrowing result for the 44-year-old Silva. The man who once dominated the middleweight division was reduced to a first-round TKO victim of a man who has spent most of his UFC career as a middling heavyweight and light heavyweight. 

There's never been more damning evidence that it might be time for The Spider to hang up the gloves for good. 

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Jose Aldo

Alexander Volkanovski was one of the biggest winners of the night as he cemented his case to be the next featherweight title challenger. 

The Australian didn't put together the most exciting performance, but he neutralized Jose Aldo. Volkanovski brought the fight to Aldo with a pace that the former champion didn't have an answer for. 

Aldo found himself trapped against the cage for long swaths of action. 

From a survive-and-advance viewpoint, this fight couldn't have gone better for Volkanovski. He executed the perfect game plan to cancel Aldo's strengths and earned a convincing unanimous decision in the process. 

That's good enough to launch him into the spotlight. However, he'll need to raise more excitement if he hopes to push beyond just being a guy with an opportunity.  

Thiago Alves vs. Laureano Staropoli

Laureano Staropoli scored a big victory for Argentinian MMA with an emphatic decision win over Brazilian Thiago Alves in hostile territory. 

Staropoli picked up his second UFC victory with a flashy performance that featured plenty of spinning attacks and combination striking that consistently had Alves fighting off his back foot. The 26-year-old moved his professional record to 9-1 but remains relatively unproven.

Alves is a far cry from the guy who once fought Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title, but he did prove he has an exciting style that could make him a fun action fighter. 

Staropoli will likely get another name opponent and opportunity to stand out soon. 

Irene Aldana vs. Bethe Correia

Irene Aldana opened up the main card with an impressive submission win to keep her momentum going in the women's bantamweight division. 

Correia—who was making her first appearance in the Octagon in nearly two years—had her moments and was the aggressor for most of the fight, but Aldana's combinations, reach and willingness to exchange turned out to be too much. 

Aldana was able to make Correia pay for her aggression at times in the stand-up game. 

In the third round, one of those punches landed flush, and a takedown attempt from Correia was stuffed and ended with Aldana on top. From there, she took the back, isolated the arm and forced the tap. 

While Correia may have had some rust, this was an impressive win for Aldana. Coming off a Fight of the Night performance her last time out, she's establishing herself as an exciting fighter to watch in the division.