UFC Fight Night 116 Results: Live Updates, Highlights, and Reaction
UFC Fight Night 116 is in the books. Luke Rockhold capped off the night by stopping David Branch with punches, setting him back on course for the middleweight title. The former champion overcame a slow start to earn the convincing victory after being sidelined for more than a year. In the co-main event, Mike Perry knocked out late replacement Alex Reyes, once again showing his uncommon power. After the victory, Perry expressed interest in a tussle with Robbie Lawler. Check out the quick results for a recap of UFC Fight Night 116, or scroll down for Bleacher Report's full play-by-play coverage.
- September 17, 2017
UFC Fight Night 116 Quick Results
Main Card on Fox Sports 1
Luke Rockhold def. David Branch, TKO (Round 2, 4:05) Mike Perry def. Alex Reyes, knockout (Round 1, 1:19) Anthony Smith def. Hector Lombard, TKO (Round 3, 2:33) Gregor Gillespie def. Jason Gonzalez, submission (Round 2, 2:11) Kamaru Usman def. Sergio Moraes, knockout (Round 1, 2:48) Justin Ledet def. Zu Anyanwu, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Prelims on Fox Sports 1
Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Tony Martin, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Daniel Spitz def. Anthony Hamilton, TKO (Round 1, 0:24) Uriah Hall def. Krzysztof Jotko, knockout (Round 2, 2:25) Gilbert Burns def. Jason Saggo, knockout (Round 2, 4:55)
The Win Puts Rockhold Squarely Back in the Title Picture
- Invalid Date
- September 17, 2017
Luke Rockhold Def. David Branch, TKO (Round 2, 4:05)
Luke Rockhold vs. David Branch: Round 2
Branch looks to replicate his success from Round 1 by keeping the pressure up. This time Rockhold greets him with a hard left hand and a leg-kick. Branch refuses to be dissuades, walking through the shots to hit with a kick to the gut. Rockhold attempts to wrench Branch to the canvas, and eventually completes the maneuver. He quickly mounts and begins raining punches down, putting Branch in serious trouble. Branch turns to his stomach and covers up as Rockhold continues to pummel. The referee intervenes to call an end to the match.
Luke Rockhold vs. David Branch: Round 1
Branch looks to establish himself in the center of the Octagon, but Rockhold isn't willing to forfeit that space, so the two exchange kicks. Branch then runs Rockhold to the fence and cracks him with a few hard punches before completing a takedown. Rockhold pops back up quickly and spins Branch to the fence. Branch pushes off, smashes Rockhold with a right before clinching up again. Branch lands another right hand before Rockhold retaliates with a knee. The former champion completes a takedown, but he's unable to to make Branch pay before time expires.
Bleacher Report scores Round 1: 10-9 Branch
Luke Rockhold vs. David Branch
A Proposition with a Lot of Knockout Power:
The Finish from Perry...
Perry Moves to 11-1 with 11 Knockouts
Mike Perry Def. Alex Reyes, Knockout (Round 1, 1:19)
Mike Perry vs. Alex Reyes: Round 1
Reyes ducks some early punches from Perry and gets off with a solid couple of counters. Perry manages to locate his target with a knees, then follows up with a right hand. He lands another knee to the face that sends Reyes crumbling to the canvas. Perry adds some academic hammerfist before the referee is able to intervene.
Mike Perry vs. Alex Reyes
Smith Survives Some Dicey Moments to Earn the Finish
Anthony Smith Def. Hector Lombard, TKO (Round 3, 2:33)
Hector Lombard vs. Anthony Smith: Round 3
Smith attacks early, drawing Lombard into an exchange. Neither fighter lands anything monumental in the trade, but Smith lands a hard single punch during the next swap. Lombard answers with a leg-kick, but the connection is the last of the night for Lombard, who is floored by a big right hand and put out with the followup punches on the mat.
Hector Lombard vs. Anthony Smith: Round 2
Lombard continues to tattoo Smith's lead leg in the middle round, reeling off a trio of connections. Smith is able to answer with a cross and a knee, but Lombard settles back into the pocket and puts a left hand behind his next leg-kick. The Cuban grabs for a body-lock and walks Smith over to the fence. Both guys throw heat on the break, Smith landing the cleanest connection, a right hand. Smith lands another right hand that wobbles Lombard and forces him into a sloppy, halfhearted takedown at the end of the round.
Bleacher Report scores Round 2: 10-9 Lombard
Hector Lombard vs. Anthony Smith: Round 1
Smith lands a kick, but he's quickly forced to cover up in the face of Lombard's onslaught. He does well to avoid anything too heavy, but Lombard comes right back with another assault, this time connecting with a right. He puts a couple of solid kicks behind it, hitting first to the thigh, then the ribs. More comes from Lombard, who hurts Smith with a right hook. Lombard closes out the frame with a couple more leg-kicks and a right hand.
Bleacher Report scores Round 1: 10-9 Lombard
Hector Lombard vs. Anthony Smith
Gillespie Celebrates the Win (and Probable Bonus)
Gregor Gillespie Def. Jason Gonzalez, Submission (Round 2, 2:11)
Gregor Gillespie vs. Jason Gonzalez: Round 2
The torrid pace carries over from the first round, but Gillespie quickly asserts dominance with a takedown. He moves to mount and looks for a head-and-arm choke. Gonzalez defends desperately, but eventually succumbs, tapping out to end the fight.
Gregor Gillespie vs. Jason Gonzalez: Round 1
Gonzalez launches a barrage of kicks, going to the body and then up high. Gillespie covers up then comes back with a furious retaliation that results in a knockdown and a bevy of heavy ground punches. Gonzalez defends and works back to his feet. After a wild exchange, Gillespie takes the action back to the ground with a double-leg takedown. Gonzalez once again works up, but he's immediately taken back down. The next time Gonzalez stands he manages to rock Gillespie with a punch, but then finds himself back on the canvas courtesy of another Gillespie takedown.
Bleacher Report scores Round 1: 10-9 Gillespie
Gregor Gillespie vs. Jason Gonzalez
Usman Just Earned Himself a Very Meaningful Fight
The Third Clean Knockout of the Evening
Kamaru Usman Def. Sergio Moraes, Knockout (Round 1, 2:48)
Kamaru Usman vs. Sergio Moraes: Round 1
A crisp left hand hits for Moraes, a heavy leg-kick for Usman. Usman then scores a flash knockdown with a winging right hand. He backs off, lets Moraes up, and hammers him with a couple more leg-kicks. Moraes absorbs the damage and comes back with a nice right hand. Usman backs Moraes up to the fence and absolutely smashes him with a murderous right hand that sends Moraes flailing to the mat. That's a wrap.
Kamaru Usman vs. Sergio Moraes
Fun Fact About That Fight...
Ledet Didn't Think Much of the Scorecards, Despite the Win
Justin Ledet Def. Zu Anyanwu, Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Justin Ledet vs. Zu Anyanwu: Round 3
Ledet offers another couple jabs out of the gate, but Anyanwu bypasses it this time and makes Ledet cover up momentarily against the fence. Anyanwu stays aggressive, forcing Ledet to cover up again, this time scoring with a nice right hook. Ledet remains committed to his gameplan, sticking almost exclusively to jabs and crosses. Anyanwu adds another right hook in the final minute, and follows up with a nice blitz at the end of the round.
Bleacher Report scores Round 3: 10-9 Anyanwu Bleacher Report scores the fight: 29-28 Ledet
Justin Ledet vs. Zu Anyanwu: Round 2
Anyanwu opens aggressively, but his opening salvo lands on Ledet's forearms instead of his face. Ledet stays patient, back-peddling while he sticks his jab out. Anyanwu is able find a chink in the armor with a bodyshot, but he's having difficulty landing anything of substance. A few more jabs from Ledet paint a grimace on his opponent's face.
Bleacher Report scores Round 2: 10-9 Ledet
Justin Ledet vs. Zu Anyanwu: Round 1
Ledet circles around the perimeter of the cage, while Anyanwu crouches in the center, looking to load up on something. The crowd waits until the tension melts into inaction, and a smattering of boos can be heard. Ledet dodges a right hand and pumps his jab. He adds a cross and another couple of jabs, carving out a lead in the early going. Anyanwu connects with a heavy right hand, but Ledet eats it without showing any distress.
Bleacher Report scores Round 1: 10-9 Ledet
Justin Ledet vs. Zu Anyanwu
The Decision Is Announced
Who Needs GSP Back???
Olivier Aubin-Mercier Def. Tony Martin, Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Tony Martin vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier: Round 3
A hard left hand lands for Martin. Aubin-Mercier looks for a takedown, but finds himself defending a guillotine, then an anaconda choke. Martin makes progress with it, but Aubin-Mercier writhes his way to freedom, albeit on the bottom. Martin advances to the back and locks on a body-triangle, looks for a choke. Aubin-Mercier defends, focusing his efforts on avoiding the finish rather than exploding from his opponent's clutches.
Bleacher Report scores Round 3: 10-9 Martin Bleacher Report scores the fight: 29-28 Aubin-Mercier
Tony Martin vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier: Round 2
Aubin-Mercier hits with a couple kicks through the first minute of the round. He looks to parlay the successes into a takedown, and completes it on the second effort. The fighters battle for position on the mat, Aubin-Mercier improving position, Martin putting him back in guard. Martin eventually wins the battle, using the fence to stand up. His victory is short-lived, however; Aubin-Mercier quickly trips him and retakes top-position on the floor.
Bleacher report scores Round 2: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Tony Martin vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier: Round 1
A couple of leg-kicks are bandied during the opening minutes of the bout. Both men look to add their fists into the mix, Aubin-Mercier landing the first clean shot, but Martin following it with a harder blow. Aubin-Mercier charges Martin to the fence. His takedown effort stalls out there, but he transitions to a trip and lands in side-control. Martin works up quickly though and the round ends with both guys upright.
Bleacher Report scores Round 1: 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Tony Martin vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier
And Here's His Response
Spitz Wants Chase Sherman Next
The Finish from Spitz
Daniel Spitz Def. Anthony Hamilton, TKO (Round 1, 0:24)
Anthony Hamilton vs. Daniel Spitz: Round 1
Hamilton makes the first move, lunging in with a right hand that Spitz side-steps and counters. Hamilton falls face-first to the mat, and Spitz pounces, landing right hands until the referee jumps in to stop the action. Hamilton immediately protests the stoppage.
Anthony Hamilton vs. Daniel Spitz
The Knockout from Hall
Uriah Hall Def. Krzysztof Jotko, Knockout (Round 2, 2:25)
Krzysztof Jotko vs. Uriah Hall: Round 2
Jotko opens with a right hand before Hall answers with a couple of leg-kicks. Though Jotko continues to control the action, Hall is starting to move forward. As he does so he wallops Jotko with a swinging right hook, sending the Pole to the mat. Hall trails him there and rains down punches until the fight is called.
Krzysztof Jotko vs. Uriah Hall: Round 1
Hall pops Jotko with a jab right out of the gate, but the Pole isn't persuaded to temper his early aggression. Jotko pressures Hall to the outskirts of the cage, keeping him penned in. The pressure rapidly evolves into a full-out assault, Jotko blasting Hall with a pair of uppercuts and a subsequent flurry that sends his opponent scrambling. After Hall hits the mat, Jotko mounts and drops some punches before transitioning to the back. Hall defends and manages to stand, but Jotko stays on his back, rips him down and climbs back into mount. Hall somehow just casually sits up and cracks Jotko with a left hand.
Bleacher Report scores Round 1: 10-8 Jotko
Krzysztof Jotko vs. Uriah Hall
This Sums Up the MMA Twittersphere
Violent
Gilbert Burns Def. Jason Saggo, Knockout (Round 1, 4:55)
Rockhold Walks Off, Leaving Branch on the Mat