UFC 177 Full Results Recap: TJ Dillashaw Nails Joe Soto With Fifth Round Head Kick

With an unforeseen series of odd events and unfortunate circumstances that lead to tonight’s (Sat., August 30, 2014) UFC 177 from the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California, the pay-per-view (PPV) card was largely considered the weakest non-free event the UFC had ever aired.

However, the main card did not fail to deliver, with a bevy of impressive finishes, a controversial co-main event, and another great showing from Dillashaw.

In the impromptu bantamweight title bout between T.J. Dillashaw and (very) late replacement Joe Soto, the champion came in loose and fluid. He dropped Soto with a hard leg kick, then landed some good shots as Soto went for a takedown. Dillashaw quickly took his back, looking for a choke and landing a knee when the fight returned to the feet. Dillashaw was landing shots, but Soto landed some hard rights and a low kick of his own that dropped Dillashaw.

In the second round, Soto was hitting Dillashaw flush with his right hand. The champ snapped a few leg kicks, following with an uppercut and a quick flurry. Soto pushed forward with his boxing but was met with the knees of Dillashaw. Dillashaw was outlanding Soto, throwing combos and low kicks. Soto kept his jab working but the volume of the champion was building.

Dillashaw’s boxing was sharp in the third, as endless flurries found a home on Soto. He snapped kicks to the body and mixed up his game with seeming ease. He scored a takedown to land in Soto’s guard, returning to his feet to land another kick to the body. Dillashaw scored a big knee but was met by a counter from Soto, and the champ landed a head kick to close the third.

The championship rounds saw Dillashaw score with another uppercut, just missing on a high kick. Dillashaw continued his crisp striking but Soto was more aggressive. Dillashaw slowed just a bit but kept up his pace, and Soto nailed him with some punches. Dillashaw got a takedown to go up four rounds to none.

The champ was banged up to start the fifth. He avoided a takedown and opened up with his striking to land a head kick. Dillashaw played to his home state crowd, nailing Soto with a massive head kick to earn the immediate stoppage from referee John McCarthy.

The lightweight co-main event between Tony Ferguson and Danny Castillo kicked off with some early grappling exchanges. Castillo was winging his hands, and Ferguson was landing several kicks. Ferguson grabbed a D’arce choke off of a takedown attempt, but Castillo escaped after a lengthy battle.

The second saw a heated exchange with Ferguson highly aggressive. Castillo countered but was backpedaling, with Ferguson rolling for a kneebar that Castillo reversed to land on top to close out the round.

Ferguson used slick Brazilian jiu-jitsu to go for transition sub attempts in the last round, but Castillo persevered with his wrestling. “Last Call” used his ground and pound, looking for an arm triangle until the last bell, Ferguson did just enough to notch out the split decision.

Brazilian Bethe Correia went to another one of Ronda Rousey’s “Four Horsewomen” against longtime veteran Shayna Baszler. “Pitbull” delivered on her trash talk, unleashing a vicious second round flurry to overwhelm Baszler earn the TKO finish.

Surging lightweight Carlos Diego Ferreira continued his hot streak against TUF veteran Ramey Nijem, finishing him with a second round flurry after a huge right hand. Another impressive finish for Ferreira, who should have big things ahead.

Yancy Medeiros got the main card’s string of second round finishes rolling with a technical submission of Damon Jackson, utilizing a reverse guillotine to win in style.

On the prelims, Derek Brunson smothered Lorenz Larkin to send the talented striker to another loss in the Octagon. Antony Ruan pounded Ruan Potts to earn the a TKO in the second round,

UFC 177 Main Card Results:

T.J. Dillashaw def. Joe Soto by KO (head kick, Round 5, 2:21)

Tony Ferguson def. Danny Castillo via split decision (29 28, 28-29, 29-28)

Bethe Correia def. Shayna Baszler by TKO (strikes, Round 2, 1:56)

Carlos Diego Ferreira def. Ramsey Nijem by TKO (strikes, Round 2, 1:53)

Yancy Medeiros def. Damon Jackson by technical submission (reverse guillotine choke, Round 2, 1:54)

Preliminary Card:

Derek Brunson def. Lorenz Larkin by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Anthony Hamilton def. Ruan Potts by TKO (strikes, Round 2, 4:17)

Chris Wade def. Cain Carrizosa by technical submission (guillotine choke, Round 1, 1:12)

Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie for USA TODAY Sports