UFC 181 Main Card Results: Robbie Lawler Shocks Johny Hendricks By Split Decision

Tonight’s (Sat., December 6, 2014) UFC 181 pay-per-view (PPV) main card is in the books from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The blockbuster event featured two title fights, with the awaited welterweight rematch between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler set for the main event. Lawler came out aggressive with huge knees and punches. After more knees he slipped and Hendricks hit him with a few uppercuts. Lawler kept the knees coming in the clinch, so “Bigg Rigg” slowed the action to a lull against the fence. “Ruthless” landed a big knee and maintained excellent takedown defense with knees to the body. Hendricks scored with a good combo, turning it up with good boxing and a takedown to end the exciting first round on top.

Lawler pumped his jab and threw a head kick to start the second. Hendricks landed a big shot over the top, and Lawler snapped a jab. “Bigg Rigg’s” low kicks were accurate, but Lawler landed a big right hook that Hendricks countered with a combo. Lawler absorbed a bunch of damage as Hendricks got a takedown to land a knee to the body. Lawler landed a huge front kick and Hendricks a good right and a low kick. The fighters went to war with a ton of varied strikes towards the end the round.

The third round saw Hendricks continue his combinations ending with a stiff low kick, stifling Lawler’s momentum. He appeared confident and calm as he worked his jab and hooks. He landed chained combos and shot for a successful single leg takedown before ending the round on top.

Hendricks kept up his pinpoint striking in the fourth, landing sharp combos. Lawler fought back with a high kick, a knee, and another high kick. Hendricks got a fifth takedown, but Lawler reversed to land some huge elbows on a downed “Bigg Rigg,” a sequence that may have won him the round.

The fifth round started out with Hendricks predictably going for a takedown. A restart saw Hendricks go to his wrestling yet again, and another restart resulted in the same tactics from “Bigg Rigg.” But Lawler reversed landed several ground shots getting up to land a huge combo of big kicks to end the fight, badly hurting Hendricks.

In the end, Lawler took home an incredibly controversial split decision, finally earning the UFC belt after a long and arduous journey to the top.

Lightweight champion Anthony Pettis returned after nearly 15 months off when he squared off with Gilbert Melendez in the co-main event. Melendez immediately sought a takedown along the fence and was stopped. Pettis threw a big kick that was blocked, and Melendez got a short-lived takedown. “El Nino” tied up Pettis and went to work with short shots until “Showtime” finally got free. Melendez got another easier takedown and Pettis found a spot to unleash two big kicks. But it was more smothering from Melendez until Pettis landed a good left hook. Pettis threw a flying knee and a body kick before the round came to an end with an exchange.

Melendez kept the pressure up in the second with his punches. They traded shots, and Pettis snapped a front kick. Pettis tagged Melendez and went for a guilltone, earning the tap from Melendez.

The rest of the main card featured two heavyweight bouts, with Travis Browne meeting Brendan Schaub in the first. Looking to rebound from his UFC on FOX 11 setback against Fabricio Werdum, “Hapa” got an early trip and looked to clinch. He snapped a front kick but Schaub pushed forward with some punches. He followed up with a decent double leg takedown, following with another when Browne got back up. However, Browne rocked Schaub with a big uppercut to mount him, landing some huge ground and pound to earn the stoppage with only 11 seconds left in the first.

In the second, Todd Duffee re-debuted against Anthony Hamilton. As advertised, the bout didn’t last long, as Duffee hit Hamilton with a crushing one-two combination to earn the striking stoppage only 33 seconds into the first.

The stacked main card got started with a potentially exciting lightweight contest between Abel Trujillo and Tony Ferguson. Ferguson came out snapping some good kicks, but Trujillo nailed him with some big shots. Trujillo scored a double leg and another, dropping some big ground punches. “El Cucuy” fought back with a stiff shot, turning the tables a bit towards the end of the round. Ferguson snapped some leg kicks to start the second, going to the ground to look for a submission. Trujillo slowed and Ferguson took advantage, locking on a tight rear naked choke to earn the tap.

UFC Main Card Results (Live on pay -per-view, 10 p.m. EST):

Robbie Lawler def. Johny Hendricks via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46)

Anthony Pettis def. Gilbert Melendez via R2 submission (guillotine, 1:53)

Travis Browne def. Brendan Schaub via R1 TKO (strikes, 4:50)

Todd Duffee def. Anthony Hamilton via R1 TKO (strikes, 0:33)

Tony Ferguson def. Abel Trujillo via R2 submission (rear naked choke, 4:19)

Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports