UFC Fight Night 60 Main Card Results: Henderson Submits Thatch In Welterweight Debut

Tonight’s (Sat., February 14, 2015) UFC Fight Night 60 is in the books from the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

The main card featured a pressure-filled main event between hometown hero Brandon Thatch and fellow Colorado native and former champion Benson Henderson, who started the match a decent uppercut to the body of Thatch. ‘Rukus’ responded with some stiff shots and kicks, stalking Henderson down. ‘Smooth’ went to the body with a front kick, momentarily dropping Thatch, who responded with a flying knee followed up by a high kick which appeared to rock Henderson. ‘Smooth’ kept up his punishing body work to end the first round.

Henderson clinched and landed two hooks to start the second. Thatch countered with his jabs and a straight shot leading into a body kick and a spinning back kick. He landed a strong combo and a takedown, stalking Henderson with an uppercut and a knee. He tripped ‘Smooth’ and let the fight stay standing. Although Henderson landed a few punches, he clearly lost the round. He landed a high kick in the third, utilizing his jab until Thatch threw some kicks and punches. Henderson worked hard for and got his first takedown, taking Thatch’s back to land some light ground and pound and go for a short-lived submission.

It was close going into the championship rounds. ”Smooth’ snapped a big left to start the third, giving up on an unsuccessful single leg takedown. ‘Rukus’ landed a big knee and some sharp punches, but ‘Smooth’ got a massive double leg off a combo to obtain side control and take Thatch’s back for a second time. He pounded Thatch with shots, shutting down ‘Rukus” attempts to get back up. ”Smooth’ locked on the rear naked choke to earn the shocking submission finish in a wildly successful welterweight debut.

Surging 23-year-old featherweight prospect Max “Blessed” Holloway welcomed inconsistent veteran Cole Miller back to the Octagon in the co-main event. Miller came out throwing a high volume of front and low kicks, and Holloway scored a big body kick of his own. Holloway scored a flurry before Miller landed some knees and an elbow. He attempted two flashy leg locks on the ground as the round came to an end. Holloway was accurate with his shots in the second, throwing both a spinning back kick and back fist that Miller ate like a bowl of Frosted Flakes.

An accidental head butt unfortunately cut Miller, who took a short break. Holloway edged out the remainder of the frame with kicks, knees, and a big takedown. Holloway was highly aggressive in the third, scoring to the head and the body to rock Miller with a huge right. A counter right rocked ‘Magrinho’ again, but his vision was clearly hurt by the sizable cut above his eye. Holloway threw some spinning wild kicks to close the bout and win a unanimous decision.

Promising welterweight Neil Magny put his impressive five-fight win streak on the line when he squared off with Kiichi Kunimoto. After a low blow halted the action momentarily, Magny went to work with big knees and a combination. He neutralized “Strasser” along the fence, opening up with some crisp shots as the round came to an end. Kunimoto made the bout play out according to his skills in the second, getting a takedown to control Magny. But Magny was able to get up and unload a big combo, following with a takedown to rain down hard elbows and punches. Magny grounded Kunimoto early in the third, flattening him out to secure a rear naked choke for his sixth straight win to thunderous applause.

At middleweight, Dan Kelly had a chance to take out his frustrations on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 19 vet Patrick Walsh, who missed weight by an embarrassing margin yesterday. Walsh walked through some shots early to nonchalantly land several hooks with his hands down. Kelly noticeably hurt Walsh but didn’t follow up, allowing him to recover and secure a late takedown as the bell sounded on the first round. Walsh landed some big looping shots in the second, turning it into a slugfest but eating several counters from Kelly. The fight slowed a bit with both fighters throwing mainly single punches. Kelly stayed out of Walsh’s range in the third, punishing him with more straight punches to take home the unanimous decision.

Michel “Tractor” Prazeres squared off with Kevin Lee in a heated brawl that nearly erupted at the weigh-ins. Prazeres got an early takedown before landing a singing combination off of a break. Lee found a home for a few decent combos and Prazeres peppered with counter left hooks. It turned into a bit of a slugfest as the opening round wore down. They swung leather to start the third as Lee snapped a few straight punches. Prazeres made it ugly on the fence but couldn’t keep Lee down for long. A tiring Prazeres got taken down, getting up to land some shots before getting put on the mat once again as Lee locked up the second. Possibly needing a finish, Prazeres was throwing wildly in the third. Lee was fresh with his uppercuts and jab, grabbing a late takedown to rain down punches and attempt a rear naked choke to lock up a solid unanimous decision win.

The main card got started with Ray Borg and Chris Kelades. Borg got an early takedown to control the fight, only to see Kelades reverse. Borg reversed to clinch and get another slam, following with another to mount Kelades and lock on an arm triangle to end the round. Borg controlled the fight from top position in the second, landing significant strikes and attempting more chokes to win a one-sided frame. More dominant ground control from Borg lead to a grinding kimura attempt from the half guard which eventually forced Kelades to tap.

UFC Fight Night 60 Main Card Results:

Benson Henderson def. Brandon Thatch via R4 submission (rear naked choke, 3:58)

Max Holloway def. Cole Miller via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Neil Magny def. Kiichi Kunimoto via R3 submission (rear naked choke, 1:22)

Daniel Kelly def. Patrick Walsh via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Kevin Lee def. Michel Prazeres via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Ray Borg def. Chris Kelades via R3 submission (kimura, 2:56)