UFC 229 Results: Tony Ferguson and Anthony Pettis Have Insane, Bloody Battle

Anthony Pettis was the UFC lightweight champ for a spell, and though he’s since fallen down the ladder a bit, he’s remained an elite – and highly creative – striker.

Tony Ferguson won a season of TUF, won the interim lightweight belt, and was supposed to fight now-champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, but the Injury Gods had other ideas.

This is your UFC 229 co-main event, ladies and gentlemen.

As soon as the referee says “go!” Ferguson is pressuring his foe, walking him down, getting in his face, and throwing kicks and punches from every angle. Pettis fires back, but he’s a guy that usually needs some space to do his thing, so already he’s in trouble. Much of the first round sees Ferguson control the Octagon with that pressure, though both score often.

Then comes Round 2, and immediately Pettis drops Ferguson with a knuckle-sandwich to the jaw, and drops him again with more punches. They wind up on the ground, with Pettis in Ferguson’s guard, and within seconds they’re both absolutely covered with blood.

Eventually they get back to their feet, and the doctor determines that the blood is coming from a cut along Pettis’ scalp.

After a restart, Ferguson goes back to the full-court press, while Pettis just stands there and covers up. Time runs out in the second, and Pettis reveals to his corner that his hand is broken. The fight is waved off, with Ferguson winning by TKO.

Great fight, and great performance by both men.