Paul Felder trades with Edson Barboza at UFC 242

Live results and play-by-play updates from Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder at UFC 242 on Saturday, September 7.

Other UFC 242 play-by-play updates

Find updates below once the fight commences.

Round one

Barboza leg kick and Felder comes back immediately with a spinning back fist. Another heavy leg kick from Barboza. Connecting at the calf. Felder lands a good right hand. Hard knee to the body from Barboza. Felder controlling the center and trying to cut Barboza’s space. Another calf kick. Targeting Felder’s lead left leg with those. Felder ties him up and pushes back to the cage now after just 60 seconds.

Clinching with Barboza and referee Herb Dean warns Felder to become more active from the position. Barboza escapes and evades laterally to circle back to the middle of the cage. Slinging bombs now in the middle, both fighters miss. Felder calf kick to Barboza’s lead left leg. Felder comes in behind some punches and pushes to the cage again. Barboza pushes away and circles out. Barboza now firing fast and vicious kicks to the body. Felder cut seemingly from a headbutt that occurred during the last clinch. Lots of blood coming from Felder’s forehead and a pause in the action allows it to be wiped away.

Felder marching forward, a short elbow lands for him. Barboza has the center for the first time now. Felder needs to work to get it back from Barboza, who is dangerous when given room to operate. Big left body kick smacks the body of Felder and draws some ‘oohs’ from the crowd. Felder wearing some damage on his face. Good boxing at close range from Barboza, who connects with some punches and evades from Felder’s forward pressure. Felder trying to trap and land punches, but Barboza has done a great job of moving laterally to keep away from danger.

Barboza looks fast and dangerous here at UFC 242. Landing the shots he wants so far.

The Body Lock scores round one for Edson Barboza (10-9)

Round two

Another big body kick connects for Barboza, follows up with another. Felder answers with a leg kick. Fast spinning back kick from Barboza to the stomach. Felder is giving him too much room and freedom. Felder steps in and Barboza explodes with a takedown to land in Felder’s full guard. Felder landing some slicing elbows from the bottom now. Felder has wrist control and thought about looking for an armbar. Barboza with some ground and pound now, still in full guard. More elbows from the bottom from Felder. Now he switches the hips and goes after the armbar. Barboza with a classic armbar defense, using the rear-naked choke grip to protect his arm and then stands before slamming Felder on his back.

They’re standing now with two minutes remaining in the round. Felder goes after the body of Barboza with some punches. Barboza tied up against the cage now. Felder hunts for the single-leg takedown but Barboza’s balance is superb. Felder now reaching out to control the wrists of Barboza at close range before attempting elbows. Barboza too fast, evades and resets. Rapid forward movement from Felder to close the distance against the cage again.

A better round from Felder, who did some damage from the bottom and opened up the cut on Barboza’s face. Barboza just looks too fast now and has been given too much ability to do the things he wants. He’s kicking the body, legs, and intercepting Felder’s forward movement with knees, too. Close round.

The Body Lock scores round two for Edson Barboza (10-9)

Round three

Felder setting the pace in round three. Barboza circling and he’s not able to plant his feet and launch kicks because Felder is keeping him active. Nothing really landed with significance in first 60 seconds. Felder now landing some punches. Right straight connects for him at close range. Well-timed punch from Barboza hits Felder as he comes forward.

Felder now swinging hard with his hooks. Barboza not there as he throws them. Spinning backfist for Barboza. Felder now closing the distance before unloading hooks. Nice short elbow for Felder, again. Spinning back kick from Barboza answered by a spinning back first by Felder. We had a feeling we’d see spinning attacks from these guys again, and they’re delivering.

Felder’s boxing has been the difference this round. Landing more often with his close-range techniques. Jab and straight connects for him now. Barboza slowing. Less output in round three. Again Felder comes forward with some heavy punches but uses it to close the distance this time and take control against the cage. Good punches from Felder answered by a level change by Barboza. They end up clinching against the cage now with 25 seconds left in the round. Barboza slides around to the back of Felder and attempts to slam him. That’s the end of the round. Great fight. A close fight, overall.

Felder became more dangerous as the fight progressed. Barboza was ridiculously fast in rounds one and two but slowed down in the third round as Felder lifted his output.

The Body Lock scores round three for Paul Felder (10-9)

Official result: Paul Felder def. Edson Barboza via split decision (30-27, 29,28, 27-30)

Amazing that two of the three judges were able to see it 30-27 for either fighter. Round two seemed like the swing round. Felder’s damage from the bottom was superb, but Barboza was landing some fast and powerful kicks all throughout the round, too.

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