UFC 249 is here as MMA rides to the rescue for sports fans!
Tony Ferguson vs Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title headlines the HUGE card in Jacksonville, Florida – which has strict protocols in place.
- Main card started from 3am BST (10pm EST)
- Ferguson vs Gaethje main event set for 5am
- Pettis beats Cerrone by points in prelims
- TV/ live stream: BT Sport 1 (UK), ESPN + (US)
Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
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ROUND 3
De Castro lands a legkick but it could be too-little-too-late.
Joe Rogan says he has seen some bad calls from the judges tonight and warns Castro not to suffer the same fate.
Hardy is working harder and de Castro then slips to the floor and Hardy starts punching his legs.
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ROUND 3
Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier thing de Castro could have injured his leg.
De Castro's team want to talk tactics but he insists on walking out to the centre of the cage and starting the final round.
Hardy thanks him with a big right hand.
After a crzy opening 10 seconds, the fight has cooled in intensity
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ROUND 2
Hardy did not work out how to defend against de Castro's brutal leg kicks and has the bruises to prove it.
De Castro started like a whirlwind but has settled now and is focusing on this ruined left Hardy leg.
Hardy is the busier man, de Castro either has a master plan or has run out of energy.
The bell goes after a tentative second.
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KICKED OFF
Look at this kick from De Castro on Hardy's leg.
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ROUND 1
Both men have thrown big early bombs and earned the other's respect.
Hardy lands with punches and kicks but de Castro has a chin as well as a belly.
Hardy's battered lead left leg will make it hard to land powerful punches as the fight goes on.
De Castro looks like he now plans to take Hardy into deep water late in the fight. Bell goes!
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HARDY BOYS
Former NFL star Hardy is looking to stay on the front foot.
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ROUND 1
Hardy relaxes into the bout now and scores with a jab but de Castro always look dangerous, looping over the top.
Both men are breathing heavily, accoring to the commentators.
De Castro lands with a right hand and he has marked Hardy's left leg with a string of whipped kicks.
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ROUND 1
De Castro launches massive wild punches instantly and Hardy does well to duck, dive and dodge out of the way.
Hardy is the much taller man, he should use his jab and reach.
But de Castro looks set to hook his way into range to unleash hell.
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PRINCE OF WAR
Hardy competed five times in 2019 to show his commitment to his new profession.
Hardy looks in better shape than his opponent as he undergoes his final checks.
De Castro is the bookie's underdog, despite his unbeaten record. Where is the clever money?
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TALE OF THE TAPE
Here's how these big boys stack up.
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BIG BOYS
Yorgan de Castro does not look like an elite level fighter but he is 6-0.
Greg Hardy is a cross-sport star, following his NFL career, who is expected to bring new eyes to the niche sport.
Daniel Cormier fancies Castro is the better striker and, as this is not expected to go the distance, that could be telling.
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BEAUTIFUL
The only way to end a brutal fight…
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RANKINGS
Here are the P4P top lists going into tonight's showdown.
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WEIRD
Pettis seems surprised by the one-sided cards.
He said: “He is a legend, we are friends. He got me with the takedowns but he did nothing with them.
“It could have gone either way.”
That's 2-0 to Pettis.
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COWBOY CAN'T SEE
This is the moment that Donald Cerrone got poked in the eye.
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RESULT
The judges say 29-28 all to Pettis!
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ROUND 3
Cerrone scores with a trademark headkick but Pettis swallows it and they trade bombs.
Pettis ends the fight with clever boxing and Cerrone fails with a takedown and headkick.
Mad exchanges as the rematch ends with both men on their feet and whacking the sense out of each other.
Replays show Cerrone was the victim of an eyepoke.
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ROUND 3
Cerrone shot for a takedown but Pettis landed with a loud kick.
Pettis has stopped moving to his right and instead tried a couple of long highkicks.
This looks like ANOTHER decision but Cerrone was clipped and complains of an eye-poke.
Cerrone is wincing over his eye. Pettis clips with another headkick.
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ROUND 3
Cerrone has outwrestled Pettis but Cowboy has shipped more punches.
Crisp one-two from Pettis but Cowboy is not suffering from the lack of fans.
DC calls this a “real close fight2 and Joe Rogan believes Cerrone's takedown and wrestling could edge the decision.
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ROUND 2
Cerrone shoots and lands a single-leg takedown, putting Pettis is an awkward position against the cage.
Pettis gets to his feet but Cerrone tries a headkick in the break that is well blocked.
Cerrone ends the second with a kick to Pettis' body.
Team Pettis tell their man to stop moving to his right and to recover with some “yoga breathing”.
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WHAT YOU INK OF THAT?
Some impressive tattoos on show in this fight.
Cerrone's legs both have designs all over them, while Pettis' chest is covered.
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ROUND 2
Pettis tried a flying knee but Cerrone met it with a right hand.
Accurate boxing from Pettis again as Cerrone's face is peppered by two straight shots.
It shows how powerful McGregor is because Pettis has landed plenty and not wobbled Cowboy.
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ROUND 2
Pettis listens to orders and starts the second with a flying right hand.
DC reckons Cerrone could still be carrying a facial injury from the McGregor battering in January.
Pettis swallows a Cerrone right hand and then lands a massive left of his own.
Heavy fire in the second, Pettis taking chances and marking Cerrone up.
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ROUND 1
Cerrone lets Pettis up and then he lands with a one-two.
Big right hand from Pettis after it looked like Cowboy was going to back him up.
The bell goes just as a welt starts appearing on Cerrone's cheekbone.
Cerrone's corner tells him to change levels more. Team Pettis decide to take more risks.
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ROUND 1
Cerrone leads off with a left legkick and then a scurry takes them onto the cage fence.
Big flying knee from Pettis but Cowboy turns it into a takedown.
Pettis will not like being on his back against an underrated grappler in Cerrone.
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