After Five Rounds Of War, Rory MacDonald Maintains The Title Due To A Majority Draw Versus Jon Fitch!
Bellator 220 is going down live now from inside SAP Center in San Jose, California tonight (Saturday, April 27, 2019).
Welcome to the main event of the evening. It brings the 170-pound bout between the current champ and the ex-UFC star Rory “The Red King” MacDonald and the former WSOF and PFL king Jon Fitch.
Mike Beltran is our referee. The title match is underway!
Round 1
No glove touch, brutal right hand by Rory MacDonald, but Fitch clinches up, goes for a takedown, elbow combo Rory.
Fitch persistently goes for a takedown. It seems Fitch is not rocked anymore, Rory ends up on the canvas.
It looks like a Kimura attempt. Rory is pressed against the cage, lands an elbow. Jon put his head between Rory’s legs to prevent punches and elbows. Beltran warns both warriors to fight.
Wow, Rory pressed him against the cage, great fight. Rory slipped away, good punches. Mike Beltran stops the fight but restarts it quickly. Wow, great kick by Rory who successfully defends a takedown.
MacDonald delivers a big punch. Good punch Fitch. Fitch goes for a body kick, blocked. Amazing front kick by Rory. Fitch misses with a left straight punch.
Fitch goes for a takedown, eats an elbow. Jon Fitch slams Rory off the canvas.
One minute until the end of the round. Fitch is in the half guard, Rory defends well, keeping his legs high. Rory is pressed against the fence, Fitch lands a blow to the body. The end of the round, I’d say 10-9 Fitch.
Round 2
Fitch misses with a low kick, Rory brutally counters, Fitch misses with a takedown attempt.
Fitch lands a good punch, takedown stuffed again. Fitch controls MacDonald, pressing him against the cage. He has a left under-hook, this is not good for Rory, he must do something. Knees to the thigh Fitch.
MacDonald is down, Beltran warns him to let the fence go, Fitch, presses him hard. Rory escapes!
Wow, this was a brutal high kick, but Fitch survives. What is Fitch made of?!?
Great front kick to the body MacDonald. And again!
Beltran restarts the bout (unsure why). Oh, Rory MacDonald delivers a good kick, Fitch grabs his leg, but Rory survives and releases the leg. Great punches on both sides, Fitch is against the fence. Rory goes for a Superman punch, Fitch misses with a low kick.
Brutal left hand by Fitch. It seems Rory delivers a good knee, Fitch was unable to take him down, excellent punch again by MacDonald. Body shot Rory.
Fitch attacks to the body, misses, goes for a takedown again. Success!
Fitch ends up in the full guard, MacDonald gets up, now Fitch presses him against the fence. And now MacDonald takes Fitch down, ends up in the full guard.
Great elbow Rory. The end of the round, 10-9 MacDonald.
Round 3
Fitch misses with a left low kick. World-class slip Rory, Fitch goes for a takedown, misses, he ate a kick to the head along the way too.
Fitch presses Rory against the fence and takes him down.
Rory uses butterfly guard to defend. Fitch is in the full guard, he lands shots to the body, but Rory defends well, these are weak strikes for Rory.
Rory must get up, this is not a good position for him, Fitch collects points on the ground. Head punch by Fitch. Oh no, Fitch is in the half-guard, tries to transit to side control. Good defense by Rory for now.
MacDonald is bleeding, good punches by Fitch. But Rory closes the guard, good move. Fitch presses him against the fence, this is dangerous.
Big right hand Fitch, followed by an elbow! Jon Fitch holds the opponent on the ground, armbar attempt MacDonald. Rory closes guard again, the crowd starts to boo.
Jon persistently lands shots to the body. MacDonald tried to get up, but Fitch goes forward and controls him well. Rory is sitting against the cage, and the round ends. 10-9 Fitch.
MacDonald’s corner says he mustn’t let Fitch press him against the fence.
Round 4
Fitch goes forward. Wow, great left-right hook combo by Rory. Fitch goes for a takedown again, but good right uppercut.
Fitch looks rocked, Rory landed a great elbow.
Rory MacDonald delivers few big elbows. Fitch got up, but MacDonald continues delivering brutal blows. Great elbow Rory. Fitch trapped both legs, and what a reversal!
Rory gets up, Fitch presses him against the fence again. Fitch takes his opponent down again.
Fitch looks tired, he is bleeding too. MacDonald closes guard, Fitch lands body shots. Beltran talks to MacDonald again. Fitch controls Rory, MacDonald goes for an armbar but eats big knees. Hammer-fists Fitch. High guard, the referee warns both fighters to fight, otherwise, he’ll stand them up.
The crowd starts to boo again, Fitch persistently lands body shots. Beltran stands both Octagon warriors up. The end of the round, I am unsure who won.
Round 5
Good knee to the body MacDonald. Fitch goes forward again, goes for a takedown, Rory escapes.
Another takedown attempt, Rory ends up on the fence again, Fitch is in the full guard, Rory’s head is tucked against the cage.
Rory tries to secure a triangle choke and lands few brutal elbows off the bottom. Beltran warns fighters again, and the crowd boos. Jon Fitch continues landing shots to the body, fighters doing literally nothing.
Now Fitch starts to land shots to Rory’s body. Rory defends well via butterfly guard. Oh, sh*t, Rory is bleeding heavily. This cut looks really nasty!
Fitch dominates on the ground, he lands big elbows to the body. Fitch is the half-guard, he tries to pass to the side control. MacDonald is unable to stand up, Fitch lands few shots to the head. MacDonald got up but Fitch doesn’t let him go, keeps going forward. The end of the round, 10-9 Fitch.
Check out highlights below:
Catch up with #Bellator220 with this FULL FIRST ROUND featuring @JonFitchDotNet and @Rory_MacDonald. pic.twitter.com/tsGzdGbjY0
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 28, 2019
TODO MUNDO DE PÉ!
O juiz manda os lutadores saírem do chão e vamos para o quinto round!#FoxFightClub #Bellator220 pic.twitter.com/OsoyALwB4s
— SportsCenter Brasil (@SportsCenterBR) April 28, 2019
👑@Rory_MacDonald with the takedown to close out the second round. pic.twitter.com/FdBddglWL6
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 28, 2019
5th and final round! #Bellator220 pic.twitter.com/5xMk86aJS7
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 28, 2019
Final Result: The bout ends in a majority draw (48-46 Fitch, 47-47, 47-47)
Rory MacDonald’s score is now 20-5-1 MMA, 2-1-1 BMMA, Jon Fitch (31-7-2, 1 NC; 1-1 BMMA).
