Collaboration post
Monster Energy’s Tyron Woodley Retains His Welterweight Title After Majority Draw in 'Fight of the Night'
New York, NY
– November 14, 2016 – Monster Energy’s
Conor “The Notorious” McGregor backed up his boasts and made
history by knocking out Eddie Alvarez in round two, and winning the
lightweight title to become the first UFC fighter to hold two titles
simultaneously at the highly anticipated debut at historic
Madison Square Garden in New York City. In addition, teammate Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley retained his welterweight title after fighting to a majority draw against Stephen Thompson.
The featherweight champion, McGregor added to his legacy and legend with a wholly dominant
victory, knocking out Eddie Alvarez at 3:04 of the second round to become the lightweight champion at UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden, before his adoring and rabid Irish and US fans.
The monumental sell-out event headlined by
McGregor will go down as the biggest event in the history of MMA
with record-breaking crowds and box-office records for UFC and Madison
Square Garden now that UFC is live and legal in New York.
McGregor delivered with a shockingly lopsided destruction of highly skilled veteran opponent Alvarez.
A confident Alvarez came at
McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) with early low kicks to start round one, but as he advanced
McGregor countered with his deadly left hand and promptly dropped
Alvarez to the canvas. While Alvarez sprang to his feet, his confidence
was clearly shaken and
McGregor’s Octagon control and accuracy would lead to two-more knockdowns in the first three minutes of the fight.
Alvarez (28-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) narrowly escaped round one, and
McGregor opened the second with a stinging left hand. “The Underground King” kept his feet under him, and for a moment Alvarez had some momentum landing a right and bullying
McGregor against the cage. McGregor’s superb takedown defense and a quick reverse of the fence spelled the end for Alvarez.
McGregor assumed the center of the Octagon and countered an
Alvarez strike with a debilitating left cross and picture-perfect
combination, putting the
lightweight champ to the mat with a TKO stoppage.
In typical McGregor fashion after the fight he reinforced what he’d stated before the fight that
he wasn’t one bit surprised and “they are not at my level.”
“They have to have size, reach, length…you have got to have some attributes. If you come in any
way equal to me I am going to rip your head off, it happens every time. “Eddie is a
solid competitor, Eddie is a warrior, but he shouldn't have been in here with me and that's just the truth of it,” said
McGregor.
McGregor
announced at the post-fight news conference he is expecting his first
child in early 2017 and intends to take a break until then.
Welterweight champion and Monster energy athlete
Woodley retained his title as he and challenger Thompson fought to a majority draw and ‘Fight of the Night’ award.
Woodley who came in as the belt holding underdog caught Thompson
with hard strikes and took him down for most of round one, landing
vicious ground and pound with both fists and elbows.
In round four
Woodley knocked Thompson down and looked like he was in route to a
TKO stoppage until sinking in a deep standing guillotine on Thompson,
and then taking that guillotine to
the ground. Amazingly, Thompson survived Woodley’s choke and
controlled much of the fight when the two warriors were on their feet.
The judges ultimately scored the five-round fight 47-47, 47-47 and 48-47
in
Woodley’s favor resulting in a majority draw. UFC President Dana
White said, “An immediate rematch makes sense.” This is only the third
time in UFC history that a title fight ended in a tie.
Conor “The Notorious” McGregor and Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley
are Monster Energy’s elite UFC athletes along with Chris “The All
American” Weidman, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Dominick “Dominator” Cruz,
Jon “Bones” Jones, Daniel Cormier, Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey, Cain Velasquez,
and Anthony “Showtime” Pettis.
###
About Monster Energy
Based
in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer and
distributor of energy drinks
and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional,
Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross,
off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the
rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that
believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and
musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by
athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster
Energy including all of its drinks at
www.monsterenergy.com.