Marcus Brimage

Marcus Brimage vs. Cody Garbrandt

Round 1
Garbrandt slaps up high with a pair of head kicks while the southpaw Brimage stays on the outside, pumping his jab and looking for an entrance. An inside low kick catches Garbrandt square on the cup, but the Team Alpha Male fighter is quick to recover and lands a quick hook that puts Brimage off-balance soon after they resume. The bantamweights trade hooks in close quarters, then Garbrandt deflects a high kick from Brimage. Leaping into the air, Garbrandt misses on a flying knee but comes out unscathed as Brimage gets turned around. Brimage tags the incoming Garbrandt with a left hand on the next exchange, but then another low kick hits Garbrandt on the cup. Referee Herb Dean gives Brimage another warning, and the fight soon gets going again. Garbrandt opens up with strikes and seems to hurt Brimage with punches against the fence, but the round ends in the middle of the exchange.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Garbrandt
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Garbrandt
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Garbrandt

Round 2
Brimage ducks under a high kick and blitzes Garbrandt with punches, but not many in the flurry appear to connect and Garbrandt circles out to the center of the cage, seemingly unscathed. Garbrandt steps into range with a hard left hand, then counters Brimage’s next combo with a sweeping right. Brimage times a low kick and catches Garbrandt upstairs with a left hook. Garbrandt lands a left, raises his right hand and lands it again, but Brimage connects with one of his own simultaneously. Midway through the round, Brimage cracks Garbrandt with a high left hook, then tries a Superman punch and catches only air. The pace slows in the latter half of the round, the 135ers circling and feinting. Brimage is finding the mark with his left hand when he throws it, but his combos come up short when he tries to chase down Garbrandt. The Team Alpha Male fighters slips throwing a kick in the last 20 seconds but Brimage can’t capitalize before Garbrandt pops back to his feet.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Garbrandt
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Garbrandt
Jeff Sherwood scores the round 10-9 Brimage

Round 3
Brimage whips a right hand up top and lands it to counter a Garbrandt low kick as the bantamweights fight near the fence. “The Bama Beast” puts a left hook on Garbrandt’s body, then eats an uppercut as he tries to step into range with his head down. Garbrandt throws a kick and has it caught by Brimage, who dumps Garbrandt to the ground and follows him down. As soon as Garbrandt threatens with a triangle choke, Brimage lifts him to slam and escapes back to his feet as Garbrandt releases. Garbrandt puts a kick on the body of Brimage, who answers with a straight right. A left hook from Garbrandt causes a mouse to pop up on Brimage’s right eye, and Garbrandt adds an uppercut soon after. Garbrandt shuts down a takedown attempt. As Brimage chases after him with strikes, Garbrandt drops him with a three-punch combination. Brimage gets back to his feet in a daze, staggering around the cage while Garbrandt tries to tee him up for the homerun shot. Garbrandt connects with another combo that sends Brimage back to the mat, and now referee Dean steps in to rescue Brimage from further damage.

The Official Result
Cody Garbrandt def. Marcus Brimage via TKO (Punches) R3 4:50

Marcus Brimage vs. Conor McGregor
Round 1
There’s no touch of gloves as Brimage comes straight at McGregor, swinging overhand punches at the taller man. McGregor breaks up the momentum with a hard uppercut, then makes Brimage think twice about coming in with a left hook. Another pair of uppercuts have Brimage hitting the deck, where McGregor pounds away with thunderous punches until referee Robert Sundel is forced to intervene. Conor McGregor needs just 67 seconds to win his UFC debut in impressive fashion.