It was a Saturday night to remember at Madison Square Garden as three champions walked into the storied venue, masters of all their domain.
By the end of the evening, all three were relieved of their crowns.
Georges St-Pierre (26-2-0), the former welterweight champion, returned to the octagon against middleweight champion Michael Bisping (30-8-0) and overcame some good strikes and elbows from the bottom from Michael Bisping in the first two rounds. He also landed a few takedowns and remained active, rather than simply trying to win points with his wrestling.
St-Pierre stunned Bisping in the third round with a left hook counter that sent him to the canvas. St-Pierre immediately took the back and forced referee John McCarthy to call the bout at 4:23 of the third round.
As the undisputed middleweight champion, St-Pierre will unify the belt with interim champion Robert Whittaker, who was cageside at MSG. GSP also joined the short list of fighters who have captured UFC gold in two different weight classes.
Earlier, TJ Dillashaw came back from a shaky first round to catch Cody Garbrandt with a headkick and earn a second-round TKO victory. Dillashaw was knocked down several times in the first round and looked close to being stopped but survived.
“At the end of the day, you have to behest with yourself,” he said backstage to the UFC correspondent Megan Olivi. “I’m brutally honest with myself. I made a technical error and he capitalized on it. Hats off to TJ, but this is what happens in this game. This is what I love to do but at the end of the day you have to be honest with yourself. I made an error and he capitalized.”
Dillashaw now becomes a two-time bantamweight champion and after the fight called out Demetrious Johnson.
Rose Namajunas stunned heavy favourite Joanna Jedrzejczyk by landing a crushing left hook and following up with strikes to end the bout 3:03 into the first round. Jedrzejczyk had held the belt since UFC 185 in 2015, defending five times, one less than the female UFC record held by Ronda Rousey.
POTN@GeorgesStPierre | @TJDillashaw | @RoseNamajunas – 50K Each@003_OSP & @RicardoRamosMMA – 25K Each | #Sponsored @PerformInspired pic.twitter.com/FGBfCpPMpM
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
Kenai Andrews checks in with his thoughts.
UFC FIGHT PASS PRELIMS
AIEMANN ZAHABI VS. RICARDO RAMOS
OHHHHH!!!!@RicardoRamosMMA lands the spinning back elbow on the 2nd try and puts Zahabi OUT!! WOW!! #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/AhxEz4Fhon
— UFC (@ufc) November 4, 2017
WINNER: RICARDO RAMOS VIA KO (SPINNING BACK ELBOW)
ANDREWS PREDICTION: AIEMANN ZAHABI VIA UD
Andrews: Excellent win for Ramos as he outmaneuvered Zahabi and landed two spinning elbows to put him away. Zahabi got caught but he will be back.
#9 ALEKSEI OLEINIK VS. #12 CURTIS BLAYDES
What a freaking end to the round!! @RazorBlaydes265 lands over and over on Oleinik but he stays standing! #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/Q73n6RcT1m
— UFC (@ufc) November 4, 2017
WINNER: CURTIS BLAYDES VIA TKO (DOCTOR STOPPAGE) 1:56
ANDREWS PREDICTION: ALEKSEI OLEINIK VIA SUBMISSION
Andrews: Excellent win for Blaydes as he teed off on Aleksei and forced the doctor to call the bout. Oleiniki is a tough guy but how much more can he take? It might be time to hang them up.
RANDY BROWN VS. MICKEY GALL
Looks like the uppercut for @TouchNGo_ landed, and he jumps all over Gall! #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/1DrluNlZSs
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
WINNER: RANDY BROWN VIA UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)
ANDREWS PREDICTION: MICKEY GALL VIA SUBMISSION
Andrews: I thought Gall would be able to get the fight to the ground, but Brown used his length to start fast and outwork Gall. Good win.
#6 OVINCE ST. PREUX VS. COREY ANDERSON
ICYMI: @003_OSP wins in DEVASTATING fashion
(Via @UFConFOX) #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/Gxh0tf3Sl4
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
WINNER: OVINCE ST. PREUX VIA TKO R3 1:25
ANDREWS PREDICTION: OVINCE ST. PREUX VIA TKO
Andrews: OSP used his striking as expected to dispatch Anderson. Good win.
WALT HARRIS VS. MARK GODBEER
WINNER: MARK GODBEER VIA DQ (ILLEGAL KICK)
ANDREWS PREDICTION: WALT HARRIS VIA TKO
Andrews: Throw this one out as the NYSAC made a big mistake in disqualifying Harris.
JAMES VICK VS. JOE DUFFY
AT THE HORN!!!@JamesVickMMA finishes Duffy in round 2 w/ SECONDS remaining!! #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/1bOKhInhXv
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
WINNER: JAMES VICK VIA TKO R2 4:59
ANDREWS PREDICTION: JOE DUFFY VIA SD
Andrews: It was a close fight but Vick put him away with a nice flurry. Good fight, hard luck for Duffy.
JOHNY HENDRICKS VS. PAULO COSTA
They are SWINGING in round 1!!#UFC217 pic.twitter.com/DVOqKlX0Tm
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
WINNER: PAULO COSTA VIA TKO R2 1:23
ANDREWS PREDICTION: PAULO COSTA VIA TKO
Andrews: It may be time for Hendricks to retire. Costa simply overpowered him.
#2 STEPHEN THOMPSON VS. #4 JORGE MASVIDAL
Exchanging blows here in the final round #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/dH4dNVrUhN
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
WINNER: STEPHEN THOMPSON VIA UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
ANDREWS PREDICTION: STEPHEN THOMPSON VIA UD
Andrews: Thompson outstruck Masvidal and piled up the points. Classic wonder boy and Masvidal, as usual, showed his toughness but was unable to penetrate the karate stance. Good win.
JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK VS. #4 ROSE NAMAJUNAS
THAT LEFT HOOK THO!!!@RoseNamajunas #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/bxo33yzSLi
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
WINNER: ROSE NAMAJUNAS VIA TKO (STRIKES) R1 3:03
ANDREWS PREDICTIONS: JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK VIA TKO
Andrews: What a performance by Rose! She stood with JJ and pushed forward with that left hook and then followed up to leave no doubt as to one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. Rematch?
CODY GARBRANDT VS. TJ DILLASHAW
The hooks have found homes tonight in the title fights 😳@TJDillashaw #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/BXNj4lwY79
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
WINNER: TJ DILLASHAW VIA KO (PUNCHES) R2 2:41
ANDREWS PREDICTION: CODY GARBRANDT VIA TKO
Andrews: TJ overcame a shaky first round and several knockdowns to crack Cody with a headkick and then a left hook to crack open the fight and put Garbrandt away. TJ’s footwork was on point too. Cody did well in the first round and had his chances to put TJ away and got caught in the second. Excellent fight and we will see these two battle again.
MAIN EVENT
MICHAEL BISPING VS. GEORGES ST-PIERRE
ANOTHER HOOK THAT SET IT UP!! #UFC217 @GeorgesStPierre pic.twitter.com/sBwgt08n17
— UFC (@ufc) November 5, 2017
WINNER: GEORGES ST-PIERRE VIA SUBMISSION (REAR-NAKED CHOKE) R3 4:23
ANDREWS PREDICTION: MICHAEL BISPING VIA UD
Andrews: What an amazing performance by GSP. To come in after four years, move up a division and then overpower the champion on the feet, take him down, overcome some good shots and elbows and then choke him out. Unbelievable. Biping did not roll over, he put up a fight, but this fight cements GSP as an all-time UFC GOAT first ballot nominee.
@kenaiandrews
