UFC on FOX 8 results/photos: Liz Carmouche pounds out Jessica Andrade in second

SEATTLE – Ground-and-pound was the name of the game for Liz Carmouche on the way to her first UFC victory.

The recent women’s bantamweight title challenger pounced out newcomer Jessica Andrade with a vicious barrage of elbows and fists on the ground for a second-round TKO win.

The women’s bantamweight bout opened up the main card of today’s UFC on FOX 8 event at KeyArena in Seattle. It aired on FOX following prelims on FX and Facebook.

Carmouche opened with an early kick, but Andrade fired right back and the two tied up along the fence. Carmouche worked for position, then scooped Andrade up and dropped her to the canvas. Andrade tried to roll out, but Carmouche stayed with her and landed shots to the body before Andrade got back to her feet.

Carmouche peppered shots to the head and body on the fence, and eventually as able to drop down for a takedown. But after a short ground scramble, Andrade got a big takedown of her own. She landed a couple strikes on the ground, then dropped back to guard and tried to finish Carmouche with a guillotine choke. Carmouche survived the round while landing knees to the body.

Kicks were the name of the game early in the second, but 25 seconds in Carmouche landed her third takedown of the fight. She got to side control, then quickly moved to full mount. She landed ground and pound while Andrade covered up. Andrade rolled over, and Carmouche tried to flatten her out with elbows and punches. She locked in a rear-naked choke that Andrade survived, but only to take some more punching punishment.

Referee Herb Dean repeatedly warned Andrade to fight back, and Andrade did just enough. But Carmouche’s elbows and punches continued to rain down before Dean finally stepped in to give Carmouche the TKO win at the 3:57 mark of the second.

“I knew no matter what, even if she had it sunk in all the way, I was not going to tap,” Carmouche said. “It’s not in my nature. The problem was, she had it so tight, and she has short arms so it was difficult for me to try and pry her hands apart. But it was just a matter of me trying to pop my head out and get free.”  

“I really thought I had her in the first round,” Andrade said. “In the second round, my plan was to go in with my striking and try to hold her down. It just didn’t happen.”

Carmouche (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) gets back in the win column after a loss to champion Ronda Rousey in a title fight in February. Andrade (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), after a pair of submission wins earlier this year, had a two-fight win streak snapped.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 8 results include:

• Liz Carmouche def. Jessica Andrade via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 3:57
• Jorge Masvidal def. Michael Chiesa via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 2, 4:59
• Danny Castillo def. Tim Means via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Melvin Guillard def. Mac Danzig via KO (punches) – Round 2, 2:47
• Daron Cruickshank def. Yves Edwards via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 30-27)
• Ed Herman def. Trevor Smith via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
• Germaine de Randamie def. Julie Kedzie via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
• Justin Salas def. Aaron Riley via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Yaotzin Meza def. John Albert via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:49

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 8, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

John Morgan and Steven Marrocco contributed to this report on-site in Seattle.