Makaha’s Medeiros loses in UFC main event

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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM

UFC Welterweight contender spoke during a homecoming celebration held at his alma mater, Waianae High School, on Saturday. A parade and paina was held for Yancy Medeiros and UFC Featherweight champion Max Holloway to celebrate their recent victories at the UFC 212 held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Yancy Medeiros’ undefeated run at welterweight ended in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Austin on Sunday night in Texas.

Makaha’s Medeiros fell victim to Donald Cerrone by TKO with two seconds remaining in the first round of a scheduled five-rounder.

Cerrone knocked down Medeiros three times with the last coming on an overhand right that left Medeiros sprawled on the mat.

Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 4 minutes, 58 seconds.

“I thought I could continue but the referee didn’t feel that way,” Medeiros told reporters after the fight. “I kept moving forward and planned to keep up that pace but I just got caught. I’ll learn, make adjustments and I’ll be back.”

Cerrone (33-10, 20-7 UFC) tied the UFC record for wins as well as the UFC record for stoppages with his 14th. Georges St-Pierre and Michael Bisping are the other fighters with 20 UFC wins.

“I knew Yancy was the guy to do it (against),” Cerrone said in a postfight interview. “He was willing to stand there and bring it.”

Medeiros landed the first strike of the fight but was knocked down two minutes into the first. He got back up, smiled at Cerrone, and the two hugged before resuming the fight.

Cerrone, who was bleeding from a cut to his head, started to land frequently in the later half of the first round and scored a second knockdown with a left before the finish at the end.

“I didn’t even know it was 10 seconds left either,” Cerrone said. “I was just going for the finish. That’s what Yancy and I both go for.”

Medeiros became the fifth fighter with Hawaii ties to headline a UFC event and had won his past three fights via stoppage in the second round or later.

When it was over, Cerrone pointed out his grandmother in the first row to Medeiros, who jumped over the cage to give her a hug.

Medeiros had been 3-0 at welterweight (170 pounds) since making the jump from 155 pounds. He is now 15-5 overall and 6-5 in the UFC.

Cerrone was ranked No. 11 at 170 pounds and had lost his last three fights. Medeiros entered the fight at No. 15.

Medeiros joins B.J. Penn, Louis Smolka, Max Holloway and Travis Browne as fighters from Hawaii to headline a UFC card. Penn and Holloway are the only ones to headline a pay-per-view.

Cerrone landed 28 total strikes against Medeiros’ 26.