UFC 170 results, photos: Mike Pyle devastates T.J. Waldburger in third

LAS VEGAS – After a highlight-reel loss in his previous outing, Mike Pyle rebounded in a big way against a tough T.J. Waldburger.

Pyle didn’t emerge unscathed, but was just a little bit better in every area of the fight until a flurry brought him a third-round TKO.

The welterweight bout was part of the main card of today’s UFC 170 event at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Ground specialist Waldburger unsurprisingly was the first to initiate a takedown attempt, but it was his hands that initially changed the shape of the bout. The Texan landed several stiff combinations that prompted Las Vegan Pyle to clinch and execute a trip takedown, which he used to even the score on the mat. Waldburger was able to escape, and Pyle looked for striking opportunities in the clinch. When his attempts to land knees up the middle failed, he ended the round with a takedown.

Waldburger again was the aggressor in the second frame, but Pyle’s experience and technique allowed him to escape combinations and a leglock attempt. Pyle again looked to catch Waldburger coming in with a knee, and landed cleanly to the jaw. When the ground hit the mat, however, he remained in control.

Waldburger’s punches frequently found their target in standup exchanges, and in the third, he repeatedly rattled Pyle. The telling blows, though, were all his, as he landed a pair of right hooks that stunned Waldburger and then earned a knockdown with a spinning elbow.

On the ropes, Waldburger tried to tie the fight up against the cage. That position yielded no relief. A knee to the jaw sent him diving for a takedown, and Pyle slapped on a guillotine. Using the submission attempt to take mount, Pyle appeared to knock out Waldburger. After several thundering blows, referee Herb Dean had seen enough and waved off the bout at the 4:03 mark of the final frame.

Mike Pyle (26-9-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC) finds redemption after a knockout loss to Matt Brown that snapped a four-fight win streak. Waldburger (16-9 MMA, 4-4 UFC) is 1-3 in his past four outings and could be facing a release from his contract.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 170 results include:

• Mike Pyle def. T.J. Waldburger via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 4:03
• Stephen Thompson def. Robert Whittaker via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:43
• Alexis Davis def. Jessica Eye via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
• Raphael Assuncao def. Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Aljamain Sterling def. Cody Gibson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Zach Makovsky def. Josh Sampo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Erik Koch def. Rafaello Oliveira via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:24
• Ernest Chavez def. Yosdenis Cedeno via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

For complete coverage of UFC 170, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

John Morgan and Matt Erickson contributed to this report on-site in Las Vegas.