UFC on FOX 10 results, photos: Jeremy Stephens stuffs Darren Elkins, cruises to win

CHICAGO – In a three-round game of cat and mouse, Jeremy Stephens stopped the takedown threat of Darren Elkins to clean up on judges’ scorecards.

Stephens punished Elkins with heavy punches to earn scores of 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27, picking up his third straight win since dropping to 145 pounds.

The featherweight bout opened up the main card of today’s UFC on FOX 10 event at United Center in Chicago. It aired on FOX after prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Stephens uncorked a huge right hand as soon as Elkins advanced. The punch missed, but subsequent counters would find their mark. Elkins pressed to the fence, but was unable to earn a takedown. When Stephens wasn’t winging big uppercuts and hooks, he sunk hard kicks into Elkins’ legs and flank, which made the wrestler’s job all the more difficult.

A stiff combo opened the second frame as Elkins increasingly wore the evidence of Stephens’ edge in power, and subsequent takedown attempts were unsuccessful.

Trailing on scorecards, Elkins tried a new tact in the third frame and let go with looping punches as Stephens tried to counter. But it was a pair of brief ground scrambles that nearly won him the fight, as Stephens exposed his neck going to the ground and Elkins locked in a guillotine. Both times, Stephens rolled to avoid damage and ended the fight on his back as Elkins tried in vain to finish the choke.

With the win, Stephens (23-9 MMA, 10-8 UFC) takes another step toward a marquee opponent after an 0-3 stretch at lightweight that prompted his move to featherweight. Elkins (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) goes back to the drawing board after a unanimous decision over the highly touted Hatsu Hioki in his previous performance.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on FOX 10 results include:

• Jeremy Stephens def. Darren Elkins via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Alex Caceres def. Sergio Pettis via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:39
• Eddie Wineland def. Yves Jabouin via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:16
• Chico Camus def. Yaotzin Meza via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Hugo Viana def. Ramiro Hernandez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Daron Cruickshank def. Mike Rio via TKO (kick, punches) – Round 2, 4:56
• George Sullivan def. Mike Rhodes via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Nikita Krylov def. Walt Harris via TKO (head kick, punches) – Round 1, 0:25

For the latest on UFC on FOX 10, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

Matt Erickson contributed to this report on-site in Chicago.