UFC on FOX 8 results/photos: Daron Cruickshank takes split from Yves Edwards

SEATTLE – On a card filled with split decisions, Yves Edwards came out on the short end of one.

Edwards appeared to control the center of the octagon throughout the fight in a close standup battle. But it was Daron Cruickshank, who took the fight on short notice, who took home the decision with a pair of 30-27 scores – with Edwards getting a 30-27 of his own.

The lightweight bout was part of today’s UFC on FOX 8 event at KeyArena in Seattle. It aired on FX following additional prelims on Facebook and ahead of a main card on FOX.

Cruickshank went with a high kick 40 seconds in, but then ate one from Edwards in return moments later. Edwards came forward a minute in and put together a solid combination against the fence. The two took turns looking for big strikes, but it was Edwards who consistently controlled the center of the octagon. Cruickshank landed good shots when Edwards came forward, though, employing a solid counter game.

The standup fight continued in the second, and it looked to be more of the same with Edwards seeming to control the pace – but Cruickshank getting off some solid shots and kicks. And in the third, things continued in the same vein, all in the standup game with Cruickshank on the outside counter-striking and Edwards in the middle.

Though the striking totals were close, it was clear Edwards thought he had done enough to win. Shortly after the scores were announced and Cruickshank’s hand was raised, an upset Edwards tore out of the cage.

“I feel the crowd may not have seen it, but it was actually a very technical fight,” Cruickshank said. “I shut Edwards down. He didn’t know what to do against me. Every time he came in, I hit him three or four times. I was on the retreat because he put a lot of pressure on me and I wasn’t just going to stand there in front of him. But when I was in front of him, I hit him.”
 

“I feel like I won the fight,” Edwards said. “I feel like I won the first and third round for sure.”

Cruickshank (13-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is back in the win column after a loss to John Makdessi in March, which snapped a six-fight streak. Edwards (42-20-1 MMA, 10-8 UFC) lost for the second straight time and third time in four fights.

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

• 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.