UFC 214 results: Aljamain Sterling scores big win over Renan Barao at 140-pound catchweight

Even with five extra pounds on his frame, Renan Barao couldn’t keep up with Aljamain Sterling.

Sterling (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) wore out Barao (34-5-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC) over three rounds to put the biggest win on his resume with a unanimous decision over the ex-bantamweight champ.

The 140-pound catchweight bout was part of the preliminary card of today’s UFC 214 event at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. It aired on FXX following additional prelims on UFC Fight Pass and ahead of a main card on pay-per-view.

Sterling took home scores of 29-28, 29-27 and 30-26, dominating Barao in the second round to secure a pair of 10-8 marks.

Momentum shifted in the middle frame as Sterling backed up Barao with a barrage of punches and then got the takedown. He refused to be bucked and landed big shots from Barao’s back before taking top position in a scramble. Another episode of ground-and-pound left Barao nursing a cut.

Early on, Sterling’s kick-heavy attack nearly backfired as he slipped to the mat and wound up on his back, seizing a leg for security as Barao defended potential submissions. But as the fight went into deep waters, Barao’s ability to press the action waned as he kept a high pace. Barao couldn’t get a breath to counter the charge.

With 1 minute left, the ex-champ made a last-ditch effort at turning the tide, hopping on Sterling’s back after a failed takedown attempt. Instead, he wound up spiked to the mat.

Sterling now has won two straight after a pair of setbacks. More importantly, he puts an ex-champ on his list of victims and sends Barao back to the drawing board with a career-endangering 2-4 run in the octagon.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 214 results include:

• Aljamain Sterling def. Renan Barao via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-26)
• Brian Ortega def. Renato Moicano via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 2:59
• Calvin Kattar def. Andre Fili via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Alexandra Albu def. Kailin Curran via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Jarred Brooks def. Eric Shelton via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Drew Dober def. Josh Burkman via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:04

For complete coverage of UFC 214, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s Dann Stupp, John Morgan, Ben Fowlkes, Mike Bohn and Ken Hathaway contributed to this report on site in Anaheim.)