While all the sporting activities across the globe are either postponed or cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 249 made a return to action at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on Sunday.


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Having missed out nearly two months of action because of COVID-19 and social distancing retrictions, UFC had left with 11 bouts to present in front of its fans.


In the final preliminary card bout at UFC 249, American mixed martial artist Anthony Pettis defeated fellow countryman Donald Cerrone by unanimous decision (29-28) to lift welterweight title.


Former UFC lightweight champion Pettis headed into the fight, having lost three of his last four fights. Cerrone, on the other hand, too faced Pettis after losing three fights in a row.


In the last meeting between the two players on January 26, 2013, Pettis had defeated Cerrone via first-round knockout.


In another bout of the day, Ukraine's Aleksei Oleinik (59-13-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC) produced a surprising strategy of out-striking the former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum (23-9-1 MMA, 11-6 UFC) to clinch a split decision win and secure heavyweight title.


Meanwhile, former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza ((16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) defeated Michelle Waterson (17-8 MMA, 5-4 UFC) via a split decision 27-30, 29-28 and 30-27 to win the title in a prelimnary card bout.


Take a look at other fights of the day:


Henry Cejudo (c) defeated Dominick Cruz via second-round Total Knock Out (punches)


Francis Ngannou defeated Jair Rozenstruik via first-round Total Knock Out (punches)


Calvin Kattar defeated Jeremy Stephens via second-round knockout


Greg Hardy defeated Yorgan de Castro via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)


Vicente Luque defeated Niko Price via third-round TKO (doctor stoppage)


Bryce Mitchell defeated Charles Rosa via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-24)


Ryan Spann defeated Sam Alvey via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)