Tag: ufc denver

UFC on ESPN 59 live results: Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez

Posted on by Ryan Frederick

After a week off following UFC 303, action inside the Octagon is back as the UFC returns to the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, for the first time since 2018 for tonight’s UFC on ESPN 59.

Headlining the card is a five-round bout in the women’s flyweight division as former UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas takes on Tracy Cortez. Cortez, who will be in her first UFC main event, is taking this fight on short notice as a replacement for Maycee Barber.

Namajunas is looking for her second consecutive win and hoping to earn a title shot with a victory. Meanwhile, Cortez has yet to lose during her UFC career with five straight UFC wins and 11 straight wins overall.

Also on the main card is a welterweight bout between Santiago Ponzinibbio and Muslim Salikhov; a lightweight bout pitting Drew Dober against Jean Silva; a featherweight bout between Julian Erosa and Christian Rodriguez; and middleweights Abdul Razak Alhassan and Cody Brundage in the main card opener.

ESPN PRELIMS | 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

> Welterweights- Evan Elder (8-2, 1-2 UFC) vs. Darrius Flowers (12-7-1, 0-2 UFC)

Elder with a body kick and they trade punches. Flowers with some kicks and lands a knee to the body in a brief clinch. Elder with a combination. Flowers lands a right hand. Elder with a body kick and lands an overhand right. Elder with another right hand. Flowers lands a right hand. Elder lands a high kick then a right hand and another high kick. Flowers tries a takedown but Elder reverses and they get to their feet. Elder lands a leg kick and Flowers falls down as he stumbles back. Elder jumps on top as he lands. Flowers sweeps and has the back but slips off and Elder ends up back on top. Elder with some punches and lands a knee as they work to the feet. Flowers tries a takedown but it is easily stuffed by Elder, who ends up on top. Both already looking tired at altitude. Flowers lands an upkick. 10-9 Elder.

We have an immediate timeout for a groin strike on Flowers. They get back to action. Elder lands a right hand but Flowers is able to score a takedown. Elder is able to cause a scramble and gets on top and lands to the body. Elder is able to get the mount. Elder looking for an arm-triangle choke and he has it locked in and Flowers taps! Big submission win for Elder.

Official Result- Evan Elder def. Darrius Flowers by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 1:46 of Round 2

> Middleweights- Josh Fremd (11-5, 2-3 UFC) vs. Andre Petroski (10-3, 5-2 UFC)

Fremd lands a jab. Petroski with a left hand and Fremd goes to his butt for a moment. Petroski gets a single leg and scores a takedown and is in side control. Petroski landing as he is holding onto position and looking to set something up with an arm. Fremd trying to find a way up as they are warned by the referee to stay busy. Petroski gets to the mount. Petroski lands an elbow. Petroski goes back to the mount and lands an elbow before getting the back late. 10-9 Petroski.

Fremd lands a kick and Petroski scores a takedown and looks for the mount. Petroski looking for a guillotine choke. Fremd has an arm in and Petroski lets go and takes the back. Petroski with a right hand from the back. Petroski looking for an arm-triangle choke. He almost has it in but Fremd is trying to fight it off. Fremd is out of it as Petroski pushes it to the fence. Petroski gets back to the mount. 10-9 Petroski, 20-18 Petroski.

Fremd coming out and landing on Petroski as he pushes it to the fence and lands a knee. They separate. Petroski gets a takedown. Petroski gets to the mount. Fremd gives up his back but rolls to his side and Petroski remains in the mount. Petroski moves to side control and is landing, doing enough to keep it from being stood up. Petroski gets the back of Fremd. Petroski keeps the back of Fremd as it ends. 10-9 Petroski, 30-27 Petroski.

Official Result- Andre Petroski def. Josh Fremd by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

> Women’s Flyweights- Luana Santos (7-1, 2-0 UFC) vs. Mariya Agapova (10-4, 2-3 UFC)

Both looking for openings early as Agapova lands some leg kicks. Santos drops Agapova with a right hand and they scramble up. Santos gets a big takedown and is in side control. Santos goes to the mount and looks for an arm-triangle choke. Santos lets go and lands some body punches. Santos gets the back and locks in a rear-naked choke. Agapova is trying to fight it off but she ends up tapping! Santos with a dominant first-round finish.

Official Result- Luana Santos def. Mariya Agapova by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:27 of Round 1

> Bantamweights- Montel Jackson (13-2, 7-2 UFC) vs. Da’Mon Blackshear (14-6-1, 2-2 UFC)

Jackson lands a jab to the chest and a left hand drops Blackshear and it is immediately all over in seconds. What a knockout by Jackson!

Official Result- Montel Jackson def. Da’Mon Blackshear by knockout (punch) at :18 of Round 1

> Women’s Flyweights- #15 Jasmine Jasudavicius (10-3, 4-2 UFC) vs. Fatima Kline (6-0, 0-0 UFC)

They trade leg kicks. Kline with a left hand as Jasudavicius lands a right hand. They trade and Kline gets a takedown. They scramble up and both land as Jasudavicius gets a takedown and has the back and lands. Jasudavicius continues to land from the back and now gets into side control. She gets the mount and lands a pair of elbows. Jasudavicius with more left hands to end the round. 10-9 Jasudavicius.

They trade and Jasudavicius lands slightly more. Kline with a leg kick. Jasudavicius lands a right hand. Kline lands a combination. Jasudavicius with a left hook. They clinch against the fence and Kline tries to take the back but Jasudavicius lands some knees to the body as she has the edge. Jasudavicius drags Kline down to the ground. Jasudavicius has the side mount and lands some punches and elbows. She ends the round landing from the top. 10-9 Jasudavicius, 20-18 Jasudavicius.

Kline lands a big right hand and follows it with a flurry that has Jasudavicius in trouble. Kline continues to land and Jasudavicius starts landing as well. Kline lands a right hand. Kline with the jab and they tie up and Kline lands while they’re tied up. They both land inside the pocket. They clinch and Jasudavicius with some dirty boxing. Jasudavicius gets the back and they get to the fence. Jasudavicius gets a takedown and starts landing from the top. They scramble to their feet but Jasudavicius gets it right back down. Jasudavicius landing from the top and attempts a choke late but time runs out. 10-9 Jasudavicius, 30-27 Jasudavicius.

Official Result- Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Fatima Kline by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

> Flyweights- Joshua Van (10-1, 3-0 UFC) vs. Charles Johnson (15-6, 4-4 UFC)

Johnson with a high kick then some leg kicks. Johnson lands a combination then lands some leg and body kicks. Johnson with more kicks as Van is looking for an opening. Johnson continuing to land kicks and shoots for a takedown, but Van defends. Van now landing the jab and lands a big right hand. Johnson lands a counter punch. Van with a jab and lands a right hand. Van trips Johnson up with a leg kick and gets on top. Johnson is able to get it up and shoots for a takedown, but Van defends and lands a knee. Johnson with a right hand. Van with a combination to the body. Close round. 10-9 Johnson.

They’re trading kicks. Van lands a combination. Van with a leg kick. Johnson with a jab and Van lands a pair of right hands. They trade in close range and Van is landing more punches. Johnson with some short leg kicks. Johnson with a left hand. Van with a jab and a right hand. They continue to trade inside the pocket and Van lands a combination. Johnson with a body kick and Van lands a right hand. Another close round. 10-9 Van, 19-19.

They’re trading big punches in close range. Johnson lands a right hand and then an uppercut that drops Van and it is all over! Wow, what a finish from Johnson!

Official Result- Charles Johnson def. Joshua Van by knockout (punch) at :20 of Round 3

ESPN MAIN CARD | 10 PM ET/7 PM PT

> Middleweights- Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-6, 6-6 UFC) vs. Cody Brundage (10-6, 4-5 UFC)

Brundage tries for the takedown right away but Alhassan is pounding away and has Brundage in trouble. Alhassan landing a ton and this could be stopped but Brundage is still trying to get it down. Alhassan is now landing elbows and lands some to the back of the head and timeout is called. Brundage is being checked by the doctors and they say he can’t continue, and, since the elbows were accidental, it’s going to be a no contest.

Official Result- Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage ends in a no contest (accidental foul) at :37 of Round 1

> Featherweights- Julian Erosa (29-11, 7-7 UFC) vs. Christian Rodriguez (11-1, 4-1 UFC)

Rodriguez with some early jabs as they trade leg kicks. Erosa lands some punches and Rodriguez lands some right hands then a head kick. Rodriguez’ mouth piece was knocked out. Rodriguez with some big punches and Erosa lands inside the pocket. Erosa lands a right hand. Rodriguez with a combo. Rodriguez with a right hand then a head kick. Rodriguez with another right hand. Erosa lands a teet kick. They trade in close range. Erosa gets a takedown and they are both landing on the mat. Rodriguez is inside the guard of Erosa and landing. Erosa suddenly locks in a guillotine choke and it’s in tight and Rodriguez taps! What a finish out of nowhere for Erosa to pick up the win.

Official Result- Julian Erosa def. Christian Rodriguez by submission (guillotine choke) at 4:49 of Round 1

> Welterweights- Gabriel Bonfim (15-1, 2-1 UFC) vs. Ange Loosa (10-3 1 NC, 2-1 1 NC UFC)

They clinch up almost immediately as both are looking to get it down. They switch positions and Bonfim lands several knees to the body. Loosa backs up and Bonfim lands a right hand then several more knees before Loosa scores a takedown. They get to their feet and Loosa gets it back down and lands several punches. They get to their feet and separate. They trade jabs. Bonfim with a pair of knees. Loosa looks for a takedown but Bonfim defends and lands a knee on the break. They trade jabs and Loosa gets a brief takedown, but they get right back up. Bonfim with a big combination. 10-9 Bonfim.

Bonfim with some teet kicks. Loosa scores a takedown but they get right back up. Bonfim lands a knee and Loosa lands a jab. Bonfim with a combination. They trade leg kicks. They trade inside the pocket before Bonfim lands a knee. They trade punches. Bonfim with a left hand. Bonfim lands a body kick. Bonfim with an uppercut. Loosa lands a right hand. Bonfim lands a big uppercut. Bonfim well ahead on volume as he lands an uppercut to the body followed by a knee. Loosa with a leg kick. Bonfim with a big right hand. Bonfim gets a late takedown. 10-9 Bonfim, 20-18 Bonfim.

Bonfim pressing forward and landing several combinations to start the third. They trade jabs. Bonfim with a series of jabs. Bonfim with a right hand and then tees up a few more. Bonfim landing with more volume as the pace is slowing down. Bonfim with a jab. Bonfim with a head kick. Bonfim with a right hand then a big knee to the body. Bonfim lands a right hand then a front kick. Bonfim with a hard right hand and Loosa clinches up and pushes it to the fence. They separate. Bonfim with a straight right hand. Loosa tries a late takedown. 10-9 Bonfim, 30-27 Bonfim.

Official Result- Gabriel Bonfim def. Ange Loosa by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

> Lightweights- Drew Dober (27-13 1 NC, 13-9 1 NC UFC) vs. Jean Silva (13-2, 2-0 UFC)

Dober with a leg kick. Dober with a body kick. Dober lands an inside leg kick. Silva lands a right hand and circles away. Silva with a high kick and a right hand. Silva lands a flying knee. Silva with a jab. Silva with a high kick and Dober with a leg kick. Dober lands a combination. Dober is cut around his eye. Dober lands a left hand to the body. Silva lands a right hand. Dober with a body kick as Silva lands a left hook. Silva with a left hook and body kick. 10-9 Silva.

Dober with an inside leg kick. Dober looks for a takedown and lands a knee on the break. Silva looks away and Dober lands a big left hand. Silva with a knee. Dober with a series of left hands as he lands in the clinch. Silva returns fire and Dober lands a body kick. Dober with a leg kick then a series of body shots. Silva with a right hand. Dober lands a Superman punch that hurts Silva. Dober with a left hand. Silva scores with an uppercut. Dober’s right eye is still badly bleeding. Dober lands a left hand. Silva with an elbow and a combination. Silva rocks Dober late with some hard punches and the bell might have saved Dober. 10-9 Silva, 20-18 Silva.

They trade kicks. They trade punches. Dober shoots for a takedown and Silva looks for a guillotine choke but Dober pops out and they’re back on the feet. Silva lands a spinning elbow. Dober’s face is an absolute mess and timeout is called to check the cut. That cut is massive and this fight has been stopped. What an incredible fight with an unfortunate end as Silva is going to pick up the win.

Official Result- Jean Silva def. Drew Dober by TKO (cut) at 1:28 of Round 3

> Welterweights- Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-7, 11-6 UFC) vs. Muslim Salikhov (19-5, 6-4 UFC)

Salikhov with a body kick. He lands a left hook. He lands a spin kick. Salikhov with a right hand followed by a body kick. Ponzinibbio pressing forward and lands a right hand. Ponzinibbio with a leg kick. Salikhov lands a spinning back fist and Ponzinibbio was knocked off balance. Salikhov with two left hooks. Ponzinibbio lands a right hand. Ponzinibbio with a combo to the body. Ponzinibbio with a right hand and lands a combo then Salikhov lands an uppercut. Ponzinibbio lands a combination. Salikhov with a right hand. Close round. 10-9 Salikhov.

Salikhov lands a right hand. Salikhov with a left hook and a spin kick. They trade and Salikhov lands a left hook. Salikhov with a spin kick that connects and knocks Ponzinibbio off balance for a moment. Salikhov with a leg kick. Salikhov with some solid punches and a body kick. Ponzinibbio throws but nothing lands then he connects with a right hand. Salikhov gets a brief takedown but they are right back up. Salikhov lands a solid combination. Ponzinibbio gets a late takedown and does nothing with it. 10-9 Salikhov, 20-18 Salikhov.

Ponzinibbio lands a right hand then a leg kick. They’re trading in close range. Salikhov just misses a spin kick. They clinch against the fence and Ponzinibbio has the edge but they separate. Ponzinibbio lands a right hand. Ponzinibbio looks for a takedown as he pushes it against the fence. Ponzinibbio drags it down and has the back as they almost stand. Salikhov is breathing heavily. They get to their feet as Ponzinibbio is still pressuring and Salikhov lands short punches. 10-9 Ponzinibbio, 29-28 Salikhov.

Official Result- Muslim Salikhov def. Santiago Ponzinibbio by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

> Women’s Flyweights- #6 Rose Namajunas (12-6, 10-5 UFC) vs. #11 Tracy Cortez (11-1, 5-0 UFC)

Namajunas with a leg kick. Namajunas lands a right hand. She lands a combo that backs Cortez up. Namajunas with a jab as Cortez lands a leg kick. Namajunas drops Cortez with a jab and Namajunas gets inside of the guard of Cortez. They get to their feet after Namajunas lands from the top. Namajunas lands a right hand. Cortez with a combo. Namajunas lands a right hand. They trade in close range. Cortez lands a right hand. They trade leg kicks. 10-9 Namajunas.

Namajunas with a jab and Cortez lands a right hand. Cortez lands a combo. They’re trading evenly but not a ton is landing. Namajunas with a leg kick. Namajunas lands a stiff right hand. Cortez briefly gets it down and is on the back as they stand. Cortez has the neck against the fence but Namajunas slips out. Namajunas lands a right hand. Cortez with a leg kick. Namajunas lands as she comes forward. Namajunas gets a takedown and ends the round on top. 10-9 Namajunas, 20-18 Namajunas.

Cortez rushes forward and lands. Namajunas with a front kick and then scores a takedown and goes right into the full mount. Namajunas landing from the top as they get to the fence. Cortez kicks off the fence to escape and they get to their feet. Namajunas gets it back to the ground. She gets back into the mount. Cortez tries to kick off the fence but Namajunas gets the back and lands as she looks for a choke. They get to their feet. Namajunas with a leg kick. 10-9 Namajunas, 30-27 Namajunas.

Cortez lands a kick and they clinch against the fence but quickly separate. They trade and Namajunas gets another takedown. They get up and Namajunas is controlling against the fence. They break apart. Both miss punch attempts. Cortez lands a right hand. Namajunas with a left hand. Namajunas lands a jab. Cortez gets a takedown but they quickly get up. Cortez with a knee and one more before the end. 10-9 Namajunas, 40-36 Namajunas.

Namajunas with a leg kick. Cortez with a pair of kicks. Both are throwing before Cortez initiates a tie-up against the fence. Namajunas reverses. They separate. Namajunas with a right hand. They clinch and Cortez lands a knee. They separate. Namajunas gets a takedown and has the leg as they stand and go to the fence. Cortez lands a knee. They separate. They trade combinations. Namajunas with a front kick. Cortez with a right hand and lands two more. Cortez with another right hand. Cortez with an uppercut and Namajunas lands a left hook. They tie up late. 10-9 Cortez, 49-46 Namajunas.

Official Result- Rose Namajunas def. Tracy Cortez by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)

UFC Fight Night 139 live results: Korean Zombie vs. Yair Rodriguez

Posted on by Ryan Frederick

Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC Fight Night 139: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodriguez, emanating from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

The Octagon heads to where it all began for the UFC’s 25th Anniversary Event in Denver, with a card headlined by two exciting bouts and an undercard full of fighters with lots of potential.

In the main event, it will be a battle between two of the most exciting fighters at 145 pounds as “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung takes on Yair Rodriguez, who took this fight on short notice as a replacement for Frankie Edgar. Both men have been out of action for well over a year and are looking to get back into the title picture.

In the co-main event, it is a potential war at 170 pounds as Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone goes against Mike Perry in a fight that has gotten somewhat personal due to Cerrone’s war with former coach Mike Winklejohn, who will be in the corner of Perry.

Also on the card is the return of former UFC Women’s Featherweight Champion Germaine de Randamie as she takes on Raquel Pennington, and the card features a lot of prospects in the likes of Maycee Barber, Luis Pena, Devonte Smith and recent TUF winner Mike Trizano.

Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern time with preliminary action all the way through the main card.

UFC FIGHT PASS PRELIMS | 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

> Mark De La Rosa (10-1, 1-1 UFC) vs. Joby Sanchez (11-3, 1-3 UFC)
Bantamweights

They trade a couple of left hooks to start the action. They trade in close range. Sanchez lands a combo and De La Rosa shoots for a takedown against the fence. Sanchez defends it and they break. They trade right hands and Sanchez with a body kick. De La Rosa lands a left hook and follows it with a solid combo. De La Rosa lands another solid combo. Sanchez with a body kick. De La Rosa with a high kick. They trade punches. De La Rosa with a leg kick and then another. Sanchez lands a stiff jab. They trade. They clinch as the round ends. 10-9 De La Rosa.

Sanchez lands the jab. De La Rosa with a couple of uppercuts. De La Rosa with a leg kick and then initiates a clinch. De La Rosa grabs the neck and almost has a choke locked in but Sanchez escapes and they clinch against the fence before breaking. De La Rosa lands some hard right hands and he is controlling the Octagon. He lands an overhand right. Sanchez circling away. De La Rosa grabs the back but Sanchez is able to spin away and lands some body punches. De La Rosa with a couple of knees and they break. De La Rosa lands a combo. He lands a hard overhand right. They trade and De La Rosa lands better. 10-9 De La Rosa, 20-18 De La Rosa.

De La Rosa with a leg kick. He lands another. Sanchez lands a right hand and they clinch but break. Sanchez lands some punches. They trade in close range. They clinch and battle for underhooks but break. They trade and Sanchez lands hard. De La Rosa lands a hard jab. De La Rosa with a leg kick. They clinch and De La Rosa looking for a late takedown. Sanchez defending well. They break and nothing happens at the end. 10-9 De La Rosa, 30-27 De La Rosa.

Official Result- Mark De La Rosa def. Joby Sanchez by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

> Joseph Morales (9-1, 1-1 UFC) vs. Eric Shelton (11-5, 1-3 UFC)
Flyweights

Shelton with an inside leg kick. Morales with a body kick. Shelton with a couple of leg kicks. Shelton lands an uppercut as Morales comes rushing in. Morales just misses a head kick. Shelton lands a right hand. They trade. Shelton lands a right hand. Shelton scores a takedown and looks to keep Morales on the mat but he scrambles to the feet. Shelton has the back and gets the hooks and drags the fight back down. Morales controls the wrist and they scramble to the feet. Shelton gets a takedown but Morales has the neck and is looking for a choke. He has it in tight. Shelton pops his head out. The round ends with Shelton in the guard of Morales. 10-9 Shelton.

Shelton lands an uppercut. Morales with a leg kick and Shelton turns it into a takedown. Morales gets to the fence and uses it to get to his feet. They break. Morales just misses a head kick. Morales with a nice combo. Shelton changes levels and gets a big takedown. Morales able to get up and grabs the neck and has a deep guillotine locked in. Shelton able to pop his head out and lands an elbow from the top. Shelton remains on top as Morales gets to the fence looking to wall walk. Morales gets to his feet. Shelton with a body kick. Shelton shoots down and Morales defends. They scramble and Morales gets a triangle choke locked in and lands some elbows as the round ends. 10-9 Morales, 19-19.

Shelton shoots in and Morales lands a knee to the body. Shelton goes for a takedown but Morales reverses it and takes Shelton down and is in the guard of Shelton. Shelton able to scramble from the bottom and they get to their feet. Shelton gets another takedown and Morales again has the neck but Shelton pops out. They get to their feet and Shelton lands a knee. Morales with a right hand. Shelton gets another takedown. Shelton doing a good job of keeping Morales from exploding to his feet. Shelton maintaining top position. They get to their feet and Shelton has the back and they go down for a moment. They get up and Morales lands a hard right hand. Shelton going for a single leg. They scramble to end the fight. 10-9 Shelton, 29-28 Shelton.

Official Result- Eric Shelton def. Joseph Morales by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27)

FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS | 8 PM ET/5 PM PT

> Devonte Smith (8-1, 0-0 UFC) vs. Julian Erosa (22-5, 1-1 UFC)
Lightweights

Smith with a body kick followed with a jab. Erosa with a leg kick. Smith drops Erosa with a straight right hand and then follows it up with some punches on the ground and finishes Erosa off as the referee steps in. Big finish and great debut for Smith, who is a bright prospect coming into the UFC.

Official Result- Devonte Smith def. Julian Erosa by knockout (punches) at :46 of Round 1

> Davi Ramos (8-2, 2-1 UFC) vs. John Gunther (7-0, 1-0 UFC)
Lightweights

Ramos gets an immediate takedown and is working from side control. Gunther scrambles but gives up his back and Ramos is working for a rear-naked choke. Ramos looking for the hooks and he has a lot of time. He has his arm across the neck and Gunther is fighting it. Ramos with a punch and now has the choke locked in. Gunther fighting but taps and Ramos just steamrolls to the win. He made it look easy.

Official Result- Davi Ramos def. John Gunther by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:57 of Round 1

> Chas Skelly (17-3, 6-3 UFC) vs. Bobby Moffett (13-3, 0-0 UFC)
Featherweights

Moffett misses a right hand. Skelly lands a right hand. They trade punches. Moffett with a leg kick. They trade punches. Skelly lands an uppercut and goes for a takedown. He grabs the back as Moffett defends. Skelly has the back and is working for a choke. Moffett keeping his chin low to defend. They are standing and Skelly has the backpack. They go to the mat for a moment. Skelly still has back control. Skelly with some left hands from the back. Moffett defending back control. Skelly not giving up position and Moffett breaks free. Final flurry before the bell. 10-9 Skelly.

Skelly with a calf kick. They trade punches and Moffett is circling away. Moffett with an uppercut. Moffett gets a takedown. Moffett in the guard of Skelly. Skelly tries to grab the neck but Moffett gets out. Moffett with an elbow from the top. Skelly reverses to the top and Moffett grabs the neck and has a D’arce Choke locked in. Moffett’s corner starts yelling that Skelly is out and the referee stops the fight but Skelly isn’t out and never tapped. We have controversy. Skelly was in tight but never went out cold and never tapped but Moffett is going to get declared the win regardless. The referee screwed up big time here. They went to a replay but the referee stood by his call to stop the fight.

Official Result- Bobby Moffett def. Chas Skelly by TKO (D’Arce choke) at 2:43 of Round 2

> Ashley Yoder (5-4, 0-3 UFC) vs. Amanda Cooper (3-4, 2-3 UFC)
Women’s Strawweights

Cooper with a leg kick. They trade punches. Yoder lands a left hand. They trade in close range. Cooper throwing to end the fight. Yoder with a body kick but Cooper fires back with a big combo. They trade punches and Cooper lands a body kick. Yoder with a left hand. Cooper shoots for a takedown but Yoder defends against the fence but Cooper then gets it. Cooper in side control landing elbows as Yoder throws up her legs looking to find something. Cooper escapes and Yoder reverses as Cooper was trying for a kimura. Yoder stands and passes into half-guard and lands a punch. Yoder ends the round on top landing some punches. 10-9 Cooper.

Yoder lands a left hand but Cooper is throwing big punches. Yoder rocks Cooper with a left hand. Yoder lands some knees in the clinch. Yoder with a judo throw and she is in side control and lands some punches. Yoder passes to guard and lands some elbows. Cooper defending from the bottom and she scrambles to the feet and they clinch against the fence. Cooper lands a knee. Cooper gets a takedown and is in the guard of Yoder. Cooper looking to pass as she lands a few punches. Cooper moves to side control as the round ends. 10-9 Cooper, 20-18 Cooper.

They trade punches to start the third. Cooper lands a right hand. Cooper with a combo. Yoder lands a left hand as Cooper lands a leg kick. They trade and Yoder lands a knee. Yoder with a left hand and Cooper counters with a hard right hand. Cooper with a combo. Cooper gets a takedown and Yoder rolls and reverses and ends up on top. Yoder stands and Cooper with some upkicks. Cooper on bottom but looking for a kimura as Yoder tries to pass. Yoder back into the guard of Cooper. Yoder looking for an armbar and has it tight but Cooper able to get out and ends up on top. Cooper in side control and they scramble and Cooper looking for an armbar. Yoder escapes and has the back and looks for a late rear-naked choke but more of a face crank. Time runs out for Yoder. 10-9 Cooper, 30-27 Cooper.

Official Result- Ashley Yoder def. Amanda Cooper by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)

FOX SPORTS 1 MAIN CARD | 10 PM ET/7 PM PT

> Mike Trizano (7-0, 1-0 UFC) vs. Luis Pena (5-0, 1-0 UFC)
Lightweights

Trizano with leg kicks early. Pena with a high kick and then a front kick. Trizano back with a leg kick. Pena with a front kick. Pena lands a left hand. Trizano counters with a right hand and follows it with a body kick. Pena with a front kick to the face and follows it with a combo. Trizano with a leg kick. Pena with a left hand and Trizano counters with a leg kick. Pena shoots and grabs a single leg. They clinch against the fence. They battle for underhooks then break. Pena with a flying knee. Trizano grabs the neck and jumps guard but Pena pops out and they go to the mat with Pena in the guard. They scramble to their feet. 10-9 Pena.

Pena with a left hand. Trizano with a leg kick. Pena lands a left hand. They trade kicks. They continue to trade kicks. Pena with a front kick to the body. Pena looking for a takedown. They trade punches in close range. Pena shoots for a single leg. Trizano with some elbows as Pena works for the takedown. Pena with a knee as he has the body. Pena has the back and gets a brief takedown. Pena hops on the back of Trinzao as they stand. They go to the mat and Pena has the back. Pena lands some punches from the back. Pena has the choke locked in but might not be under the chin and he lets go. Trizano turns into Pena and ends on top in Pena’s guard. Trizano with a couple of hammerfists from the top. 10-9 Pena, 20-18 Pena.

Trizano with a right hand. Pena with a front kick. They trade punches. Trizano with a leg kick. Pena just misses a head kick and misses a takedown attempt from far out. Pena grabs the body of Trizano against the fence and is working for a takedown. Pena gets the takedown and is in the guard of Trizano. Trizano reverses as they stand. Trizano then takes Pena down. Pena sweeps to his feet. Pena trying to flatten Trizano on the mat. They get to their feet and break. Trizano lands a good combo followed by a right hand and then an inside leg kick. Trizano lands a combo at the end. 10-9 Trizano, 29-28 Trizano.

Official Result- Mike Trizano def. Luis Pena by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

> Maycee Barber (5-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Hannah Cifers (8-2, 0-0 UFC)
Women’s Strawweights

They trade kicks. Barber lands the right hook. Barber with a head kick and then fires a combo. Cifers with a knee in the clinch. Barber tries a takedown but it is defended. They trade knees in the clinch. They battle for position against the fence. They break as Cifers lands a right hand. Cifers with a leg kick. Barber just misses a head kick. Elbow on the inside by Barber. Barber with a knee and a short uppercut. Barber with an inside elbow and a foot stomp. They break after Barber misses a takedown attempt. Barber misses an axe kick and Cifers almost takes advantage but eats a huge elbow from Barber. Barber with another big elbow. 10-9 Barber.

Barber lands a head kick. Barber with another head kick and then follows with a combo. They clinch and Barber with a big elbow and then another that cuts Cifers open. They go to the mat and Barber ends on top. Cifers’ cut is huge. Barber with some elbows and then a big one. This could be stopped soon. Barber with more punches from the top. Huge punches from Barber and now some elbows. Cifers is covered in blood and this fight is stopped. Impressive showing by Barber. She is going to be a star with performances like this, and she is just 20-years-old.

Official Result- Maycee Barber def. Hannah Cifers by TKO (strikes) at 2:01 of Round 2

> Beneil Dariush (14-4-1, 8-4-1 UFC) vs. Thiago Moises (11-2, 0-0 UFC)
Lightweights

Dariush with a body kick. Moises with a front kick and Dariush returns another body kick. They clinch and Moises jumps guard but Moises pops his neck out. Dariush on top and lands some punches. Moises grabs the arm but they scramble out. Dariush has the back and lands some knees. They are on the feet and tied up. Dariush lands a knee as he eats an elbow. Moises jumps for a guillotine but Dariush pops out and is on top. Dariush grabs the back and lands a knee as they break. Dariush with a combo and they clinch and he lands a knee. Dariush working hard for a takedown and gets it. Dariush gets the mount and lands punches as the round ends. 10-9 Dariush.

They trade head kicks at the start of the second. Dariush gets the body lock and scores a takedown and steps over into half-guard. Dariush landing punches from the top as he maintain top position as Moises has a wide open guard. Dariush now has the back and is in control of the grappling. Dariush with some knees to the body from back control. Moises is bleeding under his eye. Dariush looking for a choke and he has a rear-naked attempt in. Moises is defending and it isn’t under the chin. Dariush has it almost in. Dariush with some punches from the back. 10-8 Dariush, 20-17 Dariush.

Dariush with a body kick but eats a right hand from Moises. Moises with an uppercut as Dariush initiates a clinch. Knee to the body from Dariush. Moises jumps for guard and has nothing and now Dariush in the half-guard. Dariush with some short elbows. Moises is exhausted on the bottom. He gives up his back. Dariush has the hooks in and starts to work for a choke. He is working for it. He has a crank in but lets go. Dariush with punches from the back. Dariush scrambles to the half-guard. Dariush with elbows to the body. He rides out the fight on top. Domination by Dariush. 10-8 Dariush, 30-25 Dariush.

Official Result- Beneil Dariush def. Thiago Moises by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)

> Raquel Pennington (#4, 9-6, 6-3 UFC) vs. Germaine de Randamie (#5, 8-3, 4-1 UFC)
Women’s Bantamweights* (Pennington missed weight by 2 pounds)

Pennington coming out with the jab but de Randamie firing right back. de Randamie lands a right hand. Pennington initiates a clinch against the fence. They remain tied up against the fence. Pennington with a knee to the body. de Randamie with some knees after she reverses position. A knee to the body from de Randamie and then one to the head and then an elbow. Pennington with an uppercut. de Randamie lands a hard right hand. 10-9 de Randamie.

de Randamie with the jab. Pennington with an inside leg kick. Pennington goes for a takedown but it is defended and de Randamie lands a right hand. de Randamie lands a hard right hand. Pennington with an inside leg kick. de Randamie with a right hand. de Randamie with a high kick. Pennington with a couple of kicks. Pennington with a leg kick but eats a left hand from de Randamie. Pennington working hard for a takedown. They break and de Randamie lands some hooks and Pennington goes right back to working for a takedown. 10-9 de Randamie, 20-18 de Randamie.

de Randamie lands a leg kick. Pennington just circling away but unable to lead with any offense. de Randamie with a leg kick. de Randamie just misses a head kick. de Randamie with a front kick and Pennington with one of her own. de Randamie backs her up with a right hand. They clinch and Pennington with some short punches. de Randamie blocks a takedown attempt from Pennington. They trade knees and are broken from the clinch. de Randamie lands a jab as Pennington goes back to work in the clinch. de Randamie lands a knee and some punches. 10-9 de Randamie, 30-27 de Randamie.

Official Result- Germaine de Randamie def. Raquel Pennington by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

> Donald Cerrone (#12, 32-11 1 NC, 20-8 UFC) vs. Mike Perry (12-3, 5-3 UFC)
Welterweights

Perry with a big swing and Cerrone ducks under and they clinch. Perry with some knees and Cerrone lands some knees. They break. Cerrone with an inside leg kick. Cerrone with the jab. They clinch and Perry with a knee. Cerrone with a knee on the break. Cerrone with a couple of jabs and then a leg kick. Perry gets a takedown and in side control. Cerrone reverses into side control of his own. Perry gives up his back and Cerrone traps him against the fence. Perry slips out and is on top. Cerrone working for a triangle. Cerrone has an armbar in deep and Perry taps! Cerrone with the submission win as he becomes the winningest fighter in UFC history and also sets the record for most finishes in UFC history.

Official Result- Donald Cerrone def. Mike Perry by submission (armbar) at 4:46 of Round 1

> Chan Sung Jung (#10, 15-4, 4-1 UFC) vs. Yair Rodriguez (#15, 10-2, 6-1 UFC)
Featherweights

They trade kicks. Rodriguez with an inside leg kick and then another leg kick and another. Jung with a couple of punches. Jung with a nice combo. Rodriguez with another leg kick. Rodriguez making a lot of attacks to the legs. Jung with a flurry of punches. Rodriguez with more kicks. Jung with a leg kick and Rodriguez counters with a stiff jab. Jung with a front kick. Rodriguez with an axe kick. Jung rocks Rodriguez with a right hand and goes after him but Rodriguez slips away. They trade kicks. Jung lands a left hand. Close round. 10-9 Jung.

Rodriguez with a side kick. They trade kicks. Jung with a combo ending with a body kick. They clinch and Rodriguez with some body punches. We have a low blow and a timeout. Back to action and Jung with a high kick. He just misses a big overhand right. Rodriguez with a head kick that was blocked. Jung lands a hard jab. Jung lands an elbow but eats a spinning elbow from Rodriguez. Jung working for a takedown but Rodriguez defends it well. They break. Rodriguez with a hammerfist. Jung lands a right hand. Rodriguez with a flying knee. They clinch. They both land as they break. Jung with a late combo. 10-9 Rodriguez, 19-19.

Jung coming out firing punches. Rodriguez with a combo ending with a high kick but he eats a jab from Jung. They land in close range. Jung with a leg kick followed by a right hand. Rodriguez lands a body kick and then another. Rodriguez with leg kicks now. Jung with a combo. Jung coming forward but eating punches from Rodriguez. Jung rocks Rodriguez with a left hand and Rodriguez circles away. They trade kicks and Jung lands a right hand. They trade in a frantic flurry after Jung almost takes Rodriguez down. Jung lands a left hook and a jab. Jung ends the round strong with a flurry. 10-9 Jung, 29-28 Jung.

Jung with a combo early and hurts Rodriguez with an uppercut. They trade left hooks. Jung forward with punches but still eats a body kick from Rodriguez. Rodriguez with a spinning back fist. Rodriguez knocks Jung off balance but Jung lands a left hook. They trade jabs. Rodriguez with a roundhouse kick. Both men are bleeding. Jung with a combo and then he rocks Rodriguez with a big right hand. They both attempt flying knees at the same time. Jung with another stiff jab. Rodriguez with a jab but Jung counters with an overhand right. Rodriguez with a body kick and went for a rolling guard attack but Jung snuck away. Jung with a right hand. 10-9 Jung, 39-37 Jung.

Rodriguez with some side kicks and Jung lands a right hand. They trade punches. Rodriguez with a jab but Jung counters with a right hand and then counters with another. Jung lands a hard right hand. Rodriguez goes for a takedown but Jung defends it and lands a left hand as they break. Rodriguez with a body kick. Rodriguez catches Jung with a right hand. They trade hard punches. Rodriguez with some body kicks. Both men are throwing. Jung landing better and is coming forward more. Jung with a combo. Jung coming forward with punches. Rodriguez knocks Jung out cold right at the horn! Oh my god. It was an elbow right at the end of the fight and Jung went out cold and Rodriguez got the last second win in a fight that he might have lost had it gone three seconds longer. What a finish.

Official Result- Yair Rodriguez def. Chan Sung Jung by knockout (elbow) at 4:59 of Round 5

UFC 25th anniversary show: Predictions and memories

Posted on by Josh Nason

Get out your party hats and Royce Gracie t-shirts as it’s the UFC 25th anniversary show, live from Denver featuring….not Gracie and probably not any of the original combatants on that fateful night so many years ago.

Let’s face it: star-wise, this show isn’t much of a celebration. Even with Frankie Edgar out with an injury, this is more of a “Well, there’s a few good fights” show than anything else. 

Helping me discuss some of the questions about the event, in addition to a few historical ones, are our friends Ryan Frederick and Paul Fontaine.

**********

Full Card (FS1 and UFC Fight Pass)

  • Chan Sung Jung (aka The Korean Zombie) vs. Yair Rodriguez
  • Donale Cerrone vs. Mike Perry
  • Raquel Pennington vs. Germaine de Randamie
  • Beneil Dariush vs. Thiago Moises
  • Maycee Barber vs. Hannah Cifers
  • Mike Triziano vs. Luis Pena
  • Ashley Yoder vs. Amanda Cooper
  • Chas Skelly vs. Bobby Moffett
  • Davi Ramos vs. John Gunther
  • Devonte Smith vs. Julian Erosa
  • Joseph Morales vs. Eric Shelton
  • Mark de la Rosa vs. Joby Sanchez

What are you most looking forward to?

Ryan: The top two fights on the card. Zombie against Rodriguez (both out more than a year) is really a perfect return matchup for both and makes more sense than Frankie Edgar for Jung. As for Cerrone vs. Perry, that has fireworks written all over it. It also has the underlying story of Cerrone’s current feud with coach Mike Winklejohn, who will be in the corner of Perry, so there’s lot of intrigue in that one as well.

Paul: I’ll go with the three women’s fights on the card as all three feature fighters at very different stages of their careers and could represent the past, present, and future of women’s MMA. You have a former title challengers in Pennington and a former champion in de Randamie on the main card, two highly touted prospects in strawweights Barber and Cifers, and two journeywomen who could be fighting for their UFC lives in Yoder and Cooper.

Josh: Same as Ryan, it’s the main event and the co-main event. I don’t think the results of either will make a huge difference going forward, but with a Cerrone loss, that would be five out of his last six which isn’t good.

Anything being slept on?

Paul: Chas Skelly vs Bobby Moffett. Moffett really impressed on the Dana White Contender Series and Skelly is a post-fight bonus machine. This fight has action written all over it and could steal the show.

Ryan: I don’t know that it’s being slept on since she’s getting a lot of hype from the MMA media, but be sure to pay attention to the UFC debut of Barber. She has serious star potential, is just 20, and there are some serious expectations that she could be a future UFC champion. We should slow down that talk for now because she is way young and way early in her career. The potential is there though, and she should impress.

Josh: Not really. This is one where pretty much everything feels right in terms of importance and the push, so to speak.

Anything not doing it for you?

Josh: From a more macro view, this whole show is disappointing considering what it’s supposed to represent. I’m a big fan of celebrations of milestones and achievements, so I hope the presentation at least tips its hat a bit more toward the fact UFC has been around for 25 years. The names on this show, however, make this feel like more of an afterthought than well-thought out presentation. I understand MSG was last weekend, but did they have to do an event every single weekend from here through the end of the year to lessen the pool they could use?

Ryan: Pennington vs. de Randamie as I think it will be the most boring fight on the card as the styles both have don’t mesh well together. The fact that both are coming off loads of injuries with de Randamie being out of action for 21 months will have a lot of impact on how they perform. It’s far from the best fight on the card.

Paul: The two flyweight fights on the Fight Pass portion are completely pointless since that division will cease to exist shortly. They might as well move up to bantamweight now and try to establish themselves in that division.

Where’s the intrigue?

Ryan: The top two fights as they both could be late entries into the fight of the year race, and there’s intrigue in prospects like Barber, Devonte Smith, and Luis Pena. It certainly represents a lot of present and future aspects of the UFC, fitting for the 25th anniversary event.

Paul: All of the fighters that are making their UFC debuts like everyone Ryan mentioned as well as Thiago Moises. You’ve also got “Juicy J” Julian Erosa getting a second chance after an impressive run years ago on TUF. John Gunther and Davi Ramos looked very impressive when they debuted in UFC and hope to keep the momentum going with a strong performance.

Josh: The co-main event and whether it will be as entertaining as everyone hopes it will be. It’s fun that they make these “fan service” fights, but sometimes they don’t turn out as good as we’d expect. I hope this is an exception.

What will be people talking about most after the show is done?

Paul: It will be talk of Cerrone re-emerging as a possible title contender after he scores a minor upset and beats Perry. Cerrone probably takes the mantle formerly held by Michael Bisping as best to never hold a title and it won’t take much momentum for UFC to work him into a title shot.

Ryan: It will be talk of a title eliminator fight for the Korean Zombie, how much fun the Cerrone against Perry bout was, and the intrigue of what is to come for Barber, Pena, and Smith.

Josh: That the young kids made a good accounting for themselves up and down the show, and that people will be disappointed there wasn’t more of a 25th anniversary feel to the show.

What’s been your favorite fight of the first 25 years of the UFC?

Ryan: Robbie Lawler vs Rory MacDonald 2. It had everything you want in a classic fight, and it happened to be on a major event. That one really stands out to me.

Paul: Michael Bisping knocking out Luke Rockhold to win the middleweight title. It wasn’t the “best” fight but it was certainly my favorite moment in all my years of being a UFC fan.

Josh: Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson. We were all groaning at the build for that show, but that fight was just so great, so close, and so gripping. There’s a reason many say it’s the best fight in UFC history, which is arguable, but it’s my favorite. I am every excited for the second one at the end of the year, assuming we don’t get a damn injury or something.

What’s been your favorite memory of the first 25 years of the UFC?

Paul: Being in the crowd when Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva for the middleweight title. I was sitting at the very top row of the arena and wasn’t even sure if I’d seen what I’d just seen. Then, it was a mixture of joy and sadness sweeping over the entire crowd. The person I was next to and I just started jumping up and down and hugging and in the next section, while there were people who I assume were Brazilian with their heads in their hands and literally weeping.

An honorable mention would be walking through the MGM Arena after Conor McGregor knocked out Chad Mendes and taking over an hour to get through the arena and casino with the Irish fans singing constantly and drinking non-stop.

Ryan: It has been the rise of Conor McGregor. We haven’t seen a fighter in this sport transcend it the way he has, both in good and bad ways. But it always feels fun when he is around, and I hope he sticks around for a while because he makes this wild and crazy sport just a little more wild and crazy.

Josh: A few come to mind. The rise of the UFC in the first few years of the post-TUF era were something we’ll likely never see again, but were so awesome to go through. To have friends and friends of friends interested in the sport and intrigued by this “new” thing was such a great feeling. I will never forget being at a party with 10 or so law school kids (my friend was at school, not I!) watching the TUF finale with Rich Franklin vs. Ken Shamrock as a headliner. It was such a mix of men and women and everyone was intrigued.

Another would be sitting with my friend Sully at a bar and watching the Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen fight and the gut punch feeling when Sonnen lost. At the same bar, he and I watched the Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua classic. Now, he doesn’t watch anymore which is indicative of how the content era just drove so many people away. 

Finally, I’d say some of the events I’ve covered and the people I’ve met. From my first show in Charlotte (Kenny Florian vs. the debuting Takanori Gomi!) to the first UFC event in Boston (Randy Couture vs. James Toney!) to the debut of FS1 to even Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou this year, it’s been a fun ride and I’m looking forward to more in the years ahead. Maybe I’ll even get out to Vegas one of these years…

Who wins?

Zombie vs. Rodriguez

Zombie: Ryan, Paul
Rodriguez: Josh

Cerrone vs. Perry

Perry: Josh
Cerrone: Ryan, Paul

Raquel Pennington vs. Germaine de Randamie

Pennington: Josh, Paul
de Randamie: Ryan

UFC on FOX 23 live results: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Julianna Pena

Posted on by Ryan Frederick

Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC On FOX 23: Shevchenko vs. Pena, emanating from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

The event is headlined by a five-round bout in the women’s bantamweight division, which could be a title eliminator bout, as first-ranked Valentina Shevchenko takes on second-ranked Julianna Pena. Shevchenko comes into the fight after winning a convincing decision over former champion Holly Holm in July. Shevchenko’s only UFC loss came to current champion Amanda Nunes, a bout in which she was winning late. Pena is undefeated in the UFC, having won four straight, and is coming off a win over former title challenger Cat Zingano.

The co-main event is a welterweight bout that has fireworks written all over it as Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will square off against Jorge Masvidal. Cerrone has been on fire since moving up to the welterweight division as he has won four straight fights. Masvidal has been calling out Cerrone for a long time, and now he looks to add to his two-fight win streak by derailing Cerrone’s quest for a title shot.

Also on the main card is a heavyweight slugfest as former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski looks to end a three-fight losing skid when he takes on rising heavyweight prospect Francis Ngannou, winner of eight straight fights.

Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 4 p.m. eastern time with preliminary action all the way through the main card.

UFC FIGHT PASS PRELIMS | 4 PM ET/1 PM PT

> Jason Gonzalez (10-3, 0-1 UFC) vs. JC Cottrell (17-4, 0-1 UFC)
Lightweights

Gonzalez rocked Cottrell early but Cottell gained the momentum by scoring a takedown. Cottrell was landing from the top before Gonzalez was able to reverse position and get to the feet. Gonzalez grabbed the neck of Cottrell and was able to lock in a D’arce choke and that was it as he forced Cottrell to tap out! Submission win in the opening bout for Jason Gonzalez. After the bout, Gonzalez called out Drew Dober as he wants to avenge the loss he suffered to Dober in his UFC debut.

Official Result- Jason Gonzalez def. JC Cottrell by submission (D’arce choke) at 3:54 of Round 1

> Alexandre Pantoja (16-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Eric Shelton (10-2, 0-0 UFC)
Flyweights

They traded early in the round with Pantoja getting the better of it with body kicks. Pantoja was able to take the fight to the mat and worked for the choke from the back before Shelton was able to spin free and get on top. They got to the feet and Pantoja landed a big kick but Shelton got a takedown close to the end of the round. A close first round but I score it 10-9 for Pantoja.

Pantoja was getting the better of the striking but Shelton was always able to reverse into takedowns. Pantoja went for a guillotine at one point but it didn’t come close to submitting Shelton. Shelton was able to land a flying knee before Pantoja score a takedown and took over the end of the round as he threatened with submissions from the back. They were pretty even on the striking this round but Pantoja’s ground control scored this round 10-9 for him, and I have Pantoja up 20-18 heading into the final round.

The pace slowed down in the third round considerably. That might be a common theme with the Denver altitude tonight. They stood on the feet and were just trading single punches. Neither man was doing much as the cardio was slowing them down. Pantoja was getting the better of the striking though Shelton stood toe-to-toe with him. This was Pantoja’s round 10-9 as he was the more effective striker. I have the fight 30-27 for Pantoja. This was a very good fight despite the slower-paced third round. Big mix of scores all over the place in this fight, and Pantoja took the fight on two of the three scorecards to get a split decision. It was definitely a close fight and one that could have gone either way.

Official Result- Alexandre Pantoja def. Eric Shelton by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS | 5 PM ET/2 PM PT

> Marcos Rogerio de Lima (14-4-1, 3-2 UFC) vs. Jeremy Kimball (14-5, 0-0 UFC)
Light Heavyweights (de Lima missed weight, coming in at 209.6 pounds)

de Lima landed some big punches early but Kimball was firing back. Kimball tripped inside the Octagon and fell to the mat and de Lima capitalized and started landing monstorous punches from the top before the referee stepped in and stopped the fight. Unfortunate end for Kimball as de Lima gets the early stoppage win.

Official Result- Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Jeremy Kimball by TKO (punches) at 2:21 of Round 1

> Eric Spicely (9-1, 1-1 UFC) vs. Alessio Di Chirico (10-1, 1-1 UFC)
Middleweights

They traded early on before Di Chirico got a takedown. Spicely locked in a triangle choke and started squeezing tighter and got Di Chirico to tap out. Slick submission win for Spicely in the opening round as he makes quick work. Spicely called out Dan Kelly for a fight in his post-fight interview.

Official Result- Eric Spicely def. Alessio Di Chirico by submission (triangle choke) at 2:14 of Round 1

> Henrique da Silva (12-1, 2-1 UFC) vs. Jordan Johnson (6-0, 0-0 UFC)
Light Heavyweights

Johnson got a big takedown early on and locked in an anaconda choke and had it on deep. Johnson let it go, though. da Silva was looking gassed out early after the choke. Johnson was controlling the pace and landing some big punches as da Silva was missing, and the first round definitely belonged to him after a late takedown. 10-9 first round for Johnson.

Johnson got a huge takedown at the start of the second round. Johnson was completely dominant from the top position landing lots of ground-and-pound. They got to their feet but Johnson was doubling up on his punches as da Silva just looked exhausted. Big round for Johnson as I had it 10-9, and Johnson up 20-18.

Johnson got another takedown at the start of the third. Johnson would get to his feet and the crowd would boo da Silva staying on the mat. da Silva was extremely gassed out. Johnson was landing big from the top and in complete control as the fight went the distance. The most dominant round of the fight for Johnson as that was a 10-8 final round. I have it 30-26 for Johnson. Johnson had a clean sweep on the scorecards, but no 10-8 scores from any of the judges in any round.

Official Result- Jordan Johnson def. Henrique da Silva by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

> Bobby Nash (8-1, 0-0 UFC) vs. Li Jingliang (11-4, 3-2 UFC)
Welterweights

They were trading back and forth and Jingliang rocked Nash with some big punches. Nash had some takedowns defended but he dropped Jingliang with a big left hook and Nash had a rear-naked choke locked in. Jingliang survived to the end of the round but took a beating late. 10-9 Nash in the first round.

Nash rocked Jingliang with a nice combination and went to the grappling and had Jingliang clinched up against the fence. Jingliang got a brief takedown but Nash scrambled up. Jingliang then dropped Nash with a big right hand and one more punch on the ground ended the fight. This was a great fight and a big knockout win for Jingliang.

Official Result- Li Jingliang def. Bobby Nash by knockout (punches) at 4:45 of Round 2

> Raphael Assuncao (#4, 23-5, 7-2 UFC) vs. Aljamain Sterling (#7, 12-1, 4-1 UFC)
Bantamweights

There were a lot of feints from Sterling as he was dodging punches from Assuncao. Sterling was keeping Assuncao at a distance with his long reach but Assuncao was able to land some punches. This was a close round as neither did a ton to win the round, but Sterling landing a lot of kicks may have gotten him the round. I have it 10-9 for Sterling.

Strange moment early in the second with a low blow from Assuncao that wasn’t called, but he didn’t jump on a hurt Sterling. Fans were booing the action in the round as not much was happening. Sterling wasn’t throwing any punches in the round and Assuncao was far more active. They went back to trading kicks and the fans were growing restless with the action in this round. They traded leg kicks late. I have round two 10-9 for Assuncao, and it tied up at 19-19.

They were trading and the pace was picking up. Sterling was landing more and keeping Assuncao at good range. The fans were still booing because while the activity picked up a little, it wasn’t all that exciting. Sterling started landing more late and threatened with takedowns in the round. Assuncao was missing more. This is a close fight overall. I have round three 10-9 for Sterling, and Sterling winning 29-28 overall, but this one will be interesting on the scorecards. Assuncao took the fight on two scorecards, which seemed like a good call as it was real close.

Official Result- Raphael Assuncao def. Aljamain Sterling by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

> Nate Marquardt (35-16-2, 13-9 UFC) vs. Sam Alvey (29-8 1 NC, 6-3 UFC)
Middleweights

They had a grueling clinch battle against the fence. Both were switching positions but neither was able to get a distinct advantage. Not a whole lot of action went on and then when the ten-second block sounded, Alvey landed a big knee and came on with a late flurry that likely got him the round. It was really a nothing round for the first 98 percent of it. I have it 10-9 for Alvey.

Marquardt came on with a flurry as Alvey was clearing looking to set up a counter punch, but it was costing him early in this round. Alvey knocked Marquardt down at one point but did nothing to capitalize on it. Marquardt was bleeding from his cheek. Neither man was doing much and the crowd began booing. Alvey landed a good combination at the end of the round. This one was more clear for him. 10-9 Alvey in the second round and I have him up 20-18.

Marquardt got a takedown in the third round and had Alvey planted against the fence in the clinch. He took Alvey down again and was working for the choke. Alvey was able to work back to his feet and was starting to get the edge on the feet with just over a minute left. Neither man did a lot in the last minute before Marquardt landed a combo in the closing seconds. I have round three 10-9 for Marquardt. I have the fight 29-28 Alvey overall. It will come down to how the first round was scored in my eyes. All three judges had the fight for Alvey. Alvey called for a fight against Jack Marshman in his post-fight interview.

Official Result- Sam Alvey def. Nate Marquardt by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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> Alex Caceres (12-9 1 NC, 7-7 1 NC UFC) vs. Jason Knight (15-2, 2-1 UFC)
Featherweights

They spent most of the round on the feet and exchanging. Caceres showed good head movement and good overall footwork to keep away from Knight and was more accurate with his strikes. Caceres was winning the round until very late when Knight got a big takedown and had Caceres locked in a rear-naked choke, but the round ended before he could finish. A 10-9 round for Knight.

They were trading back-and-forth again before Knight got a takedown again. Knight was threatening from the back with a choke and punches and had Caceres planted firmly on the mat. Knight got the choke locked in and he forced Caceres to tap! Knight with a big submission win in the second round and he has now won three straight fights. Knight called for a fight against Doo Ho Choi for his next fight.

Official Result- Jason Knight def. Alex Caceres by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:21 of Round 2

> Andrei Arlovski (#7, 25-13 1 NC, 14-7 UFC) vs. Francis Ngannou (#10, 9-1, 4-0 UFC)
Heavyweights

They were trading back-and-forth and then Ngannou landed a big right uppercut that sent Arlovski airborne and down and then Ngannou finished him off with some more punches. A very violent finish by Ngannou, who has shown to be a legitimate threat in the heavyweight division.

Official Result- Francis Ngannou def. Andrei Arlovski by TKO (punches) at 1:32 of Round 1

> Donald Cerrone (#5, #11 LW, 32-7 1 NC, 19-4 UFC) vs. Jorge Masvidal (#12, 31-11, 8-4 UFC)
Welterweights

They were standing and trading early on. Cerrone was landing kicks but Masvidal was landing some punches. Cerrone went for a takedown but it was defended, though he landed a head kick. Masvidal’s lead leg was all red from eating the leg kicks from Cerrone. Masvidal landed a big right hand that dropped Cerrone and he landed some punches. Herb Dean stepped in but it happened to be right at the end of the round. Dean said the fight wasn’t over and it was the end of the round. Masvidal stole it at the end. 10-9 Masvidal.

Masvidal knocked Cerrone down again and Cerrone got up but Masvidal was landing to the body and Herb Dean stepped in and stopped the fight. Masvidal with the biggest win of his career and that ends Cerrone’s undefeated run at welterweight.

Official Result- Jorge Masvidal def. Donald Cerrone by TKO (punches) at 1:00 of Round 2

> Valentina Shevchenko (#1, 13-2, 2-1 UFC) vs. Julianna Pena (#2, 8-2, 4-0 UFC)
Women’s Bantamweights

Pena got an early clinch and pushed Shevchenko to the fence. Shevchenko swept to a takedown but Pena was able to scramble up and they were back in the clinch. Shevchenko got another takedown into side control. Shevchenko got into the guard and ended the round on top. First round was for Shevchenko 10-9.

It was another clinch battle with Pena having Shevchenko pressed against the fence. Pena got a takedown and was in the full guard of Shevchenko. Pena was doing enough to keep the fight on the mat but Shevchenko was active on the bottom with good defense. Shevchenko got an armbar in from bottom and Pena tapped out! That armbar came out of nowhere and Pena was in all sorts of trouble. Shevchenko likely secured herself the next title shot at Amanda Nunes. Nunes came into the Octagon after the fight and they exchanged words post-fight.

Official Result- Valentina Shevcheko def. Julianna Pena by submission (armbar) at 4:29 of Round 2