Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC Fight Night 95: Cyborg vs. Lansberg, eminating from Ginasio Nilson Nelson in Brasilia, Brazil.
The event is headlined by a five-round catchweight bout as one of the best womens’ fighters in the world, Cris Cyborg, steps inside the Octagon for the second time to take on newcomer Lina Lansberg at 140 pounds. In the co-main event, former UFC Bantamweight Champion Renan Barao looks to get back in the win column against Phillipe Nover.
Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 6:30 PM eastern time with preliminary action all the way thru the main card.
Some additional coverage:
– UFC Fight Night 95 DFS Playbook
UFC FIGHT PASS PRELIMS | 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT
Commentary team for tonight is Dominick Cruz and Jon Anik.
> Glaico Franca (13-4, 1-1 UFC) vs. Gregor Gillespie (7-0, 0-0 UFC)
Lightweights
Gillespie is 4 years older, at 29. Franca has a 3 inch height and 6 inch reach advantage. Franca is the -145 betting favorite. Camila Albuquerque is the referee.
ROUND 1 – Crowd is really loud and reacting to every hard shot that lands from Franca and singing right out of the box. Gillespie cut under the left eye from strikes less than a minute in.
Gillespie takes it to the cage in a clinch battle and the crowd not liking that at all. Gillespie gets him down about 3:00 in and takes his back as well but not doing much damage.
Franca escapes and gets to his feet and the crowd explodes. Franca looking really tired and gets taken down again right before the end of the round. 10-9 Gillespie
ROUND 2 – Both guys landed hard shots early, including a flying knee from Franca but Gillespie took him down again 1:00 in. Franca up fairly quickly.
Crowd getting restless as Gillespie continously trying to get it to the ground and finally does again at 3:30. Gillespie quickly into side control and landing elbows to the head while maintaining control for the rest of the round. 10-9 Gillespie, 20-18
ROUND 3 – Even though Gillespie is clearly winning, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the faces of the two guys. Gillespie takes it right to the cage to start and gets a takedown 90 seconds in.
Gillespie moves into mount fairly easily but not doing a a lot of damage with the position. Franca worked him back into guard at 3:00 but can’t get to his feet.
Gillespie gets mount back at 3:30 and landing more punches now. Franca gives up his back and eating a ton of punches as the round ends. 10-8 Gillespie, 30-26 overall
RESULT – GREGOR GILLESPIE (8-0) by unanimous decision (29-27 x 3)
HOT TAKE – Gillespie completely dominated Franca and will be in the UFC to stay. He did eat a lot of hard punches early and guys in the upper end of this division will hit harder and do more damage. He’s pretty small for lightweight and may have to drop a weight class. But his wrestling is very, very good.
Gillespie put over the crowd iin his post-fight interview but didn’t do a call-out or really say much of anything.
> Vicente Luque (9-5-1, 2-1 UFC) vs. Hector Urbina (17-9-1, 1-1 UFC)
Welterweights
Luque is 5 years younger and has a 2 inch reach advantage. Urbina looks like the Mexican Briscoe brother. Fernando Portella is the ref.
ROUND 1– Urbina tried to take it to the mat early but Luque escaped. Luque all over Urbina with punches 1:00 in and Urbina crumples to the canvas as the place explodes.
WINNER – VICENT LUQUE (10-5-1) by KO (punches) at 1:00
HOT TAKE – You have to be careful when dealing with two guys this inexperienced to say they’ll be contenders but Luque looked really good here. At just 25, he’s clearly got a bright future. Crowd loved him in his post-fight interview. He showed class in not following him to the mat and landing a couple extra shots when his opponent was clearly out.
> Alan Patrick (13-1, 3-1 UFC) vs. Stevie Ray (19-5, 3-0 UFC)
Lightweights
Patrick is the Brazilian here and the obvious crowd favorite. He’s also a +140 betting underdog.
Ray is 7 years younger and one inch shorter. Patrick has a 4 inch reach advantage. Mario Yamasaki is the referee.
ROUND 1 – Patrick rushes in for a takedown away but can’t hold him down. Crowd explodes for it though. He gets another one but Ray reverses into top position on the way down and transitions to an armbar.
Patrick to his feet but Ray still holding onto the armbar and he’s in a headstand position. Patrick escapes and the crowd explodes again.
Patrick gets another takedown but can’t really do anything in Ray’s guard. He advances to half guard at 3:30 and trying to set up a head and arm choke.
Tough round to score as Patrick was on top the whole round but did no damage and Ray at least had submission attempts. 10-9 Ray but could easily see Brazilian judges giving it to Patrick
ROUND 2 – Patrick gets a takedown 15 seconds in after a weak guillotine attempt from Ray. Patrick again just holding him down and not really trying to advance or do damage.
Crowd actually not liking this fight even though the Brazilian is in a dominant position. He takes Ray’s back at 2:45 and that wakes them up. Ray works him back to guard quickly though.
Ref stands them up at 3:30 as nothing was happening. Ray gets a guillotine off a takedown attempt and ends up taking Patrick’s back on the ground.
Ray with a full bodylock and landing punches to the head in the last minute. 10-9 Ray, 20-18 overall but another close round.
ROUND 3 – Ray is definitely the fresher guy coming out for this round. Ray has to know that with two close rounds he could actually be down with Brazilian judges.
Patrick gets a takedown 30 seconds in and again just lays in his guard. Patrick slightly more active with striking from the top in this round.
Ray working for a key lock from the bottom and with that, Patrick starts throwing even more punches. Patrick escapes and working for one of his own around the 3:30 mark.
Patrick transitions to kind of an armbar in the last 30 seconds and rides out the round on top. 10-9 Patrick. I’ve got 29-28 Ray overall but I’m pretty sure judges will give it to Patrick.
RESULT – ALAN PATRICK (14-1) by unanimous decision (29-28 x 2; 30-27)
HOT TAKE – Patrick showed almost no finishing instinct and will get lit up by anyone with better takedown defence than Ray. But it was a good win. Ray had won 5 straight prior to this and isn’t going anywhere but he now has something to work on.
Patrick put over his coach Jacare Souza and pleaded for a post-fight bonus award. It’s one thing when someone does that after a KO or sub….but there is no chance in hell he’s getting a bonus off this fight.
FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS | 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
> Erick Silva (18-7 1 NC, 6-6 UFC) vs. Luan Chagas (14-1-1, 0-0-1 UFC)
Welterweights
Both guys are from Brazil. Chagas is nine years younger, at 3 and has a one inch reach advantage. Osiris Maia is the referee.
ROUND 1 – Pretty tentative start from both guys. Silva landing hard body kicks. Chagas drops Silva with a punch combo 2:00 in but he gets up quickly.
It’s notable that all of Silva’s UFC wins have been first round stoppages. Both guys starting to throw and land more in the second half of the round.
Chagas’ midsection is reddened from the body kicks of Silva. Silva eating a lot of punishment himself though. Silva drops Chagas with a combo and all over hiim with punches with 15 seocnds left. 10-9 Silva as that last exchange stole it for him.
ROUND 2 – Silva nailed with a low blow seconds into the round as Jon Anik points out again that Silva hasn’t won a fight that’s gone past the first round in UFC.
Silva defends a takedown attempt on the restart and ends up in top position. Silva scoring with punches and elbows from top position and then takes his back briefly but Chagas escapes and to his feet.
Chags drops Silva with a punch and goes into his guard. Silva seems okay but eating elbows from Chagas. Chagas takes his back 3:00 in.
Silva works him back into guard but still eating punches and elbows. Chagas gains mount at 3:45 and goes for an armbar. Silva escapes and ends up in top position.
Both guys are exhausted in the last minute. Silva takes his back with 15 seconds left and gets a choke but Chagas saved by the bell. 10-9 Chagas, 19-19 after 2
ROUND 3 – Silva had pretty much abandoned the body kicks halfway thru the first but lands a hard one early in this round. Chagas tried to take it to a cage clinch but the ref broke it up really quickly as he was clearly just stalling.
Silva is clearly the fresher fighter and landing more through 2:00. Silva just picking him off with punches and lands a nice head kick at 2:30.
Chagas just wandering around and eating jabs at will from Silva. Chagas missed a takedown badly and Silva quickly takes his back and secures a rear naked choke for the win.
RESULT- ERICK SILVA (19-7) by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:57 of Round 3
HOT TAKE – This was a very different Erick Silva. He was patient, measured and never tried to do too much. He badly needed this win after 2 straight losses and should get at least a couple more years of UFC fights after this performance. Chagas was clearly overmatched here but now is winless in 2 UFC fights.
> Jussier Formiga (#3, 18-4, 4-3 UFC) vs. Dustin Ortiz (#12, 15-5, 4-3 UFC)
Flyweights
Formiga is the Brazilian here. He’s 4 years older, at 31 and has a 2 inch reach advantage. Camila Albuquerque is the ref.
ROUND 1 – Formiga gets a takedown right away and passes into side control 45 seconds in. Ortiz gets him back into guard and also lands a lot of punches from the bottom.
Formiga again gains side control at 1:45 but as of yet he hasn’t done much with the position. Ortiz still landing strikes from the bottom.
Ortiz sweeps into top position at 2:15. Formiga actually more active from his back with a couple submission attempts. Crowd booing after the 4:00 mark as Ortiz just holding him down and not even trying to advance.
Formiga to his feet as the round ends. Tough round to score as each guy had about equal control time and no real damage done by either. 10-9 Formiga but really close to a 10-10
ROUND 2 – Formiga again gets an early takedown. Ortiz again landing light strikes from the bottom while Formiga seems to be setting up a triangle choke.
Formiga takes his back at 1:45 after briefly getting mount. Formiga with a full body lock and working for a rear naked choke, which he’s one 1/3 of his fights with.
Formiga landing punches to the body while continuously working for the choke. Ortiz did a good job defending the choke for the round but not enough to escape a 10-8 Formiga round. 20-17 overall
ROUND 3 – Ortiz pretty fresh to start the third and much more active on his feet. Formiga takes his back standing at 2:00 though and takes him down.
Formiga get the body lock quickly and it’s looking a lot like the second. Formiga patiently trying to set up the rear naked choke but Ortiz doing a good job defending.
Ortiz actually reverses the position with 15 seconds left and ends the round on top. Enough to escape another 10-8 round but he’s lost this fight. 10-9 Formiga, 30-26 overall
RESULT – JUSSIER FORMIGA (19-4) by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27 and 29-28)
HOT TAKE – First round was close so nothing wrong with any of those scores. Formiga earned a title shot off of this one as he’s highest ranked contender who’s never received one. Just not sure if or when he’ll get it. You don’t get the sense that he’d beat Mighty Mouse but his ground game is world class and he should at least get a chance. Ortiz is tough and will never contend for a title but deserves to be in the top 15.
> Rani Yahya (22-8 1 NC, 7-2 1 NC UFC) vs. Michinori Tanaka (11-1, 2-1 UFC)
Bantamweights
Yahya is the Brazilian native. Tanaka is 25 and 7 years younger. He’s also 1 inch shorter but with a slight reach advantage. Fernando Portella is the ref.
ROUND 1 – Yahya with a takedown early and secures an arm triangle choke. Tanaka desparately trying to fight it off and Cruz explains why Tanaka will eventually just pass out due to the nature of the choke.
Tanaka escapes at 2:45 but Yahya still on top. Yahya easily into side control but Tanaka escapes, gets to his feet and gets a quick takedown of his own.
Yahya tying him up from the bottom and working for another triangle. Tanaka landing punches and knees to the body in the last minute. 10-9 Yahya
ROUND 2 – Nice grappling exchange 30 seconds in that ends up with Tanaka in top position but Yahya ends up taking his back. Tanaka gets to his feet quickly though.
Yahya dominated the grappling for the rest of the round, constantly taking him down, advancing position but Tanaka would always manage to briefly get up.
Tanaka ended the round on top but clear 10-9 Yahya and 20-18 overall
ROUND 3 – They go to the ground right away again and Tanaka ends up on top. Crowd booing heavily but Tanaka very active on top, landing a lot of punches to the head. Ref stands them up at 1:45, which was kind of bad.
Tanaka takes him down right away again and again landing a lot of punches to the head and body. Yahya working for submissions from the bottom but Tanaka easily defending.
Tanaka gets him in a crucifix position and working for an armlock. Yahya reverses though and ends up on top and the crowd like that.
Yahya takes the back with a minute left but Tanaka ges to his feet. Tanaka landing punches to the head as the round end but should be another 10-9 Yahya. 30-27 overall
RESULT – RANI YAHYA (23-8) by unanimous decison (29-28 x 3)
HOT TAKE – Not sure which round Tanaka won there, maybe the third. Doesn’t matter as the right guy won. This was kind of a boring fight but Tanaka was 11-1 coming in and Yahya dominated him for his 5th straight win. He’s probably earned a spot in the top 15 with that or at least should get a fight with a top 15 guy next.
> Gilbert Burns (12-1, 4-1 UFC) vs. Michel Prazeres (20-2, 4-2 UFC)
Lightweights
In regards to the last round of the last fight, I almost definitely should’ve scored it for Tanaka. Osiris Maia is the ref for this one.
ROUND 1 – Prazeres with an early knockdown but won’t follow Burns to the mat. Both guys landing a lot of punches in the first minute.
Both guys really cautious but unloading punches in bursts. Prazeres does seem to be landing the harder strikes. Prazeres with a takedown at 4:00 but just stands up as he wants no part of Burns’ ground game. 10-9 Prazeres
ROUND 2 – Burns with an inadvertent eye poke early in the 2nd. Burns misses a flying knee but then eats a flurry of punches.
Prazeres catches a kick and Burns falls to the mat but again Prazeres stays on his feet. Burns lands a couple jumping knees but they don’t seem to faze Prazeres.
Burns stuffed on a couple of takedown attempts and eats a punch combo from Prazeres at 3:45. Prazeres landing more in the last minute. 10-9 Prazeres, 20-18
ROUND 3 – Prazeres knocks him down early with punches and folows Burns to the mat this time. Prazeres all over him with hard punches.
Prazeres stands up and forces Burns to his feet. Burns doing nothing but retreating and eating punches.
Prazeres mixing in leg kicks along with the head strikes. Crowd really hating this as they’re both just keeping their distance.
They exchange hard body kicks at 4:30 and then start throwing down. Pretty clear 10-9 Prazeres as he gets a late takedown to seal it. 30-27 overall
RESULT – MICHEL PRAZERES (21-2) by unanimous decision
HOT TAKE – This fight did neither guy any favors. First off, it was boring. Secondly, Prazeres missed weight so Burns has that buillt-in excuse. More importantly, Prazeres was clearly afraid to go to the ground with Burns and didn’t have much finishing instinct on his feet. Burns has been disappointing since coming into UFC with a lot of hype. He could get cut with another performance like this.
FOX SPORTS 1 MAIN CARD | 10 PM ET/7 PM PT
> Godofredo Pepey (12-4, 4-4 UFC) vs. Mike de la Torre (14-5 1 NC, 2-2 1 NC UFC)
Featherweights
Pepey is the home country favorite. He’s also one year younger, at 29, and has a 2.5 inch reach advantage. De La Torre is 4 inches taller. Fight is a pick em by the oddsmakers. Mario Yamasaki is the referee.
ROUND 1 – Pepey staggers De La Torre with a spinning back early but De La Torre weathers it well and actually gets a takedown 30 seconds in.
Both guys swinging wildly and landing a lot of them. De La Torre is rocked and barely on his feet. Crowd going nuts.
Pepey takes his back standing and drags him down. Pepey with the body lock and working for a rear naked choke.
Pepey gets the choke and the quick tap at 3:00
WINNER – GODOFREDO PEPEY (13-4) by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:03
HOT TAKE – That was a wild 3 minute fight and Pepey was just relentless. That’s 4 wins in 5 fights with the only loss coming to the very tough Darren Elkins and he should get a much higher ranked guy next. De La Torre looked completely out of it 1 minute in but managed to last another couple minutes on heart alone.
> Thiago Santos (#15, 13-4, 5-3 UFC) vs. Eric Spicely (8-1, 0-1 UFC)
Middleweights
Santos is the local here. He’s 3 years older, at 32, and has a 3 inch reach advantage. Spicely is 1 inch taller. Santos is the biggest betting favorite on the card besides Cyborg. Big John is the ref.
ROUND 1 – Spicely with a couple early takedown attempts but Santos sprawls out on the second and ends up on top. Spicely with an armbar attempt from the bottom but Santos escapes and to his feet at 1:30.
Spicely gets a takedown. Spicely not doing a lot from top position but is trying to advantce. Spicely takes his back but Santos to his feet at 2:45.
Spicely with a rear naked choke and takes it to the mat and gets the tap.
RESULTS – ERIC SPICELY (9-1) by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:58
HOT TAKE – Huge win for Spicely as he was on the verge of being cut. That’s 2 straight losses for Santos although the last was against top contender Gegard Mousasi so he isn’t going anywhere. Spicely looked very confident and his ground game has improved a lot since working with Tri-Star. Crowd was deathly quiet at the end of this.
> Francisco Trinaldo (20-4, 10-3 UFC) vs. Paul Felder (12-2, 4-2 UFC)
Lightweights
Trinaldo is the Brazilian here. He’s 38 and 6 years older. Felder has a 2 inch height and half inch reach advantage. Trinaldo is the slight betting favorite at -135. Osiris Maia is the referee.
ROUND 1 – They keep their distance for the first part of the fight, mainly just trading single kicks. Trinaldo starting to take over at the 2:00 mark, landing a lot of punches and backing Felder up to the cage.
They battle on the cage for a couple minutes with Trinaldo controlling things. They separate in the last minute and it’s pretty even on the feet. 10-9 Trinaldo
ROUND 2 – Trinaldo cut under the right eye from a Felder punch early in the round. Trinaldo gets a takedown 2:00 in.
An elbow from Trinaldo opens up a cut around Felder’s right eye and it’s bleeding pretty heavily. Trinaldo with a guillotine attempt but Felder fights him off.
Hard elbows to the head from Trinaldo as he’s trying to advance but Felder manages to get to his feet at 4:00. Trinaldo still controlling his back but Felder works around to front position with 15 seconds left. 10-9 Trinaldo, 20-18 overall
ROUND 3 – Felder is pretty fresh coming out for the round and more aggressive to start. First 2:00 pretty even with both guys landing single shots.
Trinaldo opens up the cut again with an elbow and hte ref stops the fight to check on the cut. The doctor stops it.
RESULT – FRANCISCO TRINALDO (21-4) by TKO (referee stoppage due to a cut) at 2:25
HOT TAKE – That’s seven straight wins for Trinaldo, who almost assuredly will move into the top 15. Felder’s a tough guy and wanted to continue despite the gruesome cut. He always delivers in his fights so he’ll stick around.
> Roy Nelson (#11, 21-13, 8-9 UFC) vs. Antonio SIlva (#15, 19-9-1, 3-6 1 NC UFC)
Heavyweights
Nelson is the -450 betting favorite and looks fatter than ever. Silva with a 17 lb weight, 4 inch height and 8 inch reach advantage. At 37, he’s also 3 years younger. Big John McCarthy is the ref and for once may be the smallest guy in the Octagon.
ROUND 1 – Silva throwing mostly kicks early. Nelson keeping his distance but throwing, and landing, occasional punches early.
Silva doesn’t seem to be affected much by Nelson’s punches through 3:00. Silva continuing to land hard leg kicks and also getting off punch combos.
Nelson stuffed on a takedown attempt and they end up in a cage clinch with not a lot happening. Close round, 10-9 Silva
ROUND 2 – Nelson a little more aggressive to start but Silva still landing kicks to the legs and body. One of them lands low at 2:00, forcing a break.
Silva rushes Nelson on the restart and tries for a takedown but Nelson defends it. Nelson lands a couple really hard punches to the head but Silva seems to be okay.
Nelson drops him at 4:00 with a punch and Big John stops it after a couple more punches on the ground.
RESULT – ROY NELSON (22-13) by KO (punch) at 4:10 of the 2nd round
HOT TAKE – That last longer than anyone thought it would and Silva looked okay until he got tagged. That said, he’s beyond done as a fighter and should really never be fighting again. Nelson was angry with McCarthy as he thought it should’ve been stopped earlier. He’s really not all that much better but will be around as long as he wants to be.
Nelson said he was maybe one fight away from a title shot. At least I think that’s what he was saying. He’s not, by the way. He did confirm that he thought it was a late stoppage and didn’t want to keep punching Bigfoot because they’re friends. He’s probably going to get fined as he laid his hands on McCarthy.
> Renan Barao (33-4 1 NC, 8-3 UFC) vs. Phillipe Nover (11-6-1, 1-4 UFC)
Featherweights
Barao is 3 years younger, 3 inches shorter and Nover has a 2 inch reach advantage. Nover is a +350 betting underdog. Big John is the ref for the 2nd straight fight.
ROUND 1 – Nover more active early, landing punches and body kicks. Barao gets caught by a counter punch when he goes in for his first combo and gets staggered a bit at 2:00.
Barao starting to pick up the pace halfway through the round. Barao mixing in punches and leg kicks. Really close round. 10-9 Barao
ROUND 2 – Barao comes out firing, mixing in punches and leg kicks. Barao with a flying knee and follows up with punches, which staggers Nover at 1:30.
Nover hanging in though and connecting with leg kicks of his own in the 2nd half of the round. Barao picking it up again in the last minute and gets a takedown with 15 seconds left. 10-9 Barao, 20-18
ROUND 3 – Barao gets a takedown at 1:15 after fairly even standup to start the round. Nover gets up fairly quickly.
Nover more aggressive but also leaving himself open to getting hit more. Barao with a takedown attempt at 4:30 and completes it right before the round ends. 10-9 Barao, 30-27
RESULT – RENAN BARAO (34-4) by unanimous decision (29-28 x 2; 30-27)
HOT TAKE – Barao basically held serve there but he needed a more impressive win here to establish himself in a very tough division and after losing his first fight at 145 to Jeremy Stephens. Nover actually improved his stock in losing by going the distance with a former champion.
> Cris Cyborg (16-1 1 NC, 1-0 UFC) vs. Lina Lansberg (6-1, 0-0 UFC)
Women’s 140-pound catchweight
Cyborg is 3 years younger, has a 1 inch heigh and 2.5 inch reach advantage. This isn’t on the tale of the tape but she’s probably a good 20 lbs heavier than Lansberg in the cage as well. Mario Yamaski will officiate this massacre.
ROUND 1- They tie up in a cage clinch early and Cyborg landing knees to the body. Lansberg doing a good job holding the arms of Cyborg for a little while at least.
Cyborg gets free and unloads with punches at 2:00 but Lansberg manages to tie her up again. Ref breaks up the clinch at 3:00.
They clinch up again and go right back to the cage. Cyborg takes her down at 3:45. Cyborg into mount and unloading with punches. Lansberg manages to escape and get to her feet though at 4:15.
Cyborg unloading on her and Lansberg’s face is all busted up. She manages to last the round though. 10-9 Cyborg
ROUND 2 – Could’ve easily gone 10-8 in the first but this isn’t going the distance anyway. Cyborg all over her to start the round but Lansberg manages to clinch up again at 30 seconds.
Cyborg takes her down at 1:15 and right into side control. Cyborg throwing a lot of punches and gives up position to posture up.
Cyborg with elbows and punches to the face and Lansberg barely covering up, not really defending at all. Ref finally stops it after way too many elbows and punches.
RESULT – CRIS CYBORG (17-1) by TKO (punches and elbows) at 2:29 of the 2nd round
HOT TAKE – Cyborg seemed like she was having fun in there. Lansberg obviously lasted longer than anyone expected but the outcome was never in doubt. If this show does a good number, they can keep having her headline shows for a few more years. Lansberg will hopefully get a shot in UFC against someone in her actual weight class.
Jon Anik asked Cyborg what’s next. She just wants to put on super fights for her fans and make them happy. No callout of Ronda or Holly.
Lina Lansberg got some interview times as well. She said it was f—ing funny…not quite the reaction you’d expect after getting the crap beat out of her. Her eye was swollen up and she was covered in blood but smiling. Couldn’t help but like her after that.
