UFC Fight Night 158 ‘Cerrone vs Gaethje’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Kyle Prepolec vs. Austin Hubbard

Round 1

We begin the night at lightweight with the first of three bouts pitting an American against a Canadian, as home country fighter Prepolec (12-6, 0-1 UFC) looks to record his first UFC win against Hubbard (10-3, 0-1 UFC). Serving as the referee for this first prelim is Kevin Dornan. Hubbard opens up with a front kick, and Prepolec replies with a head kick that falls short. The American evades several of Prepolec's power shots until he eats a stern left hand that buckles Hubbard briefly. Hubbard shakes it out and keeps his distance for a moment, until Prepolec finds his range again and slaps Hubbard in the face with a kick. Both men crack each other with overhand rights, and Hubbard sits down on a punch to his adversary's body. Prepolec leans back and tags Hubbard with a right, and then another while he walks through a body kick. The Canadian swings a heavy leg kick that causes Hubbard to switch stances briefly, and as Hubbard comes in Prepolec tries to time a check knee that is just shy of the mark. Hubbard manages to time a punch-body kick combination, and then lands a thudding head kick that Prepolec eats. As Hubbard tries to advance position, Prepolec is ready with a counter right hand, so Hubbard has to resort to taking leg kicks while trying to fire back with a head kick. Prepolec digs to the body with a straight left hand, and then sensing the success of that strike, lands another. As the 10-second clapper sounds, Prepolec wings a spinning back fist, and in the ensuing melee "Killshot" drops Hubbard with a right hand as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Prepolec
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Prepolec
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Prepolec

Round 2

The round opens with Hubbard throwing a lazy kick to the body, and Prepolec capitalizes by blasting his foe with a leg kick. Starting to get comfortable in the cage, Prepolec drops in a head kick that is barely blocked, and attempts a superman punch that falls short. Hubbard replies with a few leg kicks of his own, and then shoots for a takedown that he turns into a body lock, and he gets his man down. Prepolec springs back to his feet, and then wisely drops down to a knee to avoid any incoming knee strikes to his head. We separate and get back to the center of the cage, and the two exchange kicks. Hubbard dodges and weaves to avoid shots from Prepolec, all while scoring some of his own including two stiff lefts. The Canadian chases down his opponent and wings a few shots that miss the target, and while charging in he takes an accidental poke to the eye. The action stops, and the crowd voices its disapproval of the foul from the American. The action resumes and they trade body kicks and then head kicks, and when Prepolec throws up a head kick, the American takes the fight down. Immediately Hubbard blasts his opponent with a loud elbow, and the Canadian throws up his legs to search for an armbar. Hubbard escapes and starts dropping down some heavy right hands, and goes on to take the back of Prepolec. With about 30 seconds left, Hubbard draws blood and fishes for an arm around Prepolec's neck, but the Canadian defends well. The round ends with Prepolec eating punch after punch, although none are too impactful.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hubbard
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Hubbard
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hubbard

Round 3

Round 3 begins with Hubbard diving into a single leg takedown, but he is thwarted by the Canadian. In the scramble, Prepolec searches for a guillotine choke, and has his hands locked with Hubbard against the cage. The American escapes, and on the break lands on his opponent. Prepolec presses the action and lands several powerful shots, until Hubbard realizes he needs to change the pace of this round and takes Prepolec down again. Hubbard stays heavy on top, landing several lefts that aggravate Prepolec, and in the process Hubbard takes his back. Hubbard continues to swing short lefts that all seem to land right on Prepolec's chin, and perhaps sensing his opponent is fading, goes after a choke. Prepolec again protects his neck, but while doing so, takes punches in bunches, until he stands up to try to shake off Hubbard. He succeeds, bucking Hubbard off, and Prepolec swings wildly as he races forward. The Canadian briefly tries to take the fight down, but bails on it and Hubbard goes for his own attempt. With seconds to spare, Prepolec stuffs it, but he is unable to mount any more significant offense as the fight ends with him leaning on his opponent.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hubbard (29-28 Hubbard)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Hubbard (29-28 Hubbard)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hubbard (29-28 Hubbard)

The Official Result

Austin Hubbard def. Kyle Prepolec via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Louis Smolka vs. Ryan MacDonald

Round 1

Next up, two Americans square off as Smolka (15-6, 6-6 UFC) takes on MacDonald (10-1, 0-1 UFC) in the bantamweight division. Our referee is John Cooper. The two touch gloves, and Smolka leads off with a big right hand that tags MacDonald right on the chin. Smolka is swinging heavy leather early on, pushing the pace and working a left hand to the body multiple times. MacDonald, with the height and reach advantage, tries to stave off the aggression of "Da Last Samurai" so he can get comfortable, but Smolka is pressing the pace. The Hawaiian lands another few lefts to the body, and MacDonald is already showing serious redness near his liver and kidney. Smolka strings together a four-punch combination all to the body, and then he couples that with a few more good measure. Smolka clinches up briefly, and then separate, and he throws a right-left that both find MacDonald's chin. The Nebraskan tries to counter, but Smolka is relentless with body shots, even throwing a body kick as well. Loading on those body shots, MacDonald's right arm starts to drop to protect his exposed midsection, so Smolka drills him with a body kick instead. As Smolka closes in, MacDonald tries to grab hold of him, but after spinning around on the cage they separate, and Smolka guns for the body some more. MacDonald stands tall and throws a one-two, but in the process gets cracked with a left hand from Smolka that buckles MacDonald. "Da Last Samurai" smells the finish and pours it on, unleashing a few knees and several looping hooks. Smolka punctuates his flurry with a vicious right hand that sets down MacDonald, and Cooper has seen enough. This is an important win, and a terrific performance from Smolka, who bounced back from his submission loss to Matt Schnell in a huge way.

The Official Result

Louis Smolka def. Ryan MacDonald R1 4:43 via TKO (Punches)

Chas Skelly vs. Jordan Griffin

Round 1

Moving to the featherweight division, Skelly (17-4, 6-4 UFC) faces Griffin (17-6, 0-1 UFC) as each try to return to the win column. Refereeing this bout is Yves Lavigne. Touching gloves, the two back away from one another and find their angles until Skelly leads off with a right front kick. Staying far back, Griffin charges forward and cracks Skelly, surprising the Texan and forcing Skelly to take the fight down. In an exchange, Skelly manages to sneak to Griffin's back, before escaping a scramble and coming very close to sinking in a choke. Griffin pops out, but cannot get free, as Skelly is on control of his opponent's back. Skelly throws about a dozen punches to Griffin's body until Griffin decides he has had enough, and stands back up. Skelly is on him like glue, holding on to Griffin's back while he pulls for a rear-naked choke. Griffin falls to the canvas in an attempt to escape the choke, and walks off the wall as the choke tightens up. Skelly climbs on top with the choke still locked on, and Griffin survives. The Roufusport product tries to take the fight back down, only this time he wants to lead the dance. Unsuccessfully getting the fight down again, the two get to their feet and they swing wildly. Skelly's punches are looping and frantic, while Griffin is a little sharper. The two trade blows as the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Skelly
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Skelly
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Skelly

Round 2

We begin the second round with Griffin pressing the action, backing Skelly off until Shelly shoots for a takedown from a distance. Griffin stuffs it, and makes Skelly pay with a two-punch combination ending with a head kick. Griffin evades the strikes from "The Scrapper" and fires a few more straight rights and left along with an additional head kick. With Skelly's back against the fence, Griffin drags the fight down, easily hopping to side control before taking mount almost without effort. Griffin sits up and slams down a loud elbow, causing Skelly to turn and give up his back. With Griffin maintaining a body lock on Skelly, Skelly stands up and somersaults, landing Griffin hard on the canvas. Incredibly, that reversal worked, as Skelly scrambles to snatch up Griffin's back. Now in control, the Texan immediately pursues another rear-naked choke attempt, but Griffin defends well. With the seconds ticking down, Skelly throws a few more punches until Griffin stands up and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Skelly
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Skelly
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 3

The final round begins with Griffin leading the exchanges, crashing forward with a combination that he ends with a head kick that is just blocked. Like the previous round, Skelly shoots for a takedown, and Griffin is expecting this. Griffin snags the neck of Skelly, pursuing a guillotine choke that Skelly survives. As the two scramble, Skelly takes the back of Griffin, going right for a rear-naked choke once more. "The Native Psycho" stands back up and tries to do what Skelly did in the previous round, flipping through the air, only his try is not nearly as successful. Griffin lands with his back still in Skelly's possession, as Skelly scores a few short shots while pursuing the neck. With the body lock tight, Griffin cannot escape, and Skelly keeps fishing for any submission he can find. Griffin rolls to try to get out of the position, and although he sits up, Skelly drags him right back down. Griffin tries to punch Skelly behind him, and when swinging, Skelly takes the neck once more. Griffin muscles out and turns hard, taking top position. With seconds left, Griffin goes for a final Hail Mary submission attempt, aiming for a guillotine almost into an anaconda choke, and the horn sounds to end the fight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Skelly (30-27 Skelly)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Skelly (30-27 Skelly)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Skelly (29-28 Skelly)

The Official Result

Chas Skelly def. Jordan Griffin via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Brad Katona vs. Hunter Azure

Round 1

Going back down to bantamweight, "The Ultimate Fighter Season 27" winner Katona (8-1, 2-1 UFC) attempts to halt the momentum of unbeaten Dana White's Contender Series signee Azure (7-0, 0-0 UFC). Taking charge of the Octagon is referee John Cooper. The two start off tentatively, until they both clash together with a few punches and kicks. Azure catches Katona on the end of his punch and Katona falls backwards. It does not appear that Katona is hurt, but rather that he lost balance, as the Canadian shoots for a single leg takedown. He cannot land it, although Katona does have Azure pressed up against the fence defending. Katona continues to pursue that right leg of Azure, but the American stays strong. As Katona shoots for a double, Azure backs off and throws up a head kick that gets blocked. Katona grins at him as he leaps forward with a left-right hook combination. Azure stays out of harm's way, and Katona commits to this combo by throwing it a few times before darting into another takedown attempt. Katona clasps his hands together and gets Azure down for a brief moment, before Azure springs right back up. Katona goes heavy for a single leg, and he cannot land it. With the 10-second clapper sounding, Azure wings a few kicks that his opponent dodges, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Katona
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-10

Round 2

Round 2 opens with Azure coming on strong, firing off a salvo that ends with him dropping Katona for a second. Katona recovers, and Azure keeps the pressure, throwing looping right hands and a low leg kick. The two exchange clubbing hooks to the body, and Katona shoots in for a takedown but Azure dances out of the way. The Canadian hops forward to land a right hand, and Azure counters with a right down the pipe that gives Katona pause. Katona swings in a few shots before grabbing the clinch and landing some short shots, and Azure breaks away with a strong uppercut. Not content to keep this fight standing, Katona finally scores a takedown, and holds Azure down briefly. "Superman" cannot keep him there for long, as his undefeated opponent returns to his feet. Katona chains from a single to a double leg takedown, dragging Azure down. Like before, the American has no interest in staying grounded, and stands back up. Azure drops in a few strong knees with his back against the cage, and in the melee it appears that Katona has been bloodied up around his nose. Katona goes for a single and lifts Azure's leg up high, but the balance of Azure is impressive as he remains standing. The two break, swing and miss as the second stanza wraps.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Azure
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Azure
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Azure

Round 3

The final round commences with Azure pressing the action, backing Katona against the fence as he charges forward with punches. Azure continues to swing his right hand, landing several times to the head and body. The American sticks out his jab, causing Katona to spring forward, only for Azure to throw it out a few more times to great effect. "Superman" flies forward to try to take down Azure, but he cannot get the fight to the ground as Azure escapes. Katona leans in and pops Azure with a big right hand, but Azure does not even flinch. Azure sits down with a body kick, and Katona tries to counter but falls short. When Azure comes in, Katona takes down his adversary for barely a second before Azure jumps right back up. Azure lands with a few more punches, causing Katona's nose to bleed a little more. The Canadian digs to the body, and Azure attempts a takedown but is tripped to the cage floor by Katona. Katona uses this opportunity to immediately take the back of the American, and tries to sink in a rear-naked choke. Azure tries to spin out, and stands up to shake Katona off his back. With 20 seconds remaining, Azure throws a few punches, evades a leg lock attempt, and this close fight ends with Azure on top landing some ground-and-pound.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Azure (29-28 Azure)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Azure (29-28 Azure)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Katona (29-29)

The Official Result

Hunter Azure def. Brad Katona via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

Cole Smith vs. Miles Johns

Round 1

Keeping to the 135-pound division, we have a classic "0 must go" matchup as Vancouver native Smith (7-0, 1-0 UFC) locks horns with the debuting Johns (9-0, 0-0 UFC). Before the fight begins, Smith makes a bold walkout song choice when he uses the Pride Theme by Yasuharu Takanashi, despite making his professional debut almost nine years after the legendary organization folded. Referee Jerin Valel is on top of the action, and this clash of unbeaten prospects is underway. Touching gloves, Smith immediately presses forward into a takedown, and Johns stands him up and reverses the position. Smith gets out and again shoots in for a takedown, and tries to trip Johns to drag him down but he cannot do so. Smith does use this opportunity to take the back of Johns, and immediately searches for a choke. The American defends against any attempt, but Smith is heavy on his back. Johns tries to buck and shake Smith off of him, all while his coach Sayif Saud loudly shouts advice that Johns follows step-by-step. Johns manages to get Smith off his back, but Smith leans on his opponent against the fence while hammering in a few knees to Johns' legs. Johns protests about something Smith has done, and while his hands are up in the air, Smith fires a knee at Johns' face. With seconds to go, the two break, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Smith

Round 2

Johns leads off the round with a few jabs that are short, and when Smith comes forward Johns surprises the Canadian by changing levels and scoring a loud takedown. In full guard, Johns repeatedly punches Smith's body, and stays on top while Smith tries to scramble. As Johns stays heavy on his opponent, he does not manage much offense until Smith walks back to his feet against the cage. Smith spins out and shoots for a takedown, getting Johns down and immediately taking his back. Smith again pursues a choke, and Johns blocks the persistent attempts to take his neck. Like Johns before, Smith does not go after any strikes to soften Johns up, and is only aiming for a submission. Johns uses an opportunity to turn out of the position, and ends up on top landing several left hands. The American briefly tries to pass his foe's guard, but is stopped, although he does finish the round on top raining down punches.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns

Round 3

The final round begins with Johns leading off with a few jabs followed by a looping right hand. Smith returns fire, and Johns uses that opening to swing another right hook that glances off the chin of the Canadian. Smith presses forward and goes after a single leg takedown, changing to a double leg before bailing on those attempts. Johns breaks free as he complains to the referee about being held, but Smith is pushing hard. A frustrated Johns defends the takedowns well and staves off a trip, telling the ref "He's doing nothing" while remaining on his feet. Smith drops down for another takedown attempt, and Johns laughs and goads Smith into fighting. The American lifts up a few knees to back off the Canadian briefly, and he cracks Smith with a right hand that wobbles Smith's legs. Johns loads up with another right hand, and with a left jab he drops "Cole Train." Smith recovers and tries a desperate takedown, but Johns shrugs it off. Smith tries to counter with a knee, but Johns sits down on a right hand. Smith charges forward like a bull, and Johns plays the matador by sending Smith flying on his failed attempt. The Canadian swings wildly, and Johns pays attention and catches Smith repeatedly between the action. With 15 seconds remaining, Smith tries for one last takedown, but Johns breaks away and clubs Smith with a final right hand. This close fight goes to the judges, and it is entirely possible that Canada has gone 0-3 against the U.S. at this event.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns (29-28 Johns)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Smith (29-28 Smith)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns (29-28 Johns)

The Official Result

Miles Johns def. Cole Smith via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Marcin Tybura vs. Augusto Sakai

Round 1

We jump up to the heavyweight division, where a pair of nearly 260-pound men collide as Tybura (17-5, 4-4 UFC) meets Sakai (13-1-1, 2-0 UFC). Managing this 515.5-pound affair is referee Jason Herzog. Tybura leads off with an oblique kick, and then peppers the lead leg of the Brazilian with few more kicks to his leg. Sakai presses forward with a punch combination, but Tybura evades most of the strikes, until he doesn't. Sakai cracks Tybura with a huge right hand, buckling the legs of the Polish fighter, and Sakai knows his opponent is hurt and hurt badly. Sakai swings furiously, and wraps his left hand around the head of "Tybur" to club his foe with uppercuts and ferocious right hands. Every punch that Sakai lands, Tybura's knees get a little weaker, and after enough of them Tybura crumples to the canvas. Herzog jumps in to save Tybura, and this fight is over quickly and violently.

The Official Result

Augusto Sakai def. Marcin Tybura R1 0:59 via KO (Punches)

Misha Cirkunov vs. Jim Crute

Round 1

Kicking off the main card is a light heavyweight scrap, as Cirkunov (14-5, 5-3 UFC) looks to become the first man to defeat Crute (10-0, 2-0 UFC). Assigned to this contest is referee Yves Lavigne. The two touch gloves, and Cirkunov immediately throws up a head kick that is blocked. Crute returns fire and misses, and Cirkunov blasts Crute to the body with a kick. As Crute tries to close the distance, the Latvian fighter blasts forward with a takedown, and takes half guard as he drops down punches. Between his strikes, Cirkunov advances to side control, and is almost shucked off by Crute while attempting to move into mount. Cirkunov attempts to take a crucifix position, and Crute defends it to get his arm out, but Cirkunov is relentless and secures it. Cirkunov throws down a few punches to his trapped opponent's head, but is more interested in taking full mount, which he does. Cirkunov rolls for an armbar, and Crute explodes at the perfect time and springs to his feet. Trying to pursue his own takedown, Cirkunov reverses it but Crute escapes. The Australian lands on top, throwing serious ground-and-pound to open up a cut on Cirkunov. While Crute throws huge hammerfists, Cirkunov reverses the position and snatches up a guillotine choke that looks like a Peruvian Necktie. The Latvian secures the choke, and Crute rolls to try to avoid it, but in doing so ends up in worse position than he started. The choke is tight and "The Brute" is in a bad way, and he has no choice but to tap out or get put to sleep. With the win, Cirkunov scores the second Peruvian Necktie submission in UFC history, successfully ejecting Crute from the ranks of the unbeaten in style.

The Official Result

Misha Cirkunov def. Jim Crute R1 3:38 via Submission (Peruvian Necktie)

Uriah Hall vs. Antonio Carlos Jr.

Round 1

In the middleweight division, Hall (14-9, 7-7 UFC) will attempt to lift his UFC record above .500 as he meets submission specialist Carlos Jr. (10-3, 1 NC; 7-3, 1 NC UFC). Hall enters the cage to "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J, and it is no surprise that he will attempt to bring that song to light in this fight. The third man inside the Octagon will be referee Jerin Valel. Hall leads off with a few jabs, and Carlos Jr. returns with some of his own. Hall catches Carlos Jr. with a strong right hand that surprises the Brazilian, who shoots for a takedown after getting hurt. Although Hall tries to defend it, he ends up going down to the canvas, before Carlos Jr. takes his back. One of the shots smashed up the nose of "Cara de Sapato," and Carlos Jr. is leaking all over Hall's shoulder and the cage floor. The American successfully fights off any choke attempts, and he tries to throw Carlos Jr. off of his back and get him away, which he does. Hall successfully fires off several more strong jabs, causing Carlos Jr. to blow his nose and react to every shot that lands. Several times after Hall lands, Carlos Jr. checks his nose to survey the damage. Hall keeps the jab in front of him, and it is doing damage like Gegard Mousasi did to Ilir Latifi in "The Sledgehammer's" Octagon debut. Carlos Jr. grabs hold of Hall and plants "Primetime" on his back, taking half guard and trying to step over into full mount. The round ends with Carlos Jr. on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hall
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hall
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hall

Round 2

The second stanza opens with Hall continuing to lead with his left jab, which he does repeatedly. Hall tries to follow the jab with a big right hand, and Carlos Jr. times the strike to attempt to take the fight down, but he does not score. Hall backs off and continues to crack Carlos Jr. with the jab, forcing Carlos Jr. to engage in the clinch. The Brazilian pursues a single leg takedown but Hall stays strong, making "Cara de Sapato" abandon the attempt before resetting to try again. Lifting Hall's right leg up, Carlos Jr. cannot score the takedown, and Hall circles out. A one-two from Hall blasts Carlos Jr. and sends him flying, and Hall pounces with serious ground-and-pound. Carlos Jr. attacks with an armbar off his back, and Hall spins out while landing more punches. Hall backs away and lets Carlos Jr. return to his feet, and the crowd is elated. Another jab from Hall makes Carlos Jr. immediately press forward to go after the clinch, and while holding tight Carlos Jr. wings an elbow that catches Hall on the chin. The Brazilian muscles Hall down, but Hall stands up as Carlos Jr. takes his back. Hall manages to get out of the position and chases down Carlos Jr. with punches and a head kick, and the horn sounds to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hall
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hall
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hall

Round 3

Round 3 begins with the crowd giving a huge pop to Hall, who uses that energy to throw a spinning kick like he did in "The Ultimate Fighter" when he demolished Adam Cella. Carlos Jr. capitalizes on Hall's wild striking, grabbing Hall and taking him down immediately in back control. The Brazilian does not attempt any strikes, as Hall is controlling Carlos Jr.'s wrist, so the crowd is not amused by this lull in the action. "Cara de Sapato" wrenches his hand free and tries to slide his arm under Hall's chin, but Hall is protecting his neck well. Carlos Jr. continues to hold on to Hall, and Valel calls for them to work. The crowd begins to chant "stand them up," as we are in a stalemate. Carlos Jr. goes after neck crank and cannot secure his grip, causing Hall to try to spin out with all his might. The Brazilian holds tight, and the control time is strongly adding up in favor of Carlos Jr. The round ends with Carlos Jr. still in dominant position, and as they stand when the horn sounds, both men raise their arms in the air to celebrate a hard-fought battle.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Carlos Jr. (29-28 Hall)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Carlos Jr. (29-28 Hall)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Carlos Jr. (28-28)

The Official Result

Uriah Hall def. Antonio Carlos Jr. via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Michel Pereira vs. Tristan Connelly

Round 1

The fourth in a series of fights each dropping down one weight class -- from heavyweight down to welterweight -- Pereira (23-9, 2 NC; 1-0 UFC) will try to keep his momentum going against short-notice debutant and former lightweight Connelly (13-6, 0-0 UFC). Keeping charge of this 172-pound catchweight contest, as Pereira missed weight but still dances to the cage, is referee Jason Herzog. Connelly rushes forward to touch gloves, and Pereira springs off the cage to land a superman punch. Flipping through the air but missing wildly, Pereira leaps off the fence to try to land a power shot, and again misses. Connelly tries for a takedown and gets shucked off, but as he avoids flashy strikes he attempts another that presses the Brazilian against the cage wall. "Demolidor" escapes and the Canadian goads him on. Pereira scores with a rolling thunder kick, and then leaps through the air with a knee that is blocked. A body shot from the Brazilian irritates the Canadian, and Pereira spins up to attempt a capoeira kick. Standing right in front of one another, the two trade looping shots, and Pereira surprisingly shoots in for a takedown that he lands. Connelly defends with a guillotine choke and even a triangle, but Pereira stands up to back flip and land on Connelly's body. This is exactly how it is happening, without any embellishments. Connelly returns to his feet and takes the fight back down, and he advances to half guard. The Canadian stays heavy on the wild striker, and takes full mount for a moment before Pereira stands back up. Backing away with his hands down, Pereira looks exhausted as he digs to Connelly's body with a left. A few right hands catch Pereira on the chin, and with seconds remaining Connelly drops down for a guillotine choke, but the horn sounds before it is locked up. Pereira looks spent, and even goes to the wrong corner before he is redirected between rounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pereira

Round 2

Connelly is energized and grins as the second round begins, and starts with a few kicks including a head kick that is just blocked. The crowd is electric for their countryman, who is scoring on Pereira. Connelly shoots for a takedown, and Pereira defends it with a brabo choke, but the Canadian defends it and returns to his feet. Pereira commits to several more body shots, but his output has slowed down considerably and the flashy strikes are largely out of his arsenal. A slow turning back kick from the Brazilian falls short, and he circles away until advancing with a high knee to Connelly's chin. Connelly clips Pereira with a right hand, and in a flurry forces Pereira to drop to a knee. Connelly is advancing hard, forcing the tired Brazilian to protect himself as he backs away. "Boondock" swings a big right hand and Pereira times it well, taking the fight down. In full guard, Pereira attempts to catch his breath while Connelly throws up his legs in a triangle attempt, before abandoning it. Connelly tries for a kimura sweep to take position, but Pereira pulls his arm out and stays on top with occasional strikes. The Canadian sits up to try to walk up the cage, but Pereira remains heavy as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pereira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pereira

Round 3

The two men embrace in the center of the Octagon, and Connelly sticks Pereira with a left followed by a right leg kick that forces the Brazilian to spin around. "Boondock" attempts to bring the fight down, and although he can't get it, he pulls guard for a guillotine that is tight. As Pereira defends it, Connelly rolls to mount, and the choke tightens. With all his might, Pereira pushes out of the choke attempt and they get back to their feet. A weary Pereira backs away to catch his breath, but Connelly will not let him off the hook, and the Canadian takes the fight down. In half guard, Connelly puts his weight down on his gassed adversary, but he is not going after any strike attempts or submissions. Connelly pops his leg out for a second to take mount, only for Pereira to retrieve full guard, so Connelly tries to advance on the other side. The Canadian sits up to land some loud left hands, advancing to mount again before returning to half guard. Connelly steps over while scoring some more ground-and-pound, and while it is not individually significant, it adds up quickly. Seconds remaining, "Boondock" throws everything he has at Pereira, who is barely surviving. The crowd is deafening as they root for the final Canadian fighter on the card, and the fight concludes when the horn sounds. A dominant round for Connelly here could make scoring very interesting, and the judges have their hands full with this one. A massive upset could be ahead, as Connelly closed as a sizeable +365 underdog.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Connelly (28-28)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Connelly (28-28)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Connelly (29-28 Pereira)

The Official Result

Tristan Connelly def. Michel Pereira via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Todd Duffee vs. Jeff Hughes

Round 1

Our second and final heavyweight match of the evening pits Duffee (9-3, 3-2 UFC) against Hughes (10-2, 0-1 UFC), with the former returning from an over four-year layoff. Refereeing this bout is Kevin Dornan. Cautious to engage for the beginning of the fight, Duffee blitzes forward to land cleanly on Hughes. Duffee shoots in for a strong takedown, and Hughes defends it momentarily before landing on his back, although he is able to stand up again as he eats a knee to the body. Duffee swings for the fences and Hughes clips him with a right hand that causes the Indiana native to back up. They continue to trade until Duffee clinches up again. "Lights Out" spins out and slices Duffee with a left hand under his right eye, but Duffee throws back with a vengeance to drop Hughes. Hughes defends himself as he stands back up, and although they clinch briefly again, Duffee unleashes a fury with a head kick and several punches causing Hughes to crash down to the canvas. Hughes stands up and survives, and although he is hurt he swings violently to tag Duffee with a right hand that forces Duffy to clinch again. Duffee is warned for grabbing the fence, and on the break when Hughes pushes off, he pokes Duffee in the eye. The fighters take a much-needed break, and Duffee tells Dornan that he is seeing double. The doctor comes in to check on Duffee, who asks for some time. Unfortunately, Duffee cannot continue, and the fight is stopped on advice from the doctor, resulting in a no-contest.

The Official Result

Todd Duffee vs. Jeff Hughes is ruled a No Contest (Accidental Eye Poke) at R1 4:03

Glover Teixeira vs. Nikita Krylov

Round 1

Twelve years separate these two light heavyweights, as the elder statesman Teixeira (29-7, 12-5 UFC) faces off against pure finisher Krylov (25-6, 7-4 UFC), with the latter never going the distance in 31 career bouts. Our referee for the co-main event is Yves Lavigne. After the two men touch gloves, Krylov leads off with a leg kick and then a push kick. Teixeira counters a body kick with an overhand left that just skims off the target, and after catching a kick the Brazilian sets Krylov down to the canvas. In half guard, Teixeira struggles to get his right arm free as he drops down right hands. Krylov pulls his legs up to consider a submission, and Teixeira pulls free to take mount before snagging Krylov's back. Flattening Krylov out for a moment, Teixeira drops some hammers while searching for a choke. As Teixeira strikes, Krylov stands up to buck Teixeira off him, and Krylov reverses the position to take full mount of the Brazilian. Krylov goes after an arm-triangle choke, but abandons it as they stand up. In a positional exchange, Krylov sinks in a rear-naked choke that is surprisingly tight, although Teixeira grits it out and survives the attack. As he gets back to his feet, Krylov tags him with an elbow on the break. Krylov sits down on another elbow that splits Teixeira right on the forehead, and he swings so hard he falls across the cage while laughing. Teixeira presses forward while "The Miner" catches Teixeira coming in, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Krylov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Krylov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Krylov

Round 2

Krylov starts this second round with more leg kicks much like the first, as Teixeira is content to counter with an overhand right. Teixeira tries to catch a low kick for a takedown, but Krylov scrambles away. The Brazilian attempts to reply to a kick with a big right hand again, and none of them are landing cleanly. Teixeira stalks his man down, and he blasts the Ukrainian with a left-right that staggers him. Teixeira uses the momentum to go after a takedown, but Krylov evades the attempt and makes Teixeira pay for his efforts with a combination ending with a kick. The Brazilian continues to keep Krylov on his back foot, as he leaps in with a left to the body. A right hand finally finds its home from Teixeira, and Krylov replies with a body kick that Teixeira catches but cannot use to score a takedown. With Krylov circling away, Teixeira goads him on to come fight, and not drawing any attacks Teixeira plants a heavy body kick on "The Miner." A three-punch combination tags Teixeira, who responds with a takedown attempt that falls short. In the clinch, Krylov spins around to try to take down Teixeira, and after taking a few sharp elbows to the side of his head, he gets the Brazilian down to the canvas. In half guard, Krylov drops down a few short elbows, and the round expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Krylov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Krylov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Krylov

Round 3

Krylov enters a rare third round in this fight, and once more the two men touch gloves. Teixeira sits down with a left-right that glances off the side of Krylov's head, and as Krylov leans in Teixeira drops down for a guillotine choke. "The Miner" digs his opponent's hands out and he gets out of the choke, and uses the positional advantage to take his back before flipping over and ending with his back against the fence. Teixeira pulls him down, and in half guard, he takes the crucifix position to fire a few punches before Krylov grabs his arm back. The Ukrainian retrieves full guard as Teixeira continues to rain down ground-and-pound. Teixeira takes mount briefly and Krylov escapes, but gives up his arm in the process. The Brazilian takes opportunity of this mistake and pulls for an armbar, although Krylov rolls out of it. Back to their feet, Krylov drops down for a takedown, and after trying to trip Teixeira he bails on the try. Krylov attempts a takedown again, and gives his neck up once more, with Teixeira going hard for the guillotine choke before Krylov pops his head out. Sitting in half guard, Krylov thumps Teixeira in the forehead with a few stiff elbows, and not a fan of this position, Teixeira sweeps his opponent with 10 seconds left. The horn sounds and the fight is over, and Krylov has now gone the distance for the first time in his career.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Teixeira (29-28 Krylov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Teixeira (29-28 Krylov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Teixeira (29-28 Krylov)

The Official Result

Glover Teixeira def. Nikita Krylov via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Donald Cerrone vs. Justin Gaethje

Round 1

The main event is here, between two men that have combined for 24 post-fight bonuses, as Cerrone (36-12, 1 NC; 23-9 UFC) tussles with Gaethje (20-2, 3-2 UFC) at lightweight. The referee for this headliner that virtually guarantees action is Jerin Valel. The two touch gloves and we are underway. Cerrone starts with a push kick to the body, and Gaethje replies with a few sharp leg kicks. Gaethje whiffs on another leg kick, and Cerrone brings his knee up to check them. Gaethje presses forward and swings wildly, but nothing connects of significance. Gaethje ducks down to throw a big right hand and misses, but he does crack him with another few leg kicks for good measure. "The Highlight" tags Cerrone coming on, and backs way while launching a few more leg kicks, although "Cowboy" is starting to check them. Gaethje swings with all he has and "Cowboy" barely evades it, and tying up Gaethje tags Cerrone again. Cerrone leaps forward with a left hand, and then throws his own leg kick. A three-punch combination from "Cowboy" lands, and Gaethje cracks him with a counter left hand. As Gaethje swings, Cerrone responds with a body kick. The two men crash together, and Gaethje gets the better of this exchange. "Cowboy" ducks down and Gaethje times an uppercut, and then throws another leg kick that appears to stymie the movement of Cerrone slightly. Gaethje blasts "Cowboy" right a right hand when coming in, halting the Colorado native in his tracks and dropping him to a knee. Gaethje cracks him with a few more short shots, until "Cowboy" falls to the ground. "The Highlight" looks to Valel for a stoppage, but he does not get it so he clubs Cerrone with a few more punches until Valel calls the fight. Cerrone pops back up and protests the stoppage, but the fight is over. On the post-fight interview, the two celebrate and Cerrone is all smiles as he congratulates the victor.

The Official Result

Justin Gaethje def. Donald Cerrone R1 4:18 via TKO (Punches)