UFC Fight Night 184 ‘Overeem vs. Volkov’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Ode Osbourne (143.5) vs. Jerome Rivera (145)

Round 1

In a bout surprisingly taking place at featherweight due to its short-notice nature, we begin the night between two men that planned on facing one another last month as Osbourne (8-3, 1 NC; 0-1 UFC) meets Rivera (10-4, 0-2 UFC). A mere 17 days ago, Rivera competed at 125 pounds, so this jump to featherweight hopes to earn him his first UFC victory – Osbourne has the same goal to get his first win inside the Octagon, so referee Chris Tognoni will make things official between the two after a grateful touch of gloves that they are both fighting today. Osbourne strides forward and reaches his right hand out to find his range, and Rivera kicks him to the chest a few times. Rivera slings up a head kick, and “The Jamaican Sensation” catches it and returns fire with a picture-perfect left hand that sends Rivera crashing down to the canvas. Osbourne is on him as soon as Rivera hits the ground, unleashing a dramatic flurry of punches until Tognoni intervenes to stop the fight. What a start to the night, with a knockout in less than 30 seconds!

The Official Result

Ode Osbourne def. Jerome Rivera R1 0:26 via KO (Punches)

Martin Day (146) vs. Timur Valiev (145.5)

Round 1

Staying at an unplanned featherweight, two more men searching for their first UFC win come to blows when Valiev (16-2, 1 NC; 0-0, 1 NC UFC) takes on “The Spartan” Day (8-5, 0-3 UFC). Drawing the assignment is referee Mark Smith, and with a touch of gloves we are underway. As Valiev tries to measure from a distance, Day drops his hands and dodges a low kick. He loops up a head kick, and Valiev slaps it away and nails him with a leg kick. Valiev steps back and stomps down with a kick to the knee. Day comes up short with a head kick, and darts forward with a punch but is also shy of the mark. Day is loose with kicks, and he takes a couple to the calf to keep him honest. Valiev steps in with a side kick aimed at the face, but “The Spartan” is able to evade it in time. As Day escapes, he absorbs another heavy leg kick. When Day misses with a spinning wheel kick, Valiev once more delivers a leg kick to the same spot. Day tries to counter, and the two engage in a brief but ferocious brawl that sees Valiev getting off a right hand. When they reset, Valiev charges in for a takedown, and Day keeps his balance and hops over to the fence to stay upright. With his hands clasped around Day, Valiev lifts him up and sets him down. The Hawaiian springs up without issue, leading Valiev to try to tie his leg up. In this partial back control position on the feet, Valiev claps his left hand on the side of Day’s head repeatedly before slamming him down. Like before, Day is not even on the ground for a second before he pops back up. Valiev fishes for a choke as Day leans over to defend himself, and when Day tries to roll through the position, the Russian easily maintains top position and slides down into his foe’s guard. Day looks to scramble, but Valiev puts his man flat and starts pounding on him. With a butterfly guard, Day attempts to kick off Valiev and lifts him up a few times, but Valiev is on him like fly paper. Valiev slices over to half guard as he drops down sporadic strikes, but Day is quick to return him back to his butterfly guard. Day does manage to kick off his opponent, and Valiev stands above him and taunts him as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Valiev
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Valiev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Valiev

Round 2

The two greet with another glove touch, and Day reaches out with a leg kick but gets hammered by one in response. Valiev gets off a spinning back kick, and it glances off the torso as Day tries to stay out of harm’s way. Valiev steps in with a body kick, and he clubs Day with a right hand and a leg kick to end the combination. As Day reels, Valiev hits a single leg takedown and puts Day down in the center of the cage. Valiev already in half guard as he keeps Day flat on his back, he starts to work the body with punches all while considering a guard pass. Valiev nails him with an elbow from on top, and Day scrambles but allows Valiev to take side control on the other side. The Russian starts to let loose with elbows, and he aims for a guillotine choke but allows Day to turn to his side. Valiev bails on the choke to elbow Day in the face, and Day manage to return him to full closed guard. “Lucky” connects with several strikes that are anything but lucky as he works on Day from on top, and even wrenches a can opener to break Day’s grip so he can land some more ground-and-pound. Day looks for a butterfly hook push-off, so Valiev stands up, and jumps down with a couple heavy punches as he returns to the guard position. Valiev keeps getting off ground strikes with punches and elbows, and Day attempts but fails to power out of the bad spot when Valiev aims these shots. Valiev advances to half guard all while dropping down punches and elbows, as he slowly but methodically grinds out his foe. When Day tries to roll through, Valiev takes mount but gets swept in that position. As Valiev falls to his back, he throws his legs up for a submission attempt. Day gets out of it right before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Valiev
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Valiev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Valiev

Round 3

The featherweights touch gloves to open the final round, and Valiev hops back and gets off a leg kick. Day charges towards him with punches, but Valiev dances out of the way and returns with another leg kick. His shin continues to land with audible thuds to the outer knee, and after working a few more kicks, he snatches up a leg and takes the fight down. Day can do nothing but fall to his back, as there is no submission to find and no way to stay upright. Valiev sits up in guard and drops down hammers, and “The Spartan” scrambles but eats these shots again and again. Day rolls to his side to power up, but Valiev keeps him grounded by slamming his elbow on the side of Day’s head repeatedly. When Valiev continues to work, Day rolls to his knees and manages to walk up to his feet. Valiev has him from behind, and he drags Day right back down to take back position. A fatiguing Day manages to get up, but it takes a lot more effort than the first round. Valiev transitions into a double, and he lifts his foe’s legs off the ground to put him down. Day wall-walks but is trapped in an odd place against the fence, before turning to his knees and giving his back up again. Valiev secures another mat return as Day tries with all his might to break the grip. Day rolls, but Valiev steps over with him to briefly gain three-quarter mount. The Russian decides to not keep this place, and gets back to half guard so that he can keep Day trapped. When Valiev continues to rain down strikes, Day turns and surrenders side control. Valiev embraces the grind for the remainder of the match, with frustrating punches adding up while Day tries and fails to stand back up. The final horn sounds to wrap up this grueling but one-sided 15-minute affair.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Valiev (30-27 Valiev)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Valiev (30-27 Valiev)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Valiev (30-27 Valiev)

The Official Result

Timur Valiev def. Martin Day via Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)

Seung Woo Choi (145.5) vs. Youssef Zalal (146)

Round 1

In yet another bout stung by opponent change after opponent change, “Sting” Choi (8-3, 1-2 UFC) finds himself glad to face anyone inside the cage, drawing a tough matchup against the recently surging Zalal (10-3, 3-1 UFC) also at featherweight. The third man inside the Octagon is referee Chris Tognoni, and the two men are so glad to be competing tonight that they practically hug when touching gloves. Choi opens up with a leg kick that comes up short, and Zalal walks around the outside and similarly misses with his own leg kick. Choi lets loose with a head kick, and he fires off a one-two that makes Zalal bounce off the cage wall. Choi’s punches are drawing reactions out of his opponent, and he just misses with a head kick that blows back Zalal’s hair. Zalal jabs to the body, and he hops forward with a left hand and ducks out of the way before a counter can find him. Zalal sticks his man with a jab, and is in and out with a body strike but he does take a high body kick. Zalal starts talking, and Choi slams him in the leg with a kick. Zalal’s jabs allow him to get out of danger as Choi is loading up on power strikes, and the South Korean does land with a solid right hand but Zalal rolls with it without issue. Choi scores a body kick and glances off with a pair of punches as he wings heavily, but the speed of Zalal is giving his foe issues as he jabs in and out. Zalal chains a strike into a takedown attempt, and he does not secure it but bullies “Sting” into the wire. Choi grinds his elbow on Zalal’s face while defending himself, and Tognoni asks them to stay busy as a stalemate has presented itself. Zalal pushes up high before changing levels for a low double, but Choi keeps his legs spread far enough apart to keep his balance and break the grip. Choi lands a couple heavy shoulder strikes, but Tognoni breaks them apart. Choi steps back and delivers a leg kick, and gets clipped with a left hand on the way in but he lands as well. As they come together and break, “Sting” stings him with an elbow. Choi tags Zalal with a quick counter, and presses Zalal into the fence before dragging Zalal down to punctuate the round right before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Zalal
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Choi

Round 2

Both men jab at the same time to begin the second frame, and Choi walks Zalal down and works him with a left hand. An errant kick from Zalal clanks off the cup, but Choi assures that he is fine and darts forward to pursue a takedown. Zalal, with his back on the fence, jumps up to attack a guillotine choke. In the process, Zalal turns the two around, and he goes after his own takedown while Choi works him with short elbows to the side of the head. Zalal’s single leg takedown attempt ignores a solid elbow to lift Choi’s leg up, but Choi is still able to stay standing on one leg. “The Moroccan Devil” changes it up to a double leg takedown, and Choi keeps elbowing him to break it up. Zalal looks to elevate his opponent, and he does not have the ability to put Choi on his back, leading to Tognoni asking them to keep fighting. Zalal stays pressed on Choi against the cage until Tognoni splits them up. Choi lands a kick on the shoulder, and a few punches clatter off Zalal’s face. Zalal smiles and gets out of the way, but he takes a jab on the chin as he retreats. Choi powers forward with punches before latching on to his opponent for a body lock takedown attempt, but Zalal sees it coming and holds on tight without concern of hitting the canvas. Choi turns the attempt into a throw, and both end up on the ground but Choi cannot keep him there. Zalal looks for upkicks that do not score, and when he stands up, he goes after a flying knee. Choi brushes it aside and cracks him with a right hand. Zalal scores a knee when Choi tries to clinch up, and he connects with a jab but eats a right hand. Choi catches a kick and pushes Zalal down, but Zalal pops up. The two both leap with flying strikes at the same time, and they crash into the fence without landing much of note before the second round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Choi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Choi

Round 3

The glove touch commences the final round, and Choi is looking for knockout blows early as he slings head kick and big punches. He backs Zalal away with a kick and then follows it with a slapping leg kick, and his forward momentum bowls Zalal over. “The Moroccan Devil” is sly, and he rolls through to stand back up, where he re-presents his jab. Choi crashes forward with strikes to clinch, and this time, Zalal is not interested in engaging like this. Choi gathers himself and attempts this again, so Zalal jumps guard for a guillotine choke. As there is nothing to it, Zalal bails on it and spins around to attack a double leg takedown. Choi stands him back up, and for the first time, Zalal lifts him up and sets him down. Zalal immediately attacks a guillotine choke, and he rolls to mount as it is locked in fairly tight. Choi grits it out, and he puts Zalal on his back, so Zalal throws his legs up for a triangle choke. The South Korean is not remotely flustered, as he breaks the posture and sits down in Zalal’s guard. Choi drops down a shoulder strike to put Zalal flat on his back, and Zalal sits up only to get dropped back down. Zalal uses upkicks to back Choi off, and as Choi avoids them, he vaults back up. Zalal lands a quick jab but takes two punches for it, and he changes levels for a single leg takedown. Choi defends it by grabbing the fence, and Tognoni does not call it as Zalal is still pushing to try to complete it. Choi sits against the fence and stands up, but Zalal scoops him up and hits a double. “Sting” stands up once more without issue, and he allows Zalal to take his back for a moment. Zalal defends a takedown attempt with a guillotine choke, and he keeps his balance as Choi nearly has him down. Choi stays heavy, keeping his full body weight pressed on his opponent, so Zalal latches on to one final guillotine choke. It is not there, and time expires.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (29-28 Choi)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (29-28 Zalal)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Zalal (29-28 Choi)

The Official Result

Seung Woo Choi def. Youssef Zalal via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Molly McCann (126) vs. Lara Procopio (125.5)

Round 1

The first of two women’s matches tonight comes at the flyweight division, when “Meatball” McCann (10-3, 3-2 UFC) and Procopio (6-1, 0-1 UFC) try to bounce back from decision losses in a classic battle of Britain vs. Brazil. The referee in charge of the cage for this one is Jason Herzog, and the ladies have no interesting in touching them up before they start throwing. McCann comes out like she is shot out of a cannon, chasing down Procopio with punches and pushing Procopio against the fence. The Brazilian circles out and lands a kick. McCann is right back on her with a swarm of punches, and she takes another body kick before Procopio ties her up. The Brit breaks free of the position, and they both swing hard at one another. McCann nearly times a knee as Procopio shoots in for a single leg takedown, but it does not land flush. McCann does manage to stop the takedown, and she lands several punches to force Procopio to reevaluate her situation. Procopio grinds McCann into the cage, and she tries to hit a trip but gets stopped. McCann turns her about as she drops down a few “old school” foot stomps, but Procopio hits an outside trip to put McCann on her back. Procopio in half guard is not looking for strikes but rather to take dominant position, as she easily advances to side control where she begins to elbow McCann in the face. The Brit just barely explodes out of position before Procopio powers her back down, and threatens with a brabo choke to keep McCann honest. McCann on her side has her neck in a guillotine choke, but Procopio has no interest in locking it up and instead looks to pass guard. McCann recovers to full guard and pushes Procopio back, where the Brazilian stands back up. Procopio leaps back down, and she hunts for an arm-triangle choke while she climbs over into three-quarter mount. The Brit turns her back but she is now fully mounted, and Procopio lands a few strikes before transitioning into an armbar. With a few seconds left, Procopio takes the back and locks in a rear-naked choke. She cannot finish it before time expires in the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Procopio
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Procopio
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Procopio

Round 2

McCann once more comes out like her hair is on fire, ready to brawl and she lands a few shots. Procopio gives it right back to her, with punches over the top and a heavy kick. McCann bears down on her Brazilian foe, and Procopio greets her with a knee up the middle. McCann kicks low and thwarts a takedown attempt, but Procopio presses forward to push her opponent into the cage. Procopio nearly drags McCann down, but the Brit is upright until a body lock throw from Procopio puts McCann on her back hard. Procopio lands in side control, but she quickly gets pulled back to guard as McCann looks to posture up and kick off. When Procopio sits up, she leaves her arm exposed and McCann latches on to an armbar. Procopio stands up but still is trapped, and she sets McCann down to break out of the position. McCann has it tight, and the elbow is nearly hyperextending, but the Brazilian remains patient and works her arm free. On her back, McCann fishes for another and has Procopio trapped once more, but like before, Procopio wriggles her way out and climbs on top. McCann looks to kick off the fence and sit back up, although she cannot do so when Procopio bullies her down while working strikes. McCann gives up her back to stand up, but with Procopio dug in like an Alabama tick, she is forced to play defense while Procopio attempts takedowns and racks up control time. Procopio lands a few knees to the body in this close-range position, and she turns McCann around and hits a trip to put her back down. Procopio fights out of a high guard as McCann defends well, and even gets off an upkick, but Procopio wades through it to take half guard as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 McCann
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Procopio
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 McCann

Round 3

McCann begins the last round with strikes like the first two, walking Procopio down and even scoring a spinning back kick. McCann targets the body and kicks low, but the leg kick is caught and she gets clipped with a right hand. Procopio grabs hold of her flyweight foe to pursue a takedown, but McCann is the one to turn it around and hunt for a single. Procopio spins her about with ease as she hunts for a trip, and her effective body lock control forces McCann down to the ground. McCann’s head is jammed into the fencing from a low angle, and unexpectedly, Procopio drops down to attack a speedy heel hook. McCann rolls through the position and her knee is out of danger, and she keeps spinning but is on her back for a moment. Procopio allows her to stand so that she can take her back in a scramble, and when McCann lands an elbow from behind, Procopio trips her leg out and put McCann down on the canvas. Procopio considers a back take, but McCann spins through to keep her back flat on the canvas. The Brit keeps rolling to the fence, and Procopio is not concerned as she keeps heavy pressure and looks to return McCann back to the mat. She does this when McCann gets to her feet, and this exchange happens again as McCann is out of options right now. Procopio knees the thigh and follows McCann as the Brit tries to keep swirling to get out of the danger zone. In the process, Procopio takes her back and starts landing some punches. This back control with strikes continues right to the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Procopio (29-28 Procopio)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Procopio (30-27 Procopio)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Procopio (29-28 Procopio)

The Official Result

Lara Procopio def. Molly McCann via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Joselyne Edwards (135) vs. Karol Rosa (135)

Round 1

The final women’s bout of the night is upon us, when Rosa (13-3, 2-0 UFC) and Edwards (10-2, 1-0 UFC) try to lift their win streaks to three in a row at the expense of the other. The bantamweights will be officiated by referee Mark Smith, who observes no touch of gloves prior to engagement. Rosa crashes forward immediately, eats a knee, and still slams Edwards down to the canvas in emphatic fashion in just seconds. The Brazilian is already in half guard, with Edwards stuck with her neck in the corner between the floor and the wall. Rosa works body strikes, and she drags Edwards away from the fencing to disallow her to walk her way up. Rosa steps over to half guard on the other side as she looks to step up strikes, and Edwards flails from her back with elbows while Rosa calmly attempts to advance her position. Rosa slowly, methodically keeps working from on top with strikes, until she sits up and nails Edwards with a single elbow before sliding back down close. Rosa’s top pressure is smothering, not letting Edwards take a breath as she drops down a couple loud hammerfists. Rosa slips into mount, where she hacks at elbows from above until she falls over. Edwards somehow manages to put her legs all the way around to throw Rosa over like a gymnast, and she powers back to her feet. “La Pantera” is out for blood as soon as she gets up, stinging Rosa with heavy punches and making the Brazilian back away. Edwards connects with punches, and she lands a leg kick and ducks a counterpunch. Rosa manages to score a kick, but she gets countered with a pair of looping shots. When Edwards throws a single kick, Rosa grabs her leg and drags her down right before the bell. Rosa is already hunting for an armbar, but time is up in the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rosa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rosa
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rosa

Round 2

Both women come out firing, with winging punches that connect off the chins of one another. Rosa lands a right hand and a leg kick buckles Edwards’ legs. She goes for it another and Edwards is really struggling with this strike. Rosa crashes into the clinch with a heavy knee, and she hacks at Edwards with an elbow. She separates with two big shots, and Edwards is back against the fence showing that her leg is clearly compromised. Rosa targets it again, and Edwards winces and absorbs a second right after. Edwards rushes in with a salvo of punches, and she gets countered but still lands to back Rosa off. The Brazilian recovers, and she fires off a head kick that blasts Edwards in the face. Edwards responds with punches but Rosa’s do far more damage. Edwards looks to keep her foe at bay with a push kick, and she again blitzes forward with punches but gets snagged and taken down. Rosa in half guard sits up and starts raining down elbows and punches, and there is some blood but it is coming from Rosa. Edwards absorbs some flush elbows on the chin, and she is a fish out of water flat on her back while Rosa keeps striking. Rosa pops up, pops Edwards with a left hand, and pops back down to take half guard on the other side. The blood is beginning to pool, with it all coming from Rosa’s nose or mouth, and she spits a gout of blood out on the floor. Rosa stays busy with strikes, swinging hammerfists and elbows to the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rosa
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rosa
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rosa

Round 3

The cut is on the side of Rosa’s mouth, and she again spits blood out before the round begins. She is unconcerned with it, as she rushes in to strike. Edwards greets her with some responsive strikes, and Rosa grips her tight and slams her down to the canvas. The Panamanian looks for a high rubber guard, but Rosa pays it no mind as she lands a few strikes. Edwards is the busier fighter of the two, prompting Smith to ask the two to work. Edwards scoots her way to the fence, and she kicks Rosa off to stand back up. The two trade leg kicks, and Rosa’s is far more effective as Edwards visibly reacts from it. A wild flurry with punches and low kicks leads to another clinch from Rosa, where she doggedly pursues a body lock takedown. Rosa delivers a fierce knee to the midsection, and Edwards is trapped to the fence but still on her feet. “La Pantera” looks for a trip, but this time Rosa is wise to it so the Brazilian stays pressed tightly instead. Rosa goes after her own trip takedown with her legs, and Edwards hops back and stays standing, but time is not on her side. Rosa’s heavy pressure but low offensive output draws another request for action from Smith, so she obliges him by yanking Edwards off her feet and to the ground. Rosa hops over to side control with ease, and Edwards scrambles and returns Rosa to half guard, but she is trapped. Rosa hacks at her with elbows in an effort to climb into mount, and the two women trade strikes from this position until Rosa takes full mount. The final seconds see a massive surge of strikes from Rosa, who looks to finish the fight and lets loose with everything she has left, but it is not enough. Edwards rides out the round, and Rosa releases a scream to celebrate her performance and likely upcoming victory.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rosa (30-27 Rosa)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rosa (30-27 Rosa)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rosa (30-27 Rosa)

The Official Result

Karol Rosa def. Joselyne Edwards via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Devonte Smith (159.5) vs. Justin Jaynes (159)

Round 1

We conclude the preliminary portion of the event that is entirely broadcast on ESPN+ with a catchweight contest that is virtually guaranteed to be a furious brawl for as long as it lasts. Two finishers in “King Kage” Smith (10-2, 2-1 UFC) and “Guitar Hero” Jaynes (16-6, 1-2 UFC) will lock horns, and referee Keith Peterson will need to keep his nonsense-free head on a swivel for this bout contested at 160 pounds. They touch gloves, and it begins. Smith walks Jaynes down and throws a head kick, but it gets blocked. He lands a body kick as Jaynes crashes forward to engage, successfully keeping “Guitar Hero” at bay for the moment. Jaynes snaps out a quick jab, and he blocks one in response. A strike from Smith forces Jaynes to back away and he trips, but Jaynes springs back to his feet without issue. Smith reaches out a left hand, avoids a right hook from Jaynes, and he takes a hard leg kick. A left straight stings Jaynes, but he responds with a heavy right hand that makes Smith take a brief back step. Jaynes sprints forward with a looping punch, and Smith dances out of the way to avoid the blow. “King Kage” snaps out his jab a few times, and fires off another head kick that is similarly blocked. His strikes draw visible reactions from Jaynes, but Jaynes comes back at him and makes Smith trip as well. Jaynes runs in with a left hand, and Smith backs him up with a few punches but cannot break through the guard. A thigh kick from Smith makes Jaynes take a step back, and Jaynes slings a big right hand that stumbles Smith. “King Kage” recovers and irritates Jaynes with a low kick, and a head kick that follows is blocked but the sheer impact knocks Jaynes back. Jaynes ducks down to change levels, and just barely whiffs with a left hook. Smith keeps his foe at arm’s reach as he snaps out the jab a few times, and he follows one with a right hand that draws blood. Jaynes gets off a pair of jabs, and he ducks back away to avoid the counterstrike. Smith wades in with a jab, and a few punches make Jaynes yelp. Smith lands a kick, and when Jaynes catches it, he swings furiously and hurts Jaynes. “Guitar Hero” comes right back at him with wildly inaccurate strikes, and the tense round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The catchweight opponents touch gloves, and Jaynes rushes in with a barrage of punches that turns into a takedown attempt. Although Jaynes gets Smith down for a moment, “King Kage” uses the cage to walk back up and dramatically reverses the position to slam Jaynes down. Smith, landing in side control, slams down with an elbow all while keeping Jaynes from walking up the fencing. Smith looks to tie up a crucifix position with his legs, and he bails on it to grind his left elbow on Jaynes’ face. When Jaynes pushes his feet off the fence, Smith elbows him a few times and gets dragged away from the cage. Jaynes continues to paw with his feet off the fence, but Smith relocates Jaynes to not allow this wall-walking. Smith takes several short elbows to the midsection but he does not even notice them, as he slides into mount. Smith sits up and starts dropping down hammers, forcing Jaynes to roll and give up his back. Smith has his back stuck to the wall sitting up, so the angle for a choke is not evident. Smith lands a couple punches and several slaps, and he slips his arm under the neck to grab on to a rear-naked choke. Jaynes turns about and keeps scrambling, forcing Smith to stand back up to reassess his position. “King Kage” allows Jaynes to stand back up, and when Jaynes returns to his feet, his eye shows some massive damage as it has swollen almost completely shut in seconds. Peterson will not let any nonsense stand, and he immediately calls in the doctor to evaluate this major swelling. The damage is clear and Jaynes claims he can still see, but there is very little he can do as the doctor calls the fight off. Jaynes protests, but there should be no controversy about this stoppage. With the win, Smith retains his perfect finish rate of 100 percent, with all but one coming by knockout or technical knockout

The Official Result

Devonte Smith def. Justin Jaynes R2 3:38 via TKO (Doctor Stoppage)

Mike Rodriguez (205) vs. Danilo Marques (205)

Round 1

Opening up the main card is a light heavyweight striker vs. grappler battle when Rodriguez (11-5, 1 NC; 2-3, 1 NC UFC) tries to go for the knockout against the submission-minded Marques (10-2, 1-0 UFC). Referee Jason Herzog will keep his eyes peeled for what could be a finish at any second, and no glove touch precedes the action. Rodriguez swings an early low kick, and Marques dashes forward for a takedown. Rodriguez hops around on one foot with his other leg high in the air, and he sets his foot down. The Brazilian redoubles his efforts, and he puts Rodriguez on his back. Rodriguez walks his way up the fencing, and he scores a few short punches while Marques looks to trip him back down. Rodriguez may have gotten away with a fence grab to stay upright, and Marques keeps tightly pressed to not allow Rodriguez a chance to strike with him. Marques nearly lifts him in the air, but Rodriguez yanks his leg free and steps back to survive the attempt. The Brazilian doggedly pursues the takedown still, and he manages to get Rodriguez down again where he ties up Rodriguez’ legs. Marques steps over with ease into side control, and he sets up part of an arm-triangle choke while keeping his full body weight pressed n his man. Rodriguez scoots his way back to the wall, but Marques sucks his legs back out again to put him flat on the ground. Marques clings on to his opponent like Saran wrap, but Rodriguez powers back to his feet while Marques is still holding on. This allows Marques to secure a quick mat return, but he has done practically zero with it besides racking up time. When Rodriguez stands up, Marques lands a punch. The Massachusetts native breaks free and lands a big knee up the middle to separate from a clinch. Rodriguez paws at the leg with his foot, and he fires off a pair of body shots to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Marques
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Marques
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Marques

Round 2

Marques takes the center of the cage to begin the round, but Rodriguez swipes at him to make him back away. Rodriguez swings and misses with a few strikes, and a right hand makes Marques wipe at his nose. The two kick one another at the same time, and Rodriguez’ leg kicks that follow are drawing reactions from his opponent. Rodriguez scores another heavy leg kick to disrupt an oncoming takedown, and he counters when an uppercut when Marques darts forward. “Slow” lands a few leg kicks, and he ducks an overhand right but allows Marques to close the distance and pursue a takedown. Marques pushes through and puts Rodriguez on his back with a very loud thud, and he lands a couple short strikes while passing to side control. Rodriguez backs his way to the cage but he surrenders mount in the process, and Marques lands a single strike while in this position. Marques adds to that total with several more big right hands, and Rodriguez can do nothing but take them flush on the chin. Marques switches to intermittent elbows as he pounds away, and he is heavy on top to not allow Rodriguez to buck him off. Herzog asks for Marques to keep working, as Marques has stopped throwing strikes when Rodriguez pulls himself back to the fence. When Rodriguez gets to a single knee, Marques pops him a few times with left hands, and Rodriguez gets dragged back down while looking very frustrated. Marques gets his hooks in and secures a body triangle when Rodriguez gives up his back, and the Brazilian instantly attacks a rear-naked choke. Rodriguez is not able to defend himself from this choke, but instead of tapping, he goes to sleep. Herzog lifts the arm, recognizes that Rodriguez is out cold, and stops the fight. This is an important win for the light heavyweight from Brazil, who lifts his finish rate over 80 percent with this submission victory.

The Official Result

Danilo Marques def. Mike Rodriguez R2 4:52 via Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Diego Ferreira (155) vs. Beneil Dariush (156)

Round 1

An intriguing rematch years in the making takes place next at lightweight, as Ferreira (17-2, 8-2 UFC) looks for revenge against one of the only men to beat him in Dariush (19-4-1, 13-4-1 UFC). This potential “Fight of the Night” matchup will be overseen by referee Chris Tognoni, and the two men respectfully touch gloves. Dariush throws a big right hand, and Ferreira greets him with a knee up the middle. Dariush throws another punch, and Ferreira comes back at him. The two are throwing hard and fast in the early going, and they both land leg kicks at the same time. Dariush closes the distance and attempts a single leg takedown, but Ferreira rolls through and over the top to attack an omoplata. Dariush pushes through and fights off an armbar, but he cannot keep Ferreira grounded after defending against the attempt. Dariush presses heavily on the fence to take Ferreira down, and Ferreira defends with an unorthodox submission attempt. When the Brazilian gets up, the two stand and bang violently. They both land huge strikes, and both are hurt as they keep teeing off on one another’s chins. A big knee hurts Ferreira, and he slumps over and gets bowled over from Dariush. Ferreira gets hit in the face a few times, but he gathers himself and attacks with a triangle choke from his back. Dariush backs off, readjusts himself, and blocks another triangle choke before landing a few strikes from on top. Ferreira throws his legs up for an armbar attempt, and he switches to a kneebar as he looks to roll out of this position. The scrambles are wild and inventive for the Brazilian, who attacks seamlessly with submissions to nearly take Dariush’s back. Dariush spins through it to get back on top, and he hammers Ferreira with strikes from above. Ferreira gets to a knee but Dariush takes him from behind and presses him back down. Dariush cannot keep his man grounded for long, and Ferreira ducks out of the way of a knee to gain space. A huge one-two from Ferreira backs off Dariush, and he follows it with a head kick as Dariush is hurt. Dariush bites down on his mouthpiece, and he gets tagged with a front kick to the face to lead into one final flurry to end the round. What a round!

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dariush

Round 2

The two lightweights touch gloves, and Dariush catches a kick and throws back some heavy shots. Ferreira connects with a few effective front kicks to back Dariush off, and the two start throwing bombs. Ferreira scores a right hand, which forces Dariush into a takedown attempt. Ferreira nearly sweeps the position, but Dariush keeps him grounded. Ferreira closes his guard and eats an elbow, before putting his legs up for a submission attempt that Dariush easily sees coming and halts. Ferreira pushes off and scores an upkick, but Dariush dives back down and nails Ferreira with a left hand to get back into the guard. Ferreira scrambles and rolls to get to his knees and then upright, but Dariush is still on him as he clings tightly to the position. Ferreira rolls for a kneebar, and he continues through to stand back up. Dariush hops on to his back, and Ferreira shakes him off and stands up to land a right hand. Dariush ducks a hook to hit a double leg takedown, but this time he cannot keep Ferreira grounded for long. The Brazilian powers back up and lands a knee, but he breaks free and even gets off a spinning back fist. The two start brawling wildly, and Dariush drops down to hit a takedown but falls into a brief guillotine choke. Ferreira cannot secure it, and he eats several strikes before threatening with a choke. Dariush gets up, avoids a few upkicks, and slams his fist down into Ferreira’s face to climb back down into the guard. Ferreira starts slinging elbows from his back while Dariush opens up with strikes, and he cannot muscle back up to his feet before the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dariush

Round 3

The two oblige in a final glove touch to open the round, and Dariush avoids a punch to land a kick. Ferreira bears down on him with a few looping punches, and Dariush backs off to scores a slapping kick. Dariush clubs his man with a left hand, and Ferreira sits down with a right hand that gets ducked. The Brazilian gets off a one-two, and he eats a front kick and a left hand as he tries to throw bombs. Dariush shoots for a single, and Ferreira stands up and nails Dariush with a counter right hand. Dariush throws wildly before charging in for a takedown, and Ferreira runs through it to stay upright, allowing Dariush to get back up. Dariush thanks him for this by blasting Ferreira in the cup with a heavy kick that splits the uprights. The action pauses for just over 30 seconds before Ferreira is ready to clock the fight back in, and Ferreira works the body with a kick. Dariush gives him two back to the torso, and Ferreira swings and misses with a huge right hand. Ferreira times a knee when Dariush crashes forward into a takedown, and he steps away to easily avoid the attempt. Dariush pops up and throws looping shots, and a left hand tags Ferreira square on the chin. Ferreira stuffs a takedown and runs right into Tognoni, but he gathers himself and lets loose a stream of punches. Ferreira clips Dariush with a couple punches, but Dariush returns fire and fails on another takedown. Dariush smacks Ferreira with another left hand, and Ferreira catches a kick to throw Dariush to the ground. The Fortis MMA fighter climbs on top to deliver some punishment, but Dariush defends with a leg lock attempt to force a standup. Ferreira lands a one-two, and Dariush is right there slinging heavy leather back at him. Dariush steps in with a knee, and he eats a punch but kicks the body as he backs away. Ferreira defends himself against a takedown, but Dariush’s second attempt is successful as he puts Ferreira on his back. Ferreira rolls and gives up his back, but he pays it no mind as he climbs to his knees to look to stand up. Dariush hooks up a body triangle but Ferreira pushes him off and lances him with an elbow. Dariush attacks with a leglock, and Ferreira backs out of the position. When Dariush sits up, a Hail Mary brabo choke comes from Ferreira, but he runs out of time before he can finish it. Fans can take a breath now, because this furious lightweight battle is now in the books.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ferreira (29-28 Dariush)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dariush (30-27 Dariush)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dariush (30-27 Dariush)

The Official Result

Beneil Dariush def. Diego Ferreira via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Cody Stamann (144.5) vs. Askar Askar (145)

Round 1

The bout was canceled Saturday afternoon after Askar was not medically cleared to compete. The news was initially reported by MMA Fighting.

Alexandre Pantoja (125.5) vs. Manel Kape (125.5)

Round 1

Up now at flyweight is a match pitting Pantoja (22-5, 6-3 UFC) against long-awaited debutant “Prodigio” Kape (15-4, 0-0 UFC), between two men known for action-packed fights. Trying to keep up with these speedsters will be nonsense-averse referee Keith Peterson, who watches the two touch gloves before the floodgates open. Pantoja pushes the pace early, with a body kick and a right hand as he swarms at Kape. The newcomer ducks out of the way of all these strikes, but he takes a right hand when Pantoja blitzes forward. “The Cannibal” chomps down on a heavy leg kick to draw a quick reaction out of his opponent, and he has largely kept Kape at bay with his offense. Pantoja lands a body kick, and Kape steps away and does the Ali shuffle, all while sneaking in a left hand while avoiding an overhand right that comes towards his face. Pantoja lands another hacking leg kick, and he pushes his way into a takedown attempt but Kape is wise to it and stuffs it. Pantoja lands a sharp jab and follows it with a kick, and his body kick and leg kick have flustered Kape. Kape retreats with a leg kick, but Pantoja ignores it and rushes in to attack. Pantoja skims his foot off the body with a kick, and he misses with a sweeping leg kick. Kape stands in front of his foe with his hands down, and he gets clipped with a pair of right hands but does not appear fazed. Pantoja lands a few leg kicks, and Kape is stuck guessing in front of him as he eats another leg kick. Kape swipes with a left hook that gets blocked, and he takes a right hand for his trouble. Pantoja scores a high leg kick and chases after a backpedaling foe with looping punches. Pantoja scores another leg kick, and a body kick that follows pops off the chest. Kape wings a cartwheel kick, and Pantoja pushes through it to put Kape on his back. “Prodigio” attacks an armbar off his back, but Pantoja punches his way out. Kape kicks off and stands up, and he eats a knee and catches a kick as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja

Round 2

There is another glove touch to open the round, and Pantoja works the inside leg to start things off. The Brazilian lands a few front kicks to the body, and he scores the end of a right hand. Kape replies with a heavy right hand, and the two get off successful leg kicks. As Pantoja lands a kick, Kape showboats and even throws a behind-the-leg kick. Kape stands in front of his opponent and takes a leg kick, and when he tries to counter, his strikes clatter off the guard. Pantoja gets off a right hand, and he nails Kape with a low body kick that may have clipped the cup. There is no pause, as Pantoja goes right back to the torso with another few kicks. Pantoja eats a right hand and throws back with a combination, stepping in with a knee to end it. Kape lands a combination and backs Pantoja off, but the Brazilian gathers himself and lands a few strikes including a huge right hand. Kape almost catches a kick, and Pantoja gets off a right hand across the forward bow. Kape swats away an incoming body kick, and he gets clocked with a right hand but wears it well. The Angolan lands a few strikes to again back Pantoja off, but Pantoja gives it back to him as he lands a pair of body kicks. Pantoja again lands body kicks, and a right hand blows his foe’s hair back. Kape sticks him with a left hand, but it is one-and-done as his output is a fraction of his opponent’s. Kape leaps in with a knee, and Pantoja blocks it and throws several kicks to the body and legs. A body kick from Pantoja leads to a right hand, but Kape responds with his own power punch before darting in for a takedown attempt. Pantoja rolls through it and kicks off to stand back up. When Pantoja lands a kick, Kape catches the leg and puts him down, but he cannot capitalize on the position before the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pantoja

Round 3

There is an embrace to start off the final round, and it is Pantoja that lands first with a body kick. The Brazilian swings and misses with a right hand, as Kape ducks away with a short left hand. Kape swings and misses with a spinning back kick, and Pantoja waits and then kicks him in the leg. When “The Cannibal” dives in for a takedown attempt, Kape plays the matador and brushes Pantoja off. Kape sneaks in a left hand, and he takes another kick to the body. Kape gets off a leg kick, and pops his man with a left hand as Pantoja charges in to attack. The Angolan is able to dance out of harm’s way as he stays on the outside, and his hands are by his waist as he practically begs Pantoja to throw at him. Pantoja obliges with a body kick, and he races in with a barrage of punches as Kape dodges and weaves most of them. A leg kick from Pantoja is followed by a right hand, and a leg kick concludes the strikes. Kape lands a few punches, and Pantoja turns it back on him with a couple punches and a head kick that makes Kape fake that it is hurt like Anderson Silva did to Chris Weidman. Pantoja does not bite on this, and he lets Kape walk him down as Kape is mostly loaded up to counter. Pantoja drills his foot into Kape’s waist, and they trade single punches. Pantoja tries another head kick, but Kape sees it coming and pushes it away before landing a left hand. Two punches from Kape make Pantoja grab his eye as if there was a poke, but Peterson did not see anything, Kape steps on the gas with a few more punches, but he backs off to let Pantoja recover and land a kick. Kape stings him with a left hand, and Pantoja responds in kind. Kape whiffs with a head kick, but his follow-up of a takedown attempt is successful on the second effort. Pantoja stands up, knees Kape in the face, and lands a few punches as he chases after Kape. “Prodigio” takes the fight down again, and this close fight ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kape (29-28 Pantoja)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kape (29-28 Pantoja)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kape (29-28 Pantoja)

The Official Result

Alexandre Pantoja def. Manel Kape via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Michael Johnson (154.5) vs. Clay Guida (155)

Round 1

The featured fight on the card comes between two grizzled veterans who have each won (or lost) more times in the Octagon than almost every other prior competitor has in UFC fights. Johnson (19-16, 11-12 UFC) and Guida (35-20, 15-14 UFC) will dance in a lightweight match that may be surprising to some that it had not happened before, and referee Mark Smith will make sure it goes in the books properly. The two longtime vets touch gloves, and away we go. Guida paws out with his left hand, and Johnson sits down on a few right hands to gauge his range. Both men partially land punches, and Guida rushes in with a shovel uppercut. Johnson stops Guida in his tracks with a right hand, and a one-two follows and surprises “The Carpenter.” Guida whiffs on a right hand, and Johnson bobs and weaves to land a right hand. Guida is following and throwing bombs, with a big right hand that hurts Johnson. Guida fires off a head kick, and he nails Johnson with another right hand after it. Johnson responds with a stern knee, and Guida is cut on the top of the scalp, but he does not care as he runs forward for a takedown. The single leg takedown allows Guida to lift up his foe and put him down, with “The Menace” hitting the ground on his back as Guida sits firmly in half guard. Guida works with short, grinding elbows and flirts with a guillotine choke as Johnson sits up, threatening with it while Johnson tries to walk his back up the fence. Johnson powers through it and gets back up, but Guida knees him a few times and turns him around. The two split with a knee from Johnson, and Guida cracks Johnson with another head kick. Johnson lifts up a quick knee that catches Guida on the chin, and he chops at Guida’s leg with a kick before pressing in for his own takedown attempt. Guida does not show any concern for it, and they break apart when he lands a few knees. Johnson paws out a few right hands and swats with one that bounces off Guida’s forehead. Guida rings Johnson’s bell with a right hand, and Johnson kicks the leg hard. Guida again lands a thudding right hook, and Johnson fires back with a vengeance. The two stand in front of one another and brawl wildly, with Johnson landing at the end of a few shots but eating a pair of cracking right hands from “The Carpenter.” The round with one final right hand from Guida that makes Johnson have to take a quick count of his teeth.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Guida
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Guida
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Guida

Round 2

Guida practically runs out of his corner and is ready to throw leather again, which he does at volume to get Johnson’s attention in the early going. “The Menace” stands firm and throws back, so Guida changes levels to hit a takedown. Guida keeps Johnson controlled for a good 30 seconds, until Johnson has had enough and climbs to his knees and then back to his feet without absorbing many strikes. Guida stays committed to a double leg attempt, and he tries to trip Johnson’s right leg out to put him back down. Guida switches to a single as Johnson lands a few audible punches to the body and side of the head. When Johnson steps over to get back up, Guida chases after him with a few punches and a head kick. Johnson keeps him at bay with boxing until Guida crashes in and attacks a single, lifting Johnson’s leg in the air. Johnson returns it to the mat and breaks away with a knee up the middle. Guida ducks a right hand and pursues a takedown, but Johnson reverses the position to ground Guida for a second. “The Carpenter” stands up with his back against the wall, and he hammers home a few knees to the midsection. Johnson cannot hold on when Guida breaks free, and the two swing for the fences and both miss by a wide margin. Guida lands a leg kick as he takes a left hand, and Johnson sticks him with a few right hands but cannot keep Guida back long enough. Guida pursues the takedown again, and Johnson stuffs it with his back in the wire. Guida relentlessly pursues the takedown, but time is up before he can secure it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johnson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johnson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johnson

Round 3

The 39-year-old Guida does not show any signs of fatigue as per usual, and he rushes in to strike. Johnson throws bombs back at him, and Guida ignores them and forges ahead. Guida connects with a reverse back fist, and Johnson shrugs it off and winds up with huge punches. A right hand knocks Guida’s head back, and Johnson lands several more as he hurts “The Carpenter” with his strikes. The long-haired veteran, after taking damage, shoots in low and secures a takedown to gather his thoughts. Johnson muscles his way back up using the cage wall as his ally, and Guida pursues a single to aim for a mat return. Johnson nearly turns through the position, but Guida pulls his leg out and drags him down. In an odd position, Guida wings elbows without looking behind his head that collide with Johnson’s face repeatedly. Guida traps Johnson’s legs and keeps him grounded, until Smith warns them to keep working or he will stand them up. Johnson rushes in to get up, so Guida jumps over to take his back. “The Carpenter” is quick to latch on with a rear-naked choke, and he also sets up a body triangle to tie it up. Johnson fights off the hand to break the grip just enough to keep fighting, and he explodes to free his neck from the oncoming choke. Guida still has him tightly grasped with his body triangle, and Guida pursues another choke attempt but Johnson is able to keep himself out of submission danger. Johnson knees Guida’s leg to try to break the body triangle, and he does but is still fully controlled. Guida rides out this position as the final seconds tick away, unable to secure the choke but ending the fight in a dominant place.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Guida (29-28 Guida)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Guida (29-28 Guida)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Guida (29-28 Guida)

The Official Result

Clay Guida def. Michael Johnson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Cory Sandhagen (135.5) vs. Frankie Edgar (135.5)

Round 1

Our co-main event comes in a flash between a pair of lightning-quick fighters as Sandhagen (13-2, 6-1 UFC) looks to find the answer against former champ “The Answer” Edgar (24-8-1, 18-8-1 UFC). Referee Keith Peterson fastens his nonsenseless seatbelt as the mayhem is about to begin, and there is no glove touch ahead of what could be a torrid affair. Edgar pushes the pace early and lands a leg kick. Sandhagen reaches out with a left hand and his own leg kick but is backing away. As Edgar keeps advancing, Sandhagen leaps in the air with his right knee, and Edgar is completely unconscious as soon as it connects. Edgar falls lifelessly but rigidly to the ground, and Sandhagen has no interest in following up as he recognizes that there is nothing more he needs to do. Incredible. Absolutely incredible. “Knockout of the Year” has a very early frontrunner courtesy of a knee that silenced the entire arena in one blow. Thankfully, Edgar regains consciousness and is able to not only sit up, but gets back to his feet after eating one of the cleanest flying knees you will ever see.

The Official Result

Cory Sandhagen def. Frankie Edgar R1 0:28 via KO (Flying Knee)

Alistair Overeem (255.5) vs. Alexander Volkov (264)

Round 1

Five hundred nineteen and one-half pounds, not counting referee Jason Herzog, are in the cage now for our headliner. The two heavyweight strikers in Overeem (47-18, 1 NC; 12-7 UFC) and Volkov (32-8, 6-2 UFC) will determine who is perhaps a win away for a title shot, while the other falls to the middle of the pack with their hopes dashed. The big men respectfully touch gloves, and the cage door seals behind them as we begin. Volkov lands a huge leg kick, and Overeem backs off to shell up against the fence. Volkov lands a few strikes but does not fall into a trap of Overeem letting loose a counter strike. The Russian pulls back at the last second of a big kick to draw a reaction out of his opponent, and his strikes are already making Overeem flinch. Volkov lands a front kick down the middle, and Overeem tries to catch it and lets it go. Volkov chops at the calf with a kick, and he does not follow it and instead eats a huge right hand from “The Demolition Man.” Overeem loads up with another, and Volkov eats it like borscht and retreats against the cage wall. Volkov stalks down his opponent, but he takes a right hand and clinches up. Volkov separates, and he absorbs a left hand and fights off a takedown attempt. Volkov fires off a high kick that is blocked, and a single jab is pawed away without issue. Overeem ducks forward to land a big uppercut, and he continues along with a thudding body kick. Overeem backs off to land a kick to the thigh, and Volkov counters him with a left hand that puts Overeem down. Overeem might not be hurt and he may have slipped, but Volkov chases after him to hammer him with punches. Not sensing a finish, Volkov lets him back up and reaches out with his left jab. Volkov lands a couple punches and a knee up the middle, and he backs off to land a heavy kick to the body. Overeem lunges forward with a left hand, and Volkov picks at him with a low kick and a jab. Volkov chambers a right hand but does not throw it, and Overeem swings and misses wildly with a looping left. Volkov assaults Overeem with a barrage of punches, and Overeem covers up and takes some damage as his face is marked up. The round ends with Overeem aiming a punch to the body.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Volkov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Volkov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Volkov

Round 2

The heavyweights touch gloves to stat off the second round, and Overeem rushes forward shoulder first and eats a right hand. Overeem lets loose a head kick that gets blocked, and Volkov triples up on his left hand to sting Overeem. A solid one-two snaps Overeem’s head back, and Overeem ducks down to wing a left hook but it glances off the guard. Overeem crashes in to tie the Russian up, but he pushes Volkov away and gets jabbed. Volkov splits the guard with a few punches, and Overeem is stalking him down and pushes him back into the cage wall. “Drago” connects with a heavy one-two, and Overeem is in the danger zone. Overeem turns away as he takes another punch, and Volkov rips into him with punches in bunches. Volkov measures his shots and does not punch himself out, and Herzog cautions Overeem to defend himself. Overeem attacks a takedown but it is easily stuffed. Volkov measures his strikes and lands punches that make Overeem’s legs wobble. “Drago” fires off a deadly one-two, and a bloodied Overeem stumbles to the canvas and topples over. Herzog has seen enough, and Volkov walks off knowing his work tonight is done. We have a legitimate, new heavyweight contender on the rise, as Volkov notched a very impressive win against a devastatingly effective striker with a penchant for nasty finishes. Volkov goes down to join Overeem on his knees to thank him for the fight, showing respect for the legendary Dutchman in victory. In his post-fight interview, an eerily calm Volkov says it is his time, and that he is not done improving. With this fight card in the books, we return next week with a pay-per-view offering putting the welterweight title on the line.

The Official Result

Alexander Volkov def. Alistair Overeem R2 2:06 via TKO (Punches)