UFC Fight Night 207 ‘Volkov vs. Rozenstruik’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

J.J. Aldrich (125) vs. Erin Blanchfield (124.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Blanchfield (-525), Aldrich (+385)

Round 1

It’s been one week since a live UFC event graced the international airwaves. Fear not, intrepid fight fans, for the next 12 weeks starting with today’s card, the UFC will be delighting its audiences with shows every Saturday without fail. We begin this ultra-marathon, not just in terms of consecutive events but with a 14-fight bonanza today – one coming before noon on the west coast of the U.S. – in the women’s flyweight division with a rankings-relevant fight many believe should be on the main card. The winner between Blanchfield (8-1, 2-0 UFC) and Aldrich (11-4, 7-3 UFC) will likely have a number next to her name next week, and these 125ers with a lot to prove will receive oversight from referee Chris Tognoni. The ladies under the age of 30 do not touch gloves before coming out fighting, and it’s on with the show! Blanchfield leads off with a low kick that goes wide, and a second one connects. Aldrich catches a third attempt and dumps Blanchfield to the floor, but Blanchfield springs back up and quickly blocks a head kick coming at her. Aldrich begins to stick out several jabs after Blanchfield gets her feet about her, and she follows one with a clean knee to the torso. Blanchfield punches her way forward, and she steps in with a knee of her own. Aldrich catches her and lifts her in the air, but she does not deposit her to the mat and sets her down. Blanchfield breaks away and starts giving chase with low kicks, and Aldrich is prepared for them and attempting to catch them. The issue with this approach is that the kicks are landing first before she can snag them, and Blanchfield is able to deftly slip her leg back before anything comes of it. Aldrich pops out with jabs and follow-up punches, and she absorbs a kick that careens off her forehead. Instead of staggering, Aldrich snatches hold of her opponent and pursues a takedown, and nothing comes from it. Blanchfield turns the tables and presses Aldrich into the clinch after getting back on her own two feet, but she does not hang on here for long. She lets go, and backs off when Aldrich gives brief chase with jabs. Aldrich walks through a front kick and fires off a few punches, and an advancing Blanchfield clangs her head into Aldrich. Tognoni pauses to make sure the two women are ok, and they signal they are good to go. This happens again, with them clacking heads, but it does not draw a break. Aldrich grips her hands around her opponent’s waist and drags her to the floor, and Blanchfield fights her way back up within seconds. Blanchfield attempts her own takedown when upright, and the 303 Training Center fighter sprawls and springs back. Aldrich measures her foe with a few quick right hands that beat Blanchfield to the punch, and she slips the comeback strikes. Blanchfield skims Aldrich's face with a high kick, and she sets up a body kick soon to follow. They throw hands to the horn, ending this rather entertaining frame.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The flyweights meet in the middle, and Blanchfield throws first in the form of a thudding leg kick. Aldrich retreats as Blanchfield crowds her with kicks, including one up high that gets blocked in the nick of time. Aldrich counters her with her fists, and she pushes off the waist of Blanchfield with a side kick. Blanchfield continues to power forward, throwing punches in bunches as Aldrich is light on her feet and slipping strikes. They jab at the same time, and Blanchfield rips a high kick that collides with Aldrich’s left arm. Blanchfield ups her volume, putting combinations together with more numbers, and she follows a few with a leg kick and a left hook. Aldrich is surprised by this, and she smoothly transitions from a boxing-heavy approach to one that sets up and secures a body lock takedown. Blanchfield climbs back up to her feet with the wall at her back, and she pushes away before Aldrich can hit a mat return. Blanchfield steps in with a left hand, and Aldrich meets with her own and a solid few jabs. Blanchfield smashes her knees into Aldrich’s chest, with the impact strong enough to knock Aldrich over to her seat. Aldrich turns to her knees and gets back up, as it was more of push over than a knockdown, and Blanchfield sees an opening and takes it. Blanchfield leans Aldrich up against the wall and grabs hold of a high-elbow guillotine choke standing up. The choke is extremely tight and Aldrich has nowhere to go, with her back against the cage and Blanchfield’s arm locked up around her throat. “Cold Blooded” torques the neck even further, and before long, Aldrich has no choice but to tap out. This is a mighty comeback from Blanchfield, who punctuates her performance with her post-fight interview by calling for a match with the winner of Jessica Eye and Maycee Barber -- the two meet next month.

The Official Result

Erin Blanchfield def. J.J. Aldrich R2 2:38 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Rinat Fakhretdinov (170.5) vs. Andreas Michailidis (170.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Fakhretdinov (-280), Michailidis (+225)

Round 1

The primary method of victory for these two middleweights both moving down to 170 pounds is the knockout, and newcomer Fakhretdinov (18-1, 0-0 UFC) as well as “Spartan” Michailidis (13-5, 1-2 UFC) can both dish them out without prejudice. The former is graced in his corner by UFC pioneer Oleg Taktarov, and OG fight fans have their hearts warmed by his appearance today. There is a slight discrepancy in Fakhretdinov’s record, as other recordkeepers have him at 20-2, but the 18-1 on his record here is well-researched – and it is not nearly as significant as a certain unnamed main card competitor that will come later. The fighters touch gloves in front of referee Mark Smith, and Fakhretdinov strikes first with a long jab and a right hand. The Russian bullies his opponent to the wall, grabs hold of a double and plants Michailidis on the mat. Michailidis gets to a knee, and he stands up thanks to several strategic fence grabs. Fakhretdinov pounds on Michailidis’ legs with knees before ripping his foe down to the mat again, and Michailidis climbs back up in the middle of the cage. Fakhretdinov hits another mat return, and starts attacking a rear-naked choke. Although Michailidis is able to power back upright and not succumb to any submission danger, Fakhretdinov continues working on the leg with knees. Michailidis continues to grab the fence, and Smith slaps it away, but there is no intervention beyond Smith’s words. Fakhretdinov backs off and slams a knee into the chest, and he turns the corner and trips Fakhretdinov to his knees. The Russian jumps back up to his feet and mashes his foe into the wall, ignoring short knees and going after a single-leg takedown. Pulling Michailidis to the center of the cage, he cannot ground his opponent, and Michailidis scrambles and lets loose with a spinning wheel kick that results him in falling to the floor. When the fight hits the canvas, both men scramble wildly, gaining solid positions and reversing one another in exciting fashion. Fakhretdinov gets the better of the two, standing up and jamming “Spartan” up against the wire, while he lets loose with a few stern knees to the upper torso. The round ends in this tight clinch position.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Fakhretdinov comes out of his corner aggressively, and in the first 10 seconds of the round, he punches his way into a takedown and slams Michailidis to the floor. Sitting comfortably in his foe’s guard with Michailidis jammed up against the wall, Fakhretdinov sits up and slashes down with a nasty elbow. “Spartan” absorbs it flush and takes another on the cheek as Fakhretdinov is methodically breaking him down with effective strikes. Michailidis looks to buck off and push his heels on the Russian’s hip to try to stand, but in the process, he gets shoved flat on his back and turned to the side. Fakhretdinov is a smothering, crushing force as he works Michailidis over slowly but well enough to keep Smith at bay, and Michailidis takes several deep breaths and looks to pull off the fence but cannot reach it. Fakhretdinov gloms on to him in half guard, smacking him in the face with several shoulder strikes, and sneaking in single elbow shots to stay busy. As Fakhretdinov sits back to wind up with a strike, Michailidis quickly kicks off and stands back to his feet. Fakhretdinov is on him, leaning in the clinch, but Michailidis turns around and pushes him to the wall. They break, and Michailidis spins with a back fist that is feet away from the mark. Fakhretdinov walks away, shaking his finger like Dikembe Mutombo, right before the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The fighters double touch gloves to start out, and then hug, before engaging in the last round. Michailidis, with a surge of adrenaline, attacks with several heavy punches and kicks. While he finds a little success on the feet, he decides to shoot for a takedown, and the Russian easily turns him around and puts him down on the mat. Fakhretdinov claims half guard without much effort, and he starts slamming his left fist into Michailidis’ chin. Fakhretdinov keeps working with elbows, punches and shoulder strikes as he maintains heavy shoulder pressure, and a few clubbing elbows echo through the UFC Apex. As Fakhretdinov continues to slam elbows into the face of “Spartan,” a cut is opened up on the corner of his eyebrow and blood immediately begins to pour from his face. Michailidis frantically starts to move, as Smith is telling Michailidis to fight back lest the fight be stopped. The Greek fighter answers this by grabbing the fence and standing back up, and Smith slaps his hand but does not take away the standup despite it coming from this foul. Fakhretdinov makes sure his adversary does not get away with it by tripping him down to the ground, and he chases him with punches. Michailidis springs back up with every bit of energy remaining, and Fakhretdinov meets him with a knee to the solar plexus that knocks the wind out of him. The last bell sounds, and Michailidis is bent over, possibly from exhaustion or because of the damage of that final knee. We go to the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fakhretdinov (30-27 Fakhretdinov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Fakhretdinov (30-26 Fakhretdinov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Fakhretdinov (30-26 Fakhretdinov)

The Official Result

Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Andreas Michailidis via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)

Jeff Molina (125.5) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Molina (-190), Zhumagulov (+160)

Round 1

Flyweights are on tap for this next matchup, when surging Glory MMA & Fitness product Molina (10-2, 2-0 UFC) takes on struggling Kazakhstani Zhumagulov (14-6, 1-3 UFC). Molina has won his last nine fights, with seven finishes to his credit as he worked his way from KCFA to LFA to DWCS and then the UFC. Meanwhile, former top-15 125er has struggled as of late, with just one win in the last few years. Something might have to give here, and referee Herb Dean will be on top of it no matter where it goes. Gloves do not get touched, and instead Molina is ready to measure with a long series of jabs. Zhumagulov keeps his distance, and he slides back from a kick but cannot get away from a looping right hand that thuds into his head. Zhumagulov slaps a leg kick low and introduces a one-two to Molina’s chin. Molina wears it well and goes after a body kick, and he spins away as Zhumagulov bears down on him with a pair of punches. The Kazakhstani fighter changes levels in a hurry to try to take the fight down, and Molina leans against the fence and grabs it once to stay upright. Dean warns him loudly to not do so, and Molina grabs it again. Molina hits a few no-look elbows on Zhumagulov’s cheek, and he turns around with his back to the wall while Zhumagulov hunts for a single. Zhumagulov trips Molina down to the mat momentarily, and Molina stands back up without effort but gives up his back standing as he moves. Molina absorbs knees to the back of his thigh as Zhumagulov tries to drag and wrench him down to the ground with sheer muscle. Molina keeps his balance, breaks the grip, and gets drilled in the side of the head with a right hand as he escapes. Molina blocks a spinning back fist and gets caught with a right, and Zhumagulov is throwing bombs at him. Zhumagulov wings a right hand, and the punch misses by a mere inch. Molina greets him with a popping body kick, and he catches Zhumagulov with a right hand to follow. Molina looks for a step-in knee, and Zhumagulov goes after a takedown but gets stuffed before even reaching a leg. Molina posts off and takes a right hand on the chin, and when he gets his lead leg kicked, he waves his finger. There appears to be a strike after the bell, and Molina wants to give it back but Dean is able to grab him and drag him back to his corner before something comes from it.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The flyweights are ready and rearing to strike to start off the second round, and he lets go with a kick and gets countered over the top. Zhumagulov attacks with a three-punch combination, and Molina is able to get out of the way just in time. Molina has a front kick slam into his foe’s side, and Zhumagulov plows through it so that he can go after a takedown. Zhumagulov does not get him down on the first try, but he does grab Molina from behind and lift him in the air. Molina works his way to a knee against the fencing, and Zhumagulov has a single hook in from around the back. Molina defends with several short punches, not overly powerful but doing just enough to make Zhumagulov think about something other than the takedown for a moment. This allows Molina to turn around, and Zhumagulov sells out for a single. Molina gets his left leg lifted in the air, but he stays busy with pitter-patter punches to the side of the head. Zhumagulov lets go of the leg and looks for a takedown on the other, and Molina pushes off the fence and manages to bowl Zhumagulov over during a fun exchange. When they both power their way back to their feet, Molina slashes out with a vertical elbow. Zhumagulov backs off and holds his hand up, showing that the tape has come loose. Molina’s coach James Krause is incensed by the stoppage, as Dean and a medical staff member take care of cutting it, while Molina appeared to be gaining momentum. After about 20 seconds, they resume in the center of the Octagon, and both keep a safe range and launch single strikes. Molina kicks the lead calf effectively, and he slips back as Zhumagulov jumps at him with an overhand right. Molina crowds his opponent and smacks Zhumagulov in the face with the ball of his foot. Zhumagulov goes to the head and body, and he shoots in for a takedown only to get stuffed in the center of the cage. Zhumagulov unloads with a few power punches on the break, snapping Molina’s head to the side and wobbling him momentarily. Zhumagulov uses the forward momentum to jam Molina into the wall and go for a low double. When the fight hits the ground, Molina attacks a guillotine choke, and he lets go to walk his way back to the chain-link fence. The round ends as Zhumagulov is holding onto him from behind.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Molina begins the last round with a fast kick to the side, and he swipes out with two punches after. Molina gives chase and ducks the looping strikes that soar at his jaw, and Zhumagulov is able to keep him backed off enough with big punches. They both trade powerful shots, and Molina gets the better of an exchange with a right hand. Zhumagulov spins and pulls back when he does not sense it will succeed, and he reaches out with several punches and catches Molina standing still with an uppercut. Molina has a few right hands redden the Kazakhstani fighter’s beak, and he kicks high as his foot slaps on Zhumagulov’s armpit. Molina paws out with a right hook, and Zhumagulov responds by ripping the body with two punches. Zhumagulov scores a shovel uppercut as Molina is following him, and he invests again in body strikes while Molina is walking him down. “El Jefe” splits the guard with a right hand a few times, and his straight strikes are finding their home while the ones with arc largely miss or get blocked. Zhumagulov ducks down to toss out a right hand, and he invites Molina into a brief brawl where he continues to work the body. Molina interrupts his opponent with a jab, and as Molina goes over the top, Zhumagulov pursues a single. Molina pushes him away and continues to plod forward, with a high kick that is at least a foot off the mark. Molina kicks out but spins with a fist that bumps into the side of Zhumagulov’s head, to little effect. Zhumagulov crashes forward to lock on to a single, but Molina’s balance remains intact as he is against the wall. Zhumagulov keeps working and trying to toss Molina around, and he trips Molina down with seconds left on the clock. They both jump back to their feet to throw hands, and they appear to both land after the bell. Dean separates them, but they then come together to hug it out and make sure there is no bad blood after a little confusion at the end. This could be a close one, as the last two rounds went down to the wire.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Jeff Molina def. Zhalgas Zhumagulov via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

Tony Gravely (135.5) vs. Johnny Munoz Jr. (135)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gravely (-135), Munoz Jr. (+115)

Round 1

Taking center stage now are two bantamweights looking to make a name for themselves in the crowded division. “Kid Kvenbo” – apparently the online handle of Munoz (11-1, 1-1 UFC) – will try to make Gravely (22-7, 3-2 UFC) a .500 fighter in the Octagon. Whether he succeeds or not, referee Chris Tognoni is on call to watch over what comes next. They do not bother tapping gloves before getting after it, as Gravely wants to kick first. He does so repeatedly, both low and high, and Munoz sees the strikes coming and slides back to avoid them all. Munoz gets off leg kicks in the inside and outside of Gravely’s calf, and he leans back when Gravely tosses a front kick at his face. Munoz kiais to get a reaction out of his opponent, but Gravely does not budge. Instead, Gravely attacks, and he times an absolutely perfect short right uppercut as Munoz ducks down to nail “Kid Kvenbo” right on the chin. Munoz’ legs abandon him completely, and Gravely follows him down to pummel him. As the punches around the side of the head continue to mount, Tognoni has seen enough, stepping in to call a halt to this fight in a hurry. Munoz may have been put out completely by the uppercut and woken back up by the follow-up punches, in a performance that needs to be seen on slow-motion replay to truly appreciate what Gravely pulled off.

The Official Result

Tony Gravely def. Johnny Munoz Jr. via KO (Punches)

Benoit St. Denis (155.5) vs. Niklas Stolze (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: St. Denis (-160), Stolze (+140)

Round 1

With each coming off of disappointing losses, welterweights Stolze (12-5, 0-2 UFC) and St. Denis (8-1, 1 NC; 0-1 UFC) both decided to move down to 155 pounds to jump-start their UFC careers and pick up their first win. Two finishers by trade – Stolze with a 75% stoppage rate compared to St. Denis’ at a clean 100% – they will try to smash the hopes and dreams of the other very shortly. This classic, historic Germany vs. France battle will receive oversight from referee Mark Smith, who watches on while the fighters do decide to touch gloves. Stolze starts out firing with several loud low kicks, and St. Denis responds with a head kick that just misses the mark. Stolze continues to work lead leg kicks, and the Frenchman charges in for a takedown. Stolze catches him on the way in with a knee, and “God of War” someone eats it like a baguette and pulls Stolze down to the mat. The knee opens a large cut on the cheek, and blood has begun to flow while St. Denis holds Stolze down. Stolze sits up against the fence, only for him get flattened out as St. Denis is hanging on tight. St. Denis looks to get off a knee while lording over Stolze, but as he does not want to land one illegally, he decides to knee Stolze in the knee awkwardly. The German explodes back to his feet, and he lifts up a knee that collides with the cup and has Smith call a pause to the fight. Smith also calls in the doctor to check on the open wound on St. Denis’ face, but as it is not spraying blood or in a bad place, he is cleared. They resume in the center of the cage, and St. Denis boots Stolze in the head with his shin. St. Denis barrels forward and trips Stolze’s legs out beneath him, where he lands comfortably in side control. “God of War” advances to mount and he hangs on with an arm-triangle choke, and when Stolze moves to sit up, he gives up his back. St. Denis elects to get his hooks in and snag hold of a body triangle, and he starts fishing for any sort of neck choke or crank he can find. “Green Mask” fights the grip and defends himself from rear-naked choke danger, but St. Denis continues to work on it as he softens Stolze up with powerful punches to the side of the head. Stolze punches behind his head, and the forearm of St. Denis fastens around Stolze’s neck dangerously. Before he can get the tap, the horn sounds, and St. Denis is forced to let it go.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis

Round 2

Stolze is the initial aggressor to start the second round, but St. Denis strikes first after backing Stolze up. A body kick from the Frenchman leads into a few punches, and Stolze cracks him on the way in. With St. Denis hurt from punches, he leans into a takedown, and Stolze snatches on to a high guillotine to channel Erin Blanchfield from earlier tonight. St. Denis is able to power through it, and he successfully dumps Stolze to the mat, where he climbs over to a three-quarter mount position quickly. Rather than claiming mount, he gets a leg around the waist from behind and latches on to a rear-naked choke. Whether on the jaw or beneath it, St. Denis squeezes with all his might. Stolze grimaces in pain and thinks about toughing it out, but he elects to tap for the first time in his career before something breaks or he goes out. St. Denis is now in the win column in the UFC, with all of his victories coming inside the distance.

The Official Result

Benoit St. Denis def. Niklas Stolze R2 1:32 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Dan Argueta (145.5) vs. Damon Jackson (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-475), Argueta (+350)

Round 1

On short notice and up a weight class, LFA bantamweight champ Argueta (8-0, 0-0 UFC) will make his UFC debut fresh off a five-round win less than one month ago. In the featherweight division, he will meet a fellow former LFA champion in Jackson (20-4-1, 1 NC; 3-2-1, 1 NC UFC), in what should be a grappler’s delight. The third man in the cage for what many expect to be a fun clash is referee Keith Peterson, who will make absolutely certain that there is no nonsense on his watch. These two are ready to fight and do not touch gloves, and it does not take more than a couple seconds for “The Leech” to go after a takedown. Argueta does get away with a takedown, as he only earns a Peterson shout from the foul, but Jackson is able to still toss his man down to the canvas before the 20-second mark. Argueta sneaks some punches behind his head to mark up Jackson’s face, but Jackson has hold of his back and gets both hooks in. It is an awkward position that Jackson holds, and not a traditional back take, but it is no less effective. A few more determined punches from “The Determined” have caused a little bleeding on Jackson’s face, surprisingly, but the Fortis MMA fighter does not appear remotely concerned. Jackson locks up a body triangle, and Argueta starts having words with Jackson’s chief corner Sayif Saud. As Argueta is having a little fun, Jackson snakes his arm beneath his foe’s chin. Argueta suddenly is shocked from the maneuver, and he turns his head well enough to protect himself from submission danger, all while he has Jackson pressed against the wall well enough to not get a choke. Jackson readjusts his body lock, and he crushes down on the abdomen while snagging hold of a palm-to-palm rear-naked choke. Argueta again toughs it out, and Jackson maintains effective back control as he turns all the way around to his put own feet on the cage. Argueta scrambles brilliantly, spinning at the right moment to take top position. Jackson works his way to his knees and does not allow Argueta to take his back, so Argueta decides to slam his knees into the side of Jackson's thigh before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The second round begins aggressively, as Jackson leads off with a high kick. As they throw punches, Argueta shoots for a takedown and gets intercepted with a crisp knee. Jackson works his way around to take Argueta down and secure his back, doing so while leaned up against the fence. Jackson gets his hooks in, and Argueta sits up and starts pounding on Jackson’s face that is behind his own head. “The Leech” latches on to a body triangle to disallow his opponent from spinning out like before, and Jackson begins to fish for chokes. Argueta keeps wrist control and the occasional punch on Jackson’s face – Jackson’s left eye is swelling up from the blows – and Jackson hangs on with back control. As Argueta sits up and grabs the glove, Jackson bowls him over and nearly flattens him out. “The Leech” starts smashing Argueta with elbows, forcing Argueta to desperately turn around again. Argueta gets to a knee and stands up, and Jackson follows him and hangs on from behind like a Texas backpack. Jackson kicks the leg out and trip Argueta to the mat, but Argueta spins around and puts Jackson on his back briefly. Jackson powers up and is forced to shell up when Argueta lays into him with punches, and the newcomer changes levels for his own takedown. Jackson stuffs it and gets off a knee to the chest, and Argueta responds with a few elbows over the top before they separate. Argueta manages to muscles his foe to the mat, and the round ends with Jackson hanging on with a submission setup position.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The two men meet in the middle, and Argueta is a man possessed as he senses he is down on the scorecards. Jackson kicks high, and he then kicks low to interrupt Argueta. Argueta rocks his man and knocks him to his seat, and Jackson is fatiguing and getting stung by strikes. Jackson catches Argueta coming forward again with a kick, and Argueta gets his balance and starts brawling. Jackson is reeling, and Argueta lays into him with elbows before jamming him into the wall. Argueta is doing everything he can to hunt for a finish, and he splits up with Jackson. Jackson is struggling when standing, and he lands a few punches as Argueta darts towards him. “The Leech” stuffs a takedown and boots Argueta upside the head. Argueta reels and punches through it, backing Jackson up and catching the veteran with power strikes. As Jackson turns, Argueta grabs hold of Jackson’s waist and looks to get him from behind. The Fortis MMA fighter absorbs a knee and spins around to drop Argueta to the mat, and he manages to turn the newcomer over and claim half guard. Jackson takes a moment to recover as he holds this position, and one he has one arm holding on for a possible arm-triangle setup. Jackson uses his heavy shoulder pressure to occasionally bump Argueta on the jaw with shoulder shots, and even in half guard, the arm-triangle is getting relatively tight. The two corners begin shouting at one another, trashing talking about other’s fighter and creating quite a soundtrack in the UFC Apex. The Fortis vs. Jackson-Wink battle continues as Jackson holds on, and he sits up to belt Argueta with a number of elbows. When the final horn blares, Jackson does not appear to be done, and he shoves Argueta away. Peterson will not allow any nonsense to get through on his watch, and he tamps it down immediately. Jackson then apologizes and hugs Peterson, and the interesting fight comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Damon Jackson def. Dan Argueta via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Alex da Silva Coelho (155.5) vs. Joe Solecki (155.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Solecki (-170), da Silva (+150)

Round 1

In October of last year, Solecki (11-3, 3-1 UFC) had a great deal of momentum come to a halt thanks to a close split decision loss to Jared Gordon. Some nine months later, he will get a chance to get back in the win column, and he will do so against Astra Fight Team product Coelho (21-3, 1-2 UFC). Coelho himself is coming off a loss, and he has not competed since September 2020, so he may have to knock a little rust off first. The cage commander for this lightweight affair is referee Chris Tognoni, and he stoically sits back and welcomes the fighters to touch gloves in the middle of the cage. The two trade jabs early as they are both tense and jittery, and they pull back more strikes than they throw. Coelho sits down on a sudden left hook that knocks the American clean off his feet, and he dives into Solecki’s guard. Solecki gathers his thoughts quickly and starts threatening with a high offensive guard, and also keeping the remainder of the offense to a dull roar. Solecki scoots his way back to the wall, and Coelho bops him with one single hammerfist. Coelho softens up the body with a few strikes as he maintains top control, and Solecki looks to sweep or scramble but cannot get the Brazilian off of him. Solecki locks down a shoulder for a possible omoplata setup, and Coelho presses him against the fence to break it up. Solecki works his way off the fence and tries to hang on to a guillotine choke of his back, but he bails on it before something like a Von Preux comes as a response. Solecki scoots and looks to sweep, and he uses a guillotine to bowl Coelho over to nearly claim top position. A wild scramble ensues, and Coelho pops his neck free, spins around and gets back to Coelho’s guard. The unorthodox rubber guard of Solecki is shutting down most of the possible ground-and-pound that could come from Coelho, and he looks for any kind of submission off his back that he can find. There is none to be found this round, and the horn blares to separate them after five fun minutes.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Solecki looks for a glove touch to start the round, and Coelho reluctantly accepts. Coelho then steps in to punch, and Solecki slips and counters him. The American charges forward for a takedown, going after a double and pushing his foe all the way from one side of the cage to the other. Coelho keeps to one knee as Solecki has not quite grounded him, and he attempts to suck the legs out but cannot do so. Coelho continues to move, and so does Solecki, who gets hold of the Brazilian’s back after an exchange. Solecki has one hook in, and Coelho keeps his own knee high to stop the other from getting through. Tognoni warns Coelho from grabbing the inside of the glove, and Solecki latches on with a body triangle that is tight in a hurry and crushing the midsection. Solecki wraps his right around the face to flirt with a rear-naked choke, and Coelho pulls on the fence with his own toes. Coelho then grabs the gloves, with a foul extravaganza taking place as Tognoni is slapping hands and toes repeatedly. Solecki scoots away from the fence to stop this from happening, and he pounds on Coelho from the side of the head as he cannot seek out and secure the rear-naked choke. Solecki begins to slam his fists into Coelho’s head again, and Coelho continues to yang his toes into the fence as Tognoni physically pulls Coelho’s foot away from the fence. Tognoni shouts to deduct one point from Coelho for repeated fence grabs without disrupting the action, allowing Solecki to maintain this position and not lose it for a formal announcement. Solecki rides out the round in this position, one that concludes and may have 10-7 scorecards after assessing the point-deducting fouls.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-7 Solecki
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-7 Solecki
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-7 Solecki

Round 3

Tognoni continues to admonish Coelho between rounds about fence grabs, and he calls the cutwoman in to remove the excess tape from Solecki’s glove. Knowing he is likely way down on the scorecards from the last round, the Brazilian attacks fast. He lets go with his hands and knees, and Solecki guards several strikes and paws out a few jabs back. A pair of hooks for Solecki back Coelho off momentarily, and Coelho fires back with a left hook. Solecki goes low with a kick, and he slides back as Coelho throws hammers at him. A combination of a leg kick into a right hand connects with the first half, but the right just misses the mark by millimeters. “Leko” jabs the body, and Solecki decides to clinch up for a moment. Coelho pushes him off and uses rangy punches to keep his man backed off, and Solecki shoots for a takedown in the open cage. Coelho sprawls and tries to hang on with a submission from on top, but there is nothing to it and he backs off. The Brazilian allows Solecki to stand up so that they can stand and bang, and Coelho is throwing home run punches in single bursts. Solecki absorbs a left and a right, and he gets knocked back and drops his hands. Coelho presses forward and tackles the American to the mat, where he lands in a full guard. Coelho slashes down with elbows before bailing on the position to stand up. Coelho waves for Solecki to stand up, and then kicks Solecki in the legs before he stands. Tognoni lets him back up, and Coelho slugs it out and stings Solecki a few more times on the feet. Solecki checks a leg kick and marches forward, walking face-first into an uppercut and a right hand and keeping moving. Solecki counters, but he is hurt from that exchange, and Coelho pours it on with a long combination. Solecki pops him back with a left hook, and the final horn ends a fight that might have some unorthodox scores.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Coelho (28-27 Solecki)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Coelho (28-27 Solecki)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Coelho (28-27 Solecki)

The Official Result

Joe Solecki def. Alex da Silva Coelho via Majority Decision (28-28, 28-27, 29-27)

Karolina Kowalkiewicz (115.5) vs. Felice Herrig (115)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Herrig (-120), Kowalkiewicz (+100)

Round 1

In 2018, Herrig (14-9, 5-4 UFC) met Kowalkiewicz (12-7, 5-7 UFC) on the ill-fated UFC 223 card, and the two fought it out for three hard rounds. The former title challenger Kowalkiewicz emerged the victor by split decision, and since then, she has lost five straight. Her opponent Herrig has not gotten her hand raised since that match either, so one of these strawweight’s losing skid should come to a close in the next 15 minutes. The first to know should be referee Mark Smith, who prepares himself for what could be a full-length match. These two have no interest in touching gloves, and they instead throw hands. Kowalkiewicz shrugs off a jab to plant her right fist upside Herrig’s head, and she does this again much to the chagrin of “Lil Bulldog.” Kowalkiewicz backs off when several kicks come out, and she steps forward to loose another overhand right. Herrig punches her way forward, only to get clipped with a clean right counter from the Polish woman. Herrig dips and lands to the body, and she goes over the top with a right to follow. “Lil Bulldog” bites down on her mouthpiece to throw a left, and Kowalkiewicz replies with two solid body kicks. Herrig gets popped in the chops, has a high kick caught and gets dumped to the mat. Herrig climbs back up quickly, and Kowalkiewicz meets her on the way up with a leg kick and a pair of punches. They both land single strikes when tossing out combinations, and Herrig reaches her with a right. Herrig lets go with a combination, and Kowalkiewicz absorbs several blows and fires back with bad intentions. Herrig’s face is starting to redden as she absorbs powerful punches, and Kowalkiewicz appears to hurt her right hand after throwing a strike as she shakes it out. The former title challenger pushes forward to clinch up, and she legs go and does not show any worse for wear as she blasts Herrig with punches from both hands. The momentum from Kowalkiewicz allows her to bully Herrig to the wall, and she takes her back and nearly jumps on. She instead sets herself down, as Herrig fights the hands and keeps her balance from a possible takedown try. Kowalkiewicz rips two elbows before the break, and she backs off and thwarts a single-leg entry from Herrig. “Lil Bulldog” goes for a throw or a toss in the center of the cage when tied up, but she bails on it so they can strike. They do just that until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Herrig comes out firing out of her corner, blitzing forward when the round begins with several short combinations. Kowalkiewicz is more composed, willing to throw right hands, and further signaling that it was not an injury and possibly just a funny impact or a jam. Herrig throws out two low kicks and a few punches, and the punches get Kowalkiewicz’ attention. A left and a right smash into the Polish woman’s chin, and Kowalkiewicz responds with a fast elbow over the top. Herrig meets an advancing Kowalkiewicz with a right that splits the guard, and she gives chase as Kowalkiewicz resets. They trade heavy blows one after the other, with short yet exciting exchanges playing out between the two. Kowalkiewicz stops a takedown, and she stuns Herrig with a few punches that redden the nose. “Lil Bulldog” changes levels for a takedown, possibly hurt from the strikes, and Kowalkiewicz turns her around and gains top position. Herrig turns to stand up, but she gives up her back. Kowalkiewicz instantly jumps on to hunt for a rear-naked choke, and the former title challenger locks it down but cannot completely secure it. Herrig pushes off the fence with her foot, and Kowalkiewicz allows her to turn to her belly so that she can flatten her out and start pounding on her. Kowalkiewicz pursues another choke, but elects to instead smash Herrig with punches from both hands. Kowalkiewicz keeps on pounding on Herrig, and Smith is paying close attention to the action. When Herrig reels from the punches, Kowalkiewicz snatches hold of a rear-naked choke, and she listens to her corner’s advice to a T. Leveraging her arm the right way, fastening her grip and making sure there is no way out this time, Kowalkiewicz has the rear-naked choke completely set. Herrig thinks about going out on her shield after some hand-fighting fails, but decides that she has had enough and taps out. In victory, Kowalkiewicz collapses to the mat in happy tears, having put an end to a long losing streak with her first finish since 2014. The defeated Herrig removes her gloves and places them in the center of the cage, signaling her retirement from the sport. The ladies embrace for a long time, thanking one another and letting their emotions go. In her post-fight interview, Kowalkiewicz channels her inner Anderson Silva by saying, “I back.”

The Official Result

Karolina Kowalkiewicz def. Felice Herrig R2 4:01 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Alonzo Menifield (205) vs. Askar Mozharov (204.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Menifield (-155), Mozharov (+135)

Round 1

The fight a lot of people are waiting for is here. Opening up the main card, what would have otherwise been an otherwise nondescript 205-pound slugfest has turned into a story of pride, honor and fraud. The UFC may touch on it during the broadcast, but you can read the full scoop here. Suffice it to say, Menifield (11-3, 4-3 UFC) expected he would be meeting a man with a professional record of 25-7, with 23 finishes to his credit, according to the UFC. After a great deal of research and investigation from the magnificent Fight Finder team, the once-daunting ledger of Mozharov (19-12, 0-0 UFC) has dwindled substantially. Be that as it may, this one could end in the blink of an eye, and referee Herb Dean hopefully has been made aware of just how violent these two individuals can be on the right night. They would rather get right to the action than touch gloves, and Menifield opens up with two huge punches, blasting the newcomer in the face and shaking him up fast. “Atomic Alonso” lifts Mozharov up in the air and slams him down to the ground, and he lands in half guard in a hurry. The two start speaking to one another in this position, as they trade single strikes. Mozharov recovers his guard, and Menifield stacks him up as he is warned of possible submission setups from coach Sayif Saud. Menifield continues working heavily on top, not landing a great deal from on top but hanging on tight to disallow Mozharov from doing anything off his back. Menifield begins to open up with right hands from above, and he looks to pin Mozharov’s left arm down to allow him to land more strikes. Menifield moves back to half guard, and Dean asks them to keep working. Mozharov sweeps Menifield in the blink of an eye, and Menifield stands up and ducks a few punches. Mozharov kicks high, surprises “Atomic Alonso” and lands a few punches to follow. Menifield shoots in for a double, and he takes the newcomer off his feet, where he lands in side control. Menifield isolates a crucifix and begins battering “Black Jaguar” with elbows and punches. The punches are light but constant, and he sits up to unload a nasty series of unanswered elbows. In one final salvo, about five crushing strikes smash into Mozharov’s face, causing immediate swelling to form as Dean intervenes to rescue the doomed Mozharov. Menifield lets loose several shouts after the fight, and the two have to be briefly separated for some reason. Menifield then explains in the post-fight interview that he was upset with Mozharov for “having three records.” This is the 13th defeat for the much-maligned Mozharov, who has lost all of those by stoppage.

The Official Result

Alonzo Menifield def. Askar Mozharov R1 4:40 via TKO (Elbows)

Zarrukh Adashev (125.5) vs. Ode Osbourne (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Osbourne (-170), Adashev (+150)

Round 1

Moving past that big drama show that was the last fight, we drop down to the flyweight category for an expected fast-paced display of speed and footwork. Osbourne (10-4, 1 NC; 2-2 UFC) will tangle with former kickboxer Adashev (4-3, 1-2 UFC), with the latter hoping he does not end his night with a pro record of .500. Lacing his running shoes and aiming to keep up with these two will be nonsense-allergic referee Keith Peterson, and the fighters touch gloves ahead of their scheduled melee. Adashev strikes first with an inside leg kick, and Osbourne walks forward with a jab. Adashev responds with two punches, and Osbourne is ready to keep his jab going. “The Jamaican Sensation” moves out of the way as Adashev is winding up with looping strikes, and he misses a front kick and evades the strike that comes back at him. “The Lion” recklessly charges forward, throwing wild strikes and getting blocked. As he has a right hand clang off the side of Osbourne’s head, Osbourne counters with a blistering right hand that sends Adashev crashing lifelessly to the mat. Before Peterson can reach the fallen Adashev, Osbourne delivers several jackhammering right hands that seal the deal and make sure that Adashev is totally and completely unconscious. Peterson breaks them apart, and Osbourne goes off to celebrate but then drops to his knees in respect while the medical personnel is attending to Adashev. Adashev recovers, and gets back to his feet, much to the relief of those in the building.

The Official Result

Ode Osbourne def. Zarrukh Adashev R1 1:01 via KO (Punches)

Poliana Botelho (125.5) vs. Karine Silva (125)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Silva (-125), Botelho (+105)

Round 1

The final women’s bout of the day comes at flyweight, when two absolute finishers collide in search of a crucial UFC win. Signed off of the 2021 season of DWCS, Silva (14-4, 0-0 UFC) maintains a perfect 100% stoppage rate, with none of her wins coming after the second round. She will have her hands full of powerful countrywoman Botelho (8-4, 3-3 UFC), who on her own right celebrates 75% of her victories by knockout. Referee Chris Tognoni is prepared for whether this fight goes 15 seconds or 15 minutes, and there is no chance of gloves touching as these two are fired up. Botelho starts off with a few kicks, and Silva mimics them although they come up short. Silva stays busy with push kicks from a distance, and even though they don’t land, they keep Botelho off of her. Botelho sits down on a leg kick, and Silva gives one right back to her, as if this were a mirror match thus far. Two identical kicks from the women land at the same time, and Botelho follows with two more as Silva is still trying to get her bearings. It’s primarily a kick fight thus far, as the punches are coming up short from each Brazilian. Silva goes up high with a kick, and she lets go with another as she starts putting punches between the kicks to mix things up. A few jabs succeed from “Killer Karine,” who begins to pick up the pace and chip away as Botelho comes forward without throwing much offense. Silva lands at the end of a right hand, and she is loading up on the strikes, but Botelho is largely able to avoid or dodge the worst of them. Botelho catches Silva coming up with an uppercut, but it is one-and-done as Silva paws out a jab and a front kick of her own. The Silva jab misses the mark a few times, and Botelho goes to the body with a left. Silva strides forward with an overhand right, and she knocks Botelho over and tackles her down to the ground, not letting the knockdown completely register. Silva unleashes a barrage of speedy hammerfists, and she settles to get hold of an arm-triangle from on top. Botelho sits up and finds herself in brabo choke danger, and Silva rolls her to the side and sets up this maneuver. Botelho twists and looks to free her neck and sit up to ride out the round, but Silva locks her down and cranks so that there is no escape. The crushing choke forces Botelho to surrender, and Silva has now made a splash in the UFC while maintaining her 100% finish rate with an impressive submission. Her brabo choke is just the second in UFC women’s divisional history, with the first coming from Tatiana Suarez in 2016.

The Official Result

Karine Silva def. Poliana Botelho R1 4:55 via Submission (Brabo Choke)

Lucas Almeida (145.5) vs. Michael Trizano (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Trizano (-240), Almeida (+195)

Round 1

A battle of pathways to the Octagon comes in this featured featherweight contest, as TUF 27 winner Trizano (9-2, 3-2 UFC) comes to blows with hard-charging DWCS participant Almeida (13-1, 0-0 UFC). It should be noted that Almeida lost his fight on DWCS last September, hit a guillotine choke on someone a couple weeks later in Brazil, and punched his ticket to the UFC after all. Whether TUF or DWCS wins out in this matchup, referee Mark Smith will be there to make it official. The gloves are not touched, as the Brazilian is already rearing to make a fast start. Trizano lands the first effective strike with a leg kick, and Almeida answers with a punch to the body and a slapping leg kick to answer. Almeida gets off a one-two that is short, and Trizano welcomes a brief slugfest as they trade punches. Almeida strides forward with a leg kick and a left hand that shakes Trizano up, but “Lone Wolf” is able to gather himself and walk into a solid one-two. The Brazilian keeps busy with low kicks when not punching, and he swats a single blow away so that he can counter over the top. When two punches are blocked, Almeida slams his shin into Trizano’s side. Almeida continues his assault of the lead leg of his opponent, and rarely does he offer a single strike as it tends to be part of a combination. He delays a head kick into leg kick try, and Trizano absorbs them both and pushes forward in pursuit of a takedown. Trizano hunts for an outside trip but cannot get it, and Almeida breaks the grip around his own waist and looks to separate as Trizano is leaning heavily on him. The Brazilian gets away before setting up a Thai plum, and he rips the body with a left, goes over the top with a right and nails a low kick to punctuate the solid combination. Trizano does not like this, and he shoots in for a double. Almeida gets the underhooks to stop it, and he slides out of the way right before Trizano can reach him with an elbow. When at range, Almeida picks up where he left off, with chopping leg kicks. Trizano leads the dance momentarily with four punches, but Almeida meets him with a few more kicks that have reddened his lead calf and knee. Almeida works the body and head, and brimming with confidence, he lets loose with a few punches. Trizano intercepts him with a couple punches that rock the Brazilian badly, and Almeida is on wobbly legs. A knee from Trizano sets Almeida down, and Trizano gives chase and tries to pound on him. Almeida ties him up and threatens with a leglock as the dramatic round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Almeida appears recovered, or at least has his wits about him to start off the round, and he comes out firing with punches and kicks to the head and body. Trizano absorbs the strikes flush without batting an eye, and they trade leg kicks. Almeida comes up short on a few looping right hooks, but his low calf kicks do continue to add up. Almeida keeps his foe guessing with punches up high and kicks down low, and Trizano steps forward to trade leather. Almeida lands the better of the exchange, with a clean right hand on the chin, but “Lone Wolf” does not budge. Almeida ends up hitting air when loading up too much on strikes, but he does drill Trizano with a powerful left hook that gives him pause. Almeida lands another such left, and Trizano is trying to get his range and stay out of danger. Almeida strings together a clean combination, and a left hand knocks Trizano down. Almeida climbs into the guard of his opponent, as Trizano appears already recovered enough to defend himself on his back. Trizano manages to buck and kick Almeida off of him, and Almeida stands up to lord over him with punches. As Almeida leaps down to attack, their heads slam together, and a massive cut opens on Trizano’s eye. Blood is pouring down Trizano’s face. Trizano fights his way back up to his feet, and after they separate in the clinch, and Smith indicates that it was indeed a head clash that caused the cut and not a legal strike. Trizano is cleared to continue, and they stand up and start trading. A wild few remaining seconds ensue, as Almeida catches Trizano with a few punches, tries to follow it with a flying knee, and gets popped during the wild trading. The horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The cut on the corner of Trizano’s right eye could not be tamed between rounds, and it is leaking as the last frame begins. Almeida invests early with several leg kicks, and he does enough to keep Trizano back while throwing these kicks. Almeida blasts the liver with a left and goes over the top with a right, and he follows it with a huge left hand. When Trizano meets him in the middle, Almeida swings with a massive left that connects and hurts Trizano badly. Trizano topples over to the mat, and the Brazilian senses the finish could be around the corner. Almeida dives on top, and this time, Trizano cannot secure the guard and shake out the cobwebs. The newcomer rains down punishment, with a hail of punches and hammerfists as Smith tells Trizano he needs to fight back. Almeida continues his bombardment without slowing, and eventually, Smith sees that Trizano is no longer intelligently defending himself and calls a stop to the match. This is a statement win for Almeida, who makes his UFC debut in style while maintaining a spotless 100% finish rate. In the process, the Brazilian becomes the first fighter to stop the TUF winner with strikes.

The Official Result

Lucas Almeida def. Michael Trizano R3 0:55 via TKO (Punches)

Dan Ige (145.5) vs. Movsar Evloev (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Evloev (-400), Ige (+300)

Round 1

We have reached the co-main event, which comes in the form of an important featherweight tilt with top-10 implications on the line. Ige (15-5, 7-4 UFC) will try to hold on to his higher ranked number of 10 and become the first man to defeat rising Russian Evloev (15-0, 5-0 UFC) who holds the 13 spot. Questions should be answered when the dust settles, and zero nonsense referee Keith Peterson will have the honor of officiating one of the more highly anticipated bouts of the day. The respect is ample and the two men touch gloves, and the first blow of the match is landed by the Hawaiian, in the form of a jab up the middle. Evloev answers with a low leg kick, and Ige crowds him with a pair of punches that knock the unbeaten fighter into the wall. Evloev gathers himself and pushes out a jab, and he is forced to backpedal when Ige charges again. The blitz of Ige leads to a left to the body, and they may have clashed heads as they both wind up to throw. Evloev answers with his own one-two, but it is blocked in time. When Ige kicks low, Evloev throws two punches up high. Evloev spins with a back kick that Ige is able to walk past, but “50K” does get off a thudding low kick. Evloev pierces out with jabs, and Ige answers him back in kind. Evloev just misses with a huge right hand, and Ige stands in the pocket more than willing to trade. Ige bullies Evloev back thanks to jabs, and he bends Evloev over with one to the midsection. Evloev counters him over the top with a right hand, and Ige may be stunned by the blow. Evloev leaps in the air with a flying knee, and Ige eats it like a pineapple and tries to throw back. Evloev is faster, meeting Ige coming in with a stream of punches. When Ige attempts to return fire, Evloev changes levels and takes him down. Ige walks his way back upright, only for a slamming mat return to come for the Russian. Ige attempts to elbow behind his back, and Evloev is not concerned as he ragdolls Ige around. Ige manages to spin out and stand back up, and Evloev is singularly focused on tripping or tossing Ige back to the mat. They split apart, and Evloev leads off with a jab. Ige replies, and he blocks an overhand right quickly. Evloev boots Ige in the body and jabs in the chest, and the horn sounds to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The second round opens with jabs from both men, and Evloev kicks the ribcage as Ige lets out a grunt. Ige gives chase and walks through a head kick so that he can charge with two looping punches. The Russian shells up and replies with a right hand that knocks Ige back, not because it got through but because the sheer impact of the blow on Ige’s glove sends him back. Evloev jabs out with a finger outstretched, and it goes into Ige’s right eye. Ige blinks it out after a few seconds and is ready to continue, and Evloev resumes his high-volume approach of punches and body kicks to keep Ige guessing. Ige looks to slide past his foe and trick him, but Evloev meets him coming forward with a clean right hook. A second right comes from the unbeaten fighter, who is simply beating Ige to the punch on most occasions. Evloev cracks Ige again with a flying knee, and Ige absorbs it flush without wobbling, but he is busted up and streaking red lines on his face. Evloev pushes out a jab, and Ige side-steps so that he can go for a left to the liver. They paw at one another until Ige connects with a thudding leg kick, and he is forced to defend when Evloev goes up top with a kick. Ige sits down on two punches when he gets backed up, and he catches Evloev coming in with a few punches. Evloev barely budges, and their heads bump together when they lean forward at the same time. Evloev lands a one-two on the chin, and a front kick splits the guard. Ige lets loose with his hands, and even though they do find the mark as well, Evloev is faster and more active. Ige stuffs a takedown, and he delivers a kick to the body. Evloev stutter-steps and darts forward to hit a takedown, and he bowls Ige to his back while Ige closes his guard around the midsection. Evloev sits up and starts pounding down with punches and short elbows, and he works the body to open up the head even in the closed guard. Evloev slashes down with an elbow, and Ige’s blood continues to pour from various places in his face. The Russian does not relent with active ground-and-pound, and only the bell stops him from working Ige over further.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The gloves get touched to open the final frame, and they post up in the middle and trade jabs early. Ige throws a big right hand, and he gets kicked in the cup in an answer. Ige waves Peterson off so that he can keep slugging, and Evloev acknowledges this and then walks over to lift Ige up and slam him to the mat. Ige works his way to the fence so that he can try to work up it, and Evloev controls him from the back and disallows Ige from standing. Ige fights the grip around his waist and powers upright again, and Evloev is kicking and looking to trip Ige down. Ige grabs the fence and is admonished quickly from Peterson, and Evloev wrenches Ige off the wire and drops him down to the mat again. When Ige gets a little space, Evloev is there to bring him back down. Ige looks for a sweep, and Evloev times this and threatens with a counter-submission of his own. Ige does not give up, fighting his way back up, only for Evloev to toss him back once more. Ige turns the corner and threatens with a takedown effort in his own right, and Evloev defends and slugs Ige on the side of the head repeatedly. This odd stalemate position is nothing problematic for Evloev, who slowly turns Ige to his back so that he can posture up and drop down hammers. Ige throws his legs up for a triangle choke setup, and Evloev shucks it off and circles around to take Ige’s back. Ige turns all the way through to not surrender back control, and with 30 seconds left in the fight, Ige springs back to his feet and is ready to brawl. The Russian has no interest in doing this, and instead takes Ige down with ease and beats on Ige with both fists until the final bell sounds. Going forward, Evloev is going to have some very exciting tests in front of him, as he passed the Ige examination with flying colors.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Movsar Evloev def. Dan Ige via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Alexander Volkov (256.5) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (259)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Volkov (-155), Rozenstruik (+135)

Round 1

The heavyweight headliner is upon us as 515.5 pounds of man is slated to meet in the center of the cage in mere moments. Both Volkov (34-10, 8-4 UFC) and Rozenstruik (12-3, 6-3 UFC) are clinging to spots in the bottom half of the top 10 of the weight class, and a loss could eject one into the 11-15 range. Knockout rates of 65% for Volkov and 92% for “Bigi Boy” will throw down as referee Herb Dean hangs on tight, and fight fans around the world hope for action and excitement in the last fight of the day. Large gloves get touched ahead of the final bout of the card, and the main event is on. Two kicks from Volkov come fast, and Rozenstruik responds with one to the lower leg. Volkov is active in the first 15 seconds with a handful of kicks to all targets, including a high kick that slaps off Rozenstruik’s right hand. Volkov absorbs a low kick after blocking a punch, and he jabs his foe several times to the body. “Drago” chips away with body kicks, loosing a kiai every time he strikes. Volkov lands a few to the legs, and when he goes to the body, Rozenstruik pounces. Rozenstruik just misses on a huge, looping hook, and Volkov gathers himself and pierces the guard with a jab and a low kick. The former kickboxer responds with a heavier leg kick, and Volkov gets lazy when he lands a body kick again. Rozenstruik comes out furiously, letting loose with a few punches up high that surprise the Russian. Volkov staggers Rozenstruik with a straight right hand, and Rozenstruik leans towards the wall as he is in big trouble from the blow. Three lightning-quick punches from “Drago” dislodge the mouthpiece of Rozenstruik, and Volkov continues punching as Rozenstruik’s lights flicker in and out. Smelling blood and knowing he could get his first first-round finish since 2016, Volkov unleashes a fury to match his tattoo, with a final barrage of punches that knock Rozenstruik against the wall. Dean intervenes before Rozenstruik hits the mat or loses consciousness, and he must not have liked what he saw by Rozenstruik’s body language to step in like this. Volkov gets peeled away and Rozenstruik staggers off, but he is on his feet still and protests to Dean that he was not out. No matter what he says, the fight is over, and “Bigi Boy” is clearly on wobbled legs from the damage he absorbed when Volkov teed off on him. Volkov is back in the win column in a big way, with a knockout that will keep him in contendership for the foreseeable future. That is one event in the books, and many more are to come for the next several weeks. UFC 275 in Singapore – and four Road to UFC events before that – are on deck next week. We will be here for all of it, and we hope you are too.

The Official Result

Alexander Volkov def. Jairzinho Rozenstruik R1 2:12 via TKO (Punches)