UFC on ESPN 33 ‘Blaydes vs. Daukaus’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Luis Saldana (145) vs. Bruno Souza (144)

Round 1

The conclusion of a grueling eight-weekend stretch of consecutive UFC cards comes to a close in Columbus, Ohio, with a card surprisingly not based around the Arnold Classic. The promotion will pull into the Nationwide Arena now with an even dozen fights on the billing after a late scratch, and we start things off in the featherweight division. In hopes of lifting his UFC record above .500, Saldana (15-7, 1-1 UFC) will try to hand Lyoto Machida protégé Souza (10-2, 0-1 UFC) his second straight defeat. The referee for the first fight on the card is Keith Peterson, who escorts the nonsense out of the building and watches as the two touch gloves to check in the evening. Saldana opens up with a leg kick as he dips back from long jabs from the karateka, and Souza gives chase and fires off a body kick. The featherweights trade kicks until Souza goes over the top with a right hand, and he follows it wither another that gets slapped away. Saldana calms down and chips away from an outside, with low kicks mixed in with those to the body. Souza eats a jab right as he looks to wing an overhand right, and Saldana stays on his bike effectively picking and poking from a safe distance. Souza catches a kick and bears down on his opponent, throwing bombs but ultimately unable to cleanly connect with his target. Saldana keeps his range as he turns his hips into a leg kick, and Souza times it with a right hand counter that gets Saldana’s attention. Souza loads up on his right hand again and again, and one clubs right into the jaw. Saldana does not budge, and instead remains composed with kicks on the inside and outside of Souza’s front calf. The legs get clashed as they kick at the same time, and Souza continues to pressure forward as chants for “USA” rain down in support of the blonde Saldana. They clinch up for a moment, but Saldana is unable to get off a clinch strike before Souza pushes off and tries to land a big kick to the body. The Brazilian walks through a low kick to swarm with punches, hitting little but air as Saldana smoothly dodges his strikes. As Souza attacks, Saldana changes levels with a slick takedown, and he drags Souza right down to the ground and looks to take Souza’s back. Souza scrambles, walking his way to the fence and getting back up, and he gets right back to chasing Saldana down. A big punch might have wobbled Saldana, who drops down for a takedown that fails. As he tries another, he bowls Souza over and lands a few hammerfists. When Souza stands, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Saldana
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Saldana
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Saldana

Round 2

The featherweights come out of their corners ready to throw hands, and they do exactly that, trading heavy strikes but showing no ill effects. Saldana changes things up with a spinning back fist, and when that whiffs, he uses his momentum to throw up a head kick. Souza takes the brunt of it and continues to plod forward, and Saldana launches another high kick that glances off his shoulder. The Brazilian is firing with more power than his opponent, but it allows Saldana to slide out of the way just in time. Souza may be the one moving forward, but Saldana is effectively countering and slipping his strikes. One such looping overhand right allows Saldana to shoot in low for a takedown, and after a standing grappling exchange, Saldana simply shoves Souza to the mat where they land in an awkward position. Saldana manages to snag a very high back take, and he threatens with an unusual triangle choke as he nearly gets shucked off. Souza continues to shake and shimmy, allowing him to free himself from his opponent. Souza gets back to his feet, and he takes a stern elbow on the way up against the cage that splits open the top of his forehead. Souza begins to find his timing as he takes a little steam off his punches, while Saldana’s head movement has diminished. Instead, Saldana drops down for a takedown, and it is easily stuffed as Souza powers forward. “The Tiger” pounces with heavy punches, and he stings Saldana and forces the American to backpedal. Saldana tries to preemptively counter as Souza darts towards him, but it is Souza that lands cleanly and avoids a flying knee. The round comes to a close as Saldana gets pushed back to the wall.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Souza
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Souza
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Souza

Round 3

Souza begins the final frame aggressively, continuing his constant forward movement while intercepting his opponent with a quick left hand. Saldana swings and misses in response, but a leg kick does slam into the inner calf of his foe. Saldana goes up high with a kick, and Souza ignores it and scores a big right. Saldana tries to bounce off the fence in his version of a Showtime punch, and Souza swats it away. When Souza marches forward, Saldana suddenly spins with a back kick that thumps the body, and the Brazilian does not even register that the blow lands as he surges ahead. Saldana spins wildly, and Souza ducks out of the way and nearly trips. Souza stops a takedown from materializing as Saldana is getting sloppy, letting his hands hang low. Souza pump-fakes and just misses with a leaping right hand, when Saldana blocks it and ducks own to grab his opponent’s legs. Souza blocks a jumping switch kick and replies with a right, and Saldana leans back with his own that does not land flush. A side kick from Saldana connects, and Souza catches him with a right hand that knocks him off-balance. Saldana backs up just enough to ricochet on the fence, and Souza unleashes a small flurry. When Souza resets, Saldana waves him on, and the crowd cheers in approval of the potential brawl that could develop. Instead, Souza catches a body kick and pushes Saldana down to the mat, and he lands and sets up an armbar but bails on it so he can get back to his feet. When Saldana stands, he waves Souza on, and the karateka does not bite on it when Saldana retreats. Souza finally starts throwing recklessly, much to the delight of Saldana, and the two featherweights begin trading hard. Saldana fakes with a spin, and as soon as he turns about, Souza clocks him with a one-two. Saldana backs away and puts his hands on his knees in a clear sign of fatigue, and Souza advances to try to blast him in the face. Instead, Saldana ties him up against the fence, and they break apart shortly thereafter. Once more, Saldana goads him into a firefight, and Souza obliges, throwing everything he has left with a swarm of punches until the horn sounds. The first fight of the night turned out to be quite a close one.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Souza (29-28 Souza)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Saldana (29-28 Saldana)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Souza (29-28 Souza)

The Official Result

Luis Saldana def. Bruno Souza via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

David Dvorak (125.5) vs. Matheus Nicolau (126)

Round 1

A low-key, high-ranked flyweight matchup is slotted next way down on the prelims, even though both Nicolau (17-2-1, 5-1 UFC) and Dvorak (20-3, 3-0 UFC) are ranked in the top 10 of their division. Referee Chad Trukovich understands the stakes of this fight even if there two ranked higher later on tonight, and he too is confused why this fight is taking place so early. Nevertheless, he clocks them in and they touch gloves. There is little action between the two in the early going, as they simply look to find their range and movement without actually throwing a single strike. The crowd rains down boos after 60 seconds of staring and bobbing around, and this does not spur the fighters into action. Nicolau nearly lands a jab but it come up short, and just about two minutes in, there is still nothing on the books. Dvorak jumps forward with a pair of hooks, finally landing with one, and Nicolau backs off and circles around the cage while Dvorak walks him down. The lack of action carries on as three minutes elapse, and Nicolau tosses out a half-hearted low kick. Dvorak swings with a right hand, likely the only fighter of the two to actually connect with a significant strike. Dvorak marches forward, reaching out with a right, and Nicolau finally gets on the board with a left hook counter. It is one-and-done, however, even as Dvorak follows him. Dvorak charges, scoring a single punch and clinching up, and the Brazilian backs out of the tie-up and escapes. Dvorak blocks an axe kick, and when Nicolau sets his leg down, Dvorak gets off a hard calf kick that makes Nicolau turn about. Dvorak whiffs on a kick, and the slow round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-10
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-10
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau

Round 2

The flyweights clap hands to start off the second frame, and Dvorak flicks out a few jabs that just miss. Ducking down with an uppercut, Dvorak advances with a right hand that catches his opponent cleanly. Dvorak scores another, dropping Nicolau down to one hand, and the Brazilian springs up and backs off. “The Undertaker” rushes forward to strike, and a few low kicks connect with his hands come up shy of the mark. Nicolau pushes off with his fingers to jab Dvorak in the eye, and Dvorak backs off to blink it out when Trukovich does not call it. The Czech fighter advances again, stringing a few punches together when they get up close. Nicolau tries to counter with a left in close range, and Dvorak slips it and kicks his lead leg twice. The Brazilian gets off a push kick up the middle, but it does not make Dvorak slow down as Dvorak continues to come forward. Dvorak swings and misses a few times, with Nicolau swatting his fists away. They stride forward and engage in a very brief slugfest, only to back off and reset. Nicolau blocks a one-two as Dvorak comes at him, and he counters with a solid left hand. Nicolau rings his bell with a right hand, but he does not capitalize on it and instead appears to back off and celebrate his handiwork. Dvorak gathers himself and starts throwing caution to the wind, with winging punches that Nicolau sees coming and slides out of the way. Nicolau gets tagged when trying to counter, and he slips in a right hand over the top when Dvorak finishes. Nicolau winds up with a left hook, slamming into Dvorak’s forehead and hurting him badly. Dvorak loses his balance and falls to his back, and the Brazilian pounces, jumping into Dvorak’s guard instead of forcing him to stay on his feet. Dvorak welcomes this, holding on but absorbing a little punishment. Nicolau sits up, slashes down with elbows that cut Dvorak open, and the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau

Round 3

The gloves get touched one last time to start off Round 3, and Nicolau starts to let his hands go in a hurry knowing that Dvorak may still be hurt. Nicolau cracks him with a left hook, and Dvorak’s knees wobble but he does not tumble to the mat. Dvorak’s eyes are wide open as Nicolau starts smashing him in the face, and he breaks up a combination with a low kick as Dvorak’s nose begins to leak plasma. Dvorak shoots for a desperation takedown as he is rocked, and Nicolau stops it in its tracks and looks to slug it out. Dvorak gathers his thoughts and raises his guard, and he charges ahead to go after a body lock takedown. Nicolau shucks him off and gets back to the center of the cage, and he pushes out a quick jab. Dvorak rushes forward with a four-punch salvo, and it is all Nicolau can do to get out of the way in time. Nicolau strikes, Dvorak counters and brings up a stern knee on the jaw. The Brazilian looks to take the fight down to the mat, but “The Undertaker” wants to bury him with strikes instead. Dvorak picks up the pace after stopping the takedown, and Nicolau’s fast hands are effect but the volume is low. A left on the temple connects for Nicolau, and he tries to turn it into a takedown only to get bowled over and put on his back. Nicolau hunts for an ankle lock to try to sweep or otherwise gain advantageous position, and Dvorak twists and turns, before deciding to punch his foe in the face. Nicolau turns it into a kneebar before switching to a heel hook, and Dvorak yanks his leg out in a spin to take top position. Nicolau throws his legs up high in an effort to set up an armbar, and the Czech fighter is wise to it and rains down a few punches and grinding elbows as the round is in its waning seconds. A few more blows come from “The Undertaker,” who rides out the fight on top. Scores could be all over the map with this one, based on how the first and last rounds were scored.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau (30-28 Nicolau)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau (30-28 Nicolau)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau (30-27 Nicolau)

The Official Result

Matheus Nicolau def. David Dvorak via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Manon Fiorot (125.5) vs. Jennifer Maia (126)

Round 1

Second verse, same as the first: the previous fight featured flyweights that drew unexpectedly low card placement given their relative place in their division, and the same can be said between the no. 4 Maia (19-8-1, 4-4 UFC) and the 13th ranked female flyweight known as “The Beast” Fiorot (8-1, 3-0 UFC). Drawing the charge for this interesting style matchup is referee Herb Dean, who gets a huge pop from the crowd. Dean who will know before anyone else whether Maia holds the line or if Fiorot can crash through to the top five. There is no glove touch, and instead the Frenchwoman wants to start striking, with side kicks to the lead leg. Maia replies with a straight left hand, and they both throw hands at the same time. Fiorot’s hands are faster, and her intercepting kicks are effective when Maia comes forward. Fiorot scores a few more kicks as Maia bears down on her, and she scores two or three punches before Maia can reach her. Maia is not deterred, as she continues to walk through body kicks to swing with heavy punches. Fiorot tags her opponent with a straight right hand, and she breaks it up with punches to the body as Maia looks to almost exclusively box with her. Fiorot lets Maia come at her so she can counter quickly and slip away to score kicks on the outside. “The Beast” lets go with a head kick, and Maia shrugs it off to score with a big left hand. Fiorot is forced to shake it off, and Maia lands another on the chin. Fiorot preemptively counters an advancing Maia with a left hook a few times, and she is doing damage to Maia’s lead leg as well with sharp kicks. The punches from the French kickboxer have opened up the nose of her foe, and Maia rushes ahead to try to tie her up. When Fiorot turns her around, Maia wings a quick elbow that gets Fiorot’s attention. Fiorot responds with a thudding body kick, and Maia tries to pay her back with an overhand right but is just out of reach. Fiorot slips the blow and dings her with a left hand, and Maia greets her with a right hand counter. Maia takes a leg kick so that she can swarm ahead, and she goes up high with a kick that stings Fiorot. The Frenchwoman threatens with a takedown, and Maia turns her around with ease until Fiorot pushes off. Fiorot scores a side kick to the midsection, and she lands a clean left hand right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot

Round 2

The round begins with Maia coming out aggressively. Fiorot catches her coming in with a kick to the body, but she cannot slow her as Maia tags her with a couple punches. Suddenly, Fiorot changes levels and hits a clean takedown right in the middle of the cage, putting the Brazilian on her back. Maia sits up and threatens to sweep, and Fiorot hacks at her with elbows to make her sit back down. Maia keeps a high guard, keeping Fiorot honest with a triangle setup. Fiorot sits up and has her leg snagged by Maia, who latches on to an ankle lock. Fiorot rushes to get back to her feet, and Maia goes right after her hips to hit a takedown of her own. As she looks to set up some sort of submission, Fiorot tosses her around and sets Maia on her back. Fiorot appears much more cautious this time in Maia’s guard, not willing to sit up and put herself in submission danger. Instead, Fiorot springs back up to her feet, not interested in playing the ground game anymore. Maia follows her back upright, and Fiorot gets off several kicks to the body. Maia cannot reach her as Fiorot snipes her from afar, and the Frenchwoman catches Maia on the way in and dumps her to the mat. Maia scrambles to get back up and boots Fiorot in the head, and Fiorot is in big trouble as she adjusts her top and tries to get her legs about her. Maia goes after another high kick, and Fiorot blocks it and is still trying to shake out the cobwebs. Maia gives chase, whiffing on another head kick and walking face-first into a punch. Maia comes up short on a Superwoman punch, and Fiorot circles away until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot

Round 3

The third round begins with Maia once more pressing the action, and she tries to engage in a brawl as Fiorot wants to stay on the outside with side kicks to the body. Fiorot looks to keep her distance, but Maia will not have it, pushing the pace and clinching her up. Maia cannot keep her tied up for long, and Fiorot returns to her preferred range with long, prodding kicks. The Brazilian continuously comes forward, only to absorb kicks to the body and legs. Maia starts to work on Fiorot’s lead leg, and Fiorot plants her feet to go after a hook kick. Maia blocks it and sprints ahead to go after a body lock takedown, and although she hits it, Fiorot spins her around and rolls through to stand back up. Maia advances without cutting her opponent off, absorbing kicks flush without being able to answer back. Fiorot jumps forward with a knee that slams into Maia’s guard, and Maia rubs her nose and marches onward. Maia takes a punch on the chin so that she can set up a thudding body kick, and Fiorot replies in kind with a side kick to the torso. Maia walks right into a kick to her chest, and she completely ignores it and brushes past a crescent kick in order to tie up the Frenchwoman. Maia goes to clinch, and Fiorot pushes away. Maia attacks with a high kick when Fiorot goes low, and Maia kicks the body and slips back when Fiorot spins with a kick. Maia hears the 10-second clapper and begins to bull-rush her adversary, throwing hands right until the bitter end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot (30-27 Fiorot)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Maia (29-28 Fiorot)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Fiorot (30-27 Fiorot)

The Official Result

Manon Fiorot def. Jennifer Maia via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Aliaskhab Khizriev (185) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (185.5)

Round 1

It’s an all-Russian throwdown up next between the unbeaten Khizriev (13-0, 0-0 UFC), who earned a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last year, and short-notice knockout artist Tiuliulin (9-5, 1 NC; 0-0 UFC) in the middleweight division. Who picks up their first UFC win? We will find out soon, as the 185ers touch gloves in front of referee Gary Copeland. The crowd makes sure to shower both of the fighters with boos based on their shared country of origin. Khizriev leads off with a high kick that is blocked with ease, and chants resound in the building for “USA.” Tiuliulin cracks his man with a straight right hand, and Khizriev looks stunned but throws back after gathering himself. Khizriev loads up on a one-two, and Tiuliulin replies with a right hand of his own. From a distance, Khizriev shoots in low for a takedown, scooping Tiuliulin’s legs up and setting him down. Khizriev manages to scoot his way to the fence, but Khizriev will not let him off the hook and get back up. Posting up on his right arm, Tiuliulin looks to fight his way back up, only to get smacked in the face and dragged right back down. Khizriev gets off a few short punches as Tiuliulin looks flustered, doing enough to force Tiuliulin to scramble to his knees. When he does, Khizriev takes his back, and gets as hook in to push Tiuliulin back down to the mat. The crowd, which did not like either fighter to begin with, does not appreciate this grapping exchange as they rain down more boos. Tiuliulin explodes suddenly to get back up, and when he does, Khizriev slugs him in the face. Tiuliulin returns fire, and he eats a front kick to the midsection to make him backpedal. Tiuliulin strings together a solid one-two that shakes Khizriev up, and Khizriev ducks away with strange body language as he might be hurt from the strikes. Tiuliulin lets his hands go and starts tagging Khizriev, and Khizriev engages with him as they start to brawl. Tiuliulin hurts Khizriev enough to make Khizriev shoot in on his legs, and Tiuliulin stuffs it without much concern. Tiuliulin then changes things up with his own takedown try, and Khizriev laughs it off and shoves Tiuliulin back to work the body. One kick to the midsection from Khizriev ends the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Khizriev
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Khizriev
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Khizriev

Round 2

The two middleweights swing for the fences to start the second round, and Tiuliulin lands cleanly and gets countered. Khizriev pushes out a one-two and a leg kick, and Tiuliulin walks him down with a straight right hand only to get kneed in the face. Khizriev intercepts his man with an uppercut, and Tiuliulin continues to throw hands and walk Khizriev down. Tiuliulin goes to the body and head as Khizriev bounces off the fence, and Khizriev kicks the midsection before shooting in for a single-leg takedown. Tiuliulin tries to scramble, but as he drops to a knee, he gives up his back. The unbeaten fighter snatches up the position in an instant, getting both hooks in and hunting for a speedy rear-naked choke. In the blink of an eye, the choke is locked in, and Tiuliulin does not think to tap out. Instead, with the choke tight as can be, Tiuliulin goes out on his shield, and Copeland recognizes this and intervenes to save the unconscious fighter. The victorious Khizriev releases the choke when Copeland steps in, and he jumps on top of the cage to point at commentator Michael Bisping of all people. He calls for a title shot after winning his UFC debut against a fellow newcomer, tells the commentary booth that he wants to “smash everybody” and announces that he is willing to move to welterweight in the future.

The Official Result

Aliaskhab Khizriev def. Denis Tiuliulin R2 1:58 via Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Batgerel Danaa (136) vs. Chris Gutierrez (135)

Round 1

The dark horse fight of the night for some comes next in the bantamweight division, as “El Guapo” Gutierrez (17-4-2, 5-1-1 UFC) and his iron chin takes on the storming “Storm” Danaa (12-2, 3-1 UFC). Gutierrez has never been knocked out as a pro, while the Mongolian fighter has finished his opponent in his last nine wins, including each of his three UFC victories by knockout. Something might have to give here, and referee Herb Dean is prepared for wherever this fight goes. There is a sporting touch of gloves before the melee ensues, and Danaa strikes first with a surprisingly heavy leg kick. He then knocks Gutierrez back with a left hand, and Gutierrez gets his footing and start to kick the Mongolian’s lead leg back. Danaa pushes forward with a few fast punches, and Gutierrez kicks his leg out from beneath him. Danaa pops back up to his feet, and he loads up on a right hand that comes up short. Gutierrez continues to chip away with his leg kick, and it is already frustrating Danaa and making him pick his leg up in anticipation. Danaa rushes forward with a few punches, and a high kick bounces off the shoulder. Gutierrez circles away promptly, not wanting to get trapped against the wall, and he takes a thudding kick below his knee. A right hand from Danaa stuns Gutierrez, and he lands another as Gutierrez bounces off the cage wall and resets in the middle of the Octagon. Gutierrez jumps in the air with a knee, and Danaa pushes it down and pops him with a right hook. Danaa overswings and nearly falls over from a right hand, but he regain his balance only to absorb a kick to the midsection. Danaa jabs the body, and he goes up high with a right hand. Gutierrez hurries away from the fence, practically sprinting out of danger so that Danaa cannot corner him. Danaa looks to cut him off and lay into him, but Gutierrez is fighting smartly and circling away from the powerful right hand of his opponent. Despite this, Danaa manages to land a pair of right hooks, and Gutierrez shakes his head and rushes to get away from the fencing. “Storm” lands a leg kick, a right hand and another low kick, mixing his strikes up and keeping Danaa guessing. Danaa swings and misses with a heavy punch, and he quickly raises his leg out of concern that it will be kicked – this is the right choice, as he checks a kick that comes at him. The Mongolian surges forward to lift Gutierrez up in the air and slam him down to the mat. As soon as they hit the ground, Danaa begins unloading with heavy punches. These keep mounting, doing some damage but not threatening to end the fight, and they continue until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Danaa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Danaa
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Danaa

Round 2

Danaa comes out throwing hammers right out of his corner, and Gutierrez is right there to kick his leg hard a few times. One such strike forces Danaa to change stances, and when he does, Gutierrez uses this opportunity to deliver a flush kick to Danaa’s liver. Danaa eats it like a plate of Mongolian beef and charges ahead, constantly forcing Gutierrez to fight off his back foot. Gutierrez just ducks from a huge right hand that soars at him, and he has another kick checked while Danaa comes at him. Two punches from “Storm” connect, and Gutierrez times the blows to duck out of the way and gain some space. Danaa swings for the bleachers with a pair of windmilling punches, and Gutierrez sees them coming a mile away and continues to batter the lead leg with his shin. Danaa reaches out with a right hand, and Gutierrez shrugs it off and slips a front kick that was aimed at his chin. They trade jabs, and Danaa targets the body shortly thereafter. Danaa’s power punches are less accurate and more dramatic, while “El Guapo” is sharp and able to pick at him effectively. As Danaa chases towards him, Gutierrez spins with a perfectly timed back fist, clocking the Mongolian upside the head and sending him crashing down to the mat. Gutierrez dives after him to finish the job, as Dean considers stepping in but does not yet, so Gutierrez smashes his downed opponent with a series of elbows. As the Factory X fighter batters a doomed Danaa with vicious elbows, Dean dives in to call a halt to the fight. What a thrilling finish, with “El Guapo” scoring a rare stoppage with a spinning back fist against an incredibly dangerous opponent.

The Official Result

Chris Gutierrez def. Batgerel Danaa R2 2:34 via TKO (Spinning Back Fist and Elbows)

Sara McMann (135) vs. Karol Rosa (135)

Round 1

Once an undefeated title challenger, now at the age of 41 having lost three of her last four, McMann (12-6, 6-6 UFC) will be fighting now to keep her UFC record above the .500 mark when she takes on surging Brazilian Rosa (15-3, 4-0 UFC). The Octagon ranger for this bantamweight battle and preliminary headliner will be Chad Trukovich, and the two ladies show nothing but respect as they touch ‘em up first. McMann takes the center of the cage and starts off with a kick to the knee, and she wades forward with a pair of punches to the midsection. The two are tentative to engage with much else, as Rosa swings and misses with a pair of punches. The ladies whiff on punches, until McMann closes the distance and rips an uppercut up close. Rosa tries to reply, and McMann shoots through to hit a double and set the Brazilian on the canvas. Rosa looks to try to scramble and sweep her, but McMann uses this to nearly take her back and then place her flat on her back. McMann works with a few elbows in half guard, using heavy shoulder pressure to keep Rosa stuck without a way up. Rosa flails with strikes off her back, and McMann completely ignores them to isolate an arm and punch Rosa in the body repeatedly. McMann smothers her foe and smashes her in the face before isolating a wrist in search of a keylock. Rosa scrambles just enough to free her arm, but she is nowhere near getting off her back as the Olympian holds her down with ease. McMann grinds with elbows as she makes Rosa’s life miserable, posturing up every so often to land a few strikes before lowering herself down. McMann goes after another Americana briefly before letting it go to slash with a few elbows, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 McMann
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 McMann
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 McMann

Round 2

Rosa comes out of her corner to claim the center of the cage in Round 2, and she throws a high front kick that misses early. McMann bullies her way into a clinch, scoring a stern knee to the solar plexus, before Rosa pushes away and tries to gain space. McMann ducks a strike to throw three to the head and body. Rosa tries to counter, inaccurately doing so, and she takes a right hand to the body. The Brazilian fights off a single-leg takedown try, and as soon as McMann gets a hold of her, she elevates Rosa and tosses her down to the mat. From there, Rosa surrenders her back, with McMann getting both hooks in very quickly. Rosa looks to spin, but cannot, as McMann keeps wrist control. This position stalls out, with McMann easily holding dominant position but doing little else with it besides racking up riding time. Rosa is stuck and throws a few punches from behind her head, and McMann does not change her strategy one bit. The crowd begins to grow restless as McMann hangs on in back control, and McMann answers this by hooking up a body triangle. The Brazilian keeps a tight grip on her own wrists when McMann tries to isolate one in search of an armbar, and McMann throws her legs up in a full-throated effort for the armbar. Rosa winces as she is stuck in a very precarious position, and she stacks the Olympian up to protect herself from the greatest submission danger. McMann keeps that armbar locked down, and Rosa knees her in the side a few times while she remains in this predicament. Luckily for Rosa, she is able to keep her weight pressed on McMann to not succumb to the submission, but she can do little else until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 McMann
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 McMann
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 McMann

Round 3

Rosa charges out of her corner like a woman possessed, jumping out with a flying knee and surprising McMann. The 41-year-old wrestler quickly gathers herself and shoots in for a double, where she successfully puts Rosa down to the mat. Rosa climbs back to her knees, and as she does, McMann hops on to her back to serve as a 135-pound backpack. McMann gets both of her hooks in when the Brazilian stands up, as McMann remains piggybacked on her. Rosa wriggles to shake McMann off of her, and as soon as McMann’s feet hit the ground, she throws Rosa down to the mat with emphasis. Rosa cannot get McMann off of her, even when she stands back up again, and an attempted mat return from McMann goes south. McMann gets flipped over to her back, and she starts frantically scrambling to push Rosa off of her. When Rosa is above her, McMann nails her with a few upkicks, until Rosa lowers herself back to the guard. Rosa stands back up again to try to pass to a better position, blocking the upkicks that come at her this time. Rosa gets on top and starts dropping down strikes wildly, only to get kicked off again. McMann starts to engage in a slugfest from her back, and Rosa once more stands and begins to kick at McMann’s legs. McMann replies with a few more upkicks, and she sits up quickly to grab hold of a single. Rosa defends by standing up with her back to the wall, and she begins to slam elbows in the side of McMann’s head. McMann may be stunned from these blows, and Rosa stops throwing them for some reason. This allows McMann to clear her head if she was hurt, and she hits a throw to put Rosa down to the mat. Rosa turns the corner and looks for her own takedown, but there is nothing there. The final bell sounds, and they hug it out and immediately begin to discuss some of the events that transpired in their 15 minutes of combat.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rosa (29-28 McMann)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Rosa (29-26 McMann)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 McMann (30-27 McMann)

The Official Result

Sara McMann def. Karol Rosa via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Viacheslav Borshchev (155.5) vs. Marc Diakiese (155)

Round 1

It’s striker vs. striker up next in the lightweight division to open up the main card. “The Bonecrusher” Diakiese (14-5, 5-5 UFC) will try to return to his finishing ways – with only 50% of his wins by stoppage despite a reputation as a bone crusher – against Team Alpha Male product Borshchev (6-1, 1-0 UFC). It may come as a surprise that Diakiese is only 29 years of age, and actually younger than his far less experienced opponent. Neither man has ever been knocked out, while their predominant way of stoppage is due to strikes, so chins may be tested shortly as referee Gary Copeland watches on. A glove touch does not come from the two, and instead, Diakiese loads up on a quick kick. When that misses, he shoots in for a double-leg takedown from a wide berth. Chaining it to a single when the first try does not succeed, Diakiese cannot get “Slava” down to the mat. They turn one another around in the clinch, and Borshchev turns away and is forced to fight off another immediate takedown effort. As “Slava” fights it off, he manages to take Diakiese’s back briefly. When Borshchev gets a little breathing room, he lets his hands go, ripping the body and making Diakiese shell up. Diakiese pursues another takedown, and he fails to get Borshchev down. On a subsequent effort when he pushes Borshchev back to the cage wall, he finally manages to ground “Slava.” Diakiese lands a single punch before Borshchev turns to his knees, and he gives his back up to stand. Diakiese cannot take advantage of this position, and instead elects to hit a mat return, slamming Borshchev right on his face. “Slava” rubs his nose, and looks at his hand possibly concerned it took damage from the landing, and he muscles his way back up again. Diakiese holds him from behind when he stands, and he drops him to his knees. “The Bonecrusher” once more puts Borshchev down when Borshchev stands, and “Slava” turns to his side and kicks off the wall when the Brit holds him down. Diakiese sits up and slams a fish and an elbow down when he finally gets a hand free, as Borshchev was holding his wrist, and Borshchev recovers his guard. Diakiese keeps Borshchev on his back right to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese

Round 2

Borshchev lands a strike first in the round, with one low on Diakiese’s calf. When Diakiese replies in kind, Borshchev throws another that is much heavier. Diakiese reaches out with a few left hands, and he dips back when an uppercut soars at him. Diakiese kicks his leg back and shoots in for a takedown, and this one is much more effective than the rest, as “Slava” hits the mat on his seat in a hurry. Diakiese does not elect to hold on to his back, instead tackling him over and jumping into Borshchev’s guard. The strikes rarely come from the Brit, who is much more interested in holding position than doing damage with it. When one punch comes from Diakiese, Borshchev turns to his side and lets it collide with his shoulder. “Slava” scrambles to his knees when Diakiese backs out to try and pass, and he gets dragged right back down to his backside. Diakiese pushes his man over and claims side control, and he drops down a quick elbow. Borshchev turns to his knees to break up an arm-triangle choke, and he Granby rolls through to try to get back up. This somersault does not succeed, as Diakiese follows him every step of the way, bullying him to the fence when Borshchev gets there. Diakiese sets up an arm-triangle choke that he uses to push Borshchev flat on the mat, and he lets go when he realizes the cage is to his side and he does not possess the leverage to pull it off. Borshchev continues to move as the Brit smothers him with wrestling, and he looks disappointed at being ground out in such a fashion. Diakiese lands a pair of punches, and the horn sounds twice to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese

Round 3

Borshchev comes out jabbing and throwing low kicks, and Diakiese jumps awkwardly out of the way. A leg kick that misses makes Diakiese take a funny step back, and he retreats around the cage while Borshchev stalks him down. As “Slava” looks to throw a big punch at him, Diakiese ducks down and easily hits a takedown to plant Borshchev down right smack in the center of the cage on the Monster logo. Borshchev shows the face of a defeated fighter, resigned to getting ground out by this British striker with superior wrestling tonight. Diakiese holds on to Borshchev’s wrist in hopes of holding the arm down and slugging Borshchev in the face, but he cannot do anything with it. The crowd is tired of this slow but effective grappling demonstration from the Brit, booing them heartily and trying to prompt the US-based Borshchev into action. “Slava” bursts back to his feet, and Diakiese holds on to him from behind by the waist before lifting Borshchev in the air and dropping him on his head. Borshchev fights back up to his feet, not accepting the downed position, and Diakiese continues to wrench him back down to the canvas. Diakiese begins to start talking to commentator Daniel Cormier while he manhandles Borshchev, and he steps over to the side to pursue an arm-triangle choke. “The Bonecrusher” abandons it while in side control, and he goes to the other side when Borshchev turns to a hip. The dominant top control from Diakiese continues right until the final horn blares, putting an end to a grueling affair.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)

The Official Result

Marc Diakiese def. Viacheslav Borshchev via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Max Griffin (171) vs. Neil Magny (170)

Round 1

Two welterweights in their mid-30s are about to go to battle, when longtime vet Magny (25-8, 18-7 UFC) tries to inflict pain on “Pain” Griffin (18-8, 6-6 UFC). The third man inside the Octagon will be nonsense-free referee Keith Peterson for this battle, and they gladly touch gloves before getting after it. They then lead off with kicks, one after the other. Magny works the body while Griffin goes low, with sweeping calf kicks coming at the long legs of Magny. Magny pumps out a jab, and he gets hurt with a right hand that makes him cover up. Griffin does not give chase, and Magny is able to recover from the damaging blow as the pace slows down. Magny kicks the midsection, and Griffin recklessly throws hands. Magny blocks the brunt of the blows and brawls back with him briefly, before bouncing back to bide his time. Griffin continues to work on Magny’s calf to decent effect, making the taller man switch stances a few times. Magny walks forward with a standing elbow, only to get smashed in the face with a jackhammering right hand that completely knocks Magny off his feet. Magny looks shocked from the blow, and Griffin does not dive on top of him, instead letting him back up so that he can strike some more. Magny does not panic, instead walking his way back in the fight and protecting himself from the swiping strikes that come at him. Magny walks him down, and Griffin turns tail and runs from one end of the cage to the other. Magny jabs out several times, using his range to peck at “Pain,” and he follows one with a sharp right hand that makes Griffin stumble. Griffin returns fire with a left hand among intermittent leg kicks, and Magny snipes him with long punches. Magny chambers and unloads kicks from both legs, and a straight right hand comes down the pipe and splits the guard. Griffin returns fire with punches to the body, and Magny punches his way forward only for Griffin again duck and run. It may not look great for fans, but it allows him to reset in a safe place away from the fencing. Griffin dips in with a left uppercut, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Griffin
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Griffin

Round 2

The welterweights stride out of their corners and immediately start brawling, with both men landing flush on the other. Griffin trips his man up with a low kick after landing punches, and Magny fires off a right hand that reaches his foe backing up. Magny looks to tie him up and pursue some sort of body lock, but Griffin hops away and resets his position. Griffin boots Magny in the side, and Magny wears it well and fires back with a one-two. Magny crowds his opponent, and Griffin catches him a few times with low kicks. “Pain” causes some pain with an eye poke from his thumb, and Magny backs away in pain as Peterson makes sure there is no nonsense to come during his watch. Magny blinks it out and is ready to begin again shortly after the pause, and when they resume, Griffin lands a punch on that same side of Magny’s face. Magny toughs it out and connects with a heavy body kick, causing Griffin to back away and rethink his position. Griffin charges suddenly, bullying Magny back as he lands with heavy punches. Magny shells up effectively, but he gets his nose marked up from the punches as Griffin reaches him first. Magny strings together a solid combination that stings Griffin, and Griffin responds with a heavy right hand. These two are trading heavily, and both are wearing it, but Magny appears to get the better of the exchanges as Griffin is the one forced to backpedal. Magny grabs a hand and slugs Griffin with his other hand, and he changes levels deftly to pursue a single. Trapping one of Griffin’s legs between his own, he nearly puts “Pain” on his back, but Griffin yanks his leg back and gets some space to circle away. Griffin clubs Magny with heavy hands, and Magny responds with powerful blows of his own. Magny gives chase when Griffin tries to escape, but he cannot quite catch him on the way out. Griffin targets the body and aims a right hand over the top, and he is able to block a jump knee from “The Haitian Sensation.” In a clinch position, Magny snags hold of a Thai plum and slams Griffin in the face with elbows and knees, and he lets go right before the round ends, eating a right hand at the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magny
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magny
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Magny

Round 3

Magny strikes first to open the last round, and Griffin swings punches right back at him. The first 15 seconds are a torrid brawl, landing one after the other as they try to shoulder roll the strikes. Griffin punches his way into a clinch situation, where Magny capitalizes on it with a knee to the body as he pressures “Pain” to go after a single. Griffin keeps his balance against the cage wall, all while Magny lumps his thigh up with loud knees. Magny gets a hook in as he looks to secure standing back control, and he trips out Griffin’s leg to drag him down to the canvas. Riding on Griffin’s back and using his weight to keep Griffin stuck on a knee, Magny gets off several punches as Griffin looks to be struggling. Magny considers a choke attempt, but Griffin has a tight hold of Magny’s right wrist to prevent any submissions. This does leave Magny’s left arm free, and Magny utilizes it to the fullest by smacking Griffin upside the head repeatedly. Magny sits down on Griffin to grind on him and disallow “Pain” from muscling up to his feet, all while he softens Griffin up with punches. Griffin is stuck on his hands and knees as Magny begins to overwhelm him, and a few of the blows hurt Griffin. Magny gets a little overzealous in this position, and Griffin slides out the backdoor to stand back up. Magny does not let him get away with it, as he blasts him with knees up against the clinch and turning him around in pursuit of another single. When that does not succeed, Magny elects to start ripping elbows up top. Griffin grimaces to stay on his feet, as Magny bails on the try to smash him with painful knees. Griffin explodes to try to get out of the bad spot, and Magny lifts him in the air and slams him down on his head like a piledriver one would see in pro wrestling. Even though spiking the head or neck is illegal under the Unified Rules, this seems to be acceptable because of how thrilling it was, as the crowd leaps to its feet. A few standing-to-ground punches land for “The Haitian Sensation” until the final horn blares, putting an end to one of the more entertaining matches of the card thus far. Should Magny get his hand raised, he will tie former champ Georges St. Pierre for the most wins in UFC welterweight history, but the first two rounds were quite close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magny (29-28 Magny)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Magny (29-28 Magny)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Magny (29-28 Magny)

The Official Result

Neil Magny def. Max Griffin via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Ilir Latifi (239.5) vs. Alexey Oleynik (246)

Round 1

The fight was canceled on Saturday afternoon, per the UFC, due to an illness Latifi suffered unrelated to COVID-19.

Askar Askarov (126) vs. Kai Kara France (125.5)

Round 1

The bout likely with the greatest title implications comes up now in the flyweight category, as undefeated Russian Askarov (14-0-1, 3-0-1 UFC) comes to blows with City Kickboxing’s Kara France (23-9, 1 NC; 6-2 UFC). Depending on how Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 4 shakes out, the victor here could be in line for a crack at that fight’s winner. Referee Chad Trukovich will oversee this important 125-pound affair, one that starts with an intense staredown and no glove touch. Kara France claims the center place in the cage before circling around 360 degrees to jab at the Russian. They throw kicks at the same time, and Kara France swings and misses with a wide punch to the body. Kara France keeps a very long distance, barely in kicking range, possibly so that he can see takedown entries coming. Askarov unloads with a looping right hand, and it grazes his target but does not connect flush. Askarov shoots in from afar for a single, and Kara France keeps his balance with one leg in the air. Kara France hops around and somehow manages to stay upright when Askarov lifts him entirely up in the air, and when Askarov sets him down and turns him to the cage wall, he kicks out the Kiwi’s other leg and plants him firmly on the mat. Askarov gets side control in a hurry, and he circles around to take Kara France’s back without missing a beat. “Bullet” gets his hooks in, secures the body triangle, and commences rear-naked choke fishing. When there is no choke found early, he softens the Kiwi up with several clean right hands on the dome. Kara France scrambles and gets to his knees; this forces him to push off the floor, which allows Askarov to latch on to a choke attempt. Kara France stands back up despite this, and he keeps the Russian as a dangerous backpack while trying to scrape Askarov off the wall. Askarov grabs hold of a rear-naked choke, and when Kara France fights off one wrist, Askarov switches to another grip. Askarov changes his grip several times and arms while choke-hunting, and the City Kickboxing standout defends every one successfully. Askarov leans to a side and drills Kara France in the side of the head with several emphatic elbows, and with Kara France stunned, he grabs hold of a face crank that he tries to turn to a choke. When it ultimately transitions into a neck crank, Kara France signals a thumbs-up and the round ends. When Askarov gets back to his own feet, he pushes Kara France, and Trukovich is there to make sure there is no fighting until they are allowed to fight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Askarov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Askarov
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Askarov

Round 2

Askarov wades out of his corner confidently, but this puts him in danger quickly. Kara France lets his hands go, not concerned about a takedown, and he slugs Askarov in the face and rocks him. Kara France tries to lay into Askarov with more power punches, but Askarov smartly closes the distance and hunts for a takedown. Askarov wrenches Kara France down to the mat, but only for a few seconds until the Kiwi works his way back up to his feet and gets free. Askarov changes levels to go after a single, and Kara France stuffs it and tries to pay him back with an overhand right. Kara France scores a body kick, and he leaps forward with a left hand as Askarov shakes his head. Kara France lunges again with a right, closing the distance fast and making Askarov defend himself. Askarov blocks the majority of the blows and walks Kara France down, measuring his man until dropping down for a single. Kara France keeps his balance and sets his leg down, and he winds up with a left hand that hurts Askarov. “Don’t Blink” makes sure the audience doesn’t blink in this exchange, hurting Askarov with powerful punches and making Askarov retreat along the outskirts of the fence. One punch hurts Askarov, who shoots in for a failed takedown as the crowd erupts in support for the New Zealand native. Kara France cracks Askarov with another big left hand, and the audience begins to start chanting “Let’s go Kai.” Kara France wings wild punches, energized by the crowd. A few get Askarov’s attention but cannot stop him, and the strikes do make Askarov shoot desperately for a takedown. Askarov cannot get him down, and Kara France lands a few more punches before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kara France
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kara France
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Kara France

Round 3

The flyweights touch gloves to start off the last round, and Kara France charges like a bull. Askarov times a right hand, only for Kara France to duck it just in time. As Kara France attacks, Askarov catches him on the way in with a kick that splits the uprights although it targeted the thigh. Kara France howls from the kick, and he is feeling it. Kara France tells Trukovich he is ready to continue, and after about a minute to catch his wind, he carries on. Askarov lands a kick on the outside, and Kara France goes up high with one to the shoulder. A response from Askarov makes him slip, and Kara France does not follow him down to the mat. Askarov hunts for a low single, and when it falls short, he hurries over to grab hold of the Kiwi and try to take him down to the mat. With one hook in, Askarov hops around and takes Kara France’s back. Askarov kicks off the fence to lock up a body triangle, and Kara France wrangles him down to the mat and free his back. The Russian quickly darts in from on his knees to go for a single, and Kara France replies with elbows to the side of the head. The crowd goes bananas every time something successful happens for Kara France, and rains down boos any time Askarov gains an advantage or goes for a takedown, with the audience so loud it nearly drowns out commentary. They trade strikes on the feet, and Kara France lands a chopping leg kick and backs off. “Don’t Blink” lands a flush right hand on the chin, and Askarov chows down on it and plods forward as if it never touched him. Kara France just moves his head out of the way in time when Askarov rips an uppercut towards it, and he swarms him with a few punches. Askarov answers with a right hand that backs him away, but Kara France gathers steam and gives chase. Kara France chains a couple of punches into a leg kick, and he windmills with a left hand that brushes past his intended target. Kara France suddenly goes after a double, and Askarov looks surprised but manages to stop it. This is a setup for Kara France, who lays into him with a left hand. Kara France points to the ground with 15 seconds to go, and Askarov answers with a single. Kara France pushes him off with a second left, and he throws one big right hand to punctuate what appears to be a razor-close battle. The fans in attendance voice their support for the fun scrap, and give love for Kara France as if he was from Ohio and not a New Zealander.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kara France (29-28 Kara France)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kara France (29-28 Kara France)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Kara France (29-28 Kara France)

The Official Result

Kai Kara France def. Askar Askarov via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Bryan Barberena (170.5) vs. Matt Brown (170.5)

Round 1

The promotion knew exactly what it was doing when it put this next fight together, trotting out ageless wonder Brown (23-18, 16-12 UFC) in his home state against fellow brawler “Bam Bam” Barberena (16-8, 7-6 UFC). Knowing a knockout could be around the corner at any time, referee Keith Peterson has prepared himself for something violent and dramatic but ultimately devoid of nonsense. The glove touch precedes the action, and Brown promptly begins to stalk his opponent. Barberena scores a low kick as Brown comes towards him, and he lands another as Brown replies with one of his own. The two reach at one another, and Brown walks through a leg kick to lance a right hand down the middle. Barberena continues to attack the lead leg of “The Immortal” on both sides, and Brown does not show any sign of noticing them. Barberena catches him with a few swiping punches, ending combinations with emphasis. Brown strides ahead, unconcerned of the strikes, so that he can hit a sweep and knock Barberena down to the mat. When Barberena stands back up, Brown lets him have it with knees and elbows up close. Brown manages to trip “Bam Bam” down to the mat, where he lands in side control as chants for “O-H” and “I-O” rain down in the building. Barberena turns to his knees and uses the fence to lean against it, so Brown knees him hard in the side and hooks one leg beneath his own to trap Barberena there. Barberena crawls along on his knees while Brown hangs on to him, and he starts smacking Brown in the face with a few dozen short but irritating punches. Brown lets him back up and absorbs an elbow, striding through the blow to try to reach out with a long right hand. “The Immortal” targets another as he appears to be sucking wind early, but he winds up with a body kick and a long series of strikes ending with an elbow. Barberena bounces off the wall and tries to counter, tagging the body and making Brown back off. Barberena strings a few punches together when Brown comes in to attack, but Brown uses the momentum against him to trip him down. When “Bam Bam” gets up, Brown thumps him with a few knees and punches. They trade elbows, and the intense round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Brown
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Brown

Round 2

The crowd goes wild for Brown between rounds, trying to pump him up for what’s to come. They touch gloves, and both ready to get after it, they throw hands right out of the gate. A kick from Brown bumps into the cup, and he apologizes as Barberena retreats to take his breath. He does not ask for a break, and Peterson does not give it, so he shakes it off and is ready to go again. Barberena walks forward to throw a huge right hand, and Brown chambers and delivers a big body kick that knocks the wind out of Barberena for a moment. Barberena then swings back, opening a cut on the cheek, and they trade heavy blows. As Barberena eats a punch and looks to fire back, Brown ducks down to hit a single. The two hit the ground, with Brown climbing over to half guard as Peterson climbs over to them to see if Brown is holding the glove like Barberena claimed. Barberena explodes upright again using the wall, and Brown knees him a few times for good measure. Brown stuns him with an elbow over the top, and he chains a few more together as Barberena grimaces. Barberena tries to give back some of his own, so Brown backs off and tags him with a left and a right. Brown is in the driver’s seat, targeting the body indiscriminately, and Barberena throws hard at him and catches him flush with an elbow. “The Immortal” is hurt badly, as he wobbles back to the fence, and instead of succumbing to strikes, he leans forward and practically falls into a clean takedown. Barberena tries to slide out the back door when Brown takes his back, and Brown goes after a high armbar that he is forced to release when he falls off. Barberena climbs on top and begins to pound on Brown with punches and elbows, but the Ohio native gains a second wind and powers back up to his feet. Barberena stings him again with a few punches, and Brown appears to be fatiguing fast. Barberena confidently advances, and when he does, Brown plants his elbow right on the chin. Barberena throws back with a vengeance, and they both load up on one another. Brown may be taking damage and bloodied, but he fires back with heavy punches. Barberena chains together a combination, Brown answers with a knee, and this thriller of a round wraps up as they bump fists.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barberena
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Barberena
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Barberena

Round 3

We have reached a third round after a torrid brawl through 10 minutes, and they meet in the middle and clap hands. Brown steps back and delivers a pair of kicks to the body, leading Barberena to surge forward and throw hands. Brown sneaks in a punch and backs Barberena off, but he ultimately misses with a power punch as Barberena uses head movement and ducks away. Brown lands one, Barberena responds heavily, and Brown counters him with a right hand. A quick right hook from “Bam Bam” comes over the top, and Brown walks through it to land a knee to the body. Brown tries to clinch up, only to be met with a short elbow on the inside. They tie up in the clinch, and Brown sweeps the leg as if he were listening to John Kreese in his corner. Barberena powers his way back upright after taking punches on the side of the head, and Brown mashes him against the wire and pounds on him with knees and elbows. Barberena just misses with a wild uppercut up close, allowing Brown to circle to the side and force Barberena back to a knee. From there, Brown roasts his ribs with several knees. Brown boots Barberena in the head, Barberena wobbles back and clips Brown, and both men bounce off the wall as they got their chins checked. They re-engage and throw wildly and recklessly, and Brown charges with a double-leg takedown to plant Barberena on the mat. Barberena defends by holding on to Brown’s neck, and he sits up and stands to start brawling. Barberena hurts Brown with a few uppercuts, and Brown is on wobbled legs leaned over but winds up with a Scott Smith-ian right hand from the depths to rock Barberena badly. Barberena manages to stay on his feet, with both men taking huge damage and weathering the blows to brawl it out. Barberena crashes in with his shoulder first when Brown spins without throwing a strike, and when he backs up, he flings a head kick. They get in boxing range and begin to start slugging it out, in a brawl where one lands after the other. Barberena hurts Brown in a flurry, and he tries to hammer the nail with a long salvo of punches. He cannot finish the job, and it remains to be seen if he stole the round, but this absolute instant classic goes the distance and the crowd takes its collective breath. What a terrific battle, one that should find a spot on the "Fight of the Year" list for sure.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brown (29-28 Brown)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-10 (29-29)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Barberena (29-29 Barberena)

The Official Result

Bryan Barberena def. Matt Brown via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Alexa Grasso (125) vs. Joanne Wood (125)

Round 1

A classic battle between Scotland and Mexico plays out in the co-main event, when “Jojo” Wood (15-7, 7-7 UFC) faces off against Mexican flyweight prospect Grasso (13-3, 5-3 UFC) with hopes of a flyweight title shot materializing with an impressive victory. Overseeing this one is referee Gary Copeland, and the gloves are gladly touched before the ladies get after it. Wood throws a leg kick naked, and Grasso makes her pay immediately with two punches up top. Wood backs away to throw a kick, and after a brief brawl, Grasso trips her foe’s leg out beneath her and puts her on the ground. “Jojo” closes her guard, while clinging to Grasso’s neck, to stop any offense of note coming from above. Grasso punches the body a few times to break the grip, and Wood paws at her with light wrist punches with nothing on them. Wood begins to open up with elbows from her back, and one or two get Grasso’s attention. Grasso stands up and lets Wood stand back up, so they trade low kicks when standing again. Wood gives chase with a high kick when Grasso circles away, and “Jojo” chains a few punches into a knee on the side. Grasso leaves a punch out too long and gets countered with a couple from Wood, and she walks through a leg kick to land a few strikes over the top. They throw down with furious fists briefly, and Wood pushes off with a front kick to the chest. From there, the Scottish fighter spins with an elbow that collides with Grasso’s ear, and Grasso takes advantage of this position so that she can grab hold of Wood and drag her to the mat. When they land, Grasso takes her back in a flash, and she gets her hooks in shortly thereafter. From there, it is purely academic, as the scramble led to Grasso sinking in a rear-naked choke. Wood is stunned at this turn of events, and she grimaces and turns red but taps out before she falls unconscious. In victory, the fighter out of Mexico notched the first submission win of her career, in unquestionably her biggest triumph to date.

The Official Result

Alexa Grasso def. Joanne Wood R1 3:57 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Curtis Blaydes (259) vs. Chris Daukaus (243)

Round 1

The quintessential grappler vs. striker matchup takes the top billing on this 12-fight card, as crushing wrestler Blaydes (15-3, 1 NC; 10-3, 1 NC UFC) tries to hand Daukaus (12-4, 4-1 UFC) his second straight defeat. The big men that combined for over 502 pounds as well as 21 knockouts in their 27 wins will draw officiating from referee Herb Dean. There is no bad blood in this main event, and they touch gloves professionally before coming out swinging. Blaydes leads off with jabs, and Daukaus greets him with a quick right hand. Daukaus connects with a clean right, surprising Blaydes for a moment but not hurting him. They back off, having tasted the other’s power, and Blaydes throws a heavy low kick from a distance. He lands another, and Daukaus steps through it to fire off a big right hook. Blaydes catches him with a right hook as Daukaus tries to do the same, and Daukaus shakes it off and jumps forward to miss with a swiping left. The big men stay hesitant to engage with long sequences, largely committing to single blows and darting out of the way before one can counter. Daukaus tries to time an uppercut, priming it for an eventual takedown try. Blaydes gets off a low kick, and as Daukaus tries to pay him back, he lances a left straight down the pipe. Daukaus staggers forward from the blow, but he gathers himself as a cut forms beneath his left eye. They both try to paw at one another with strikes, and Blaydes appears to want to contend the fight standing up, without even setting up a fake takedown after this long in the round. Blaydes loads up on another kick, and they trade heavy punches before resetting. Daukaus darts forward with a few punches, and Blaydes blocks the lion’s share of them and keeps his guard tight when a knee from the Philadelphia native follows. Blaydes pushes out a jab, and he comes up short with a winging hook. Blaydes reaches his arm out to fake and then comes back with his other hand. Blaydes pushes off, and a thumb appears to scrape Daukaus’ eye. Dean takes a moment to let him recover, and then resumes the action. The bell sounds before anything else comes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Blaydes
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Blaydes
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Blaydes

Round 2

There is a tap of gloves to open the second stanza, and Blaydes throws first. They swing enormous punches at one another, in a heavyweight version of Carlos Condit vs. Dan Hardy, and the right hook from “Razor” knocks Daukaus clean off his feet to his knees. Knowing a finish is right around the corner, Blaydes tackles Daukaus down to the ground, and he unloads with a brutal barrage of punches. A few elbows get in when Blaydes tries to finish the job, but the majority of the final blows are punches like wrecking balls. Dean recognizes that Daukaus is no longer intelligently defending himself when he slumps face-first to the mat, and steps in to put an end to the final fight of the night. This is a statement win for Blaydes, who put his striking fully on display without even attempting a single takedown, knocking out a knockout artist in dynamite fashion. In his post-fight interview, Blaydes has his sights set on an interim title opportunity against former interim beltholder Ciryl Gane, with champ Francis Ngannou out for the year due to knee surgery and the UFC already flirting with another interim strap. Commentator Daniel Cormier tries to draw a callout from Blaydes to Cormier’s former foe Stipe Miocic, but Blaydes is nothing but respectful as Miocic waves and walks away without seeming to care. With UFC Columbus in the books, we have reached the end of a long eight-week stretch of UFC cards. Next week, fans around the world will be able to take a collective breath from major MMA fight cards (PFL is a major league, but every fighter on its upcoming card will be making their professional MMA debut). In April, the UFC will return with UFC 273, where Alexander Volkanovski looks to defend his featherweight throne against “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung. We will be here for it after a much-needed break, and we hope you are too.

The Official Result

Curtis Blaydes def. Chris Daukaus R2 0:17 via TKO (Punches)