UFC 300 ‘Pereira vs. Hill’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Deiveson Figueiredo (135.5) vs. Cody Garbrandt (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Figueiredo (-310), Garbrandt (+250)

Round 1

Tonight’s the night. And it’s going to happen again and again. Has to happen. Nice night. Las Vegas is a great town. I love the international food, bahn mi sandwiches, my favorite. But we’re hungry for something different now. Violence. It’s coming by the bucketful, and it starts with bantamweights that will almost certainly stand and bang. Former flyweight kingpin Figueiredo (22-3-1, 11-3-1 UFC) is putting some momentum together to make a run at his new weight class, while Garbrandt (14-5, 9-5 UFC) wishes to hold the line and prove he is not washed up at the tender age of 32. Fists are sure to fly, but before they do, referee Mark Smith checks them in. There is no touch of gloves, and it go time. Garbrandt introduces himself with a chopping calf kick, and he fires off another without concern. Garbrandt aims another on the inside, and then drops down on his knee to throw a sweeping kick out of the Mortal Kombat playbook. Figueiredo reaches out with a right hand that comes up short, and Garbrandt continues to work the lead leg. Figueiredo responds with one that he turns his hips into, and both men clash together and swing hard, while banging heads. Figueiredo backs off and gathers his thoughts, and he checks a kick coming at him. Figueiredo ducks an oncoming salvo and brings up a knee to the body, and he intercepts Garbrandt tossing a cartwheel kick by kicking Garbrandt in the face. The former bantamweight champ gets back up without issue, and he marches down “Daico.” Figueiredo lunges forward with an inaccurate swarm of punches, and Garbrandt hops in and out deliver a low kick. Garbrandt prods out with another calf kick, and he keeps his guard up to swat away a front kick aimed at his chin. Garbrandt leaps forward and catches the Brazilian with a left hand, and Figueiredo pulls guard and looks for a leglock. Garbrandt backs off before he is vulnerable, and he resets and dings a standing Figueiredo with a sharp one-two. Figueiredo meanders forward and lets go with a right hand, but it is one-and-done. Figueiredo does not quite reach with a front kick, but he elects to take the fight down and lifts Garbrandt’s leg up to drive him to the mat. Garbrandt jumps back up without taking any additional fire, and he lands a low kick before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garbrandt
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Garbrandt
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo

Round 2

The fighters get back to business, and Garbrandt reaches out first with a high body kick. Figueiredo rushes forward swinging leather, and Garbrandt answers him with a clubbing left hand. Figueiredo pursues a takedown from behind, where he strips the former bantamweight champ from his balance and lowers him down to the mat. Figueiredo shifts over to move into half guard, where he presses down for a potential arm-triangle choke. Garbrandt turns, and Figueiredo takes his back and flattens him out. Figueiredo wriggles his arm out and hammers Garbrandt in the side of the head with a right hand. When Garbrandt turns back over, Figueiredo assumes full mount and sets up an arm-triangle choke. “Deus da Guerra” jumps over to the side and locks down the arm-triangle choke, and he squeezes with all his might. Garbrandt struggles and keeps his wits about him, while Figueiredo lowers his chest down to complete the maneuver. Figueiredo sits up just slightly and punches him in the side of the head, and he gets back to mount. Garbrandt tries to kick off and explode back to his feet, but the Brazilian mightily shoves him flat on his back. Figueiredo drops down shoulder strikes to the jaw, and he smacks Garbrandt in the side of the head with his fists when he finds openings. Garbrandt bursts back to his feet, and Figueiredo follows him every step of the way to lock down back control, set up a body triangle and start fishing for a choke. Figueiredo cinches up a rear-naked choke, and at this point it is just academic. “No Love” considers going out on his shield, but at the last minute, he taps out, and we have our first finish of the evening. This marks the first time that Garbrandt has ever been submitted.

The Official Result

Deiveson Figueiredo def. Cody Garbrandt R2 4:02 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Bobby Green (156) vs. Jim Miller (155.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Green (-185), Miller (+154)

Round 1

There are no bad fights on this lineup, just great and greater. This is the latter. Why? Because it involves Jim “Expletive Deleted” Miller (37-17, 1 NC; 26-16, 1 NC UFC). Unfortunately due to broadcast requirements, the uncensored version of his nickname will not be shouted by announcer Bruce Buffer, but fans are thinking it around the world. After several tries, he finally faces fellow grizzled veteran Green (31-15-1, 1 NC; 12-10-1, 1 NC UFC) in a lightweight scrap that practically guarantees something wild. Referee Marc Goddard will draw the honor of officiating Miller’s record 44th appearance in the Octagon. The two battle-hardened gladiators do not bump fists before engaging. Green moves his hands around, while Miller kicks at him. Green kicks back, and he starts talking. Green pushes off with a kick, and Miller connects with a solid left hand. Green keeps his hands down, and when he kicks, Miller knocks him to the ground with a powerful right hand. Green hits the floor and springs back up, wits fully about him, and he goes back to prodding out with front kicks. Miller tosses them aside and reaches out with a head kick, and Green brushes it off his shoulders. Miller eats a right hand on the way in, and Green lands again and starts talking to him. Miller does not bite, but he eats a crisp jab. Green threatens with stomp kicks and body kicks, and Miller crashes the pocket to let loose with a right hand. Green has his hands by his waist, and he lands a few shots from strange angles while Miller is much more composed and directly approaching him. Green jams out kicks and sticks out a right hand, and he gets Miller’s attention with a speedy left over the top. Green follows it with a one-two, and Miller throws back but hits air when Green’s head movement keeps him safe. Green spins with a wheel kick that glances off the shoulder, and he clips a leaping Miller with a right hand. Miller whiffs on a pair of punches, and Green peppers him with a body kick and a reverse crescent kick. Miller eats a right hand, and Green starts signaling to him that it’s time to swing hard. Miller turns his hips into a low kick, and Green tags him up top. Green kicks low and then high, and he splits the guard with a left hand only to eat a counter on the way back. Green motions that he blocked it, and he spins with a kick that does not materialize. Miller lunges unsuccessfully, and he makes Green turn a corner and rush away to reset. Green flicks out jabs, and Miller blasts him with a right hand. Green stumbles back, and Miller gives chase and lays into him with a salvo of fists. Green gathers his thoughts and swings back with a vengeance, ending the round with a jump knee that bounces off the guard. The two high-five when the first round wraps.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Miller
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Green
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Miller

Round 2

The lightweights bump fists to start, and Miller advances and reaches out with a few right hands while Green shakes his head at him. Green spins with a wheel kick that bounces off the shoulder, and he gets drawn into a brief slugfest that finds him eating one and giving another back. Miller kicks the lead leg, and Green switches stances. Green chips at the front knee with kicks, and Miller times a right hand when Green ducks down. Miller rips an uppercut to the ducking Green, and Green nods at him and trades furious leather. Miller mixes in a low kick, and Green shakes his head at him. Green continues to motion at “A-10” whether he gets hit or not, and chants of “Miller” rain down. Miller slams his shin on the rear leg of his opponent, and he tosses out a left hand but gets backed off with a one-two. Green digs a front kick to the body, and he rifles out a combination of punches to catch Miller coming at him. One such left in the midst of a series of blows opens a cut under Miller’s right eye, but he pays it no mind and aims a head kick at Green’s dome. Green shrugs it off and continues to mark his man up with long punches, and Miller’s nose starts bleeding as well. Miller charges ahead, eating strikes, and connects with a short right hook. Green gets tagged with a right in the midst of a flurry, and Miller makes him take a step back with a sweeping low kick. Green smashes his foe in the face with a right hand, and Miller grits his teeth and throws back with some heat on it. Miller chips down the lead leg, and Green swarms him with punches that make Miller’s face a bloody mess. Green beats Miller to the punch several times, and his jab has drawn some swelling as well. Green snaps out a pair of jabs and follows with a right hand, and Miller swings and misses in retaliation. Green digs the ball of his foot to the sternum, and Miller kicks him back in the ribs. Green picks and pokes with his punches, and Miller stands firm and belts him in the body with his shin. Green does work on Miller’s face until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Green
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Green
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Green

Round 3

Miller’s bloodied mug is largely cleaned up between rounds, and he meets Green in the middle to clap hands. Green keeps back with front kicks, and he talks to Miller’s coach about striking him. Green signals he blocked a strike, and he puts two hands on Miller’s face in rapid succession. Miller counters with an overhand right, and Green snipes him and lets Miller fly past him. Miller connects with a stern low kick, and Green snaps the head back with a pair of punches. Miller swings back hard, but Green walks through the left hook and continues walking “A-10” down. Miller looks for a brawl, and Green’s head movement keeps him safe. Miller goes to the side with a kick, and Green slides out of the way and makes a lasting impression on Miller’s face. Miller scores another calf kick, and Green signals that it might have actually gotten to him a little. Green gathers himself and blazes Miller with fiery fists. When Miller retaliates, he does not have the same firepower as in the first round, and Green can get off with impunity. Miller gets rocked with a right hand, and Green strings several punches together and lets him hit him in the face so he can shrug at the elder statesman. Miller fearlessly marches forward, swinging for the fences, and he manages to clip Green with a wild left hand. Green ties him up against the wall, kneeing the body a few times, and he pushes off to get back to his preferred range. Miller misses with a low kick, and Green jabs. Miller hunts for an uppercut that lands on the armpit, and he swings so hard he flies past Green. The slick green turns to an angle to let go with a side kick, and both fighters crack one another with powerful blows. Miller takes the worst of it, and Green chains a number of punches together that send Miller crashing to the mat. Green chases him down to the mat, and Miller desperately hunts for a takedown. Miller works his way back to his feet with the wall behind him, and he is nearly blind from the blood in his eyes. Green lifts “A-10” up and slams him to the mat, where he delivers punishment until time expires. Despite ample damage, Miller climbs back to his feet and embraces Green after their 15-minute fracas in front of screaming fans.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Green (29-27 Green)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-8 Green (30-26 Green)
Tyler Treese scores the round:10-8 Green (29-27 Green)

The Official Result

Bobby Green def. Jim Miller via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-25, 29-26)

Jessica Andrade (116) vs. Marina Rodriguez (116)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Andrade (-135), Rodriguez (+114)

Round 1

Brazilian strikers with sights set on the championship later on in the evening vie for a top contender slot. Former champ Andrade (25-12, 16-10 UFC) would like nothing more than another crack at Weili Zhang, while Rodriguez (17-3-2, 7-3-2 UFC) looks to gain momentum to justify her own title shot. The strawweights tap fists under the watchful eye of referee Chris Tognoni, and Andrade shifts right to the center of the cage. Rodriguez keeps on the outer edge, prodding out front kicks and jabs to utilize her superior range. Andrade crowds her with a pair of slapping low kicks, and she lands a third that Rodriguez absorbs awkwardly. Andrade cuts off her opponent and connects with low kicks on either side, and she gets pushed back at the end of a one-two and a front kick. Rodriguez tosses out a leg kick, and Andrade answers in kind with one much heavier. Rodriguez lets fly a one-two down the pipe, and Andrade shakes it off and watches Rodriguez rush past her with a looping right. Rodriguez beats Andrade to the punch with her fists, but Andrade keeps her honest with constant low kicks. Andrade chops away at the leg, even getting countered up top, and she walks through the blows with her guard up high. Andrade blocks a front kick and sends Rodriguez toppling down to the mat, and she leaps on top immediately and gets to half guard to commence her bombardment of ground-and-pound. Andrade opens up with a number of left hands, and she works the body with the right when the other opening presents itself. Rodriguez recovers full guard, and Andrade backs off and stands up. Rodriguez pokes out with upkicks, and Andrade spins all the way around to land in the guard of her opponent. Rodriguez pushes her off, and Andrade jumps down again. Rodriguez considers a guillotine choke, but the leverage is not there, so Andrade climbs into half guard and starts smacking her with her free left hand. Andrade tries to pin an arm down and connect with strikes, and she climbs over to side control and then north-south position. Rodriguez knees her foe in the side, and she wraps up a brabo choke from underneath. Andrade keeps tightly pressed on her opponent, dropping down shots to the sternum before she strikes the face. Andrade smothers in side control, ending the round with a short stream of punches.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Andrade
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Andrade
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Andrade

Round 2

Andrade starts off the round by hammering the lead leg of her opponent on both sides. Andrade counters swinging fists with low kicks, and she knocks Rodriguez back with a pair of hooks. Rodriguez turns through a clean right hand that belts Andrade in the face, and she strafes away instead of following it with additional blows. Andrade shakes it off and kicks low, and Rodriguez plants two punches down the middle. Andrade does not slow in her low kick offense, and Rodriguez otherwise keeps her at bay with her long arms. Andrade rips the body after dodging a combination, and Rodriguez lines up a one-two that splits the guard. Andrade chips at the front leg on the inside and out, and Rodriguez plays her distance jab game, keeping at the end of her punches while not letting Andrade close in on her. Rodriguez doubles up on a jab and scores a right hand, and she dances out of the way when Andrade throws a haymaker at her. Andrade presses forward, sliding past a one-two and ultimately absorbing a flush right hand. Rodriguez chains four punches together before Andrade can close in, and she takes a few body shots before getting pushed to the wall. Andrade attempts an elbow up close, and she pushes away to separate and score with long, frustrating punches. Andrade hops forward, and Rodriguez is able to land cleanly from afar. Andrade gets her nose bloodied by the frequent oncoming strikes, and she puts everything behind a right hand that staggers Rodriguez. Rodriguez back to the fence and drives a knee up the middle, and Andrade races after her and wings right hands with bad intentions. Andrade lands a knee to the body, and she hurts Rodriguez again with a flurry of ferocious fists. Rodriguez ties her up and knees her in the midsection a few times until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Andrade
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Rodriguez
Edwin Ayala scores the round:10-9 Rodriguez

Round 3

The ladies pick up right where they left off, with Andrade crowding forward tossing out low kicks and swinging hammers behind them. Rodriguez spins with a back fist that catches Andrade cleanly, prompting Andrade to answer her with one of her own. Rodriguez races ahead with a flurry of punches and a knee, after Andrade lands a few body shots. Rodriguez reaches the target with a big right hand, and she threatens step-in knees to intercept Andrade when coming in. Andrade comes up short with her flamethrowing punches, while Rodriguez is able to technically do work and not get hit with much. Rodriguez chains several punches together that shake the former champion up, and she ends a combo with a kick. This happens a second time, flustering Andrade to the point that she just grabs hold of Rodriguez and slings her to the mat angrily. Rodriguez kicks off and works her way to her feet, and Andrade times her standup so she can bust her in the chops with meaty fists. Rodriguez throws back fearlessly, scoring her own right hand in an exchange. Rodriguez snipes Andrade with a right hand, and her jab keeps Andrade at bay. Andrade lets go with two leg kicks, and she catches a jump knee effort and looks to take Rodriguez down with a single-leg takedown. Rodriguez snatches up a front choke out of nowhere, and Andrade lowers herself down and shucks off the submission. Andrade dodges a knee and books it, and Rodriguez bears down on her with a number of punches. Rodriguez slaps Andrade in the face in the midst of her punching, and she lets Andrade hit air harmlessly. Rodriguez gets three punches in before Andrade throws back, allowing her to skirt to the side and not take much damage. Andrade puts everything she has into a devastating leg kick, totally disabling the lead wheel and dropping Rodriguez to the mat. Andrade gives it everything she has, unloading her gas tank with bombs until they hear the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Andrade (30-27 Andrade)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Rodriguez (29-28 Rodriguez)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Andrade (29-28 Andrade)

The Official Result

Jessica Andrade def. Marina Rodriguez via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Jalin Turner (155.5) vs. Renato Carneiro (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Turner (-238), Carneiro (+195)

Round 1

Several matchups on the lineup come in the classic striker vs. grappler format, but none may be starker than rangy 6-foot-3 lightweight Turner (14-7, 7-4 UFC) throwing down against American Top Team-trained choke artist Carneiro (18-5-1, 10-5 UFC). Turner sports a 100% finish rate, while every victory for “Moicano” has come via submission. Referee Herb Dean is geared up and ready no matter where the wind may take them, and he bears witness to a clap of hands. Carneiro moves to the middle of the cage to loose a body kick, and Turner responds with a few more in response. As Turner aims another kick to the liver, he hurts the Brazilian, who bends over and tries to grapple. Turner shucks him to the side and recovers long enough to get his wind back, and he is forced to fight off a body lock takedown attempt. Carneiro stays tight to him and hunts for a trip, and he wrenches “The Tarantula” to the mat and lands in half guard. “Moicano” keeps tightly pressed as he opens up with ground-and-pound, and Turner looks to buck him off wildly. Turner nearly turns to give up his back, and as soon as Carneiro is about to take it, he lowers himself back down to the mat. Carneiro thwacks the California native with elbows, and he looks to pass to full mount but is stuck in three-quarter mount. Carneiro lands a few more elbows as he stops Turner from getting back up, and he postures up to land some more shots. Turner sits up and wall-walks his way back to his feet, and Carneiro pushes off. Turner reaches out with a left hand that clatters off the guard, and he eats a jab in response. Turner pokes out his right hand and follow one with a high kick, and he aims another kick to the ribs. Carneiro ignores it and works the body in response. They trade low kicks as the pace slows, and Turner sits down on a left hand that knocks Carneiro clean off his feet. Turner walks away, expecting the fight is over, but Dean has not waved it off despite Turner asking him to. Carneiro climbs back to his feet, and Turner chases after him but cannot catch him to put him down before the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Carneiro is fresh as a daisy to begin the second round, and he walks through a left hook and kicks his opponent in the lead leg. Carneiro pursues a body lock takedown, and he gets pushed back and eats a few punches for good measure. Turner lands at the end of a few left hands, and Carneiro chambers and retaliates with a hefty right hand. Carneiro dives after a double, and he drags Turner away from the fence to lower him to the mat. Carneiro easily climbs into full mount, and he sits up to start punishing “The Tarantula” with short but effective ground-and-pound. Turner bucks with his hips, but Carneiro is a 20-ton weight sitting on him. As Carneiro holds Turner down, the crowd grows restless. Carneiro lands several short right hands as Turner scoots his way to the fencing, and he keeps Turner from getting up. Carneiro lowers Turner down by moving back to half guard, and the crowd lets the Brazilian have it with boos during the prolonged grappling exchange. “Moicano” smothers and moves to three-quarter mount, and he lays into Turner suddenly with a surge of punches and elbows. Dean asks Turner to fight back, but Turner is stuck and unable to get out of danger. As Carneiro continues to bombard his opponent with elbows and punches, Dean has no choice but to wave the fight off. Just like that, Carneiro procures the first knockout victory of his career, doing it on the largest stage he could hope for.

The Official Result

Renato Carneiro def. Jalin Turner R2 4:11 via TKO (Elbows and Punches)

Sodiq Yusuff (146) vs. Diego Lopes (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Lopes (-135), Yusuff (+114)

Round 1

The hits keep right on coming, as well-schooled fist-fighter Yusuff (13-3, 6-2 UFC) would like to professionally break down the surging Lopes (23-6, 2-1 UFC) in front of a wild crowd at the T-Mobile Arena. The lion’s share of Yusuff’s wins have come via strikes, while Lopes is an equal opportunity destroyer. Referee Mark Smith will need to keep his head on a swivel when overseeing these featherweights, and it does not feature a glove touch. Yusuff reaches out with a long low kick, and when that misses, he tries again. Lopes meets him with one that is checked. The two fighters trade calf kicks and little else, until Lopes springs into action with a one-two and a checked low kick. Lopes unloads with an uppercut that knocks “Super Sodiq” off his feet, and Yusuff collapses down to the mat. Lopes gives chase, pounding on his man, and Yusuff fights back to his feet valiantly. Lopes rushes after him and smashes him in the face with another uppercut, and Yusuff crashes to the ground, totally defeated. Lopes, his mullet waving majestically behind him, drums out a flattened Yusuff with punches to the side of the head, with a seemingly unending barrage of strikes that only concludes when Smith gets between them to call a halt to the one-sided bludgeoning. This is a huge moment for the meteorically rising Lopes, who will likely be ranked come Monday.

The Official Result

Diego Lopes def. Sodiq Yusuff R1 1:29 via TKO (Punches)

Holly Holm (136) vs. Kayla Harrison (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Harrison (-425), Holm (+330)

Round 1

Of all the fights on the card, just one contains a competitor making their promotional debut—Saturday Night Contender Series, this ain’t. That debutant happens to be a multiple-time former champ in PFL, so two-time Olympic gold medalist Harrison (16-1, 0-0 UFC) will not likely be put off by the lights shining bright on her. What could make a difference is her successful cut down to 136 pounds for the first time in her career. The UFC will do her no favors, as she is thrown right to the wolves in the form of ex-champ Holm (15-6, 1 NC; 8-6, 1 NC UFC). The newcomer may serve as one of the higher betting favorites of the evening, but Holm is as live a dog as any. The bantamweights respectfully touch ‘em up as referee Marc Goddard tells them it’s time to fight. When Harrison moves to the center of the cage, Holm circles around on the outside to find an angle. They both push out jabs at one another, and chants immediately rain down for “Holly.” Neither woman finds their range early, with Harrison getting closer but still not there. Harrison attempts a head kick, and Holm looks to clinch up and take the fight down. Harrison gladly accepts this so she can hurl Holm to the mat, and Holm stunningly sits up and reverses her. Harrison makes her way back to her feet, and the two remain clinched up. Harrison muscles Holm down to the mat, landing in half guard, as a counter to the former champ’s attempt. Harrison sits up and drills Holm with a few powerful right hands, and she grinds with her elbow on Holm’s face and starts smashing Holm with them. Holm turns to her side and Harrison considers isolating the neck for a choke, but she settles to punch Holm in the face with her free right hand. Holm has her left arm stuck behind her back while Harrison controls her, and Harrison opens up with elbows and explosive ground-and-pound. Holm turns to put her back on the cage floor, and Harrison further loads up on punches and elbows. Holm closes her guard around her opponent’s waist, slowing the onslaught of punches for a moment. Harrison lines up three elbows, with the third lowering her down. Harrison tees off with heavy punches and elbows, with Holm’s head pinned against the corner of the cage wall and the mat. Holm tries to fight off her back, but Harrison’s own offense is far more damaging. Holm hangs on tight until the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Harrison
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Harrison
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Harrison

Round 2

The ladies look for their range to start the second round, and Holm trying to punch her way in. Holm plants the side of her foot on the waist of her foe, and she slides to the side when Harrison loads up on a big punch. Harrison rushes after the former champ, slings a head kick and shoots in for a double-leg entry. Harrison grips hold of a guillotine choke when Holm tries to stand, and she releases it when the leverage is not right. Harrison stays pinned to her opponent until she effortlessly hits a head lock throw to land in full mount. Holm turns to her knees, and Harrison instantly takes her back to start softening her up with punches on either side of the head. Harrison flattens Holm out and snatches up a rear-naked choke, and it is tight as a drum. Holm knows her goose is cooked, and she surrenders. This near-flawless performance for Harrison introduces her to the organization and puts the rest of the division on notice, and that one-sided drubbing might have even allowed her to skip the line and vie for the belt in her next outing.

The Official Result

Kayla Harrison def. Holly Holm R2 1:47 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Calvin Kattar (145.5) vs. Aljamain Sterling (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sterling (-170), Kattar (+142)

Round 1

The storied rivalry of Boston vs. New York continues with a featherweight contest pitting “The Boston Finisher” Kattar (23-7, 7-5 UFC) against former bantamweight champ Sterling (23-9, 14-4 UFC). This will be a sink-or-swim moment for the New York-based funk-style wrestler, as he jumps into the deep end in his new weight class. The fighters will have 15 minutes or less to prove their case as contenders at 145 pounds, while referee Jason Herzog watches over every step of the way. Fists are not bumped, and instead Sterling wants to crowd forward and start attacking. Sterling reaches out with side kicks to the knee, and Kattar skirts out of the way a few times to take the sting out of them. Sterling wings a right hand that catches his foe on the side of the head, and Kattar stands form and moves away to check a low kick and push out his own jab. Kattar whips a head kick up and nearly clears the shoulder, but Sterling pushes past it and tries to tie him up. Kattar tosses him aside and slowly walks him down. Sterling fakes dropping down for a leg, and he fires off two wide hooks. A high kick from Sterling misses the mark, but several low kicks connect in succession. Sterling continues chipping away from afar with low kicks or the occasional one to the body, and he keeps Kattar from doing much. Sterling shoots in for a single, lifting Kattar’s leg up, but Kattar defends by scoring several punches up close. On Sterling’s second attempt, he leverages “The Boston Finisher” down to the canvas. Kattar pushes on the back of the head to stand back up, and Sterling lifts him off the ground to find a better angle to approach. Kattar leans with his back to the wall, and Sterling sneaks a single hook in as he methodically looks to take the back. Kattar muscles his way upright, and Sterling hits a quick mat return of sorts. Sterling wrenches Kattar all the way down to the ground, and he continues to set up his back take. Sterling ducks down, releasing the grip, so he can let loose a right hand over the top. Kattar sheds him, and he gets kicked in the ribs on the way out. Sterling pushes off his foe’s knee when Kattar advances, and he spins a spinning back fist as Kattar continues to walk him down. Sterling’s awkward movement and takedown efforts shut most of Kattar’s offense down, and Sterling manages to secure a single-leg takedown and climb on top to conclude the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
James Mannino scores the round: 10-9 Sterling

Round 2

Sterling commences the round with a low kick, and he kicks the other side to trip Kattar up when Kattar tries to throw a punch. Sterling chains a head kick into a level change, and he backs Kattar to the wire and drives a knee to the chest. Sterling trips Kattar’s other leg up to sit him down, and the audience starts to boo Sterling’s efforts. Sterling has a single deep, and he appears to motion or nod to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, who is sitting cageside. Sterling gets Kattar all the way down, only for the Massachusetts native bounce back to his feet in short order. Sterling keeps after a single until there is no way in, and he opts to split Kattar’s legs far apart against the fence to disrupt his balance. When that too does not result in a change in position, Sterling knees the thigh several times and tries to impose his body weight to drag Kattar down. Sterling has a knee brush on the cup of his foe, but Kattar signals he is fine. Sterling clings to his man until he slides off the side, and he dodges a front kick and advances with a trio of punches. Sterling retreats, circling away from anything Kattar tries to reach him with, until he kicks low and aims body shots. The punches from Sterling lead to a level change, where he completes an easy double to rend Kattar to the floor. Sterling moves to side control and stays there, where he holds Kattar down and thwarts any potential offense coming back his way. Sterling continues to grind in the position until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
James Mannino scores the round: 10-9 Sterling

Round 3

Sterling practically races out of his corner, throwing looping punches and a high kick until he closes in and grips hold of his adversary. Sterling chucks Kattar down to the mat without much effort, and Kattar posts off his arms to push himself back up. Sterling grapples him from behind, where he pushes Kattar to the wall with a hook in from behind. Kattar fights off the back take to turn himself to the fence, and Sterling switches up for a single. Kattar hangs on, and Sterling lowers him down to the ground comfortably. The crowd is not amused by Sterling’s strategy, and they let him have it as time ticks off the clock. Herzog asks Sterling to do more than hold in this position, and Sterling answers by lifting Kattar’s legs up to scoot him away from the cage wall and put him in a more horizontal position. Sterling keeps smothering until he sets up an arm-triangle choke, and he considers stepping over to one side but opts to go to the other instead to maintain control. Sterling knees the side a few times, and Kattar explodes to his knees and stands up. Sterling uses all of his might, lifting “The Boston Finisher” in the air and slamming him in the mat in a maneuver reminiscent of a pro wrestling powerbomb. The slam hurts Kattar, and Sterling recognizes this and tries to pound his damaged man out. Kattar manages to gather his thoughts as Sterling lays into him, and he grips hold of the waist to keep Sterling from landing anything especially harmful. Sterling attempts to posture up, and Kattar follows him by sitting up, ignoring any offense landing on his ribs. Sterling turns a potentially guillotine choke to a brabo choke, and Kattar sits out of it. Sterling drops hammers right until the end, putting a stamp on a clear-cut dominant performance.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling (30-27 Sterling)
Christian Stein scores the round: 10-9 Sterling (30-27 Sterling)
James Mannino scores the round: 10-9 Sterling (30-27 Sterling)

The Official Result

Aljamain Sterling def. Calvin Kattar via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Jiri Prochazka (206) vs. Aleksandar Rakic (206)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rakic (-120), Prochazka (+100)

Round 1

In any other UFC event, this sure-fire light heavyweight collision would draw main card status or potentially serve as the headliner. Due to just how stacked UFC 300 is—along with the decision to throw a 5-0 hot prospect above this bout—it will instead serve as the final prelim. Former champ Prochazka (29-4-1, 3-1 UFC) gets back in the saddle in a classic matchup of Czech Republic vs. Austria when he faces Rakic (14-3, 6-2 UFC). High finish rates for both men mean that referee Herb Dean will likely be involved before time expires, while the judges might be able to sit back and just enjoy the carnage waiting to unfold. Ever the sportsmen, they try to bump fists and miss, before all hell breaks loose. They both reach long strikes at one another, with Rakic landing a few jabs and low kicks. Prochazka darts in with an uppercut, and Rakic tries to keep him backed off with jabs and right hands. Rakic comes up short with a heavy right, and Prochazka nods to Dean that he is fine after finger scraped his eye. Prochazka dances around with his hands down, absorbing a right hand and several more low kicks. Prochazka scores one punch, and Rakic stands him up with two punches and dings him with a calf kick. Welting has already began to develop just 90 seconds in on Prochazka’s lead leg, and he pays it no mind and switches stances back and forth to attack. Rakic times a stance switch to chop down the calf, and Prochazka shrugs them off as he powers forward. Rakic hammers the lead leg with a kick, and Prochazka’s balance nearly gives way. Rakic scores a left hand when Prochazka recklessly attacks to open up a cut on the corner of the eye, as Prochazka struggles to put weight on his lead leg. Rakic does not slow his methodical breakdown with his leg kick, and he shifts out of the way when Prochazka advances. Prochazka eats two more low kicks, and he tries to give two more back. When he throws out a body kick, Rakic beans him with a right hand over the top. Rakic opens up with an overhand right, getting the former champ’s attention but not making him back away one moment. Prochazka crashes forward and misses, and Rakic slides to the side. Rakic slips in a right hand, and Prochazka dips and ducks forward to plant a front kick on the abdomen and a right hand up top. Prochazka drives a knee to the jaw, and Rakic unloads with a counter right. Prochazka powers through with a huge right hand, hurting “Rocket,” but Rakic stings him back before Prochazka can pour it on. Rakic lines up a one-two down the pipe, and Prochazka walks through it and clinches up until they reach the bell.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The light heavyweights bump fists, and Rakic immediately picks up where he left off by chewing up the former champ’s lead leg. The kicks force a stance switch, and Prochazka absorbs the kicks on both sides to fluster him. Rakic connects with right hands after jab, and he stands Prochazka up with a right hand. Prochazka fights through it and launches a head kick that bounces off the raised guard, and he takes a calf kick that disrupts him again. Prochazka kicks up high again, and he grazes the top of the head and follows it with power punches. Prochazka connects with his heavy strikes, and Rakic scampers away to reset and launch his own head kick that lands under Prochazka’s arm. Prochazka measures and blasts Rakic in the face with his shin, and the two strikes proceed to bang it out with no regard for their defenses. Prochazka unloads with another head kick, and he slugs it out until he gets two punches through. Rakic stumbles from one side of the cage to the other, and Prochazka knees him hard in the head. Rakic fires back with everything he has, and Prochazka bites down on his mouthpiece and batters Rakic with anything he has to strike with. Prochazka pushes Rakic over and clobbers him with elbows, and Rakic turns over to his stomach and turtles up. “BJP” unleashes a fury of punches, and Dean watches closely until Rakic is stuck and just taking unnecessary damage at that point. Dean calls a halt to the fight, capping off a furious comeback from the former champion. The two immediately squash any beef they carried into their meeting, and they hug it out.

The Official Result

Jiri Prochazka def. Aleksandar Rakic R2 3:17 via TKO (Punches)

Bo Nickal (186) vs. Cody Brundage (186)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nickal (-2100), Brundage (+1100)

Round 1

The main card opens up with the widest discrepancy on the betting lines tonight by a mile. As a prohibitive -1400, Nickal (5-0, 2-0 UFC) is largely expected to walk through the tough but outmatched-on-paper Brundage (10-5, 3-4 UFC). There are many questions that could be answered, as the unbeaten four-time DI NCAA All-American has never before competed beyond the three-minute mark in an MMA match. Whether this match lasts 15 seconds or 15 minutes, referee Chris Tognoni is on the call and ready for action. The underdog offers a glove touch, but Nickal wants nothing to do with it. Instead, Nickal fakes shooting for a takedown almost immediately. Brundage is well out of the way, and he fires off a flying head kick and a jump knee. Brundage lands a hard right hand to surprise the unbeaten fighter, and Nickal responds with a power punch and a takedown attempt. Brundage rolls through to get back to his feet, and Nickal presses him hard against the fence. Nickal scoops Brundage up and slams him down, and Brundage pops right back up without batting an eye. Nickal succeeds to get a mat return, dropping Brundage down to his knees, but Brundage stands up before Nickal can get hooks in. Nickal pushes down his full body weight to trap Brundage down on the ground, and he slithers a hook in and sneaks his arm under the chin for a second. Brundage turns his head to the side to thwart the choke, and Nickal keeps one arm on the chin to threaten. Brundage hand-fights to stop the choke from landing, and Nickal elects to just brute force squeeze his head like a nutcracker. Brundage pushes off enough to get space, and Nickal steps over to full mount while claiming a guillotine. Nickal sits up and has Brundage’s left arm trapped beneath his legs, and he starts beating on Brundage with elbows. Brundage times a shifting Nickal to turn to his knees and lean against the wall, and Nickal stays on him without a hook in fishing for a choke. Nickal gets a hook in from behind, and Brundage keeps two-on-one wrist control to stop any submission danger. Nickal bops him in the face with feeble punches, and Brundage laughs him off as the crowd gives it up for him. Brundage maintains control on the wrist and signals for Tognoni to let him up, and he rides out the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nickal
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Nickal
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Nickal

Round 2

As soon as the round begins, Tognoni calls time to remove some debris from the Octagon. The fighter begin, and Brundage walks Nickal down and lines up an overhand right. Nickal throws a high kick from an odd angle, and when he tries to transition to a takedown, Brundage slings him mightily to the ground. Brundage goes after him and tries to lay into him with strikes, but Nickal recovers, shoots and completes a takedown. Brundage turns to his side as he tries to stand, and Nickal lands sporadic ground-and-pound as he moves into half guard. The crowd gets restless again at Nickal wrestling so heavily, but he ignores it and passes the full mount. Brundage throws punches from his back, and Nickal presses his chest down to set up an arm-triangle choke. Nickal lets it go to land a punch, and he hunts for elbows while Brundage holds onto his face. Nickal postures up and slams down some ground-and-pound, forcing Brundage to turn around and give up his back. Brundage finds himself in immediately submission danger, with Nickal latching onto a rear-naked choke grip that is not yet beneath the chin. Brundage fights off the choke, and Nickal switches arms and slithers the forearm under the chin. Brundage knows he has been outhustled here, and he surrenders before the choke puts him out. Nickal releases the grip on the tap, and he stands up and starts booing himself while putting both thumbs down. He appears not impressed with his own performance.

The Official Result

Bo Nickal def. Cody Brundage R2 3:38 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Charles Oliveira (156) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Tsarukyan (-225), Oliveira (+185)

Round 1

Many fans circled their calendars the moment this lightweight title eliminator match was announced, because it had the potential to be something top-notch. Oliveira (34-9, 1 NC; 22-9, 1 NC UFC) is a man possessed at getting his belt back, and he carries with him the record of the most finishes in company history among many others. Tsarukyan (21-3, 8-2 UFC) has not reached that distinction yet, but he is on a three-fight win streak over growingly impressive opposition. Referee Mark Smith gets the call to preside over this 155-pound thriller, and he stands by as the intense fighters opt to touch ‘em up. Oliveira lashes out with a leg kick to begin, and he swats away a head kick that zooms at him. Oliveira checks a kick, and Tsarukyan strings a punch combination together. Tsarukyan aims a kick high, and Oliveira counters with a leg kick that knocks Tsarukyan down to the ground. Oliveira leaps after him and hunts for the Armenian’s neck, wrapping up a guillotine choke. Tsarukyan stands up, and Oliveira pulls guard and locks up the choke. Tsarukyan falls to his back, and Oliveira rolls over to mount. Tsarukyan miraculously guts out the submission, but Oliveira is on top of him hammering him in the face with an elbow. Tsarukyan turns to his side, and Oliveira keeps tight to him as he delivers additional elbows. Tsarukyan bucks and nearly gets the Brazilian off of him, but Oliveira stops it and drills him with an elbow. As Oliveira drops himself down, he bangs his head into Tsarukyan’s, and Smith warns him of this foul. Tsarukyan explodes with every bit of his energy to flip the former champ over, and Oliveira closes his guard. Tsarukyan loads up on two elbows before Oliveira starts pushing and moving with his offensive guard, ultimately closing it around the waist again. Tsarukyan raps him in the face with another elbow, and Oliveira holds on to prevent additional strikes from finding their way to him. Oliveira releases the position to push off, and he boots Tsarukyan in the face with an illegal upkick. Smith calls time and stands them up, and he checks on Tsarukyan’s condition. Tsarukyan appears confused, and perhaps stunned from the partial connect. Smith brings in the doctor to make certain that Tsarukyan is alright, and he clears Tsarukyan to continue and puts Tsarukyan back in the same position before clocking them back in. Tsarukyan leads off with a pair of elbows, and Oliveira answers with one while lifting up a high guard. Tsarukyan elbows his way out of a tie-up, and Oliveira sweeps to the side and works his way back to his feet with 10 seconds to spare. Oliveira lands a knee up the middle, Tsarukyan elbows on the break, and he follows with a spin kick that brushes past the Brazilian. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira

Round 2

Oliveira offers an apologetic hug to start off the round, and Tsarukyan gladly accepts it. They begin to trade, and with high intensity. Oliveira pushes off a front kick on the chin and reaches his man with an overhand right, and Tsarukyan backs him away with a one-two and a knee. Tsarukyan jabs his way forward, and he manages to connect with an axe kick on the way down. Oliveira drives him back with a right hand and a front kick, and Tsarukyan shoots in on a takedown. Oliveira defends with a guillotine choke that he uses to scramble and work right back to his feet. Tsarukyan stays pinned to the Brazilian when they get tied up against the fencing, and he tries to trip Oliveira up. Oliveira holds his left arm around the neck as one half of a guillotine, allowing Tsarukyan to lift Oliveira up and deposit him to the canvas. Oliveira closes his guard and wraps his arm around Tsarukyan’s right arm. Tsarukyan wriggles his arms out and maintains heavy chest pressure, opening up with an elbow on each arm. Oliveira hacks from his back with an elbow, and he pushes off with his legs and ends up wrapping a high guard around the torso. Tsarukyan lowers himself down to prevent a submission from coming together, and he keeps Oliveira’s neck pinned against the corner between the fence and the floor to disallow him from getting anywhere. Tsarukyan works on the former champ with elbows, cutting Oliveira’s left eyebrow open. Tsarukyan punishes Oliveira with additional elbows, and Oliveira fires back as blood streams from his face. Oliveira turns to his side, keeping hold of Tsarukyan’s wrist, but Tsarukyan explodes up and slams down with a punch. Oliveira wraps up a triangle armbar in the blink of an eye, and Tsarukyan backs away but is stuck in the move until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan

Round 3

The lightweights double touch gloves to start off the last round. Oliveira leads the dance with a double jump knee, and Tsarukyan swats him away with left hooks and blocks a front kick. Oliveira reaches out with a one-two, and he jabs with a front kick. Tsarukyan ducks down, and Oliveira catches him with two punches before he can set up a takedown. Tsarukyan shoves the former champ against the wall, and Oliveira knees him in the belly. Tsarukyan scores an elbow on the break, and they resume in kickboxing range. Tsarukyan kicks the lead leg of his opponent, and he strings four punches together only to get backed away from two counters. Tsarukyan shoots a naked double, and Oliveira easily shucks it off and decides against wrapping up a submission to go with it. Tsarukyan sticks out a sharp jab, and he has additional punches rain off the guard. Oliveira kicks him in the ribs, and Tsarukyan answers with a slapping kick up high. Tsarukyan dashes forward and secures a takedown, putting the former champion gingerly on his back. Oliveira grips a guillotine choke on the way down, but his left arm cannot keep Tsarukyan trapped. Tsarukyan threatens with a Von Preux shoulder choke, with Oliveira keeping his left arm around the head of his opponent. Tsarukyan breaks free and attempts to crucify his foe, wrapping up Oliveira’s left arm with his arms and right arm with his legs. Oliveira turns over, and Tsarukyan happily takes his back. Oliveira fights the hooks off of him, and Tsarukyan remains glued to him from behind. Oliveira tries with all his might to stand, and he slides Tsarukyan off his back and latches onto a guillotine choke. Oliveira transitions to a brabo choke, switching hands to the other side as Tsarukyan is on his knees. Oliveira lowers himself down, and Tsarukyan flattens himself out as Smith makes sure he did not go out. Smith is watching incredibly closely, but Tsarukyan grits it out and survives the dangerous submission to the final bell. The scores could be all over the map.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan (29-28 Tsarukyan)
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan (29-28 Tsarukyan)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Tsarukyan (29-28 Tsarukyan)

The Official Result

Arman Tsarukyan def. Charles Oliveira via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Bad MF Bout:
Justin Gaethje (156) vs. Max Holloway (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gaethje (-175), Holloway (+145)

Round 1

Whether you believe the “BMF” title should matter or not, what bestowing that trophy on this next fight did was extend it to five rounds, and everyone should be thankful. It’s Justin Gaethje (25-4, 8-4 UFC) vs. Max Holloway (25-7, 21-7 UFC) in what many have pegged as a potential “Fight of the Year” entry. Nothing more needs to be said, other than that the lightweights receive instructions from referee Marc Goddard and that they touch gloves before fireworks ensue. Buckle up. The first strike likely of many comes from Holloway, who jabs the midsection and kicks it with his opposite leg. Gaethje bears down on him and loads up on an overhand right, missing the Hawaiian by inches. Gaethje sits down on a leg kick, and Holloway flicks out jabs to the body and head. Holloway pops a low kick on the thigh, and Gaethje hammers one back. Holloway sits down on a low kick and drives forward launching uppercuts. Gaethje slips back and knocks Holloway to his seat with a vicious calf kick. Holloway climbs back up without issue and bites on a feint from the BMF beltholder. Holloway strides in and lances a left hand down the middle, and Gaethje unloads and fires two big hooks. Holloway scores a clean uppercut, and he meets Gaethje in the middle and cracks him with another uppercut and a strong left hook. Gaethje keeps a solid poker face but he had his bell run in the exchange, and Holloway does not draw himself into a reckless exchange and instead measures with a front kick. Holloway prods out a left hand to intercept an advancing Gaethje, and he ignores a leg kick to mark up Gaethje’s nose. Chants for Holloway boom inside of the T-Mobile Arena, and he pokes out a leg kick and stays moving and rarely stays in the same place to not put himself in harm’s way. Holloway checks a kick, and he tosses out a half-hearted high kick. Gaethje responds with one that bounces off the shoulder, and Holloway nods at him. Holloway just misses on an uppercut, and he chips at the front leg with two kicks to the knee. Holloway checks another kick and unleashes a left and a stern right hand, and Gaethje chambers and fire a massive right hand that skims past the cheek. Holloway lunges forward with a right hand to the body, and Gaethje stumbles and gets back upright. Holloway high-fives him to make sure he is good to go, and Gaethje is fine. Holloway jabs with his foot, and a spin kick on the nose sends Gaethje flying. As the cage door opens to bring in corners for the middle of the round, Gaethje nearly falls out of the cage itself. Gaethje adjusts his nose that might have suffered some damage from the kick, and the tense round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Holloway
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Holloway
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Holloway

Round 2

Gaethje appears overly concerned about his nose to begin the round, and it starts tentatively between the two. As Holloway sticks out a few jabs, blood streams from it, and Gaethje is not happy about it. Gaethje loads up on a huge right hand, and Holloway barely slides out of the way in time. Holloway rifles out jabs to the nose, and he chains two together before releasing a high body kick. The crowd is deafening with calls for Holloway, and Gaethje absorbs a little of the energy to land a powerful leg kick. Holloway gives him one back, and he reaches out to throw hands as Gaethje comes in swinging aggressively. Holloway stretches his finger out, and it jams deep into Gaethje’s eye. Goddard sees it and immediately calls time, and Gaethje is not about to stop because of some eye damage. After about 45 seconds, Gaethje declares he is good to go, and the fighters share a glove touch before getting after it. Gaethje lands a body kick, and Holloway does too. Gaethje winds up and slings a leg kick that Holloway partially checks. Holloway jabs the body and wraps a kick up that slaps into the BMF beltholder’s armpit. Gaethje slides to the side and adjusts his nose, and he springs forward with a right hand and a low kick. Holloway stands firm in front of him and continues targeting the body with long punches. Gaethje looses a right hand as Holloway pokes his hand out, and Holloway immediately apologizes and Gaethje gets time to recover. Goddard asks Holloway to be careful, and Gaethje is irritated but only takes 20 seconds before going back to it. Gaethje releases a heavy leg kick, and Holloway can only partially defend against it. Gaethje lashes out with a right and a left, missing the mark by a small margin. Holloway pushes out a teep kick and goes after a jab to the midsection, and Gaethje punishes him with a calf kick at the right time. Holloway raises his leg up a few times to take some of the pain away, and he surges into action with a pair of clean punches. Gaethje gets away with another stunning calf kick, and Holloway reaches him back with two punches. Holloway spins with a kick, and he tosses up high a body kick as the two brawl to the conclusion of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Holloway
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Holloway
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Holloway

Round 3

There is a touch of gloves between the fighters to get started. Gaethje parries one punch, but Holloway lands a second to the midsection. Gaethje chops at his front leg, and Holloway pitches two back. Holloway lets go with a right hand to the sternum, and he kicks Holloway in the side and takes one right back. Gaethje whips a kick at him, and it buzzes past his opponent. Holloway has a body kick graze the cup, and Gaethje shakes it off and is fine. Gaethje stabs his toes at the midsection, and Holloway jabs him in the face. When Gaethje advances, Holloway reaches him with a clean uppercut. Gaethje batters the calf with another vicious kick, and Holloway’s do not nearly have the same impact. Gaethje scores a check left hook, and front kicks from both men go flying. Holloway beans Gaethje with a one-two and he blasts Gaethje with a spinning back kick that lands on the face. Gaethje tries to fire back, and Holloway chains a number of punches that drop Gaethje to a knee. Gaethje climbs back up and swings with bad intentions, and a low kick nearly compromises the former featherweight king as his leg swells up badly. Gaethje clears the cobwebs and backs away from a lunging combination, and he ducks down and a spinning back kick catches him flush in the ribs. Gaethje steels himself and eats a right hand, and he marches Holloway down and tries to unleash the thunder. Holloway keeps moving, circling to the right way to avoid the worst of the power. Gaethje kicks him in the shoulder, and Holloway comes back throwing with a left hand. Holloway gets in an uppercut, and Gaethje unloads a right hand and a low kick in response. Holloway rips a straight right hand to the midsection, and he releases a right hand that skims past Gaethje’s ear. They clash together when throwing hands violently, and Gaethje gathers himself and checks a leg kick. Gaethje kicks the body, and Holloway does the same to mirror what Gaethje does to him. Gaethje releases two more high kicks that are block before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Holloway
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Holloway
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Holloway

Round 4

The championship rounds are reached, and they begin with a fist bump. They hand-fight with one another before Gaethje pushes out a front kick. Holloway doubles up on the same kick, leading Gaethje to slam his shin on Holloway’s swollen calf. Holloway rips a right hand to the midsection, and he kicks on the other side as Gaethje tries to catch it but releases the leg. They trade body shots, and Gaethje whizzes past with a mighty one-two. Holloway lands a body kick and scores two big punches, and Gaethje whirrs into action with a barrage of heavy punches punctuated by two big right hands. Holloway marks the face up, and he forces Gaethje to buckle so he can work the body. Holloway jabs up the face, continuing to damage Gaethje’s busted nose, and Gaethje reels when he absorbs the blows but is more than willing to ruthlessly sling leather back at him. Gaethje chops down the front leg once more, and Holloway slides away from the other blows and lands a few of his own. Gaethje catches the Hawaiian standing still, landing several punches in rapid succession before Holloway can get away. “The Highlight” further batters the front leg, and Holloway responds with an accurate uppercut. Gaethje comes up short with a haymaker, allowing Holloway to roll and counter with a right hand. Holloway steps in with a knee and eats the end of a left hand with little effect. Gaethje beats down the front leg, and Holloway ignores the pain to put three punches to together to the body and head. Gaethje uncorks a bomb of a right hand drops Holloway to his seat, in what could register as the first knockdown in Holloway’s UFC career. Holloway pops right back up and fights behind his jab, making sure not to eat any unnecessary power shots while landing his own. They both lash out with body kicks, and Gaethje puts out a front kick for good measure. Gaethje smacks Holloway with a left hand, and he stings Holloway with a left and a right before the exciting round wraps.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gaethje
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Gaethje
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Gaethje

Round 5

There is a shared fist bump, and a sharp inhale from the attendees of the T-Mobile Arena for what could be a ridiculous fifth and final frame. Gaethje uses his own jab, and Holloway meets him with a head kick that knocks Gaethje back several steps. Gaethje ducks a looping left hand, square into an uppercut waiting for him. He pays it no mind and jabs the body to follow it with a right over the top. Holloway spins with a kick that slides off Gaethje’s body, and he recovers and lines up two punches down Broadway. Gaethje scoops down to the Earth’s core to come up with a ferocious uppercut, and it blazes past Holloway and singes his hair. Holloway attacks, entering vintage “Blessed” mode by chaining well over a dozen punches together to the head and body. Gaethje responds with massive hooks, and Holloway spins with a back kick to the ribs. Gaethje takes a deep breath and allows Holloway to reach him with a right hand. Gaethje swipes out with a left, and Holloway’s spinning back kick again finds its home. Gaethje goes high with a kick that is blocked, and Holloway dings him with a right hand and jumps with a spin kick that catches “The Highlight.” Gaethje sits down on a low kick and jabs out with his hands, and Holloway bloodies his nose with a short blitz. Holloway ducks and digs a right hand to the body and a left to the head. Holloway connects with a solid left on the forehead, and he stomp kicks Gaethje’s knees coming in. Gaethje walks into a spin kick that connects cleanly, and he hits air when Holloway slips away. Holloway unloads with a painful kick to the body, and he strings a few more punches together. Gaethje tries to kick him upside the head, and Holloway blocks it and jumps at him with a knee. Gaethje kicks the lead leg, and Holloway is in trouble after all of this damage sustained. As Holloway hears that it’s time to power up, he points to the ground and signals that a tremendous brawl is about to ensue. Gaethje meets him in the middle, and with about 15 seconds left, everything they have left is unleashed in the Octagon. Gaethje slings violently, and Holloway does the same. Both men blast one another with hellacious power, knocking one another around the cage in a slugfest perfectly representing the “BMF” name. Holloway ducks down and channels all of his remaining energy into his right fist. “Blessed” releases it and smashes it into Gaethje’s temple, and Gaethje slumps to the ground on his face, completely annihilated. Holloway did it! With maybe one second left in a fight he was likely going to win, Holloway threw everything in the air and let the chips fall where they may. Absolutely incredible! Max Holloway is the baddest mister falcon in the UFC, and he did it in a way that will live forever on highlight reels. “Knockout of the Year” is likely well and sewn up now. The triumphant Hawaiian calls for championship fights at featherweight or lightweight, and with Alexander Volkanovski not the champ of the former, he can call his shots practically anywhere he wants. He also demands double bonus money for “Fight of the Night” and “Performance of the Night.” Give the man what he wants, for he is a superstar.

The Official Result

Max Holloway def. Justin Gaethje R5 4:59 via KO (Punch)

UFC Women’s Strawweight Title Fight:
Weili Zhang (115) vs. Xiaonan Yan (115)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Zhang (-485), Yan (+370)

Round 1

Given their relative trajectories, it may be surprising to find that strawweight champion Zhang (24-3, 8-2 UFC) and her countrywoman, challenger Yan (18-3, 1 NC; 8-2, 1 NC UFC), share the same UFC record of eight wins with two losses. Zhang has largely competed at the top echelon of the weight class, while Yan is just reaching it. It’s anyone’s guess what happens next, and referee Jason Herzog is well-prepared to deal with how it shakes out. The 115ers touch gloves, and Zhang tries to strike first with a leg kick she pulls back. Zhang goes up high with her other leg, and she slips on the sponsor logo but does not fall down. Yan gets off a clean right hand, and Zhang answers her with a chopping calf kick. Zhang kicks the head, and Yan bears down on her with a number of punches before tying her up. Zhang tries to turn the tables with a trip takedown, but Yan stays upright and separates as she is reached by a body kick. Zhang scores a few punches when Yan crashes the pocket, and Yan manages to dodge the worst of them but absorbs a flush body kick. Zhang misses by a matter of inches with a head kick, and her low kick whisks by without finding its home either. Yan pushes forward and throws hands, and she counters a trip from Zhang to shove her down to the mat. Yan drops down a few punches before working back to her feet, and Zhang stands up and cracks her neck. Zhang slaps the front leg of her foe, and she walks straight into a left hook that sends the champ flying. Zhang spins around to get back to her feet, and she eats a high kick for her effort. Zhang goes for a high body kick, and she spins with a back fist that slaps Yan in the face. Zhang scores a low kick, and she leans forward and tags the challenger with a right hand before slinging her to the canvas with emphasis. Zhang lands in side control, and she tries to tie Yan up in a crucifix. Yan turns over to give her back up, and Zhang takes advantage of this immediately by landing power punches. Zhang snatches up a rear-naked choke and cinches it brutally tight, and Yan does not think about tapping. Time expires, and Yan goes out. Zhang releases the choke, and Herzog watches Yan stand up so that she has technically survived to reach the next round. This fight should likely be over, but we reach the second round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Zhang
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Zhang
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Zhang

Round 2

Yan may not have completely recovered between rounds, and Zhang knows this. Zhang takes the time to find her proper angle, and after some feints and strikes, she grabs hold of the challenger and chucks her to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Yan tries to scramble, only to get put on her back again. Zhang looks to control rather than strike, and Yan tries to wall-walk with her feet against the wall. Yan turns, and Zhang rolls through it and drops down a few elbows on the hairline. Yan turns over and gives her back up, and Zhang quickly flattens her out and starts slamming her right hand on either side of Yan’s head. Zhang punches again and again, softening Yan up while looking for a choke to open up. Herzog asks for Yan to move, and Zhang continues battering her with relentless punches. Yan turns to give up her back in a different angle and offer a choke opportunity for the champion so that she can stop the punishment, and it slows down as Zhang has started to look for submissions. Yan moves to put her back on the floor, and Zhang follows her and locks up an arm-triangle choke. Yan toughs through a ruthlessly tight submission to somehow turn over and slide off the side, and she winds up on top. Yan works back to her feet, and Zhang follows her. Yan lands, and Zhang retaliates before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zhang
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Zhang
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-8 Zhang

Round 3

The ladies reach the third stanza, and Yan listens to her corner by throwing out a side kick to knock an advancing Zhang down to her seat. Zhang stands up and grins, and she jabs her way forward only to get caught with a right hand. Zhang flails back, and she rushes forward to tie Yan up but cannot hold her there. Zhang tosses out a naked leg kick, and Yan knocks her off her feet with a fierce right hand. Zhang lands on her back and upkicks like crazy to keep Yan off of her. Yan slaps her foe’s legs with hard kicks, and Herzog allows them to continue as they keep kicking one another. Yan hammers the legs until Herzog stands Zhang up. Yan connects with an intercepting low kick, and they fire off punches at the same time. Zhang gets tagged, and she charges in for a takedown only to be shoved over by the challenger. Yan resides on top until Zhang fights her off, and Yan gets her back down once more. Zhang returns to her feet, and she absorbs a two-punch salvo from Yan. Zhang surges into action and tries to take the fight down to steal the round, but Yan stands her up and holds her against the wire until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Yan

Round 4

A fatigued Zhang shakes her arms out, and she offers a glove touch to start the round. Zhang offers up a body kick, and she just avoids two punches over the top. Yan splits the guard with a clean one-two, and Zhang swings back to hit air. Zhang strikes with a low kick, and Yan counters her with a right hand that knocks her down. Zhang springs right up to her feet, and Yan is there to strike with her. Zhang loads up on a right hand, and Yan’s two fists fly shortly after. Zhang shoots for a takedown, and Yan tries to escape but goes too far and gets dragged down. Yan crawls to her knees and gets back up, and Zhang drags her back down on her face. Zhang knees the thigh with emphasis, and she clings from behind and drops down left hands. Zhang keeps holding on with a hook in to trap Yan down, and her left hand is active enough to stave off a referee standup. Yan sits back, and Zhang steps over and punches Yan on the armpit. Yan gets away with an egregious fence grab, and Herzog warns her for the foul. Zhang grinds and pummels Yan with her free fist, and she puts Yan flat on her belly and starts looking for a choke. Yan turns to her side so that she does not get choke, and Zhang allows her to do this so she can strike. Zhang lays into her with left hands on the side of the head, and she sits up to hammerfist Yan on the ear. Zhang’s blows are scoring but not overly damaging or threatening to end the fight. Zhang smacks Yan again and again, and Yan tries to throw back with no-look strikes as swelling grows around her right eye. Zhang hangs onto the position until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zhang
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Zhang
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Zhang

Round 5

Herzog issues a stern warning to Yan for her fence grabs, telling her that one more tug on the links will result in a point deduction and a bad position. The champion begins the round by kicking Yan upside the head, and Yan tanks it without flinching. Zhang tries another, and her momentum allows her to tackle the challenger to the mat. Zhang lands high and Yan tries to reverse her, and she succeeds when Zhang attempts to mount her. Both women get back upright, and Zhang goes after her with a kick to the knee. Yan walks through a jab to pierce the guard with a one-two, and she spins with a kick that brushes off the chest. Zhang brings up another head kick and completes a takedown to land in side control. Zhang takes her back and gets both hooks in, and she heel kicks the thigh and times a spinning Yan to move into top position. Rather than taking mount, Zhang uses the half guard to keep Yan flat on her back. Zhang drums down some relatively light ground-and-pound to stay active, and she follows a turning Yan to get her back again. Zhang looks for a second hook, and Yan turns at the right moment to nearly get free. Zhang is one step ahead in the grappling, and she keeps Yan on her backside. Zhang manages to get the hooks back in again when Yan twists, and this only lasts a moment before Yan turns to her back once more. Zhang smothers with heavy chest pressure, ripping a few elbows and working the head and body with punches. Yan punches from her back while Zhang punches from on top, and the strawweight championship tilt comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zhang (49-45 Zhang)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Zhang (49-46 Zhang)
Shane Clifford scores the round: 10-9 Zhang (49-45 Zhang)

The Official Result

Weili Zhang def. Xiaonan Yan via Unanimous Decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45)

UFC Light Heavyweight Title Fight:
Alex Pereira (205) vs. Jamahal Hill (205)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pereira (-130), Hill (+110)

Round 1

It may not have the blockbuster name like a Conor McGregor or Brock Lesnar type, but the headliner of UFC 300 is a legit matchup that promises action from start to finish. Pereira (9-2, 6-1 UFC) aims to make the first defense of his light heavyweight throne—a two-division champ at that—against a man in Hill (12-1, 1 NC; 6-1, 1 NC UFC) that never his belt in the cage. The rightful champion should emerge from this one, and they will have 25 minutes to punch one another’s lights out. Referee Herb Dean will try to stay away from any errant blows, and he brings them together to bump fists before the last fight of this storied event kicks off. It’s on with the show. Pereira whips a leg kick out to test the water, and Hill responds in kind. Pereira scores another, and Hill kicks him on the inside of the front leg. Pereira checks a low kick, and he skims one off the shin. Hill reaches out with a left hand, and Pereira measures a right. Pereira scores a loud body kick, and Hill darts in to land a solid right hand over the top. Hill turns his hips into low kicks from both sides, and Pereira chops back. Hill grabs Pereira’s wrist while they hand-fight with one another, and Hill prods out a front kick. Pereira gets in a hefty calf kick, and he jabs the body. Hill goes high with his shin, and Pereira blocks it in time. Hill digs a kick to the ribs, and he lances out two left hands. Pereira digs a right to the midsection, and he absorbs kicks on each side of his leg as he tries to check them all. Hill wraps a kick up to the body, and it bounces off the cop. Pereira waves Dean off and unloads a left hand that sends Hill crashing to the mat. Pereira smashes his fallen foe with otherworldly power, and he finishes the job with thunderous hammerfists. Hill completely goes out, and Dean leaps between them when recognizing “Sweet Dreams” is off in dreamland. “Poatan” stands back and motions to his handiwork, pointing at the unconscious Hill. Hill manages to sit up and come to, and he appears to ask Dean what happened as he stands up confused. Pereira’s coach, Glover Teixeira, awards the defending champion with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt as they celebrate and embrace. Even the stoic Pereira cracks a smile. Ten wins into his MMA career, and Pereira has now won and lost the middleweight belt, and claimed and defended the light heavyweight throne. Pereira declares that he wishes to keep defending this belt, and he also expresses interest in competing at heavyweight—possibly in Rio de Janeiro in a few weeks. When taking photos with his team, Pereira dances a little and lets fly some of his more fun side. With that crushing knockout in the books, UFC 300 has reached its conclusion, and what an event it was. Several year-end awards will likely go to this memorable fight card, and if not, something truly spectacular will need to happen in the next eight months. If and when that happens, we will be there for it. We hope are too.

The Official Result

Alex Pereira def. Jamahal Hill R1 3:14 via KO (Punches)