UFC Fight Night 172 ‘Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sergey Spivak (240) vs. Carlos Felipe (261)

Round 1

We begin the evening with the heaviest bout of the night, as proud Moldovan Spivak (10-2, 1-2 UFC) tries to hand Felipe (8-0, 0-0 UFC) his first career defeat. The referee of this 501-pound battle is Rich Mitchell, who has his hands full as the fighters touch gloves to begin the festivities. The Brazilian marches out of his corner ready and rearing to attack, but he pulls up before throwing anything. He lets fly a one-two, and then the same combination to the body. Spivak gets his guard up in time, and he snaps out a quick jab that stuns Felipe for a moment. Felipe goes to the body again, and is trying to let his right hand go. Spivak stings him with a right hand, and Felipe backs off and shakes it out. The Brazilian comes back and wings a pair of looping right hands, and both are blocked in time. Spivak comes back at him with his own looping right hand, and his opponent rolls it. Spivak defends a little offense, and when the attack stops, he fires a knee up the middle. Felipe laughs and shakes it off, and he gathers himself to throw a couple more one-twos. Spivak sticks him with a power jab, and Felipe raises his hands as if signal that it didn’t hurt. It did. After a moment of head-shaking, he flicks out a left jab, and gets countered on the way in with a quick left. Spivak tries to follow a jab with a right hand, but “The Polar Bear” backs away to avoid the looming counter before finishing his combination. Felipe puts everything he has into a series of booming right hands, but practically every one has been blocked or dodged. Spivak’s jab does some damage, making his opponent try to play it off. Felipe throws three punches at him and raises his arms like a Diaz brother. Two seconds before we hear the horn, Mitchell tells the fighters to stop. It must have been bad communication between the timekeeper and the official.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

This round, Felipe is not quite as aggressive by rushing forward, and instead gets greeted by a jab from Spivak. Spivak keeps the jab out there to disrupt the offense, and Felipe takes it and digs to the body. When Spivak tries to stave him off with more jabs, Felipe comes at him to the body and head, and Spivak takes some of them as we can see he is getting marked up. Spivak thinks about clinching up, and Felipe pushes him away. On the break, Spivak flips up a head kick, and Felipe shakes his head at him. The Brazilian swings heavy leather, and Spivak throws right back at him. Spivak shoots in for a takedown from a distance, and Felipe tries to defend with a guillotine and gets rammed into the wall. He pushes off, and the takedown is thwarted. Spivak backs away and flicks out a jab, and Felipe greets him with one of his own. After a combination from Felipe, Spivak tags him with a right hand that he uses to close the distance and press in for a takedown. Felipe protects his midsection from strikes in the clinch, and he pushes the Moldovan away. They return to the center of the cage, and trade jabs. After Felipe lands a jab, Spivak comes back with two punches that ring home on the chin. Spivak presses in for a takedown, and when it is stuffed, he cracks his opponent with an elbow. Felipe shoves him away back to the middle of the Octagon, and they start to swing with reckless abandon. All while Felipe eats shots, he shakes his head or talks to his opponent – they may not share a common language, so it is largely gamesmanship. “Boi” goes to the body with a few punches, leading to Spivak kicking him in the head. When Felipe blocks it, Spivak follows it with a pair of jabs. Felipe loads up on a right hand that glances off his intended target, and Spivak circles away and pops him with another jab. Felipe laughs it off, so Spivak backs away and fires off a head kick that clears the top of Felipe’s head. The round ends with Felipe swinging for the fences.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Between rounds, Felipe goes over to his opponent’s corner to celebrate their hostilities so far. The fighters are amped up, and Spivak leads off with a takedown. Felipe tries to walk off the wall, and Spivak lifts his leg up and drags him down. With his paws on him, “The Polar Bear” puts his full weight on his adversary while working him with left hands. Spivak fishes for a choke, but elects to land more punches. Felipe works his way up, but Spivak lifts him off the ground – “Boi” clocked in at 261 pounds – and slams him down. Spivak keeps dropping down short right hands while Felipe blocks his face and tries to get to his knees. The Brazilian fights his way back up, and Spivak gives it everything he has to pull him back down. Felipe wards him off until he doesn’t, and Spivak pulls his legs out beneath his opponent and scoots into mount position with Felipe squeezed against the fence. The punches are coming labored from Spivak, and a few short elbows follow, but the control time is adding up fast. Felipe turns over to stop taking these big brothering punches in the face, and Spivak turns up the power and makes Felipe scramble frantically. “The Polar Bear” continues to maul his opponent with an avalanche of punches, and even though any single strike may not be individually too impactful, 50 of them are. Felipe rolls around and falls to his back again, where Spivak takes half guard and slams him in the face with punches until we hear the final horn.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Sergey Spivak def. Carlos Felipe via Majority Decision (28-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Davi Ramos (156) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (156)

Round 1

Shifting to the lightweight division, we are treated to a timeless battle of Brazil vs. Russia as Ramos (10-3, 4-2 UFC) comes to blows with Tsarukyan (14-2, 1-1 UFC). The third man in the Octagon is referee Dan Movahedi, and a sporting glove touch opens the bout. Tsarukyan starts out with a jab, and he circles away from a looping left hand from Ramos. The Brazilian lands one that backs his man away in a hurry. Tsarukyan gathers himself and comes out firing, but Ramos is out of the way before anything of merit lands. Ramos stalks him down, and Tsarukyan strings together his own punches punctuated by a spinning back kick to the body. Ramos tries to make him pay, but his right hand lands on the shoulder. When they reset, Ramos connects with a solid right hand, but it is one and done while Tsarukyan puts together a chain of punches. Ramos rushes in to take the fight down, and after an unusual sprawl that leans on the fence, Tsarukyan breaks free, separates, and scores a low kick. The two clash together, and Tsarukyan hits a takedown with ease as Ramos falls to his back and throws his legs up. Tsarukyan tries to get off a few punches on top, but Ramos toes him up and looks to set up something with his legs. Tsarukyan shucks off the offensive guard and a potential armbar by landing a few punches and laying heavy on the Brazilian. Tsarukyan stays tight on Ramos, not giving up a limb to an attack from the fighter’s back. This stalemate position continues on as Tsarukyan tries to land some short ground-and-pound. Every so often, Tsarukyan postures up to land a bigger shot, and Ramos’ eyes light up as he tries to throw up a submission attempt. Tsarukyan is smart to it and smushes back down on top. Tsarukyan stands up, and times a perfect right hand on the way down that slams Ramos in the head. “The Tasmanian Devil” eats it like a steak and kicks his way back up. The two stare at one another from a distance until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

They clap hands to start the second round, and Ramos walks forward to make Tsarukyan circle against the fence. Tsarukyan tries to flip up a front kick and a long jab, but Ramos lands in an exchange. Ramos absorbs a spinning back fist off the dome and walks through it to come out firing, catching Tsarukyan flush. Tsarukyan rips to the body with a left hand, and Ramos tries to make him pay for it with a big right hand but cannot hit the target. Ramos leaps in the air with a knee that comes up short, but a long right hand snaps his opponent’s head back. The two return to the center of the cage and slug it out, and we can see some marking on Ramos’ forehead from one of Tsarukyan’s left hands. Tsarukyan backs away and pokes at him with a jab, before landing a pair of one-twos that he celebrates. Ramos throws everything he has into a right hand, and Tsarukyan ducks it and hits a quick double leg takedown. The Brazilian defends with a heel hook, and Tsarukyan bails on it and stands back up. Tsarukyan lands a one-two, and a low kick nearly sweeps Ramos’ legs out beneath him. Tsarukyan goes with a calf kick to the other leg, and Ramos just smiles at him. Tsarukyan turns a front kick and a few punches into a low single leg takedown attempt, but Ramos staves it off and gets kicked in the body for his effort. Tsarukyan goes low with a kick, and a left hand that follows glances off the target. Both men land heavy right hands, and Ramos’ hands drop to his waist for a moment. He gets his guard back up and walks down Ramos, and some swelling is starting to develop beneath the left eye of Tsarukyan. The Russian lets fly a head kick that gets blocked, but he splits the guard with a one-two right after it. Tsarukyan keeps his distance, landing a leg kick and circling away, but suddenly he shoots in for a double. Ramos stuffs it, and Tsarukyan transitions into a single as Ramos swats at him. The Brazilian gets away, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The two men embrace to start off the last round, and Tsarukyan backs off and slaps him with a leg kick. The two men bite down on their mouthpieces and start slinging massive hooks. Ramos lands the better of the strikes, forcing Tsarukyan to bounce off the fence. Ramos rings him with a right hand, and when Tsarukyan retreats, he takes a shot to the cup and has to readjust. The action resumes after a pause, and Tsarukyan whips a low leg kick at him. Ramos is goading on Tsarukyan, beckoning on a brawl. Tsarukyan does not engage, preferring to jab and keep his distance while Ramos slings bombs. Tsarukyan clips him on the way in, and Ramos nearly falls to the ground but catches his balance to get back into it. Tsarukyan is sharp, with jabs and one-twos to break up the offense and keep those booming strikes at bay. Ramos is loading on up his shots, and Tsarukyan tags him with a one-two, evades a strike and counters. Tsarukyan goes to the body and the head, forcing Ramos to back off for a moment, but the Brazilian gathers himself and comes back with a vengeance. Tsarukyan beats him to the punch, with jabs and left hands mixed in with head kicks to bust up Ramos’ face. Ramos is walking him down like a zombie, and Tsarukyan avoids the biggest strikes while working Ramos and bloodying him up. Tsarukyan nails him in the body and the head again, and Ramos nods at him as blood continues to flow. Ramos welcomes the striking, and then suddenly changes levels to shoot in for a double from a great distance. Tsarukyan sees it coming and dances away, only to catch Ramos with a few punches and a spinning back fist as the Brazilian comes in. The damage continues to mount on Ramos’ face, so Movahedi calls in the doctor to check on the cut over the eye. Ramos is ready to continue again, and Tsarukyan nails him with another one-two as Ramos ambles forward. The Brazilian shoots in for a takedown again, and Tsarukyan stands him up and clinches up with him. With his back against the fence, Ramos jumps guard to pull for a guillotine choke in a Hail Mary. Tsarukyan puls his head out of danger and winds up on top, only to avoid upkicks and back away as time ticks off the clock. One last flying kick from Ramos seals the round.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Arman Tsarukyan def. Davi Ramos via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Malcolm Gordon (135) vs. Amir Albazi (136)

Round 1

A pair of aggressive newcomers are on deck as Canada’s Gordon (12-3, 0-0 UFC) with a finish rate of 83 percent takes on “The Prince” Albazi (12-1, 0-0 UFC), while the latter tops that with a 92 percent stoppage rate. Drawing the assignment for what could be a quick one is referee Herb Dean, and the bantamweights do not touch gloves before the bombs begin to drop. Gordon opens up with a low kick, and he avoids a counter right hand. Albazi sticks out a line of jabs, and a right hand that follows one catches Gordon flush. Albazi sneaks in an uppercut on the way in, and he works the lead leg while Gordon advances. Albazi catches him coming forward with a quick left hook that sends Gordon staggering a little. Gordon tries to land his own right hand, but it gets blocked. The Canadian similarly blocks attacks coming at him, so Albazi targets the body instead. A standing elbow from Gordon falls well short, and Gordon replies with a low calf kick and a thudding body kick. When Gordon overextends on a punch, Albazi hits a single leg takedown and hops into full guard. Gordon keeps his guard open and takes an elbow on the forehead in the process, and the Iraqi-born fighter avoids any possible submission. Albazi stands up, considering to allow Gordon back up, but when Gordon gets up, Albazi tackles him over and gets into half guard. When Albazi lays heavy on top but is stuck in this position, Dean calls for them to work. “The Prince” obliges with a few elbows on the face, which opens up the guard enough for Albazi to take mount. Gordon rolls and nearly gives up his back, but Albazi sits on top and rains down punches. Gordon attempts to scramble, and manages to sweep Albazi but Albazi welcomes it. When Gordon gets on top, he winds up caught in a triangle choke. Albazi tightens it up and pulls the head down, and after a few seconds, “Malcolm X” is forced to surrender. With this impressive debut performance, Albazi becomes the first fighter to ever submit the Canadian.

The Official Result

Amir Albazi def. Malcolm Gordon R1 4:42 via Submission (Triangle Choke)

Brett Johns (136) vs. Montel Jackson (136)

Round 1

Johns (16-2, 4-2 UFC) will try to keep things rolling for Wales – Welsh fighters went 1-1 on Wednesday with Jack Shore staying undefeated in victory – against America’s Jackson (9-1, 3-1 UFC) also in the bantamweight division. Our referee is Rich Mitchell, and the two fighters greet one another with a touch of gloves. Johns leads off with a body kick that is easily blocked, and a low kick that is not. Jackson responds with one, and the two trade leg kicks. One of Jackson’s high thigh kicks goes south of the border, and Mitchell pauses the action for a moment. He claps things in, and Johns lands a one-two and presses Jackson against the fence. The Welsh fighter tries to tie up Jackson, but in the ensuing exchange, Jackson manages to get Johns down and nails him on the nose with an elbow. Johns climbs back to his feet and ties up Jackson again, only to break and try to sneak in a left hook. Jackson moves his head out of the way, but this strike is a distraction as Johns hits a quick takedown. The American walks up the fence, and Johns stays glued to him against the cage. Jackson starts to lift a few knees up, and holds on to Jackson’s hand to stop any offense or positional change. Johns uses his full body weight to try to drag the fight down, but the fence prevents the change in posture. “The Pikey” attempts a double, and when it fails, he hits an inside trip and get Jackson down for but a second. Jackson gets up and eats a knee to the face. Jackson pushes him away, and nails Johns with a right hand that sends the Welshman flying to the canvas. Jackson leaps down and carves him up with an elbow, and a few more punches land before Johns ties him up. Jackson manages to pull himself free to fire off a few elbows, but when he gets wild, Johns throws his legs up and traps his man in an armbar. “Quik” stands up quickly, and in doing so he breaks the position. The round ends with Jackson lording over his opponent on his back.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

There is no glove touch, as Johns comes out aggressively. Blocking a few incoming strikes, Johns pursues a single leg takedown that presses Jackson against the wall. He muscles him down momentarily, and Jackson walks up. This happens again, and Jackson likewise gets to his feet without much issue. Johns grids him against the wall, and Jackson sneaks up a couple short knees. Jackson tries to pull himself from the fence, but in the process, he takes an elbow to the chin. Johns tosses him back down, but like several times before it, Jackson springs back up. Johns doggedly pursues a takedown, and tries to tie up the legs and trip the American. He cannot, and they separate, allowing Jackson to land a straight left. Johns goes to the body with a kick, and allows Jackson to come back with a one-two. As soon as Jackson puts his foot down, Johns shoots in to take the fight down. Jackson catches him and stuffs it, greeting Johns with knees and tossing him to the ground. Johns gets up and charges in like a bull, and finally lands an emphatic takedown even though he takes a groin strike on the way in. Johns circles around to Jackson’s back, and he secures a body triangle with 90 seconds left. Jackson is able to keep his grip on Johns’ gloves, and proves to the referee that his grip is legal because his hands are just that large for a bantamweight. Jackson switches to two-on-one wrist control, and is trying to turn around while also pulling for a version of a straight armlock. Like the fight before, Johns allows himself to get swept as he throws his legs up for a triangle choke, and it is tight. Unlike the previous bout, Jackson powers out to pull his neck free from the dangerous position, and lands a few strikes on top to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The two men do touch gloves to start the last round, and Johns paws out a jab a few times to get his range. Jackson tries to time a left hand as Johns shoots in from a great distance, and the American staves it off. Johns comes at him relentlessly and grabs hold of a single, lifting up a leg and taking a few elbows to the side of his head that make him set it down. Johns grinds Jackson on the fence, attempting and failing to lift Jackson off the ground. He regathers his thoughts, lifts Jackson up and plants him down in the center of the cage. Jackson quickly gets back up, and when he separates, Johns charges at him. Jackson catches him flush with a knee, and Johns ignores it to pursue and land the double leg takedown. Jackson once more wall walks to gain separation, and lands a one-two when he gets his sea legs beneath him again. Jackson circles away and scores a one-two, leaning into a clinch. Johns knees him up the middle and lands a right hand, but Jackson fires back at him. Johns keeps meandering forward, and his unrelenting aggression leads to yet another takedown. Jackson gets up and nearly gives up his back. The American gets free, and spins around the fence but gives up his neck. Johns grabs hold of it and drops down for a guillotine choke. Jackson calmly defends it, turning around to pull himself free. When Jackson stands up, Johns bullies him against the fence until the grinding round, and fight, ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Brett Johns def. Montel Jackson via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Joseph Duffy (155.5) vs. Joel Alvarez (156)

Round 1

Two lightweights coming off layoffs of a year or more are up now, as the fastest fighter to ever finish Conor McGregor in Duffy (16-4, 4-3 UFC) squares off against submission specialist Alvarez (16-2, 1-1 UFC). The Octagon ranger for this Ireland vs. Spain matchup is Marc Goddard, and there is a touch of gloves before they come out swinging. Duffy begins with a side kick and a hook kick to start things off, and he is met with a low kick. Alvarez keeps his range and lands up top and stings him with a calf kick. Duffy rings home a right hand and a low kick, and these two are trading very heavy leg kicks. “Irish Joe” swings and misses with a one-two, allowing Alvarez to tag him on the outside with another paralyzing kick. He goes to it again and makes Duffy turn away. Duffy bites down on his gumshield and bears down on his man, swinging wildly, so Alvarez takes a few and darts out of the way. They continue to put it all into their low kicks, and both are showing marked up legs less than two minutes in. Alvarez stings him with a one-two, and another kick to the knee makes Duffy stand upright. Duffy shoots in low for a takedown, but he gives his neck up as Alvarez snatches it up with a guillotine choke. “El Fenomeno” squeezes with all his might, and the two are very dry so Duffy is trapped. With no way out, Duffy taps out lest he get put to sleep. What a performance for Alvarez, who has now submitted his opponent in 15 of 17 wins.

The Official Result

Joel Alvarez def. Joseph Duffy R1 2:25 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Grant Dawson (150) vs. Nad Narimani (150)

Round 1

In a scheduled 150-pound catchweight contest, highly touted prospect “KGD” Dawson (15-1, 3-0 UFC) comes to blows with Britain’s Narimani (12-3, 2-1 UFC). Overseeing this bout between two men combining for 21 finishes in 21 wins is much-maligned referee Dan Movahedi. They touch ‘em up, and Dawson opens with a calf kick that nearly makes Narimani fall over. Dawson targets that same spot two more times and does not draw the same reaction, but drop down low for a takedown. Narimani stuffs it and clips Dawson with a right hand over the top. Dawson flings a low kick at him, and Narimani catches him with a thudding calf kick that makes Dawson crumble – or so we think. When Narimani charges in, Dawson suddenly leaps in the air and blasts the Brit on the jaw. Narimani is reeling, and Dawson quickly changes levels to take the fight down. In full guard, Dawson quickly slices over to half guard and makes Narimani turn over. Nearly taking his opponent’s back, Dawson is content to stay half guard and work a few punches from on top. Dawson stays active from on top, and as he gets pulled back to guard, he lands a couple quick elbows. Narimani replies in kind with hacking elbows from his back, but “KGD” ignores them and hops back over to half guard. When he lands a few powerful strikes, Narimani is able to get him back to guard and lock him down to stop the damage. When they both scramble at the same time, Dawson hops over to mount. The Brit turns around and surrenders his back in the process, so Dawson secures a body triangle with a minute to go. Dawson hunts for a rear-naked choke, but Narimani defends it well while fighting hands. Narimani protects his neck and breaks the body triangle, which leads Dawson to leave hooks in and ride out the round. One last squeeze from Dawson does not get him anywhere, as the horn sounds before he can lock anything up.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The round begins frenetically, with both men throwing furiously. Dawson rips a knee up high that would make Sagat blush, and Narimani takes it on the chin. Dawson shoots in, scoops up his opponent and drops him down with an emphatic thump. “KGD” easily skips over to half guard, and Narimani tries to turn himself over but returns flat on his back to not give up worse position. Dawson works him from on top with short punches that may soften his opponent up but are not doing any serious harm. The American keeps his activity high in half guard with punches and sporadic elbows to wear down his adversary. A few punches or an elbow have opened up a cut on Narimani’s left eyebrow, and the Brit spins around but surrenders his back like the last round. Like before, Dawson instantly seals the body triangle, and works Narimani with punches. Narimani gives up his neck to not get punched any longer, allowing Dawson to snatch up the neck and squeeze. It is so tight, but somehow Narimani manages to break the grip and get his neck free. Narimani tries to walk off the cage wall to get loose, but we hear the horn before he can.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Dawson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Dawson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Dawson

Round 3

A battered and bloodied Narimani reluctantly touches gloves, and he tries to keep his distance and jab. Dawson attempts to time a knee up the bracket, which keeps Narimani from getting loose. Dawson nails the lead leg with a calf kick, forcing Narimani to backpedal. Dawson has the knee chambered to release any time Narimani gets careless, and barely misses a few times while Narimani is advancing. Dawson gets another leg kick in, and another that draw out a limp from his opponent. Dawson shoots in, but this time he gets stuffed. Dawson goes to the body with a front kick and alternates that with more calf kicks that are hurting the Brit every time. Dawson grazes the guard with a high kick, and gets countered with a straight left coming in. “KGD” rolls with a right hand and has a counter knee ready for his opponent. Dawson lets his kicks go, high and low, and when Narimani is ready to guard them, Dawson stings him with a jab or lands a heavy right hand. Narimani advances and lands three punches, but they do not have the sting on them as the previous rounds. This does not stop him from throwing wildly, and he loops a few big right hands that Dawson narrowly avoids. Dawson drills that lead leg with another kick, and he follows it with a knee that Narimani catches but cannot take advantage of. Dawson scores to the body and head with kicks, and when he throws an axe kick, he gets caught flush. Dawson’s knees wobble, and he is hurt as he shoots in for a desperation takedown. Narimani fights him off and gains separation. The Brit throws a few more times, clipping Dawson again. Dawson shoots in one last time for a takedown to stall out the final seconds, and he holds Narimani against the cage wall until time expires.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Grant Dawson def. Nad Narimani via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)

Khadis Ibragimov (206) vs. Roman Dolidze (206)

Round 1

Headlining the preliminary portion of the card on ESPN is a light heavyweight tilt as Ibragimov (8-2, 0-2 UFC) tries to earn his first win inside the Octagon against heavy-handed newcomer Dolidze (6-0, 0-0 UFC). The referee for this Russia vs. Georgia battle is Herb Dean, and there is a glove touch to start things out. Dolidze scores first in the form of a low kick, and then kicks to the other side of his opponent’s leg to follow. Dolidze continues with one more kick on each side, and these two appear reticent to throw leather out of concern for one another’s power. Dolidze fakes his way in and makes Ibragimov backpedal. The Georgian fighter smiles and waves Ibragimov in, but Ibragimov just stands there like a statue. While Ibragimov is waiting, Dolidze kicks low and to the body. Two minutes tick off the clock before Ibragimov throws something of note, with a big right hand that skims off the beard. Ibragimov fires off a low kick, and Dolidze checks it, making Ibragimov recoil it in obvious pain as he shakes it out. Ibragimov walks after him but does not cut off the cage, allowing Dolidze to circle about and trip on the trim of the cage. Dolidze fires off an axe kick, and Ibragimov rushes in to bowl Dolidze over. When Dolidze falls to his back, Ibragimov punches him on the leg and makes Dolidze laugh at him. Dolidze scoots around, chasing Ibragimov around on the ground, but Dean decides he needs to stand up so he allows a standup. Dolidze catches Ibragimov coming in with a right hand, and Dolidze sticks his tongue out at him. Out of nowhere, the Georgian flings up a huge head kick, and on the way up his knee blasts Ibragimov square on the jaw, sending the Russian crashing to the ground, out cold. A few follow-up punches are academic and quite unnecessary, as Dean is sprinting across the cage -- he waits a couple seconds too long when reaching them -- to eventually save the doomed fighter out on his knees. Dolidze is still undefeated at 7-0 with his emphatic victory, and he has finished his opponent in all seven bouts. Meanwhile, Ibragimov is still struggling to wake back up as medical professionals attend to him.

The Official Result

Roman Dolidze def. Khadis Ibragimov R1 4:15 via TKO (Knee and Punches)

Alexandre Pantoja (125) vs. Askar Askarov (126)

Round 1

For the main card of this event, we shift gears to ESPN+ with what is considered a flyweight championship eliminator. Pantoja (22-4, 6-2 UFC), who was considered an alternate in case either headliner could not compete, will try become the first man to defeat Russia’s Askarov (11-0-1, 1-0-1 UFC). Refereeing this high-stakes 125-pound scrap is Marc Goddard, and a friendly glove touch checks us in. Pantoja opens the fight with a superman punch, and attacks with a string of punches. When they come together, Pantoja pulls into a guillotine choke. Askarov fights his way out of it, but Pantoja throws up his legs for a triangle choke, and then an armbar. Every submission is fairly close, but “Bullet” pierces through them and takes top position. The Brazilian immediately hunts for a heel hook, and Askarov gets out of danger with by grabbing the fence, and he is warned by Goddard. Askarov nails him on the chops with a right hand, and he drags Pantoja down to the canvas on his own terms. “The Cannibal” eats it up, but elects to walk up the fence so that he can set up something from his own angle. Askarov takes his back, and a clapping knee collides with Pantoja’s skull quickly. Pantoja rolls to try to get out of position, and Askarov holds on tight. He springs back up, but the Russian dives back in for a single leg takedown. He redoubles his effort, and manages to get Pantoja down, but only for a moment. Pantoja scrambles brilliantly to take Askarov’s back, and he gets his hooks in. Askarov fights the hooks off and gives up his neck, so when he tries to stop a choke attempt, the dangerous Brazilian locks up a body triangle. Pantoja grabs a rear-naked choke, and Askarov fights it off. Pantoja surprises him with another attempt, but “Bullet” shoots his neck free once more. Pantoja may set a record for submission attempts in a round, and he considers one more final choke as we hear the horn.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The two flyweights clap hands to start off the round, and Pantoja fakes a low kick that draws a reaction from his opponent. Pantoja sneaks a right hand over the top, and Askarov crashes in and clinches up. Pantoja shoves off and flicks up a high kick that gets blocked, and as he is escaping, Askarov throws a kick back at him. Askarov slams a heavy leg kick low, so the Brazilian responds with a resounding body kick. Pantoja tries to replicate the success of that body kick with one more, but it gets blocked. Askarov catches him on the way in with a left hand, but he does not follow it and instead Pantoja is the one who advances. The two sling leather until Askarov hits a takedown, but Pantoja appears to be interested in this position change. The Brazilian instantly puts his legs up high to aim for an armbar, then a triangle choke, and when neither are close, he pushes off to gain separation and stand up. Askarov keeps on him, hunting for a double and trying to trip the leg out. He lifts Pantoja in the air and plants Pantoja down, but the Brazilian pops back up and greets him with a Pancrase-style palm strike to the chin. “Bullet” relentlessly continues to pursue takedowns, and the two men jockey for position to gain an advantage. With neither in an advantageous spot, they separate and throw hands. Both land right hands, and a follow-up right from Askarov leads to a single leg takedown attempt. Pantoja rolls out and surrenders his back, but this is part of his plan as his wily scrambling leads to taking Askarov’s back somehow. The Brazilian gets his hooks in and cinches up a body triangle, but Askarov bucks him off and the two end the round tangled up on the ground.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The two top flyweights embrace to begin the round, and the commentary booth is not thrilled by this. The action begins shortly thereafter, as Askarov rushes in for a potential takedown. Pantoja pushes him away and wades forward with punches that are slower than before. Askarov is much sharper, and he parries the strikes and counters them. Askarov throws out a kick, and Pantoja times a right hand down the pipe that drops Askarov. When the Brazilian lands in guard and tries to advance, Askarov rebuffs him and the two stand up quickly. The pace has slowed significantly compared to the earlier frames, and Pantoja rushes in to take the fight down but is nowhere near landing it. Askarov lands a heavy right hand and ducks to avoid the counter, and Pantoja meets his movement with a short uppercut. Pantoja runs forward with looping strikes, allowing Askarov to counter him. The Russian partially lands a spinning back fist, and Pantoja wears it well but takes another strike that sends him a little off-balance. Pantoja wings a body kick hard, and Askarov absorbs it without issue. Pantoja tries to string a few punches together with a combination ending with a body kick, but the strikes are labored and Askarov sees them coming. The Russian counters him with a quick left, forcing Pantoja to back away. Askarov stomps to the knee with a kick, and most strikes are coming one-and-done at this point. Pantoja scores another body kick, and he falls over in the process. He gets up before Askarov can pounce on him, and when the two throw kicks at the same time, Askarov catches his opponent in the cup. Askarov lands a left, and Pantoja fires back with two strikes and a kick. Askarov concludes the round with a solid right hand as Pantoja races in, and this one is going to be close.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Askar Askarov def. Alexandre Pantoja via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Ariane Lipski (126) vs. Luana Carolina (126)

Round 1

From men’s flyweight to women’s flyweight we go, where “The Queen of Violence” Lipski (12-5, 1-2 UFC) will try to embody her nickname once again as she takes on fellow countrywoman Carolina (6-1, 1-0 UFC). Everyone’s favorite referee lately Dan Movahedi draws the charge, and the two women have no interest in touching gloves before commencing la violencia. Carolina opens with a kick, and Lipski fires a salvo of punches at her. With a lightning-quick right hand, “The Queen of Violence” drops Carolina, and Lipski dives on top to finish the job. She is unable to do this for now, as Carolina ties her up with her long legs. Lipski stands up and tries to step over, but gets caught with a heel hook in the process. Lipski sits down to pull her leg out, and she is now fishing for a kneebar from on top while Carolina is hunting for a calf slicer. The two are tangled up in knots, and Lipski slowly pulls her foot out of danger. Framed atop her opponent, Lipski wrenches the leg back as high as she can, bending her opponent’s knee in the completely wrong direction. A bloodcurdling scream escapes from Carolina’s lips, and Movahedi is on top of the action and halts the fight. Wow.

The Official Result

Ariane Lipski def. Luana Carolina R1 1:28 via Submission (Kneebar)

Marc Diakiese (156) vs. Rafael Fiziev (156)

Round 1

Two heavy-hitting lightweights with a reputation for nasty knockouts are up, as “Bonecrusher” Diakiese (14-3, 5-3 UFC) tries to crush Fiziev’s (6-1, 1-1 UFC) bones. Despite this reputation, just 43 percent of Diakiese’s wins have come by knockout, compared to Fiziev at 71 percent. No matter how you slice it, referee Rich Mitchell has a full plate in this potential brawl. They touch gloves, and Diakiese begins with a low sweeping calf kick. Diakiese stomps forward to the knee with a reaching kick, and again kicks low but gets partially checked. Fiziev stumbles, and narrowly avoids a spinning wheel kick as he backs away and applauds. Fiziev rips the body with a kick, and he closes the distance to press the Brit against the fence. Fiziev gets him down, and Diakiese kicks him over but the Kyrgyzstani fighter is on him like fly paper. “Ataman” is in half guard but is not attacking, as Diakiese has his arm trapped in a potential kimura sweep off his back. Diakiese rolls to his side while he keeps his grip latched on the wrist. The Brit rolls to his knees and stands back up, and Fiziev greets him with an audible body kick. Fiziev fires off a right hand and a front kick to the torso, so the Brit pushes him away. Fiziev lands a body kick to the other side, and he gets a head kick reply in kind. Fiziev nails him to the body again to make the commentary team shout in unison, echoing around the arena. A few strikes from “Ataman” force the British brawler to hunt for a desperation takedown, and Fiziev stuffs it and pushes him over. Fiziev steps over to half guard, and we can see some blood streaming from the nose of the red mohawked fighter. Fizev rips him to the liver again with a kick, and Diakiese counters with a stiff left hand but the damage is already done. The Brit falls to the wall, and a clinch exchange ends the round.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

They greet with another glove touch, and Diakiese begins with a few jabs. Fiziev throws a few kicks at him that do not land flush, allowing Diakiese to keep his strikes going over the top. Diakiese wings a high kick, and Fiziev embodies his inner Neo as he bends over backwards to dodge the kick that zooms by his face. That was impressive. Fiziev lands to the leg, and then a one-two backs off Diakiese. Fiziev picks at him from a distance, with a low kick that forces the Brit to switch stances. Diakiese scores with a left hand, but Fiziev throws back harder to the legs. Diakiese tries to return fire with a similar kick, but his is checked. Fiziev puts on a pair of slapping leg kicks, and Diakiese tries to take them and throw back with straight punches but he is out of range. Fiziev swings a big hook, and when he comes up short, he continues the momentum to drill Diakiese on the jaw with a spinning back fist. Fiziev connects with a stiff right hand, and a kick forces Diakiese to shoot in on him. Fiziev stuffs it and defends himself against the fence before he shoves off. Fiziev throws a hard leg kick and fakes a second to draw a reaction out, but he does not take advantage of this. Diakiese sits on a body kick with a hard left, and times another kick with a right over the top that gets Fiziev’s attention. Diakiese swings wildly and misses, but at the end of an unsuccessful combination he does score a short left. Fiziev connects with a low kick and then a body kick, and Diakiese is dead set on countering those with overhand strikes. His counters do not land to an appreciable effect, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The fighters start the round with leg kicks. Diakiese bites down on his mouthpiece and fires, and Fiziev stands in front of him and throws right back. Diakiese spins once in either direction with a pair of spinning back fists, and Fiziev sees both coming and dances out of the way. Fiziev backs off to avoid twin punches, and works the body and legs while backing away. Fiziev lands a couple kicks, all while avoiding a counter that comes at him. They both swing hard at the same time, and Fiziev is the one that lands. He chases the strike with two body kicks and a couple punches, and Diakiese backs away. “Bonecrusher” takes several short crushing punches to the ribs when they clinch up, and when they separate, Fiziev throws a right hand so hard he falls over. The Brit cannot take advantage of it, and instead backs away to set up a spinning back kick. Like the previous round, Fiziev pulls a miraculous move to dodge the kick whizzing by his head. Fiziev works the body with a few more kicks, and Diakiese tries to reply with punches that are blocked. Fiziev lets loose a naked body kick, and Diakiese cracks him with a right hand counter that may have done some damage. Fiziev instead eats it like borscht and goads Diakiese on to hit him in the face some more. Diakiese stands still, surprised that his right hand did not finish the job. Diakiese winds up with a spinning wheel kick that partially lands, and not to be outdone, Fiziev responds with a flying knee. The Brit stings him with a jumping switch kick, and Fiziev stands tall and unfazed. Diakiese throws his last remaining energy in a few wild punches, but they miss and Fiziev delivers a spinning back kick to the torso. The round ends in a fury, and what a fight!

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Rafael Fiziev def. Marc Diakiese via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Kelvin Gastelum (186) vs. Jack Hermansson (186)

Round 1

In our co-main event, Gastelum (15-5, 1 NC; 10-5, 1 NC UFC) tries to snap the first losing streak of his career against “The Joker” Hermansson (20-5, 7-3 UFC). This fight is no joke for referee Herb Dean, who will keep tabs on these two middleweights. There is no touch of gloves, as Hermansson is getting right down to it with a few long kicks. Gastelum hunches down in front of him to make Hermansson think about takedowns, but the Swede kicks him in the body. “The Joker” pushes in for a body lock takedown with a trip, and Gastelum flips him over to reverse position and wind up on top. Hermansson defends himself with a heel hook off his back, and Gastelum falls over to try to defend it. Hermansson torques with all his might, and Gastelum flails but is trapped. As he rolls over to get out, he taps out because the pain is too great. What an outstanding win for “The Joker,” who finishes a former title challenger with relative ease in the early going.

The Official Result

Jack Hermansson def. Kelvin Gastelum R1 1:18 via Submission (Heel Hook) 

Deiveson Figueiredo (125) vs. Joseph Benavidez (125)

Round 1

Headlining the evening is a flyweight championship rematch pitting Figueiredo (18-1, 7-1 UFC) against Benavidez (28-6, 15-4 UFC) once more. The two met in February, where seconds after a clash of heads, Figueiredo recorded a devastating knockout but was unable to win the title after missing weight. The belt is on the line for both men this time, and there is no love lost between the two. Referee Marc Goddard will need to keep these 125-ers in check, and they decide to touch gloves before swinging for the bleachers. Figueiredo cocks back his right hand immediately, but he comes forward tentatively. The Brazilian fires out a front kick, and Benavidez responds with a leg kick. Benavidez throws another hard leg kick that nearly sweeps out the lead leg. Figueiredo blasts him with a right hook on the temple that sets Benavidez down on the canvas gingerly, and “Deus da Guerra” starts slamming down punches and elbows. Figueiredo takes his back as Benavidez scrambles, and gets his hooks in as he hunts for a rear-naked choke. It is tight as can be, and Benavidez manages to get his throat cleared in time. Figueiredo repositions the choke, and he still cannot get it. They roll around, and Figueiredo locks up the choke and it is over…until miraculously, Benavidez breaks the grip and pulls the arm free. It was deep under the neck, palms clasped, and he still pulled out. Benavidez walks up the cage and emerges from the danger zone with a little blood under the nose but he is OK. Figueiredo comes at him with a few big punches, and Benavidez responds in kind with powerful strikes that get his opponent’s attention. Figueiredo stalks him down and clips Benavidez with a right hand, setting Benavidez down again. The Xtreme Couture fighter springs back to his feet and shakes out the cobwebs to start his attack again. He leaps forward and lands to the body with a powerful shot. Figueiredo winds up with a monster right hand and clocks Benavidez on the jaw. Benavidez goes flying to the canvas for the third time. Figueiredo pounces on him like man on a mission and clubs him a few more times with punches and hacking elbows. Benavidez rolls over and surrenders his back, and Figueiredo snatches up the back in an instant. “Deus da Guerra” cinches up a rear-naked choke, and this time, there is nothing Benavidez can do. Benavidez flails, but his body is arched back from the torque, extended in a fashion where there is no way out. As Benavidez tries to escape, he loses consciousness with his eyes still open, staring lifelessly at the camera. Goddard recognizes that Benavidez is asleep, and is forced to intervene. Unbelievable! Benavidez had never before been submitted, and he refused to tap out and surrender in what could be his final title fight. Figueiredo is now the new flyweight champion, and best of luck to the next challenger. You’re gonna need it. See you next week!

The Official Result

Deiveson Figueiredo def. Joseph Benavidez R1 4:48 via Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)