UFC Fight Night 185 Prelims: John Castaneda Vanquishes Reeling Eddie Wineland in Las Vegas

A barrage of strikes@SexiMexi135 gets it done with only 15 seconds to go in RD 1! #UFCVegas19 pic.twitter.com/1lNeEc3l7P

— UFC (@ufc) February 21, 2021

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John Castaneda made his footprint in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s bantamweight division.

The Minnesota Martial Arts Academy rep took care of former World Extreme Cagefighting champion Eddie Wineland with punches in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 185 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Castaneda (18-5, 1-1 UFC) sealed the deal 4:44 into Round 1.

Wineland (24-15-1, 6-9 UFC) countered effectively with right hands, answered a head kick with a takedown and pressured his adversary onto his back foot. Castaneda turned the tide with a right cross and followed with an accurate multi-punch volley that drove the Duneland Vale Tudo mainstay to the mat. He continued to fire punches into Wineland’s face until referee Jason Herzog had seen enough.

The 36-year-old Wineland has suffered four losses across his last five outings.

Gordon Smothers Streaking Chavez

Well-timed takedowns, suffocating positional control and effective ground-and-pound carried former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Jared Gordon to a unanimous decision over Danny Chavez in a three-round featherweight battle. All three cageside judges scored it for Gordon (17-4, 5-3 UFC): 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Chavez (11-4, 1-1 UFC) never shifted out of first gear. Gordon attacked his base with kicks to the lower leg and held his own in their punching exchanges. The Sanford MMA standout made his move in the second round, where he executed a takedown applied his ground-and-pound and drew valuable energy out of his opponent. The scene repeated itself in the third, and while Chavez escaped to his feet, he failed to keep Gordon at bay in the clinch.

The defeat closed the book on Chavez’s four-fight winning streak.

Related » UFC Fight Night 185 Round-by-Round Scoring

Resurgent Erosa Waylays Landwehr

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 22 semifinalist Julian Erosa cut down Nate Landwehr with a flying knee in the first round of their featherweight tilt. Erosa (25-8, 3-4 UFC) brought it to a close 56 seconds into Round 1, extending his current winning streak to three fights.

The 32-year-old Landwehr (14-4, 1-2 UFC) dropped his counterpart to a knee with an overhand right from close range but failed to capitalize on the brief opening. Erosa immediately rose to his feet, swarmed with punches and backed the former M-1 Global champion to the fence before unleashing a perfectly timed flying knee. Landwehr hit the deck, as referee Mark Smith arrived on the scene to prevent further damage.

Landwehr has lost two of his past three bouts.

Unbeaten O’Neill Buries Dobson

Undefeated Tiger Muay Thai prospect Casey O'Neill disposed of Shana Dobson with ground-and-pound in the second round of their women’s flyweight clash. Dobson (4-5, 2-4 UFC) succumbed to blows 3:41 into Round 2, as she lost for the fourth time in five appearances.

O’Neill (6-0, 1-0 UFC) secured multiple takedowns in the first round, moved to advantageous positions and applied her ground-and-pound before fishing for a heel hook in the closing seconds. Dobson offered little in terms of meaningful resistance in the middle stanza. O’Neill struck for another takedown, floated from the back to full mount and piled on the punishment. After one final barrage of punches and elbows, referee Chris Tognoni decided it was time to intervene.

The 23-year-old O’Neill has finished two straight opponents.

Returning Zahabi KOs Rodriguez

Tristar Gym export Aiemann Zahabi knocked out Dana White’s Contender Series alum Drako Rodriguez in the first round of their bantamweight affair. In his first appearance in nearly two years, Zahabi (8-2, 2-2 UFC) drew the curtain 3:05 into Round 1.

Rodriguez (7-2, 0-1 UFC) dictated the initial exchanges. He cracked Zahabi with a few overhand rights, shrugged off an attempted clinch and slipped in multiple kicks to the lower leg. However, his good work was erased in an instant. Zahabi countered an uppercut with a searing overhand right that sent the King of the Cage veteran crashing to the canvas in a defenseless state.

The win was Zahabi’s first since Feb. 19, 2017.

Dominant Spivak Batters Vanderaa

Former World Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder Sergey Spivak put away Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Jared Vanderaa with punches in the second round of their heavyweight pairing. Vanderaa (11-5, 0-1 UFC) bowed out 4:32 into Round 2.

Spivak (12-2, 3-2 UFC) maximized his advantages. He executed a trip takedown in the first round, settled in half guard and chipped away with his ground-and-pound. Spivak ducked a head kick to start the middle stanza, delivered another takedown and again moved to half guard. From there, short punches and elbows had blood spurting from Vanderaa’s face, as the Team Quest product began to wilt. Spivak eventually progressed to the back and uncorked an unending burst of hammerfists to prompt the stoppage.

The loss snapped a two-fight winning streak for Vanderaa.