UFC Fight Night 187 ‘Edwards vs. Muhammad’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Matthew Semelsberger (169.5) vs. Jason Witt (171)

Round 1

We’re back with another Fight Night card after a blockbuster pay-per-view event, bringing with it 13 bouts entirely on ESPN+ for American audiences. We kick things off in the welterweight division, as “Semi the Jedi” Semelsberger (7-2, 1-0 UFC) will try to use the force against “The Vanilla Gorilla” Witt (18-6, 1-1 UFC). Making sure nothing gets out of hand for this card opener will be referee Chris Tognoni, although the two 170ers touch gloves before coming out fighting. Witt opens up with a leg kick, and he paws out a jab only to have his own leg kicked. Witt replies with a pair of hooks, and he backs up to throw a naked leg kick. Semelsberger splits the guard with a thunderous right hand that puts Witt down hard. Semelsberger leaps on top to finish the job, but it is already done as Witt is out. Tognoni leaps in to halt the contest, and what a way to start the night with a knockout in about 15 seconds!

The Official Result

Matthew Semelsberger def. Jason Witt R1 0:16 via KO (Punch)

Gloria de Paula (115.5) vs. Jinh Yu Frey (115.5)

Round 1

Shifting gears to the women’s strawweight category, Brazil’s de Paula (5-2, 0-0 UFC) will try to make her successful Octagon debut at the expense of the skidding Frey (9-6, 0-2 UFC). Officiating this bout will be referee Mike Beltran in what should be his first appearance at a Nevada event, and the two ladies show a sign of respect by touching gloves. de Paula nails her foe with a sharp one-two right out of the gate, and Frey throws back with a fury before crashing into the clinch and bowling the Brazilian over with a body lock takedown. Frey climbs into half guard with ease, but de Paula ties her up and returns her to full, closed guard. As Frey postures up to land a few punches, de Paula leans back and sets up an armbar. The former Invicta champ sees it coming and pushes it away, and stops a subsequent attempt but has to stand up to get out. When de Paula rolls over, Frey takes her back and puts de Paula down to her knees. Frey looks for a choke but de Paula turns about, and Frey seems content to transition to half guard to land a few shots and keep de Paula grounded. The Brazilian again flirts with a high guard with an armbar setup, and Frey stays patient and calm and does not surrender a limb. Frey keeps a smothering top pressure but she does not land much of note, occasionally scoring a punch to the body. de Paula turns to aim for an armbar, and in the process, she lets Frey to sit up and blast her in the face with a few punches. Frey stands up after slinging an elbow down, but she climbs back down into the guard and passes it while dropping down left hands. de Paula kicks off and pulls her foe back into her closed guard, and occasionally thinks about going after an armbar, but there is nothing doing. Frey lands a few solid punches and breaks out of one last submission attempt before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Frey
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Frey
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Frey

Round 2

The strawweights opt not to touch gloves to begin the round, even though de Paula offers. Frey gets off a solid leg kick, and misses on one on the outside while ducking out of the way from a high kick that zooms past her. Frey aims another kick, and the Brazilian gives one back to her. de Paula scores a leg kick and then a body kick, and Frey delivers a left hand square on the jaw that gives de Paula some pause. The two women exchange strikes on the feet, and de Paula backs away to sling a leg kick and a head kick that is barely blocked. de Paula sticks out a jab to disrupt Frey’s forward movement and halt a combination, and Frey responds with a right hand that makes de Paula slip and fall over. The Brazilian springs back up, and she chains together a combination punctuated by a head kick. Frey swats at her with punches that hit nothing but air, and she does get in a leg kick but absorbs a crisp one-two in the process. Frey pressures her opponent into the fence with a few jabs, and the two clinch up as Frey pursues a takedown. de Paula sees it coming and does not let it happen this time, instead kneeing Frey in the face to force a break. “Glorinha” scores with a few punches, marking up Frey’s face and avoiding the counters. The Brazilian reaches out with a jab a few times to stifle Frey’s movement, and she follows one with a head kick. The kick gets blocked, so de Paula follows it with a string of punches. de Paula gets off a one-two, backing Frey into the fence but having her lead leg kicked. de Paula fires off a body kick, and Frey catches it and looks to trip the other leg to take her down. de Paula hops back and keeps her balance, bouncing off the fence and getting free. From there, de Paula starts marking Frey up with single punches and kicks, and Frey is force to a defensive mode when she eats a stiff one-two. A few more strikes score for the Brazilian until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 de Paula
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 de Paula
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 de Paula

Round 3

Frey marches out of her corner to stick out a few jabs. A measured de Paula gets off a few more effective strikes, and a body kick is once more caught. Unlike the previous round, Frey is able to leverage the position into a takedown, putting de Paula flat on her back. The Brazilian keeps a high rubber guard with her left leg, but Frey shucks it off and tries to advance her position. de Paula reaches out to grab two-on-one wrist control, and threatens with a kimura to sweep or force a scramble of some kind. Frey stays calm and links her hands around de Paula’s back, and there is a stalemate between the two as Beltran warns them to advance position. de Paula holds on to it as Frey sits up to punch the body, and as de Paula is complacent trying to get this submission, Frey climbs into mount. de Paula spins into a better position for the kimura, but when she rolls to her knees, Frey snatches her back and grabs hold of a rear-naked choke. Frey does not have her hooks in, and she slides off the back even though the grip is beneath de Paula’s neck. The Brazilian calmly peels off the choke attempt, but as she does, Frey gets her hooks in and ties up a body triangle. Frey fights for the choke once more, and de Paula elects to punch behind her head to smack Frey in the face sight unseen. de Paula scoots to the fence to put Frey at an odd angle, and Frey sneaks her right arm under the chin for a one-arm choke. de Paula squirms and her face slightly changes color, but she guts it out and breaks the grip. Frey keeps the position to ride out the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Frey (29-28 Frey)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Frey (29-28 Frey)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Frey (29-28 Frey)

The Official Result

Jinh Yu Frey def. Gloria de Paula via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Cortney Casey (126) vs. J.J. Aldrich (125.5)

Round 1

Up next at flyweight, two former strawweights toe the line when Casey (9-8, 5-7 UFC) meets Aldrich (8-4, 4-3 UFC). Keeping tabs on this bout will be referee Mark Smith, and the flyweights do not touch ‘em up before throwing down. Casey opens up with a whip of a leg kick, and as she throws punches to follow it, Aldrich charges at her with strikes of her own. Casey aims for a head kick, but an advancing Aldrich pushes her back. “Cast Iron” slams her shin into Aldrich’s outstretched leg a few times, prompting Aldrich to shoot in for a takedown. Casey defends the body lock and drops to a knee for a moment, only to spring back up. Aldrich doggedly pursues the takedown, but Casey is able to fight her off and nail her with a right hand on the break. Casey backs off and reaches out a leg kick that slaps off Aldrich’s right leg, and she delivers one more that makes Aldrich think twice about leaving her leg out so far. Aldrich crashes the pocket to stop these kicks from coming, and the two clinch up and have a brief but furious exchange reminiscent of Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama. Casey pushes Aldrich into the fence and smashes her in the face with an elbow, and Aldrich covers up and tries to circle away against the fence. She does this, and the two get back into a wild clinch brawl until Aldrich shoots in to take the fight down. As soon as the fight hits the ground, Casey throws her legs up for a triangle or an armbar, keeping her guard high and pursuing an exposed limb. Aldrich powers out of the position and leaps down to attack, only for Casey to time the strike to muscle back to her feet. Aldrich pursues another takedown, and “Cast Iron” stands tall and gets a break she is seeking. She chases Aldrich and lands a few punches followed by a thudding body kick, and Aldrich takes a moment to gather her thoughts. Aldrich throws out a lazy body kick, and Casey catches it but allows for Aldrich to get a hold of her and put her down to the ground. Casey threatens with a kimura, but there is not enough time in the round as Aldrich punches her in the side repeatedly to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Casey
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Casey
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Casey

Round 2

Aldrich comes out aggressively from her corner to start the round, taking the center of the cage and blocking a head kick that soars her direction. Casey slaps out a few right hands that find their home on Aldrich’s face, but Aldrich pays them no mind as she advances to attack. Casey backs off to land a punch and a body kick, and she hurts Aldrich with a right hand and a head kick. Aldrich absorbs the strike and catches it, where she puts Casey on her back as Casey appears to also pull guard at the same time. Casey threatens briefly with an omoplata on her back, but Aldrich notices it and steps through to pass guard. With a three-quarter mount, Aldrich keeps Casey pinned to the ground and she lands a few left hands for good measure. Casey eats each one flush and her head bounces off the cage, and Aldrich does not relent throwing them. When Casey looks to defend her face, Aldrich pins her hand down with her knee, until Casey gains a little separation with her knee. Casey slowly and methodically gets to her knees, and stands back up using the fence as her ally. Aldrich tries to take her back down, but Casey pushes her off and avoids a right hand that comes her way. Casey slings a pair of right hands that sneak past the guard, and she gets off a heavy leg kick shortly after. Aldrich reaches out her left hand but is not committing to it, as Casey is leading the dance with quick combinations. Casey lunges forward with a one-two, and she pushes away to not engage in the clinch. Casey lands a right hand and a body kick, forcing Aldrich into changing levels and blitzing forward for a takedown. Aldrich elevates her opponent and plants her down to the ground, where she sits up to land a few punches until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Aldrich

Round 3

Like the last round, Aldrich takes the center of the cage and throws a few right hands. Casey sits down on a right hand, and even though she scores a body kick after, Aldrich walks her down with a series of punches. Casey throws back with her own punches that collide off the guard, and both reset to land right hands at the same time. Aldrich backs off and puts her hands by her waist, kicking Casey in the side. Casey drills her with a right hand, knocking Aldrich’s head back and doing some damage. Aldrich tries to fire back, but Casey pins her down with strikes before retreating to avoid the brunt of the counters. Aldrich rushes in but cannot change levels in time, as Casey ducks out of the way and spins to avoid an overhand right. Both women trade at the same time, with Aldrich marking up Casey’s nose with a few jabs. Aldrich cracks Casey with a right hand, forcing Casey to turn her back, and Casey gets tagged with a few more shots while turned away. When “Cast Iron” tries to come back, she gets off a left hand but Aldrich works her over with a combination into a picture-perfect takedown. Casey on her hip tries to hop her way to the cage, and she climbs to her knees and crawls up the cage wall to stand up. Aldrich doggedly pursues a trip when she ties up Casey’s leg, but Casey frees herself and slings heavy leather to get Aldrich to back off. A single punch from Aldrich leads to a flurry from the two, and Casey chases after her opponent with a barrage. Aldrich defends, takes a few on the chin, and counters. Casey steps out of the way, pops Aldrich with an uppercut, and circles out. The two exchange wildly, and a spinning back kick from Aldrich connects square on the groin for Casey. Smith halts the match for 45 seconds to allow Casey to recover, and the two women have three seconds left on the clock when it resumes. Aldrich tries to march her down, but the round ends before anything comes of it. This could be a close one.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Casey (29-28 Casey)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Casey (29-28 Casey)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Casey (29-28 Casey)

The Official Result

J.J. Aldrich def. Cortney Casey via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Nasrat Haqparast (156) vs. Rafa Garcia (156)

Round 1

In the lightweight division, heavy-handed Haqparast (12-3, 4-2 UFC) will look to make unbeaten Mexican newcomer Garcia (11-0, 0-0 UFC) feel quite unwelcome in the latter’s UFC debut. The third man inside the Octagon for this tilt will be referee Chris Tognoni, and there is no glove touch as Haqparast is intense and mean-mugging his short-notice replacement opponent. Garcia takes the center of the cage and pressures Haqparast, reaching out with a few punches that are well off the mark. Haqparast ducks down to land a punch to the body, and Garcia scores a left hook on the way out. Garcia gets off a leg kick and nearly tags his man with a check hook, and Haqparast backs off and reaches out with a left hand. Haqparast charges forward with a stream of punches, and Garcia covers up and retreats. Haqparast clocks his opponent with a left hand that splits the guard, and he scores a few more punches to get Garcia’s attention. Garcia takes them on the chin and tries to fire back, but the power differential is stark. Haqparast hurts his foe with a few crisp punches, but the Mexican fighter gathers himself and shoots in for a takedown. Although unsuccessful, Garcia is able to score a knee up the middle before backing off. Haqparast bloodies the nose with a few punches, and he blocks most of a combination that comes his way. Haqparast sits down on a left hand, and it clatters off the guard and forces Garcia to take a funny step backwards. Garcia wings a huge right hand that rings Haqparast’s bell, and Haqparast responds by rushing forward to land a few punches to the head and body. Haqparast beats his man to the punch with a left hand, and he steps in with a knee and ducks the counter right. Haqparast stabs the liver with his toes, and he reaches out with a few punches and another front body kick. Garcia lands several stiff right hands, and Haqparast circles out and scores an uppercut. Haqparast dings his foe with a few more punches, but Garcia is unconcerned and marches forward to pressure Haqparast into the fence. When Garcia slashes out with an elbow, Haqparast circles away and scores a front kick to the body that may have clicked off the cup. Garcia bullies Haqparast into the fence and attempts a takedown, but Haqparast circles away and breaks while avoiding a left hand. Garcia takes a body kick and lands two punches before the closely contested round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast

Round 2

The round begins with Garcia coming forward to land several punches, although most bounce off the guard. Garcia charges in to attack, and Haqparast slugs with him for a moment but eats a heavy body kick as they break apart. Haqparast times a right hand to land his own, and he snaps out a jab that surprises Garcia. Haqparast scores a couple shots to the body, and Garcia lands a punch that may have landed to the back of the head but did when Haqparast was turning. Garcia throws a few body kicks, and one may have gone low, but Haqparast fires back with his own to the same target. Haqparast chops forward with an elbow to split the guard, and he throws several reaching left hands that keep catching Garcia flush. The Mexican newcomer comes forward to trade, and Haqparast sticks and moves but eats a few punches square on the chin. Garcia drills Haqparast with an elbow and a left hand, and Haqparast walks through it to stab the body with another kick. As Garcia is circling, Haqparast nails him with a right hand that gives Garcia some pause but does not slow him for long. Haqparast digs to the body with a few punches, and he takes one to the chest as Garcia shoots in for a takedown. Haqparast stuffs it and makes him pay with a left hand, and he hits a slick trip to put Garcia on his back and lords over his work while allowing Garcia to stand. Haqparast stings his man with a few left hands and an uppercut, and Garcia’s face is busted up but he is continuing the pressure. Haqparast plants his foot on Garcia’s liver, and this stuns Garcia for a moment. Haqparast leaps in with a superman punch, and he steps through to trip and throw Garcia down again. Garcia gets off a leg kick, but Haqparast dances around the outside with several left hands and body kicks. Garcia takes one to land one, and he is unconcerned even as he continues to absorb heavy body kicks. Garcia crashes forward to grab the leg, and he cannot land the takedown before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast

Round 3

Garcia reaches out with a few jabs to begin the final frame, and Haqparast pierces the body with another specifically targeted kick to the liver. Haqparast leans into a few heavy left hands, and Garcia surprises his foe with a right hand that pushes Haqparast into the fence. Haqparast circles out and scores a huge punch, but Garcia does not wobble. Three heavy strikes stun Garcia again, but the Mexican is tough and wears it well. Four punches score in rapid succession for Haqparast, and Garcia marches on like a Terminator to keep landing strikes. Haqparast times the uppercut and Garcia eats it like a tamale before taking several fierce leg body kicks. Garcia rushes to attack, unloading with several punches and elbows before aiming a takedown. Haqparast sees the takedown coming and circles off, where he sticks his foe with a few left hands and front kicks to the body. Garcia continues to paw out left hands, but Haqparast’s accuracy and damage is adding up fast as Garcia’s volume has diminished. Garcia tries to step on the gas, but Haqparast is three steps ahead as he rips the body with punches and kicks to the midsection. Garcia throws lopping punches, and Haqparast smacks him with left hand after crisp left hand. Garcia paws out a half-hearted jab, and a body shot comes right back his way. Two stern punches and a body kick come from Haqparast, who blocks the oncoming fire and delivers another kick to the torso. Garcia tries to push his way into a combination, and it gets disrupted by Haqparast’s body shot. Haqparast barely misses with a head kick, and Garcia nods at him only to get blasted with one that comes right after it. Haqparast hurts Garcia with a liver kick, and he celebrates with another head kick. Haqparast cruises on the outside and scores another head kick to end the round in style. The two lightweights celebrate their hard-fought battle as soon as the last horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast (30-27 Haqparast)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast (29-28 Haqparast)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast (30-27 Haqparast)

The Official Result

Nasrat Haqparast def. Rafa Garcia via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Rani Yahya (136) vs. Ray Rodriguez (135.5)

Round 1

A pair of submission-minded bantamweights come to blows now, when crafty grappler Yahya (26-10-1, 1 NC; 11-4-1, 1 NC UFC) squares off with “The Judge” Rodriguez (16-7, 0-1 UFC). These two 135-pounders will draw oversight from referee Herb Dean, and they touch gloves before the action begins. Yahya begins the fight with a leg kick, and Rodriguez fires back with a head kick that is just blocked in time. A huge one-two wobbles Yahya’s legs, and the Brazilian crashes forward to take the fight down with a body lock. Yahya lands a soft knee and ties up Rodriguez’ leg, and with sheer force of will, he puts Rodriguez on his back. Yahya lands in half guard, keeping Rodriguez flat on his back with heavy pressure while already aiming for an arm-triangle choke. Yahya postures up to land a few punches, and Rodriguez turns to his side to try to gain any space. Rodriguez pushes his feet off the fence, and Yahya will not allow him to get freed and stays heavy and tight. Rodriguez holds on with a guillotine grip, and he bails on it as soon as Yahya considers shoulder pressure in the form of a burgeoning Von Preux choke. Rodriguez releases the grip and Yahya continues to grind and land a few sporadic punches. The Brazilian thwarts a twisting Rodriguez from breaking the posture, and he considers squeezing on Rodriguez’ head from above in some kind of crank. As the grinding ground control continues, the commentary booth drifts off into discussing Michael Bisping’s diet. In the meantime, Yahya cinches up an arm-triangle choke, although it is not tight enough to put Rodriguez into much danger. The round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yahya
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Yahya
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yahya

Round 2

Rodriguez boots Yahya in the face at the very opening of the round, and Yahya walks it off and lands a few punches to back Rodriguez off. Yahya takes three punches off the guard, and he lands a couple leg kicks to push Rodriguez back into the cage. Yahya wings a right hand, and Rodriguez shakes it off and absorbs another leg kick. From a great distance, Yahya shoots in deep for a double leg takedown, and he switches it to a single when Rodriguez defends himself against the fence. Although Rodriguez survives the first attempt, Yahya succeeds on the second and gets right back to the same position he rode out most of the first round. This half guard position flattens Rodriguez back down, and Yahya threatens with an arm-triangle choke and smacks Rodriguez with his right hand a few times to soften him up. Rodriguez bucks and twists and even tries to punch Yahya a few times, but the smothering top control of Yahya is irritating “The Judge.” Rodriguez uses a butterfly guard to push Yahya off, but this only forces the Brazilian to change over to the other side where he instantly ties up an arm-triangle choke. Yahya presses his full body weight down while squeezing with all his might, and Rodriguez’ head changes colors a little before he taps out to surrender. That is submission number 21 for the Brazilian, who now celebrates a 77.8 percent career submission rate. Yahya has still never notched a knockout.

The Official Result

Rani Yahya def. Ray Rodriguez R2 3:09 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)

Charles Jourdain (145.5) vs. Marcelo Rojo (145.5)

Round 1

This featherweight scrap that is about to take place comes in the form of a classic Canada vs. Argentina battle, when “Air” Jourdain (10-3-1, 1-2-1 UFC) looks to keep his finishing ways intact against uniquely nicknamed “Pitbull” Rojo (16-6, 0-0 UFC). Holding on tight for what could be a furious affair is referee Mark Smith, and the two stoppage-happy competitors touch gloves before swinging for the bleachers. Rojo thinks to come forward to start out swinging, but Jourdain is ready with a head kick. The kicks keep coming for the Canadian, spamming kicks to the head and body, and Rojo absorbs them and looks to counter. Rojo rushes in with an aggressive swing that nearly makes him fall over, but he backs off and Jourdain kicks at him and slips. The Canadian springs back up, and Rojo grabs hold of him to take the fight down. “Air” Jourdain does not stay grounded for long, powering his way back up and landing a kick the same time his foe lands one. Jourdain gets off a head kick a split-second before a right hand nails him in the face, and Rojo is loading up on shots to do some damage early. Rojo splits the guard with a knee up the middle, and Jourdain retreats to pepper away with leg kicks. Rojo sits down on his own leg kick that makes Jourdain nearly turn around, and he steps through with a left hand that stings Jourdain. Both men get off leg kicks at the same time, and they both land heavy punches before breaking apart. Jourdain slings three kicks to the body and head before Rojo can close the distance, and he keeps working these kicks until Rojo crashes the pocket and knees him in the face. Jourdain lets loose another head kick that gets blocked, and he stutter-steps forward to score a solid left hand. Rojo fires right back at him, and the two trade heavy leather for a moment. Jourdain kicks high, and Rojo blocks it and lets Jourdain tumble to the ground. As soon as the Canadian stands, Rojo is on him landing punches. Jourdain circles off and kicks high and low a few times, and Rojo chops at his legs with a few heavy leg kicks. Jourdain ducks in to throw, and the newcomer hurts him with a quick combination. Jourdain keeps a good poker face, and circles off the cage as Rojo chases after him to keep punching. Jourdain rushes forward to land and surprise Rojo, and the two trade furiously in the clinch as Jourdain presses his man into the wire. Jourdain works the body several times in close proximity, and the two break apart where Jourdain lets go with a big head kick. Rojo eats a few big punches, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rojo
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Rojo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rojo

Round 2

There is a respectful touch of gloves to start the second round after five minutes of fury, and Rojo advances first and lands a few punches and a slapping leg kick. Jourdain leaps forward with a jab, and Rojo meets him with six punches before Jourdain can get his bearings. Rojo rings Jourdain’s bell as he keeps landing, backing Jourdain into the fence and doing some damage. When they separate, Jourdain tries to kick but Rojo targets his legs with impunity. Rojo lands a right hand, and Jourdain fires right back to get Rojo’s attention. Jourdain hacks at the lead leg and snaps Rojo’s head back with a jab, but the newcomer is not concerned and instead meets the Canadian’s aggression with his own. Jourdain reaches out with his fingers, and he inadvertently jabs Rojo in the eye. A 30 second break is all Rojo needs to recover, and Jourdain apologizes with a glove touch. Jourdain from a distance starts working Rojo with leg kicks and body kicks, and Rojo tries to counter with booming overhand rights. Jourdain springs forward with a left hand and ducks the inevitable counter, where he backs off into the fence to secure a big head kick. Rojo starts ripping the body with vicious punches in bunches, and Jourdain doubles over in pain and surprise. Rojo uses his momentum to tie Jourdain up, and he tries to drag the fight down but Jourdain stays upright and gains separation. Rojo swings wildly and whiffs on a spinning back elbow, and Jourdain gathers himself and lands a few punches that mark up Rojo’s face. Jourdain scores a few times to his foe’s lead leg, and Rojo winds up on big shots that just barely miss. Jourdain hops forward, lands a left hand, and evades the counter that soon follows. Jourdain lands a kick that makes him fall back, but he regains his composure and sticks out a few jabs. Rojo absorbs a right hand to land three or four punches, and he chains them into a knee that forces Jourdain back into the fence. The Canadian gathers his thoughts and just barely avoids a huge punch to the body. Rojo chips away at his opponent’s leg, and Jourdain limps away. Out of nowhere, Jourdain cracks Rojo with a flying knee, and he seeks the finish as he pours it on. Rojo steels himself and slings heavy leather back, and the two trade violently to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rojo
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Rojo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain

Round 3

There is no feeling-out process to begin the final round, and they pick up where they left off swinging with everything they have. Rojo jumps forward to attack, and Jourdain stands firm and gets off several short shots until Rojo is forced to backpedal. Jourdain’s leg may be compromised, but he is not showing it as he puts several punches together. Jourdain stings Rojo with a left hand, and Rojo eats it like a steak and fires right back with his own salvo of punches. Jourdain splits the guard with a few quick strikes, and he steps away to uppercut Rojo in the face. A huge right hand from Jourdain knocks Rojo flat on his back, and “Air” Jourdain leaps through the air to drop bombs. Smith tells Rojo to defend himself as Jourdain pours it on, and Jourdain stands up to lord over his opponent but allows Rojo to get his bearings. Jourdain steps away, and he leaps high in the air to land a brutal hammerfist on the chin. Jourdain keeps slamming his fist into Rojo’s face, and he steps back to dive down and elbow him in the face. Jourdain is merciless, smashing the body and head and forcing Rojo to turtle up briefly. Rojo turns around and rolls to his stomach, where Jourdain ties up his arm and rains down punches. Jourdain steps away to let Rojo up, and he marches forward to slug it out. Rojo greets him with a violent flurry, and these two are giving it all they have and are laying into each other with bad intentions. Jourdain tags Rojo with a flying knee, and he works the body repeatedly as he bullies Rojo into the fence. Jourdain targets the body repeatedly, and Rojo tries to tie him up in the clinch. Jourdain pours it on, throwing everything he has left in one blistering left hand that short-circuits Rojo and puts the newcomer out on his back. Smith has seen enough and saves Rojo from his own toughness, awarding what should be a massive comeback as some scored the first two rounds to Rojo. With less than 30 seconds to go, Jourdain kept his 100 percent finish rate intact with a thrilling knockout after a terrifically violent battle.

The Official Result

Charles Jourdain def. Marcelo Rojo R3 4:31 via TKO (Punches)

Angela Hill (115.5) vs. Ashley Yoder (116)

Round 1

A strawweight rematch over three years in the making headlines the prelims, as fan-favorite Hill (12-9, 7-9 UFC) and “The Spider Monkey” Yoder (8-6, 3-5 UFC) meet once again. The matchup, one that was initially scheduled for UFC Fight Night 186, comes a few weeks later due to a COVID-19 related scratch for Yoder. Getting this show on the road is referee mightily mustachioed Mike Beltran, and the two women do not touch gloves as they would rather start swinging early. Hill puts on the pressure and paws out with a left hand, and she chips away at the lead leg to start things off. Yoder throws back with a wild left hand, and Hill dances out of the way and returns to her pressure to back Yoder towards the fence. Yoder reaches out with a left hand, and she gets kicked in the leg for her effort. Hill avoids a few strikes to land a pair of long right hands, and she gets in and out before Yoder can counter. Hill kicks the lead leg again, and Yoder swats at her but cannot make Hill pay for the strike. Hill blitzes forward with punches into a clinch, and Yoder tries to tie her up and hit a trip on the inside, but she cannot land it. Both women drop to a knee from a throw, and they both pop back up at the same time and are still tied up. Hill hacks at her foe with a fierce elbow, and she keeps heavy pressure and sets up a knee or two. The two women separate, and Yoder lands a surprising left hand that gets Hill’s attention. Hill retaliates with a few leg kicks, and a looping right hand from Hill finds its home on the target. A subsequent strike stings Yoder, who crashes forward to take the fight down but is stuffed and clocked with an overhand right. Yoder backs off and preemptively raises her leg to prepare for the leg kick, and it comes as soon as she sets her leg down. Hill wings a right hand, and she bullies Yoder into the cage with a huge right hand that hurts Yoder badly. Hill uses the forward momentum to land a few more shots and push Yoder down to the ground. Hill just barely stops herself from landing an illegal knee, and she bowls Yoder over to land punches until the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hill
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Hill
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hill

Round 2

Hill comes out aggressively to begin the second stanza, aiming a leg kick and a right hand as Yoder recalibrates. Hill keeps working the leg and swarming her foe with punches, and she gets Yoder’s attention with a kick that almost makes Yoder’s knee buckle. Hill loads up on a right hand and Yoder is forced to go after a desperation takedown, but there is nothing to it. Hill’s feints and fakes are drawing reactions out of her opponent, as Yoder lifts her leg up and flinches before getting hit. Hill drills her in the face with a stiff right hand, and Yoder shakes it off and backs off. Hill digs to the body with a left hand, and Yoder is reeling as she takes a few punches on the chin shortly thereafter. Hill lays into Yoder with a few more shots, and Yoder wipes her nose and looks flustered on the feet as she fails at a takedown attempt. Yoder tries to tie Hill up in the clinch, and Hill unloads on her with a few punches. Yoder breaks free and gets kicked in the chest, and the strike moving her back allows her to get out of the way from a massive right hand. Hill charges after he with a few punches, and when Yoder takes her turn to advance, one single short jab is all she can muster. Hill lands a few kicks as she closes the range, and Yoder latches on but cannot keep Hill stuck. “Overkill” targets the leg a few times, and Yoder counters once with a punch but allows the remainder to land. Hill walks forward with a step-in knee, and she jabs the body and gets jabbed back. Hill whiffs on a head kick and circles back to a low kick. Yoder crashes forward but gets punched in the body, and she doubles over in pain. Hill attacks recklessly, charging forward and landing more body shots that keep damaging her opponent. Hill gets a little too wild trying to finish the job, as Yoder channels her momentum against her and throws Hill to her back. Yoder climbs into the guard, and Hill answers her by elbowing her from the bottom repeatedly. Hill almost kicks Yoder off of her, but Yoder scrambles back on top to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Hill
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-8 Hill
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Hill

Round 3

Hill immediately starts off with a body kick, and Yoder comes out swinging. Hill is forced to back off and defend herself, and she thwarts a takedown and spins Yoder into the fence. “Overkill” starts working the body with knees, and Yoder is not fond of these strikes as she keeps reaching down to try to grab the knee but cannot get to it before Hill retracts it. Hill keeps spamming these knees in the clinch, and she elbows Yoder in the face to mix up her attack while “The Spider Monkey” is trapped against the wire. Hill gets off a few more knees until they separate, and Yoder swings wildly and gets countered to the body with ease. Hill swings a right hand to the midsection, and she gets off a high kick that careens off Yoder’s shoulder. When Hill lands a body shot, Yoder leans over but gathers herself. Hill targets the same spot, and she marches forward when Yoder reacts again to knee her in the same spot. In the clinch, Hill blasts her opponent in the chest repeatedly with reckless knees, and Yoder catches her and trip Hill to put her on her back. Yoder sneaks over to half guard, and she starts letting loose with left hands as she gets her breath back. “The Spider Monkey” wrangles to aim for an arm-triangle choke, but Hill is wise to it so Yoder steps over to keep Hill planted on her back. Hill scoots her way to the fence, and she looks irritated as she is stuck while Yoder holds on to her. Hill gets back to her feet in an odd exchange, and she knees Yoder to the body a few times. Hill gets kicked as she tries to spin, and she steps in with a right hand that catches Yoder on the chin. When Yoder throws a head kick at her, Hill catches it and lands a few right hands right before the final horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hill (30-26 Hill)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Hill (30-26 Hill)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hill (30-26 Hill)

The Official Result

Angela Hill def. Ashley Yoder via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Eryk Anders (186) vs. Darren Stewart (185.5)

Round 1

Two middleweights looking to lift their UFC records above .500 enter the Octagon to commence the main card, as “Ya Boi” Anders (13-5, 5-5 UFC) tries to keep all of his teeth against “The Dentist” Stewart (12-6, 1 NC; 5-5, 1 NC UFC). With both men able to shut the other’s lights out in an instant, referee Herb Dean may have his hands full as he observes them touch gloves. Stewart hops around as he reaches out towards his opponent, and the first strike comes in about 30 seconds when Stewart kicks the lead leg. “The Dentist” targets the leg again, and Anders tries to counter with a punch. As Anders pushes forward, he gets clipped with a left hand, but he does not show any concern for it. Both men stand before the other, and they slug it out. Stewart starts throwing bombs and hurts Anders, and he taunts his opponent by raising his arms in the air. When Stewart keeps landing on him, Anders changes levels to hunt for a takedown. The Brit stays upright and drills Anders in the chest with a knee, and Anders wears it well and pursues a single leg takedown but there is nothing to it. Anders tries to power through to muscle Stewart down, and Stewart keeps his balance and gets pushed into the fencing. Anders lands a knee and drops down for a double, and Stewart sees it coming and thwarts it and the subsequent trip. Anders gets off a pair of oddly angled knees to the thigh, and he keeps heavy pressure on his foe. They separate and start brawling, and Stewart gets tagged and hurt. Anders uses the opportunity to wrench Stewart to the ground, and Stewart regains his composure only to get put right back down. Stewart once more fights his way back up, and the two start trading wildly. Andres gets blasted and bloodied up badly, and the two are fighting in a phone booth trading bombs. Anders slams his fist into Stewart’s chin and puts “The Dentist” down, and Anders starts raining punches down to try to finish the job. Dean implores Stewart to fight back, and Anders keeps pounding on Stewart. The onslaught from Anders allows him to push Stewart to the ground, where he continues his punishment. Stewart drops to a knee and is just about to go out, and Anders smashes him in the face with an illegal knee very reminiscent of Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling last week. Dean recognizes it and pauses the fight immediately. Stewart is in a bad, bad way, but he eventually makes his way to his feet to plead with the doctor that he can continue. The doctor tells Stewart that if he cannot stand, he should not be fighting, and he tells Dean that Stewart should not continue. Dean waves the fight off, Anders comes over to apologize and Stewart is simultaneously wobbling around and upset that the fight has ended. As Dean did not rule the foul intentional, and it did not reach the midpoint of the second round, it should be ruled a no contest. Once Stewart recovers, the UFC would be silly not to rebook this matchup as soon as possible.

The Official Result

Eryk Anders vs. Darren Stewart is ruled a No Contest (Illegal Knee) R1 4:37

Manel Kape (125.5) vs. Matheus Nicolau Pereira (125.5)

Round 1

Kape (15-5, 0-1 UFC) will try to make good on his second appearance inside the UFC cage against the returning Nicolau (15-2-1, 3-1 UFC) at flyweight. The former Rizin champ dropped a decision to Alexandre Pantoja in his last time out, while Nicolau saw his unexpected release in 2019 after a single knockout loss. As both aim for a solid performance to put them in prime position to rise up the flyweight division, they will do so before referee Mark Smith. Nicolau scores a big early leg kick that almost sweeps Kape’s leg out from beneath him. Both flyweight swat at one another with single strikes but come up short, and Nicolau rushes in and gets kicked to the cup. Nicolau walks through it, and he kicks Kape in the body. Kape looks to throw bombs, and Nicolau ducks out of the way to avoid them as the two measure one another. The Brazilian targets the leg again with a fierce kick, and Kape can do nothing but take it flush. Nicolau darts in, throws a punch, and gets out before he gets countered. When Kape swings hard, Nicolau charges in for a takedown. The Brazilian clings on with a body lock, and when the first attempt is not successful, the second one is. Nicolau puts Kape on his back, and Kape scoots his way to the fence as he gets hit in the face repeatedly. Kape sits up to try to get out, and Nicolau threatens with a guillotine choke. Kape rolls through and winds up in a guillotine choke, and Nicolau pulls guard to secure it. As Kape is still standing, he bounces up and down to free himself from the danger, and Nicolau aims for a shoulder lock while he slides off. Nicolau is allowed to stand back up, and Kape backs away to find his range. As Kape comes in again, Nicolau hits a picture-perfect single to put Kape on the ground again. While the Brazilian lands strikes from above, Kape threatens with an armbar that Nicolau practically ignores. Nicolau targets the body and head with his ground-and-pound, and Kape again tries to aim for a submission only to get shoved aside. Nicolau grinds out the round on top.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nicolau

Round 2

Kape comes out of his corner pushing the pace, and he walks Nicolau down and tries to get off a jumping front kick. Nicolau sees it coming and circles away, and Kape chases after him with a heavy uppercut. Nicolau is hurt, and he shoots for a desperation takedown but gets stuffed. Kape swarms him with powerful punches, and Nicolau falls to a knee as he takes an uppercut on the chin only to spring back up. A big left hook makes Nicolau topple over and somersault backwards, and Kape stalks him down calmly to do more damage. Nicolau turns a takedown attempt into a two-punch combination, and Kape eats it about as cleanly as one can and does not flinch. Kape rips the body with a left hand, and he aims with another shortly after as Nicolau is reeling. Kape rushes after Nicolau and gets clipped with a right hand, but Kape completely ignores it as he hunts his prey. A step-in knee leads to a right hand from Kape, and Nicolau wobbles but does not fall. The Brazilian jabs a few times to the body, and Kape pushes him away and does not let any strike from Nicolau get to him. Nicolau goes for a takedown, and Kape rolls through it and stands to his feet, only to get kneed in the chest. Kape stands confidently before his foe, and even when Nicolau lands, he does not let it register and instead puts power punches on him. Nicolau chains a punch into a takedown attempt, and Kape shucks him off and gets right back to his aggressive march in sight of a finish. Nicolau kicks the lead leg and falls over, and Kape lets him stand back up so he can continue chasing him. Kape eats a body shot so that he can counter, and Nicolau lands a few times while avoiding the replies. “Prodigio” leaps forward with a flying knee, and Nicolau dances out of the way. When Kape leaps and attacks again, he falls to his back, only for time to expire before the Brazilian can capitalize.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kape
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Kape
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kape

Round 3

There is a glove touch to start off the second round, and the tide may have seriously changed from Round 1 to 2. Kape plants his fist on the jaw of his adversary, and he chops at the lead leg a few times from range. Nicolau takes an inside leg kick that may have bounced off the cup, but he does not let this slow him down as he is measuring for a takedown. Nicolau sprints forward with two punches and backs away when Kape loops a big shot back at him. Nicolau steps in and cracks Kape with a stiff left hand, and he beats Kape to the punch with a follow-up strike while not getting struck back. Nicolau works a couple leg kicks, and he gets off a solid left hand that Kape laughs off. Nicolau rushes in with a single leg takedown, and Kape defends it and pushes Nicolau over to his back. Kape stands above him and kicks the leg a few times, and when Nicolau sits up, Kape swats at him. Nicolau butt-scoots at him to engage, but when Kape backs off, he hops back to his feet. Nicolau steps in and scores a solid right hand and a head kick; like a villain in a James Bond movie, Kape does not flinch. Nicolau tattoos his fists on Kape’s face, and he finally gets Kape’s attention with power shots. Kape tries to land back, and he does at a lower volume. Nicolau charges in with a leg kick and looks for a trip, but there is nothing there. Instead, Nicolau circles and digs to the body with a few punches. Kape takes a fierce one-two square on the jaw, and Nicolau patiently backs away to get off a sweeping leg kick. Kape looses a head kick, and Nicolau blocks it and steps in to start throwing bombs. Kape throws back at him, and when he does, Nicolau times a takedown attempt that gets rebuffed. Nicolau throws heavy leather and gets rocked with a flying knee. Kape jumps forward with a ferocious knee, and Nicolau eats and responds with a spinning back elbow. The final round ends, and this is about as close as it could be.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kape (29-28 Kape)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Kape (29-28 Kape)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kape (29-28 Kape)

The Official Result

Mateus Nicolau def. Manel Kape via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Jonathan Martinez (136) vs. Davey Grant (135.5)

Round 1

Since making his promotional debut in 2013, Grant (12-4, 3-3 UFC) has competed just six times. “Dragon” Martinez (13-3, 4-2 UFC) made his first UFC appearance in 2018, and this will also be his seventh bout. Can Martinez break his streak of one loss followed by two wins – this pattern dictates that he will be unsuccessful tonight – against “Dangerous” Grant? Like referee Chris Tognoni, we will find out shortly. The two bantamweights touch gloves, and Martinez starts off with a body kick. Grant is willing to trade kicks early, and he lands a few calf kicks and blocks another body kick coming his way. Grant steps in with a front kick, and the two go single kick for single kick in a back-and-forth exchange. Grant nearly slips throwing a high side kicks, and he walks forward to land a body shot only to get tagged with an overhand left. “Dangerous” Grant spins with a wheel kick, and it is barely blocked in time. Grant steps in with a stomp kick to the knee, and a springing side kick follows suit. Grant slings a head kick and has his calf kicked out from beneath him, but he wears it well as he rushes in to brawl. Martinez is more composed with his hands, and he gets off a pair of punches. Grant tries to respond with an Andy Hug-style spinning kick to the thigh, and Martinez is patient and lets Grant regain his composure before drilling his calf a few times. Both men trade leg kicks, and Grant starts giving his foe back some leg kicks. The damage is already mounting for Grant, and he absorbs a left hook as well from “Dragon.” They both exchange kicks to the knee, and Martinez dances out of the way from a spinning back kick. Grant wades forward with two bombs, and when the left is blocked, the right scores flush and gets Martinez’ attention. Grant continues his bombardment of long kicks, and Martinez gives him several right back to the body. A blocked head kick from Grant turns into a spinning back kick to the body, and Martinez springs off the fence to come back at him. Grant throws a right hand, and Martinez ducks and cracks him with a left hook that sends Grant flying to the ground. “Dragon” unleashes a few powerful ground punches to try to end the fight, and Grant survives to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Martinez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Martinez

Round 2

The kickboxers touch gloves and continue practically where they left off from the previous round, trading kicks one after the other. Grant steps in with a kick to the body, and when he looses a right hand, Martinez is quick to counter him. Grand throws several looping shots with his hands by his waist, and Martinez blocks them and staves off a subsequent takedown attempt. Grant pours it on with looping punches, only to get tagged by quicker, straight shots. Grant digs to the body and has his leg kicks hard, and he retreats back enough to avoid a big right hand. Grant continues to work the body with punches and even a jumping switch kick, and when he spins with a back fist, Martinez easily sees it coming. Martinez is forced to fight off this wild offense and not get much going, but he manages to sneak in a left hook. Martinez sticks and moves, avoiding a power punch but getting tagged with another that wobbles his legs. Grant does not take advantage of the situation, and instead backs away to score kicks from afar. Grant lands one on the chin, and Martinez cannot answer him with the same impact with his own punch. Grant throws so hard he stumbles, and Martinez kicks him as Grant tries to gather himself. Grant aims a right to the body and a left to the head, and his bomb of a left hand detonates on the chin and drops Martinez. Tognoni races over to intervene as Martinez is very possibly out, and Grant gets off a couple academic shots from on top before he is tossed aside. “Dragon” has been slain for the first time in his career, never before suffering a stoppage loss. This is a huge win for Grant, who is on the rise with an unorthodox but effective performance ending in a big way.

The Official Result

Davey Grant def. Jonathan Martinez R2 3:03 via KO (Punch)

Dan Ige (145.5) vs. Gavin Tucker (146)

Round 1

At featherweight, Ige (14-3, 6-2 UFC) will try to rebound from his headlining defeat to Calvin Kattar against the surging “Guv’nor” Tucker (13-1, 4-1 UFC). Drawing the assignment for what should be a fun 145-pound clash that many are preemptively calling “Fight of the Night” is referee Mike Beltran, and the two men touch gloves before getting down to business. Tucker circles widely on the outside to try to find his angle, and he simply walks forward and throws hands with Ige instead. “50K” winds up with a right hand and cracks Tucker cleanly on the chin, putting Tucker down and out cold. Knowing his work here is done and he may have just picked up a check sharing the amount in his nickname, Ige walks away confidently. Until now, Tucker had never before been finished.

The Official Result

Dan Ige def. Gavin Tucker R1 0:22 via KO (Punch)

Misha Cirkunov (205) vs. Ryan Spann (206)

Round 1

The co-headliner brings what should be terrific amount of violence and intensity as two finishers in Cirkunov (15-5, 6-3 UFC) and Spann (18-6, 4-1 UFC) throw down. Referee Mark Smith will need to keep his head on a swivel, as these two light heavyweights combine for 28 finishes in their 33 total victories. There is no glove touch, as it’s on. Spann wades forward to throw bombs, and Cirkunov fires off a head kick as a response. Spann walks forward into a right hand, and he scores with a punch but gets kicked in the groin. Spann only needs 30 seconds to recover, and when he marches forward to attack, Cirkunov gets his attention with a right hand. Spann smashes Cirkunov with a massive right hand that sends Cirkunov crashing to the canvas, and Spann drops down with a few shots before wise coach Sayif Saud implores Spann to not play in his foe’s guard. Spann lets Cirkunov stand up, and he lands a few shots before setting up a left hand. The punch from “Superman,” while not a superman punch per se, is powerful enough to take Cirkunov’s legs out beneath him. This time, Spann smells blood and wants to end things. The Fortis MMA star leaps down to start pounding on his opponent with hammerfists, and he continues slamming them into Cirkunov’s head until Smith has seen enough and halts the fight. Spann did not need long to notch an emphatic victory, and he made a statement by putting away a fellow top-15 opponent that quickly.

The Official Result

Ryan Spann def. Misha Cirkunov R1 1:11 via TKO (Punches)

Leon Edwards (170.5) vs. Belal Muhammad (170)

Round 1

The next welterweight title shot may be on the line between these two, as Edwards (18-3, 10-2 UFC) puts one of the longest win streaks in UFC welterweight history on the line against the hard-charging Muhammad (18-3, 9-3 UFC). Edwards will be competing for the first time since July 2019, while Muhammad has competed three times along the way, most recently exactly one month ago. This high-stakes main event will be officiated by referee Herb Dean, and there is no glove touch before the fighters engage. Both men feint and fake their way in, and Edwards reaches out with a few right hands and gets kicked in the cup. The two touch gloves and get right back to it, where the Brit fires off a pair of quick head kicks. Edwards circles on the outside and wings a left hook, and when Muhammad avoids it, he charges ahead with two big looping shots of his own. Muhammad scores a knee and eats a stern one-two, and Edwards clinches up to bully Muhammad into the fence. Muhammad breaks and spins with an elbow that clacks off Edwards’ head. Muhammad sits down on a right hand, and he gets clipped with a quick counter. A high kick for Edwards makes Muhammad bounce off the fence, and Edwards fires off another and rocks Muhammad. Edwards rushes in to do more damage, and Muhammad is hurt and takes a few punches on the chin. Muhammad clinches up and grinds tight to gather himself, and Edwards breaks free and lobs a right hand. A cut above Muhammad’s right ear is bleeding from one of the strikes, but he pays it no mind as he fires off a body kick. Edwards reaches out his hand and jabs Muhammad in the eye, and Muhammad takes a few seconds to gather himself before resuming the match. When they start up again, Edwards is sharp and tees off on Muhammad, scoring a one-two that sends Muhammad reeling. Muhammad sneaks out a few jabs, but they do not appear to have the same effect as Edwards’. Edwards chips at the leg, walks through a head kick, and winds up in a clinch where both men land flush on the other. The first round ends as Muhammad comes up short with a head kick.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Edwards
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Edwards
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Edwards

Round 2

The two welterweights trade jabs one after the other, and Edwards reaches out with his outstretched hand and boots Muhammad in the side. Edwards’ finger thrusts deep into the eye socket, and this is bad. Muhammad slumps to the ground, screaming in pain from the eye poke, and Dean calls in doctor immediately. Muhammad begins to sob, as he informs the doctor he can’t see anything while his eye starts bleeding. The fight is over. What a disappointing conclusion to a highly anticipated fight, and hopefully Muhammad makes a full recovery and this matchup can be rescheduled soon. UFC Fight Night 187 is now the first event in UFC history where multiple bouts were ruled no contests inside the cage that night.

The Official Result

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad is ruled a No Contest (Accidental Eye Poke) R2 0:18