UFC 277 ‘Pena vs. Nunes 2’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Round 1

Who’s ready for some Texas-based action tonight? The UFC sure is,
with a lucky 13 bouts going down in the American Airlines Center in
Dallas, culminating with a pair of rematches that have belts on the
line. Before we get up there, we need to churn through some
prelims, and the night starts with what should be a lot of action
for as long as it lasts. In a fight initially booked at
welterweight, Cosce (7-1, 0-1 UFC) missed weight by a pound and a
half ahead of his contest with “Blood Diamond” Mathetha (3-1, 0-1
UFC), and it’s anyone’s guess how it will affect his performance –
although it will hurt his pocketbook should he record a
bonus-worthy victory or fight. Despite the weight miss, the
fighters are cordial and they touch gloves in front of referee
Jacob Montalvo. It’s on! The New Zealand native starts off the
fight with several kicks, keeping Cosce at range early. Cosce drops
back and puts his hands in the air when Mathetha lands flush with a
few punches and a kick, and he does not press forward. Instead,
Mathetha works him with kicks from afar, until he frustrates Cosce
enough to wing an overhand right. As the fist smashes into the face
of “Blood Diamond,” Cosce changes levels and settles to jam
Mathetha into the wall instead of securing a takedown. The fans
start letting out “woos” as Cosce continues to grind, and Mathetha
rips a few short knees to the body to their delight. They trade
knees on the inside as Cosce holds on tight, and the knees appear
more effective for the Kiwi as he turns Cosce around and lines a
few more up. When Mathetha turns his man around, Cosce threatens
with a hip toss by wrapping his arm around the back of Mathetha’s
neck, only for it to fail. Cosce finds another angle when they are
tied up, and he throws Mathetha to the mat, landing right in side
control. The American lands a few punches and forces Mathetha to
scramble, allowing Cosce to grab back control for a moment and look
for an armbar. As Mathetha explodes out of the position, Cosce does
not let him go, pulling off a belly-to-back suplex that
inadvertently lands Cosce on his own head. Mathetha tries to take
his back, but Cosce scoots around to get top position. Mathetha
once more works his way upright, and he kicks Cosce upside the head
and falls over as echoes of horns blare in the arena.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cosce
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Cosce
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cosce

Round 2

The welterweights meet in the middle, and they start off just like
the first round, with Mathetha picking at him with rangy kicks to
the body and legs. Cosce fires back with a high kick, and it
bounces off the shoulder. Cosce connects with a left hand, and
Mathetha is the one to try for some kind of level change. This is
everything Cosce could ask for, as he turns Mathetha around,
thwarting the try, and goes back to crushing “Blood Diamond” into
the fence like he was trying to squeeze blood from a stone. Cosce
calmly works the thighs with knees as he moves for a half-hearted
level change. As he moves his upper body down, he suddenly springs
up with a left elbow over the top to Mathetha’s surprise. Cosce
drops down for a double-leg takedown entry, and Mathetha fights the
hands to not let Cosce clasp them around his hips. As Mathetha
manages to separate, his posture is changed and his strikes appear
more labored. Cosce’s sharper strikes find the target quicker, and
he shrugs off a body kick and a head kick. Cosce targets the body
with punches, and Mathetha replies with a knee and an elbow. As
they crash together like ships in the night, Mathetha awkwardly
turns about and suddenly accelerates, with his elbow blasting Cosce
right in the face while Cosce reaches out with a standing back
fist. Cosce does not know where he is at the moment, wobbling back
to the fence as Mathetha tries to recover from the off-balance move
as well. Mathetha charges, but his pressure ends up putting Cosce
into the wall after scoring with a flush knee that bends Cosce
over. Cosce gathers himself, trying to shake out the cobwebs, he
clinches up tight. Mathetha pushes him off, knees Cosce in the face
a few times, and one knee rocks Cosce and makes Mathetha fall over
at the same time. Cosce blinks it out and lets Mathetha stand up,
so that they can brawl for a few seconds before the dramatic round
ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mathetha
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Mathetha
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mathetha

Round 3

Mathetha controls the cage early with distance strikes, chipping
away with leg strikes before going up top with a knee. Cosce
returns fire, aiming most of his blows to the midsection, and
Mathetha knees him a few more times for good measure. Cosce moves
in for a double, and he secures a smooth throw in the form of a
lateral drop that plants Mathetha on the floor. The Kiwi uses every
bit of energy he has to stand back up, but once he does, Cosce
follows him and takes his back. “Galaxy” drags Mathetha down from
behind and sets up a body triangle as he hunts for a rear-naked
choke, and Mathetha is trapped and trying to turn through it. Cosce
considers shifting over to full mount, and he threatens with an
arm-triangle choke as he moves over to the mount position. Cosce
crushes his shoulder on the throat to lock the choke up, and
Mathetha bucks him off with a furious movement. Cosce remains in
smothering top control, where he drops down his fists a few times
before hunting for an arm-triangle on the other side. When that too
fails, Cosce rails his man with increasingly effective elbows.
Mathetha attempts to scramble, and this puts him in a precarious
position as Cosce briefly claims north-south posture. “Blood
Diamond” turns, his shine starting to fade, as Cosce takes his back
once more and hooks in the body lock. Every time Mathetha moves,
Cosce follows him smoothly, eventually taking mount back again and
pounding Mathetha with an elbow. Mathetha eventually gets Cosce
back to his half guard, but Cosce rides out the round in this
position and concludes the fight with ground-and-pound.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cosce (29-28 Cosce)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Cosce (29-28 Cosce)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cosce (29-28 Cosce)

The Official Result

Orion Cosce def. Mike Mathetha via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

Like the bus that couldn’t slow down, violence-heavy fights keep on
moving. This next match comes at 205 pounds, as the resurgent
Romanian finisher Negumereanu (12-1, 3-1 UFC) and his 83% stoppage
rate greet debuting Ukrainian Potieria (19-2, 0-0 UFC), who
counters with a 79% finish rate on his own end. Referee Kerry
Hatley may have his hands full with this light heavyweight battle,
as these two combine for 20 first-round stoppages in their careers.
There is no glove touch, and Potieria practically sprints out of
his corner but does not engage with anything. The Ukrainian jabs
out a few times before starting a conversation, and he works “Nick”
with kicks to the calf and right hands on the jaw. Negumereanu
responds with a right hand over the top, and he presses forward to
go after a takedown. Negumereanu keeps Potieria pushed up tightly
to the wall, and he hunts for a trip as he ties his foe’s leg up
with his own. Potieria snakes his own leg out of the tie-up, but as
he does, Negumereanu nails him with a right hand over the top
before squeezing him against the wire more. With leverage in his
favor, Negumereanu topples over and flattens Potieria on his back.
Negumereanu begins to hammer his opponent with heavy punches, and
Potieria recovers to full guard. The newcomer bursts back to his
knees, giving up his back in the process, but this does not work
against him as he is able to get upright before Negumereanu can
take it. Negumereanu scoops up a single-leg takedown and plops
Potieria right back down again, and Potieria lays on his back and
takes a few kicks before Negumereanu lets him up. Negumereanu
catches Potieria with a left hand, and Potieria pays him back with
two low kicks. Negumereanu sneaks a right hand over the top, and he
counters a Potieria leg kick as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Negumereanu
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Negumereanu
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Negumereanu

Round 2

Fists get bumped to start the round, and Negumereanu comes out hot,
winging punches and catching Potieria unaware. Potieria rebounds
with a solid right hand, but he gets stood up with a counter left.
Negumereanu times a leg kick to put a straight right down the pipe,
and Potieria takes it flush and starts to get his jab going.
Potieria snipes his man with a left hook as Negumereanu goes for a
kick, and both men start getting excited and ready to brawl.
Negumereanu clips him with a right, and he lands another that
shakes the beard, but Potieria settles and tosses out low kicks.
Potieria comes in and they clash heads by accident, and Negumereanu
lands harder in an exchange and rocks the Ukrainian. Negumereanu
clinches his foe up and pushes him to the wall, where he unloads
with elbows, uppercuts and a spinning back fist for good measure.
When Negumereanu stands back, Potieria’s hands drop as he looks
spent. Negumereanu, on the other hand, is still fresh as a daisy as
they reach the midpoint of the second frame. Potieria goes for a
spinning strike, but it is so telegraphed that the fans in the back
rows see it coming first. Negumereanu mixes in a level change with
knees, and he follows them with fists that knock Potieria to the
fencing. Knowing he has Potieria on the ropes, Negumereanu
unleashes a fury of fists that batter “The Duelist” up against the
wire.
A crisp uppercut dislodges the mouthpiece of Potieria and send it
clear into the stands, and Negumereanu does not let up one moment.
With looping punches, powerful uppercuts and a nasty knee in the
middle of a salvo, Negumereanu works Potieria over with everything
he has. “Nick” clobbers Potieria with punches and knees until
Hatley steps in to save Potieria from his own
toughness. When Hatley intervenes, Potieria’s legs
give way beneath him immediately, and he slumps to the mat with
nothing left to give. What a performance for the Romanian, who
finds himself on a four-fight win streak inside the Octagon and
positions himself as one to watch at 205 pounds going forward.

The Official Result

Nicolae Negumereanu def. Ihor Potieria R2 3:33 via TKO (Punches and
Knees)

Round 1

The second of two fights once set for standard weight classes only
to have one competitor miss weight is around the corner. In her
unsuccessful return to bantamweight after a trip to 145 pounds,
Edwards (11-4, 2-2 UFC) tipped the scales 1.5 pounds above the
limit when she stepped up on short notice. She will be taking on
flyweight convert Kim (9-5-2, 3-5 UFC) and will almost certainly
hold a size advantage against the struggling South Korean. A win
would go long way for either of these ladies, and referee Mike
Beltran understands this as much as they do and is ready for what
comes next. What does actually come next is a touch of gloves.
Edwards takes the center of the Octagon immediately, and she walks
through a few punches from Kim to fire back heavier. Edwards scores
low kicks, and Kim throws back with similar blows, as they try to
find their respective ranges. Edwards steps in with a high kick
that misses, and a right hand that collides with the shoulder. Kim
sneaks a right hand as Edwards comes in, and the Panama native
lines up a few more leg kicks. “La Pantera” jumps forward with a
switch kick to the gut, and Kim keeps moving on the outside in an
effort to find an angle to get in. The pitter-patter leg kicks from
Edwards continue to connect, and she tries another jumping switch
kick that comes up short of the mark. Kim lines a right hand down
the pipe, and Edwards leans back and shrugs it off. When Kim
strings a few punches together, Edwards marches through them to
chain a combination together. Kim keeps laterally moving, and she
circles into a solid body kick. The ladies swing and miss with
punches and kicks, as Kim remains on the outside keeping a safe
range from taking any blow flush. Edwards plods forward, pushing
out a front kick, and Kim scores a left hand but cannot do more as
she backs off when Edwards comes at her. With 30 seconds to go,
both women let their hands fly, ignoring head movement and much
defense so that they can brawl it out. Kim appears to get the worse
of an exchange, forcing her to back off and reevaluate this
decision. Edwards clinches her up and plows her into the wall,
where they trade knees until the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Edwards
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Edwards
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Edwards

Round 2

Fists get touched to open up the second round, and Kim reaches with
lunging punches so that she can touch Edwards before she gets
countered. Kim spins with a back kick and a back fist, and both
come up short. Edwards continues her calm, straight-forward
movement, where she busts up Kim’s nose with punches. Like the end
of the last round, Kim steels herself and starts throwing
haymakers, and Edwards obliges her and connects with some of her
own. Kim once more is the first to separate, and she skips on the
outside to score a right hand over the top. Edwards blinks it out
and returns to her kick-heavy approach, aiming kicks to the calves,
ribs and dome. Edwards stabs her toes to the liver, and Kim blocks
a subsequent head kick and measures a right hand that staggers
Edwards back – not from any noteworthy damage, but due to a loss of
balance. Kim comes forward with a leaping leg kick, and Edwards
replies with a few down low as well. Kim turns her hips into
another kick, one that lands with an audible slap. Kim stands right
in front of Edwards, and she clashes her shin twice into Edwards’
when Edwards tries to kick her. Edwards keeps pawing out with her
low kick, and as Kim kicks her in the side, Edwards boots Kim in
the body that is much harder. Kim ignores this so that she can walk
the Panama native down and nail her with an overhand right, and
Edwards is surprised but not overly concerned with it, as she swats
away the remainder of the combination. Edwards strides forward with
front kicks, just missing with one up top, and Kim reaches her with
a straight left. The South Korean leans back as a kick zooms past
her, and Edwards attempts to fire off a hook kick to follow it up.
Kim boots Edwards in the body, and Edwards ties her up and looks
for a knee. At the sound of the bell, Edwards hits a trip takedown,
but Kim flips her over the second they hit the mat.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kim
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Kim
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kim

Round 3

The pace from Edwards remains constant, with chipping leg kicks to
start things off, and little behind them. Kim is able to push
through them and smack Edwards in the face with a right hook, and
Edwards pushes out front kicks that come up short. Kim loads up
with a few more heavy fists, and at the end of an exchange, Edwards
appears to hurt her right leg and starts limping. Kim does not take
advantage of this lapse any more than usual, throwing a few punches
but not reaching Edwards as Edwards uses push kicks to her favor.
Edwards plods forward and hunts for a throw, but Kim keeps her
balance and backs up to the fence to stay upright. Kim tries to
turn her foe around, but as she does, Edwards muscles Kim over her
hip to throw the South Korean to the ground. Edwards lords over her
in side control, pounding on her until she switches to mount. Kim
slides out the back door, and Edwards snags hold of an armbar. Kim
stays composed, wriggling her wrist out of danger and sliding her
arm out, and she stands back up and lets Edwards do the same. Kim’s
forward movement on the restart leads to a tie-up from “La
Pantera,” and Edwards strings together three clean punches that
knock Kim’s head around. Kim gathers her thoughts and comes up
short throwing back, with Edwards successfully keeping her at bay.
Edwards lowers her hands, as if to lure “Fire Fist” in to attack,
but this just leads to an awkward lull where they stare at one
another as if they had dropped their controllers. With 20 seconds
to go, Edwards throws caution to the wind, and she lays into Kim
with a long punch barrage. Kim obliges with one final brawl, and
the two ladies throw down with all they have left until the quiet
horn and the louder Beltran end the fight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Edwards (29-28 Edwards)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Edwards (29-28 Edwards)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Edwards (29-28 Edwards)

The Official Result

Joselyne Edwards def. Ji Yeon Kim via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28,
30-27)

Round 1

To round out the early prelims, unbeaten Ecuadorian Morales (13-0,
1-0 UFC) draws short-notice newcomer Fugitt (8-2, 0-0 UFC) in the
welterweight division. Stoppage rates at 85% or higher accompany
these two men, so referee Herb Dean will need to be on his A-game.
There is no touch of gloves starts off the match, and instead
Morales is the initial aggressor with a sharp jab. They kick at the
same time, forcing them to recalibrate early, and Fugitt recovers
first with a high kick. The newcomer aims a kick to the ribcage to
follow, and it just snakes under the guard. A second crashes into
Morales’ raised arms, and Morales finds himself blocking this kick
a few more times. Morales catches the leg one time to make Fugitt
think twice on this, and Morales backs off and does a running man
stride to bring Fugitt towards him. Fugitt does not falter on his
kick-heavy approach, and he just misses with an overhand right.
Morales catches a leg, and he gets popped with a right hook that
makes him drop it. Morales snipes Fugitt with a straight right that
causes some swelling on the left eye, and he winds up an hammers
Fugitt with one over the top. Fugitt reels and ducks forward, going
after a body lock takedown and throwing the unbeaten fighter to the
ground. The Oregon native considers playing in the active guard of
Morales, and he gets kicked off but lowers himself back in the
guard to calm down. Fugitt stacks his man up in an effort to set up
ground-and-pound, and he backs all the way off so that he can jump
over to pass guard. Morales uses upkicks effectively to threaten,
and he sweeps Fugitt to the side and allows himself to stand up.
Morales clubs his man with a looping right hand, dropping Fugitt to
a knee, but Fugitt gathers himself and ducks a counter. Fugitt
winds up with a left that knocks Morales back a step, and Morales
lines up a few jabs and gets his head snapped back with a left
hook. Both men start trading with brutal shots, and Morales is
using his head movement with his chin up and his hands down, but he
is still able to get the better of the exchange. Morales tries to
grab hold of Fugitt and connect with some shots, but the last
strike in the form of a jab shakes Fugitt up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Morales

Round 2

The second round opens up with a cautious Morales looking to
counter over the top, and Fugitt powers his way forward with jabs
to close the distance. Fugitt throws a high kick that bounces off
the shoulder, and he spins with a back elbow as Morales jumps
forward with a superman punch. Neither powerful blow lands, and
they get back to range, where Morales tags his man with a right
hand. The jab of the undefeated fighter is working to decent
effect, marking up Fugitt’s nose and stifling his forward momentum.
Morales starts grinning as the crowd lets go with woos, and Fugitt
cracks him with a right hand that makes Morales bounce off the
fence. Fugitt punches his way in, ignoring a pair of jabs to rip
the body with a left. Fugitt winds up with power punches, forcing
Morales to retreat and get back to his jab game. A head kick from
Fugitt misses by a matter of inches, and Morales splits the guard
with a left. The newcomer keeps moving forward, his nose bloodied
from strikes, and he throws bombs as Morales does the same. Fugitt
kicks and falls over when it does not land, and Morales lets him
up. Fugitt smiles and sticks his tongue out, and he keeps his
perpetual forward movement with punches and a takedown effort. The
Ecuadorian shucks it off but cannot stop a body kick from slamming
into his side. Morales blocks a head kick and pokes out with a
left, and he slips an oncoming strike to land a right. Fugitt
chains two punches together, and Morales turns it up and puts five
or six together to the head and body. Fugitt takes them all flush
without batting an eye, and he swings with a looping punch in order
to close the distance. The newcomer knees the body and ducks down
for a takedown, but Morales is able to stuff it and get out of the
way in time. Morales dances a jig, and Fugitt has a laugh, and the
two get back after it. The punches come practically simultaneously,
with Morales just slightly more accurate. Morales taunts his man
when Fugitt misses with a spinning back elbow, and he sneaks in a
right just before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Morales
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Morales

Round 3

After 10 minutes of combat, they elect to touch gloves. Morales
breaks off and pushes out a jab, and he stays on his bike when
Fugitt charges like a bull. Fugitt attacks a takedown, and Morales
skirts out of the way and pops him with a right. Fugitt lets loose
with a left hand that manages to catch Morales flush, and Morales
darts in for a double.
The unbeaten fighter stands him up, sticks him with a left and
looses a short right hand that separates Fugitt from his senses
momentarily. Fugitt drops to his knees and still manages to work
his way back up, but Morales is on him like a cheap suit. A long
string of unanswered punches, where he pushes off instead of
clinching so that he can measure his shots better, pounds into
Fugitt’s jaw one after the other. A final flush right hand on the
ear sends the newcomer crashing to the mat, and Dean has seen
enough. The Entram Gym prospect from Ecuador is now a
perfect 14-0 as a pro, and he just successfully registered his 11th
victory by knockout.

The Official Result

Michael Morales def. Adam Fugitt R3 1:09 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

Opening up the ABC- and ESPN-aired prelims is what should be a fun
lightweight matchup, even if Klose (12-2-1, 6-2 UFC) is now
battling late replacement Garcia (13-2, 2-2 UFC). Both fighters
prevailed on the same event in April, locking down second-round
finishes of Brandon Jenkins and Jesse Ronson, respectively, so the
“Matches to Make” choice appeared to be an easy one. They touch ‘em
up with referee Jacob Rosales watching on, and Klose claims the
center of the cage but is nowhere close to his opponent. Garcia
stays on the outer edge of the cage as Klose feints with jabs, and
the first strike is actually a stomping kick to the knee from
Klose. Klose kicks on the inside and outside of the leg, and Garcia
swarms him with an overhand right that bowls him over – not from it
actually hitting him hard, but from Garcia’s body tackling him
down. Klose gets back up and starts working the calf, until Garcia
closes the distance and aims punches to the body. The American
greets him with knees until they split up, and Klose fakes a body
kick and rips one on the other side before tying Garcia up. Klose
effectively uses the calf kick to decent effect, as Garcia powers
through it to club Klose in the chops with a left. Klose staggers
back and tries to give one back, but Garcia is smooth on the
outside as he kicks the knee and nearly buckles it. Klose gives
chases, and in an ensuing clinch, they throw short punches one
after the other. Klose forces a separation, with his legs appearing
to be fully back under him again, and he walks Garcia down and
measures a jab. When “Gifted” bites on it, Klose changes levels.
Klose is unable to get the first takedown try, but Garcia turns
around and gives up his back. This allows Klose to trip him out and
plant Garcia on his face for a moment. Garcia powers his way back
up, and he grabs the fence to keep himself balanced as Klose
attempts a mat return. Klose trips Garcia’s left leg out beneath
him again to plant him down, and he starts slugging away on Garcia.
“Gifted” checks his face to make sure he is not bleeding, and when
he does, Klose sucks his leg out and makes it so Garcia cannot
simply power his way back up as easily as before. Garcia rolls for
a leglock, and Klose breaks it up before anything can come from it.
When they both get to their knees, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klose
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Klose
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klose

Round 2

Klose races out of his corner to start the next round, and he
plants a wheel kick upside Garcia’s head before shooting for a
takedown in the first 10 seconds. Garcia stuffs it but absorbs a
few knees to the body when Klose bails on it, and Garcia powers his
way out to the center of the Octagon. The lightweights feint and
fake their way towards one another, with Klose employing his stomp
kick and swinging his shin to the body. Garcia dips back and
absorbs a glancing right hand, but he is no worse for wear. Klose
lets go with a body kick, and Garcia cannot pin him down or trap
him to land with impunity. Garcia begins to chop the legs down a
few times, and Klose switches stance after absorbing the blows.
Garcia winds up on a right hook, but Klose dips back and answers
with a short left. Garcia, using his momentum in his favor, pushes
through and knocks Klose off his feet with a double. “Gifted” gives
Klose several gifts in the form of his fists, before stepping into
half guard. The posture remains tight as Garcia does not want to
give up any space or allow a sweep or any bucking movement, but
this also results in a stalemate. The crowd is not a fan of this
nullifying half guard for Garcia, and Klose moves his head around
to dodge punches before Montalvo steps in to stand them up. Garcia
shoots the second they get stood up, and Klose staves it off and
connects with a solid left hand. As Garcia aims a right hand over
the top, Klose ducks down for a possible takedown entry, and Garcia
snatches this up to hunt for a standing guillotine choke. There is
nothing to it, and Klose shucks it off and absorbs the end of a
left hand. Garcia misses with a spinning back kick, and Klose is
suddenly energized and he charges in with his head in the air to
throw bombs. Garcia retreats, and he weathers the storm before
scooping Klose’s legs out and planting him down to the ground. A
few punches for the fighter out of Mexico land before the horn
resounds in the arena.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 3

Klose is the initial aggressor to start off the final round,
pushing the pace and sticking his hands out to back Garcia off. The
Michigan native jabs and makes Garcia dip down right into a head
kick, and Garcia tanks it without budging. Garcia hunts for a
takedown, and he redoubles his effort with a double that takes
Klose off his feet. Klose threatens with a guillotine choke off his
back, but with the cage behind him, there is no leverage to secure
anything, and Garcia is comfortable without concern. Klose explodes
back to his feet, and he throws hands to again force Garcia to back
from one side of the cage to another. Klose allows Garcia to come
at him so that he can set up a clinch in his favor, where he slams
knees and punches into Garcia’s body. Klose senses that Garcia is
fatiguing, and he strides forward without a care in the world,
targeting the midsection and preparing to stuff takedowns. Klose
gets Garcia’s attention with a low kick, and he has a clubbing
right slide off the shoulder into the chin. Garcia’s hands largely
drop by his waist, waiting for Klose to close the distance, so that
he can lift them and sling something heavy. He has a thudding left
connect cleanly, but Klose totally ignores it so that he can do
more work to the body. Klose ties his man up after a failed
takedown entry so that he can batter the body with punches and the
occasional knee. Klose changes this up with his own takedown try,
and Garcia pushes him off and backpedals. Garcia shoots for a
single, and Klose gets shoved back to the wall and knees the ribs a
few times to conclude the fight. Both men raise their hands after
15 minutes of combat, and some will almost certainly attempt the
joke that the Klose fight was a close fight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)

The Official Result

Drakkar Klose def. Rafa Garcia via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

Strap in, this one won’t likely last very long. At heavyweight,
Mayes (9-4, 2-2 UFC) will aim to run his win streak to three, and
he will need to do so at the expense of the first Egyptian-born
fighter in UFC history in Abdelwahab (5-0, 0-0 UFC). The newcomer
has won all five of his pro bouts by knockout, having made his
debut back in Oct. 2021. If there is a slight record disparity, it
is because his first two matches took place under bare-knuckle MMA
rules, which are legitimate under the sanctioning bodies in which
they took place. A solid 520 pounds will test the cage now, not
counting referee Kerry Hatley, and the large sluggers touch hands
before aiming for the head. Mayes whiffs on a low kick, and
Abdelwahab comes at throwing a huge right hand that just misses the
mark. Mayes uses leg kicks to keep a safe range, as Abdelwahab is
chambering to throw nothing but fire. Mayes scores a leg kick and
gets tagged on the way back, but he connects with another low,
heavy kick. Mayes swipes out with a pair of punches to get
Abdelwahab on his heels, and Abdelwahab wings a right hand that
slams into the guard. Mayes takes a step back and gets cracked with
a massive right hand, and it does not even land flush and shakes
him up. Abdelwahab aims another that comes up short, and he blocks
a body kick. Mayes comes out swinging, and Abdelwahab intercepts
him with a left. Abdelwahab delivers a monstrous right hand that
strips Mayes’ legs out, and Mayes springs back up and gets pummeled
with a few more punches. Mayes looks to move, and Abdelwahab
suplexes him and drives his fists into Mayes’ jaw. “The Hammer”
does not go for broke when he has Mayes hurt, instead slowing his
pace so as to not gas out, and Mayes returns to his knee.
Abdelwahab knees him on the thigh a few times as he also attempts
to trip Mayes out, but Mayes slowly works his way up and signals to
Hatley that he is stuck in a stalemate position. Mayes resorts to
putting his palm on the mat to not allow knees to the head, and
Abdelwahab calmly knees him until Hatley tells him to do more.
Abdelwahab does not change his approach, and Hatley steps in to
separate them. Mayes, grateful for the stand-up, leaps in the air
with a flying knee that is well off-target. Abdelwahab shakes his
finger at the inaccurate Mayes, but his pace has fallen off
completely. Mayes shadowboxes with punches and kicks, and
Abdelwahab brawls with him right to the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Abdelwahab
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Abdelwahab
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Abdelwahab

Round 2

Mayes and Abdelwahab meet in the middle of the cage, and Abdelwahab
winds up with a big leg kick and follows it with an overhand right.
Mayes wobbles back but keeps himself composed, and he pushes out
side kicks to the body and legs to keep out of haymaker distance.
Abdelwahab just misses with a left hook as Mayes comes towards him,
and Mayes winds up with an audible kick to the body. Mayes scores a
left and a knee that glances off the head of Abdelwahab, and
Abdelwahab is stunned from the blows and his left eye is hurt.
“Lord Kong” releases a barrage of kicks, punches and knees, and
Abdelwahab takes them on the chin and even ducks into an uppercut.
Abdelwahab survives the assault and gets back to the center of the
cage, and he starts throwing widely telegraphed knockout blows that
all come up short. Mayes skims his chin with an uppercut that could
knock out a bullmoose, and Abdelwahab counters with a right hand.
Mayes slows down, kicking the body and legs, and Abdelwahab swarms
him with a pair of inaccurate punches. Mayes jabs the body and
kicks the same spot, and he is not throwing with reckless abandon
like before. Abdelwahab cannot seem to find his range as he
overcommits to powerful blows, and he lets loose with a body kick
that collides with the top of the cup. Hatley sees the replay and
believes the strike may have been legal, and he forces Mayes back
to action after less than 30 seconds of recover. Mayes darts in
with a straight left hand, but Abdelwahab sits down on three
punches that knock his head around. Abdelwahab bites down on his
gumshield and swings for the fences, only for his groin to get
kicked as well. Hatley does not see it, so Abdelwahab groans and
then shoots in for a takedown. The Egyptian wrestler takes Mayes
cleanly off his feet and secures half guard, and he starts landing
a few punches and elbows. Sensing the success of the elbows, he
releases a few more, and the horn separates them.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mayes
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Mayes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mayes

Round 3

The heavyweights meet in the middle with a glove touch, right after
Abdelwahab’s corner gives him one brilliant piece of advice:
“Smash.” Abdelwahab punches his way into a takedown entry, and he
rips Mayes off his feet and throws him down to the mat for an
exclamation point. Keeping Mayes’ back pinned to the wall on his
seat, Abdelwahab uses the crown of his head to press on Mayes’
chest to hold him there. Mayes scoots his way back upright, and as
soon as he does, Abdelwahab trips his leg out and drops Mayes back
down with ease. Abdelwahab hangs on in half guard, slashing down
with elbows, and the crowd begins to get frustrated with the
slowing pace. Hatley takes a close eye on the proceedings, as
Abdelwahab is holding him down, and Abdelwahab postures up and
drills him with a left. Mayes turns to his side to try to get back
up, and he does manage to work his way to the wall again on his
backside. Abdelwahab lowers him back down before Mayes can quite
get the right posture to stand, and he hooks Mayes’ right leg
beneath his own. The heavyweight grind continues, with the wrestler
wrestling and landing punches on the inside. Mayes gets tagged with
an uppercut, and he looks to sit up, only to get wrenched back
down. Abdelwahab delivers a pair of clean uppercuts on the chin,
and he sets Mayes on his seat once more when Mayes tries to get up.
Hatley decides he has had enough of this, and he stands them up.
Abdelwahab gets on his bike with his hands down, and Mayes jumps at
him with a flying knee. Mayes kicks the body, and Abdelwahab tells
him to bring it on and keep hitting him. Mayes obliges him, kicking
the body and landing a few punches. Abdelwahab fires back
ferociously, and he gets rocked with a right hand at the end of a
torrid exchange. The big men brawl it out right to the bitter end,
with their chins holding up and this fight resting in the hands of
the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Abdelwahab (29-28 Abdelwahab)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Abdelwahab (29-28 Abdelwahab)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Abdelwahab (29-28
Abdelwahab)

The Official Result

Hamdy Abdelwahab def. Don’Tale Mayes via Split Decision (29-28,
28-29, 29-28)

Round 1

The way the lightweight division is these days, talented
competitors like Dober (24-11, 1 NC; 10-7, 1 NC UFC) and Alves
(20-10, 1-1 UFC) can be on the outside looking in for the top 15.
Even a dynamite win over the other likely will not lead to a spot
on the list, but it can’t hurt. Referee Mike Beltran draws the
charge for this matchup, and the veterans with at least 30 fights
under their respective belts bump fists to begin. Alves strikes
first, with a front kick up the middle. As he kicks, tape peels on
his foot, and he stops the fight to look at it and try to pull it
off. Beltran checks to see if it is an injury, but it is not, so he
shouts for Alves to fight now. Alves responds with a Capoeira-style
kick, and Dober rolls with it and fires back with a more
conventional kick up high that knocks Alves back. Alves, using
Dober’s momentum against him, tackles Dober over and jumps
awkwardly into full mount for a second. Dober pulls him back to the
half guard, and Alves is very active trying to pass and move,
favoring position over submission by a wide margin as he has not
thrown so much as a strike on top. Dober recovers a closed guard,
and Alves stacks him up and looks to break the leg grip around his
waist by elbowing Dober in the face. Dober does not want to get
tagged with these strikes, so he loosens up, but he tightens it
when he notices Beltran is preparing to stand them up. Dober clings
to his man on top like Saran wrap, and Alves answers by kicking off
and jumping back up. The Brazilian slaps his foe’s legs a few times
with kicks, prompting Dober to stand back up. Alves counters an
advancing Dober with a right hand, but Dober manages to smack him
upside the head and back him off. Alves replies with a flying knee,
and Dober wears it well and throws heavy leather. Alves scores a
right, making Dober stumble, but Dober gathers his thoughts and
prepares for another violent exchange. These two 155-pound car
crashes slam into one another with everything in their respective
strikes, and Alves white-knuckles it as he leans back with his
hands down to avoid a Dober barrage. Dober connects, backs off, and
fires of a spinning wheel kick at the bell that bounces off Alves’
shoulder.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Alves
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Alves
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Alves

Round 2

Alves offers a glove touch to start off Round 2, and Dober is happy
to oblige him. Alves then paws out a low kick, and Dober knocks him
back with an overhand right. Alves telegraphs a flying knee, and
Dober reacts just enough to discourage Alves from throwing it.
Dober begins to march the Brazilian down, targeting the body and
mixing strikes up with the head. Dober delivers a nasty body kick
that Alves absorbs flush, but the pressure of Dober is starting to
draw some heavy, deep breaths from “The Turn.” Dober keeps in
Alves’ face, throwing hands and feinting to draw out reactions.
Dober lands three straight left hands to the body in rapid
succession, and he intercepts a jumping Alves with a left that
pounds into the pectoral. Alves is able to get away from the fence,
and he utilizes a push kick to the body to back Dober off a few
feet. Like a Doberman, Dober does not let Alves off the hook,
snarling and throwing haymakers as Alves shells up. Alves’ volume
has diminished while Dober continues a steady workrate, and Dober
rolls with a heavy right hand that comes his way. Dober takes a
left on the chin so that he can mark Alves up with four or five,
only to get met with a solid knee up the middle. The American does
not relent with his body attacks, kicking the ribs and aiming his
left hook at the liver consistently. Dober catches Alves standing
still with three hooks, and Alves has to blink it out and gets
clipped with another on the way out. “The Turn” takes his turn with
a flying knee, and Dober takes it on the solid chin of his and
slings a left hand back. They trade powerful punches, and Dober’s
appear to have a more appreciable effect as Alves is backing off.
Dober throws a right hand, and his thumb scrapes into the eye as
Alves reacts in pain. Beltran sees it and the physical reaction and
pauses the action, and eventually calls in the doctor. If the new
ABC rules are in effect at UFC 277 in Dallas, Alves should be able
to take a maximum of five minutes to recover. Alves says that he is
good to go, hugs the doctor and ushers him out of the cage. Beltran
brings them together after a 90-second pause, telling them to watch
their fingers, and the action resumes. Dober lets loose with a high
kick, and Alves eats it and Dober falls over. This prompts an
absolutely furious flurry of fists and feet, and Alves takes them
all and starts dancing and doing moves. Dober does not wade in
recklessly, and he catches Alves coming in with a knee as Alves
looks for a late-round takedown. Alves falls to his back, flirting
with upkicks, and the round ends. Dober reaches down, helps Alves
up, and the two embrace after 10 fun minutes thus far.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dober
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Dober
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dober

Round 3

Having an absolute blast, the two fighters hug it out as the last
round kicks off. Dober pushes the pace, stretching out with a left
hand, and Alves backs off and blocks a subsequent high kick. Alves
spins with a wheel kick that Dober is able to guard against, and he
clips Alves with a right in response. The Brazilian ducks for a
single, and Dober hops back and frees his leg to stop it. Alves
fires off a body kick as Dober comes towards him, and Dober strings
five punches together to the head and body, with the latter cleanly
connecting. Alves sticks a charging Dober with a left, but he
cannot slow the American’s short blitz as Dober still lands two of
his own. Alves kicks out the leg, and Dober’s leg is chewed up but
he remains on his feet.
Alves fakes a left, and Dober ignores it and lances a left hand to
the liver that completely disables the Brazilian. Alves’ legs give
out after a short, delayed reaction, and he crumbles to his knees,
completely done. Dober thinks about hammering the nail, but the
sign of physical surrender coupled with Beltran’s intervention make
him think otherwise. What a fight, and what a finish.
With that victory for Dober, all of his last five triumphs have
come by knockout.

The Official Result

Drew Dober def. Rafael Alves R3 1:30 via KO (Punch to the
Body)

Round 1

Putting an end to the prelims, welterweight action fighters Morono
(21-7, 1 NC; 10-4, 1 NC UFC) – who gets a huge pop from his home
state crowd – and Semelsberger (10-3, 4-1 UFC) battle it out with
sights on a spot in the top 15 if they are lucky. Whether this
match places the victor among the ranked or not, it should be a
thriller, and referee Dan Miragliotta has his shoes laced up and is
ready to go. Gloves get touched to start things off, and they reach
at one another with alternating fists. Morono comes out swinging,
and Semelsberger ducks back and lands a leg kick. Semelsberger
connects with a left hand at the end of a short combo, and Morono
is right there to get his leg kick in a follow-up blow. Morono
wings three punches over the top, and they knock Semelsberger’s
hair back but do not get his attention. The Texan tags Semelsberger
with a right as “Semi the Jedi” kicks, and he follows it with
another. The rights continue to connect for Morono, who mixes
things up with an inside leg kick. Morono spins with a back kick
that grazes the body, and he plants a right hand on the chin that
might have wobbled Semelsberger. Semelsberger’s poker face goes
away after the right and left that stung him, but he slows down and
chips at Morono’s calf. Morono just misses with a wheel kick by a
matter of inches, and Morono whiffs on a one-two slightly as well.
Morono again tags Semelsberger with a right, and Semelsberger leans
over and keeps his feet beneath him. Morono catches a kick to the
ribs, and he wades forward into a flurry of punches as they both
throw down. Semelsberger keeps tight with an uppercut, but Morono
beats him to the punch with a crisp right. Morono ignores a jab so
that he can push out a straight right hand down the pipe, and he
retreats to reset and his reddening calf continues to turn a darker
shade from the kicks. A pinky from Semelsberger pokes into the eye
as Semelsberger pushes out, and Morono does not need long to blink
it out before he is ready to roll. On the reset, Semelsberger
rushes into the clinch, and he jams Morono up while Morono looks
for a Thai clinch. A couple elbows is all it takes for Morono to
force Semelsberger to reconsider the position, and the latter backs
away. Morono gives chase and pops him with a right hand, and his
strikes have busted Semelsberger’s left eye up significantly with
both swelling and bleeding. Semelsberger goes back to the calf
kick, and Morono targets a right hand to that damaged spot. The
horn sounds as Semelsberger paws out with a front kick.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morono
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Morono
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Morono

Round 2

The round begins with a more aggressive Semelsberger, who scores a
trio of punches and punctuates them with a loud calf kick. Morono
does not bite when Semelsberger leaps at him with a knee, and he
instead drills Semelsberger with a right hand on the eye that was
tended to between rounds. Morono does not stop his good work of
right hands on that same spot again and again, with short, swarming
combinations that draw increasingly visible reactions from his
opponent. Semelsberger looks to walk through them, but Morono beats
him to the punch in the subsequent exchanges. Semelsberger dips
with an uppercut, and Morono just slides out of the way.
Semelsberger whiffs on a left hook, and he ambles forward with a
lot of movement. “Semi the Jedi” succeeds connecting with a flush
right hand, but Morono answers in kind. The eye is closing fast for
Semelsberger, and Morono backs off as his leg gets chopped again.
Semelsberger sees that his uppercut is close to landing, so he
loads up on it. Morono shrugs it off and starts jabbing the eye,
and Semelsberger jumps with a kick that bounces off Morono’s side.
A long string of unanswered jabs come from “The Great White,” who
is cerebrally attacking the damaged spot constantly. Semelsberger
lands a kick, and Morono responds wit ha right hand over the top.
Three punches come from the Texan, and Semelsberger tries to give
Morono pause with multiple leg kicks. Morono’s huge right hands
continue to grow the swelling around Semelsberger’s left eye, and
Semelsberger charges in for a possible body lock takedown try.
Morono looks to counter him, and they end up pushed up against the
wall. They jockey for position back and forth, and Morono sneaks up
a knee before selling out to drag Semelsberger down. Semelsberger
ends up falling forward on to his opponent, and Morono falls to his
back and quickly sets his offensive guard in motion. The Texan
isolates the right arm and hunts for an armbar, but Semelsberger
punches his way out of it with several big hammerfists. With
seconds left in the round, Semelsberger lets go with everything he
has, slugging away with punches and elbows, but Morono survives the
attack and makes it to the bell. The doctor may take a close look
at the eye of Semelsberger between rounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Morono
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Morono
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Morono

Round 3

Miragliotta calls in the doctor to assess Semelsberger’s condition,
and he is cleared to continue despite the substantial swelling.
Knowing he might be on borrowed time, Semelsberger crashes forward
with a swarm of punches. Morono fires back, and he ducks down right
into a flying knee. The knee from Semelsberger knocks Morono clean
off his feet, and Morono is in a bad way but able to clear his
cobwebs enough to set up a rubber guard from his back. Morono looks
for an omoplata, and he uses the opportunity to scramble and work
his way back up to his feet. When clinched up, Semelsberger jumps
and knees the Texan square in the jaw, and it is Semelsberger’s
mouthpiece that goes flying despite the blow. After a lull in a
clinch, Miragliotta replaces the mouthpiece and lets them continue
fighting in the clinch. Morono senses a spinning back elbow coming
and ducks in the nick of time, and he backs off to the middle of
the cage to reset. Morono catches his man on the way in with a few
jabs, and he follows them with right hands as the mouse all around
Semelsberger’s eye has popped and started bleeding significantly.
The two jab at one another, and Morono hops away from a low kick.
Two short shots from Morono stagger Semelsberger briefly, and he
scores several jabs as Semelsberger swings recklessly at him.
Semelsberger gives chase, stepping in with knees and throwing kicks
to any target he can find. Morono fires back with an overhand
right, and Semelsberger steels himself and counters with a crisp
left. Morono keeps his head on a swivel and gets cracked with a
punch, and Semelsberger rushes at him with a flying knee that “The
Great White” is able to block. Morono pushes off and scores a few
punches, and the right hands from Morono are landing practically at
will as Semelsberger might not be able to see at all out of his
left eye. Nevertheless, Semelsberger remains tough, still swinging
and throwing. Semelsberger springs forward with a superman punch,
and he ends up in a clinch that Morono tries to turn into a double.
Morono switches his grip to a standing guillotine choke, and he
uses it to control the posture so that he can knee his man in the
face. Morono breaks off, and Semelsberger practically sprints at
him lobbing bombs. Morono returns fire, and this wild slugfest
somehow goes the distance. Semelsberger drops to his knees after a
hard-fought battle, and the Texan strides off with his arms in the
air. Win or lose, Morono gave the Texas faithful plenty to cheer
for in this 15-minute scrap.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger (29-28 Morono)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger (29-28 Morono)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Semelsberger (29-28 Morono)

The Official Result

Alex Morono def. Matthew Semelsberger via Unanimous Decision
(29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Round 1

For one man on this main card opener, a title shot looms at 205
pounds. The massive favorite Ankalaev (16-1, 8-1 UFC) has strung
together eight straight wins since his shocking last-second defeat
to Paul Craig in 2018, and he has done everything in his power to
erase the memory of that fateful night. Former title challenger
Smith (36-16, 11-6 UFC) is not concerned about his foe from
Dagestan, confident that he has fought – and beaten – tougher tests
than the one soon to be in front of him. The first man tonight to
know how it ends will be referee Jacob Montalvo, and there is no
interest in a glove touch between the light heavyweights. Smith
takes the center of the cage and absorbs an early low kick, and
they proceed to measure one another for a time. Smith goes up high
with a kick that is easily blocked, and he aims his toes at the
liver but is just shy of the mark. Ankalaev replies with a low
kick, and he aims another to prompt Smith to throw one back.
Smith’s is checked, and after another lull, Smith tosses up a head
kick. The Russian checks a body kick that comes at him by raising
his knee, and the respect for the power of one another is high as
the strike totals are extremely low at the midpoint of the round.
Smith sits down on a kick on the outside of Ankalaev’s knee, and he
slowly moves forward and dodges the swiping right hands that zip at
him. Several check right hooks from Ankalaev miss the mark, and
Smith catches a kick to throw one hard low. A big kick from the
Russian irritates Smith, and the chess match continues. Ankalaev
blitzes forward with an inaccurate left and a head kick, and Smith
shrugs it off and has a counter get blocked. Ankalaev strings
together a combination ending with a kick on the calf, and Smith
dips a strike to wing a right hand that grazes the beard. Smith
gets shoved over when they clash together, and Ankalaev elects to
kick his legs a few times until the horn sounds to end this tepid
frame.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-10
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ankalaev

Round 2

Smith comes out of his corner to march Ankalaev down, and he throws
a few low kicks and punches his way forward. Smith uses his
momentum to pursue a double, and Ankalaev acquits himself and stays
upright. When “Lionheart” cannot secure it, he pulls guard to drag
Ankalaev into a bad situation, and Ankalaev sits up comfortably and
gets off a few short punches before getting pulled on top of Smith.
The fighter out of Dagestan does not want to take this top
position, fighting off Smith’s effort and staving off a single-leg
try before smacking Smith with several punches. Smith rolls to his
back, but when Ankalaev does not bite, he sits up again to tie the
Russian up. Ankalaev is having none of it, and he postures up and
starts blasting Smith with standing-to-ground punches. The punches
are doing serious damage and draw some blood, and Montalvo is
watching over the situation very closely. Smith, on his knees,
takes continuous punishment, and Montalvo rescues him from the
onslaught. When separated, Smith remarks that something of his is
broken, possibly his leg or ankle. The doctors come in to attend to
Smith. In victory, Ankalaev has likely recorded the biggest win of
his career and possibly punched his ticket for a shot at the
belt.

The Official Result

Magomed Ankalaev def. Anthony Smith R2 3:09 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

Just like the previous match, the victor in this contest –
depending on who gets their hand raised – could be next for the
belt, depending on how the Deiveson Figueiredo situation shakes
out. Both Pantoja (24-5, 8-3 UFC) and Perez (24-6, 6-2 UFC) have
suffered losses to that man in the last couple years, while the
former has beaten ex-champ Brandon Moreno already – twice if you
include the victory on “The Ultimate Fighter.” The logjam of the
division will be cleared up a little more after this fight ends,
and referee Kerry Hatley is ready to keep the pace with these two
125-pound contenders. They touch gloves, and come out fighting. The
brawl is instant, as Pantoja charges out swinging hammers. Perez is
right there to throw down with him, and they proceed to smash one
another in the face with punches in bunches. A brief lull after the
wild early exchange leads to Pantoja changing levels, tripping
Perez, and circling around to take Perez’ back standing. The
Brazilian sets up a body lock and he starts busting Perez upside
the head. Pantoja changes things up with a palm-to-palm face crank,
and he makes Perez’s life miserable as he crushes on it with all
his might. When that does not succeed, “The Cannibal” snatches up a
neck crank with a grip on the other side, and he crushes down with
his forearm. Perez leans back, struggling to stay afloat, and the
crank is not even under the chin. It does not matter for Pantoja,
who forces Perez to say “matte” and live to fight another day. This
is a remarkable win for Pantoja, making a statement and shouting in
his post-fight interview that he is the next flyweight champion. It
may be hard to argue that he should be up next, after blasting
through a former title challenger in about 90 seconds.

The Official Result

Alexandre Pantoja def. Alex Perez R1 1:31 via Submission (Neck
Crank)

Round 1

The UFC knew exactly what it was doing when this featured
heavyweight fight was booked. One man holds the promotion’s
all-time knockout record, while the other is a sturdy Russian
striker who has won his last three with his fists. Lewis (26-9, 1
NC; 17-7 UFC) who likely will end the night with the biggest pop
from the crowd, will try to get back on track after a stunning
knockout against the stoic Pavlovich (15-1, 3-1 UFC). Referee Dan
Miragliotta will need to keep his wits about him at all times, lest
he get clipped by an errant blow, as fighters sporting knockout
rates of 80% or higher are about to clash in front of his eyes.
Lewis trots out of his corner and offers a glove touch, and it is
accepted as the “USA” chants rain down in support of him. Lewis
starts with a leg kick, and Pavlovich strides forward and sticks
out a jab. Lewis does not bite on any feints, and he scores with a
big left hand. They proceed to start slugging it out, and Lewis
gets rocked with a right hand on the jaw. The Russian, seeing that
Lewis got tagged, cracks Lewis with an uppercut and a right hand
that knocks Lewis face-first into the fencing. Lewis backpedals,
and Pavlovich gives chase and bombards him with punches. Lewis
bends over to avoid the blows, and Pavlovich slugs him with several
punches to force Lewis to fall forward and bonk his head on the
mat. Lewis springs right back up, and Miragliotta intervenes to
stop the fight, clearly seeing something others did not see as
Lewis protests the stoppage immediately. The fans are outraged by
what they believe to be an early stoppage, and Lewis may have been
in trouble but he appeared to have his wits about him given his
incensed reaction. Regardless of the feelings on the finishing
sequence, Pavlovich has just officially recorded the biggest win of
his career in hostile territory. Big fights almost certainly loom
for the man out of Eagles MMA.

The Official Result

Sergei Pavlovich def. Derrick Lewis R1 0:55 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

The first championship bout of the evening comes up at the
flyweight division, although it is for the interim variety. Champ
Figueiredo looms for the victor, and he is seated cageside as he
recovers from his surgery. Whether it is a fourth meeting with
Moreno (19-6-2, 7-3-2 UFC), or a fresh matchup against City
Kickboxing’s own Kara France (24-9, 1 NC; 7-2 UFC), the two men
have five rounds to figure that out. As a reminder, they faced one
another before at UFC 245 in 2019, and Moreno took home a decision
after three fun rounds of action. Referee Herb Dean will draw the
assignment for this co-main event, who is up to the task of keeping
up with these gentlemen for 25 crazy minutes if needed. There is a
great deal of intensity between them, but they still decide to
touch their gloves. Kara France has a look in his eye that echoes
his intentions, and he marches Moreno down but pulls back when
Moreno strikes at him. The chants of “Mexico” ring out through the
building, and neither man engages with much of note as they try to
find their distance. Moreno springs forward to throw a left, and
Kara France bounces back and forward. As Kara France comes in
kicking, his foot collides with the cup, causing a halt in the
action. Dean tells Moreno to take his time, and Moreno only needs
about 40 seconds before he is good to go. Kara France is not
discouraged to throw low kicks when they resume, and Moreno holds
his hands outstretched but in the confines of the rules as his
fingers are straight up in the air. This keeps Kara France at bay,
but it also results in a bit of inaction until Moreno attacks. When
he kicks, Kara France quickly answers him right back, and Moreno
hops back to reset. Moreno winds up with a low kick, and he clips
the Kiwi with a left hook. Kara France bounces off the wall, his
nose slightly reddening, and his volume is almost nonexistent three
minutes into the title fight. Kara France kicks low and gets
countered with a left over the top, and he dips down and blasts
Moreno in the face with a sudden right hand. Moreno eats it like a
tamale and gathers his thoughts, where he changes levels for a
takedown in order to recover. The defense holds up for Kara France,
who stops the takedown from succeeding but cannot make Moreno pay
for his attempt. Kara France tosses out a naked leg kick, and
Moreno counters him quickly. Kara France again charges in with a
big right, and Moreno rolls with it and does not seem any worse for
wear. The Kiwi kicks the calf and backs off, and Moreno rushes at
him and kicks him back to the body. Moreno swipes out with a left
that makes a mark on the face of Kara France, and Moreno showboats
a little as he blitzes in to attack. A single front kick from
Moreno ends the tentative round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Kara France
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moreno

Round 2

The second round starts a little more interestingly, as Kara France
darts in with a looping right hook early on. Moreno attempts to
change levels and counter him with a takedown, but Kara France is a
brick wall and does not flinch. Kara France pokes with a single leg
kick, and Moreno’s response is more effective. Moreno lets loose
with a high kick right after it, and Kara France blocks it. Jabs
get traded, and Kara France attempts to follow one with a head
kick. Moreno ducks under it and manages to take Kara France’s back
standing up. Kara France uses the fence behind him to keep his
balance, even though Moreno drags him to a knee, and he blocks a
chicken wing elbow that Moreno tosses at him. Kara France springs
out of the position and breaks free before getting tagged on the
separation, and Moreno looks for a quick takedown in the middle of
the cage. Kara France stuffs it and blocks the subsequent head kick
effort, as Moreno is continuously keeping him guessing. Although he
hits nothing but air, Kara France loads up on several big punches,
and Moreno is wary of that power. Moreno cracks him with a right
hook, and he pins a one-two on Kara France’s face. A Moreno jab
disrupts the forward movement of the Kiwi, who settles for a leg
kick and absorbs one back harder. These flyweights are playing the
“anything you can do, I can do better” game with one another, and
Moreno gets the better of these mirror match exchanges. Moreno
holds on to the center of the Octagon as Kara France circles around
him, and he uses his jab effectively a few times. Moreno misses
with a head kick, and he falls over as a result. As Kara France
lets him up, Kara France runs at him with his fists flying, but
Moreno is able to stay elusive and dodge them. Moreno’s head
movement keeps him from absorbing the brunt of the swinging fists
from Kara France, and he boots Kara France in the face with his
shin at the 10-second clapper. Moreno scores a few punches to the
body, and the horn stops this round that was somewhat more
entertaining than the last but still in need of some action.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moreno

Round 3

The third round opens up with a solid kick from the City Kickboxing
fighter, who scores a solid shot on the inside calf of his
opponent. In an exchange, Moreno falls to his back, and Kara France
unloads with ground-and-pound that slashes a big cut open around
Moreno’s right eye. With Moreno on his knees, Kara France hammers
him with several vicious punches, and Moreno still works his way
back up. Kara France gives chase, ducking a telegraphed spinning
back elbow, and he lays into Moreno with several more punches.
Moreno gathers his wits at blood trails down his face, and he
starts to walk Kara France down. Kara France tags him with a big
right hand on the way in, and Moreno takes it well but is wearing
it. Kara France kicks low and punches high, and he has successfully
found his range on the former champion. Moreno pushes out a few
jabs, but Kara France is unabated and plants his shin on the lower
leg of Moreno. Kara France stays on his bike, working the leg and
body with distance strikes, and Moreno cannot pay him back. Kara
France stands him up with a left, and Moreno comes back with a leg
kick and a one-two. The Kiwi walks into a left hand and shrugs it
off, and Moreno has gotten back in his rhythm with jabs and kicks.
Moreno sneaks in an uppercut as Kara France is dipping a strike,
and Kara France counters with a left hook. Kara France times a jab
with a right hand over the top, and Moreno keeps moving as if it
never landed. Moreno’s jab draws a takedown shot from Kara France,
and Moreno stops it and pushes Kara France away with a left hand.
With his opponent in the perfect position, the ex-champ winds up
with a kick that slaps horrifyingly right into the liver, and Kara
France collapses like a demolished building. Sensing the finish is
there for the taking, “The Assassin Baby” finishes the job with a
long string of punches as Herb Dean allows Kara France every
opportunity to fight out of the bad spot. The Kiwi is zapped and
not able to do anything about this predicament, and Dean intervenes
to save Kara France from any further beating. This victory for
Moreno, who is now the interim champion, makes him officially the
next challenger for Figueiredo, his old nemesis, for their historic
fourth match. The champion, who is watching from the front row,
marches to the cage with sunglasses on. Figueiredo holds up his
belt and grins at Moreno, who is still speaking with commentator
Joe Rogan about his win. Moreno tells his rival that he forgives
him for anything from the last few fights, and he apologizes for
anything he did wrong as well. The two flyweight champs shake hands
and appear to have squashed any beef they had before, with as much
respect as an in-cage faceoff has seen in the UFC in years. The
fourth scintillating battle should come in the next few months, and
it will be worth the wait.

The Official Result

Brandon Moreno def. Kai Kara France R3 4:34 via TKO (Body Kick and
Punches)

UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title Fight:
Julianna
Pena (134.5) vs. Amanda
Nunes (135)

BETTING
PREVIEW |
SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nunes (-275), Pena (+230)

Round 1

In 2021, Pena (11-4, 7-2 UFC) shook up the sport as she dethroned
mighty favorite and two-division queen Nunes (21-5, 14-2 UFC),
doing so by taking the best that Nunes threw at her and tapping her
out in Round 2. Whether this was a “fluke” as some have coined it,
or the changing of the guard, this rematch will almost certainly
give a clearer picture on the women’s bantamweight division. The
final fight of this evening will be officiated by referee Mike
Beltran, who might not be needed long. Despite coaching against one
another on the latest season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” the
perceived bad blood does not prevent a touch of gloves. Neither
woman throws a single strike for the first 25 seconds, until Nunes
lands a kick to the body. Nunes switches her stances back and
forth, missing with a pair of push kicks to the knee. Pena is
cautious to engage with anything as Nunes is not rushing towards
her, and she blitzes in with a short combination and backs of when
Nunes prepares to counter. Nunes scores two punches on the inside,
and Pena strings two back at her only to absorb a heavy leg kick on
the inside. Nunes lands a solid uppercut, but is one-and-done with
it. When Pena walks forward, Nunes plants a right hand behind her
ear that bends her over, but Pena rolls with it and gathers her
thoughts. Nunes stands firm any time Pena advances, coiled up and
ready to make Pena pay for advancing. Pena whiffs on a head kick,
and Nunes swats at her but misses the mark. Pena throws so hard she
nearly falls over, and Nunes catches her with a right hook that
drops Pena to a knee. The champ shakes it out and gets smacked with
another check hook. Pena gets her balance and then has her lead leg
kicked for good measure, causing some swelling to brow on Pena’s
lead leg. Nunes chambers her right hook, and Pena is concerned with
the strike but not afraid to attack, as she plants a straight right
hand down the middle. Pena swings wildly, and Nunes smiles at her
and jabs her up. Nunes gets her head snapped back when throwing a
leg kick with her guard down, and she shoots in for a takedown that
Pena easily sees coming. Pena’s right hand collides on the chin,
and Nunes swings back with a left that knocks Pena back. Nunes
knocks the champ back to the wall, and the horn sounds to end the
first round. They high-five after five minutes of combat.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nunes
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Nunes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nunes

Round 2

The bantamweights meet right in the middle to start off the round,
and Pena leans back when Nunes fires a front kick at her. Pena
darts in recklessly, with her hands by her hips, and “The Lioness”
knocks her clean off her feet with a crisp right hand. Nunes does
not dive into the guard to let Pena recover, and stands back to get
Beltran to stand her up. Pena is still rocked, and Nunes settles
down and attempts to catch a kick. Pena runs forward again, hands
outstretched like Fabricio Werdum chasing Stipe Miocic, and Nunes
snipes her with a right hand that again drops the champion feebly
to the mat. Nunes backs off to admire her work, and Pena forces her
way back upright again and into the lion’s mouth. Pena takes a
front kick to the body, and she decides once more to attack with a
straight charge. Nunes gets clipped this time, but she manages to
fire back and get Pena’s attention. Pena takes two punches square
on the chin, and Nunes measures that counter right hook. The two
hand-fight with alternate stances, and Nunes leans back when Pena
kicks at her. Nunes circles around as Pena kicks her and turns the
corner, and they briefly brawl. Nunes plants the ball of her foot
on Pena’s sternum, and Pena returns fire with a right over the top
that misses the mark. Nunes intercepts an advancing Pena with a
right, and she stings Pena once more with two punches. A straight
left hand from the former 135-pound queen strips Pena’s legs away
for what is the third knockdown of the round, and Pena scampers
back upright as Beltran pays close attention. Nunes’ head kick gets
blocked, and she smacks Pena with a back fist as Pena races
forward. Nunes swats away a front kick so that she can measure her
dangerous right hand, and she changes stances and rattles Pena.
Pena steps on her toes and lands with a punch that makes Nunes
stagger back, but it is due to the off-balance nature of the feet,
and not from a damaging blow. The clinch is where the round
ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Nunes
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Nunes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Nunes

Round 3

They are happy to touch gloves to start off the third round, and
Nunes pins a left hand straight through the guard to begin. Pena
walks through a check hook from Nunes, and Nunes spins with an
elbow that smashes square into the champion’s face. Pena takes it
flush and keeps on trucking somehow, walking forward to back Nunes
away. Pena pushes forward to initiate a clinch, and Nunes tosses
her aside and kicks her in the body without effort. Nunes scores a
left, and Pena surges forward with a string of punches that Nunes
wears well. Pena gets clipped and knocked back but not down, and
Nunes throws the champ down to her back to make a statement. Pena
closes her guard, and this allows Nunes to bust her in the face
with brutal elbows. Pena hangs on with a high guard, even punching
off her back, and Nunes fights off an omoplata or triangle setup.
Using her elbows, Nunes scores strikes from on top, and Pena
reaches her left leg for any submission she can muster. “The
Lioness” rips open the flesh on the hairline of her opponent with
an elbow, and blood begins to flow quickly. Another hacking elbow
comes from Nunes, and Pena hunts for the left arm of her opponent
for either an armbar or a shoulder lock. Nunes spins out of it and
resumes control on top, and she steps to half guard where she can
land more strikes. Pena flails off her back, but Nunes lords over
her until the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nunes
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Nunes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nunes

Round 4

Pena’s offense to begin the round comes in the form of several
jabs, and as she sticks them out, Nunes ducks them. The Brazilian
continues through the hips to take Pena down and put her flat on
her back, resuming the position where she controlled much of the
last round. Pena’s offensive guard gives a moment of concern, as
she tries to isolate the arm for an armbar or omoplata, and Nunes
turns all the way around and belts Pena in the face. Pena hunts for
a triangle choke, and when that fails, she goes after another
omoplata. The featherweight queen moves to try to escape, and she
falls straight into armbar submission danger. Nunes miraculously
fights out of the lock by setting up an inverted triangle choke,
and she pushes over to side control to stop any more submissions
from coming her way. Pena reasserts full guard, and Nunes presses
her foe’s neck against the wall to prevent the leverage for subs.
Nunes hammers her with an elbow, and she sits up to drop three more
down. Pena fights it off with an armbar, and she powers back to her
feet, bloody, bruised and swollen but not defeated. Nunes is
confident, and she grins before shooting in for an easy takedown.
Pena looks disappointed forgetting taken back down again, and Nunes
slashes her with more elbows as Pena’s face is that of a horror
movie character. Nunes sits up and stands up when Pena flirts with
a submission, and Beltran stands Pena up instead of allowing them
to have this odd position. Nunes cracks Pena with a few punches,
and she slips and falls forward to get a takedown. Pena, flat on
her back, is bleeding into her own eyes, and she likely cannot see
at all. Despite this, Pena reaches for a triangle choke, and Nunes
pushes it away without concern. The bloody round comes to a
close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nunes
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Nunes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nunes

Round 5

The ladies hug it out to start out the final stanza, and Nunes
strikes first with a venomous leg kick. Pena is still fresh despite
likely losing every round, and she swings violently and may have
connected with Nunes to get her attention. The former champ changes
levels to scoop Pena off her feet, and she succeeds in putting her
down. Pena walks off the wall with her feet in pursuit of a n
armbar, and she changes to a triangle as she traps Nunes briefly.
Nunes is able to use the fence to defend against maneuver, and she
lowers herself down when Pena turns to her knees. Nunes hooks up an
anaconda choke, and blood sprays from the top of Pena’s head on the
mat. Nunes cannot finish it, likely because of the plasma that Pena
has donated to the UFC fund tonight, so Pena stands back up. Pena
is only on her feet for seconds before Nunes rushes in for a
takedown, and Pena falls to her back in hopes of any Hail Mary type
of submission try. “The Venezuelan Vixen” isolates Nunes’ left arm
for a kimura in search of a sweep, but as he does, Nunes takes her
back. Nunes slithers over to the top again, and she lands in half
guard where Pena cannot throw her legs up. Nunes drops down punches
and elbows until Pena pulls her back to the closed guard. Pena gets
elbows several more times on the forehead, and it is unclear how
many cuts she has suffered in this bout. Nunes stands up, and Pena
nails her with an upkick. This allows Nunes to jump down to punch
her in the guts, and Pena doubles over in pain. Pena is compromised
from the blow, and Nunes turns around to take her back. Nunes traps
her with a body triangle and secures the rear-naked choke, but Pena
manages to break the leg grip around her waist and spin out of the
choke. Nunes transitions to an arm-triangle choke, and this too
does not succeed largely from the blood covering Pena’s whole face.
Nunes backs off and stands to her feet, and she starts dancing when
hearing the 10-second clapper. Pena tries one last time to get back
to her feet and throw something at Nunes, but Nunes is out of the
way and celebrates what should be a clear-cut win to get her belt
back, exact revenge and establish dominance in the division. The
two champions share a lengthy embrace after 25 thrilling minutes of
action, blood, heart and intensity. Nunes is now, and once again, a
simultaneous two-division champion. It’s anyone’s guess what is
next for her, at either 135 or 145 pounds, as no clear-cut
challenger looms in either division she reigns. She claims in her
post-fight interview that she wants to take some time to see her
family and recover, but says she will be back soon. “The Lioness”
calls for a beer to drink on her way out, like a regular Tai
Tuivasa, and she has certainly earned it. Whenever she fights
again, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nunes (50-44 Nunes)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Nunes (50-44 Nunes)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nunes (50-44 Nunes)

The Official Result

Amanda Nunes def. Julianna Pena via Unanimous Decision (50-45,
50-44, 50-43)