UFC on ESPN 48 ‘Strickland vs. Magomedov’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Round 1

The UFC continues its regular Saturday schedule with a fight card
posted up at the Apex with a dozen fights in the middle of the day.
The action begins with a fight among ranked competitors – there
will be no “unranked heavyweight slobberknocker” tossed high on the
prelims. Instead, two big men on the UFC’s outer edge of its top 15
throw down, when Romanov (16-2, 5-2 UFC) tries to get back on track
against Ivanov (19-5, 1 NC; 3-4 UFC). The former is riding the
first losing streak of his career, while the latter has had his
hand raised just once in the last four years. This 523-pound rumble
will be overseen by referee Kerry Hatley, and the hostilities
commence with a sporting glove touch. Romanov moves to the center
of the cage, while Ivanov circles along the outside. Neither
fighter engages for the first minute, with a few off-target pawing
jabs with nothing on them to find his range. Romanov steps in, 70
seconds into the fight, and lands the very first strike in the form
of an overhand left. Ivanov shrugs it off, and the two return to a
staring contest. Ivanov jumps in with a right hook, giving that one
back, and Romanov cannot counter back in time before Ivanov is out
of the way. Romanov tries to loop a right hand around the guard,
and Ivanov blocks and aims a right straight down the pipe. Romanov
kicks low and misses a lumbering left hook, and he follows that
inaccurate blow with another leg kick. Ivanov sits down, waiting
for the leg kick, to pop Romanov with a sharp left hook. Romanov
shoots in for a takedown that is easily stonewalled before Romanov
can even reach for a leg, and the two get back to boxing range.
Romanov chips at the inner calf, and he jabs the body and swipes
out with a right hook that misses the mark by a matter of inches.
Ivanov rings his bell with a left hand, and Romanov flails back but
is short of his intended target. “King Kong” gets off another leg
kick and crashes the pocket for a takedown, and Ivanov shuts him
down only to absorb a flush knee to the body. Ivanov walks into the
tail end of a right hook, but he pays it no mind as he flicks out a
jab that snaps the head back. Romanov chains a few missing punches
into a solid leg kick, and Ivanov grits his teeth and punches his
way into a combo. Romanov rails Ivanov with a left hook, and the
iron chinned Bulgarian completely no-sells it and takes another one
on the chin. Romanov hops away when Ivanov gives chase, and he
ducks a looping strike to clinch up and press “Baga” to the wall.
The slow round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The heavyweights meet in the middle and clap hands to begin the
second round, and Ivanov is quick to get back on his bike and
circling to the side. Ivanov pokes out a jab or two, and Romanov
leaps forward with a left hook that brushes past the head of his
adversary. The two start setting up jabs, and doubling up on them
while taking turns doing so. Romanov chops at the inner calf a
couple times, and Ivanov is offensively limiting himself to jabs.
Romanov kicks on the outside of the lead leg and uses his own to
kick high. The jabs from Romanov lands have marked up Ivanov’s left
eye, but Ivanov does not register any blows. Romanov swings a left
hook as hard as he can, and he almost falls over when it does not
connect. Romanov pounds his shin on the outside of the calf, and he
uses his jab to decent effect to stave off an advancing Ivanov.
Ivanov reaches him with a pawing jab, and his follow-up left hand
is rolled. Romanov drives a one-two in the chin and crashes the
pocket for a takedown, and Ivanov absorbs the punches, halts the
takedown and gets kneed in the torso. Romanov presses him against
the fence, and he succeeds in hitting a trip to throw the Bulgarian
to his back. “King Kong” lands in side control, but he elects to
move back into the half guard to hold Ivanov down. Romanov grinds
down with his elbow on Ivanov’s jaw, controlling him until he is
able to posture up and drop down some left hands. Ivanov turns to
his side as he leans himself on the fence, and Romanov connects
with short but effective lefts to frustrate Ivanov further. The
round ends with Romanov sitting on Ivanov.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

There is a final glove touch to start off the last round, and
Ivanov is light on his feet and prepared to check the leg kicks
that inevitably come his way. Ivanov loops a left around the guard,
but it does not have the mustard on it to shake Romanov up. They
proceed to crash together with fists flung, and Romanov takes
advantage of the close proximity to drive a knee into the sternum.
Ivanov turns up his volume, string short combinations together, and
Romanov tries to keep him backed off with low kicks or jabs.
Romanov sneaks a left hand over the top, and he pumps out the jab
to further harm Ivanov’s face. Romanov leans forward for a
potential takedown, and Ivanov shuts it down with ease and puts his
fists in Romanov’s face as a response. They both slug it out, and
Ivanov’s high guard and enough head movement keep him from taking
the worst of the blows. Romanov times a big strike from his
opponent to close in and jam Ivanov up, and he presses the
Bulgarian against the wire and knees him. Ivanov shifts to the side
to get out of the tie-up, and Romanov backs up, gains a full head
of steam and leaps at him with a flying knee. Ivanov blocks it and
chains a series of punches together for a sharp retort. Romanov
does not abandon his jab, and when Ivanov gets closer, Romanov
times a clean knee up the middle. Ivanov gets off an uppercut, and
Romanov blasts him with a counter left. The two heavyweights start
trading viciously, and their beards are granite as they are
absorbing the blows cleanly. Romanov surprises his man with a right
hook, and Ivanov paws at his eye as if he is struggling to see from
it. This lets Romanov advance fast enough to tie him up and squeeze
him into the fencing, where he gets off short knees on the inside.
When Ivanov attempts a throw, Romanov counters him, chucks his foe
to the floor, and finishes off the round with some frantic
ground-and-pound. Time expires, and the big men have gone the
distance.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Alexander Romanov def. Blagoy Ivanov via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

With the previous pairing between two ranked competitors, the next
nine bouts including this one will feature unranked combatants in
the weight class in which they are fighting. This women’s flyweight
contest also is one of three tonight to bring in a UFC newcomer,
and this debutant is the unbeaten Croatian by way of Norway
Petrovic (6-0, 0-0 UFC). She will look to introduce herself and
impress the boss at the expense of “Dread” Carolina (8-4, 3-3 UFC),
whose .500 UFC record might undersell her talents. The ladies clap
hands as referee Mark Smith watches on, and Petrovic is the one to
take the middle of the cage but faces a head kick that soars
towards her. Petrovic blocks it and absorbs a low kick, and when
she advances, she takes a right hand on the way in. Petrovic whiffs
on a high kick of her own, and the ladies are warned for
outstretched fingers pointing towards their opponents. Petrovic
wades forward into action, landing a left hand, and Carolina keeps
good head movement and avoids the worst of the swings. Carolina
takes a solid right hand, gives one back that reddens Petrovic’s
nose, and she crashes the pocket in pursuit of a body lock
takedown. Petrovic defends well and turns her opponent around, and
she hooks her leg around the side to toss Carolina to the floor.
The Brazilian times this well, flipping Petrovic over and claiming
top position. Carolina presses her head and shoulder down while in
half guard, setting up an arm-triangle choke but elects to step
over to full mount instead to attack. Petrovic bucks at the right
time and snatches up Carolina’s arm for a kimura, but Carolina
wrenches her arm up and lands some decent ground strikes. Carolina
stands back up, and she attacks the leg with kicks and walks
through an upkick to lower herself down into the guard. Petrovic
rolls over and grabs hold of Carolina’s knee, but this opens her up
for punches to the side of the head. Petrovic manages to flip
Carolina over with her kneebar attempt, and she releases it to
settle down in the guard. “Dread” closes her guard up and elbows a
few times from her back, until she times a push-off to knock
Petrovic off of her. Petrovic jumps back down and sets up a calf
slicer with her legs, and she bails on it and attempts a heel hook
with seconds to spare. Carolina appears unconcerned, and she smacks
Petrovic a few times until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The second round opens with an aggressive Carolina, who fires off a
high kick and series of punches to follow. Petrovic sits down on
one single counter left hand to slow Carolina for a moment, and she
leaps forward with a Superwoman punch that soars past her foe.
Carolina jabs and gets off a low kick, and she dodges a counter to
knee Petrovic in the chest twice. Carolina presses forward to shove
the undefeated fighter against the fence, and she flirts with a
throw but is stifled when Petrovic turns her about. Petrovic
considers her own takedown, looking for a body lock and a trip, and
Carolina counters her and tosses Petrovic to her knees. When
Carolina gets off a few punches, Petrovic explodes back to her
feet, and the two jockey for position while Carolina is busy with
short knees. Petrovic loops her leg between Carolina’s in pursuit
of a trip, but Carolina shuts it down and knees her a few more
times for good measure. Petrovic responds with a few knees with her
back jammed against the wire, and both ladies spin the other around
as they try to impose their will. Petrovic looks for another
outside trip, and Carolina shuts it down and breaks away and pops
Petrovic on the break. With Petrovic backpedaling, Carolina
advances, throwing kicks and punches mixed together in wild salvos.
Petrovic blocks some and counters with a left, but Carolina is the
far more active woman. Petrovic connects with two big hooks,
shaking the Brazilian up, and allowing her to tie Carolina up and
reposition her against the fencing. Smith calls for them to work as
soon as they hit the wall, and they do by turning the other around
back and forth. Carolina controls for longer stretches, and
Petrovic decides to pick things up with a quartet of short but
solid knees. Petrovic secures a trip with 10 seconds to spare, and
she dumps Carolina to the floor. Carolina shuts down all offense
but one elbow, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The final frame commences with Carolina in the driver’s seat,
flinging several punches and ending the series with a head kick.
Petrovic spins with a feeble back fist, and Carolina walks through
it and connects with a mean right hand. Petrovic aims a high kick
but it slaps under the armpit. Carolina gets in her groove, landing
shots, sticking and moving. A frustrated Petrovic races forward and
looks for a takedown, and Carolina reverses her with a trip and
deposits the undefeated fighter to her back. Petrovic scoots
towards the wall, but Carolina is on top of her in half guard,
dropping down punches. Carolina sits up, getting some more power on
her punches, and Petrovic sits up and stands despite absorbing them
on the chin. Carolina changes levels for a double-leg takedown, and
when that fails, she elects to lift Petrovic up and try to slam her
down. Petrovic counters by trying to roll for a kneebar, but
Carolina truncates the attempt and drops down several punches.
Carolina looks to take the back as Petrovic turns, only for the
Croatian woman to shake that off and put Carolina on the floor.
Carolina closes up her guard when the sweep does not work, and she
kicks her feet off Petrovic’s chest to get a little space. Petrovic
sits up and goes after a toe hold, and Carolina turns over and
kicks out of it. Petrovic suddenly cranks for an inverted heel
hook, and Carolina rolls through it and grits out any attempt.
Carolina defends the attempts and winds up on top, and she stands
up with 10 seconds to spare. Carolina boots her foe upside the
head, and she lands a few punches, dips back and spins with a back
fist that grazes past the head at the bell.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Luana Carolina def. Ivana Siric Petrovic via Unanimous Decision
(29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

After over a year off, Georgia’s Kutateladze (12-3, 1-1 UFC) will
return to the cage in hopes of not going to a split decision for
his third bout in a row. He will take on Chute Boxe Diego Lima’s
Brener (14-3, 1-0 UFC), who happens to have won a split decision in
his promotional debut in February. While the judges could be split,
referee Chris Tognoni will not be, and he observes a glove touch
from the lightweights to get things going. Kutateladze gets off a
body kick and left to the ribs to start things off, and his high
guard defends from the counter. Kutateladze jabs into a vicious low
kick, and Brener leans back with a huge right hand that misses the
mark. Brener pushes out of a clinch to swing for the fences, and
this results in a tie-up again. Brener surprises the Georgian with
a trip takedown, and he throws Kutateladze to the floor.
Kutateladze employs a rubber guard off his back, hooking his left
leg over the shoulder to trap Brener on top. Brener pulls out of
that and settles down in the guard, and Kutateladze threatens with
a quick triangle choke setup on his back. Brener ignores it, and
Kutateladze scoots his way to the fence and stands up. Brener trips
Kutateladze up to bring him back to his knees, and the two scramble
and ultimately get free. Kutateladze thanks him for a quick head
kick, and Brener wades forward into action with a step-in elbow.
Kutateladze connects at the end of a one-two, and he gets pushed
back with a simultaneous front kick. Kutateladze replies with his
own front kick that slaps into the chin, and Brener kicks and
slips. Kutateladze does not tackle him over, and instead is shocked
when Brener throws him to his backside. Kutateladze stands up and
knees the Brazilian in the belly, and Brener responds in kind
before they break. Kutateladze sneaks a right over the top, and
Brener is right in front of him and rushes into a takedown entry
from his foe. Kutateladze ends up pressing Brener to the wire,
grinding his forehead and tossing up short knees to stay busy.
Kutateladze rings Brener’s bell with a flush elbow, and he lets
Brener have it with a surge of punches. Brener drops to a knee, and
he works his way back up and throws heat back. Although Brener gets
tagged with one more powerful elbow, he survives the round, wobbled
and still hurt as he meanders back to his corner.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Brener starts the second round with a fire lit under his belly,
despite taking serious damage at the end of the last frame. The two
engage in a wild brawl, and Kutateladze intercepts his man with a
step-in knee right on the chin. Brener wobbles back, and he
attempts a takedown and gets shoved to his back. Kutateladze rips
down several ferocious elbows, and blood starts spraying from
Brener’s forehead. Kutateladze stands back to admire his work, and
he lets Brener stand back up. Kutateladze digs a shot to the body
and attacks the lead leg with a kick, and he blasts Brener with a
left hook. Brener hops forward with a flying knee, but when that
and a high kick miss, Kutateladze smashes him in the face with a
right hand. Brener takes it cleanly and is still surviving, and he
gets thrown to the floor but is let back up again. Brener sports a
crimson mask but he is still with it, and he shakes it off and
tries to attack. Kutateladze meets him in the middle with heavier
strikes, and he takes a moment to gather his thoughts. Brener turns
things up when Kutateladze is recouping, and he walks straight into
a powerful elbow. Brener is wobbled yet again, and Kutateladze
chains body shots into punches up top and high kick to follow.
Kutateladze strings several punches together as he presses forward,
and Brener answers him with a sharp jab that snaps the head back.
Brener gathers a head of steam and lashes out with a few strikes,
and Kutateladze absorbs them and comes out firing. The two clash
kicks together, and both men are wearing it and still going after
it. Kutateladze is slowing, but when they get in close, he rips an
elbow over the top any chance he gets. Kutateladze digs a left to
the body, and Brener shells up for a second. This lets Kutateladze
trip him to the mat, and he wades past upkicks to climb into the
guard. Brener hacks with elbows off his back, and Kutateladze gives
him one much sterner back. Brener flails with upkicks when
Kutateladze stands, and the thrilling and bloody round comes to a
close.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The doctor comes in between rounds to check on the cut on Brener’s
hairline, and he cleared to continue. The two lightweight embrace
after 10 minutes of intense action, and Kutateladze strikes first
with a long one-two. He leans back from a spinning back elbow, and
he keeps moving when Brener wings high kicks at him. Kutateladze
rips a left to the body and a right to the head, and he chains a
few punches together into a high kick. The blood has transformed
Brener’s hair into something reminiscent of Edwin Dewees back in
“The Ultimate Fighter,” but he does not care, as he swings for the
bleachers and tags Kutateladze a few times in a furious exchange.
The strikes knock Kutateladze’s mouthpiece out, and Brener goes
after a takedown but is stuffed. When they separate, Kutateladze is
given his gumshield back, and he starts throw punches and tomahawk
elbows. Kutateladze fights through his clear fatigue to land shots
on the outside, and he lets go with a body kick. Brener marches
forward throwing hammers, and he walks into a pair of heavy hooks.
The blood flows again from down Brener’s forehead, and Kutateladze
makes it worse with merciless elbows and knees to the head.
Kutateladze aims a kick to the head, and he closes in to throw
Brener to a knee. The Brazilian stands and is pushed up against the
wall, as both men take a much-needed respite. Brener moves first to
get an elbow off, and they proceed to batter one another’s body
with punches, kicks and knees.
Kutateladze loads up on a body kick, and Brener slips a follow-up
punch, steels himself and unloads a devastating short left hook
that slams into the neck behind the ear. As if he were shot with a
tranquilizer dart, Kutateladze suddenly grinds to a near-halt, his
arms slumped by his side. A melting Kutateladze drops to a knee,
barely in control of his faculties, and the energized underdog
races ahead to seal the deal. Brener hammers down a few punctuating
punches, and Tognoni has no choice but to wave off the fight to
conclude the huge comeback. This is a tremendous
victory for the Chute Boxe Diego Lima product, who is now the first
fighter to knock out the durable man known as “Georgian
Viking.”

The Official Result

Elves Brener def. Guram Kutateladze R3 3:17 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

A few weeks ago, Santos (14-7, 1 NC; 4-4 UFC) was expecting to
encounter Macy Chiasson at bantamweight in what would have been an
important fight given the post-Amanda Nunes landscape. Instead, she
moves up in weight to the practically empty featherweight category
to throw down with Rosa (16-5, 5-2 UFC). In theory, this could be a
no. 1 contender fight if the promotion keeps the women’s 145-pound
category together, but that remains to be seen. It will go down
under the watchful eye of referee Kerry Hatley, and it kicks off
with a cordial fist bump. Rosa engages first and throws hands, and
Santos meets her with a few powerful punches right back. Santos
strides forward to get a few knees up the middle, and Rosa replies
with a sharp elbow when they are clinched. The two frantically race
at one another, and Rosa grips the clinch and gets elbows on the
break. Santos punches her way in, and she shells up when Rosa
counters with a left and a right. The two both swing hard, and this
results in a tie-up that Santos uses to push the Brazilian to the
wall. Santos clings to her foe, kneeing her a few times from either
side. Santos grinds, and Rosa palms her on the ear a few times.
Santos chips away with short knees to the midsection, staying busy
in the position while keeping Rosa stuck with her back at the wall.
Santos sneaks an elbow over the top and stays closely pressed to
her adversary, as her strike totals add up in this clinch position.
Santos peppers Rosa with short left hands as she hangs on, and
another elbow gets over the top before Rosa explodes to turn her
around. Rosa gives her one single knee back before Santos tries to
turn her about, and they split up. Rosa walks Santos down, and she
blocks a body kick and bounces back. Santos throws punches and a
body kick, and Rosa takes a subsequent front kick to the body. Rosa
counters a leg kick with an overhand right, and she chases Santos
around until they bump heads together. They end up clinching in the
middle of the cage, and Santos shoves her to the fencing and starts
up her knee attack again. Santos elects to separate, and Rosa
connects with an overhand right that makes Santos think twice about
closing in. Santos tosses out a low kick, and she spins with a back
kick to the body. They both try to elbow each other from up close,
and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The second round begins as Rosa moves to the center of the cage and
starts chasing Santos around again. Santos ducks back from a big
one-two, and Rosa lands a solid body shot before Santos can grab
hold of her and initiate the clinch. Rosa backs off to find a
better angle of approach, and she goes back in and is quickly
turned around by the Russian. Santos throws knees to any target,
squeezing Rosa tight against the fence before popping her with an
elbow. Santos backs away, and crashes forward to clinch back up.
Santos sneaks over another elbow and decides to break, and Rosa
starts walking her down throwing punches. They trade blows, and
Rosa ends with a good right hand. They tie up and trade knees in
the Thai clinch, and Santos circles away to keep moving. Santos
whiffs on an axe kick, and they crash together for a brief clinch
until they push off. Rosa stalks down her opponent, and she lands a
leg kick only to get countered with an overhand right. Rosa marches
forward with impunity, and she knees Santos on the way in. The two
ladies engage in single strike excursions, where they dart in, land
something, and get out. They take turns in these kinds of
engagements, and Rosa fires off a head kick and lets Santos brush
past her. Santos kicks the body with a side kick, and she keeps
strafing laterally. Rosa lands a right hand and has her head kick
blocked, and she swats away a step-in elbow so she can close the
distance. Santos welcomes this and turns her around without batting
an eye, and the close round wraps with the two stuck together.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The last round has been reached, and Rosa is the immediate
aggressor as she throws big punches. Santos snatches her up and
pulls her into the clinch game, but Rosa pushes her away to return
to kickboxing range. Santos keeps moving, and she kicks the body a
few times as Rosa walks towards her. Santos comes in to clinch, and
she backs out with an elbow that grazes off the cheek. Rosa plants
the ball of her foot on Santos’ midsection, and she fires off a
one-two that gets Santos’ attention. They trade heavy leg kicks,
and the pocket collapses as they both rush at the other to launch
knees. Rosa pushes off, and she counters a body kick with a
thudding right hand. Santos hops back and gathers her thoughts, and
she kicks low again. They swipe at one another with big kicks, and
Rosa lumps her foe up with a right hand and a low kick that does
not give off a slapping sound. Rosa plods onward, beating Santos to
the punch a few times in brief skirmishes, and she lands a right
hand on the nose to make Santos blink it out. Rose aims a right to
the body, and she checks a leg kick in response. Santos tries to
keep Rosa away with a front kick, and Rosa walks through it and
parries a body kick that follows. Rosa splits the guard with a
one-two, and the Brazilian is the aggressor and swinging with
heavier blows. Santos peppers the lead leg with a kick, and Rosa
delivers one much heavier. Rosa ties her up to land one single
elbow, and she pushes off to gain space and not get trapped. Rosa
lumbers towards her opponent constantly, throwing punches and the
occasional kick, and Santos is stuck looking for counters. A high
kick from Rosa grazes off the top of the head, and she plants a
one-two on the chin. Rosa trips Santos out with 15 seconds left in
the fight, and she jams down elbows to the face and punches to the
side to conclude the fight.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Karol Rosa def. Yana Santos via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28,
29-28)

Round 1

The biggest betting favorite on the card by a country mile, Brito
(14-3-1, 2-1 UFC) at -1400 odds is widely expected to blaze through
his short-notice replacement foe. Rather than fighting Khusein
Askhabov, the well-traveled Wilson (16-7, 0-0 UFC) steps in for his
UFC debut as around a +800 underdog. The sport is a wild one and
even massive favorites can lose – just look at Kutateladze earlier
tonight – and Wilson does celebrate a 100% finish rate across his
16 pro victories. Referee Chris Tognoni will need to be on his
A-game for what should be a fast and furious affair for as long as
it lasts. Before the two featherweights engage, they touch gloves
to signal they are glad to be competing tonight. Brito is the one
to push the pace early, and Wilson fades back and eats a right
hand. Brito wings another overhand right, and Wilson is out of the
way in time. The karate style and stance from Wilson works against
him, as Brito busts him in the chops with a pair of furious hooks.
Wilson wobbles back to the fence, and Brito is so aggressive that
Wilson grabs him to slow him down. Brito wings a right hand over
the top, and Wilson responds with a potential trip attempt. Brito
presses Wilson tightly on the fence, and he takes a knee to the
chest. Brito slings him to the mat, and Wilson pulls on the cage
with his toes. Brito lands in side control, keeping his shoulder
pressed tightly on the Utah native. Wilson is again warned for
grabbing the fence, and Brito stands up and grabs it to fight off a
sudden, unexpected leglock. Tognoni swats his fingers out of the
fence, and Brito drops down and busts Wilson in the face with a
right hand.
Wilson latches on to a sudden kneebar, and Brito pushes off and
batters Wilson with thunderous right hands. As Wilson hangs on,
rolled to his side with the submission no longer a serious option,
Brito does not let him off the hook. “Tubarao” concludes his
bombardment with fierce flurry of fists, and Tognoni jumps in to
stop the fight as Wilson’s lights go out. The enormous
favorite made short work of the late replacement, having now
performed three first-round finishes in a row. An energized Brito
loudly and angrily calls out Dan Ige for a future fight, flipping
off double birds and calling for a main event spot. If not Ige, he
will also take Alex Caceres, as he is very interested in a ranked
adversary.

The Official Result

Joanderson Brito def. Westin Wilson R1 2:54 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

Closing out the prelims is the return of lightweight and
welterweight stalwart Lee (19-7, 11-7 UFC), who left the UFC in
2021 and came back courtesy of a victory over fan-favorite Diego
Sanchez in Eagle FC. The promotion is not doing him any favors in
this comeback fight, as they have matched him at 170 pounds against
the once-beaten Russian Fakhretdinov (20-1, 2-0 UFC), who has won
19 straight dating back almost exactly 10 years. There is no touch
of gloves to kick off this contest, and referee Herb Dean will draw
the charge for this preliminary headliner. Lee pushes out with a
one-two, and Fakhretdinov fires off a leg kick and two big hooks to
respond. Le swings back, and Fakhretdinov snaps the head back with
a jab. Fakhretdinov pierces the guard with a one-two that knocks
Lee clean off his feet, and he leans over and instead of pounding
Lee out to pursue a submission.
“Gladiator” secures a guillotine choke when Lee sits up, and he
squeezes with all of his might as the two are dry as a bone. Lee,
on his knees, wriggles, and the power guillotine is extremely
tight. Lee tries to counter with a takedown, but before he can push
through, the choke puts him all the way out. Dean
checks on Lee and discovers that Lee has drifted off to dreamland,
totally unconscious from the nasty maneuver. Dean halts the fight,
and Fakhretdinov has passed a huge test with flying colors, putting
away a former interim title challenger in under a minute. In
victory, the Russian has now won 20 fights in a row, and the
already stacked welterweight division has yet another contender to
watch.

The Official Result

Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Kevin Lee R1 0:55 via Technical Submission
(Guillotine Choke)

Round 1

Make no mistake, the UFC chose violence for this main card opener
in the middleweight division. With an astounding 42 finishes across
their 44 pro wins, both Ferreira (10-0, 1-0 UFC) and the debuting
Ruziboev (34-8-2, 2 NC; 0-0 UFC) would not like to leave this one
on the hands of the judges. Ready to intervene at any second will
be referee Mark Smith. The fighters clap hands together, and
Ruziboev moves to the center of the cage while Ferreira switches
stances several times. Ferreira absorbs a clean calf kick from a
safe distance, and he blocks a jump kick and throws a front kick
back. Ferreira slams his shin on the outside calf, and Ruziboev
turns his leg to prevent some of the damage. Ruziboev steps in with
a few punches, and Ferreira springs out of the way.

Ruziboev catches a low kick and drills a straight right hand down
Broadway. Ferreira hits the mat, his head bouncing off the floor,
and he is stunned badly. “Black” hammers the nail with a fierce
series of punches, putting “The Hulk” to sleep with his final
onslaught. Smith waves the fight off, and Ruziboev has
just stamped the significant upset while becoming the first fighter
to beat the hard-charging Brazilian. With 33 finishes in his 35
victories, including this crushing knockout of a well-regarded
talent, Ruziboev names himself as one to watch going forward.

The Official Result

Nursulton Ruziboev def. Brunno Ferreira R1 1:17 via KO
(Punches)

Round 1

From one group of finishers to another the UFC goes, this time at
lightweight. Even though Bonfim (19-3, 1-0 UFC) has gone the
distance in three of his last four, that is an aberration for the
Brazilian had earned 12 of his previous 15 wins via stoppage.
Looking to match him and then some is France’s St. Denis (10-1, 1
NC; 2-1 UFC), with 10 victories all inside the distance. Referee
Herb Dean dons his proverbial hard hat before the two fighters get
after it, and they start things off with a glove touch. The two
immediately start gunning for one another, as St. Denis lines up
several kicks to the body and head. Bonfim responds with huge
counters, and he points to his body and urges St. Denis to come on
keep kicking him. St. Denis obliges, hammering the ribs with kick
after kick, and Bonfim blocks some of them and comes out swinging,
but his big hooks miss. St. Denis backs him away with a swinging
high kick, and he ducks a massive overhand right to secure a
takedown and dump Bonfim on his back. Bonfim appears frustrated,
and as he makes faces, St. Denis slices straight into full mount.
The Frenchman works the body, and as he gets a little complacent,
Bonfim sweeps him and turns him over. This results in a scramble
that forces them both upright, and St. Denis kicks the body again
and smacks Bonfim with a left hook. Bonfim bites down on his
mouthpiece and flings a massive right hook, and St. Denis takes it
flush and presses forward. Bonfim intercepts him with a stern knee,
and St. Denis is stung but he still has the wherewithal to dive
after a single-leg takedown. Bonfim sprawls and aims a knee at the
chin, and St. Denis leans back just in the nick of time. St. Denis
advances and lets loose two kicks before shooting for a double, and
he changes to a single. When that too fails, he elects to switch to
a body lock to toss Bonfim down, but Bonfim keeps his balance by
leaning his gloves on the mat. St. Denis uses his body weight to
lower Bonfim to the floor, and he takes the back when Bonfim rolls.
St. Denis secures both hooks with a minute to spare, and he starts
fishing for a choke. Bonfim hand-fights well to defend from a choke
getting set up, but St. Denis clamps onto a neck crank as he turns
it to the side.
Bonfim wriggles out his head just enough, until the forearm of his
opponent crushes down on his jaw. The rear-naked choke grip is not
under the chin, so St. Denis decides to simply crank on the face
with the full extent of his power. The pain maneuver is enough to
force a surrender from the surging Bonfim, who bids
farewell to a 13-fight win streak thanks to the vice-like squeeze
of “God of War.” The victorious Frenchman retains his 100% finish
rate, and he now celebrates nine subs in his 11 triumphs.

The Official Result

Benoit St. Denis def. Ismael Bonfim R1 4:48 via Submission (Face
Crank)

Round 1

It’s a battle royale in the women’s flyweight category as the main
card rolls on, with “Queen of Violence” Lipski (15-8, 4-5 UFC)
hoping to dish out some violence against fellow countrywoman Gatto
(8-1-2, 2-1 UFC). The two are joined in the cage by referee Chris
Tognoni, who will oversee the action and also oversees a glove
touch. Gatto moves swiftly on the outside while Lipski stands in
the middle of the Octagon, and Gatto does multiple rotations around
her opponent before anything comes from it. Gatto tosses out a
half-hearted one-two, and Lipski ignores it as it is nowhere close
to the mark. Lipski reaches out with a left hook, and Gatto
shadowboxes from a safe range. The two kick at the same time, and
Lipski’s shin bounces off Gatto’s knee to no effect. Gatto sneaks
in a right, and she hops away before Lipski can line up a counter
hook. Lipski walks Gatto down, and she fires off a knee to the
chest and a pair of punches. Gatto circles away and slaps a leg
kick on the inside calf. Lipski gives her a few kicks back to the
lead wheel, and Gatto darts in with a right hook. Lipski walks into
a short combination, face-first, and she pays it no mind as it has
nothing on it. Lipski aims a high kick when Gatto comes at her, but
it grazes off the shoulder. Lipski loops a few punches to the body,
and Gatto is gunshy and does not counter. A few successful punches
from Gatto have marked up Lipski’s nose, and Lipski does not slow
down her advancement, even if she does not cut off the cage or use
much offense of her own. Lipski punches her way into a close range,
where she kicks the ribs. Gatto snipes with a left hand, and she
strafes away when Lipski bears down on her. Lipski turns her hips
into a low kick, and she swarms Gatto with a few hooks only to get
popped with a right hook as well. Lipski again tries to throw a
head kick as Gatto pressures back, and she connects with a knee as
Gatto crashes the pocket. One knee from each woman lands in the
clinch before the tepid frame ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The flyweights clap hands together to start off the second stanza,
and they reintroduce themselves to one another with high kicks that
bounce off their respective guards. Lipski eats a sharp right hand
when she tries to put punches together, and Gatto has marked up
Lipski’s face under the right eye and nose a bit. Lipski swings
hard, and Gatto is able to move well enough to dodge them. Gatto
fails to land a flying knee, and she does stick out a right hand on
the landing. Lipski replies with a body kick and a pair of punches,
leading Gatto into a takedown attempt. Gatto lands a few knees
while she presses her weight on Lipski, and Lipski replies in kind.
During a scramble, Lipski whips Gatto to the floor. Gatto springs
right back up and turns the tables to drop Lipski to a knee for a
moment. As Lipski works her way up, she ignores a knee or two to
her thigh as she looks to escape. With Gatto holding on tight, the
two decide to trade knees one after the other. On the break, both
women look for right hooks, only to find they are out of range.
Lipski wades into action pushing out a front kick, and Gatto backs
her off with a one-two and a low kick. Lipski stands firm and
smacks Gatto with a few punches, and she delivers a hard leg kick
on the thigh. Gatto scores a one-two and is away before Lipski
reaches her with a similar blow, and “Queen of Violence” manages to
loop a right hand around the guard for one of her better clean
strikes in the round. Lipski lands a body kick, and Gatto ties her
up and pushes her into the wire. The round ends in this
position.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Hands are clasped to begin the final frame, and it is Gatto who
moves to the center of the cage first. Lipski lets loose a body
kick, and she dings Gatto at the end of two hooks. Lipski follows
them with a kick to the side, and she blocks a high kick to aim one
low. Lipski strings strikes together and hurts Gatto, and Gatto
responds with a takedown effort. Gatto works her way up, and Lipski
is on her with strikes, including high kicks and leg kicks mixed in
together. Gatto bounces a right hand off the guard, and she splits
the guard with a right hand only to be answered back. Gatto dives
after a single-leg takedown, and Lipski hops towards the fence to
keep herself upright. Gatto holds on from behind, and she looks to
get a hook in and tries to go for a choke grip. Lipski bucks her
off and puts Gatto on her back. The former KSW champ settles down
in the closed guard of her opponent, and then she postures up and
stands up without landing much. Gatto has a high kick bounce off
the chin, and Lipski grits her teeth and advances with a punch
combination and a low kick. Lipski ducks into an uppercut, and her
nose has started bleeding. Gatto fails to land another uppercut,
and Lipski clips her with a big right hook. Lipski kicks Gatto in
the head, and Gatto wears it well. Time expires in this close one
as both women block kicks from the other. It could go either
way.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Ariane Lipski def. Melissa Gatto via Split Decision (28-29, 30-27,
29-28)

Round 1

Welterweights take center stage in the “featured fight of the
night” slot, as Griffin (19-9, 7-7 UFC) has clawed his way back
towards a .500 record courtesy of four wins in his last five
appearances. While the last 14 fights for Griffin have been 50/50,
the same cannot be said about opponent Morales (14-0, 2-0 UFC), who
is a perfect 14 up and none down. The two are 14 years apart, and
referee Kerry Hatley stands guard for the battle of 14s. There is
no glove touch, and Griffin is active early on moving from side to
side and staying on the outside. “Pain” causes some early pain with
low kicks, and he is met with sharp jabs from the unbeaten
youngster. Morales reaches his foe with a looping one-two, and he
backs off when Griffin kicks the inside of his calf. They both snap
out jabs, but Morales’ is faster and prods the nose. Griffin swings
and misses, with Morales dancing out of the way of the punches but
not the follow-up leg kick. Griffin charges with a stream of
punches, and Morales bends over to avoid them and leaps at his man
with a jump knee. There is a reset period, and Morales then attacks
again with a flying knee that claps off the cup of the American.
Griffin waves Hatley off, and he surges into action with a takedown
attempt. Morales turns him around and separates, but Griffin is on
him and his left hand has developed some swelling on Morales’ right
eye. Griffin presses his weight on his opponent, and he gets kneed
in the face by the younger man. Morales shakes Griffin off to get
away, and he leaps at his opponent with a Superman punch. Morales
lands and comes out swinging, and Griffin backs him into the fence
with a clubbing right hand. Morales jumps with another kick, and
his foot once more bounces into Griffin’s cup. Hatley does not
recognize it, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The welterweights meet in the middle, and Morales claims the center
of the cage and flashes out his jab. Griffin lunges in with a long
left hand, and he backs away when Morales jumps at him with a kick.
Morales tags Griffin with three punches, and Griffin shakes it out
and gets staggered by a right hand. Morales charges into action,
throwing so hard he almost falls over, and he rocks Griffin with
another overhand right. Griffin sits down on a counter right, but
Morales walks through it and is now in stalking mode. Griffin
sticks him with a right but eats one right back, and his chin is
durable and his counters effective enough to slow Morales down for
a moment. Griffin gathers his thoughts and absorbs a jab, and he
skirts out of the way when Morales tries to bust him in the chops.
Morales flicks out a few jabs to open a cut under Griffin’s left
eye, and he stays composed and walks through a body kick to aim a
right over the top. Morales lands two more jabs, and Griffin looks
for an overhand right and backs away when Morales charges. Griffin
lets loose with a leg kick, and he ducks a huge right hand that
blows past his hair. Morales swings so hard that Griffin is able to
duck it, change levels and go for a takedown. Morales shuts down
the attempt and circles away, thanks in part to a kimura threat of
his own. Morales pops his foe again with a few jabs, and he resets
with a minute left in the round. Griffin blitzes but misses, and
Morales nods at him and makes him backpedal. Morales tags Griffin
with a Superman punch, and as he pours it on, a knee from up close
bumps into Griffin’s cup and forces a 30-second pause. Griffin gets
jabbed when they restart, and he throws a simultaneous head kick
that is easily blocked. Morales jabs into a high kick, and he
raises his arm in the air with a few seconds left in the round to
lure Griffin into a slugfest. Morales gets off a few more shots
before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Five minutes remain, and it could be tied up going into this last
round. They proceed to throw big hands, and Morales eats a left
hook and nods. Morales pushes out a jab, and he slides away when
Griffin throws a haymaker. Griffin misses with a head kick and
attacks a takedown, and he gets nailed with a flying knee. Griffin
bounces off the fence and the two gets back to striking range.
Griffin tries to close in on his opponent, and he crashes right
into Morales’ hip and bounces off the fence. Griffin manages to
grab Morales from behind while the Ecuadorian leans against the
cage, and he turns around and goes after a double. Lifting the
unbeaten fighter off the ground, he dumps Morales down for a
second. Morales hits a quick switch to move around and grab hold of
Griffin’s back, before they split up. Morales jabs when he gets
back to a safe berth, and Griffin responds with an overhand right.
Griffin dings Morales with a left and presses him into the clinch,
and there is no takedown to be found. Morales stands him up with a
few punches after they break, and he jumps with a knee that crashes
right into Griffin’s head. Griffin gets kicked low a few times to
shake up his balance, and he tries to time a jab with a right hook.
Morales leans back to dodge a sweeping left hook, and he takes a
deep breath with a minute left. Morales ushers Griffin aside when
Griffin charges recklessly, and he tries another jump knee that
misses the mark. Griffin walks his foe down, and he chambers a big
right hand and connects with it. The impact leads to a clinch, and
he gets thrown to the mat by the unbeaten fighter for emphasis.
Morales tries to get off some ground-and-pound, but the fight comes
to a close.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Michael Morales def. Max Griffin via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

We have reached the co-main attraction, which takes place at 155
pounds between fringe contenders and exceptional grapplers
Ismagulov (24-2, 5-1 UFC) and Dawson (19-1-1, 7-0-1 UFC). The
former has gone the distance in six of his last seven, while Dawson
has prevailed in six of his last seven – Ismagulov can say the same
there as well. The two lightweights show ample respect as they
shake hands in front of referee Herb Dean, and Ismagulov is the one
pressure out of the gate. Dawson flings a left hand and a kick to
make Ismagulov think twice, and he dives low for a single that is
easily stuffed. Dawson wings a left hook that misses the mark, and
Ismagulov skates to the side from a jab and clips Dawson with a
right hand. Dawson throws right back with a left hook, and he digs
a right hand to the body. Dawson snatches up the Russian’s leg and
secures the single, and he succeeds in planting Ismagulov on his
back. Dawson, in half guard, drops down a single left hand.
Ismagulov turns over and gives up his back as he looks to escape,
and Dawson follows him and wraps up a rear-naked choke. The arms
cannot find the neck or even the chin, and Ismagulov fights the
grip as he finds himself trapped in a body triangle. Ismagulov is
warned for grabbing the inside of Dawson’s gloves to fight the
hands, and Dawson stretches him out with the body triangle.
Ismagulov tries to turn through it, and he sits up only to get
pulled back down and his mouth covered. Dawson frustrates him with
a combination of the body lock, mouth covering and hand-fighting,
and Ismagulov turns to the side to shake off the leglock around his
midsection. Dawson readjusts his leg grip on the body, and
Ismagulov sways from side to side. Dawson locks down on a
rear-naked choke with one of Ismagulov’s arms between his head and
the choke grip, and Ismagulov fights out of it and turns around to
his knees. Dawson stays tightly pressed to him, following him every
step of the way and opening up with right hands when he has
Ismagulov stuck on his side. Ismagulov turns frantically, and
Dawson keeps a very high hook around the chest even as Ismagulov
bucks him like a bronco. Ismagulov turns to his back again, and he
rides out the round without being tapped.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The lightweights clap hands, and as Ismagulov is coming out of his
corner, he is wincing and closing his right eye. Both fighters
swing haymakers at the other, and Ismagulov catches Dawson with a
left and a right. Dawson lifts up a knee, but Ismagulov does not
walk into it. Instead, Ismagulov snaps the head back with a jab,
and a straight right hand sends Dawson backpedaling. Dawson drops
down, grabs hold of both of Ismagulov’s legs, picks him up like a
155-pound sack of potatoes and gingerly deposits him to the floor.
The two end in a very unusual situation, as Ismagulov and Dawson
were stuck in an odd north-south position for a moment. Dawson
recovers faster to partially wind up on top, but Ismagulov also has
his own hands clasped. Dawson slides around to get on top, and he
snags Ismagulov’s back to get both hooks in. Dawson recovers his
body triangle, and he racks up more back control time as he
occasionally softens Ismagulov up with fists upside the head.
Ismagulov answers with elbows to the thigh, and he fights a choke
setup off but is still stuck in the body triangle. Dawson snakes an
arm over the chin but cannot sneak it under it, and he settles for
making Ismagulov’s life miserable. The round ends with Dawson hold
on from behind, and he helps Ismagulov back to his feet as they
return to their corners.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The fighters hug it out to start off the last round, and Ismagulov
is urgent to push the action knowing he is likely way down on the
scorecards. Dawson slides to the side and pegs Ismagulov with a
left hand, and Dawson grabs his foe from behind and elevates him.
“KGD” tosses Ismagulov to the ground, and the body triangle is
snatched up immediately as he secures back control. Dawson grabs
the arm of Ismagulov and torques it back for something more
frequently seen in the pro wrestling ring, like a full nelson or a
reverse can opener. Ismagulov grits it out, as this is nothing more
than an irritation to him, but Dawson is squeezing him and
completely nullifying him. Dawson loops punches over the guard that
are light and frustrating, and Dean asks for Dawson to work in this
back control position. The hand-fighting from Ismagulov stop Dawson
from a choke getting anywhere near close, and Dawson tries as hard
as he can to even get one arm around the head of his adversary.
Dawson switches his body lock from leg to leg as Ismagulov leans to
one side or the other, and Ismagulov has no answers. Dawson
considers an arm-in rear-naked choke again, and Ismagulov punches
from behind to signal to Dawson there is nothing to it. With five
seconds to go, Ismagulov explodes to turn himself around, but the
fight ends before he can do anything with it. Barring something
extremely bizarre, this should be a clean sweep for Dawson. Man,
this kid is good.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Grant Dawson def. Damir Ismagulov via Unanimous Decision (30-26,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Tristen Critchfield scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Tristen Critchfield scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Tristen Critchfield scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 4

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Tristen Critchfield scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 5

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Tristen Critchfield scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

The Result