GOOD NIGHT! John
Castaneda locks in the sub in R3 đ´
#UFCVegas47 pic.twitter.com/NiYvIhaLBXâ UFC Canada (@UFC_CA)
February 5, 2022
John
Castaneda sent a pointed message to anyone who dares to
overlook him in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division.
The former Combate Global champion choked Miles Johns
unconscious with an arm-triangle in the third round of their
featured
UFC Fight Night 200 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las
Vegas. Johns (12-2, 3-2 UFC) went to sleep 98 seconds into Round 3,
as the Fortis MMA prospect suffered the second setback of his
14-fight career.
After a closely contested first round, Castaneda (19-5, 2-1 UFC)
found another gear and ultimately wore down the onetime Legacy
Fighting Alliance titleholder with relentless forward pressure. He
staggered Johns with a right hook early in the third round, gave
chase, connected with a knee and forced him to retreat to the
canvas. Castaneda pounced with punches, positioned himself for the
arm-triangle and cleared the legs, tightening his squeeze until the
2019 Dana Whiteâs Contender Series graduate went limp.
Dawodu Handles Game Trizano
Championâs Creed MMA export Hakeem
Dawodu outstruck and outflanked âThe Ultimate Fighterâ Season
27 winner Michael
Trizano to a unanimous decision in their three-round
featherweight battle. All three cageside judges scored it the same:
30-27 for Dawodu (13-2-1, 6-2 UFC), who rebounded from his June 12
defeat to Movsar
Evloev.
Trizano (9-2, 3-2 UFC) connected on occasion but struggled to keep
pace. Dawodu operated behind an effective jab, attacked the former
Ring of Combat championâs lower extremities with kicks and strung
together punches in exquisite combinations. Trizano secured a
surprise takedown in the third round but failed to corral the
Canadian. Back on his feet, Dawodu continued to tear into the Team
Tiger Schulmann standout with lightning-quick punches to the body
and head.
Dawodu has recorded six victories across his past seven
outings.
Njokuani Wrecks Barriault in 16 Seconds
Onetime Tachi Palace Fights champion Chidi
Njokuani brought down Marc-Andre
Barriault with punches in the first round of their middleweight
confrontation. Barriault (13-5, 2-5 UFC) met his end just 16
seconds into Round 1, his modest two-fight winning streak having
run its course.
The 33-year-old Njokuani (21-7, 1-0 UFC) maximized his time. He
sent a crisp jab crashing into Barriaultâs face and followed it
with a clubbing right cross that dropped the
Sanford MMA rep to his knees. Njokuani sprang into action on
his fallen counterpart, let fly with a flurry of unabated left
hands and forced referee Herb Dean to
call for the stoppage.
Njokuani will enter his next appearance on the strength of three
straight wins.
Veteran Davis Outduels Stoliarenko
Takedowns, top control and damaging ground-and-pound carried
Alexis
Davis to a unanimous decision over former Invicta Fighting
Championships titleholder Julija
Stoliarenko in a three-round womenâs bantamweight tilt. All
three cageside judges scored it for Davis (21-11, 8-6 UFC): 29-27,
29-27 and 30-27.
Stoliarenko (9-6-2, 0-4 UFC) conceded a takedown but threatened
with armbars throughout a competitive first round and opened a cut
above the onetime Raging Wolf championâs right eye with clean
combination punching in the second. However, the Lithuanian
grappler went off the rails in Round 3. Davis sat her down with a
kick to the lower leg, engaged her in full guard and uncorked
punches and elbows, one of which lacerated âThe Ultimate Fighterâ
Season 28 semifinalist below the right eye. She spent roughly four
minutes in top position, sending a clear message to the
judiciary.
The 28-year-old Stoliarenko has lost three fights in a row.
Debuting Almeida Buries Marques
Jailton
Almeida dazzled in his first Octagon assignment, as the LG
System thoroughbred put away Danilo
Marques with punches in the first round of their light
heavyweight affair. A Demian Maia
protĂŠgĂŠ, Marques (11-4, 2-2 UFC) checked out 2:57 into Round 1.
It was never competitive. Almeida (15-2, 1-0 UFC) landed a takedown
inside the first minute and set out on his hunt for the finish. He
progressed from side control to full mount and briefly transitioned
to the back, cutting loose with brutal ground-and-pound along the
way. Almeida eventually settled in full mount before dropping hammerfists
and punches to close the deal.
Almeida, 30, has rattled off 10 consecutive victories, all of them
finishes.
Surging Rowe Blasts Witt
Fusion X-Cel export Philip Rowe
put away Jason Witt
with punches in the second round of their welterweight clash. Rowe
(9-3, 2-1 UFC) brought it to a close 2:15 into Round 2, as he won
for the ninth time in 10 appearances and kept his head above water
in the 170-pound weight class.
Witt (19-8, 2-3 UFC) struck for a pair of takedowns in the first
round and bottled up the 2019 Dana Whiteâs Contender Series
graduate on the mat. Rowe made the necessary adjustments in the
middle stanza. He surrendered another takedown but returned to his
feet less than a minute later and let his educated hands do the
rest. Rowe backed the Glory MMA rep to the cage and unleashed a hellacious three-punch burstâa right
cross followed by a left hook and another right crossâthat sat down
a dazed-and-confused Witt where he stood. Hammerfists fell next,
prompting the stoppage.
The 35-year-old Witt has lost three of his past five bouts.
Gordon Spoils Bondar Debut
Former TKO Major League MMA champion Malcolm
Gordon was awarded a technical knockout over promotional
newcomer Denys
Bondar in the first round of their flyweight pairing. Bondar
(14-3, 0-1 UFC) bowed out with a gruesome arm injury 1:22 into
Round 1, as he suffered his first defeat since March 4, 2017.
Gordon (14-5, 2-2 UFC) checked the Ukrainianâs chin with a right
hand over the top, only to concede a takedown when he attempted to
follow up. He threatened initially with a triangle choke, then
transitioned to an armbar. Those efforts set off a scramble that
saw Bondar get dumped to the mat, his elbow giving way when he tried to post on his
left arm in a bid to return to his feet. He yelped in pain
before signaling to referee Mark Smith that he was done.
The loss snapped Bondarâs nine-fight winning streak.