UFC Fight Night 241 ‘Barboza vs. Murphy’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Round 1

It’s Saturday again, and for MMA fans, that means it’s UFC day.
While next weekend will be off from UFC coverage thanks to Memorial
Day in the U.S., a dozen more fights in a major organization send
fans off into that brief break. There may be no ranked fighters on
the billing, but rankings don’t make fights, and plenty of action
is sure to come over the next six hours. A few victors could get
numbers next to their names should they prevail, while others will
be staving off a looming pink slip with the next Dana White’s
Contender Series season right around the corner. The fights begin
in the lightest division the company offers: women’s strawweight.
The roster slots of both Demopoulos (10-5, 4-2 UFC) and Ducote
(13-8, 2-2 UFC) are likely safe for the time being, win or lose,
while one of these two ladies will find themselves on a win streak
in the next 15 minutes or less. Referee Chris Tognoni draws the
assignment for the first match of the evening, and he clocks the
fighters in as they decide not to bump fists. Demopoulos races
ahead to attack immediately, hurling low kicks and punches to drive
back Ducote right out of the gate. Demopoulos lashes out with leg
kicks and punch combinations, and Ducote stands firm and counters.
One particularly heavy calf kick from “Gordinha” draws a cheer from
her corner. The two trade back-and-forth, taking turns to engage,
until they crash together to strike at the same time. Ducote gets
the better of a few exchanges courtesy of a straight right hand
down the pipe, beating Demopoulos to the punch as Demopoulos is
largely relying on winging hooks. Demopoulos pushes out straight
punches of her own, and Ducote slides to the side and snipes her
with a two-punch salvo. Demopoulos reaches her foe with a right
hand after landing a low kick, and Ducote reddens up her nose with
a solid right. Ducote leans on her right hand a few times when
finding openings, and one particularly fierce one wobbles the legs
of “Lil Monster.” Ducote does not take advantage of the damaging
blow, instead measuring her strikes carefully as Demopoulos gets
her sea legs back beneath her. Demopoulos lines up a long right
hand, and she puts a one-two on the face to follow. Ducote walks
into another right hand, and her own nose is showing some damage as
well. Demopoulos sits down on a body kick, and by staying in the
same spot after tossing it, Ducote is able to counter her cleanly.
Demopoulos dogs a right to the body and left to the head, drawing
blood from the nose of her adversary. Demopoulos unloads with a big
right hand that is barely blocked in time, and Ducote answers with
a body shot. Demopoulos tries another haymaker, and this one gets
through. Ducote does not flinch, instead bopping Demopoulos square
in the nose to knock her a few steps back and make her blink. The
first round ends, and Demopoulos takes a seat on the floor in her
corner.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Once again, Demopoulos comes out of her corner shot out of a cannon
to start the round. This time around, Ducote is ready for the quick
blitz, shifting away from the power right hand and prodding out
sharp jabs to break up combos. Demopoulos chips away with her leg
kicks during or at the beginning of exchanges to keep things
interesting. Ducote ducks a punch and Demopoulos drives a knee into
her chest, and Ducote scampers away and slaps her own leg kick low.
Demopoulos bounces on her heels until she pounces, with a leg kick,
a heavy right hand and a powerful head kick that cuts Ducote on the
corner of her eye and sits on Ducote’s shoulder. Ducote literally
shrugs the leg off of her and resets, and the two begin to settle
in trading back-and-forth. Ducote lines up a straight right hand as
Demopoulos wings punches, and she introduces her own shin to
Demopoulos’s chin. Demopoulos tries to pay her back with another
head kick, but Ducote blocks it in time and pops Demopoulos with
several shots. “Lil Monster” attacks the body with a kick, and she
attempts a second only for it to be guarded. Ducote digs a left to
the liver and slides away from the counter, but another right hand
over the top gets through. Ducote sees Demopoulos loading up and
connects with straighter blows, not allowing Demopoulos to get off
with big strikes. Demopoulos targets the cut with a number of jabs,
and Ducote pushes her back with a stern front kick. Ducote slips
and snaps out a right hand, and Demopoulos swarms her but cannot
land much before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Rather than throwing hands to introduce herself starting the round,
Demopoulos shoots in on the hips for a double-leg takedown. Ducote
shucks her off, and she rifles out a right hand that snaps the head
back. Demopoulos kicks the body and responds with her own right
hand, and this catches Ducote flush. Demopoulos takes some of the
arc away from her right, and it finds its home a few times. Ducote
slides to the side and gets Demopoulos’ attention with right hands
down the pipe. One particular right stuns “Lil Monster”
momentarily, but Demopoulos collects herself and loads up on power
hooks. Ducote doubles up on low kicks and goes high, and when
Demopoulos blocks it, she retaliates with a head kick of her own.
Demopoulos jabs out and cracks her for with a mean right hand, and
Ducote has to take a quick count of her teeth as she retreats.
Demopoulos gives chase and thwacks her again with a mighty
overhand, and Ducote keeps backpedaling until she clears her head.
When Ducote gets the fog out of her melon, she advances and starts
putting hands on Demopoulos. Demopoulos fires, but Ducote’s
counters are more accurate. One powerful right hand after she
dodges a Demopoulos salvo knocks Demopoulos back, and momentum is
swaying back and forth as these two women go at it. Just when
Demopoulos lands a ferocious right hand, Ducote steels herself and
blasts Demopoulos in the face with her own strong blow. Demopoulos
shoots low for a takedown, and Ducote shuts her down and pushes the
Factory X fighter over to her back. Ducote moves herself into half
guard, and she puts Demopoulos flat on her back so that she can
start landing. Demopoulos remains active and defensively sound
enough to avoid most of the worst attacks, but two thumping elbows
from “Gordinha” punctuate the bout right as the final horn blares.
Scorecards could be close after this strikefest, where a 30-27 for
one fighter and a 29-28 for the other would not be out of line.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ducote (30-27 Ducote)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Ducote (29-28
Ducote)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ducote (30-27 Ducote)

The Official Result

Vanessa Demopoulos def. Emily Ducote via Split Decision (28-29,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

Moving right along to the bantamweights, China’s Alateng (16-9-2,
4-2-1 UFC) takes center stage against Team Nogueira’s Rodrigues
(8-3, 1-2 UFC). Six of the seven previous Octagon outings for
Alateng have heard the final bell, while his Brazilian counterpart
posts a 75% finish rate, so something might have to give here.
Whether the fight lasts less than a round or all three, referee
Herb Dean will be here for it every step of the way. The combatants
clap hands together, and Rodrigues backs away and prods out a front
kick. Rodrigues tries a second, and this time, Alateng is in range
to absorb it. “K.R.” lines up a hefty low kick, knocking Alateng
clean off his feet with the very first strike to that target.
Before Alateng can stand, Rodrigues wraps up the neck in pursuit of
a guillotine choke. Alateng scrambles, wriggles out of the
submission setup and turns the tables to take Rodrigues off his
feet with a double. Rodrigues closes up his guard and takes a few
elbows on the dome, with Alateng trying to stay active while
Rodrigues awaits an opening to escape. Alateng remains tightly
pressed to his opponent, keeping heavy chest pressure as Rodrigues
appears irritated, looking towards his corner for advice. Rodrigues
starts hacking off his back with elbows, and he boxes the ears with
his palms. Alateng postures up to hammer down two solid elbows,
stifling Rodrigues from any plans of getting up. Alateng shuts down
any efforts for Rodrigues to fight his way back up, and Dean calls
for more work. Right before the round ends, Rodrigues pushes his
feet off Alateng’s chest.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Kicking off Round 2, Rodrigues starts kicking. “K.R” spins with a
back kick, flings a head kick, goes with another head kick with his
other leg and even tries a hook kick. Rodrigues slips a punch and
counters, and he spins to plant a back kick on the ribs. Alateng
plods forward, walking through calf kicks and cocking back his
right hand. Rodrigues cuts him off with a number of ruthless calf
kicks, and Alateng’s front leg is transforming into a welted mess
in a hurry. Rodrigues keeps chopping at the calf, and he ducks down
and gets clipped with a left hook but is no worse for wear after a
stumble. Alateng loads up on a right hand, and Rodrigues backs him
off with a one-two, a jump knee and a flying kick. Alateng avoids
the latter and tags “K.R.” with a right hand, dropping the
Brazilian to a knee. Rodrigues recovers and eats another powerful
blow, and he tries for a flying knee counter but is out of range.
Alateng punches his way into a takedown entry, scooping up one leg
and planting Rodrigues flat on his back. Alateng remains busy
landing strikes, and he wraps his arm around Rodrigues’ head to
lower him back down when Rodrigues sits up. Alateng drags Rodrigues
away from the fence to thwart any wall-walking, and he smacks
Rodrigues with an elbow or two. Alateng grinds out the round on
top.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Fists are bumped, and Rodrigues immediately surges into action.
Rodrigues lashes out with a spinning back fist that lands flush on
the temple, and he leaps at Alateng and dings him with a flying
knee to follow. Instead of expressing concern, Alateng smiles, and
he keeps his guard up to block another telegraphed spinning back
fist. Rodrigues slaps a head kick off the raised guard of his foe,
and Alateng walks him down fearlessly and wings a right hand at
him. Rodrigues prods out a front kick and gets off a leg kick, but
Alateng crowds him and puts hands on him. Alateng digs a left to
the body and is driven back with a check left hook. Alateng presses
the action with a one-two, and he leans back as haymakers from the
Brazilian whiz past him. Rodrigues scores a spinning back kick on
the abdomen, and the two sits down on punches in the pocket and
land flush. Rodrigues goes after another spin kick, and he recovers
and shoots in for a takedown. This is the worst thing he can do, as
Alateng stands him up and lowers him to the floor courtesy of a
body lock takedown. Alateng is comfortable being on top in the
guard, methodically working “K.R.” over while taking the
low-percentage dangerous strikes completely out of the equation.
Rodrigues tries to maintain two-on-one wrist control, but this only
allows Alateng free shots from his left hand. Rodrigues scoots
towards the fence, and Alateng thwarts him by dragging him away
from it. Dean asks for more action, and Alateng obliges him by
dropping down short but effective hammerfists. The fight ends with
Alateng on top, cruising to the scorecards.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Heili Alateng def. Kleydson Rodrigues via Unanimous Decision
(30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Round 1

After over a year off, Venezuelan striker Rodriguez (9-1, 2-1 UFC)
will be making her return to the cage hoping to rebound from her
first career defeat. She meets Carnelossi (14-3, 2-2 UFC), whose
layoff exceeds her own—“Sorriso” has not competed since May 2022.
The two strawweights will look to shake off any rust while referee
Mark Smith watches on. With plenty of respect for one another, they
gladly touch ‘em up before throwing down. After some circling, the
first strike comes from Carnelossi in the form of a low kick.
Rodriguez plods forward letting her hands go in a short but
effective spray, and Carnelossi backs her off with a counter. This
same exchange happens again, with Rodriguez wading into combat and
landing first but getting struck last. Both women land on the other
in their punch flurries, and a little over a minute in and
Carnelossi is already showing damage on her nose. Rodriguez changes
levels, and Carnelossi shoves her away with her fists flying.
Rodriguez sneaks in three punches before darting away to evade the
counter, and she does this once more. Carnelossi allows Rodriguez
to get to her so that she can counter, but Rodriguez is getting off
her own shots. Carnelossi surges into action with a heavy right
hand after Rodriguez cuts her open on the left cheek, and Rodriguez
stays on her bike to get away from the worst of it. Carnelossi
bullrushes her foe, driving Rodriguez back to the cage and
stumbling her momentarily when letting her hands go. Rodriguez
considers another level change, and she meets a stone wall that
analyst Din Thomas remarks looks like Sean Sherk. Rodriguez sells
out for a takedown, punching her way into the attempt, and she
slings Carnelossi to the mat. When they land, their limbs are
tangled in their equipment, and Smith makes sure to prevent any
wardrobe malfunctions and lets them go. They proceed to slug it out
from this horizontal position, with Carnelossi fearlessly throwing
hands off her back and flailing her feet to get Rodriguez off of
her. Rodriguez considers backing off for a standup, but she instead
races ahead and hammers Carnelossi with ground-and-pound until the
bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The strawweights bump their fists together before getting back to
it. Carnelossi is the one pressing forward, but she is met by a
strong right hand and a knee up the middle. Rodriguez looks to
capitalize on this by shooting on the hips, and Carnelossi pushes
her back. Rodriguez switches to attack with another knee in the
belly, and she spins her foe around and pushes her to the wall.
Rodriguez drops down for a single-leg takedown, and Carnelossi hops
around on her other foot to remain upright. The women trade elbows,
and Rodriguez hammers her with a number of knees. Rodriguez pursues
another takedown, this time going after a double as she tries to
clasp her hands together around the backside. Carnelossi shuts this
down and gains a little space, resulting in a brief brawl that
allows her to escape. Rodriguez times a perfect front kick that
blasts Carnelossi right in the face, and Carnelossi is on rubber
legs and backs away. Rodriguez charges her and swings her fists
until Carnelossi falls over, and
Rodriguez leaps on top and headbutts Carnelossi as Smith tells them
to watch their heads. “Sorriso” tries to defend herself as
Rodriguez is pummeling her with strikes, and Rodriguez sits up and
smacks Carnelossi with another headbutt. Smith calls
time after the second egregious foul, and the review officials
determine it was a clear headbutt. Carnelossi sits up after a
couple minutes of recovery, but she is still seeing stars and
compromised from both the legal and illegal blows. Carnelossi
stands up after about three minutes and shakes her head, and she
lowers herself back down on the fence. Carnelossi sits back down,
looking upset as she tries to clear her head, and she keeps shaking
her head. The doctor assesses her condition once more, and he
advises Smith that the fight should not continue. The only question
remaining is if the fight is ruled a no contest or a
disqualification.

The Official Result

Ariane Carnelossi def. Piera Rodriguez R2 3:16 via Disqualification
(Headbutts)

Round 1

Two middleweights with finish rates over 70% collide in this next
showing. The momentum is not particularly great for these two
fighters, as Magomedov (25-6-1, 1-2 UFC) has dropped two in a row
albeit to elite competition, while Alves (14-7, 8-7 UFC) is on a
three-fight skid with his last victory in 2021. One man’s fortunes
will turn around, barring something unusual, and referee Dan
Miragliotta will be the first to know. There is a quick glove
touch, and Magomedov walks forward, chambering his rear leg.
Magomedov leans in, and Alves lets his hands fly and knocks
Magomedov from one side of the cage to the other. Alves gives
chase, and Magomedov drags him down to the floor. Alves stands up,
and then lowers himself to a knee to prevent from taking knees to
the dome. Alves powers his way back upright again, and Magomedov
knees him in the side. Alves fights his way out of the tie-up, and
he escapes a looping left hand. Alves surges into action, leaping
at the Russian with a knee. Magomedov bounces off the cage wall and
pushes out a front kick, and the two get sucked into a vicious
brawl where Magomedov lands flush with two left hands that rock
Alves. Alves backs off, and a jab from Magomedov hurts him a bit
more. Alves scoots away, hopping on one foot to the other to shake
out any cobwebs, and he throws so hard that he spins around.
Magomedov takes advantage of this by dragging Alves down from
behind, and he allows Alves to spin so he can climb into half guard
and drop down an elbow. Alves bucks and kicks, sitting up and
turning to his side. Magomedov pushes Alves back over and elbows
him in the face, and he thumps up the side a few times with his
fist for good measure. Alves works his way back to the wall, and
Magomedov steps into three-quarter mount to pin Alves down and do
some damage. Alves still manages to sit up, and Magomedov is on top
of him smacking him with his free right hand. Alves muscles his way
back up to his feet and goes after Magomedov, firing off a body
kick and a right hand to the same target. Magomedov shoots for a
takedown, and Alves immediately defends with a guillotine choke.
Magomedov tosses the submission aside and assumes top position, but
the Brazilian explodes to get into a better position. A scramble
results in a north-south take for Magomedov, and the round
ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The middleweights clap hands to engage, and Magomedov is once more
the aggressor as he flirts with a front kick. Alves kicks out his
front leg and swarms with flailing fists, and he closes the
distance and bullies Magomedov to the wall with a clinch. Magomedov
works his way into a takedown effort, dragging Alves to the floor
and setting up an arm-triangle choke in a hurry. Alves turns to the
proper side and back to defend it, and Magomedov does not mind as
he resides in half guard landing punches. Magomedov claims full
mount with ease, flattening Alves out and smacking him from both
sides of the head. Magomedov tries for another arm-triangle choke,
and Alves explodes to break up the setup. Alves sits up, and he
looks for a sweep but cannot get the Russian off of him. Magomedov
returns to full mount as Alves bucks and twists, and he slashes
Alves with an elbow that rips his cheek wide open. Blood pools in
Alves’ eyes as he quickly transforms into a 1980s horror movie and
Magomedov intentionally moves back to half guard to keep the
Brazilian pinned. Alves tries to time bursts of energy to escape,
sitting up and shifting in a certain way, even going after a
guillotine, but Magomedov laughs it off and holds him down,
bludgeoning the veteran to the bell. Alves paws at his face to
assess the damage, and appears deflated at how that last round
transpired.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The cutperson did great work between rounds, as the inch-wide cut
on Alves’ cheek is not leaking as the last round begins. Alves
offers a glove touch and decides to go after a hug instead, and
Magomedov reluctantly obliges him. When they start fighting,
Magomedov sends Alves flying with a front kick. Alves recovers and
surges into action, swinging his way into action and blasting
Magomedov in the body. Magomedov bends over, possibly hurt from the
shin to the liver, and he shoots for a takedown that he lands with
relative ease. Magomedov takes the back, and he transitions into an
arm-triangle choke. Alves escapes at the right moment to get up,
only for Magomedov to hit a clean mat return with a double to put
Alves back on his seat. Alves swings down an elbow to the side of
the head, and he keeps his gaze trained on the big screen to assess
his position and observe how much time is on the clock—it reads
about 2:45 as he lingers on it, despite Magomedov striking him
every so often. Magomedov climbs into mount again, and Alves bucks
and rolls over, only to give up his back. Magomedov wraps one arm
around the jaw of his opponent for a possible rear-naked choke or
arm-triangle setup, and when Alves turns, he finds himself having
to fight off a rear-naked choke after all. Magomedov lets it go
when Alves shifts his hips, and he follows a fatiguing Alves around
to remain on top and in mount. Magomedov sits up and drills the
Brazilian with a merciless elbow, and Alves sits there for a moment
to get his bearings after the concussive blow. Alves sits up and
snatches up a desperation guillotine choke, and Magomedov is not
remotely concerned about the choke. The Russian pops his head out,
and fight ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Warlley Alves via Unanimous Decision
(30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Round 1

Taking over the Octagon for the next 15 minutes will be a former
featherweight in Vidal (7-2, 1-1 UFC) against a flyweight expat
Gatto (8-2-2, 2-2 UFC). The Brazilian countrywomen meet in the
middle at 135 pounds, and one of these two ladies will return to
the win column when the dust settles. Referee Chris Tognoni will
supervise this matchup, and it kicks off with a fist bump. Gatto
puts on the pressure early, landing a few punches to surprise
Vidal. Vidal returns fire with a flurry of punches, and Gatto times
a takedown to put “Tratora” on her back. As soon as Vidal hits her
back, she snatches up a guillotine choke, but Gatto is unconcerned.
Vidal hangs on tight with the choke try, and Gatto’s demeanor is
calm and composed as she works on Vidal’s body with her left hand.
Gatto eventually gets out of the submission, and she presses her
shoulder down tightly while in half guard to pin Vidal flat. Gatto
does not rush as she slowly looks to pass to mount, and she works
her way in. As soon as she claims it, she springs right into
action, smashing down elbows and hammerfists. When strikes to the
head are not open, Gatto elbows Vidal in the shoulders. Gatto keeps
heavy chest pressure and postures up every so often to slash with
elbows, and otherwise keeps Vidal totally flattened out. Strikes
continue to mount for Gatto, who frames off with two final elbows
before the bell.

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 2

The bantamweights share a fist bump, and get right after it. Gatto
lunges her way forward, targeting the body with rangy strikes.
Vidal tries to counter, but she is out of range. Gatto dips down
with a left to the body and comes up with a right to the head.
Vidal lands a low kick with each leg, and she gets her bell rung
with a one-two that makes her adjust her top. Gatto fakes and
feints her way forward, walking through a low kick to connect with
a right hand. Vidal swarms her, swinging with bad intentions, and
she plods her way into the clinch and pushes Gatto to the wire.
Gatto pushes off, only to absorb a flush right hand from her
opponent. They jockey for position and trade knees, turning one
another around in the tie-up. Gatto considers a trip, and she turns
the other direction and smoothly throws Vidal down to the canvas.
Vidal turns to her knees in an effort to escape, and Gatto gladly
allows this so she can take her back and get the hooks in. Gatto
rains down punches as Vidal turns to the side, with Gatto
comfortable riding in this position until she practically falls
into mount. Gatto smothers with top position and lands occasional
strikes, both otherwise completely nullifies “Tratora.” Gatto sits
up and snatches up an armbar with seconds to spare, and she falls
to the side to lock it down. Only the clock saves Vidal from a
potential tapout, as time expires before the submission results in
a stoppage.

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

The ladies touch gloves one last time, and Gatto is the aggressor
in a hurry as she lands cleanly on her countrywoman. Vidal swings
back recklessly, and she is well out of range and only hits air.

Gatto reaches out with a jab to the chest, and Vidal clutches her
breast and turns away. Gatto charges at her, fists flying, and
Vidal drops down to a knee as Tognoni rushes in to wave the fight
off. Vidal appears to ask if she should be given time
to recover, but strikes to that target are completely legal. Her
cries fall on deaf ears, as it is a legitimate stoppage and the
fight is over.

The Official Result

Melissa Gatto def. Tamires Vidal R3 0:37 via TKO (Punch to the
Body)

Round 1

A pair of UFC newcomers will collide in hopes of storming the light
heavyweight division. Undefeated Frenchman Sy (9-0, 0-0 UFC) has
earned the lion’s share of his pro wins via stoppage, and the same
can be said about “Tuco” Tokkos (10-3, 0-0 UFC). Referee Dan
Miragliotta will need to keep his head on a swivel for as long as
it lasts. Before they come out guns blazing, they touch ‘em up.
Tokkos prods out an early jab and two low kicks, and he tests his
might with a high kick. Sy punches once and shoots in for a deep
double, lifting Tokkos off his feet and depositing him to the mat
effortlessly. Tokkos gets stuck in an awkward position on the
corner of the fence and the floor, and he tries to use upkicks to
push Sy away. Tokkos rolls over to his knees, and Sy clings to him
from behind and steps over to get around and sneak his hooks in.
With only one hook in, Sy elects to snatch up a rear-naked choke
that is more of a face and neck crank, and Tokkos explodes out of
the bad position and loudly says, “you’re heavier than me.” Sy does
not acknowledge him, instead keeping tightly pressed to his back as
Tokkos sits up. Tokkos says it again, and Sy is not listening,
instead dragging Tokkos right down to the mat once more. Sy snakes
his right arm around the head, but he lets it go and pulls Tokkos
down from behind so he can lock up a body triangle. Tokkos once
more remarks about the weight of his opponent, and Sy takes
advantage of this “Hello, Japan” type moment and squeezes one arm
around the chin and locks down the rear-naked choke grip. The face
crank RNC is tight as a drum, and Sy’s clutch is not about to
loosen. Sy leans back to make this submission academic, and Tokkos
thinks about tapping out but waits a few seconds longer. Tokkos
surrenders from the submission, and Sy remains unbeaten as a
professional as he picks up his 10th pro victory.

The Official Result

Oumar Sy def. George Tokkos R1 3:43 via Submission (Face
Crank)

Round 1

The prelims conclude with two lightweights that combine for 12
knockouts in their 19 pro wins, with zero submissions between them.
Martinez (13-5, 0-1 UFC) and Nolan (6-1, 0-1 UFC) both came up
short in their UFC debuts, with first-round knockout losses
introducing them to the UFC brass. Taking charge of the cage will
be referee Mark Smith, who checks the fighters in as they decide to
touch gloves. Nolan says hello with a front kick, and when that
misses, he releases a low kick and then another front kick that
connects. Martinez crowds him with a one-two, and Nolan keeps
kicking. The Aussie spins with a wheel kick, and Martinez scoots
out of the way. The two men trade low kicks, and Nolan lands two
more for good measure. When Nolan attacks, Martinez gets off his
own leg kicks that disrupt the movement of the taller man. Nolan
peppers the Texan with kicks to all targets, and he flicks out a
jab before jumping forward with a knee that just misses. Martinez
comes back with a one-two, and he eats a body kick when trying
another. Nolan digs another kick to the ribs before chopping at the
lead wheel, only to step in with a fierce knee. Martinez jabs and
lands a leg kick, and Nolan does work with his kicks. Nolan gets
off a left hand, and he is driven back by a one-two from “The
Brick.” Nolan dodges a punch and fires back a right hand that lands
cleanly, and he chews up his foe with all the kicks he can find.
Nolan spins with a wheel kick, and when he lands, Martinez charges
him and busts him in the chops with a shovel hook. Nolan stumbles
back and falls over, and Martinez climbs on top of him in hopes of
finishing the job. Nolan’s long legs allow him to tie Martinez up
and even consider a triangle choke, and elbows off his back slash
Martinez open. Nolan explodes back to his feet, and Martinez
follows him up and races at his resetting foe.
Nolan times a perfect knee to the liver, and “The Brick” crumbles
to the floor in agony. Nolan finishes the job with a few left hands
as Smith has seen enough, and he walks away with
pride, pointing at his knee and going over to the commentary booth
to tell them he called it. This is an important victory for the
Aussie, who has now earned his last five wins via strikes.

The Official Result

Tom Nolan def. Victor Martinez R1 3:50 via TKO (Knee to the Body
and Punches)

Round 1

It’s on with the main card. Two strawweights on the outside of the
top 15 looking in—the UFC does have one of them ranked—will come to
blows in hopes of making that next big step towards contention.
Pinheiro (11-2, 3-1 UFC) will be looking to get back into the green
after her last outing saw her nine-fight win streak snapped
violently. On the other side of the equation, divisional staple
Hill (16-13, 11-13 UFC) has won three of our last four and is on a
solid run despite turning 39 in January. Referee Herb Dean is ready
for the long haul, and the women are too as they get right to it
with no consideration of a glove touch. Hill feints her way
forward, flicking out a front kick to test the waters and find her
range. Pinheiro circles to both directions, and Hill cuts her off
and pitches out a high kick that is several feet away from her
intended target. Hill leaps forward with two right hands, both
still too distant. Hill closes in, but the first actual strike
landing is a calf kick from the Brazilian. Both women throw and
land simultaneous right hands, and Pinheiro keeps her left hand
ready to release. Hill puts the ball of her foot on Pinheiro’s
torso, and she continues to walk Pinheiro down winging a right
hand. The two women stick out jabs, and Pinheiro shoots for a
takedown but cannot get anywhere. Hill backs away from a right
hand, and she meanders forward and tosses out a head kick that is
inaccurate. Pinheiro stick out a jab that marks up Hill’s nose, and
they rush towards one another and start trading. Pinheiro looks to
mix things up and throw Hill to the floor, but “Overkill” keeps her
balance and pushes Pinheiro back to the fencing. Pinheiro jumps
guard with a guillotine choke, and Hill threatens back with a Von
Preux shoulder choke all while looking to establish better top
position. Pinheiro releases her choke so that she does not get
countered, and Hill lands a solid right hand before getting pushed
off by Pinheiro’s flailing legs. Pinheiro gets off an upkick or
two, and Hill pounces and bops her in the noggin with a right hand.
Hill gets backed off with upkicks, and she connects with two mean
standing-to-ground punches. Pinheiro jumps back to her feet, and
Hill hurls her back down and lands a few strikes before the bell
sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Pinheiro races out of her corner to engage, only for Hill to jab
her back. Pinheiro loads upon on a power right hand, and when that
misses, she leans back as one from Hill buzzes past her as well.
Pinheiro splits the guard with a front kick, and Hill flirts with a
single-leg takedown and comes over the top with a right. Pinheiro
pirouettes with a back fist, and Hill’s guard is high enough to
protect her. Pinheiro uses her jab effectively to score, and she
times a right hand over the top. When Hill crowds her, Pinheiro
lands hard again and grins to celebrate her handiwork. Pinheiro
spins with a back fist, and Hill sees it coming and ducks it so she
can throw Pinheiro to the ground. Pinheiro grabs the fence a few
times to stay afloat, and Dean warns her for the fouls. The two
fight for position in the clinch when Hill’s takedown comes up
short, and Hill stifles a trip that Pinheiro offers back. Pinheiro
escapes the clinch, and Hill gives chase with a front kick and a
stabbing jab that snaps the head back. They both go after high
kicks, and Hill tries a jumping switch kick and a high kick that
both miss the mark. Hill misses with a head kick, and she knocks
Pinheiro off her feet with a lunging jab. Pinheiro hops back up,
and Hill is on her with pressure and strikes. Pinheiro shoots for a
takedown, and Hill stops it and clings to a guillotine choke that
she uses to knee the Brazilian in the head. Pinheiro escapes, and
Hill runs at her and kicks her in the face. Pinheiro swings back
and lands a left hand that cuts Hill’s eye, and Pinheiro shoots for
a takedown.
Hill snatches up the neck while stuffing the attempt, and she sits
down with a guillotine choke. When they hit the ground, Hill sweeps
to claim the mounted guillotine, and the choke is crushingly tight.
Pinheiro, who holds most of her finishes by submission while never
suffering a submission loss, taps out. Hill punts an
11-fight consecutive streak of fights going the distance with her
tapout victory, and she is so excited when Dean intervenes that she
does not know what to do with her hands. Hill figures it out and
offers to help the defeated Pinheiro back to her feet, and she
jumps into the arms of her corner to celebrate her first-ever
submission win.

The Official Result

Angela Hill def. Luana Pinheiro R2 4:12 via Submission (Guillotine
Choke)

Round 1

A pair of struggling fighters meet with hopes of one of the two
turning things around. The strength of schedule has not remotely
been the same for bantamweight Yanez (16-5, 5-2 UFC) compared to
former flyweight Salvador (14-6, 0-2 UFC), but the latter is hoping
the relocation up in weight will help him out. The Octagon ranger
for this critical contest will be referee Chris Tognoni, and the
fight kicks off as the two men touch gloves. Yanez probes with a
front kick, and he releases a right hand that buzzes the hair of
his opponent. Salvador’s eyes go wide as he dodged a bullet, and he
decides to throw caution to the wind and unload his own hellacious
haymaker. Yanez is out of harm’s way from it, and he takes a jab on
the way out. The two clash together and swing wildly, and Salvador
escapes to kick the body while Yanez turns his hips into a nasty
leg kick. Salvador drops down to sweep the leg after landing a
strike up top, and Yanez looks at him and tries to counterattack.
Salvador gets off a kick to the body, and Yanez comes at him and
smacks him in the nose while Salvador’s arms are dangerously low.
Salvador comes out swinging, and Yanez slips the strikes and checks
a leg kick that follows. Salvador unloads with a body kick, and
Yanez times an overhand right hand and very nearly knocks the
Brazilian’s block off. A similar exchange occurs again, with
Salvador kicking him in the inner thigh instead of the midsection,
and this time,
Yanez sends him flying with a blistering right hand. The Brazilian
falls to his back, and Yanez races after him and unloads a barrage
of ferocious punches. Yanez switches to hammerfists as he pounds on
the Brazilian, and Salvador’s arms fall to his side and his lights
appear to briefly go out. Tognoni sees the potential
loss of consciousness and moves between them to call off the fight,
and Yanez strides away and goes to promise the UFC brass watching
outside the cage that his losing year of 2023 will never happen
again. Salvador is down for an extended and worrying amount of
time, but he manages to eventually get back to his stool and is
helped out of the Octagon.

The Official Result

Adrian Yanez def. Vinicius Salvador R1 2:47 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

Full of emotion, Gorimbo (12-4, 2-1 UFC) takes to the cage today
and fights with a heavy weight on his shoulders. Earlier in the
week, his coach’s mother passed away, and the Zimbabwe native vowed
that he would win for her. He faces submission specialist Brahimaj
(10-4, 2-2 UFC), who holds a 100% sub rate as a pro but is coming
off a nearly career-ending injury. This emotional welterweight
clash will be officiated by referee Mark Smith, and the fighters do
not bump fists. Gorimbo is the initial aggressor, walking Brahimaj
around the cage while measuring his jab. Gorimbo gets off a front
kick, and Brahimaj immediately closes in on him to change levels.
Gorimbo turns him around and pushes him to the fence, and Brahimaj
settles for this position by landing several knees to the belly.
Brahimaj turns him about and drags Gorimbo down, bringing Gorimbo
on top of him in a sacrifice throw. Brahimaj scoots his way to the
wall and stands up without taking any damage, and he knees Gorimbo
in the hand to break up his grip momentarily. Gorimbo lifts
Brahimaj up in the air but sets him down when he cannot find the
right angle to put him on the mat. The two fighters push one
another in the clinch, and Brahimaj once more tries to take the
fight down only to land on his back. Brahimaj turns to his side and
tries to sneak around the back, but Gorimbo stops him from getting
anywhere. Brahimaj climbs up with the fence behind him, and Gorimbo
knees him a few times. Brahimaj spins him around and delivers a
solid knee to the sternum, and Gorimbo answers with his own knee
and an elbow for good measure. The grinding round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Gorimbo reintroduces himself to his foe with a front kick and a low
kick, and he tries another leg kick but is out of range. Brahimaj
closes in, and Gorimbo nails him in the calf with a kick. Brahimaj
regains his balance and practically runs forward to engage in a
clinch. Gorimbo meets him and instantly turns him around, and it
does not take long for Smith to ask for more action as they stall
out. Brahimaj turns things around with one arm between Gorimbo’s
legs, but Gorimbo manages to muscle his opponent down to the floor.
Brahimaj considers a guillotine choke, but the leverage is wrong
given that his right side is against the cage. Brahimaj sits up and
puts his back to the wall, and he stands up. Gorimbo uses a body
lock to hurl Brahimaj to the mat, and Brahimaj scrambles to fight
his way back upright. Gorimbo leans heavily on his opponent, making
life miserable for Brahimaj and the audience watching as he clings
with zero offense offered. Brahimaj turns him about and takes a
knee to the belly as Smith clasp for them to do something,
anything. The wall-and-stall continues as Gorimbo pushes him back
to the fence. Brahimaj slides around and attempts to take the back
and get hold of a choke, but he falls off the back and goes down to
his seat. Brahimaj scoots his way to the wire and stands, and
Gorimbo knees him in the groin. Smith tells him to watch out, and
they continue embracing the grind. Gorimbo gets off a few more
knees and gains enough space to land and elbow, before tripping
Brahimaj up and setting him down to the floor. Gorimbo, with one
hook around the side, fishes for a one-armed choke. Smith sees
there is nothing from this position and asks for more work. There
is no more work from either man until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The two have five minutes left to handle their business, and they
come out of their corners in a labored pace. Gorimbo strikes first,
with a few punches and a leg kick before shooting for a takedown.
“The Answer” successfully pushes the submission artist against the
wall, but they wind up in the same position they have spent the
majority of the lackluster encounter. Brahimaj goes after a single,
and Gorimbo gets away with a fence grab to keep himself on his
feet. Brahimaj fails to get him down, and Gorimbo turns him around
as the grueling tie-up continues. Gorimbo plants a few knees to the
belly before he is spun around, and Smith warns someone for
grabbing the cage. Nothing happens absent a few minor knees from
Gorimbo, and time slowly ticks off the clock as the remain stuck
together in the clinch. Brahimaj flirts with a takedown effort but
is nowhere close to getting anything, and Smith asks for more work.
Gorimbo grinds, grinds and grinds away as he spams short knees.
Brahimaj goes after another trip, and for the third time this
fight, he falls on his own back feebly. While he manages to get
back up without taking any damage, it is because Gorimbo is not
striking. Gorimbo wrenches him back down, and he apologizes to UFC
matchmaker Sean Shelby for the anti-“Fight of the Night”
performance. The kind Shelby flashes him double thumbs-up signs, as
he does not wish to kick anyone while they are down. The miserable
matchup ends after 15 long minutes.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Themba Gorimbo def. Ramiz Brahimaj via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

Coming into the co-main event, two welterweights with the ability
to procure especially violent and fascinating finishes will clash.
Williams (14-3, 5-2 UFC) prefers to smash people in the face, while
Harris (19-5, 4-1 UFC) can hit hard and is not afraid to go for a
neck. Referee Dan Miragliotta may be needed when it’s all said and
done. The two men tap their gloves together before the melee
ensues, and Williams moves right to the center of the cage. Harris
slaps out a low kick, and he leans to the side to evade a front
kick aimed at his face. They both jab at one another, with Williams
going to the body. Williams aims a body shot and follows with a
right hand over the top. Harris stays on the outside with rangy
punches to the head and midsection. They trade low kicks, and
Harris prods out with a jab. Harris comes up short with a pair of
overhand rights, and a third partially lands.
Williams absorbs a clubbing right hand behind the ear when jabbing
to the body, and he ducks down and unleashes a devastating right
that completely demolishes “Mocambique.” Harris hits the ground on
his side in a heap, totally wrecked, and Williams leaps down to
finish the job with one unnecessary diving right hand.
When Miragliotta gets between them, he walks off pounding his chest
to celebrate a crushing knockout, having flattened a dangerous
adversary in about 90 seconds.

The Official Result

Kalinn Williams def. Carlston Harris R1 1:30 via KO (Punch)

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 Official Result