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Round 1
Keith Peterson will officiate this lightweight affair. Hassanzada
comes out firing overhands and kicks. The Afghan fighter is also
spamming spinning attacks. Hassanzada shoots behind all that
aggression and Mantello defends again the fence. He angles out and
tags Hassanzada with a body shot after another failed spinning
backfist. Mantello stalks and pressures with punches. A straight
left lands for Hassanzada. Hassanzada throws a straight to the body
and Hassanzada shoots for another takedown, driving his foe into
the fence. He connects his hands and carries Mantello to the center
of the cage before slamming him to the mat. Hassanzada is in his
foe’s full guard. He punches the body and creates space for a short
elbow. Mantello scoots to the fence in a seated position.
Hassanzada maintains good pressure from above. Mantello nearly
gives up his back as he attempts to return to his feet. Mantello is
trying ot work his way up, but he can’t free himself from
Hassanzada’s grip. He’s up with less than 10 seconds to go, but
Hassanzada slams him down, perhaps a second after the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hassanzada
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hassanzada
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Hassanzada
Round 2
Hassanzada lands an inside low kick and Mantello throws a straight
to the body. After another low kick from Hassanzada, Mantello
floors his foe with a beautiful straight right. Hassanzada goes
into desperation wrestling mode, and Mantello lands some elbows as
he defends against the fence. Hassanzada his giving himself some
time to recover, however. Hassanzada continues to drive for the
takedown, but Mantello is landing more elbows. Hassanzada is
bleeding from the side of his head. Hassanzada tumbles to the mat
and Mantello follows him down, landing in side control and grinding
elbows into his face. Hassanzada is threatening a buggy choke, and
Peterson orders the fighters to keep working, as it’s turned into
something of a stalemate. Peterson has seen enough and orders them
to break with Hassanzada still in the submission. They stand and
start trading. Mantello lands some good right hands and Hassanzada
tries for a takedown. Hassanzada pulls guard, and Mantello isn’t
having it. Hassanzada is forced to stand and he immediately gets
tagged. Hassanzada misses on a spinning attack and decides to fall
to the canvas. Mantello drops a coupe hammerfists before backing
away. They trade again late in the round, and Mantello gets the
best of it before the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Mantello
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Mantello
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Mantello
Round 3
Mantello lands a spinning elbow in close, giving his opponent a
taste of his own medicine. Mantello stalks and rocks Hassanzada
with a right against the fence. Hassanzada keeps his feet and he’s
coming back with punches in bunches and a knee in close quarters.
Mantello goes to the body but Hassanzada continues to swing away,
likely surpassing Mantello in volume with a third-round rally.
Mantello frees himself from a single leg attempt but Hassanzada is
back on him against the fence. Hassanzada pulls him off the fence
and puts Mantello on the mat. When Mantello stands, Hassanzada
attempts to take the back. Hassanzada is able to secure a body
triangle from a seated position. Mantello did not want to be in
this position. Hassanzada slides his left arm underneath Mantello’s
chin and the American is in trouble. Within a matter of seconds,
Mantello goes out and this one is over.
The Result
Ahmad Sohail Hassanzada def. Dylan Mantello via Technical
Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R3 2:41
Round 1
Gary Copeland is in charge for this middleweight bout. Naito shoots
immediatley behind a right. Gautier denies it and theu’re back at
range. Naito resets and shoots again. Naito is looking for a single
leg. He drops to his knees but Gautier keeps his feet. Gautier
spins off the fence and Naito lands a left hook. Gautier lands a
knee as he stuffs a takedown and Naito stumbles to the mat. Gautier
lands a glancing knee while timing a takedown, but it’s not enough
to prevent the Japanese middleweight from landing the takedown. Now
Gautier is on his back in the center of the cage. Naito lands some
elbows while working in the full guard of his opponent. Naito
creates some space and lands punches from above. Gautier scoots to
the fence, but Naito maintains the position. Naito drops a couple
solid left hands. Gautier doesn’t seemto have much hope of
returning to his feet, and Naito continues to chip away with
offense from top position. The round ends with Naito in control.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Naito
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Naito
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Naito
Round 2
Gautier needs to remain upright to have any chance, and he backs
his foe up with a combination at the outset of the round. He stuffs
an ensuing takedown attempt. Naito is able to get inside moments
later and put Gautier on the fence. Naito remains persistent in his
pursuit of the takedown but Gautier is able to free himself. He
lands some punches before Naito shoots again. Gautier drops Naito
with a huge left hook and follows him to the floor, where he lands
some hammerfists and short elbows. Naito is in survival mode now,
and he has some serious swelling around his left eye. Gautier stays
busy with ground-and-pound, but nothing that is threatening a
finish. After a little while, Gautier postures up and with a little
more than a minute left, and he’s raining down left hands on his
foe. This time, the punches are having more impact. Copeland is
taking a close look, and Gautier won’t be denied, as he finishes
the fight with forceful ground-and-pound.
The Result
Ateba Abega Gautier def. Yura Naito via TKO (Punches) R2 4:00
Round 1
Keith Peterson is the third man in the cage for this welterweight
clash. Hart closes the distance and lands a couple jabs. Hart lands
a leg kick. Bennett lands a jab of his own and the welterweights
clinch following an exchange. Back at range, Hart is throwing long
straight punches. Bennett moves in with his lead hook. Bennett is
able to get inside and connect his hands. Bennett drags Hart to the
mat near the fence. Bennett grinds away, lacing the left leg of his
opponent. Bennett lands some punches with his free left hand.
Bennett continues to land more shots with the left while keeping
heavy pressure with his head. Hart is able to scramble up with
about 1:40 remaining, but he hasn’t broken free of Bennett’s graps.
Bennett drags Hart down again, and he does a good job of
controlling the hips of his foe. Hart briefly gives up his back but
he’s able to scramble up. Hart lands a kick to the body with less
than a minute to go. Hart sticks a jab. Hart with another jab
before the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hart
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hart
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Hart
Round 2
Bennett opens with a jab. They trade leg kicks. Both men land
punches. A low kick lands for Hat. Hart is working well off his jab
until Bennett changes levels for a takedown. Bennett is dogged in
his pursuit of the takedown and he’s got Hart in a seated position
against the fence. Hart is able to power his way up, but Bennett
continues to grind away against the fence. Hart frees himself and
gets back to range. He lands a combination. Bennett counters a low
kick with a right. Hart lands a combination, but he doesn’t
maintain the distance, allowing Bennett to land another takedown.
Once again, Hart is seated against the cage, with Bennett looking
to plant him on his back. Hart works his way up and frees himself
again. Hart with a couple of right hands followed by a knee. Hart
walks forward and they trade in the pocket. Bennett lands a couple
jabs. Hart steps in and lands a nice knee to the body. Bennett
shakes his head and gets a takedown late in the round. They’re up
against the fence, and Bennett tries to grind away until the horn
sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hart
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hart
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Hart
Round 3
Hart lands a knee early. The taller fighter follows up with a leg
kick. Bennett with a leg kick of his own. Hart catches Bennett
coming in with a clean uppercut. Hart lands a body kick. Bennett
snaps Hart’s head back with a right hand. Hart keeps pumping his
jab. Bennett lands a double jab. Hart pressures behind a
combination an da knee. Bennett yells at his foe, but he’s getting
the worst of these exchanges. Bennett has landed enough to cut
Hart, though. Hart with a combination, but Bennett moves forward
and answers. Another solid jab for Hart. Hart comes in with a knee
and gets cracked with a counter by Bennett. A left hook for Hart.
Bennett is doing better this round. Bennett blocks a high kick and
shakes his head. They trade and both men land solid shots. Bennett
doubles up his jab. Hart goes high with a kick. Hart goes on the
offensive late in the round, mixing up kicks, knees and punches to
end the frame with some positive momentum.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hart (30-27 Hart)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hart (30-27 Hart)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Hart (30-27 Hart)
The Result
Benjamin Bennett def. Joey Hart via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28,
29-28) R3 5:00
Round 1
Gary Copeland will ref this heavyweight pairing. Teixeira towers
over his foe and lands a jab and then sits him down with a leg
kick. The heavyweights are trading willingly, and Pereira is
throwing wild shots against his taller foe. Pereira goes body-head
with a combination and he tags his taller foe with more punches to
the head. Teixeira lands a couple leg kicks. Teixeira lands some
jabs. Pereira continues to wade forward into danger winging hooks.
Pereira is showing no fear wading forward against his taller
opponent, but he’s probably a little too wild in exchanges. They
clinch briefly, and a knee forces Pereira to back away. Moments
later, Teixeira lines up a perfectly placed straight right and
floors Pereira. Teixeira lands a couple standing-to-ground
hammerfists before Copeland is able to arrive and rescue Pereira.
Dana White is clearly enjoying that one from his cageside seat as
Texeira secures his seventh first-round finish.
The Result
Talisson Teixeira def. Arthur Guilherme Lopes Pereira via KO
(Punches) R1 1:57
Round 1
Keith Peterson gets the nod for the evening’s featured bout at
bantamweight. Smith lands a low kick early. Tau smiles as Smit
moves in with a combination. Another low kick for Smith, who
follows that with straight punches. Tau moves forward with a
combination of his own. Smith backs Tau up with a combination. Tau
is smiling after every exchange, but Smith is landing effectivley.
Smith pressures and lands a hook to the head, but he can’t take his
man down. They trade and Smith cracks Tau with a counter. Tau lands
a low kick to his foe’s lead leg. Smith clinches behind a 1-2, and
then executes a beautiful hip toss. Smith lands in side control and
drops a couple of quick elbows. Tau scrambles up and clings to a
leg. Smith elbows the head. Another scramble ensues and Smith lands
a knee to the gut on the break. Smith lands a couple short punches
and presses Tau into the fence. Tau is able to escape in short
order. A right hand connects for Smith. Smith shoots for a single
leg behind a series of punches and he gets Tau to the mat. Tau is
active from his back, but Smith passes to side control, where he
lands a couple hammerfists. Tau uses a single leg to scramble up
and he dumps Smith on the mat at the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Round 2
Smith opens with a 1-2. Tau is trying to close the distance, but
Smith is making him pay with punches. Tau lands a lead left, but
some wild follow-up shots miss the mark. Smith is the more polished
boxer in exchanges. An overhand left lands for Tau, however. Smith
changes levels behind a combination, but Tau is able to reverse
against the fence. Tau presses Smith into the cage. He tries to
pull Smith off the cage, but Smith separates and tags his foe.
Smith lands a 1-2 and then drops low for a takedown. He gets Tau
down, and they’re in an awkward position on the floor. Smith gets a
front headlock following a scramble, and he has a brabo choke
locked in. Tau is grimacing as he defends, and Smith switches to a
guillotine. Tau escapes and scrambles to his feet. Tau eats a clean
uppeercut and sticks his tongue out. Smith tees off with more
punches, but Tau is still firing back. Tau steps in and lands a
heavy right. Smith sticks a jab. Tau walks forward and kicks the
body. A straight right lands for Smith. Tau with a heavy right. An
uppercut left hook combo lands for Smith. They trade until the
horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Smith
Round 3
Smith opens with a jab. Another jab for Smith and he just misses an
uppercut. Tau pressures behind power punches and he’s landing. A
left hook lands for Tau and he’s turning up the heat. Tau is
stalking his man, and another hook lands for the Kiwi. Tau backs up
Smith with a jab. A low kick by Tau lands. Tau is landing the
majority of the effective offense this round so far. Smith seems to
be fading somewhat. Tau continues to build momentum, stringing
combinations together. Tau with a clean 1-2. Smity finally lands a
combination, and Tau urges him forward. Now it’s getting wild as
Smith goes on the offensive, but Tau denies a takedown from the
American. Rather than take top position, Tau stands and lets Smith
up. Tau pressures Smith and attacks the body and the head with more
punches. Smith drops for a desperation shot and Tau sprawls. Smith
is still landing, and both men are trading. It’s turned into a
slugfest late in the round. Both bantamweghts are landing. Tau
backs Smith up and lands a combination. Smith walks forward and
responds. Smith lands solid punches, but Tau punctuates a
combination with a big overhand right. Skith shoots and is stuffed.
They stand in the waning seconds and both men throw caution to the
wind in the final 10 seconds, emptying the tank in one final
exchange. The horn sounds and Dana White is on his feet. A frenzied
final round where both bantamweights laid it all on the line.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Tau (29-28 Smith)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Tau (29-28 Smith)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Tau (29-28 Smith)
The Result
Elijah Smith def. Aaron Tau via Unaimous Decision (29-28, 29-28,
29-28) R3 5:00