Eddie Wineland thought he did enough to eke out a decision over Alejandro Perez in the UFC Fight Night 133 preliminary card headliner, but he was mistaken.
Though Wineland appeared to have more consistent offensive output throughout their entertaining three-round affair, none of the three cageside judges saw the bout that way. “Turbo” was awarded an unpopular unanimous decision over the former World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight champion, with all three officials seeing it 29-28 for Perez.
Volkanovski Busts Up Elkins
Aussie contender Alexander Volkanovski was a bit too much for Darren Elkins to handle as “The Great” edged his foe over three grueling rounds.
Elkins, one of the toughest fighters on the planet, was dropped on three separate occasions in the opening round and was out on his feet twice. Volkanovski tried closing the show with guillotines every time he floored the Indiana fighter, but Elkins slipped out of all them. Elkins suffered cuts all over his face and was hurt from punches late in the third and when the final bell sounded, it was clear who had won.
Volkanovski won the unanimous decision via tallies of 29-28 (twice) and 30-27.
Nurmagomedov Edges Scoggins
Said Nurmagomedov, a quasi cousin of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, was lucky to squeak past Justin Scoggins in their flyweight tussle.
Scoggins befuddled the Dagestani with his awkward punches and kicks, but it was a timely takedown int eh third that ultimately won Nurmagomedov the fight. Two of the three cageside judges favored Nurmagomedov 29-28 while the third official had the same score for Scoggins. Many in attendance and on social media felt the split decision was unjust.
Barcelos Outguns Holobaugh
Featherweights Raoni Barcelos and Kurt Holobaugh ignited the crowd in the opening bout of the prelims on FS1 as they tore into each with vicious punches form start to finish.
Barcelos scored a few takedowns in rounds one and two, but it was his overall more accurate striking that sealed the deal for the Brazilian. Barcelos rocked the Louisiana fighter with a sharp left hook in the third and followed that up with three successive rights to the head. The nail in Holobaugh’s coffin was a sinister right uppercut to the jaw that sent him hard to the canvas, prompting referee Herb Dean to intervene.
The knockout officially came at 1:29 of the third, allowing the former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion to nab a win in his UFC debut.
Carmouche Outpoints Maia
Longtime veteran Liz Carmouche turned back the clock on Saturday as she dominated former Invicta Fighting Championships champion Jennifer Maia in the featured bout of the prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
“Girl-Rilla” picked the Brazilian apart on the feet and scored powerful takedowns in each of the three allotted rounds. Carmouche used terrific control as well as punches and elbows to stymie Maia, who couldn’t get into a rhythm to turn the tides. In the end, the San Diego fighter won a unanimous decision on scores of 29-28 and 30-27 (twice).
Delarosa Taps Garcia
Flyweight contender Mark Delarosa wasn’t playing around with unbeaten prospect Elias Garcia, as he wound up submitting him in the second frame.
Garcia tried latching on a triangle choke in the first, but Delarosa helicoptered him around a few times before tossing him to the canvas. The Fort Worth, Texas, fighter did the same thing a bit later in the first, but once he took the contest to the ground the following round, Garcia’s fate was sealed. Delarosa slithered around onto the Milwaukee resident’s back, latched on a textbook rear-naked choke and forced the tap.
Garcia bowed out exactly two minutes into the second frame.
Aguilar Picks Up First Octagon Win
Strawweight contender Jessica Aguilar kicked things off nicely on Saturday with a quality win over former professional boxer Jodie Esquibel.
“Jag” might have taken her foe by surprise because it was she, not Esquibel, who was the superior striker in the contest as she picked the “TUF 23” veteran apart from a distance. Neither combatant was ever in danger of being stopped, but American Top Team representative Aguilar won nearly every round; she won a unanimous decision via tallies of 30-27 and 29-28 (twice).