UFC Fight Night 167 ‘Anderson vs. Blachowicz’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

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Round 1

Hello fight fans, welcome to the UFC Rio Rancho play-by-play. We kick things off in the flyweight division, as De La Rosa (11-3, 2-3 UFC) — one half of the first married couple in UFC history competing on the same card together — takes on Raulian Paiva (18-3, 0-2 UFC). Both men are trying to snap two-fight skids, and our referee is Robert Romero. A touch of gloves clocks them in, and the fight night is underway. De La Rosa opens up with a leg kick, as Paiva looks to set up his jab. Paiva strings together a combination, and De La Rosa throws right back at him but largely comes up short. The two clash legs together, but the shin-to-shin contact does not appear to make either worse for wear. De La Rosa jabs to the body, and swats away a few jabs flicking his direction from the Brazilian. De La Rosa absorbs an uppercut and changes levels to consider a takedown, but Paiva shoves him off and presses the American against the cage wall. Paiva sneaks up a few knees while holding De La Rosa against the fence, but “Bumblebee” fights his way out and swings heavily and lands a few times. De La Rosa catches his opponent on the jaw, but Paiva is unfazed as he snaps a quick jab and follows with a heavy leg kick. Paiva starts swinging and connecting on De La Rosa, landing a few sharp right hands as De La Rosa tries to recover and counter. As Paiva loads up with a right, De La Rosa shoots in but is again stuffed and pushed back to the cage. A mouse on the forehead of De La Rosa has started to grow, but he is undeterred as he throws a few quick punches that land effectively. Paiva goes low to the body with a few more long punches, all while pushing the pace on his opponent. Paiva tags De La Rosa with a few left hooks, and the two come together and wing punches and clip one another. Paiva lands two solid right hands, and the two exchange to the bell as Paiva appears to get the better of those final flurries.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Paiva
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Paiva
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Paiva

Round 2

They touch gloves and Paiva comes out throwing as he did to end the round. Paiva lands a heavy leg kick, and the two crash together and begin to throw leather. The Brazilian appears to have opened up the nose of his opponent, causing a thin stream of blood to trickle out. Paiva rushes forward and presses De La Rosa against the cage heavily before slamming a few knees in. De La Rosa forces himself free and makes Paiva pay with a strong punch to the body. Paiva cracks De La Rosa with a right hand, and nearly eats a powerful counter from his American adversary. Paiva sticks out the jab, and De La Rosa goes after the body more with a few punches and then a kick. De La Rosa throws a few quick leg kicks, and then stings Paiva with a punch that forces the Brazilian to reset. The two trade leg kicks, and Paiva changes it up with a head kick that is barely blocked. De La Rosa lands again to the body with a kick, and the two clack legs together when throwing leg kicks. They pick and poke at each other with jabs and leg kicks, but the power advantage appears to be on the side of the Brazilian. Using his reach advantage, Paiva lands with a few more punches over the top, and bloodies up the nose much further. Out of nowhere, Paiva launches a booming right hand that drops the fighter out of Factory X. De La Rosa crashes to the canvas, and Paiva is quick to follow up with another punch, but it is academic at that point. Romero dives in to save De La Rosa, and just like that, Paiva has earned the first win in his UFC tenure.

The Official Result

Raulian Paiva def. Mark De La Rosa R2 4:42 via KO (Punch)

Round 1

Shifting to the women’s bantamweight division, the first of four winners from “The Ultimate Fighter” in Chiasson (5-1, 3-1 UFC) steps into the cage. She will look to get back on track after her first career setback against short-notice replacement Young (7-2, 0-0 UFC), and referee Herb Dean will keep a watchful eye on the proceedings. There is no touch of gloves, as Chiasson runs at her and gets kicked in the head immediately. Young throws another high kick, but Chiasson blocks it and tags her with a right. Young spams the head kicks, and is catching Chiasson repeatedly with the kicks. Young pours on the pace and keeps landing on Chiasson, and the Fortis MMA prospect is hurt. Chiasson gathers her thoughts, ties up Young and lands a few knees up the middle. The fight nearly gets dragged down but Chiasson muscles her way back up so she can land fierce knees. Young thwarts a takedown and gets Chiasson down, but not for long. The two go back to the clinch and are swinging knees with everything they have. The pace is torrid as they continue to land flush to the body and head with nasty knees. Chiasson continues to throw knees again and again, and when she takes a knee, she responds with a few uppercuts. The knees of Chiasson are adding up, but Young replies with some heavy elbows and short uppercuts of her own. Chiasson is targeting the body with knees almost exclusively, and then brings a few up to land on the chin. Young eats every one without issue before trying to hit the inside trip and failing to do so. Chiasson sets up the Thai clinch and fires knee after knee to the body and then head. Chiasson lands a big head kick, and as Young crashes forward, Chiasson clinches up and rips a few more knees to the midsection. Chiasson trips Young down, and the pace may be getting to the short notice fighter in Young. With about 20 seconds left, Chiasson starts swarming her opponent with punches while on the side of her opponent’s back, and Chiasson ends the round with punches. We will go on to Round 2, but what a wild opening frame for these two bantamweights.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson

Round 2

This round, it is Chiasson that greets her opponent with a kick to the head. Young replies by throwing kicks back at her, so Chiasson rushes forward with punches. Young tags Chiasson with a few punches, forcing Chiasson to tie up and pursue a standing guillotine. Chiasson manages to get Young down, but “The Shanimal” returns to her feet and hits a trip on her opponent. Chiasson muscles her way standing, and Young attempts to control her and stay heavy while Chiasson goes after a double leg takedown that she cannot land. Young sprawls but gives up her back in the process, and Chiasson starts raining down punches until Young rolls over to her back. The ferocious pace has slowed now that the fight has reached the ground, but Chiasson begins to open up with short elbows and heavy punches. Chiasson attempts to step over into mount, and Young is keeping Chiasson at bay with her left leg to protect against mount. Chiasson drops down a stiff elbow, but is largely being held so she cannot get off effective offense as the time ticks off the clock. Young tries to kick free but Chiasson stays heavy while she slams down some hammerfists. Chiasson continues to drop punches and elbows to conclude this second round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Chiasson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson

Round 3

The two opt not to throw head kicks to start the final round, and instead partially touch gloves. Almost unsurprisingly, Chiasson then throws a high kick, but it is blocked. Young throws one back, but the Fortis MMA fighter catches it and drags Young down. Young looks to try to reverse position with a submission, but is on her knees with Chiasson behind her raining down punches. Young ties her up, but as she starts taking punches, gives up her neck. Chiasson immediately hunts for a rear-naked choke, but the position appears not to be in her favor as Young pulls free. Chiasson starts working with more ground-and-pound, as Young unsuccessfully tries to walk up the cage. Chiasson again flirts with a choke but bails on it to batter Young with more punches. The strikes are not wholly damaging but they are adding up, and Dean is watching the action but does not appear to be close to stopping the fight. Chiasson stays heavy as she takes full control of Young’s back, and she keeps punches going to disrupt the activity of her opponent. Young nearly wriggles free, but Chiasson sticks to her like glue and works her with more punches. A minute remaining in the fight, and Young rolls out, but Chiasson takes side control. Young again tries to kick free by rolling, and Chiasson pulls for a choke with 10 seconds left. Young stays calm, and she has miraculously ridden out and made it to the scorecards. This was a dominant return for Chiasson, as she has almost certainly won the first UFC fight for Fortis MMA in 2020.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Chiasson (30-26 Chiasson)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Chiasson (30-25 Chiasson)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Chiasson (30-27 Chiasson)

The Official Result

Macy Chiasson def. Shanna Young via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Round 1

Going from women’s bantamweight to men’s bantamweight, we are treated to a battle between Kenney (13-1-1, 2-0 UFC) and Dvalishvili (9-4, 2-2 UFC). Serving as the referee will be Joe Coca. The two men run towards one another to touch gloves, and it is Dvalishvili who opens up with a high kick and then a spinning back kick. Dvalishvili is grinning as he starts to engage with his opponent, throwing a heavy leg kick that gets checked. Kenney throws a low kick, and Dvalishvili blitzes towards him with kicks. The Georgian follows a body kick with a spinning back fist, and Kenney blocks it as he switches stances back and forth. Kenney lands a left followed by a right hook, and scores with a body kick as he lands with the end of his right hand. Kenney misses with a jumping switch kick, and Dvalishvili changes levels to nearly hit a takedown. The American springs back to his feet and wings punches. Dvalishvili backs away and then fires a spinning back fist, but is well short of the mark. Kenney decides to throw one of his own, and Dvalishvili ducks it but takes a leg kick that follows. Dvalishvili hits a takedown, and Kenney pops back up but Dvalishvili spams punches and drags him back down. Kenney again returns to his feet, and Dvalishvili throws him back down once more. The fighter from Arizona manages to get up, but Dvalishvili scoops him up and holds him in the air for a lengthy stretch. When he finds a position, he throws Kenney down like a pro wrestling powerslam. Kenney takes a few punches, and rushes to his feet, but Dvalishvili is ready for a brawl. He grins at Kenney as he loads up on punches, and the two trade heavy leather. Kenney lands a stiff two-punch combination that makes Dvalishvili bounce off the cage wall, and the Georgia clinches up. They jockey position against the cage wall, and throw knees and punches until they separate. The horn sounds, and that was a wild first round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili

Round 2

A touch of gloves starts off the round, and the two fire spinning strikes at one another. Neither land with them, and Kenney tumbles to the canvas having thrown himself off-balance. Dvalishvili sits back to let him stand back up, and Kenney comes at him firing. Dvalishvili considers a takedown, but is stuffed and Kenney cracks him with a left hand. Not to be outdone, the Georgian launches one back, but Kenney gets his guard up in time. Kenney again tags Dvalishvili with a left, and stuns him for a moment as Dvalishvili admires his opponent’s work. Just then, Dvalishvili quickly changes levels for a takedown, but does not land it and instead pushes Kenney against the fence. Kenney breaks free, and sprints away to reset and take the center of the cage. Kenney goes high with a kick, and Dvalishvili catches it, but the Georgian eats a few punches with Kenney’s leg in the air. Dvalishvili drops it, and gets caught again with a heavy punch. The two stand in front of one another and bang, and both land successfully. Dvalishvili spins two separate times with spinning back fists and neither land, so Kenney replies with one that also falls short of the mark. Kenney overextends with a punch, and Dvalishvili times it with a takedown. Kenney scrambles, and gives up his back as he walks up the cage. Dvalishvili locks his arms around Kenney’s waist to drag him down once more, and as Kenney stands up, Dvalishvili nails him with a knee to the jaw. Dvalishvili leans with all his weight on Kenney, and wrenches Kenney down the cage floor momentarily. Kenney fights the hands to try to get Dvalishvili off of him, and has his legs ripped out from beneath him to get taken down once more. None of these takedowns are eventful, but they are adding up quickly. The round ends with Dvalishvili on his opponent’s back.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili

Round 3

This last round is greeted with another touch of gloves, and the commentary booth marvels at the takedown numbers of Dvalishvili in his five UFC bouts: 35 and counting. As Kenney closes the distance, Dvalishvili looks to counter, and the two come together and swing in frenzied pace. Dvalishvili scores the more effective of the looping punches in the exchange, and Kenney backs off to gather his thoughts. He strides forward and lunges with a left, and then another that misses. Dvalishvili grins at him as he dodges shots coming his direction, all while stalking his man down. As Kenney tries to set up a big right, Dvalishvili fakes for a takedown, and Kenney bails on the strike. This happens a second time, almost exactly like the first. Kenney somehow scrambles and hits a takedown, but Dvalishvili springs up and lands one immediately after. Kenney flips around to get out, and Dvalishvili is on him like an ugly sweater. The Georgian lands another takedown, and he appears interested in matching or surpassing his record of takedowns landed in a fight (11). Kenney returns to his feet, and is dragged down almost the second he finally stands up again. The cycle continues as “The Machine” lands yet another takedown, unofficially scoring his 12th and surpassing his previous high. Dvalishvili takes Kenney’s back and flattens him out, raining down some heavy punches while Kenney covers up. The 10-second clapper a likely sound of relief for Kenney, who has been ragdolled this round. The horn blares, and Dvalishvili celebrates his inevitable victory with multiple embraces of his foe.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Dvalishvili (30-26 Dvalishvili)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Dvalishvili (30-26 Dvalishvili)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili (30-27 Dvalishvili)

The Official Result

Merab Dvalishvili def. Casey Kenney via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-25, 29-28)

Round 1

Two light heavyweight hunting for a big win inside the Octagon are up next, as Jackson-Wink MMA product Clark (10-4, 4-4 UFC) takes on Townsend (21-10, 0-2 UFC). Townsend last competed one division lower three weeks ago, and dropped a decision to Bevon Lewis. The third man inside the cage is referee Jason Herzog, and the two oblige with a glove touch. Clark fakes a flying knee, and Townsend tries to counter with a looping left. Clark throws a pair of loud, heavy leg kicks that Townsend absorbs, and then Townsend takes one more before feeling he has had enough of those and fires a head kick over the top. Townsend lands a few jabs, and then dodges a front kick and barely blocks a high kick flying his direction. Clark crashes forward to land strikes but does not score effectively, instead closing the distance to clinch up and seek a body lock takedown. Clark switches to a single, and nearly lifts Townsend off the ground before setting him back down and throwing a few knees. Clark targets the knees of his opponents with a few hammerfists and more knees, and drags Townsend down for a moment. “The Tarantula” crawls back up the fence and remains pressed against the cage wall. He tries to circle out, but Clark is latched on to him. Herzog calls for action, and then separates the two with 90 seconds left in the ground, so Clark backs off and shoots for a long entry into a takedown. Clark lands in half guard, and attempts to get some punches going but is racking up control time. Clark wings an elbow, and then drops a heavier one that makes Townsend try to kick off. Clark uses this scramble to jump into mount, and slams one more elbow home as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Clark
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Clark
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Clark

Round 2

Clark opens the round with a head kick, and Townsend ducks out of the way. A tepid period of staring at one another is punctuated by a few missed strikes from both fighters. Townsend gets agitated by the inactivity and loads up on a few huge looping punches, so Clark times the punches to hit a takedown and immediately land in side control. This is the worst position for Townsend, who is trying to kick off the fence while blocking his face from incoming hammerfists. Clark opts to throw several knees to the body instead, and switches to short elbows as he drags Townsend away from the cage. The elbows begin to accumulate for Clark, who is grinding out his opponent with knees, elbows and heavy top control. “Brown Bear” holds Townsend tight and methodically works him over with strikes, doing enough to avoid a referee standup. Townsend tries to buck himself free, but Clark is on him like a cheap suit. Clark steps over to half guard with about 30 seconds left, and as Townsend flails off his back, Clark drops down a few elbows to wrap this second round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Clark
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Clark
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Clark

Round 3

As Townsend looks to touch gloves in the final round, Clark ignores it to wade forward and throw a leg kick. Townsend tries to string punches together, and whiffs on a big right hand as Clark responds with a front kick up the middle. Townsend flings a head kick that is blocked, and leaps forward with a flying knee and looping right that he does not connect with either. Clark stings him with a jab, and avoids two heavy punches coming his way. Clark changes levels, and lands a quick takedown where he ends in full guard. Like the previous round, Clark begins with some short but scoring punches and elbows. The pace has slowed to a crawl, with Clark sporadically dropping down a few ground strikes that do not have great effect, but are good enough to merit staying in this position. With a minute remaining, Clark starts to mount more offense in the form of some heavier punches, and tries to step over his opponent’s guard. Townsend is holding on tight, but is completely nullified. Clark stacks him up with 15 seconds left, and concludes this lackluster if relatively one-sided fight with a few more punches.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Clark (30-26 Clark)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-8 Clark (30-26 Clark)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Clark (30-27 Clark)

The Official Result

Devin Clark def. Dequan Townsend via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Round 1

Up next is a man in Miller (31-13, 1 NC; 20-12, 1 NC UFC) who sports nearly three times the MMA experience as his opponent, “Hot Sauce” Holtzman (13-3, 6-3 UFC), at lightweight. Miller will tie Donald Cerrone with the most appearances in UFC history (34) by competing tonight, although we do not expect that record to hold for long by either man. The two engage in dueling 1980’s walkouts, as Holtzman uses “Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi, while Miller counters with “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy. Referee Robert Romero may not want to admit it, but he enjoyed the walkout music as much as everyone else did. Holtzman opens up with pawing jabs to find his range, and Miller is the first to commit with a strike by missing with a long left hand. Miller kicks the leg out from beneath “Hot Sauce,” but Holtzman springs back to his feet without issue. Holtzman throws a low kick, and lazily flicks out a right front kick that misses, so Miller times a counter left hand and nearly kicks the leg out again. Miller avoids a looping right hand with another quick counter left. Miller backs up, and then lands a heavy body kick before switching to the other side with a powerful left hook. Miller targets that lead leg again with a kick, and Holtzman responds with a front kick that falls short of the target. Holtzman feints and fakes his way in, but Miller does not bite on those and times a knee up the middle and a straight left. Holtzman crowds Miller against the cage, but “A-10” throws a high kick and then crashes forward to consider a takedown. Holtzman spins him off and pushes Miller against the fence, so Miller lifts up a quick knee. Miller breaks free and lands a left, so the two trade punches. Holtzman stings Miller with a right, so Miller replies in kind. As Miller charges forward, Holtzman tags Miller with a right, and then lands another. One of the punches in the series from Holtzman has opened up the nose of Miller, so Miller rushes forward with an uppercut that just misses the mark. Holtzman wings a right hand, and as he misses, Miller comes right back at him. Miller cracks Holtzman with a left hand that wobbles the legs of the man from Tennessee, but he is quick to get his bearings as he avoids a superman punch coming his way. This close round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Miller
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Holtzman
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Miller

Round 2

This is the first time Miller has seen a second round in quite some time, and it begins furiously, as both land on one another heavily. Holtzman lands a leg kick, and initiates the clinch where he ties Miller up against the fence. Miller eats an elbow, and tries to set up a Thai clinch but instead fires an elbow back at him. Holtzman whiffs with an uppercut, and Miller is fast on the counter. Holtzman swings with a spinning elbow, and Miller ducks and immediately pursues the back of his opponent. Holtzman thwarts a takedown attempt and pushes free from a potentially dangerous position, and starts loading up on shots. Miller takes several punches and is hurt and bloodied up. Miller, ever the action fighter, throws right back and lands harshly. Miller fires a head kick that is blocked, and as he tries to swing for the fences, Holtzman races forward to clinch up. Holtzman trips the legs out and gets Miller down in full guard. Miller’s corner calls for Mission Control, and Miller obliges, lifting his leg to tie up Holtzman as his corner calls for other moves from the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu repertoire. Briefly flirting with an omoplata, Holtzman avoids the maneuver and stands back up before dropping back down with some heavy elbows. Miller avoids the brunt of the damage but still absorbs some powerful strikes as he tries to kick off and get free. The round ends with Holtzman standing back up again.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Holtzman
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Holtzman
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Holtzman

Round 3

A bloody Miller walks forward and lands a solid left, but Holtzman replies with a stiff right that snaps the head back of the longtime vet. Holtzman splits the guard with an uppercut, and Miller tries to counter and nearly falls over. Miller loads up with a pair of left hands, and Holtzman keeps moving to avoid most of them flush. Miller connects with one and stands up Holtzman, and “Hot Sauce” fires back with a solid right as he presses Miller against the fence. Miller circles out and the two start trading, but Holtzman is landing more effectively as Miller’s movement appears to be somewhat compromised. Holtzman lands a stern right hand, and avoids a huge looping shot from Miller as he clinches up again. Holtzman brings up a few knees to the sternum, and fires an elbow and a few quick punches to the body. Miller gets free after eating some serious shots, and kicks the leg out from beneath Holtzman again. Miller is unable to capitalize on it, and Holtzman begins to target the head and body of his opponent with some vicious punches. Miller throws back, but his counters are increasingly labored and Holtzman is able to evade them in time. Holtzman closes the distance to hold Miller against the cage wall, and after a brief clinch period, Miller shoves him away with around 30 seconds left. With reckless abandon, Miller throws wild punches, and Holtzman follows with some of his own. Holtzman leaps in the air with a knee, tries to spin with an elbow, and Miller aims a head kick back at his direction. The two warriors trade until the bitter end, and then raise their arms in victory after hard-fought battle.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Holtzman (29-28 Holtzman)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Holtzman (30-27 Holtzman)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Holtzman (29-28 Holtzman)

The Official Result

Scott Holtzman def. Jim Miller via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

A nine year age difference separates these next two combatants, as “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 winner Dodson (20-11, 9-6 UFC) takes on the appropriately nicknamed “The Prospect” Wood (16-3, 3-0 UFC) fighting out of England. The referee will be Joe Coca, and Wood is so excited to fight that Coca has to call him back to his corner. There is no glove touch, and instead Wood opens up with a low kick. Dodson crashes forward with looping punches, and darts out of the way before a counter can come his way. Another two leg kicks, one on the inside and one on the outside, score for Wood, leading Dodson to blitz forward again with a torrent of punches. None land that seriously, so the Brit can back away and throw another leg kick. Dodson returns fire with his own leg kick, and then strings two punches together. Wood kicks to the body and legs several more times, and missing with a jab. Like a few times before, Dodson rushes in with a combination and gets away before Wood can land on him. Wood tries to find the range by holding his arm out, hoping to time Dodson on the way in. Dodson runs in and throws a slew of left hands in rapid succession, putting Wood on the canvas for a moment. Whether by damage or thrown off-balance, he is able to get back up quickly and avoid a follow-up from the speedy TUF winner. Wood connects with a front kick that nearly bends Dodson over, and chases Dodson with a series of punches that give Dodson pause. A left hand catches Wood, and Dodson escapes in time, but he has been eating some serious punches in this short exchange. Dodson clinches up, and Wood tries to push off with an elbow but instead spins Dodson around. Wood works the body with short punches, and Dodson turns out but gets taken down. Wood tries to rain down some punches, but Dodson scrambles and pops back up without having taken much damage. Wood pops him with a left, and as the 10-second clapper sounds, Dodson fakes a takedown. This close round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wood
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Wood
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Wood

Round 2

The two touch gloves, and Wood goes to the body. Dodson looks to counter, but he falls short with his strikes as Wood aims a few low leg kicks that all land one after the other. Dodson sprints forward, lands a few short lefts, and ducks out of harm’s way. He shouts, and loops a left hand that partially grazes the chin of the Brit. Wood throws a front kick that connects square on the peninsula south of the equator, and the action pauses. Dodson does not take much time, and the fight resumes shortly thereafter with Wood throwing a few strikes. Wood pushes the pace, and Dodson counters with a big left that backs him off. Dodson chases after him with more punches, and Wood again lands a groin kick. Dodson protests, and Coca warns Wood to be mindful of his strikes. After a short break, Dodson tells the ref to resume the action. Wood tags Dodson with some punches, and Dodson bounces off the fence and sprints after Wood. Dodson nails him with a line of punches that knock the Brit all the way back to the other side of the cage. Wood is no worse for wear, and connects with a punch that bloodies up a spot beneath Dodson’s left eye. Wood cracks Dodson with a straight left, and as he clinches up, Dodson reverses the position and lands a vicious elbow. The strike opens up a cut beneath Wood’s left eyebrow in the ensuing melee, and it is already beginning to swell. The crowd gets behind Dodson as he works knees in the clinch, but Coca has not seen enough action. Coca calls in the doctor to check the cut, as it not bleeding into his eye but it is in a bad spot under the eyebrow. Wood is cleared, so Dodson runs forward with a swarm of punches. The last round concludes with a wild exchange that you would see in a Looney Tunes cartoon, with fists and feet flying everywhere until we hear the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dodson
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Dodson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dodson

Round 3

The round begins wildly, as Dodson races forward in a fury. Wood tags him with a right, but Dodson counters with a vicious left hook. The strike lands flush on the chin, and Wood falls to the floor in a daze. Sensing his opponent is hurt, he dives in and spams left hands. “The Magician” unloads with a barrage of lefts until Coca has no choice but to stop the fight. While some might consider it an early stoppage, this is an important win for Dodson. The Albuquerque native snaps a two-fight losing streak with this knockout of a fast-rising prospect, and it is his first stoppage victory since 2016.

The Official Result

John Dodson def. Nathaniel Wood R3 0:16 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

On to the welterweight division, where gritty veteran Means (29-11-1, 1 NC; 13-8, 1 NC UFC) tries to make Rodriguez (10-1, 0-0 UFC) feel unwelcome in the latter’s Octagon debut. The referee for this preliminary headlining bout is Herb Dean. A touch of gloves clocks in this 170-pound contest, and Means comes out firing. Throwing heavy punches that transition into elbows, Means closes in on Rodriguez and lands a takedown. While unable to keep Rodriguez down for long, it is a statement that Rodriguez will need to be ready wherever the fight may take them. Rodriguez throws a few jabs before firing a body kick, and Means catches it and stings him with a left before tossing him to the ground. Rodriguez hops back up, and the two exchange heavy leather in the form of some looping punches. As Rodriguez rushes in, Means dodges and tags him with a straight right. The two stand in front of one another and slug it out again, with each landing with audible thuds. Means lands a heavy leg kick, and then closes the distance to consider a body lock takedown. Rodriguez stuffs it and begins swinging, so Means ducks the powerful punches coming his way. Means jabs his way in, and catches another kick from “D-Rod” that he tosses aside. As Rodriguez commits to a left, Means ducks and snaps back a counter his way. In the center of the cage, Means forces Rodriguez to fight off his back foot as he works the body with a few punches. Rodriguez throws a few jabs, and absorbs a teep kick to the midsection. Means rips the body with a left, and Rodriguez strings together a short combination before taking a low kick. Rodriguez tries to keep Means at bay with a sharp jab, and catches Means coming forward. Rodriguez loads up with a left hand, and cracks Means behind the ear, sending Means crashing to the canvas as the horn sounds. He stands back up and wobbles back to his corner, avoiding a potential stoppage defeat, but this was an emphatic way to end the round for the Octagon newcomer.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rodriguez
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Rodriguez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Rodriguez

Round 2

Rodriguez begins the round firing, knowing that Means is in a bad way. Means bites down on his mouthpiece and is willing to trade, but Rodriguez is getting the better of the exchanges by hurting Means repeatedly with strikes. Means whips up a head kick that Rodriguez barely blocks, and when he tries the same kick, Rodriguez counters and nearly lands flush with a big left hand. Several jabs from “D-Rod” mark up the forehead of Means, and a left nearly sets down Means. Means springs back up, still hurt, but willing to engage and sling leather. Rodriguez backs off to reset, instead of burning himself out with a finishing flurry. Means throws a kick, and this time, it is Rodriguez who catches it. As Rodriguez fires back at him, Means pulls his leg out and throws a spinning back fist that narrowly misses the target. Means settles back down and pumps out the jab, keeping Rodriguez at bay and rolling with the big shots coming his direction. Rodriguez loads up with ferocious intent, landing some huge left hands that rock Means again. The strikes continue to mount for Rodriguez, and Means shoots low for a desperation takedown. “D-Rod” immediately snatches up the neck to set up a standing guillotine, and squeezes with all his might. Means has no choice but to tap out lest he get put to sleep, and just like that, Rodriguez puts himself on the map in a big way with a sizeable upset.

The Official Result

Daniel Rodriguez def. Tim Means R2 3:37 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Round 1

We begin the main card — it is all on ESPN+ for U.S. audiences — with a lightweight scrap already in the running for “Fight of the Night” before the two step foot in the cage. Vannata (10-4-2, 2-4-2 UFC) takes on Medeiros (15-6, 1 NC; 6-6, 1 NC UFC), and both men may be in desperate need of a win to remain on the roster. Keeping a lid on this potential slugfest is referee Jason Herzog. They touch gloves, and Vannata starts out with his hands by his waist. Medeiros throws a body kick, and then evades an overhand right from “Groovy.” Vannata throws out a body kick to keep Medeiros off of him, and the crowd has already gotten restless 45 seconds into the fight. The expectations must be high for this one, and the two trade jabs and low kicks. Vannata flicks up a high kick and Medeiros rolls with it and dodges a few right hands that are soon to follow. Medeiros tries to throw a right hand, and Vannata is ready to counter with a sharp right. Medeiros kicks low, and Vannata fires back at him with a right once more. Vannata unloads a combination of punches while trying to trip up the footwork of Medeiros. The Hawaiian stays patient and avoids the brunt of the assault, and throws an uppercut back at his foe. Medeiros scores a low kick, and a jab reddens up the nose of the New Mexico native. Medeiros walks Vannata down and throws a few low leg kicks, while narrowly avoiding a looping right hand. Vannata switches stances, catches a kick, and almost counters with a right before Medeiros pulls his leg out. Medeiros throws a high kick and Vannata ignores it before dancing at him. Vannata fires a right hand and lands with a second effort, while looking to counter when Medeiros comes at him. The two lightweights trade jabs, and Medeiros rushes at him until the horn sounds to halt the action.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vannata
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Vannata
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vannata

Round 2

The second round begins like the first, with Vannata’s hands by his side as Medeiros walks him down. Vannata pushes a kick up the middle, and spins to fake a back fist as Medeiros flinches. Vannata strings a combination together, and avoids the left hook coming back at him as he dances out of the way. Medeiros comes over the top with a right hand, and they come together, leading Vannata to trip the Hawaiian down. Medeiros bounces right back up and continues to pressure Vannata, although unable to land any effective offense. Vannata catches another kick and misses on a counter, but blitzes forward and misses with two punches. Medeiros emulates his opponent by dropping his hands, and the two trade while standing in front of each other for a moment. Medeiros scores with a few left hands, while pawing out punches to get his range. Vannata walks forward and gets countered with a left, and then Medeiros advances and eats a counter. The crowd is not amused by this technical tilt, although the two do land flush on one another as if to respond to criticism. Vannata scores with a combination that ends with a right hook, and he bobs and weaves as he avoids the strikes him back at him. Vannata pursues a takedown and hits it, but the Hawaiian is able to return to his feet quickly. As Medeiros stalks him down and throws punches in bunches, Vannata dodges most of what comes his direction. Vannata connects to the body and Medeiros winces and bends over in pain, but quickly gathers his senses and backs off and evades a spinning wheel kick to survive to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vannata
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Vannata
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vannata

Round 3

The last round opens with a glove touch, and Medeiros throws a body kick. Vannata pushes through it and starts throwing heavily, and ends a combination with a spinning wheel kick that nails Medeiros right on the nose. The kick has bloodied up the nose of the Hawaiian, and not to be outdone, Medeiros attempts to spin with a kick but falls well short of the mark. Vannata lands to the body, and is able to dodge the jabs from Medeiros. The two swing wildly and both dodge their attacks somehow, and Medeiros chases after him with a solid one-two. Vannata lands with a left that stumbles the Hawaiian, and he follows it with a left, but Medeiros shakes it off. The jabs continue to come for Medeiros, but Vannata is landing the much more powerful strikes. Medeiros grabs hold of Vannata’s wrist to hold him there so he can land on him, but cannot land flush as Vannata wrests his arm free. Vannata lands a few more strikes, and an errant kick goes low. Herzog asks Medeiros if he is alright, and “The Kid” says he is fine and we continue. Medeiros walks down Vannata but is unable to land much to great effect, and the crowd has turned on the two fighters. Vannata whiffs badly with a spinning kick, but comes forward and lands a takedown. Medeiros pops up, but eats a left hand that wobbles him. Medeiros shakes out the cobwebs and comes out firing, while throwing everything he has left at the elusive man from New Mexico. The two trade until the bell. The crowd is not thrilled by their performance, largely expecting a firefight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vannata (30-27 Vannata)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Vannata (30-27 Vannata)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vannata (30-27 Vannata)

The Official Result

Lando Vannata def. Yancy Medeiros via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

In the only fight on the card where a fighter missed weight, Brazilian submission specialist Bontorin (16-1, 1 NC; 2-0 UFC) tries to make it three in a row against former title challenger Borg (12-4, 6-4 UFC). This 128-pound catchweight contest, courtesy of Borg missing weight for the fourth time in his career, will be overseen by referee Herb Dean. There is no touch of gloves, and the two trade single jabs for the first 30 seconds. Borg loads up on a right, and the Brazilian is out of the way. The two swing with hooks at one another, but Borg uses the opportunity to instead pursue the takedown. Bontorin reverses the position and pushes Borg up against the fence, and fights off a few trip attempts in the process. The action stalls on the cage wall, as the Brazilian throws a few knees and nearly drags Borg down. “The Tazmexican Devil” wrests himself back up and fights off another takedown attempt against him, before quickly spinning around to go for a low single. Although Bontorin briefly escapes it, Borg is on him like glue and rips the leg out from beneath him. Borg lands in half guard, and postures up to land a vicious elbow. The Brazilian fights off from his back, with a few punches and a high guard. Borg shucks it off and slashes down with another elbow, and this one had some mustard on it. Bontorin sits up against the fence and checks his nose to see if he is bleeding (he is not), and stands up while fighting off another takedown attempt from Borg. Seeing that his opponent’s hands are down, Borg wings a right hand that catches Bontorin, and then changes levels to hit the single. Staying tight on top, the round concludes with another hacking elbow from Borg.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Borg
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Borg
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Borg

Round 2

Bontorin starts with a jab, and Borg immediately shoots low for a single leg takedown. The Brazilian stuffs it and fights through the position, so Borg chains that into a double and elevates his opponent. As he sets Bontorin down, Bontorin scrambles and gives up his back. Borg pursues a rear-naked choke but is on the face, so he opts not to squeeze. Bontorin stands up and Borg hops on him like a backpack, setting up a body triangle. Borg goes after a neck crank that is more brute force than anything, and seeing there is nothing there, he starts throwing heavy punches. He switches hands to go after a choke on the other side, but there is nothing doing. Borg begins to mount up punches as the Brazilian keeps two-on-one wrist control to try to get Borg off of him. Borg lets go of the body triangle and returns to his feet, and muscles and slams Bontorin down. While in half guard, Borg is still fighting off the potential kimura sweep, and finally does so. More interested in advancing position instead of landing strikes, Borg winds up back in full guard, but postures up to throw two heavy elbows. The nose is now bloodied up from the Brazilian, and Borg sits up to throw another few nasty elbows. Bontorin tries to set up a triangle, and in the process lands an illegal upkick that Dean does not see. As Bontorin stands up, Borg is quick to take his back again. Borg rides out the remainder of the round on his standing opponent’s back.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Borg
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Borg
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Borg

Round 3

Possibly down on the scorecards, Bontorin goes for broke with several looping punches to begin the round. Not connecting fully with any, he closes the distance, so Borg takes advantage of the position. The American wrestler changes levels, scoops Bontorin up and slams him down. The Brazilian gets back to his feet, and Borg throws him back down again. This repeats again, and Borg snatches on to his opponent’s back once more. Although he searches for a choke, none is to be found, but the back control time is adding up quickly. Borg wraps his arms around his adversary’s neck and tries to force a choke or neck crank, but the Brazilian hangs tough. Bontorin manages to get out of that position, but Borg is latched on to him like an Alabama tick, and drags him down again while he peppers his foe with elbows. Once more, Borg picks his man up and plants him on the cage floor. Landing a few elbows on top, Borg fights off a triangle choke or leg scissor attempt from the Brazilian to score several more punches and cause the blood to flow. Bontorin stands back up and eats a knee on the chin, before Borg picks him up one last time only to dump him down. The horn sounds, and Borg has successfully embraced the grind for three rounds. In doing so, he likely becomes the first man to defeat the Brazilian by decision.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Borg (30-27 Borg)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Borg (30-27 Borg)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Borg (30-27 Borg)