UFC Fight Night 197 ‘Holloway vs. Rodriguez’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

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Round 1

Welcome back to the UFC Apex, a building we will remain for four of
the last five UFC cards this year. After two supermassive
pay-per-view black holes, we return to Fight Night fare, with a
potentially thrilling main event but only a few other ranked
fighters across the remainder of the bill. We will try to catch our
breath from the madness that was UFC 278 with an 11-fight offering
that begins in the light heavyweight division. Two strikers that
vastly prefer the knockout while sporting just one submission win
between them come to blows at 205 pounds, when Nzechukwu (9-1, 3-1
UFC) meets Jung (14-2-1, 3-0-1 UFC) in the center of the Octagon.
Referee Chris Tognoni will watch on for the first fight of the day,
and the glove touch seals the cage around them and commences the
action. Nzechukwu takes the center of the cage and slowly moves in,
but neither man lets go with any offense for the first 30 seconds.
Jung has his arm outstretched with a rangefinder, and he pokes at
Nzechukwu with his fist lightly a few times. Over 75 seconds pass
before any noteworthy strike is thrown, with Jung finally leading
the dance with a left hook. Both light heavyweights are
hand-fighting in front of each other, and Jung gets off a right
hand only to get stung with a straight left hand down the pipe. The
two stand right in front of one another with single strikes,
neither giving much ground or committing to their blows to a
noteworthy degree. Jung sits down on a right hand, and Nzechukwu
returns with another left straight. Jung sees that his right hand
has found its home, so he connects with it a few more times to back
Nzechukwu up. The strikes are one-and-done between them, and they
start loading up. With them in such close range, Jung switches over
to standing elbow strikes, and they collide with his foe’s guard
and are still damaging enough to give Nzechukwu pause. Jung
continues to hammer away with elbows, and Nzechukwu keeps his guard
up but the impact of the blows is rocking him. Nzechukwu stumbles
back towards the wall, not a fan of these strikes, and “Sseda”
marches forward and does not relent. The South Korean continues his barrage of elbows,
and they start to get around the guard and pound Nzechukwu behind
the ear. Although a fighter typically gets chopped down like a
proverbially tree with kicks, the elbows from Jung wobble
Nzechukwu’s legs and make him falter more and more. Jung’s assault
seemingly unending, Nzechukwu’s knees betray him as does his chin,
and he falls lifelessly to the canvas on his face. As Tognoni
is diving in to halt the contest as Nzechukwu has drifted off to
dreamland, Jung gets off a punctuating punch or two to seal the
deal. With that, Jung extends his impressive unbeaten streak 15
while becoming the first man to stop Nzechukwu with strikes.

The Official Result

Da Un Jung def. Kennedy Nzechukwu R1 3:04 via KO (Elbows)

Round 1

Moving right along to the lightweights, British bomber Diakiese
(14-4, 5-4 UFC) will take his turn against “The Turn” Alves (19-10,
0-1 UFC). One man should end the night with a .500 record with the
promotion, while the other will not, barring a draw or other
unfortunate result. Burning a lot of energy on his dancing walk to
the cage, Alves dramatically reintroduces himself to fans with a
cartwheel to a flip that he sticks upon entering the Octagon.
Drawing the assignment is referee Mark Smith, and is already
working hard to keep them separated as Diakiese wants to engage
before clocking in. Although Alves still offers a glove touch,
Diakiese runs through it and gets kicked square in the cup. First
strike of the fight is a groin shot, and Diakiese lets out a yelp
and falls to the ground in pain. The Brit needs 45 seconds to
recover, and Smith tells them to keep it clean as they have not
even fought for 10 seconds. When they resume, Diakiese walks Alves
down but is forced to retreat as Alves sprints at him with winging
punches. A slick foot sweep comes from Alves, who makes Diakiese
stumble, but he does not take advantage of it as “Bonecrusher”
takes the center of the cage. Diakiese slings body kicks and left
hands, keeping Alves honest but still getting tagged by a power
right hand that comes at him. Diakiese goes low with a kick, and
they clash kicks shortly thereafter. A clean left hand stings
Diakiese, and Alves winds up and leaps in the air with a flying
knee. As the knee grazes the chin, Diakiese drops down out of
instinct for a takedown. This is the worst decision he can make, as Alves
jumps guard for a guillotine choke and it is incredibly tight in an
instant. Diakiese has nowhere to go, and knowing that he will go
out if he can’t escape, he taps out. In victory, Alves
gleefully runs over and lifts up the first person he can reach, and
the first one he finds is the doctor of all people. The doctor does
not know what to do as he is suddenly midair, and Alves eventually
sets him down. If Joe Silva were still around and came in to
congratulate the victor, he probably would have been picked up too.
Before his post-fight interview, Alves tries to lift commentator
Michael Bisping up, but Bisping jovially shouts, “Get off me!” What
a brief yet wild performance for the energetic Brazilian!

The Official Result

Rafael Alves def. Marc Diakiese R1 1:48 via Submission (Guillotine
Choke)

Round 1

The first of two catchweight fights comes next, in a possible
pink-slip pairing when “Cast Iron” Casey (9-9, 5-8 UFC) tries to
snap her losing streak at the expense of Georgian grappler Jojua
(8-4, 1-2 UFC). “She Wolf” missed weight by two and a half pounds,
and she was fined a substantial 30% of her purse, but she will try
to make it up by snaring a win bonus and evening her UFC record to
2-2 in the process. Referee Marc Goddard draws the charge, and
Jojua offers an apologetic glove touch that is answered. They try
to get their distance with opposing jabs, but neither come close to
finding their target. Jojua jumps forward with a one-two that comes
up short, and she dances out of the way from a leg kick. Casey gets
off a few kicks, including a front kick that splits the guard, and
Jojua ignores it to try to reach out with punches. Casey
anticipatorily kicks low when Jojua advances, and she plants a
one-two on the face after landing the kick. Another solid kick
connects for the American, who then jabs to the body and starts to
let her hands go. Jojua is getting marked up from the exchanges, as
Casey begins to string combinations together and block the
occasional single power punches that come back towards her. Casey
gets off a right hand, and another, and Jojua cannot seem to stop
the strike from landing as her nose turns red fast. They crash
together in the pocket and start throwing, but Casey gets the
better of it as she continues to score without concern of much
coming back at her. Casey pins four punches on her Georgian foe
before anything can return, and she comfortably kicks the leg when
Jojua does not make an attempt to counter. “Cast Iron” loops a pair
of punches around the guard, and she easily evades an advancing
Jojua who wants to change levels. Casey backs off and gets off a
pair of kicks, including a thudding one to the body, and she skirts
out of harm’s way when Jojua tries for another takedown. Casey
suddenly boots Jojua in the face, further damaging the nose of “She
Wolf,” and Jojua toughs it out so that she can plod forward and
secure a takedown with 30 seconds left in the round. From on top,
Jojua gets off some ground-and-pound, all while fighting off the
beginning of an armbar setup from Casey. She keeps this position
and lands a few strikes from on top to try to sway the round in her
favor, but it may be too little, too late.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Casey
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Casey
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Casey

Round 2

The two women meet in the center of the cage, and Casey is ready to
get back to using her range to keep Jojua at a safe kickboxing
distance. Casey lands a thudding low kick and chains it into a left
hand, and when Jojua moves in, she stings her with a few more
punches. Jojua’s standing offense is minimal while Casey is always
busy, and Casey connects with a clean right hand that seems to
irritate Jojua. Casey flings up a kick up the middle, and whiffs on
a subsequent head kick. Jojua wings the occasional looping punch,
and Casey picks her apart from range with low kicks and long
punches. Jojua plods forward and reaches her foe with a right hand,
but it is one-and-done as Casey keeps her composure and gives her
three right back. Jojua walks through a body kick, but when a
second lands, she needs to gather herself. When she backs away,
Casey times a head kick right at the proper moment, and Jojua
blocks it just in time. Casey stays long with punches, keeping
herself away from the overhand rights and staving off much of the
pressure from the Georgian. Jojua fakes a kick to go over the top
with a right hand, and Casey sees most of her winging punches
coming and moves out of the way or defends them successfully. Casey
reintroduces her right hand to the red nose of her opponent, and
Jojua does not approve, so Jojua charges in and catches a kick to
hit a takedown with ease. This time, Casey falls to her back and
quickly lets loose with upkicks, and she may have connected with a
few. Jojua climbs through them, and although the 30 seconds she
remains on top again may not win her the round, she does ride out
the second frame on top landing strikes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Casey
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Casey
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Casey

Round 3

They touch gloves to commence the final round, and Casey reaches
out after that with a front kick, a punch, and a standing back fist
that smacks Jojua in the face. Jojua bites down on her gumshield to
throw haymakers, and Casey stays mobile while sticking and moving.
The punches from Casey keep Jojua at bay and stop her from pursuing
any additional level change, while further battering the nose of
the Georgian. Jojua fights through a few swarming punches to go
after a takedown, and although it fails, she does get off a solid
right hand. Casey stays loose and blocks a body kick so that she
can connect with distance strikes. Jojua continually moves forward,
but Casey is effectively countering her and swatting away the worst
of the blows. Casey catches a body kick, but deciding not to engage
in any possible grappling, she lets it go and stings Jojua with a
crisp one-two. Casey circles and moves, and she rips the body and
goes over the top to the head. Jojua wears it well, but her nose is
practically spraying blood as the front of her white shirt has
turned into a bloody bib of sorts. Jojua tries to get off a right
hook, but Casey sees it coming and tattoos her with punches and a
head kick. Jojua may be tough, but that appears to be her best
element as Casey is elusive and keeping a safe range to avoid the
majority of Jojua’s wide strikes. One big punch from Jojua gets
through, but Casey is there to return fire with punches and a high
kick that rock Jojua. The Georgian clinches up with about 30
seconds to go, and Casey staves her off with a thumping knee to the
midsection. When the 10-second clapper sounds, Jojua secures a
takedown, but there is nothing significant to come from it as Casey
pops up right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Casey (30-27 Casey)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Casey (30-27 Casey)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Casey (30-27 Casey)

The Official Result

Cortney Casey def. Liana Jojua via Unanimous Decision (30-27,
30-27, 30-27)

Round 1

Featherweights come up next on the docket, when “The Sniper”
Woodson (8-1, 2-1 UFC) will try to snipe Anglin (8-2, 0-1 UFC) and
hand his Scorpion Fighting System-based opponent his second loss in
two walks to the Octagon. The third man in the cage is referee Herb
Dean, who is still wearing his credential lanyard as he bears
witness to a glove touch that precedes the melee. Dean removes it,
thanks to play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald’s cries, and
the fighters get after it immediately. Anglin pressure his
opponent, landing a few strikes on the way in, but Woodson is right
there to give them right back. With long, rangy blows, he backs
Anglin off briefly, and a few low kicks continue this. Anglin
swarms forward, and Woodson wears it well and chops the legs a few
times. This cycle continues, with the shorter Anglin closing the
distance with a brief barrage, only to pull back and get sniped
with longer blows from “The Sniper.” Woodson lands a one-two around
the guard, and he steps forward with a high kick that easily finds
the head of his foe. Woodson sits down on a leg kick, and an
uppercut surprises Anglin. Anglin steels himself and attacks, with
a wide, looping pair of punches. Woodson sticks him and moves,
kicking him in the head as he shifts around, and Anglin crashes in
to try to take him down. Woodson easily stays upright to turn
Anglin around, and he knees his foe in the chest sternly before
shoving Anglin away. Woodson gets off a solid calf kick and a front
kick that splits the guard. A jab appears to have shaken Anglin up,
and Woodson’s accuracy is giving him problems as he seems to find
his home with basically every strike. Anglin attacks with a few
punches, and he spins with a back kick that sends Woodson
ricocheting off the wall. A kick from Woodson brushes into the cup,
and Dean calls a pause but Anglin waves him off to continue.
Woodson thanks him by laying into Anglin with a fierce barrage of
blows that appears to hurt Anglin. Woodson rips the body a few
times, and Anglin doubles over and shells up against the wire.
Woodson pressures him with more strikes, and when Anglin circles
out, he loops a high kick up top. Woodson targets the body with ferocious shots that
would make Bas Rutten stand up, and Anglin keeps a stiff upper lip
but is in big, big trouble. Woodson wags his finger at him, and
then proceeds to deliver a left hand square on the liver that makes
Anglin’s legs shut down. Anglin falls to his knees, and one more
punch to the same spot from “The Sniper” shuts Anglin down for
good. Dean sees that Anglin has had enough, and he calls a stop
to the fight. It was beautiful body work for Woodson that got the
job done, who set the body shots up with pummeling strikes up
top.

The Official Result

Sean Woodson def. Collin Anglin R1 4:30 via TKO (Punches to the
Body)

Round 1

Up now is a women’s flyweight clash when two women ranked in the
division come to a head, as Calvillo (9-3-1, 6-3-1 UFC) aims to
keep her spot among the top five (in the UFC) at the expense of
“KGB” Lee (12-5, 4-3 UFC). In this matchup, either Calvillo’s skid
will end or Lee’s win streak will begin, and referee Mark Smith
will know before anyone else tonight. There is no interest in a
touch of gloves, as these two women want to handle their business
immediately. They both start slugging it out, and Lee lands the
better of the strikes in the early going. With a kiai accompanying
every blow to add an extra bit of power to each, she sticks
Calvillo and moves. Calvillo changes levels for a takedown,
punching her way in but getting shoved back. Lee lands a few more
over the top before Calvillo attempts a takedown try from a deeper
entry. Lee sees this coming and shucks it off, and she gets right
back to her effective, loud range striking. She lands flush
repeatedly right on Calvillo’s face, marking it up early. Calvillo
winds up on power punches to respond, but Lee is there to tag her
with a jab again and again. Calvillo smiles and absorbs a solid leg
kick, and he tries to catch a high kick but Lee yanks her leg out
before there is a takedown to come from it. Lee’s jab is the best
strike she is throwing, and she follows them repeatedly with right
hands. Lee greets Calvillo with a knee as Calvillo thinks about
ducking down for a takedown, but Calvillo walks it off without much
concern. Lee peppers her foe with clean strikes, marking the nose
up and making Calvillo take awkward steps. A few punches from
Calvillo have also bloodied the nose of Lee, but she does appear to
notice. Calvillo attempts another takedown, but Lee is there to
stop her in her tracks and land flush. Calvillo scores a single big
right hand, and Lee is right there to throw back in volume. Both
women’s noses start bleeding fairly substantially four minutes in,
with the lion’s share of the strikes from each to the head. Lee
winds up with a body kick, and Calvillo catches it and shovels Lee
down to the canvas. “KGB” springs back up, and Calvillo latches on
to her back when Lee stands up to attempt to trip her back down.
Lee uses two-on-one wrist control to stop Calvillo from getting a
better position, and instead breaks the grip of her foe and gains
some distance. They trade jabs, and Lee scores a few punches down
the middle before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lee

Round 2

They touch gloves this time to start the round, and Lee takes the
center of the cage to resume the good work that may have won her
the previous frame. Lee mixes up several body kicks, and Calvillo
attempts to catch them but cannot hold on to them for long. As
“KGB” continues to dig kicks and punches to the body, Calvillo
doubles over in pain, and Lee notices this and knees her in the
same spot. Lee lets her hands go as Calvillo is primarily in
defensive mode, shelling up while Lee continues to pound her
midsection. Lee’s body work is paying off volumes, as every blow
draws a visible reaction from her opponent. The body shots are also
forcing Calvillo to lower her guard, which lets Lee score up to
with power punches and even a head kick. Calvillo toughs it out but
Lee is there to continue her high-volume attack high and low.
Calvillo swings back with punches every so often, but Lee is
leading the dance as Lee scores three for every one that comes at
her. As Calvillo ducks down, Lee connects with a left hand that
appears to hurt the thrower and not the receiver. Lee winces and
shakes her hand out, and she may have damaged it but still
continues to throw it. Lee’s pace begins to wane as she grimaces
when sticks out her jab, and Calvillo starts to land a few power
strikes on the way back. A right hand that loops around the guard
shakes Lee up, and Lee replies with punches and a head kick. Lee
delivers a popping kick to the body, and Calvillo is not
compromised but taking serious damage from the assault that is
still coming. From Lee’s possibly hurt hand, she scores a solid
punch that opens a cut around the eye of Calvillo. When Calvillo
tries to give it back to her, Lee parries her and rocks her with a
few punches up top. Lee continues to mark up her foe with punches,
and when she clinches up to set up a knee, she stumbles. Calvillo
cannot capitalize on this, and Lee pops up and lands a punch or two
to conclude the round. When the round is over, Lee’s corner is
energized, expressing to her that she can finish the fight and that
her body work is what will turn the tide. On the other side of the cage, Calvillo is in a bad
way, holding a posture that signals that she may not be able to go
on. When Smith calls for seconds to leave the cage, Calvillo and
her corner determine that she should no longer continue, and should
instead live to fight another day. Lee is overjoyed for her
victory, but she is also respectfully concerned for Calvillo’s
condition.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lee

The Official Result

Andrea Lee def. Cynthia Calvillo R2 5:00 via TKO (Corner
Stoppage)

Round 1

For the second fight in a row, Alvarez (18-2, 3-1 UFC)
significantly missed weight ahead of his bout. While not as
egregious as weighing 159.5 pounds in 2020, coming in a pound and a
half heavy has cost him 30% of his purse ahead of his battle with
Moises (15-5, 4-3 UFC). This 157.5-pound catchweight contest will
be under the watchful eye of Marc Goddard, and Alvarez tries to
make amends with a glove touch and Moises obliges him. Moises takes
the center of the cage immediately, and he scores a slapping leg
kick and whiffs on a huge right hand. Alvarez returns fire, but
Moises stands firm and chops at his calf again. Alvarez has a left
hand sneak around the guard, and he tries to check a kick. Moises
winds up with a left and a massive right hand, and Alvarez wears it
well but then takes a leg kick. Alvarez replies with his own
chopping kick, and Moises greets him with a slap of a kick up top.
Alvarez steps forward, walking Moises down and throwing high knees
to great effect. Moises circles around the edge of the cage as
Alvarez is stalking him while avoiding the power punches that come
at him. Alvarez has his own leg kick and big right hand go around
the guards, and Moises is rattled and trying to gather himself. “El
Fenomeno” lets loose a phenomenal salvo of strikes that rock
Moises, and Moises is still standing but taking some serious
damage. Alvarez scores a big elbow, and as he continues to give
chase with Moises escaping, he looses a spinning wheel kick that
clatters of the guard. Sensing the end might be near, Alvarez
strides forward confidently and catches a body kick to push Moises
back to the fence. Alvarez unleashes a brutal salvo of elbows up top,
and when Moises shells up, Alvarez blasts the body with a ruthless
barrage of blows. Moises is barely surviving as he leans on the
wall, and as the assault continues, Goddard determines that Moises
is no longer intelligently defending himself and saves Moises from
any further damage. Although one more victory for him is marred
by his missing weight, Alvarez certainly impressed by wrecking what
the UFC considered a top-15 lightweight. Alvarez also keeps his
spectacular 100% finish rate intact while earning what is a rare
stoppage due to strikes for the Spaniard.

The Official Result

Joel Alvarez def. Thiago Moises R1 3:01 via TKO (Elbows and
Punches)

Round 1

Kicking off the main card is a fun bantamweight scrap between
rising Chinese contender “Kung Fu Monkey” Song (17-5-1, 1 NC; 6-1-1
UFC) and Season 1 Contender Series signee Arce (17-4, 4-2 UFC). The
fists and feet are sure to fly, and referee Herb Dean may have his
hands full here. There is a sporting touch of gloves to check in
the hostilities, and Song is the aggressor right out of the gate.
The offense is minimal but Song is controlling the cage, forcing
Arce to back off and drawing reactions from his feints. Suddenly,
Song bursts forward with swinging punches, and Arce dances out of
the way and eats a right hand. Song scores a low kick, and he
evades a few jabs and walks in to one as he tries to attack. Song
goes up high with a kick, and Arce slides out of the way and keeps
looking for his range with his jab. Song swarms his man with
punches, but Arce blocks and ducks out of the way in time to not
absorb anything flush. Arce tries to counter with a head kick, and
Song swats it out of the way. A striking stalemate ensues as
neither man goes after anything of note, with Song occasionally
throwing bombs that hit nothing but air. A quick melee ensues as
they both throw caution to the wind briefly, but they back off to
try to get to a calmer pace and range shortly after. Song charges
forward with a right and a left, and the left hook gets Arce’s
attention. Song plods forward, and they trade heavy body kicks.
Arce finally gets the distance of his jab, and Song thanks him for
this by booting him to the midsection with his instep. Song whiffs
on a quick punch, and he chains it into a combination that does
land. They both whip quick kicks at one another, with the strikes
glancing off the guards. The accuracy may be low but the speed
between these two bantamweights is high. Song chops down low with a
kick, and the round ends with Song trying to throw leather.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Song
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 2

The 135ers rush out of their corners to attack, and Arce slings a
high kick in the early going that gets blocked. Arce turns a few
punches into a heavy leg kick, and the kick makes Song stumble.
Arce puts a bit of a pace of his foe, but he soon backs off when
Song lands a flush kick to the midsection. Arce flicks out a few
jabs and a leg kick that Song tries to defend but still absorbs
cleanly. Song rings a right hand home, and Arce is soon to answer
him. A massive head kick from Song cracks Arce on the
side of the head, and Arce is stunned and wobbles his way back to
the cage wall while Song gives chase. Song does not let him off the
hook, sensing that Arce is hurt badly, and he starts letting loose
with a ferocious punch combination that smashes into Arce again and
again. The fists continue to land for Song, who is unleashing a
fury as he seeks a finish. Arce crumbles, and Dean tries to leap in
and stop the fight but misses the mark. This allows Song to
keep on pounding on a defeated Arce, and Dean gathers himself to
halt the fight once and for all. The contender out of China is now
the first man to knock Arce out as a professional, and proves he is
one to watch at 135 pounds.

The Official Result

Yadong Song def. Julio Arce R2 1:35 via TKO (Head Kick and
Punches)

Round 1

Hang on tight, welterweight flamethrowers are on deck. Baeza (10-1,
3-1 UFC) will be looking to bounce back from the first defeat in
his career against “Khaos” Williams (12-2, 3-1 UFC). Both men are
known for their knockout power while neither has ever been knocked
out, so something may have to give. Referee Chris Tognoni is lacing
his running shoes as we speak, and he steels himself as they touch
gloves before throwing down. Williams is the first to give
pressure, and he comes forward while Baeza is circling all the way
around the cage for a full revolution. Williams looks to slow him
with a leg kick, but Baeza is out of harm’s way as he continues to
circle. Williams loads up on a power punch, only to hit air. Baeza
charges in, and when Williams is there to load up and crack him,
Baeza zips away. Williams attempts to cut Baeza off, but he resorts
to simply stalking his man down. Williams scores with a calf kick,
and Baeza does not answer or do anything but retreat as he takes
another kick to the same spot. Williams plods forward, and he walks
face-first into a left and a right hook that snap Williams’ head
back. Williams cracks Baeza, Baeza cracks him back, and they are
throwing bombs suddenly and their eyes are wide open. They both
back off and return to the predator-prey relationship of Williams
giving chase, until Baeza turns it around on him with a left hand
and a loud kick to the body. A body kick from Baeza makes him fall
over, and Williams pounces on top and starts delivering
ground-and-pound. “Caramel Thunder” dives for a heel hook, and he
transitions the submission to a kneebar as Baeza tries to scramble
and buck. Williams finds a way to land a big punch from on top, and
Baeza keeps pursuing the foot lock. Williams sits up and falls into
an inverted heel hook position, and he does not seem concerned as
he aims punches to break the grip. Baeza rolls over as he torques
the leg, and Williams sits up to land bombs that are doing damage
and making Baeza turn away. Williams pounds away until the bell,
and does not flinch when standing back up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Williams
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Baeza
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Williams

Round 2

The welterweights touch gloves before coming out swinging, and like
the last round, Williams assumes control of the driver’s seat as he
advances without fear. Williams aims a half-hearted kick to the
knee, and Baeza replies with one much harder. Williams does not let
him get away with it, with a few more kicks on the inside of his
foe’s leg. They both trade calf kicks, and Williams looks for a
one-two when they settle. Baeza responds in kind, and he quickly
flips his front foot up to smack Williams in the face. The impact
from “Caramel Thunder” is not the same as Marlon Vera against
Frankie Edgar lats week, as Williams eats it like candy and
continues moving forward. One low kick from Williams goes south of
the border, and Baeza thinks about fighting through it but Tognoni
gives him time to recover both mentally and physically. About 45
seconds elapse before Baeza is ready to go back, and they start
swinging for the fences. A pair of punches get Williams’ attention,
and he slams his shin into Baeza’s leg. Baeza goes after the same
strike, and they step back to measure one another as the damage
from these strikes registers. Baeza connects with a clean head kick
and one to the knee, and Williams’ knee may be compromised as he
takes a funny step and switches stances after it. Baeza continues
to target the same spot, and Williams aims to pay him back but
Baeza’s are more accurate and appear to be more powerful. Baeza
sits down on a body kick, and they crash together to throw hands.
Baeza wobbles from a left hand but he comes right forward to
engage, while Williams ducks back to kick at him. When Baeza scores
a thudding calf kick, Williams attacks with a trio of punches that
fluster Baeza. They both swing for the fences, and Williams grabs
hold of him and pushes him into the wall. Williams comes up with a
knee to the body, but it does not hit the body, and instead smashes
square into Baeza’s cup. Baeza falls to his knees and cries out in
pain, and Tognoni tells him to take all the time he needs. Tognoni
then goes over to Williams and gives him his final warning, telling
him that even though it was accidental, he has landed two fouls –
some may call for a point deduction as it was the second groin
shot, but Tognoni lets it remain as a warning. Baeza is clearly
compromised, and he works his way back up to his feet. After 100
seconds, he is good to go again. Williams comes out with a big
right hand that rings Baeza’s bell, and after a tense exchange, the
round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Baeza
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Baeza
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Baeza

Round 3

The two 170ers touch ‘em up to open the last round, and Baeza just
misses with a front kick to start off. When that whiffs, he kicks
low, and Williams may be damaged on his front wheel but he is not
showing it. They clash together and Williams swings for the
bleachers, but Baeza wears them well and comes back at him. “Khaos
the Oxfighter” misses with a spinning kick, and he follows the
momentum with another kick. Baeza backpedals, chops at the calf,
and then targets a second one to the same spot. At that exact moment, Williams bites down on his
mouthpiece and throws three vicious hooks. The third one, a right
hand right on the button, smashes into the side of Baeza’s legs and
sends him crashing down to the canvas. Williams leaps down to
finish the job, and as he is battering his fallen foe with
ground-and-pound, Tognoni jumps in to pull him off as he calls the
fight. After regaining his faculties, Baeza appears to
complain, but he is wobbly on his feet when he does manage to get
back up. Williams is now the first man to finish “Caramel Thunder”
as a pro, doing so after absorbing some serious punishment to that
point.

The Official Result

Kalinn Williams def. Miguel Baeza R3 1:02 via TKO (Punches)

Round 1

In the fight that might have the most immediate championship
implications on the whole card, former title challenger and
ex-Invicta FC queen Spencer (8-3, 2-3 UFC) will tangle with TUF 28
semifinalist Letson (5-1, 0-1 UFC) in the featherweight division.
Letson will be stepping in the cage for the first time since 2018,
and in that stretch, Spencer has seen her whole UFC career take
place including matchups with Amanda Nunes and “Cris Cyborg.”
Keeping a watchful eye is referee Mark Smith, and there is nothing
but respect as they touch gloves before getting after it. Spencer
is quick to engage, surging forward with punches and closing the
distance on her opponent. Letson fights out and throws hands, but
Spencer immediately charges in again to tie her up. Spencer lands a
few knees, and Letson replies with a couple of sharp elbows up top
before Spencer ducks down for a takedown entry. Spencer grinds
heavily on her opponent, kneeing the returning Letson in the thigh
repeatedly while staying tight to her. Letson frames her off and
lands a few short knees, but Spencer doggedly pursues a double.
When this does not materialize, Spencer stomps the toes and smacks
Letson with an elbow. The former title challenger does not give
Letson a moment to breathe, jamming her into the wire and searching
for trips while staying busy. “Feenom” scores short punches to the
midsection, and she latches on to a single but Letson yanks her leg
back to remain upright. Spencer remains pressed on her foe, and
there appears to be some blood coming from Letson’s nose from some
strikes in this prolonged exchange. Letson looks for elbows with
her back pinned to the wall, and Spencer eats one and a knee up the
middle as Letson fights her way out. Spencer stays hooked to her to
push her back to the other side of the cage and back against the
fence. Spencer wings a sharp elbow right on the face of her
adversary, and she starts spamming knees to the body as Letson
looks flustered. Spencer has turned into a blender of elbows and
knees, while simultaneously attempting to squish Letson through the
links as though she were made of Play-Do. This grueling exchange
continues right to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Spencer
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Spencer
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Spencer

Round 2

Spencer pushes the pace to start off the round, and Letson gives
her pause briefly by stomp-kicking her in the knee. The Canadian
out of Florida pays it little mind, and she presses forward to
pursue a takedown. This time, she gets Letson down to her knees,
and Letson scrambles back up to her feet as Spencer has a hook in
to try to take her back. As Spencer relentless goes after the
takedown, Letson reverses her and puts Spencer down. The ex-title
challenger climbs back up to her feet without much effort, and she
returns to her dominant position of crushing Letson into the wall.
Spencer mixes in offense with knees and elbows, staying well busy
enough to avoid any possible referee intervention. Letson appears
to have no answers as she is stuck in this precarious position all
while Spencer goes after a single. Spencer cannot land the
takedown, but her control time is constant as she keeps this
position. Spencer clasps her hands around her foe’s backside and
hits a double, only for “Leahnidas” to spring back up to her feet.
Spencer keeps pushing with a brutal pace as Letson cannot do much
more besides sigh out of frustration. When Letson get some space,
Spencer walks her down. Letson kicks to the body, and Spencer grabs
it in the air and rips Letson’s legs out beneath her to put her on
the ground. Letson turns to her knees to try to stand, and Spencer
takes advantage of this position by glomming on to take her back
and assault her with punches. Letson absorbs a few more punches to
the side of the head while working back up, and when she stands up,
Spencer smashes her in the face with a pair of nasty knees right
before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Spencer
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Spencer
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Spencer

Round 3

Letson complains of pain in her abdomen between rounds, but when
the fight gets clocked in, she is ready for action. Spencer comes
forward, and Letson uses her momentum against her and puts Spencer
down with her own takedown. Spencer closes her guard to tie her up,
and then opens it in pursuit of a trip or a reversal. Spencer hits
exactly what she was searching for, and she pushes Letson into the
wall to pound on her. Letson still manages to get to her feet as
she absorbs punishment, and Spencer batters her to the body with
unanswered knees. Smith takes a close eye on the action as Spencer
works her over, and Letson answers any concerns of a fight stoppage
by turning around to put her back on the wall. Spencer knees her in
the body a few more times, and then hacks at her with elbows,
making Letson’s life miserable during this exhausting exchange.
Spencer nails Letson with an elbow, and Letson’s nose is a faucet
as Spencer keeps working on it. Spencer goes after a trip, and
although she does not get it, she beats on Letson like she caught
her breaking into her apartment. In desperation, Letson fights her
way out, but only for a second as Spencer grabs her and slams her
down to the mat hard. Spencer postures up in half guard and elbows Letson
in the face again and again. The fight is close to begin stopped as
Letson is bloodied and bruised, and Spencer claims three-quarter
mount and rains down punches. Sensing the finish is in sight,
“Feenom” phenomenally pounds on Letson with ground-and-pound, and
Smith finally, mercifully ends the fight. Letson may have
displayed toughness in spades, but with unanswered blows adding up,
he had no choice but to intervene.

The Official Result

Felicia Spencer def. Leah Letson R3 4:25 via TKO (Elbows and
Punches)

Round 1

Big men are set to enter the cage now, as 40-year-old goliath
Rothwell (39-13, 9-7 UFC) searches for his 40th career victory less
than a month after turning 40, and he will do so against one-time
middleweight Rogerio de Lima (18-7-1, 7-5 UFC). Both sport exact
72% knockout rates, while neither has been knocked out in many
years. Hoping to keep a lid on this 524-pound rumble is referee
Herb Dean, and they calmly touch gloves before lumbering towards
one another with bad intentions. Rothwell has his war face on, and
he reaches out with a jab only to have two leg kicks land flush.
Rogerio de Lima winds up with a right hand, and he blasts Rothwell
about as cleanly as one could. Rothwell is in trouble as he falls
back to the wall, and Rogerio de Lima pursues him with a swarm of
punches. The Brazilian lands flush again and again, and
Rothwell is rocked badly and barely on his feet. Rogerio de Lima
lays into him, and Rothwell’s legs buckle but he stays upright at
least in part because of the fence at his back. Dean partially
steps in to stop the fight for a standing TKO, but at that exact
moment, Rothwell spins around and drops down for a double-leg
takedown. Even though Dean lets go of them, believing Dean had
already called off the fight, Rogerio de Lima puts his hands in the
air to show him he is not attacking after Dean’s intervention.
Rothwell, on the other hand, is pursuing a double but lands on his
back, and does not realize that the fight is over until Dean firmly
grasps him and pulls them apart. Rothwell protests, and he might
have been out on his feet but he feels that Dean should have given
him the opportunity to go out on his shield. The stoppage may be
hotly debated, but there is no question that Rothwell was hurt
badly.