UFC Fight Night 232 ‘Allen vs. Craig’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Round 1

This is the next UFC Fight Night card holed up in the UFC Apex.
There are 14 fights on it, and it starts earlier than usual. The
first one comes in an unplanned catchweight, as Johnson (13-5, 2-3
UFC) tries to even his UFC record to .500 at the expense of heavy
unbeaten newcomer Estevam (11-0, 0-0 UFC). The latter tipped the
scales two pounds above the flyweight cap, and he siphoned off 20%
of his purse to his opponent. The fighters do not touch gloves with
referee Chris Tognoni watching on, and instead they look to find
their own ranges immediately with kicks and jabs. Estevam changes
levels after throwing a high kick, but Johnson is out of the way.
Estevam peppers his foe with kicks to the calf and body, and
Johnson springs out of the way of some of them but not all. Estevam
keeps a high volume, always prodding out, until he shoots low for a
single-leg takedown. His momentum allows him to plow Johnson
against the fence, but the takedown does not succeed. Estevam
readjusts himself and throws Johnson all the way around his body
and down to the mat. Johnson is quick to start rifling off punches
from his back, while frustrating Estevam with an elbow or two as he
works to his knees. Estevam pounces on him to stop Johnson from
standing, and takes the back of “InnerG” and leans against the cage
wall. Johnson elbows the thigh repeatedly, and Estevam hunts for a
choke that is more of a seat belt grip with his arm draped around
the back. Johnson explodes to turn him around, and Estevam trips
him and slams him down with gravitas. Johnson turns and surrenders
his back, allowing Estevam to take it and fish for a choke grip.
Estevam bails on it to let Johnson turn over so he can step into
mount, and he considers an arm-triangle choke. The American keeps
turning, but Estevam follows him every step of the way and reclaims
mount to drill his man with punches and elbows. Johnson bucks and
drags Estevam back to half guard, and he continues to scramble so
he can escape the Brazilian’s clutches. Estevam gets the back again
during a grappling exchange, and he ignores Johnson elbowing his
thigh until the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Estevam
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Estevam
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Estevam

Round 2

The fighters are amped to get started, and Estevam practically
sprints out of his corner to attack a single. Johnson keeps
upright, but Estevam redoubles his effort and seats Johnson.
Johnson springs up with his back against the wire, and Estevam
wrangles him down to the ground with a body lock. Johnson looks to
stand back up, and Estevam wraps his legs around Johnson’s waist to
serve as a miserable backpack as Johnson gets back up. Estevam
sneaks his right arm around the face and looks for a choke attempt,
and Johnson falls over and hand-fights to keep himself out of
submission danger. Estevam switches his grip to crank his right arm
on the chin of his foe, and Johnson toughs it out and turns to his
side. Johnson punches to little effect behind his head and wipes at
his eye, and Estevam adjusts his body triangle and squeezes the
midsection. Johnson turns again in an effort to get out, and
Estevam steps over calmly to assume mount before a slick Johnson
reverses him and tosses Estevam to his back. Johnson backs off to
force them to stand up, and Estevam follows him and quickly shoots
in on his hips. Johnson defends with a few elbows on the dome as he
attempts to stop the takedown, and Estevam slithers around to the
back as he looks to trip Johnson out. Estevam sneaks in a knee, and
Johnson works his way around and slings a kick to the midsection on
the break. Johnson strings together several punches, and Estevam
answers with one or two and shoots in from a distance. Johnson
stuffs him and lets his hands go, and he lets loose a kick and
falls to the mat. As “InnerG” gets back up, Estevam surges forward
for one last takedown, but the round ends before he can get it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Estevam
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Estevam
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Estevam

Round 3

The round begins, and Tognoni calls time as he sees that Johnson is
covered in sweat or water. Tognoni wipes him off with a towel, and
the last round officially begins. Johnson comes out like a bat out
of hell, charging at Estevam and laying into him with punch
combinations. The strikes from the Missouri native put him
off-balance, and Estevam tries to take advantage of this with a
takedown. Estevam gets stonewalled, and Johnson works his way up
and dings Estevam with an elbow and several body shots. Estevam
gathers his energy, looks for a throw, and fails on it and stumbles
away. Johnson lets him up and forces his foe to try another
takedown, and he counters Estevam with a clean knee right on the
face. Estevam shakes it off and tries for additional level changes,
but Johnson is the fresher man and he defends one and turns to the
side to snatch up Estevam’s neck with a schoolyard bulldog choke.
Estevam turns his neck as Johnson lowers him to the ground with the
submission setup, and Johnson pounds into Estevam’s head with his
fist. Estevam escapes and attacks another takedown, and this
results in stalemate against the fence. As time ticks off the
clock, Tognoni decides they are not doing enough and separates them
at the midpoint of the round. Johnson picks up where he left off,
pressuring the undefeated fighter with body shots and mixing them
up with strikes to the head. Johnson slams his elbow in Estevam’s
face, and he keeps a torrid pace on his man that is slowing.
Estevam shoots for a desperate takedown and is stood up, and he
tries again. Johnson rips body shots and right hands over the top,
and his elbows are included in the barrage that stand Estevam up.
Johnson powers forward with a three-punch salvo, and he knocks
Estevam’s head against the fencing. Johnson continues to walk
Estevam down and work him over with strikes, and Estevam lands one
in response. Estevam attempts one last takedown, and Johnson turns
it around on him and rolls for a leglock. The fight ends in an
unusual position, and it remains to be seen if it was enough for
Johnson to stage the partial comeback to earn a 10-8 and force a
draw.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johnson (29-28 Estevam)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Johnson (29-28 Estevam)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johnson (29-28 Estevam)

The Official Result

Rafael Estevam def. Charles Johnson via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

Moving on to the lightweight division, two fighters will set foot
in the cage hoping right the ship after losses earlier in the year,
and the next victory will even their UFC record. Whether it is
Ogden (16-6, 1-2 UFC) or Motta (13-5, 1-2 UFC), they will have the
next three rounds or less to decide. Referee Mike Beltran draws the
charge, and he sits back as the fighters do not choose to touch ‘em
up. Both fighters fake jabs at one another, and then they reach out
with jabs that do not find their targets. The first land is from
Ogden in the form of a prodding jab, and he wipes his hands on his
shorts. Ogden snaps out another jab as Motta comes in, and Motta
sits down on a leg kick in response. Ogden gets in a jab and dodges
when Motta counters, and he ducks away as Motta swings at him.
Motta throws a kick, and Ogden catches it and goes after a single.
Ogden presses his foe against the fence when the takedown does not
materialize, and he is warned for grabbing the fence to keep Motta
trapped on it. Ogden softens the body up with a few knees before
pushing off, and he drops down for another single and bails on it
to go up top with a right and a left. Ogden snipes his foe with
another sharp jab, snapping the head back and disrupting the power
coming back at him. Ogden shoots for a naked double-leg takedown,
and Motta stands him up but gets popped with another jab. Motta
prepares for another takedown and halts it, and Ogden once more
sticks him with the jab. Ogden kicks low and rifles out a few jabs,
and Motta is unable to let go with power punches as a result.
Motta’s nose begins to glow like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,
and he defends against another shot but eats a number of jabs.
Ogden snake-charms his opponent with jabs, and as Motta overswings
on a right hand, he drops down low and secures a double to dump the
Brazilian on his back. Ogden moves right to half guard with ease,
and he grinds out the remainder of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ogden
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ogden
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ogden

Round 2

Ogden is ready and rearing to pick up right where he left off, and
he pushes out a jab and beats Motta to the punch a few times. Motta
rushes out throwing big punches, but Ogden sees them coming and
evades them. Motta looks for a head kick at the end of a few
strikes, and Ogden parries and strafes to the side. Ogden ducks and
runs to the side when Motta swings for the bleachers, and he gets
back into position and pierces the guard with a jab. An overzealous
Motta runs into a takedown attempt, and he manages to stop it and
throw hand back. Ogden keeps composed and rolls with the punches,
what few Motta has landed. Motta unloads a right hand that skims
past the side of his foe’s head, and Ogden answers this with a
double attempt. Motta stifles this and chomps down on a few more
jabs as mis mouth opens from the blows. Ogden fails on another
takedown attempt, but his follow-up punches are largely finding
their mark while Motta swings back hitting air. Ogden stands in one
place a little too long and takes a right hand on the chin, and
this wobbles him as he stumbles away. Motta tries to give chase,
but Ogden takes a quick count of his teeth and smacks the Brazilian
with a left hook. The jabs continue to mount by the busy Ogden, who
regains his sea legs as he further marks up Motta’s face. Ogden
fakes out his foe to grab hold of him with a body lock, and he
delivers a pair of knees to the body. Motta pushes off and
continues to throw wildly, and every so often he does manage a
land. Motta dips down to block a takedown, and Ogden opens up with
three punches and a blocked head kick. Ogden slings Motta to the
ground with sheer strength, and Motta climbs back up and takes a
knee up the middle and a right hand. Motta shakes it off and
continues relentlessly throwing power punches, but Ogden sees most
of them coming and does work with his jab and follow-up hook. The
round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ogden
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ogden
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ogden

Round 3

The two have reached the final round, and they meet in the middle
and trade hands. Ogden hops back away from the power right hand,
and he glances it off the cheek and surprises Ogden. The Marathon
MMA fighter doggedly goes after a takedown, and Motta hops across
the cage and keeps his balance. Ogden exerts himself and dumps the
Brazilian to his seat, and he wraps his legs around Motta’s for a
partial mount position. Motta sits himself against the fence, and
Ogden drags him flat to his back as he slides himself a bit higher
to claim full mount. “Samurai Ghost” maintains heavy chest pressure
and bonks Motta in the side of the head with open palm strikes, and
he squeezes down to set up an arm-triangle choke and slips his left
arm behind Motta’s head. Ogden adjusts his grip and talks to his
corner, and he follows their instructions to lock down the
arm-triangle choke. Ogden steps over to the side as he presses down
with all his might.
Beltran tells Motta to show him he is still in the fight, and Motta
fights the grip and is still with it. Beltran checks on Motta’s
hand and believes that Motta is out, and he steps in to stop the
fight. Motta immediately screams at Beltran, saying he was not out
and asking why the fight is over. By first glance, it
appears to be a bit of a premature stoppage, as Motta was not
rendered unconscious and his attempts to signal Beltran something
like a thumbs-up would put him further in danger. For now, the
result is what it is, a win by technical submission for Ogden,
unless the replay goes over the footage and determines something
else. As it turns out, they do.

The Official Result

Trey Ogden vs. Nikolas Motta is Ruled a No Contest (Premature
Stoppage) R3 3:11

Round 1

Two 29-year-old bantamweights prepare to engage in the Octagon with
vastly different career trajectories and levels of experience. With
Pudilova (14-8, 3-6 UFC) holding over double the number of fights
as her opponent, and nearly as many UFC walks as Perez (8-2, 1-1
UFC) has overall as a pro, there is a lot that will be proved in
the next 15 minutes. Referee Chris Tognoni is in it for the long
haul, as these two have gone the distance a combined 19 times in
their 32 outings. The ladies touch gloves, and Perez backs off so
she can measure her lead leg kicks. She throws one to the body and
one that smacks into Pudilova’s gloves, and one could hear a pin
drop in the UFC Apex. Perez strings two punches together, and she
comes up short with a head kick. Perez continues prodding out with
kicks to the body, and she slowly turns to throw one that goes past
her opponent. Pudilova crowds her foe with punches, and Perez
changes levels and grabs hold of the taller woman to consider a
takedown. Perez elevates Pudilova and slams her to the mat, landing
in half guard. Perez presses her full body weight down to control
Pudilova, doing little in the way of offense. Pudilova turns to her
side, and Perez times this and jumps straight into full mount.
Perez postures up and slashes down with a pair of elbows and some
punches. Pudilova keeps her hands clasped around the waist of her
opponent to stop her from getting off anything especially damaging,
and Perez fights this off and slams down with two more elbows.
Perez hangs on as Pudilova bucks, and she controls in a dominant
position while largely unable to get off much. Perez frames off to
slash down with an elbow, and she gets off a few punches while
staying at her smothering best. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Perez

Round 2

The ladies clap hands and then immediately get after it, as
Pudilova tries to crowd forward with one-twos while Perez replies
with two head kicks. Perez comes up short with a spinning wheel
kick, and Pudilova punches her in the face in response. Perez’ left
eye has developed a great deal of swelling, so to take away from
any more getting bopped in the noodle, she drops down and hits a
double to place Pudilova flat on her back. With four minutes to
work, Perez has plenty of time to slowly work her way into a
position and start up with some ground strikes. Pudilova keeps a
hand on the forehead and tries to push Perez back, but Perez sneaks
in some left hands while in half guard. Perez continues to grind,
landing the occasional elbow or punch to keep Tognoni from stepping
in. Perez jumps into mount at the midpoint of the round, and she
proceeds to sit up and elbow the Czech fighter in the face with
impunity. Pudilova tries all she can to buck, but Perez is
comfortably teeing off on her with punches and elbows. Pudilova
gets pressed against the fence with her neck pressed against the
wall in an awkward position, and Perez starts jamming down a number
of light but scoring punches. Perez looks to Tognoni as if to force
a stoppage, but Tognoni sees the punches have nothing on them and
are not hurting Pudilova. Perez settles down and lands a few more
punches and an elbow at the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Perez

Round 3

Perez leads off the round to get a glove touch, and she is answered
before wrapping a kick around the guard. Within the first 15
seconds, Perez attacks one leg of her opponent in search of a
single. Pudilova tries to lean against the fence, but she gets
wrenched down to the mat. Pudilova stands up, gets booted in the
face, and grabs the leg to turn Perez around and throw her down to
the ground. Pudilova jams an elbow in Perez’ face while in Perez’
guard, but it is one-and-done as she holds on. Perez scoots herself
to the fence so she can wall-walk, and she does so even while
Pudilova hangs onto her back. Pudilova drives several knees to the
midsection when she pushes Perez to the wall, and Perez answers
with a feeble takedown effort that gets her shoved to her back.
Pudilova moves on top in half guard, and she looks to claim mount
as Perez kicks off the wall. Perez gets away with a few illegal
upkicks with Pudilova on her knees, and Pudilova shakes off any of
the fouls by shifting into side control. “Fiona” turns to her knees
and pursues a single, but Pudilova slides around her and follows
her back upright so she can knee Perez in the belly. Perez pushes
off and throws hands, and Pudilova stays on her and slams fists
into Perez’ face. Pudilova maintains heavy pressure and fights of a
throw to push Perez to her knees. Perez falls to her side, and
Pudilova drops down a few left hands and a couple elbows. Perez
gives up her back as she moves to her knees, and Pudilova slips her
arm under the chin and locks down a rear-naked choke. Perez fights
the grip and valiantly survives the submission, and Pudilova has to
readjust her arms. The tap does not come, and the two ladies hear
the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pudilova (29-28 Perez)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pudilova (29-28 Perez)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pudilova (29-28 Perez)

The Official Result

Ailin Perez def. Lucie Pudilova via Unanimous Decision (29-27,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

Although he technically holds two wins with the promotion through
the Road to UFC events, Saragih (13-3, 2-1 UFC) would like to claim
his first victory under the official UFC banner tonight, and become
the first fighter from Indonesia to do so. On late notice, the man
whose nickname loosely translates to “The Deadly Kick” now takes on
Alexander (8-3, 1-1 UFC), and the Brazilian tipped the scale by two
pounds and gives up 20% of his fight purse. Referee Herb Dean is
standing by, and perhaps because of the weight miss, the two do not
touch gloves. Instead, kicks are traded by both fighters, with
Alexander targeting the body while Saragih kicks any target he can
find. The Brazilian plunks a low kick on the calf and shoots for a
double, and Saragih reacts but does not have to stop it as
Alexander lets go. Instead, Alexander comes out firing with a
three-two down the middle, and he intercepts Saragih with an
uppercut to shake the Indonesian fighter up. Alexander boots
Saragih with several kicks, and he trips and falls to his back to
go after a leg lock. The Brazilian lets the leg go and stands up,
rushing away to reset.
Saragih gives chase, and he slugs his foe with a massive right hand
that sends Alexander collapsing to the ground, the back of his head
bouncing off the fence. Although Alexander appears to be out,
Saragih hammers the nail with three more thunderous punches before
Dean can pull Saragih off of the doomed Brazilian.
This is a spectacular performance for the Indonesian fighter, who
pulls off the huge upset with a dynamite knockout over a man that
had never been knocked out.

The Official Result

Jeka Saragih def. Lucas Alexander R1 1:31 via KO (Punches)

Round 1

Meat is on the menu for the heavyweight slobberknocker combining
for 512.5 pounds of man—not counting referee Mark Smith—and judges
may get to take the next few minutes off. Britain’s Parkin (7-0,
1-0 UFC) has only heard the final bell once after seven pro fights,
while Machado (8-1-1, 0-0 UFC) has gone six for 10 in terms of
finishes. Before they swing for the bleachers, they bump their
large fists first. Machado advances and throws a leg kick, and he
swarms Parkin with punches. The Brazilian clips Parkin in his first
blitz, and Parkin tries to recover by clinching up and pressing his
extra weight on his man. Machado watches the big screen to see if
he can find a way out of the clinch, and Parkin further squeezes on
him. Machado defends a takedown shot from the Brit, but Parkin
scoops him off the ground and throws him to the mat. Parkin sits
comfortably in guard, and Machado pushes his legs off the fence and
scrambles to fight his way back to his feet. “Mick” dumps him right
back down with a single, and he dodges an upkick to lower himself
down into the half guard. Parkin uses heavy chest pressure, and
Machado explodes his way up and swings hard with a left hand when
breaking off. Machado gets off a short low kick, and he dings
Parkin with a right hand and follows it with a right to the head
and left to the body. Parkin absorbs a right hand over the top, and
the two clash together as they throw big at one another. Machado
hammers the midsection with a kick, and Parkin clinches him up.
Machado looks to turn the corner and hunts for his own trip, and
when that fails, he separates and sticks out a few jabs as well as
a low kick. Parkin returns fire with his own calf kick, and Machado
smiles and nods at him. The Brit presses ahead into the tie-up, but
he cannot keep Machado stuck against the fence. The Brazilian rips
a left to the body, and Parkin snaps his foe’s head back with a
jab. Machado keeps his hands low and he feints his way in, and he
scores another calf kick. The two tag one another with right hands,
and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Machado
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Machado
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Machado

Round 2

The heavyweights get to Round 2, and they clap hands before going
after it. Machado reintroduces himself with a head kick that
ricochets off the raised glove, and he sticks out several jabs to
the head and body to keep Parkin guessing. Machado pushes a left
hand down the middle, and he stings Parkin with a second strike.
Parkin throws hard with a left hook as he crashes the pocket, and
he lifts “Bigfoot” up and chucks him down courtesy of a single.
Parkin lands right in half guard, and he pushes his weight down on
the smaller fighter. Machado tries to turn to either side to power
his way back upright, and Parkin drags him back down flat. Machado
hacks an elbow up from his back and adjusts his hips to get back to
guard, and he strikes with additional punches and elbows off his
back. Machado settles for trading strikes from this position, and
he bloodies up Parkin’s left ear before pushing off with his legs.
Parkin steps over the escape attempt to get to half guard, and
Machado clings to his foe to hope for a referee standup. Machado
kicks off the chest, and he blasts Parkin in the face with a left
hand before Parkin jumps back up. Machado jumps at his opponent
with an elbow, and Parkin swings his way off the fence. The two
trade hands, and Parkin gets the better of an exchange and dings
Machado with several uppercuts before pushing him to the wire. The
Brit attempts a single, and Machado strikes the back of the head
and falls to his seat to roll through and scramble. The excited
Machado falls off the back and is in a bad position, as Parkin
nearly hits a crucifix and holds him down. Machado throws his legs
up and reverses Parkin with seconds to spare, and he attempts one
elbow before the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Parkin
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Parkin
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Parkin

Round 3

There is a glove touch, and Machado is quick to follow it with a
jab. Parkin ducks down to throw a haymaker, and when he whiffs, he
chops at Machado’s lead leg. Parkin connects with a right hand, and
Machado retaliates with a push kick up the middle. Machado
complains about a punch to the back of his head during an exchange,
but he lowered his head to throw and Parkin was not intentionally
targeting it. Machado hand-fights, and Parkin walks through it to
crack his opponent with a straight right hand. “Mick” fires off
another, and he knocks the Brazilian back to the wire. Machado
spins him around and looks for an overhand right, and Parkin dodges
and throws back with one that also misses. Machado goes with a left
to the body, and they crash their heads together like rams. Smith
calls time to allow them both to recover, and he warns them for
coming together and connecting in this fashion. They touch hands,
and then proceed to throw them. Parkin attempts a takedown, and
Machado foils him and lets go with a sudden head kick. Parkin walks
it off and plods forward, winging a tired right hand and shooting
for a takedown that also fails. Machado dodges a hook and throws a
jab, and he ducks down to dodge another and they clack head
together once more. Machado jumps with a knee that pounds into the
body, and he kicks the side for good measure. Parkin flails his way
in and gets countered, and the two spent fighters are trying
anything they can to get offense going but are exhausted. Smith
asks them to do more as they stare at one another, sucking wind.
Machado hooks two punches over the top, and he answers a Parkin jab
with one of his own. Machado whiffs on a hook, and Parkin tries to
take advantage of this with a body lock to a takedown, and Machado
shuts it down. Parkin staggers his opponent with a right hand, and
Machado grins. Machado scores a body kick, and he circles away to
leap at his foe with a Superman punch. Machado goes to the body,
and he comes up top with a right hand. Parkin responds, slugging
the Brazilian in the face. He lands a right as Machado escapes, and
Machado swings for the fence with every bit of energy he has left.
The judges are required after all, as the heavyweights get to the
final buzzer.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Machado (29-28 Machado)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Machado (29-28 Machado)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Machado (29-28 Machado)

The Official Result

Michael Parkin def. Caio Machado via Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)

Round 1

A finish is all-but guaranteed in this middleweight banger, as
Duncan (8-1, 1-1 UFC) brings his 87% stoppage rate to the cage
while Tiuliulin (10-8, 1 NC; 1-3 UFC) exceeds that with his own at
90%. Even if the judges might not be needed to hand in their final
scorecards, referee Mike Beltran should be ready at a moment’s
notice. The knockout-minded fighters come together and tap their
fists together before trading them, and Duncan says hello with a
leg kick. Tiuliulin blazes forward, throwing punches in bunches to
back Duncan against the wall. Duncan returns fire, and his forward
momentum results in them clinched. Duncan knees the thigh and
slides his leg between Tiuliulin’s to trip him up. “CLD” hammers
the thighs with a few more knees, and he imposes his will while
remaining tightly pressed to the Russian. Duncan smacks his foe
with his shoulder a couple times while up close and personal, and
the knees have reddened Tiuliulin’s right leg. Duncan looks to
sling Tiuliulin to the ground, but he does not have the leverage to
do so and settles for spamming knees. Duncan stands Tiuliulin up
with a sharp elbow, but he proceeds to press his chest on him until
finding another opening for a second elbow. Duncan exerts his
pressure to trap Tiuliulin against the wire with no hope of escape,
and he rings Tiuliulin’s bell with another elbow. The grind is
firmly embraced by the Brit, who shows no signs of changing his
approach. Duncan knees the torso after a failed takedown attempt,
and when he plants a second up the middle, Tiuliulin pushes him
away. Tiuliulin spins with an inaccurate elbow, and the horn sounds
to end the tepid frame.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Duncan
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Duncan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Duncan

Round 2

Duncan comes out of his corner switching stances, and he paws out
with a front kick that drills into Tiuliulin’s cup. Tiuliulin waves
it off, and Beltran lets them resume. Duncan connects with a right
hand, and he catches the Russian with a left that staggers him.
Duncan gives chase, leaping at Tiuliulin with a flying knee, and he
chains several punches together after it. Duncan spins with a back
fist that pounds square into Tiuliulin’s dome, and the Russian
tanks it and throws haymakers back at him. Duncan hacks out with an
elbow, and he follows with a jab that makes Tiuliulin shake his
head. They trade jabs, and Duncan trips his foe up with a low kick.
Tiuliulin works his way forward and walks through a jab to attack
the body with a left hand, and Duncan is there to counter him with
a short left hook. Duncan gets off a leg kick, and he plants the
ball of his foot on Tiuliulin’s mug. The tough Tiuliulin fires
back, and he connects with three punches and a body kick as Duncan
tries to roll with it. Duncan returns fire, and shrugs off a leg
kick so he can throw hands. Tiuliulin kicks the body and flails
with two fists, and Duncan is well out of harm’s way in time.
Duncan pushes Tiuliulin back with a front kick, and he spins with a
kick to the lower leg. Duncan changes levels and pushes the Russian
against the wall, but he cannot keep him there this time. A labored
spinning wheel kick comes from Duncan, and the two come up close
and personal with powerful, thudding elbows. Duncan lands a few,
and Tiuliulin returns fire with similar blows. Duncan gets caught
with a short elbow, and he pushes off to separate and land a leg
kick. Duncan prods out with a front kick to the body, and he grabs
Tiuliulin’s head and slugs him in the face with several uppercuts.

Tiuliulin’s legs are giving way as each uppercut smashes him in the
chops, and he rips two elbows over the top to send Tiuliulin
hurtling to the canvas. From there, it is only a matter of time, as
Duncan jackhammers his fallen opponent with punches until Beltran
has seen enough. That makes seven knockouts across the
nine wins for the Brit, who bounces back from a decision loss in an
important way.

The Official Result

Christian Leroy Duncan def. Denis Tiuliulin R2 4:24 via TKO (Elbows
and Punches)

Round 1

When the dust settles, one of these two bantamweights will get back
in the win column. Canada’s Anheliger (12-6, 1-1 UFC) wants to
string together another 10-fight win streak that he lost last year,
while Johnson (15-8, 0-1 UFC) would not mind something like that
either. Gloves are loudly touched, and referee Chris Tognoni is on
the call. Johnson leads the dance with a sweeping kick, and he
fires off a speedy head kick that bounces off the guard. Anheliger
defends against another kick, and he dodges a right hand and
backpedals. Johnson keeps after him with front kick, and as he
pushes the pace, he trips Anheliger up and takes him down. Johnson
slams the body with several punches, and Anheliger explodes his way
up and throws bombs. The right hand of the Canadian gets Johnson’s
attention, and Johnson backs off and jabs the body with a front
kick. Johnson skims the forehead with a knee when the two clinch up
briefly, and Johnson pushes the pace and drags his foe to the
fence. Anheliger turns the tables and trips the man formerly known
as “No Way Jose” down, but Johnson springs upright and gets shoved
to the wall. Johnson tries to use the grappling exchange against
his opponent, and the two jockey for position while tied up.
Johnson knees his man in the face with his long legs, and he
escapes out the side and gets his front kick going in a hurry.
Johnson reaches with a long jab, and Anheliger counters with two
punches and a leg kick. Johnson whips a kick up high, and he ducks
two wide hooks. Johnson crashes the pocket to initiate another
clinch, and he sneaks around to get the back as they try to improve
their positions. Johnson knees the body a few times until getting
dumped to the canvas, and he sweeps Anheliger as soon as he hits
the ground and winds up on top. Anheliger attempts an armbar to get
back up, and after a wild grappling exchange, both men take top
position briefly. Johnson ends the round slightly on top, smacking
Anheliger upside the head.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johnson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Johnson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johnson

Round 2

Johnson advances out of his corner to start off the round, flashing
his jab and walking through a leg kick. Johnson gives a kick back
after taking one, and the two trade punches. Anheliger pushes off
after an exchange to jam his pointer finger in Johnson’s left eye,
and Tognoni sees it and calls time. Johnson signals to the Canadian
that there is no ill will for the accident, and after a bit over 45
seconds, the action resumes. Johnson kicks twice, and he hops back
from an Andy Hug-style spinning kick to the low leg. Johnson steps
in with a left hook, and Anheliger takes it flush and tries to
brawl, only for Johnson to push through and kick him on the side of
the head. Johnson pressures forward, hacking at Anheliger with
multiple vertical elbows, and Anheliger grabs his hands around the
waist and looks to take the taller man down. Courtesy of a trip, he
succeeds in putting “Lobo Solitario” down to the mat. Anheliger
clings from above in side control, and Johnson walks his way along
the fence to flip himself over and stand back up impressively.
Anheliger stays tightly pressed to his foe, fishing for inside and
outside trips while back in the clinch. Anheliger nearly puts
Johnson on his seat with a body lock and a trip, but Johnson gains
his balance. Anheliger drags him down, and he hops on the back as
Johnson just stands back up. Johnson drops and rolls to scramble,
and Anheliger snatches up an armbar in the ensuing scramble.
Johnson defends, and the Canadian lines up a guillotine choke and
pulls guard. Johnson breaks the grip and reverses the position, and
he takes the back and slides a hook in. Johnson connects with a few
punches as the second hook slips into place, and he allows
Anheliger to turn so he can get into full mount. Johnson drives
down an elbow to the back of the head, and he is warned for the
infraction but they continue. Johnson gets off a few more strikes
until the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johnson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Johnson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johnson

Round 3

The bantamweights re-engage in the last round, and Johnson slaps a
heavy leg kick to start things off. Anheliger gets into the pocket
and trades hands, clipping Johnson with a number of serious
punches. Johnson throws back with recklessness, and he drops
Anheliger to a knee before Anheliger gets back up to keep swinging.
Anheliger times a few punches to drop down for a double, and he
scoops Johnson up and relocates him to the floor. Anheliger opens
up with some ground-and-pound, and Johnson is active off his back
with elbows and his own punches. Johnson sits up and uses his long
arms to set up a 10-finger guillotine choke, but Anheliger wrenches
his way out of it. Anheliger pushes his opponent back over and
lands a few shots, and Johnson is more active off his back with
hacking elbows. Anheliger thwarts the attempts of Johnson to sweep
him, but he is taking shots as Johnson continues pounding on him
from below. For every one that Anheliger lands, Johnson has
connected with three or four at least. This prevents Anheliger from
letting his own strikes come down en masse, as Johnson is not about
to take his foot off the gas even when held down. Johnson kicks his
feet off the chest, and Anheliger times the escape to snatch up a
guillotine choke. Johnson hops over to the other side to prevent
the choke from getting tight, and he finds himself open to set up
his own Von Preux choke should he choose to go after it. Johnson
abandons the submission track so he can batter the Canadian with
punches and elbows to the side of the head, and he follows a
turning Anheliger and takes his back while lacing up a body
triangle.
Johnson wraps up a rear-naked choke and cranks the maneuver with
all his might. At his angle, with Anheliger on his belly, Johnson
torques and squeezes until Anheliger has to surrender with around
10 seconds left in the fight. This puts on a stamp on
a solid performance for Johnson, who is no longer in the red with
this victory.

The Official Result

Jose Johnson def. Chad Anheliger R3 4:49 via Submission (Rear-Naked
Choke)

Round 1

A potentially violent featherweight encounter rounds out this long
preliminary slate. Winner of five straight, “JSP” Pearce (14-4, 5-1
UFC) will be in for a fight against the hard-charging Brito
(15-3-1, 3-1 UFC). Referee Herb Dean may have his hands full for
this one, although there is a sporting glove touch before it
begins. Pearce lets loose with a kick to start things off, and
Brito slings a right hand in response. Pearce shoots for a
takedown, and Brito defends the double with a guillotine choke.
Brito turns his foe around and keeps tightly pressed against him,
and he starts digging right hands to the body as Pearce shakes his
head. Brito lifts Pearce clean off the ground and slams him down,
and he instantly lands in side control and starts slugging Pearce
in the face with left hands. A bit too excited, Brito jumps over
and looks to take a scrambling Pearce’s back, but he falls off the
back and lands on his own back. Pearce lines him up for a solid
right hand, and he attempts to set up a guillotine choke when Brito
fights his way up. Brito clubs Pearce in the temple on the break,
and he chases after Pearce throwing haymakers. Pearce responds with
a body kick and a double, and Brito stops it and backs himself
against the wall. Pearce redoubles his effort to take the fight
down, and he is stonewalled but pressing the Brazilian against the
wall. Brito slugs Pearce in the belly a few times as they turn one
another around while clinched. Pearce claims that Brito grabbed his
cup, as Brito tried to defend from a takedown. Pearce falls to his
back in search of an armbar, and Brito stacks Pearce up to break
out of the submission setup. “JSP” hunts for a triangle, and Brito
lifts him up and slams him down to stop that as well. Pearce jumps
back to his feet and looks for a takedown, and he sneaks in two
uppercuts and dodges a windmilling right hand before the round
ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pearce
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pearce
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pearce

Round 2

The fists are bumped, and Pearce dives forward to hit a single in
the opening seconds. Pearce lands on half guard and starts slamming
down elbows. Pearce steps over into mount for a moment, and Brito
bucks and fights off an arm-triangle set up to drag Pearce back to
guard. Brito twists and bucks, but Pearce gladly grinds on his
opponent to wear him down. “JSP” continues holding Brito down,
landing sporadic shots, and the two start talking to one another.
Pearce tells him to get up and do something, and Brito tries to
explode out but his power is not what it was in the previous round.
Pearce rides and lands right hands, and Brito laughs at him for his
feeble strikes while irritated he is being held down. Brito scoots
his way to the wall on one knee, and he works his way up.

Out of nowhere, “Tubarao” snatches up a ninja choke with his back
still against the wall, and it is shockingly tight. Pearce falls to
his side to wriggle out, and Brito cranks down hard on it with his
chest pressed tightly. Pearce starts tapping as Brito completes the
submission, and the stunning comeback has been
completed by the powerhouse Brazilian.

The Official Result

Joanderson Brito def. Jonathan Pearce R2 3:54 via Submission (Ninja
Choke)

Round 1

The main card begins with an action fight that may not last too
long. With nine finishes in his nine pro wins, Medic (9-1, 3-1 UFC)
will try to make Kyrgyzstani newcomer Orolbai (11-1-1, 0-0 UFC)
have to see a medic after their welterweight clash. In his own
right, Orolbai posts 10 stoppages across his 11 victories. Referee
Mike Beltran is ready for what happens when the two do not touch
gloves. Medic greets the debutant with a pair of body kicks, and
Orolbai swats at him with a left hook. Medic attacks the midsection
with a third kick, and Orolbai lunges at him in an effort to reach
the longer fighter. Medic bounces a pair of kicks off the guard,
and he keeps a wide berth until stepping in with a one-two. Orolbai
lowers himself down, and Medic drills him in the face with a knee.
Orolbai is stunned, and he tries to level change and lift up Medic.
The man from Kyrgyzstan succeeds in tripping Medic’s rear leg out
to set him down, and Medic is quick to walk up with the fence
behind him. Orolbai lands a mat return and steps over to take
Medic’s back, and Medic tugs on the fence to stand back up. Beltran
warns him, and Orolbai enforces this by slamming Medic back down.
Medic shrugs at the control that is being imposed on him, and he
stands back up once more and tries to frame off by pushing his leg
off of Orolbai’s chest. Orolbai drops down and hits a double,
planting Medic on his seat. “The Doctor” climbs upright with
Orolbai hanging on from behind him, and Orolbai ragdolls him with
another takedown. Orolbai laces his legs around Medic’s to trap him
on his back, and he drags Medic away from the fence and stacks him
up. Medic lets fly a few upkicks, but Orolbai is able to lower
himself back down and step over to get a hook around Medic’s leg.
Orolbai slugs Medic in the face with a left hand, and some swelling
starts to grow around Medic’s left eye. Orolbai hacks down with a
few punches and elbows until the round wraps up.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Orolbai
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Orolbai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Orolbai

Round 2

The second round opens up with Medic kicking at a safe distance,
but Orolbai is quick to crowd him again. Orolbai slings a right
hand over the top to close in, and Medic skirts to the side so he
does not put his back up against the wall. Orolbai swings another
right hand that allows him to get up close, and he secures a double
and deposits Medic to the floor. Medic gets stuck with his back
against the wall and his legs on the floor, as Orolbai tries to
drag him into an uncomfortable position and start to work him over.
Orolbai elbows as he gets pulled back to the guard, and he keeps
control of Medic’s wrist to stifle him from getting up. Orolbai
lets Medic turn over so he can take the back, and both of his hooks
comes around as he grips his right arm on the chin of his opponent.
Orolbai locks up the body triangle and softens Medic up with right
hands around the back, until Medic scrambles to get to his feet.
Orolbai drags him back down to a knee and then to his backside, and
Medic sharply exhales in frustration. Orolbai clings to him and
makes Medic’s life miserable with control and sporadic
ground-and-pound. Orolbai fastens his arm under the chin, but Medic
turns out of it.
Orolbai readjusts his grip and elects to squeeze on Medic’s face
while wrenching the neck in a nasty direction. As Orolbai continues
to torque the neck, Medic hangs tough until he cannot take it
anymore, and he taps out. Coming in on short notice,
Orolbai puts on a show and manhandles a tough out to introduce
himself to the promotion.

The Official Result

Myktybek Orolbai def. Uros Medic R2 4:12 via Submission (Neck
Crank)

Round 1

The final women’s bout of the fight card comes in a strawweight
contender matchup between Brazilian countrywomen and former
housemates. The surging Pinheiro (11-1, 3-0 UFC) has won nine
straight coming into this contest, while Ribas (11-4, 6-3 UFC) has
hopped back and forth between 115 and 125 pounds to mixed success
as of late. The women will be overseen in the Octagon by referee
Chris Tognoni, and there is no plan on touching gloves as they have
both switched on. They proceed to start blasting each other in the
face almost immediately, and Ribas is taking shots early. Pinheiro
swings hard, fearlessly dinging Ribas repeatedly and forming a
mouse on Ribas’ temple. Pinheiro settles down, and Ribas begins to
walk her down, until Pinheiro unloads with a huge right hand on the
button. Ribas takes it clean and her left eye is showing serious
damage after less than 90 seconds from the power of her opponent.
Pinheiro backs Ribas off with two low kicks and an overhand right,
and the power difference is stark. Ribas is just shy of the mark
with a front kick, and she gets pushed back when trying to let her
own hands go. Pinheiro delivers a solid inside leg kick and circles
away, blocking a head kick on the way out. After resetting,
Pinheiro scores another calf kick, and she steps in with a left.
Pinheiro connects with two wide hooks, and Ribas does not budge
when absorbing them. Ribas spins with a back kick to the body, and
she races after Pinheiro when her own punches connect. Ribas races
after her foe, and Pinheiro stands her up with a right hand. Ribas
eats a right hand and tries to fire back, swinging at air as
Pinheiro keeps moving. Pinheiro strafes to the side and jabs the
body, and she swipes out with a left hook and steps back from the
counter. Another two big hooks get off for Pinheiro, and she is
grabbed and just gets away before Ribas can hit her with a knee.
Ribas reaches with a low kick, and she gets pelted with a massive
right hook. Ribas rushes at her to clinch up, and Pinheiro shucks
her off to the side and separates to plant a side kick on the
ribcage. Ribas dances out of the way from a sweeping kick, but she
takes three heavy hooks that develop more swelling on her face.
Ribas is lumped up with a cut above her left brow, but she makes it
to the second round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pinheiro
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pinheiro
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pinheiro

Round 2

The Brazilians race out of their corners to engage, and the first
strike is a head kick from Pinheiro. Ribas takes it on the cheek
and comes out to stick out a right hand. Ribas tries for her own
high kick, and it is easily blocked. Pinheiro times a body kick
with a right hand, and she backs away before Ribas can get to her.
Ribas gets off a solid leg kick, and Pinheiro keeps moving to
prevent any additional strikes from reaching her. Ribas pops the
front leg and gets countered with an overhand right, and Pinheiro
throws a fastball of a right hand. Ribas gathers her thoughts and
splits the guard with a left hand, and she pressures forward. Ribas
lands four punches, and Pinheiro knocks her back with a left hook.
Ribas comes up short on a combination, as Pinheiro is more content
to potshot her with heavy strikes. Ribas lands a low kick as
Pinheiro kicks her on the side, and a wild exchange leads to
Pinheiro tumbling to the ground when catching a kick and coming
back to drill Ribas in the side of the head. Ribas chains three
punches together to get Pinheiro’s attention, and Pinheiro steps
into a back fist that blasts Ribas square in the face. Pinheiro
considers a single, and Ribas fights it off and peppers the lead
leg with a few kicks and rifles off three punches. Pinheiro kicks
the body as Ribas chops at her leg, and she loads up on two right
hands as Ribas tanks them on the chin. Ribas goes after leg kicks
on either side, and she sneaks a high kick in and evades the
counter overhand right. Pinheiro tries a second power punch, and
she lands with a one-two. Ribas kicks Pinheiro’s leg out as she
keeps working on them, and Pinheiro spins with a back fist that
bops Ribas in the side of the head. Ribas spins with a back kick to
the ribs, and she follows it with a body kick to make Pinheiro turn
away. The two trade punches until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ribas
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ribas
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ribas

Round 3

It could be anyone’s game after two rounds, and the ladies start
off the last five-minute stretch as if this is the case. They both
land punches and kicks, and Pinheiro loads up on several haymakers
as Ribas takes them flush. The two trade leg kicks, and Pinheiro
overswings a right hook and just has her guard up in time to block
a kick. Pinheiro times a leg kick by grabbing hold of it and looks
to take the fight down, and Ribas uppercuts her twice to make her
think again. Pinheiro bails on it, and she walks through a head
kick and a spinning elbow to close in. Ribas attempts to take the
fight down, and Pinheiro chucks her down in response. Ribas
stumbles as they scramble, and Pinheiro latches on with a brabo
choke. Pinheiro lets it go so she can swirl around to take the
back, but Ribas falls to her back and closes her guard to slow
things down and get out of submission danger. Pinheiro lands a few
punches, and Ribas is equally active off her back with elbows.
Ribas attempts a shoulder lock, and Pinheiro steps over through it.
This allows Ribas to stand, and Pinheiro thumps her in the body
with a few knees. Ribas attempts a head lock throw, and Pinheiro
defends it by dropping to her knees, and she breaks off and eats a
knee to the body. Ribas gives chase, nailing Pinheiro with a right
hand, and Pinheiro returns fire but is slowing fast.

Ribas charges forward, connecting with a huge right hand, and she
spins with a wheel kick that cracks Pinheiro square in the face.
Ribas capitalizes on this monumental blow by blasting Pinheiro with
a left hand, and a fatigued Pinheiro bounces off the fence and
takes two hefty punches on the jaw that put her down. Ribas swarms
her fallen foe with a long series of hammerfists, and Tognoni waves
the fight off when Pinheiro is just taking unnecessary damage at
this point. Pinheiro protests the stoppage, but her
cries fall on deaf ears as Ribas runs off to celebrate with her
corner. This is the first spinning wheel kick finish for a female
fighter in UFC history, and Ribas lands it against a woman in
Pinheiro that had never before been finished.

The Official Result

Amanda Ribas def. Luana Pinheiro R3 3:53 via TKO (Spinning Wheel
Kick and Punches)

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 4

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 5

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round:
Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tyler Treese scores the round:

The Official Result