UFC 262 ‘Oliveira vs. Chandler’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Christos Giagos (156) vs. Sean Soriano (156)

Round 1

Even though like many other cards these days, UFC 262 took some hits, it still has the potential to be a stellar show. The crowd in Houston is already fully voicing its support for live fights again, and it is loud right from the get-go. We begin this 12-fight offering in the lightweight division, between two fighters on their second UFC stints in Giagos (18-8, 4-4 UFC) and Soriano (14-6, 0-3 UFC), with the latter aiming for his first win with the promotion. Referee Jeff Rexroad will stand by to let the first fight of the night play out, and there is no glove touch needed to get on with the show. The woo birds sound out instantly in the crowd as both men find their range without engaging. Giagos reaches to the body, and a right hand knocks Soriano off balance but does not knock him down. Soriano scrambles back to his feet, and he slams his leg into Giagos’ leg that puts Giagos on the ground for a second. “The Spartan” gathers himself, charges forward and shoots in for a takedown. Soriano defends the single until he doesn’t, as Giagos lifts him up and dumps him down. Soriano springs to his feet and Giagos swirls around to take his back. Although Giagos briefly hops on to act as a Californian backpack, he cannot lock his legs and slides off. The two men separate on this exchange, and Giagos backs off and aims a one-two to the body. Both stand in the pocket and trade, and Soriano stings his man with a left hand. Soriano follows it with a stiff right hand that make Giagos’ legs wobble, and he is hurt badly. The hampered fighter steps back, avoids a strike and takes a leg kick, but he gathers himself. As Soriano comes in, Giagos swipes down with his finger and scrapes Soriano in the eye. The crowd is incensed in this pause in the action, and 30 seconds elapse before we get back to business. Soriano slips a punch and tags Giagos with a right hand, and the strike has Giagos hurt again. Giagos weathers it and lands a pair of leg kicks on each side before shooting for a desperation takedown. Soriano stuffs it and rips the body with a kick, and Giagos can do nothing but stare at him. Soriano gets off another crisp right hand, and the two clinch up, land a knee, and break into a slugfest. Giagos appears to get the better of the exchange, backing Soriano off for a moment, where he can deliver a leg kick on the way out. Giagos reaches out with a few jabs, and he hits nothing but air while Soriano chops down his lead leg and nails him on the chin with a right hand. Giagos eats it like a gyro and walks Soriano down, only to absorb a front kick and a left hand that have him once more in trouble. Giagos throws a high kick that makes him fall over in an effort to get Soriano away, only to fall to the ground. Giagos leaps back up, rushes in, slams his opponent to the canvas, and the tense round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Soriano
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Soriano
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Soriano

Round 2

Soriano comes out of his corner to take the center of the cage and engage, but it is Giagos who leads off with strikes and lands at the end of a right hand. Soriano fires back with a left hand, and the two trade heavy leather for a moment before Giagos breaks it up with a leg kick. “The Spartan” crashes the pocket to attack a takedown, and after a wild scramble and near reversal, he winds up on top and takes side control. Soriano bucks him off, twists up to get to his knees to attack his own single, but finds himself in grave danger. Giagos reaches his arms down not to stuff the takedown but instead to cinch up a brabo choke, and it is tight in an instant. “The Spartan” uses the choke to push his foe over, and he locks it down until he can elicit a tap from Soriano. The tap never comes, and Soriano goes out instead. Rexroad recognizes that Soriano has drifted off to dreamland, and he intervenes to rescue the fighter sleeping on the job. What a way to start the night!

The Official Result

Christos Giagos def. Sean Soriano R2 0:59 via Technical Submission (Brabo Choke)

Kevin Aguilar (145) vs. Tucker Lutz (146)

Round 1

It’s a proverbial “out with the old, in with the new” matchup in the featherweight division next, as 2018 Dana White’s Contender Series signee Aguilar (17-4, 2-3 UFC) on a three-fight skid meets two-time 2020 Contender Series victor and eventual contract winner Lutz (11-1, 0-0 UFC). In the latter’s first entrance, “Top Gun” misses a golden opportunity to match his walkout music with his nickname, and instead elects to go with something by a guy named after an Italian fashion company. Referee Jacob Montalvo appears similarly disappointed, but the two still touch gloves and away we go. Lutz steps forward and reaches out with a head kick that gets blocked, and he chops down the lead leg early. His kicks are the only strikes thrown, until Aguilar blitzes him with two punches and a body kick. When “The Angel of Death” backs off, he gathers steam and does this combination again except going to the thigh instead of torso. The two men clinch up and trade knees, and Aguilar breaks free after taking a sharp one to the chest. The Texan walks through a leg kick to throw a few big punches, and Lutz dances away on the outside while working Aguilar with kicks. Lutz whiffs with a looping left hand, and Aguilar makes him pay for it with a pair of punches and a big knee up the middle. As Aguilar resets, Lutz steps in and lands a solid body kick, and a left hook scores on the outside to give Aguilar some pause. Lutz keeps his man at range with kicks to the body, and Aguilar ignores them and throw hands. Lutz throws a naked leg kick that gets countered, and Lutz follows through with one that is not countered. The two step forward and trade, and Lutz clips him with a left hand and a fierce uppercut. “The Angel of Death” is undaunted as he takes flush shots, and he ducks a big left to aim a counter. “Top Gun” stays composed and throws a low kick, and he chains the strike into a takedown attempt. Lutz easily secures the takedown, and he pushes Aguilar over to the fence to start landing strikes from on top. Aguilar has his guard closed but is still eating shots, and he opens it up to try to find a better position or scoot his back to the wall and sit up. Lutz hooks his legs beneath him to trap Aguilar, where he keeps this position until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lutz
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lutz
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lutz

Round 2

The two sprint towards the other to touch gloves, and they start swinging. Lutz catches Aguilar rushing in, but Aguilar connects with a few strikes of his own. Aguilar realizes a brawl like this may be to his disadvantage, so the two back off and trade body kicks. Aguilar gets off a right hand that surprises Lutz, and during these wild exchanges, the commentary team is off talking about Din Thomas’ wardrobe. A nasty uppercut clatters off Aguilar’s chin, and Aguilar is not hurt but is taking clean strikes again and again. Lutz does not let him off the hook, landing a left hand and a leg kick. When Aguilar tries to fire back, Lutz is there to counter, and he busts up Aguilar’s nose. The Texan shoots in low for a double leg takedown, and Lutz is sprawled against the fence. Aguilar turns the attempt into a single, but this too is thwarted by the balance and defense of Lutz. “Top Gun” appears every bit of a top gun as he spins Aguilar around, breaks free and knees Aguilar on the jaw. Aguilar sticks a right hand, moves to get out of the way of a few strikes that zoom towards him, and lands one more at the end of a combination. Aguilar takes a few more strikes on the chin only to target the body, and when he ducks down, Lutz times a big uppercut. Lutz sees that Aguilar is about to charge at him, and he strafes to the side to get off a right hand. A reeling Aguilar backpedals, and Lutz changes it up and hits a clean takedown without issue. Aguilar falls to his back, but he scrambles well and kicks off to force Lutz to his feet. Aguilar climbs back up, and he fires heavily at his once-beaten opponent. Lutz keeps a healthy range and lands a few leg kicks, and Aguilar responds in kind. Aguilar wades through the fire to fire off a right hand, and Lutz closes the distance to clinch up. Aguilar turns him around, knees him in the breadbasket, and the round ends as they break.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lutz
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lutz
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lutz

Round 3

A confident Lutz marches out of his corner to the center of the cage, and Aguilar blasts him in the face with a charging knee. Aguilar is amped up and throwing caution to the wind, landing strikes and stinging Lutz. Aguilar gets off a big right hand, and he steps forward into a crisp uppercut. Aguilar is hurt, but he bites down on his mouthpiece and throws bombs. A few of them get Lutz’ attention, and these two are trading wildly. Aguilar nails Lutz with an overhand right, and he chains it into a body shot as Lutz is caught off-guard. Lutz avoids a big knee and steps away to pepper Aguilar’s lead leg with kicks, and he is on his bike as Aguilar is still going for broke. Lutz times his advancement with a double, and he plants an overaggressive Aguilar on his back in dramatic fashion. Aguilar scoots his way to the fence, with his back on the wire, and the crowd has turned on Lutz for grinding out the round instead of engaging in an ill-advised slugfest. Montalvo asks for Lutz to work, perhaps in response to the crowd pressure. Aguilar takes it upon himself, and he bursts back to his feet and attacks. Aguilar wings a body kick, and a two-punch combination bangs off his chin to no effect. Lutz grabs a kick to pursue a single, but the Texan stuffs it and comes forward with his own double leg attempt. Aguilar gets snagged into a clinch, but he pushes away and has his leg kicked. Lutz gets off a right hand, and Aguilar slips the second and counters with a right. Aguilar walks straight into a left hand, and he laughs it off and snaps Lutz’ head back with his own booming left. Aguilar charges ahead recklessly, and he lands a few more punches and a body kick. Lutz escapes and survives to the horn, but Aguilar rang his bell repeatedly towards the end.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Aguilar (29-28 Lutz)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Aguilar (29-28 Lutz)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Aguilar (29-28 Lutz)

The Official Result

Tucker Lutz def. Kevin Aguilar via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) 

Gina Mazany (126) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (126)

Round 1

In the first of three women’s flyweight tilts tonight, two women a few wins away from a .500 record come to blows, when “Danger” Mazany (7-4, 2-4 UFC) will try to be the danger against “Zombie Girl” Cachoeira (9-3, 1-3 UFC). A glove touch in front of referee Mike Beltran seals the cage, and Cachoeira slowly walks forward to put pressure on Mazany. She corks back a right hand and has her lead leg kicked. Cachoeira throws a few punches and a knee up the middle, but Mazany ignores them and connects with a solid left hand. Cachoeira fires back with her own left, forcing Mazany to try to take the fight down. The American gets it there by bouncing her foe off the fence, and she sits in half guard trying to keep Cachoeira from climbing up the wall. Cachoeira gets away with a few fence grabs to stand up, and Mazany hits a mat return as soon as the Brazilian fouls her way back to her feet. Mazany grinds her elbow on her opponent, and she winds up and lands one that Cachoeira does not like. Cachoeira’s neck and upper back are trapped in the corner between the ground and the fence, and she gets elbowed a few times while she sits up. Cachoeira looks frustrated as Mazany grinds on her, and ignores a few right hands that Mazany drops down as she pulls Cachoeira to the floor. The Brazilian gets to a knee and stands up, but she does take a knee to the body on the way up. Mazany keeps a tight clinch, but she cannot hold on to it as Cachoeira wants to slug it out. Both land a few big shots, and Mazany takes one on the chin before charging ahead to hit a clean takedown in the center of the cage. In half guard again, Mazany keeps her elbow either squeezed on Cachoeira’s chin or releasing it a few times. Mazany holds on tight, and Beltran asks them to work a few times as the action has turned into a relative stalemate. Mazany stays heavy with sporadic, minor left hands and elbows, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mazany
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Mazany
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mazany

Round 2

The flyweights touch hands, and Mazany steps in with a front kick to the body. When Cachoeira wings a right hand, Mazany ducks it and scores a takedown less than 15 seconds into the round. Mazany squeezes with shoulder pressure as she is in half guard on the other side compared to where she ended the previous frame. The Brazilian kicks and bucks, but she is stuck with Mazany holding her down. Cachoeira rolls through, but Mazany follows her and takes her back. “Zombie Girl” continues to scramble, and she recovers her guard and closes it as Mazany lands a few strikes. Mazany postures up and nails Cachoeira with a right hand, and Cachoeira’s head bounces off the canvas emphatically. Mazany gets off a few hammerfists and a slashing elbow, and Cachoeira looks to Beltran to stand them up. Beltran intervenes to stand them up, and Mazany is irritated and suddenly showing some damage on her eye. Mazany backs off and throws a kick, and a subsequent telegraphed takedown is easily stuffed. Mazany gets cracked with a right hand, and she shoots in once more only to get stuffed. The Brazilian makes her pay big with a huge right hand, and Mazany is tired and hurt. Mazany’s takedowns are labored and she is wobbled and completely spent, and Cachoeira pushes her away and eats a body kick on the way back. Two right hands land flush from Cachoeira, and Mazany flails back and somehow connects. Cachoeira tees off on her with a few more shots, and she is loading up and hurting Mazany and bloodying her up badly. Mazany bounces off the fence, and Cachoeira unloads with one final salvo. Right after the 10-second clapper, Beltran has seen enough unanswered punishment and calls the fight by standing technical knockout. What a comeback for “Zombie Girl,” who has now earned her second win a row after starting her UFC tenure off with a trio of defeats.

The Official Result

Priscila Cachoeira def. Gina Mazany R2 4:51 via TKO (Punches)

Andrea Lee (126) vs. Antonina Shevchenko (125)

Round 1

Opening up the prelims is another women’s flyweight clash, this time between Lee (11-5, 3-3 UFC) and the elder Shevchenko (9-2, 3-2 UFC) sister. It’s anyone’s guess whether Lee will lift her UFC record above .500 or Shevchenko will keep it over that midline, and referee Jeff Rexroad will oversee the two throwing down. The two women touch gloves in a sporting manner, and Lee is the first fighter to open up in the form of a reaching jab and a low kick. Lee comes up short with a high kick, and a few long punches from Shevchenko find their home as a response. Lee walks through a leg kick to throw a long string of punches, and she does this again as “La Pantera” want to keep her kicking distance. “KGB” gets countered with three punches before she can respond, and Lee clips Shevchenko with a right hand at the end of a combination. She lands a left when stringing together punches in bunches, and Shevchenko tries to back her off with a high kick that gets blocked. Lee barely blocks a spinning back fist to push into a clinch, and Shevchenko takes a knee to the chest and gives a few knees back before breaking away. Lee gets off a trio of shots as Shevchenko lines up a counter, and Shevchenko sticks her with a front kick on the chin. Lee punches her way into a clinch, and Shevchenko lines up the Thai plum to rip the body with knee after knee. Lee looks to free herself, but Shevchenko pounds her a few more times before shoving her off. Shevchenko drills her foe with a solid one-two, and Lee’s face is reddening up even as she swarms forward with punches. Shevchenko grabs her, turns her around and knees her, and Lee bails the clinch. Lee lands a high kick as Shevchenko spins with a back fist, and she nails Shevchenko with a left hand that wobbles the Kyrgyzstan native for a moment. Lee pushes in to the fence, and she hits an inside trip to put the kickboxer on her back. Shevchenko locks her down with a tight, closed guard, and Lee lifts her up in the air to walk her away from the fencing. Lee sneaks out a few elbows as Shevchenko opens her guard, with the latter looking to use her long legs to either push off or throw up a triangle choke. “KGB” is wise to both, and she scores a pair of elbows to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lee
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lee

Round 2

Both flyweights meet in the center of the cage to begin the second round, and Lee gets off a spinning back elbow. Shevchenko tries to grab her and throw her down, but Lee reverses her and ends on side control in headlock position. Shevchenko kicks her off and gets up, but Lee immediately lands a mat return and is in side control once more. Lee slashes down with a few elbows, and she steps over to mount where she sets up a triangle choke. Shevchenko is fully immersed in the danger zone right now, as Lee has the choke set up, and the American rolls to her back to cinch it up. Lee pulls for an armbar while the triangle is set up, and she switches the grip with her legs to lock it down tight. Shevchenko tries to break the grip, allowing Lee to elbow her in the head repeatedly. Lee pursues the armbar once more, and Shevchenko’s head is turning a brilliant shade of crimson. Shevchenko turns and tries to climb over, only for Shevchenko to fall straight into the armbar. “KGB” may have gassed her legs as the grip is not nearly as lethally tight as it was before, but she redoubles her effort by pulling down on Shevchenko’s neck. Lee transitions the armbar into an omoplata, and she starts hacking at Shevchenko’s head with elbows. “La Pantera” stays composed as Lee’s leg grip is not what it once was, but Lee still commits to this off her back. Lee scores punches and elbows, and Shevchenko turns into it, but in the process, slides right into the armbar. Lee torques the arm under her shoulder, and with seconds to spare, Shevchenko surrenders. Her arm hyperextends and her face contorts into sheer pain as she taps out, and Lee is now the first fighter to ever finish “La Pantera” in MMA.

The Official Result

Andrea Lee def. Antonina Shevchenko R2 4:52 via Submission (Triangle Armbar)

Jordan Wright (185) vs. Jamie Pickett (186)

Round 1

“Finish” is the word of the day when it comes to this middleweight pairing, when Wright (11-1, 1 NC; 1-1 UFC) puts his 100 percent stoppage rate against the knockout-minded Pickett (11-5, 0-1 UFC). Referee Kerry Hatley will be in the cage to see if this fight lives up to the chaos it promises, and these two heavy hitters touch gloves before getting down to business. Both men throw big strikes, and Pickett lands a few shots before crashing into a takedown. Wright defends it by elbowing Pickett in the side of the head as if he were Travis Browne against Josh Barnett, and Pickett is in a bad way as he slumps to a knee with his legs giving out. Wright clubs Pickett as he pushes his man to the ground, and he starts pounding on him with right hands. Pickett climbs out but is still rocked when he wobbles to his feet, and “The Beverly Hills Ninja” chases after him with strikes. Pickett avoids a bull-rushing Wright, who nearly falls over throwing a right hand, and he even counters Wright on the way in with a pushing left hand. Wright cracks Pickett with an uppercut and a knee and throws Pickett to the ground, where he unleashes a barrage of hammerfists and elbows. Pickett is battered and bloodied as he eats strike after unanswered strike, and he turtles up and is not able to intelligently defend himself any longer. Hatley steps in as Wright continues to pound on him, and what an insane fight for as long as it lasted. In just over a minute, Wright kept that flawless finish rate intact in a wild way.

The Official Result

Jordan Wright def. Jamie Pickett R1 1:04 via TKO (Elbows and Punches)

Lando Vannata (146) vs. Mike Grundy (146)

Round 1

The classic striker versus grappler dynamic will come into play for this featherweight scrap some are coining the dark horse “Fight of the Night.” Unorthodox striker Vannata (11-5-2, 3-5-2 UFC) will try to stay groovy against British powerhouse wrestler Grundy (12-2, 1-1 UFC). Drawing the assignment is referee Dan Miragliotta, who watches over as the two touch ‘em up. Grundy rushes ahead, only to get countered by a left hand and a blocked head kick. Vannata keeps him at range with kicks, and Grundy drops for a very low horse stance like a traditional martial artist. Vannata does not oblige him, and instead the two engage in a staring contest. Grundy gets off a big left hand as he charges into clinch, and both trade knees at the same time. The Brit’s knee smashes square into the cup – Grundy may have taken a groin shot too, but it was not nearly as severe – and 40 seconds are needed to get the breath back. They start trading when the fight clocks in, and Vannata lands a few punches and a high kick. The Brit shrugs them off as he changes his stances a few times, and he walks through a strike to hit a takedown. Vannata curses loudly as he falls to his back, and he scrambles back to his feet. Grundy lifts him up and hits a high-amplitude slam, only for Vannata to get back up once more. Grundy tries to wrench him down, but Vannata sneaks out and knees Grundy on the chin. When Vannata tries to follow it with a head kick, Grundy grabs the other leg and puts Vannata on his back. Buoyed by chants of “USA” from the crowd, Vannata powers back up, and Grundy holds on tight but cannot successfully return him to the mat. Vannata gets off a right hand as he circles away, and avoids a Grundy takedown attempt. “Groovy” just misses with a spinning wheel kick, and he claps his hands in frustration that he missed. Grundy narrowly evades a head kick, and he catches a kick to try to put Vannata down. Vannata scampers to the cage wall, where he breaks the grip and separates. Vannata looses a head kick that comes up short, and Grundy chains a right hand into a double leg takedown attempt. Vannata stuffs it, and Grundy turns it into a single that he uses to lift Vannata in the air and put him down. Vannata pops back up and laughs, as he retreats around the edge of the cage. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vannata
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vannata
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vannata

Round 2

The crowd gets so amped up by the first round, a brawl erupts in the stands. The fighters ignore it and Vannata begins the round with a big head kick. Grundy blocks it and avoids the follow-up, but he is biting on feints and fakes from “Groovy.” The Brit once more crashes the pocket for a takedown, and Vannata hops back to the other side of the cage so he can use the wall to keep his balance. Vannata spins around and scores a solid knee, and a left hand to the body sends Grundy back reeling. The American gets off a head kick that is defended against, and he puts on a one-two and slaps away a pawing right hand that comes his direction. Vannata slaps an inside leg kick that gets challenged with a takedown, and Vannata pulls his leg back before he gets downed and he runs away. Grundy sits down on a right hand, and Vannata ignores it and counters. A cut above Grundy’s right eye has opened up from repeated shots from Vannata, and “Groovy” stays in his groove with leg kicks and a check knee. Grundy clocks Vannata with a huge right hand, and Vannata’s forehead immediately swells from the concussive blow. Grundy tries to capitalize on the success of this strike with a takedown, and Vannata still has the wherewithal to avoid it. Vannata counters Grundy on the way in a few times, and his strikes disrupt the takedown attempts. Grundy fakes a takedown and swings a big left hand, but Vannata stands in front of him and lands a few strikes. Vannata spins but does not unload a kick, and Grundy looks surprised but surges ahead to take the fight down. Vannata stuffs it, springs away, and lands three punches and a head kick that slaps Grundy’s face. Grundy sits down on a huge right hand, and Vannata eats it like a steak and continues his rhythm. A head kick is blocked from Vannata, and a front kick to the body is not. Vannata is able to chip at him with leg kicks and long strikes, as he seems content to touch Grundy with strikes while Grundy is loading up on big single strikes. The close round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vannata
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vannata
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vannata

Round 3

The featherweights begin in a flurry, with Vannata landing punches while Grundy mixes in right hands with takedown attempts. None succeed, and Vannata is able to step out of harm’s way and chop down Grundy’s lower leg. The American scores a one-two, and he eats a right hand before Grundy rushes in to take him down. Although the first attempt is unsuccessful, the second puts Vannata down. Grundy on top grabs hold of a choke, and he slides a guillotine into a brabo choke setup. Vannata sees it coming, lifts the Brit up in the air and slams him down on his back. Grundy gasps but kicks off, and he pops back up without taking any damage. Vannata stabs at the body with his toes, and Grundy shrugs it off and tries to set up big shots. The Brit walks through a body kick to score a right hand, and Vannata times a takedown with a crisp knee right on the brow of his opponent. Grundy is unflappable after eating that flush knee, as he pounds Vannata in the face with a straight right hand. Vannata too is unconcerned, as he lands a few kicks at distance while pulling them back quickly enough to not get snagged. Grundy charges but ends up hitting nothing but air as Vannata circles out, and he slings a head kick that is easily blocked. Vannata answers with one of his own, and once it is blocked, he lets loose the same leg to plant the ball of his foot on Grundy’s chest. Grundy recommits to a takedown, only for him to be so far out of the way that Vannata barely has to pick his leg up. Vannata strafes with kicks, and Grundy rushes at him with power shots but is not nearly in range to land much. The Brit stings him with a right hand and changes levels for a double, but the horn sounds before he can complete it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vannata (30-27 Vannata)
Tristen Critchfield 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. Mike Grundy via Split Decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27)

Ronaldo Souza (186) vs. Andre Muniz (186)

Round 1

The prelims will be capped off by a middleweight matchup between two submission specialists aged 41 in Souza (26-9, 1 NC; 9-6 UFC) and 31 in Muniz (20-4, 2-0 UFC). Neither man has ever been tapped out, and it is a tale of two fighters as Souza is currently on the longest (and only) losing streak of his career, while Muniz has gotten his hand raised in his last six. Many questions are about to be answered, and referee Jacob Montalvo is on the call for this intriguing potential “passing of the torch” meeting. The two Brazilians touch gloves, and Souza paws out his left hand to find his range repeatedly early on. Muniz slaps it away every time, and he opens up with a head kick that is easily blocked. Souza crashes in to attack, and Muniz is ready to counter him. Both men land power strikes, and Souza comes forward with a few front kicks and a double leg takedown attempt. Muniz spreads his hips but he cannot stop the takedown, and Souza elevates him and puts him on his back. Souza stands above him and starts pounding on him with right hands, and Muniz trips him up with his legs and makes “Jacare” stumble away. Muniz uses herky-jerky movement to get in, and he completes a powerful double to put Souza on his back hard. Souza ignores ground strikes to try to buck and get up, even giving up his back briefly, but he manages to get to his feet. Souza grabs the top of the cage to stand, and Muniz commits to lift him up and slam him down. “Jacare” keeps his balance, pushes off, and scores a right hand. The two measure one another from afar, and Muniz reaches with a head kick. When he pulls his leg down, he climbs over and hits a takedown that puts Souza back down. Jacare stands up without issue, and Muniz follows him and climbs on to take Souza’s back. Souza tosses him down from over his head as he looks to slide out the back door, but Muniz grabs hold of his arm in the process. “Sergipano” keeps the arm trapped, and he wrenches an armbar from an unusual position. Souza drops to his knees, and Muniz torques with all his might to break Souza’s arm in half like Frank Mir did to Tim Sylvia. You can audibly hear the bone snap, and Souza’s mangled limb slumps from that submission. Incredible, and yet horrifying at the same time! Muniz lets go immediately as Montalvo goes to attend to Souza, who appears more surprised than pained from this unbelievable turn of events. History was made with that submission.

The Official Result

Andre Muniz def. Ronaldo Souza R1 3:59 via Technical Submission (Armbar)

Shane Burgos (146) vs. Edson Barboza (146)

Round 1

We have now reached the main card, and fans will be treated to a sure-fire banger at featherweight when “Hurricane” Burgos (13-2, 5-2 UFC) looks to unleash the storm against the all-action Barboza (21-9, 15-9 UFC). Referee Mike Beltran will be keeping his head and glorious moustache on a swivel for this feature of fistic fireworks, and there is no touch of gloves. Instead, Barboza slams a few leg kicks on the calf, and Burgos is already slightly compromised. The two start firing with heavy shots, and Barboza ends with a big right hand that makes Burgos hop back. Barboza follows him with a leg kick, and fires off a few more. Burgos can do nothing but take them, although he tries to check one. Burgos gets off a jab that cuts Barboza’s eye, and he rips the body with a left hand. Barboza once more commits to the leg kick, and he strafes out of the way when Burgos comes at him with punches. Burgos checks another low kick that comes soaring at him, and he hops out of the way when the Brazilian looses one more. Barboza connects with a spinning back to the body, and Burgos rushes in to take the fight down but gets stuffed. Both men throw big right hands that glance off the shoulder, and Burgos shrugs it off and continues forward movement. Burgos lands a right hand but gets caught with a kick to the body, and Barboza already chambers a second as soon as he puts his leg down. Burgos flicks out a jab and gets his lead calf kicked, but he is plodding forward like a Terminator with body shots as he presses the pace. Barboza’s face is starting to show damage, and Burgos continues his body work. Burgos gets off a left and a right, and Barboza is surprised and takes a funny step back. Burgos uses the opportunity to introduce his left fist to Barboza’s liver, and the Brazilian walks it off and nails him with a right hand. Barboza spins with a wheel kick, and Burgos laughs at him after barely blocking it, only to get caught with a right hand. A jab from Barboza wobbles the legs for a second, and Burgos smiles at him and gets clipped with another right that buckles his knees. Barboza is sharp, and he scores another right hand and a few leg kicks that put Burgos in jeopardy. Both men trade jabs, and Burgos continues his forward momentum even though he is taking serious damage. Burgos walks him down and wings a left hand that glances off the jaw, and a push kick to the body from Burgos lands right before the bell. What a fun round this turned out to be, just as anticipated.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barboza
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Barboza
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barboza

Round 2

Burgos sprints out of his corner and sticks out the jab a few times, and Barboza meets him with a right hand. Burgos sticks his tongue out and wings a big elbow that just misses. Burgos stings Barboza with a right hand, but he does not follow it and instead gets his lead leg kicked. A heavy spinning back kick digs the body once more, and Burgos can do little more than absorb it and keep walking forward. Burgos targets the body with his hands while Barboza is kicking at him, and Burgos reaches out with a few front kicks to the torso. Barboza’s right shin is split wide open from successful kicks and painful checks, and it is bleeding badly. Barboza sits down on a right hand and a leg kick, and Burgos eats it and wades forward. Burgos paws out a few punches and leans back to avoid a soaring leg kick, only to chain a one-two after Barboza is done throwing at him. Burgos sneaks out a right hand and digs a left to the liver, but Barboza stands tall and kicks Burgos’ lead leg. Burgos digs deep with a left hand that gets Barboza’s attention, and he attacks Barboza’s leg with his own kick. A spinning kick from Barboza gets pulled back, and he starts throwing kicks with his other leg instead. Burgos walks through a kick to attack the body, and he ignores an overhand right to throw his own leg kick. Both men land single strikes at the same time, and Burgos is the one to come forward with a one-two. They trade jabs, and Burgos goes after Barboza’s calf with a kick. The featherweight sluggers bite down on their mouthpieces and trade leather, with a scorching right hand coming from Barboza that does some damage. The Brazilian grabs his advancing opponent and jumps forward with a knee, and Burgos shrugs it off and takes a knee to the body too. Burgos stalks Barboza down, with left hands to the body and rights to the head. Burgos alternates with kicks to the body and punches up top, and Barboza collides into the guard with a spinning wheel kick. As the round ends in a wild exchange, Barboza limps back to his corner in clear pain.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burgos
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Burgos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Burgos

Round 3

The strikers rush out of their corners to touch gloves, and they stand in front of each other trading leg kicks. Burgos tries to march him down but gets clipped with an uppercut, and Barboza is chopping down the inside of his leg. Burgos reaches with a left hook, and a leg kick follows on the end of a combination. Not to be outdone, Barboza kicks back at him. Every time one lands, the other responds with the same strike. They are going toe-to-toe, and Barboza winds up a left straight and a monster right hand. Burgos hops back and forth, and he suddenly realizes he is out on his feet, and the lights are on but no one’s home. Burgos’ legs give way beneath him as he falls lifelessly into the cage and collapses to his stomach, and Barboza rails him with a few more follow-up shots before a confused Beltran intervenes. This was a very unusual finishing sequence, one that usually comes from a delayed reaction from a body shot and not a big right hand on the chin. Either way, what a way to win a fight, as Barboza gets his first knockout victory at 145 pounds over an incredibly tough foe.

The Official Result

Edson Barboza def. Shane Burgos R3 1:16 via KO (Punches)

Katlyn Chookagian (126) vs. Viviane Araujo (126)

Round 1

This final women’s flyweight bout on the card has tough competition for “Fight of the Night” after that last battle, and it will be between former title challenger Chookagian (15-4, 8-4 UFC) and rising Brazilian Araujo (10-2, 4-1 UFC). Referee Kerry Hatley will be keeping tabs on this fight, and there is no glove touch to start things off. Instead, Chookagian fires off a body kick as Araujo goes low, and the Brazilian lands a right hand to the body and a left to the head. Araujo keeps her left hand outstretched so she can score with it a few times on the way in, and Chookagian walks through them to put three punches together. Araujo digs the body with a left and a right to the head as if she were Jessica Andrade, and Chookagian is surprised as she tries to keep her foe away with long kicks. Araujo dings up Chookagian with a left hand, and Chookagian responds with a few shots that glance off their intended target. Chookagian sticks out a few jabs and short combinations to back Araujo off, but Araujo rings her bell with a left and then a right over the top. A Chookagian kick gets caught, and Araujo makes her pay with an overhand right. Chookagian grimaces and takes a left to the body, and fires off a front kick that splits the guard. When Chookagian bends down to avoid a strike, Araujo follows her with a left hand that collides with her forehead. Chookagian comes back at her with a pair of punches and a head kick that just gets through. Araujo ignores it to try to continue her body work, and Chookagian keeps front kicks and high kicks flowing to make Araujo think twice about recklessly advancing. Chookagian uses a push kick to disrupt the forward movement, and a few stinging jabs also land. Araujo times one such jab with a right hook, and Chookagian appears stunned but not flustered. Araujo uses this opportunity to land a big right, and Chookagian gets back into his rhythm of several punches and a front kick. The Brazilian crashes forward to attempt to take the fight down, and Chookagian stops it while kneeing Araujo in the body. Araujo stays tight thanks to a few fence grabs, and the slowed clinch exchange has brought some unrest to the fans. Both women trade a few more knees in close proximity until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Araujo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Araujo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Araujo

Round 2

The second round begins as the two meet in the middle of the cage, with Chookagian throwing a few punches, sticking, and moving to avoid the counters. Araujo lands one solid shot, and Chookagian steps in to stomp kick the knee. A big front kick from Chookagian knocks the Brazilian off her feet, and Chookagian charges in to continue her assault but “Vivi” climbs back up without effort. Chookagian lands a solid leg kick, and she ducks out of the way when Araujo comes rushing in with looping punches. Chookagian flicks out a few jabs while Araujo is winding up on power shots, and the straighter strikes are landing more often. Araujo walks through a few to chain three punches together, and she catches a kick to put Chookagian on the ground. Chookagian tries to scramble but winds up giving up side control and then half guard. Araujo holds on with a guillotine choke from above as she sits high up in the half guard, but the hand is just under the chin as she pulls on it. Araujo squeezes her body on top to try to secure the choke, only for Araujo to give up on it to take full mount. “Vivi” sits up high in mount to land punches on the chin, and Chookagian looks to recover guard as Araujo fishes for the setup of an arm-triangle choke. Araujo pounds on the side with her right hand as she presses down with heavy shoulder pressure, and Chookagian bucks to get her foe off of her. Chookagian attacks with a leglock to make Araujo stand up, and when she gets to her feet, she starts to tee off on Araujo. Long punches add up at range, and Araujo appears visibly fatigued as her strikes are more labored and Chookagian is working her with front kicks and sharp punches. The round ends as Chookagian continues to throw hands.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Araujo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Araujo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Araujo

Round 3

The commentary team shines light on a phantom tap from Chookagian from the guillotine choke in the previous round, but on the replay, it does not appear to be a sign of visible surrender and instead her trying to regain position. The final frame begins with long strikes from both women, as they stand and trade with jabs and follow-up right hands one after the other. The two land at the same time repeatedly, and neither backs down. Chookagian avoids a looping right hand to circle out, and she uppercuts Araujo cleanly but does not shake her up. Araujo whiffs on a few punches, and Chookagian is still just as fresh as ever with jabs and leg kicks. A jab from Chookagian is followed by a knee up the middle, and Chookagian’s hands have drawn some swelling on the left eye of the Brazilian. Chookagian ducks down to strike the body, and she follows it with a left that just falls short. Chookagian paws out several more jabs, and her crisper strikes keep disrupting the movement of the constantly advancing Araujo. “Vivi” eats jab after jab as she tries to answer back, but the reach disadvantage is finding her strikes not quite landing flush when Chookagian lands on her. Four punches from Chookagian land before Araujo can fire back, and Araujo ducks down to get kicked in the head. Chookagian keeps her jab going continually, peppering the Brazilian with strike after strike. Araujo crashes in to take her down, and Chookagian stuffs her and knees her on the jaw. Araujo throws big looping punches, and Chookagian deflects them off her shoulder and gets off a big right hand to give Araujo pause. Three punches and a leg kick surprise Araujo, who is reacting when absorbing these strikes now. Chookagian chains several punches together, with a pace that has not waned as she lands fairly successfully while Araujo comes up short. “Blonde Fighter” gets off a solid right hand, and the two women trade hands right to the final bell. This could be a close one, depending on how the judges scored the first two rounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chookagian (29-28 Araujo)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chookagian (29-28 Araujo)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Chookagian (29-28 Araujo)

The Official Result

Katlyn Chookagian def. Viviane Araujo via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Matt Schnell (136) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (137: Missed Weight)

Round 1

Two flyweights with a majority of their respective wins by submission in Schnell (15-5, 5-3 UFC) and Bontorin (16-3, 1 NC; 2-2 UFC) will meet not at 125 pounds or even 135, but 137 after Bontorin missed weight. This catchweight contest draws officiating from referee Kerry Hatley, and Schnell is fired up in front of his home crowd and offers a glove touch to the heavier man. Schnell reaches out early with a long jab, and Bontorin circles along the outside without throwing anything for 40 seconds. On the other hand, Schnell kicks the body and flicks out a few jabs, and he kicks the lead leg as Bontorin comes forward. The Brazilian takes a one-two across the forward bow, and he loads up but misses with an overhand right in response. Schnell bears down with a leg kick, and Bontorin replies in kind. Both men are cautious on their approaches, with Schnell picking at him before getting cracked with a left hand. Schnell fights his way out with a few looping punches, and he backs away before resetting to pressure Bontorin. The Brazilian loads up with a left hook that Schnell walks through, and Schnell takes a right hand that gets his attention too. Bontorin primarily throws single power punches, but they are landing as Schnell snaps out with jabs. A short left hand makes Bontorin stumble, and he gets his balance to chop down the calf and nearly topple Schnell over. When Schnell gets his bearings, Bontorin greets him with a big left hand. Both men land at the end of huge left hands, and Bontorin smashes his fists into Schnell’s face to no appreciable effect. Schnell gives it right back to him, only for Schnell to absorb a hacking calf kick. Schnell reaches out with a high kick that is nearly caught, and he ducks out of the way like a matador to a charging Bontorin bull. One last head kick from Schnell gets blocked before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin

Round 2

The flyweights-turned-bantamweights touch gloves, and Bontorin nails him with a right hand coming in. Schnell connects with a leg kick, and the Brazilian makes him pay with a heavier one. Schnell chains a left jab into a short combination, and his jab starts and ends most of his flurries. Bontorin continues to load up, and Schnell ducks a strike to target the body with a thudding right hand. Bontorin smashes his shin into Schnell’s calf, and Schnell is partly compromised but is not showing it as he continues to throw hands. Schnell absorbs a left hand on the chin to pay him back, and both men are largely headhunting with the occasional head kick. Schnell darts out of the way when a soaring strike comes at him, and Schnell peppers Bontorin with several strikes. Bontorin nearly falls over throwing a big punch, and Schnell greets him with a short salvo ending with a body kick. As Bontorin lulls into a slow pattern of throwing bombs, he catches Schnell with a left hand and sends him reeling. Schnell has to gather himself as “Danger” finds himself in grave danger while Bontorin comes at him. Schnell fights his way out of a bad situation with his hands, and he circles out after absorbing some more strikes. Schnell walks through a knee on the chin to throw big hands, and Bontorin winds up and fires back right to the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin

Round 3

The two men start out throwing right out of the gate, with a heavy leg kick for Bontorin eaten and responded to by Schnell with a right hand. The pace lulls until the two crash into one another, but they are largely shadowboxing from afar and ducking the other’s strikes. Schnell ignores a leg kick, fires off a left hook, and switches his stances for a second after the kick. Bontorin whiffs with a looping left, and Schnell jabs out to the head and body as he keeps his safe range. The crowd turns on the two as the action has slowed significantly, with neither committing to much. Bontorin charges in, seemingly in response to the booing, and he clips Schnell with a big left. The American backpedals, recovers, and rocks Bontorin coming towards him. Schnell jabs, ducks and weaves, and Bontorin ignores it and pours it on with a wild flurry of power punches. One huge shot dislodges Schnell’s mouthpiece, and Bontorin ducks down to take him down with a double instead of standing and trading as Schnell was firing back. Bontorin sits up to elbow a mouthpiece-less Schnell on the jaw, and the Brazilian works him over with ground-and-pound. Schnell tries to kick off, and he throws his legs up to threaten with a triangle choke, but Bontorin is on top of him in side control now. The crowd begins changing “F--- Jake Paul” for some reason, and Bontorin lays into Schnell with elbows and punches as Schnell still does not have his gumshield. Schnell rolls to his knees and Bontorin pounds on him, and a few final strikes for the Brazilian punctuate the last round that was very close until Round 3.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin (30-27 Bontorin)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin (30-27 Bontorin)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Bontorin (30-27 Bontorin)

The Official Result

Rogerio Bontorin def. Matt Schnell via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Tony Ferguson (156) vs. Beneil Dariush (156)

Round 1

Up next is the long-awaited co-main event, which sees Ferguson (25-5, 15-3 UFC) try to snap the first losing streak of his career against the surging Dariush (20-4-1, 14-4-1 UFC). Hold on to your hats, this one is about to get crazy. Referee Mike Beltran clocks them in and they do not touch gloves, preferring to let their hands settle things instead. Ferguson stutter-steps forward into a left hand, but he is no worse for wear from it. Dariush kicks across Ferguson’s leg to his surprise, and he darts in with a left hook that falls short. Dariush charges in to attack, and Ferguson eats a few shots but is slick and moving everywhere to avoid the shots. Dariush scores another unusual leg kick to Ferguson’s rear leg, and Dariush is ready to brawl and throws hands to catch Ferguson off-guard. Dariush presses forward, and he hits a body lock takedown to plant Ferguson on his back. Ferguson kicks him off, scores an upkick, and pulls a high rubber guard when Dariush climbs back down. Dariush ignores it and pushes through to land a few punches to the body, but “El Cucuy” is holding him tight and elbowing him on the side of the head a few times. Ferguson looks to set up a triangle choke, but when that fails, he recovers his guard. Dariush sits up to start nailing Ferguson with punches and elbows, and Ferguson takes them on the chin all while continuing to hack back with elbows. Ferguson rolls over to nearly sweep Dariush, but he is pushed back over and finds himself surrendering half guard. Dariush steps over to set up an arm-triangle choke, and Ferguson looks to roll through and attack with an armbar as he pushes off the fence. Dariush sees it coming and flows with him, where he slides into Ferguson’s butterfly guard. The Kings MMA fighter resecures half guard, and he steps over to the other side to land some ground-and-pound. When Dariush looks to congratulate him for the round, Ferguson pushes him away to go back to his corner.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dariush

Round 2

The second round begins with Ferguson taking the center of the cage, and Dariush kicks his lead leg. Ferguson falls down Dariush looks to take him down. Instead of succumbing to a bad position, Ferguson attacks a brabo choke from his back against the wall. Dariush stays patient and unconcerned with the submission until Ferguson bails on it, where he looks to pull Ferguson’s legs out from beneath him. Dariush pulls him off the fence to put Ferguson flat on his back, and Dariush in full guard starts slugging away at Ferguson. Dariush ignores Ferguson’s flailing on his back to smash his fists on Ferguson’s head, and elbows and punches land until Ferguson tries to push him away. Dariush stays committed to keeping Ferguson grounded, and Ferguson attacks with a submission to get Dariush to back off. Ferguson sweeps Dariush in a wild scramble, and Dariush pulls him back down to attack a heel hook. Ferguson is in serious agony, and he grimaces but does not yell out and instead kicks Dariush in the chest to break the grip. As Dariush loosens the grip, he climbs over on top. Dariush steps into half guard, where he threatens with an arm-triangle choke but is more intent on smothering Ferguson’s face with his chest. Ferguson elbows him a few times, but Dariush does not care as he stays pressed heavy to the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dariush
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dariush

Round 3

Ferguson’s leg is severely compromised from the heel hook, and he tries to use his tricky movement but does not have his wheels about him. Dariush walks through any strikes to grab hold of Ferguson, and “El Cucuy” latches on to a guillotine choke. Dariush lifts him up and slams him down, where he breaks the grip and gains an advantageous position. The two end up in a north-south position as Ferguson kicks off the fence, but Dariush expertly traverses the guard to try to get side control. The crowd chants “stand them up,” and these chants echo through the Toyota Center, Beltran asks the fighters to keep moving. Dariush pulls on his adversary to try to get Ferguson’s legs away from the cage, and the two are in a grappling stalemate with no strikes thrown of any kind. Dariush grinds his elbow on Ferguson’s chin, and Ferguson holds on tight but is not doing anything of note either. This odd north-south posture continues as fans grow more restless, and Dariush hops over to side control. Ferguson looks to set up an arm-triangle choke from his back like Maurice Greene pulled off on Gian Villante, but Dariush breaks the grip and hops over on top. Ferguson rolls through and the two get back to their north-south with Ferguson’s feet on the cage, and Dariush spins through to try to land strikes. Ferguson closes his guard and Dariush lands a few short punches to the body. Dariush finishes the fight with a few punches from above, and Ferguson answers with elbows to end this disappointing yet one-sided lightweight clash.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dariush (30-27 Dariush)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dariush (30-27 Dariush)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dariush (30-27 Dariush)

The Official Result

Beneil Dariush def. Tony Ferguson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

UFC Lightweight Title Fight:
Charles Oliveira (155) vs. Michael Chandler (155)

Round 1

These two men who have never held the UFC belt will vie for the vacant lightweight strap, as a longtime UFC mainstay takes on a hard-charging ex-Bellator king. In their combined 52 wins, Oliveira (30-8, 1 NC; 18-8, 1 NC UFC) and Chandler (22-5, 1-0 UFC) have finished 44 of those opponents inside the distance. The hands of referee Dan Miragliotta will be full tonight, and violence is virtually guaranteed between these two. Although there is an intense staredown, the two lightweight contenders touch gloves before getting down to it. Oliveira begins with a front kick, and a low kick drops Chandler early. Chandler jumps back up, and he rushes forward to get push kicked in the chest. Oliveira takes a few body shots and gets his lead leg kicked, and Chandler clips him with a left hand. Oliveira, hurt badly, pushes in to take the fight down. Chandler pulls guard and cinches up a guillotine choke, and the Brazilian is suddenly in grave danger. He toughs out the choke and gets his neck free, and Chandler turns to his knees to stand up. Oliveira circles around to take his back, and he gets his hooks in. Chandler stands up, with his foe on his back, and he slams the Brazilian to the ground. By slamming Oliveira while still having his back taken, he inadvertently tights up the body triangle, and Oliveira starts looking for a choke. Chandler takes a few elbows to the side of the head, and he explodes out of the position to get to his feet. Chandler takes a solid upkick on the chin to land a few punches from standing to ground, and he absorbs another while he is flirting with Oliveira’s ground. The Brazilian springs back up, and the two trade single punches, Chandler walks him down and clocks him in the face, and Oliveira falls to his knees. Chandler pours it on with huge shots, and Oliveira sways to avoid the brunt of the strikes, until he flops to his back. “Iron Mike” steps over into the guard to throw bombs from above, and when Oliveira attacks an armbar off his back, Chandler elbows him in the face to break the grip. The crowd is electric with “USA” chants for Chandler, who sits in the Brazilian’s guard without concern. From his back, Oliveira slashes with an elbow to cut Chandler, and Chandler gives him one back that is much harder. Chandler stands up to smash Oliveira in the face with ground-and-pound, and he wades into the guard without a care in the world. Chandler takes a stiff upkick as he stands up, and the thrilling round ends with Chandler lording above his opponent.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chandler
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chandler
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Chandler

Round 2

The second round opens with both men trading hands. Oliveira dodges a salvo of punches to tag Chandler with a picture-perfect left that drops Chandler. He knows he has the former Bellator king hurt very badly, and Chandler rolls back to his feet and up against the fence. “Do Bronx” smells blood and blitzes forward with punches and a big knee, and Chandler is rocked and stumbles across the wire. Chandler chases him down with devastating, furious punches, and Chandler gets dropped with a big left hand as the Brazilian is in hot pursuit. As Oliveira pounds on him, it does not take more than a few final strikes for Miragliotta to recognize that Chandler is done, and he calls the fight.

Oliveira leaps out of the cage to jump down to the commentary booth, where he shouts something to the commentators. He rushes over to UFC President Dana White, and he hugs the boss and gets some of his blood on White’s suit. Oliveira then sprints over to a few friends or countrymen far away, all while arena security tries to drag him back in the cage. “Do Bronx” is over the moon by his victory, as the new UFC lightweight champion, and he comes back to the Octagon to celebrate his win and thank Chandler for everything. When Oliveira gets the belt, he hugs it like a newborn baby, and parades around as proud as can be. What a night for the lightweight division, with a new champ that is now the all-time UFC finish leader after putting Chandler away.

The Official Result

Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler R2 0:19 via TKO (Punches)