UFC Fight Night 214 ‘Rodriguez vs. Lemos’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Ramona Pascual (137: Missed Weight) vs. Tamires Vidal (134)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Vidal (-140), Pascual (+120)

Round 1

Covered in bumps and bruises and down one fight today alone thanks to emergent health issues, UFC Fight Night 214 makes it to the starting line for 11 fights ranging from 115 pounds to 170. The first of four de facto catchweight matchups – tying a UFC record for the most fights on a card due to weight failures – will come at 137 pounds. In what may likely be a pink slip derby because she has dropped two fights in the UFC thus far and missed the bantamweight limit as well, Pascual (6-4, 0-2 UFC) has her back against the wall. She will be taking on Brazilian newcomer Vidal (6-1, 0-0 UFC), who takes her sweet time walking and dancing to the cage, and referee Chris Tognoni draws the assignment to start off the night. The ladies do not touch gloves, and it’s on with the show. Pascual punches her way forward, but she retreats when a big body kick fires at her midsection. Pascual leans back as a high kick slaps into her high guard, and Vidal continues mixing things up with a low kick. Pascual returns fire with two to the lead leg, and she hops away as Vidal swings and misses. Pascual scores a kick to the ribs, and Vidal swings for the fences and walks straight into a knee. The Brazilian pushes forward to pursue a single-leg takedown, and she starts kneeing the thigh when Pascual keeps her balance. Tognoni tells Vidal to stay busy in this position, and Vidal bails on the entry to opt for a body lock. Pascual turns her around as they trade short knees, and they continue to turn around as Vidal tries and fails for another takedown. Pascual gets off a short elbow on the break, and she gains some space as Vidal kicks out her lead leg. The Hong Kong native gathers herself and dodges a few winging punches, and Vidal is sternly warned for outstretched fingers. Vidal acknowledges this and subsequently connects with a sharp body kick. Vidal is energized from the clean blow, and she looses a knee that catches Pascual on the chin and staggers her. As Pascual is on rubber legs, Vidal charges in with a jump knee, and her knee pounds square into the liver. Pascual lets out a yelp and drops to a knee and Tognoni is already racing in to step in. Pascual attempts to get back up, shells up as Vidal is racing at her with fists flying and Tognoni waves the fight off. A rare flying knee to the body finish has started off the night in a dramatic way, and Vidal runs off to celebrate her victorious UFC debut and her first career knockout.

The Official Result

Tamires Vidal def. Ramona Pascual R1 3:06 via TKO (Flying Knee to the Body)

Carlos Candelario (128.5: Missed Weight) vs. Jake Hadley (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hadley (-255), Candelario (+215)

Round 1

When the dust settles, one of these two men will likely pick up their first UFC win tonight. Candelario (8-2, 0-1 UFC), who checked in well above the flyweight limit at 128.5 pounds, lost his way into a UFC contract and subsequent dropped his promotional debut as well. He will try to make good on his second try in the Octagon, but so will Hadley (8-1, 0-1 UFC), who too fell short on the scorecards in his organizational debut, and on the same card that Candelario lost on as well. Hadley has no interest in touching gloves before referee Jason Herzog, and Candelario does not wish to offer either. Instead, the two smaller fighters get right after it with fast hands and furious exchanges. The two trade quick blows one after the other, with seemingly no concern for blowing out their gas tanks. After about 45 seconds of relentless trading, they take a respite, and Candelario leads the dance again to march the Brit down. Both fighters employ sharp jabs to set up their strikes, and they largely utilize combinations rather than potshotting one another. Hadley marks his foe’s face up with his jab, and he strings together multiple jab-low kick combos. Candelario steps through a low kick to let loose one to the midsection, and he sees the success of this strike and leads it into a series of punches and kicks to multiple targets. Hadley backs him off with a crisp salvo of punches, and Candelario gives it right back as he is not going away. Candelario sits down on a body kick, and Hadley slips the subsequent punches and throws back. Hadley keeps his jab active, and he attempts to parry a kick to his ribs but cannot catch it. Candelario loads up on a right hand a few times, and Hadley sees it coming and sways to avoid it. The jabs are matches, and the follow-up punches come at the same time. Hadley aims for an uppercut, and Candelario lets go with a right hand to the body. One after another, the two continue to trade leather and slap kicks off one another, with no signs of slowing down thus far. Hadley takes several punches to the body as he continues to work the jab and low kick, and Candelario swings back with power and connects with a knee to the chin. The exchanges are complex and highly skillful, rarely using the same specific blows in sequence another time. This fun first round ends after both men land flush on the jaw.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The two men meet in the middle, and they get right back to where they left off. Hadley pierces out a jab and low kick, and Candelario responds with a kick to the body that drops his foe to a knee. It appears to be a stumble and not a knockdown of sorts, but Candelario still charges in to tie Hadley up and consider changing levels. Hadley lets go of the grip and starts to let his hands go, chaining punches to the head and body while stinging Candelario with low kicks. The Brit starts to pour it on, backing Candelario up to the wall and frustrating him with power punches. With momentum swaying towards “White Kong,” Candelario dives forward in pursuit of a takedown, and Hadley welcomes this as he gets pushed to his back. Candelario cannot establish top position for more than a second before Hadley wraps his legs up and around the shoulder, and he tightens up a triangle choke in a hurry. While the choke continues to wear on Candelario, Hadley slams elbows to the forehead and the top of Candelario’s head. The elbows continue to mount while the choke is extremely tight, and Candelario sits up in hopes of breaking the grip. This allows Hadley to partially transition to an armbar all while smacking Candelario with strikes. Before the Brit can come close to hyperextending the elbow, Candelario taps out as the triangle choke has nearly cut off the blood supply to his head. Herzog steps in to break up the sub as Hadley releases his leg grip, and he rebounds from his first career loss with an extremely impressive performance. Hadley has now become the first fighter to ever finish Candelario as a result.

The Official Result

Jake Hadley def. Carlos Candelario R2 2:39 via Submission (Triangle Choke)

Johnny Munoz Jr. (135.5) vs. Liudvik Sholinian (135.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Munoz (-225), Sholinian (+190)

Round 1

Making his return to the cage for the first time in over a year, in large part due to the invasion of Russia into his home country of Ukraine, Sholinian (9-2-1, 0-1 UFC) will hope to represent his people on the big stage. Munoz (11-2, 1-2 UFC) will stand in his way in this bantamweight tilt, and referee Mark Smith will stand between them until it’s go time. The gloves are not touched, and instead Munoz claims the center of the cage and pushes out an early jab. Munoz sneaks out a one-two and leans back before Sholinian can counter him, and he chops at the calf early. Munoz fires off another one-two, and Sholinian shakes it off and blocks a subsequent front kick aimed at his face. Sholinian attempts to dart in to score, but all he can land with is single jab. Munoz drives two front kicks to the body as Sholinian appears frustrated, and Munoz chains a few punches together before Sholinian is able to reply. Munoz dings him with another one-two, and Sholinian loops back a left hand that misses the mark. Munoz chips at the lead leg a few more times, and he sees the haymakers come at him and dodges them effectively. A right hand across the bow reddens Munoz’ nose, but he does not pay it any mind and keeps his hands busy. Munoz’ jabs keep Sholinian at bay, and Sholinian tries to fight through one but ends up punching his foe in the upper chest. Munoz stings him with three punches down the middle, and Sholinian whiffs in a response. A low kick clanks off Munoz’ cup, and Munoz does not register it as Smith warns Sholinian to stay cognizant of his kicks. Sholinian catches a kick and lowers Munoz to the ground, but he does not chase him and instead allows Munoz to stand back up. They score simultaneous jabs, and Munoz pushes the pace with four punches in rapid succession before Sholinian even knows what is happening. Munoz rings his foe’s bell wit ha clean right hand, and he slaps away a head kick. “Kid Kvenbo” steps in with a knee, and Sholinian takes it flush and gathers himself to look for a jab. Munoz is intercepted on the way in with a left hook, but it is one-and-done from the Ukrainian. Munoz sticks Sholinian with a few jabs, and he springs away when Sholinian bears down on him. Munoz suddenly surprises his opponent with a right hand that makes Sholinian ricochet off the fence, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The bantamweights meet in the center of the cage to begin the second round, and they trade alternating jabs. Sholinian rips the body with a left, and Munoz replies with a few speedy punches. Sholinian starts to turn his volume up, but it is Munoz who lands in the form of a knee up the middle. The Ukrainian clips him with a left hook, and Munoz stings Sholinian with a one-two in response. The jab from Sholinian snaps the head back of his adversary, and Munoz meets him right in the middle with a looping right hand that backs him off. Another overhand right from Munoz misses the mark, but it is more to close the distance than to hurt Sholinian, and he clinches up. Sholinian keeps a good account of himself and stops a takedown entry, and Munoz lets him go and tags him with a left on the break. Sholinian backpedals, and suddenly crashing forward for a takedown. Munoz answers this with a solid scramble, using the posture to nearly take Sholinian’s back in the process. Sholinian fights out of the bad spot and hunts for a double-leg takedown when pressing the American against the wall. Munoz threatens briefly with a guillotine choke, and he sprawls up with the wire at his back to stay upright. Sholinian shifts back and forth for singles and doubles, and Munoz stops them all from materializing. As Munoz punches the side to little effect, Sholinian lashes out with a few back elbows that smack Munoz right in the face. Sholinian doggedly pursues the double, and Munoz staves it off with a guillotine and an impressive balance. Munoz hops away, and the two reset on the feet. Munoz, sensing that Sholinian put a lot of energy into his takedown tries, starts working on the body to slow Sholinian down. Munoz lands a one-two over the top, and he kicks up the middle and his foot bumps into the cup. Munoz is chided for striking the groin but they do not pause, and he jumps with a knee and release his left leg to slap the cup again. This time, Smith pauses the action, and Munoz gets a hard warning as Sholinian takes about 30 seconds to gather his thoughts. When they resume, Munoz only is able to land a few punches before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Munoz and Sholinian reintroduce themselves to one another in the third round with multiple powerful jabs. Sholinian swings and misses with a looping left, and Munoz slips and rips with a solid combination. Sholinian wings two big right hands, and they are telegraphed and Munoz shoulder-rolls to block them. Munoz explodes into action, charging forward with a double, and he pushes the Ukrainian against the wire. Sholinian defends with several elbows, a few of which land either on the back of the head or spine, and Munoz still completes the takedown. Sholinian sits up with his back to the wall, and the American peels him away and wraps his shoulder and neck up with a head lock. Sholinian explodes out of this position and stands back up, and he starts swinging recklessly when Munoz follows him up. Munoz walks into a clean right hand when trying to score a one-two, and Sholinian is leading the dance and throwing wildly. This leads Munoz to throw his own powerful and inaccurate blows, and the two give the air in front of them a beating while landing little on the other. Munoz scores a right hand while Sholinian walks him down, and he uses footwork and head movement to evade the worst of the blows aimed at his face. Munoz lands a one-two, and Sholinian ignores it to fire back with bad intentions. Sholinian hunts for the knockout, and Munoz is absorbing some damaging shots and escaping. Sholinian loads up on every single punch he throws, and Munoz ducks a windmilling hook with a double that plants Sholinian flat on the mat. Munoz claims the mount position, and Sholinian grabs on the fence in an effort to pull out of it. Munoz sits up and pounds on Sholinian with ground strikes, and Sholinian scrambles right to the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Munoz (30-27 Munoz)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Munoz (30-27 Munoz)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Munoz (30-27 Munoz)

The Official Result

Johnny Munoz Jr. def. Liudvik Sholinian via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Jinh Yu Frey (115.5) vs. Polyana Viana (115.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Viana (-135), Frey (+115)

Round 1

Strawweights toe the line in this next encounter, and their fighting styles could scarcely be more different. Viana (12-5, 3-4 UFC) maintains a 100% finish rate with exactly two-thirds of her victories coming by tapout, while former Invicta champ Frey (11-7, 2-3 UFC) has not procured a stoppage since December 2014. Referee Herb Dean is ready for anywhere this fight goes, and it begins with a touch of hands. They calmly start to trade punches, going tit-for-tat with jabs and straight punches. Frey slaps a low kick, and Viana responds in kind. Out of nowhere, Frey leaps forward in a blitz of blows, and Viana stands firm to knee her square to the body. With Frey stunned, Viana wings hooks that are far more powerful than what Frey can muster, and she has Frey’s attention in a hurry. Viana knocks her foe back with a long barrage of nasty punches, and she does not let a wobbled Frey off the hook. The brutal swinging fists from “Dama de Ferro” continue to blast into Frey, and Frey falls to the ground in big trouble. To hammer the nail, Viana keeps her 100% finish rate intact by smashing Frey with two hammerfists. Those blows put Frey flat on her back with her arms reached out, frozen in time, and she has nothing left to give. Dean leaps in, and Frey snaps back to life as if she had just been woken up from a deep slumber. Brazil’s Viana is now one stoppage away from the women’s strawweight record held by Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas, and she calls for a fight in January in Rio de Janeiro.

The Official Result

Polyana Viana def. Jinh Yu Frey R1 0:47 via KO (Punches)

Mario Bautista (135.5) vs. Benito Lopez (138.5: Missed Weight)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bautista (-295), Lopez (+245)

Round 1

For the first time on this fight card thus far, a competitor will come in with a winning UFC record. As it turns out, both Bautista (10-2, 4-2 UFC) and Lopez (10-1, 2-1 UFC) celebrate win percentages over. 500 in the Octagon, but that could change for the heavier Lopez should he lose. This 138.5-pound affair, courtesy of the weight miss from Lopez – who will be making his first appearance since 2019 – will receive oversight from referee Chris Tognoni. “Golden Boy” offers an apologetic glove touch, one in which Bautista accepts. Lopez gets right to it, with a punch up high and kick down low. Bautista walks into a body kick so that he can land one that lands with an audible thud, and the two fighters trade quick kicks in rapid succession. Bautista hammers a low kick that forces Lopez to lift his leg up, and Bautista lands another. Bautista paws out his foot on the chest, and he chips at the calf and scores a shovel uppercut as Lopez comes in. Lopez has a high kick blocked, but his low kick is not. Bautista answers this with three more, and Lopez is already wearing it less than 90 seconds in. Lopez preemptively lifts up his left leg when the kicks aim at it, but Bautista continues to harp on it with rapping shots. Bautista strings three punches together to the body to back Lopez up against the wall, and Lopez rebounds only to eat a few more on the inside. Bautista slams his fit into the body, and he mixes things up perfectly with a double that scoops Lopez off the ground and slams him down hard to the mat. Bautista drops down elbows as he passes to half guard without issue, and Lopez attempts to scramble and looks for a leglock to keep Bautista honest. Bautista steps through them and blasts his foe with a standing-to-ground elbow, and he lowers himself into the half guard position again. “Golden Boy” attempts to use his knee to push off and get Bautista off of him, and he elbows Bautista three times in the jaw before Bautista slices over to three-quarter mount. Bautista moves to mount, only for Lopez to buck him to the side and off. The MMA Lab fighter hops right back to mount, and he locks down an arm-triangle choke and transitions in the blink of an eye to a straight armlock. Bautista elbows the top of the head to open a cut, and he shifts to a reverse triangle with an armbar too. Lopez turns over and nearly frees himself, but Bautista follows him and secures it completely. His calf is crushing the windpipe while he torques on the arm, and Lopez has no choice but to surrender from the double threat. Tognoni sees the tap and immediately breaks them up, as a second longer and Lopez might have either snapped or gone out. What an ultra-impressive performance for Bautista, who beat Lopez every step of the way in less than five minutes.

The Official Result

Mario Bautista def. Benito Lopez R1 4:54 via Submission (Reverse Triangle Armbar)

Miranda Maverick (125.5) vs. Shanna Young (126)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Maverick (-610), Young (+460)

Round 1

The prelims will now conclude with a women’s flyweight affair pitting Top Gun-bolstered Maverick (10-4, 3-2 UFC) against “The Shanimal” Young (8-4, 1-2 UFC). This rematch – the two met in 2019 in a one-round exhibition tournament match on the second Invicta Phoenix Series – was very nearly a catchweight affair like others before it, but Young managed to make the 126-pound cap by lopping off some of her hair to shed the final pound. Whether she has recovered well enough by now, fans and referee Jason Herzog will know soon. The women touch ‘em up, and Maverick moves to the center of the cage and starts winging punches. A left hand touches Young just right, and Young wobbles back but remains on her feet to shake off early cobwebs. Maverick does not give chase, instead slowly cutting off the cage and ducking down to set up another left hand, which she lands. Young darts forward with a few punches to respond, and Maverick blocks them and fires back. Young chomps down on her mouthpiece and releases a left hand, and Maverick walks through it and looses a head kick. Young backs it and backpedals, and a right hand catches Maverick cleanly. The two trade fast punches, and Maverick sits down on a kick to the body. Young turns her hips into a low kick, and she hops away when Maverick telegraphs a spinning back fist. Maverick reaches out a left hand and a high kick, and the high guard from “The Shanimal” keeps her safe from harm. Young slaps a single low kick before Maverick rushes in to trade hands, and she surprises Young with an uppercut and changes levels for a takedown that is easily stuffed. Young pushes off with her fingers outstretched, and Maverick blinks it out and smacks her foe with a left hand and a kick to the thigh. Young strings a few punches together and a kick as well, and she prepares herself for a takedown that follows. Maverick kicks high and rushes in to pursue a takedown, and she trips out her foe and lowers Young to the mat. Young posts off with her right arm, but this allows Maverick to punch her in the face repeatedly with no defense. Maverick sits up in hopes of wrapping her arm around the neck, and she sits on Young’s left leg to hold her down. “Fear the Maverick” moves to mount and starts drilling Young with ground-and-pound, until Young turns her back. Young keeps turning as Maverick pounds on her, and the horn sounds with Maverick on top.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The ladies touch ‘em up to begin the second round, and Maverick whiffs on a one-two shortly thereafter. They alternate punches and kicks, as if they were taking turns to deliver offense, and neither woman shows an advantage on the feet. This all changes when Maverick lets Young kick her, so that she can tackle Young to her back and move right to half guard. Maverick drops down punches with her free right hand, while keeping heavy top pressure when not attempting to pass guard. Maverick moves comfortable to side control, and Young bucks to the side and nearly surrenders her back. Maverick pounds on her opponent and hangs on without getting hooks in, and Young sits up and looks to slide out the back door. Maverick falls out the back and leaps to her feet, and Young dives forward in pursuit of her own takedown. Maverick stops this without batting an eye and knees her in the dome a few times, before pushing “The Shanimal” to the fence while isolating the right leg between her own. Maverick opts to hunt for a trip when the single does not succeed, and she dumps Young down to the floor and takes her back. Maverick leaps around to take full mount, and Young is firmly entrenched in the Danger Zone as Maverick pounds on her with unblocked fists. Young spins around to give up her back, and Maverick welcomes this to keep working her over with punches. No submission can come from the position until the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The gloves are touched as the third round begins, and Maverick leads off with a few front kicks to the face. Young swats back with reckless punches, and Maverick sees the majority of them coming and protects herself against them. Young gets off a one-two, but Maverick replies with a few of her own and a level change. Maverick clasps her hands around the waist, and she drags Young down to the mat on her knees. “Fear the Maverick” moves to take the back, and she slides one hook around the side and punches Young on the other side. Maverick abandons the hook so that she can bully Young down to the mat again, and she continues her slow, methodical drubbing with punches and short elbows. Maverick exerts fully body weight with tight chest pressure to disallow Young from moving, and Young sits up and tries to roll through but ultimately finds herself in worse position. Maverick matches on to a rear-naked choke, and Young turns over to let Maverick punch her rather than choke her. Young twists and uses all of her energy to get to one knee, and she works her way back to her feet while Maverick is hanging on to her tightly. Maverick lifts her in the air, and Young gets some balance and still falls to the mat. Young cannot shed the Missouri native from dominant position, and Maverick belts her upside the head until she sees and opening and wraps up a rear-naked choke. Young grits it out and survives until time expires, earning what could be a moral victory after a one-sided shellacking from Maverick.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Maverick (30-26 Maverick)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Maverick (30-26 Maverick)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Maverick (30-26 Maverick)

The Official Result

Miranda Maverick def. Shanna Young via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Grant Dawson (157.5: Missed Weight) vs. Mark O. Madsen (155)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Dawson (-215), Madsen (+185)

Round 1

The final catchweight contest of the day will come at 157.5 pounds, as former featherweight Dawson (18-1-1, 6-0-1 UFC) could not reach the allowable max at lightweight. Neither he nor Madsen (12-0, 4-0 UFC) have ever suffered a loss in the UFC thus far, so someone’s 0 is about to go. The respect is high as these two touch gloves ahead of their meaningful main card-opening melee, and referee Herb Dean steels himself for what is next. Dawson claims the center of the cage to advance, and he whips a low kick at his foe. Madsen surges into action, with a right hand that drops Dawson right on the mat. Dawson gathers his thoughts as Madsen pursues top position, and he hunts for a leglock that forces Madsen to move and defend it. As Madsen keeps his leg free, he slams several hammerfists on the side of the head. Dawson forces a scramble, and he pursues his own takedown to ground the Olympic wrestler. As Madsen defends it, Dawson slides around to the side and fastens up a body triangle, and he takes Madsen’s back. Dawson ignores punches thrown from behind Madsen’s head in pursuit of a neck, and he keeps the body triangle as tight as it can be. The two fighters hand-fight to threaten or defend, and Dawson keeps searching for the rear-naked choke. Time ticks off the clock as Dawson retains this dominant position, and he keeps Madsen locked down with the body triangle. Madsen fights off all the choke setups that come his way, but Dawson follows him as they turn to keep himself in this posture. Madsen sits up but cannot free himself, and Dawson smacks him with a few punches. The round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The gloves are touched to begin the second frame, and Dawson finds a more aggressive Madsen coming towards him. A body kick and a few punches get his attention, and Dawson responds with a calf kick that makes Madsen trip. Dawson races forward for a low single, and he snatches up the ankle and grabs Madsen’s knee to make him hit the floor. The fighter from Denmark bursts right back up, and he immediately has to fight off a subsequent try from Dawson. After a furious back-and-forth, Dawson dumps Madsen to the mat, and chants of “U.S.A.” echo through the UFC Apex for a few seconds. Dawson sits on his foe’s right leg while Madsen leans against the wall with frustration written all over his face. Dawson steps straight into full mount, but elects to move back to half guard so that Madsen cannot sweep or buck him off. Madsen moves off his back well enough to get his foe back to his guard, but Dawson quickly gets back into mount. Dawson scores an elbow and shifts back to half guard for control purposes, and Madsen finds himself unable to gain space or keep Dawson off of him. Little in the way of damaging blows or submission setups threaten Madsen, but he is on his back while Dawson keeps changing position and controlling him. Dean asks for Dawson to work, as a half guard stalemate ensues, so Dawson sits up and punches Madsen a few times. Dawson considers an arm-triangle choke, but there is not enough time for it to come together before time expires. Dawson elects instead to pound on his man until the horn.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The fighters hug it out after 10 minutes of action, and when they start fighting, Dawson slams the shin on the low calf to nearly turn Madsen around. Dawson sticks out kicks, with front kicks, leg kicks and even a spinning back kick to the liver. Dawson hurts his foe with a calf kick, and he scores a right hand that stings the undefeated fighter badly. Madsen walks it off, but Dawson is there to hammer his calf a few more times. Madsen is struggling to stay on his feet, and as Dawson continues working on it, he drops Madsen again. Dawson moves straight into full mount, and he crushes down with a forearm choke to teach Madsen a lesson. Madsen turns but gives up his back, and Dawson is happy to take it as he keeps slugging it out. Dawson wraps up the body triangle, and he is quick to line up a rear-naked choke. Madsen, who appears defeated, does not have the wherewithal to stop this submission from getting locked down. Instead, he wriggles to fight the hands to no avail, and promptly taps out to suffer the first defeat of his professional career. Other than the significant weight miss, this gold-medal victory of "KGD" is one of if not his biggest and best as a pro.

The Official Result

Grant Dawson def. Mark O. Madsen R3 2:05 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Nathan Maness (125.5) vs. Tagir Ulanbekov (124.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ulanbekov (-210), Maness (+180)

Round 1

Flyweights take center stage for what could be an exceptionally fast-paced tilt, as Dagestan native Ulanbekov (13-2, 2-1 UFC) looks to stave off ex-bantamweight Maness (14-2, 3-1 UFC). Referee Chris Tognoni is on call to step in at a moment’s notice should he be needed, and he takes a step back to allow the fighters to touch gloves before getting after it. Ulanbekov paws out several jabs, and Maness walks him down and slugs him in the face with an overhand right. The Russian ignores it and takes a left on the jaw. Maness sits down on a low kick, and Ulanbekov crashes the pocket and scoops up Maness’ left leg to slam him down to the mat. Ulanbekov lands in the full guard, and Maness is active by elbowing and punching off his back. As soon as Maness sits up, Ulanbekov tackles him back down, and he stays reserved and composed holding top position. When Ulanbekov stacks Maness up, he slams down an elbow, and he stands to leap down for a guard pass. Maness climbs up, and Ulanbekov slaps on a deep guillotine choke like a bolt of lightning. Maness is in dire trouble immediately, and Ulanbekov keeps a very high elbow to stop Maness from fighting the grip. Try as he might, Maness cannot free himself, and he frantically taps before he is deprived of his consciousness. Ulanbekov made a statement with his speedy submission of a foe in Maness that had never before been submitted.

The Official Result

Tagir Ulanbekov def. Nathan Maness R1 2:11 via Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Josh Parisian (265.5) vs. Chase Sherman (255.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sherman (-130), Parisian (+110)

Round 1

The fight was canceled on Saturday afternoon after Parisian was hospitalized. Parisian first posted about his medical issues on his Facebook, while Sherman subsequently stated on his Instagram that the bout had been rescheduled for Nov. 19.

Darrick Minner (146) vs. Nuerdanbieke Shayilan (145.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nuerdanbieke (-205), Minner (+175)

Round 1

Once relegated to the prelims, thanks to the late scratch of Parisian-Sherman, this all-action featherweight affair will now receive “featured fight of the night” treatment. Minner (26-13, 2-3 UFC) aims to boost his UFC record back to .500 all while hoping to improve his stellar 88% finish rate, and he will have to get through the extremely experienced 28-year-old Chinese competitor Shayilan (38-10, 2-1 UFC) on the other side of the cage. Combined, these two vets post 46 first-round finishes, so referee Mark Smith may be needed soon while the judges might be able to take this one off. When the Octagon door shuts, they touch gloves happily. Minner strikes first with a low calf kick, and Shayilan steps in with a left hand to emphatically respond. Minner goes for another low kick, and Shayilan gets him back with a front kick up the middle. Minner releases a kick to the body, and when he recoils his left leg, it appears that he has suffered an unfortunate injury as he grabs hold of his knee. Shayilan charges at the damaged fighter with a flying knee, and he backs Minner up to the wall and slugs him in the face. Minner crumbles to the mat in serious pain, and Shayilan leaps on top and pelts him with vicious elbows. From there, it is academic, as “Wolverine” batters a shelled-up Minner with elbows until Smith stops the fight. As soon as the fight is called off, Minner clutches his lower leg, and it is not entirely clear what got hurt from the kick. Shayilan celebrates the win, now with 26 first-round stoppage victories to his credit.

The Official Result

Nuerdanbieke Shayilan def. Darrick Minner R1 1:07 via TKO (Elbows)

Neil Magny (170.5) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (170)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Magny (-115), Rodriguez (-105)

Round 1

The first bout on the card featuring ranked fighters will come in the UFC’s welterweight division, as perennial contender Magny (26-9, 19-8 UFC) looks to show that he is too much for Rodriguez (17-2, 7-1 UFC). As it will likely be discussed before every one of his matches until he achieves the feat, Magny is one win away from his 20th at 170 pounds, which would break a tie with all-time great Georges St. Pierre. The two 35-year-olds will battle it out in front of referee Herb Dean, and they do not wish to touch gloves. Magny holds his left arm out to keep Rodriguez away, and he pushes out a front kick. Rodriguez sits down on a left hand that knocks Magny back to the wall, but Magny bounces off and replies with a high kick that gets blocked. The two fighters trade leg kicks, and Rodriguez leaps forward with a right hand and a left to the body. Rodriguez connects with a right to the head and left to the body again, and Magny grimaces and responds with a looping punch. Rodriguez continues striking the midsection, and Magny clinches him up to slow down the body work. Rodriguez breaks free and scores a low kick, but a Magny jab has busted up the nose of “D-Rod.” Magny ties his foe up again, and Rodriguez once more fights out of it. Magny checks a kick and barely blocks a left hand in time, but he does drive Magny back to the wall again with a left hand to the liver. Magny ignores a low kick to fire off one that glances off the shoulder, and he times a Rodriguez leg kick to connect with a one-two. Magny does this same exact approach again, and as he tries to slug it out with Rodriguez, Rodriguez catches him with a clean punch that dislodges Magny’s mouthpiece. He replaces his gumshield and gets back to it, and Rodriguez bullies him back to the cage and starts nailing him with punches. Magny lets him advance into a tie-up, and he threatens with a standing arm-triangle choke before dragging Rodriguez down to the mat. Rodriguez grabs the fence in order to stand back up to his feet, and Magny holds on from behind before tripping “D-Rod” out again. Magny softens Rodriguez up with a few punches before sneaking an arm around the chin, but he elects to step over and partially take the back. Rodriguez explodes back up, and Magny lifts him up and exerts heavy pressure before slamming an elbow on the side of the head. Rodriguez breaks free with seconds to spare, and he sprints at Magny and drills him with a few punches right at the bell.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The welterweights meet in the middle for the second stanza, and Magny sticks out a front kick to the body to reintroduce himself. Rodriguez lines up a left hand down the pipe, and Magny replies with a head kick that slams into the guard and shakes up Rodriguez. “D-Rod” marches Magny down after gathering his thoughts, and he backs Magny to the wall and connects with a clean left hand. Magny uses his reach in the hands and feet to back Rodriguez off, but Rodriguez bullies his way in with a left to the body and another to the head. Rodriguez pressures “The Haitian Sensation” with effective and powerful blows, and Magny tries to keep enough space and strike at his preferred range. Magny bursts forward with three punches that get Rodriguez’ respect, but Rodriguez comes out swinging and makes Magny rush away. The body shots from Rodriguez, especially his left hand, are adding up, and Magny reacts visibly when they land on him. Magny returns fire with front kicks, and he tries to intercept Rodriguez with a knee, but Rodriguez sees it zooming at him and sways to the side. Magny pushes the pace briefly, and he ends a short combo with a push kick to the body. Magny chains a few punches together, and Rodriguez pushes off the fence and advances. Rodriguez gives his foe a powerful shove to make Magny trip over himself, and he closes in to get clinched up. Rodriguez breaks the grip with another push, and he splits the guard with a sharp jab. Magny looks for a Thai clinch to knee the body, and Rodriguez continuously marches forward and smashes Magny in the face with a left hand. Magny’s chin holds together despite the power coming his way, and he uses tie-ups to slow the downhill-rolling Rodriguez. Magny hunts for a standing rear-naked choke at the end of the round, but he cannot get past Rodriguez’ hands before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The third round begins, and Rodriguez tries to pick up where he left off with power punches. Magny responds with two front kicks, and Rodriguez is right back in his face with looping punches. Magny leaps at him with a jump knee, and Rodriguez ricochets off the wall and swings back with a vengeance. A huge left hand staggers Magny, and Rodriguez follows up with another to put “The Haitian Sensation” on baby deer legs. Magny ends up pulling guard just to stop the figurative bleeding, and Rodriguez is fine with this so that he can land a few punches from on top. Magny takes the time he needs to defend well enough and clear himself, and Rodriguez backs off and takes an upkick to the chest. Magny stands up, and he pressures forward to pursue a takedown and wrench “D-Rod” down to the floor. Magny gets one hook in as he slugs Rodriguez in the face, and he steps into mount while Rodriguez is seated against the wall. Magny wraps up the legs and scores a few punches, but he shines when Rodriguez stands and Magny slams him back down hard. Magny slithers both hooks in, but he falls off the top and Rodriguez slides out the back. Magny lets Rodriguez stand up so that he can wrap up a guillotine choke, and as Rodriguez falls to his back, Magny transitions straight into an anaconda choke. Magny adjusts his grip and switches the arm position to latch on a brabo choke, and Rodriguez might not have enough in the tank to get out of it. Magny squeezes with all his might, and his iron grip coupled with his superior energy reserves force “D-Rod” to tap out for the first time in his career. Magny has done it, digging deep to pull off the victory, and he registers his 20th as a welterweight to pass "GSP" as the winningest in divisional history.

The Official Result

Neil Magny def. Daniel Rodriguez R3 3:33 via Submission (Brabo Choke)

Marina Rodriguez (115.5) vs. Amanda Lemos (114.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rodriguez (-210), Lemos (+180)

Round 1

Striker takes on striker in this potential strawweight title eliminator headlining match. With a decent win streak of four under her belt, Rodriguez (16-1-2, 6-1-2 UFC) will try to break into the 115-pound championship round robin that is Carla Esparza, Rose Namajunas, Weili Zhang, Jessica Andrade and the retired Joanna Jedrzejczyk. She has to get past powerful countrywoman Lemos (12-2-1, 6-2 UFC) to earn that privilege, which is no easy ask. The ladies have up to five rounds if necessary, and referee Jason Herzog has laced his shoes up and prepared himself should they go all 25 minutes. The Brazilians bump fists to show their respect, and it’s time for the main event to begin. Lemos claims the middle of the Octagon and hops back when Rodriguez sweeps the leg. Lemos calmly walks forward, avoiding the low kicks of Rodriguez, and prepares her right hand for something dramatic. Rodriguez connects with a kick high on the calf, and Lemos tries to catch it but lets it go. Lemos whips up a high kick, and Rodriguez swats it away and misses with a right hand by a matter of inches. Lemos switches stances, and a kick to her hips makes her fall to the mat. “Amandinha” climbs back up without issue, and she swings and misses with a kick. The accuracy is extremely low between the countrywomen, and the volume is as well. Rodriguez comes up short with a one-two, and she slides out of the way before she can get countered. A slamming leg kick from Lemos makes Rodriguez do a pirouette, and this prompts Rodriguez into action briefly. Lemos prepares a counter when Rodriguez bears down on her, and they back off to measure one another again. As the ladies stare one another down, commentator Daniel Cormier starts talking about alligators. Lemos spins with a hook kick, and Rodriguez springs out of the way before it can hit her in the face. Rodriguez grazes a push kick off the side of the body, and she keeps a wide berth in kickboxing range. Lemos has two punches bounce off the guard, and Rodriguez leaps forward with a flying knee and uses the momentum to knock Lemos to the mat. Rodriguez considers a front choke from on top, and elects instead to land a few punches before the horn sounds to end the tepid frame.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The strawweights meet in the middle, and both toss out single front kicks. Rodriguez circles out the back door when Lemos winds up with a right hand, and a stalemate of low offense ensues again. The two throw single kicks one after the other, and Lemos times an advancing Rodriguez with a clean right hand that collides square on the jaw. Rodriguez does a quick count of her teeth, and she settles down to score a one-two down the pipe. Lemos sticks out a few jabs, and the action lulls again. Lemos closes in to strike, and she ends up clinched up and stomps down on the toes. Lemos uses sheer power to throw Rodriguez down to the ground, and she takes her foe’s back and gets both hooks in. Lemos locks down a rear-naked choke, but it is on top of the chin, so Rodriguez is safe for the time being. As Rodriguez tries to escape, she inadvertently slides her opponent’s arm beneath her chin, but it is not there for long to choke her out. Rodriguez bucks to get out of the bad posture, and Lemos slides with her to wind up on top in half guard. Lemos smothers her opponent on top, landing the occasional elbow but riding out the posture. “Amandinha” hangs on, as does Rodriguez, and this grind continues before Rodriguez can power her way off her back.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Round 3 begins with Lemos pushing the pace, and she swings wildly with two looping hooks, but Rodriguez dodges them savvily. Rodriguez replies with a clean right hand, and she dips back as Lemos wings a left hook. Rodriguez keeps her strikes straight while Lemos uses more arcing shots, and Rodriguez tries to get her jab going. Rodriguez lets go with a leg kick, and Lemos takes a funny step but otherwise seems unaffected. “Amandinha” winds up with a massive right hand that cracks Rodriguez on the forehead, and Rodriguez reacts badly from it and might be more hurt than she is letting on. Rodriguez slowly drifts back, and Lemos charges and leaps at her with a knee that is not close enough. Lemos swings for the fences, battering Rodriguez against the wall. Lemos does not slow one iota, and after only a couple more punches – not all of them finding a home on Rodriguez’ face, Herzog steps in to award Lemos the victory via standing TKO. Rodriguez immediately protests the stoppage, but there is nothing more she can do as the fight is now over. Regardless of the feelings on the stoppage, Lemos has done the unexpected by not just beating the favored Rodriguez, but becoming the first woman to finish her. Lemos announces that she is ready for the top echelon of the division, and she calls for UFC President Dana White to let her serve as the backup of the Esparza vs. Zhang championship collision in one week. If that comes together, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

The Official Result

Amanda Lemos def. Marina Rodriguez R3 0:54 via TKO (Punches)