UFC Fight Night 231 ‘Almeida vs. Lewis’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Marc Diakiese (155) vs. Kaue Fernandes (155)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Diakiese (-155), Fernandes (+130)

Round 1

The UFC is back in Brazil, and the matchmakers are making sure fight fans are very aware of this by theming this show Brazil against the world. All 11 fights feature at least one competitor from the host nation, and a clean sweep could be in the cards depending on how things play out tonight. The first test for a local begins in the lightweight division, as promotional newcomer Fernandes (8-1, 0-0 UFC) tests his luck against mohawked veteran Diakiese (16-7, 7-7 UFC). The third man in the cage for this opening bout will be referee Jason Herzog, who stands back as the combatants do not touch gloves given the bad blood suddenly brewing between them. Fernandes leads the dance with an early head kick, and every one of his subsequent kicks is met with a loud cheer from the crowd. The fans are in the building early, and they are letting their voices be heard. Diakiese remains composed and defensively sound, and he catches a flying knee only to eat a left hand from the Brazilian when Fernandes lands. Fernandes uses his forward momentum to push “Bonecrusher” against the fence, and they are fast to jockey for position until Diakiese uses Fernandes’ momentum against him and hurls the Nova Uniao fighter to the canvas. Diakiese lands in full guard, and Fernandes keeps it open and grabs hold of Diakiese’s wrists to defend himself. The slick grappling of Fernandes is immediately on display when he threatens with an omoplata shoulder lock, and he uses it to roll through and force Diakiese to stand up, grab the fence blatantly and back off. Fernandes pursues him back to the feet and ties him up briefly, but he releases the grip and allows them to return to striking range. Fernandes lands a few shots, and Diakiese replies with a spinning kick that Fernandes intercepts and bowls the Brit over. As they hit the ground, Diakiese continues moving in the scramble, and he manages to turn Fernandes over. Fernandes is quick to use his offensive guard to hunt for an armbar or a potential sweep, and when that fails, the crowd starts booing Diakiese. The two both land short strikes while horizontal, with Fernandes hacking with an elbow or two while Diakiese pops him with a few punches over the top. The audience is not amused as Diakiese starts to work his foe over with smart ground-and-pound, picking his strikes and tossing aside any submission setups that fail to materialize. The horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese

Round 2

The fighters initiate the second round not with a glove touch, but with a few jabs that look like they are about to bump fists only to smack the other in the face. Fernandes slips a punch and surprises his foe with a short right, and he sits down on a body kick. Diakiese takes a calf kick and loads up with a massive left hand that misses the mark by a foot. Diakiese punches his way into a takedown entry, and he tries to get hold of Fernandes with a body lock and trip him out. Fernandes defends himself with his back against the wall, and he stands “Bonecrusher” up with a bone-crushing knee to the sternum. Fernandes breaks out of the clinch and keeps his hands low, preparing to anticipate a possible double-leg takedown from his adversary. When that does not come, the Brazilian pounds Diakiese’s midsection with a body kick. Diakiese slugs him in the chops with a left hand, and Fernandes blinks it out and rushes in to clinch. Diakiese pushes him off and absorbs a thudding calf kick, one that makes him stumble. Fernandes aims a kick to the midsection, and Diakiese snatches it out of the air and tosses it out of the way before shooting in on the hips. Fernandes defends against the first attempt, but Diakiese is a dog with a bone when it comes to his takedown, and a second attempt succeeds for the Brit. Fernandes maintains wrist control from off his back to disallow Diakiese from rapping him in the head with his fists, and he wraps his legs around the waist in hopes of Herzog standing them up. Fernandes tugs on the fence with his fingers and toes, and Herzog admonishes him for the fouls and slaps the Brazilian’s toes out of the links. Diakiese maintains his smothering top control, and Herzog asks for more activity. Diakiese puts his hand over Fernandes’ mouth to disrupt his breathing, and a few flustering punches come before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese

Round 3

Diakiese is the aggressor in the early seconds of the last round, and he reaches out with a left hand and gets his lead leg kicked hard when backing off. Fernandes triples up on that kick, and the third one makes Diakiese changes stances. Diakiese powers his way through the discomfort and unloads a vicious left hand that drops Fernandes to his knees. The Brazilian explodes back to his feet and nails Diakiese with another calf kick, leading Diakiese to drop to his own knees and shoot in for a low takedown. Fernandes stuffs the attempt and gets tied up, until he shoves his way out of the clinch situation. Diakiese resets and rails his foe with a one-two right down Broadway, and Fernandes has a tough chin but is consistently getting tagged by the Brit’s power punches. Diakiese loads up again and fakes this time, dipping down to scoop up Fernandes’ legs and put him down to the floor. Fernandes bops Diakiese on the ears several times in an effort to do something, while Diakiese opens up ever so often with some winging ground punches. Diakiese puts his hand over Fernandes’ mouth when he is not striking, and this draws a few warnings from Herzog to do more and look for a finish. Fernandes shows no signs of being able to get up after 13-plus minutes of combat, and Diakiese is happy to pepper Fernandes with little strikes to score points when he can. Herzog is watching closely and considering standing them up, only for Diakiese to pass over to half guard and improve his position. This leads to Fernandes turning to his side to try to power back up, and he succeeds in getting back to the guard but is getting nullified. Diakiese gladly stays put, doing enough until Fernandes pops back to his feet with five seconds left. One final big swing from both men ends the fight, and the hope of Brazilians going 11-0 on the card is likely about to go up in smoke.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Diakiese (30-27 Diakiese)

The Official Result

Marc Diakiese def. Kaue Fernandes via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Montserrat Ruiz (114) vs. Eduarda Moura (119.5: Missed Weight)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Moura (-550), Ruiz (+410)

Round 1

Originally booked at 115 pounds, unbeaten debutant Moura (9-0, 0-0 UFC) missed the mark by a wide margin to force this pairing to a 120-pound catchweight, rounded up. Her opponent Ruiz (10-3, 1-2 UFC) had absolutely no issue hitting the 116-pound limit, coming in at a light 114 pounds – although she would likely compete at atomweight if the UFC maintained that division. Moura will hope to keep her flawless record intact, even after surrendering 30% of her purse for the egregious miss, and referee Joao Claudio Soares draws the charge here. Moura, who towers over her opponent, offers an apologetic glove touch, and Ruiz accepts to get things started. Ruiz starts with a low kick, and Moura reaches her with a few strikes up top. Ruiz continues to chip at the lead leg of her heavy foe, and she gets tagged with a straight right hand. Ruiz swings and misses with a left hand, and Moura shoots in for a takedown. Ruiz stuffs her and bowls her over, but Moura sweeps her over quickly and finds her way on top. “Conejo” clings to Moura from on bottom, preventing the larger woman from slugging away, but Moura is able to wrench her left arm free and grinds her elbow on Ruiz’ face and throat. Moura smacks Ruiz a few times when Ruiz tries to hold on tight, and she slides through to half guard. Moura hacks down with short elbows, and one opens a cut on the eyelid of her adversary. Moura throws Ruiz’ leg out of the way to claim full mount, and she beats on Ruiz with heavy strikes while Ruiz scrambles with all her might. Moura settles down and gets bucked back to half guard, but she wraps Ruiz’ arm around her own head to open up strikes with Moura’s own right hand. Moura easily assumes mount for a few moments to pound Ruiz in the face with punches, and when Ruiz recovers back to half guard, Moura elbows her in the face. Moura continues punishing Ruiz with punches and elbows, and Ruiz turns over and gives up her back. Moura considers a rear-naked choke, but lets it go when Ruiz spins around again. Moura does not bat an eye, instead following Ruiz and pummeling her with fists. Ruiz wills her way back to her feet, and Moura comfortably wrenches her back down like a parent wrestling with their child. Moura transitions to full mount far easier in this exchange, and she blasts Ruiz with several venomous punches until Ruiz turns around and gives her back up. Moura strikes from around the back until the dominant round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Moura
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-8 Moura
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Moura

Round 2

There is no glove touch to start the second round, as Ruiz wants to make up for lost time and lashes out immediately. Moura shrugs the blows off and connects with several huge punches and a knee up the middle, and she smiles. Ruiz spins with a kick that misses by a mile, and Moura walks her down and tackles Ruiz to the canvas. Moura starts unloading with punches and elbows while in full guard, and Soares is taking a close look at the proceedings with Ruiz taking damage from the onslaught. Moura slows down to not blow out her gas tank, and she slams Ruiz in the face with a number of elbows. Ruiz toughs it out and raises up her guard so that she can hunt for a potential submission. Her toes get tangled in the fence, and Soares pulls them out. Moura steps into full mount with next-to-no resistance, and she unleashes a flurry of punches down on a doomed and bloodied Ruiz. Soares does not wait long, with Ruiz taking a horrific beating, before intervening and saving “Conejo” from her own toughness. The victorious woman who calls herself “Ronda” has now notched nine of her 10 pro wins by stoppage, and she runs off to celebrate with her corner.

The Official Result

Eduarda Moura def. Montserrat Ruiz R2 2:14 via TKO (Punches)

Denise Gomes (115.5) vs. Angela Hill (115.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gomes (-125), Hill (+105)

Round 1

The final women’s bout, booked at strawweight like Moura-Ruiz, features two women who comfortably made weight. Storied veteran Hill (15-13, 10-13 UFC), who looks for UFC win no. 11, faces off against a woman in Gomes (8-2, 2-1 UFC) who is almost 15 years Hill’s junior. Youth versus experience will be on full display for the next 15 minutes or less, and referee Fernando Portella will be the arbiter of this encounter. There is no plan for a glove touch, and instead Gomes would rather throw hands and feet right out of the gate. Hill checks a calf kick and her forward momentum bowls the Brazilian over. Hill lands on top, but only for a few seconds until the Parana Vale Tudo fighter powers her way back to her feet. The two clinch up, and they pepper one another in the body with knees. Hill loads up on her knees to the breadbasket, and Gomes considers hitting a trip but ends up falling to her back. Hill muscles her down to her knees when Gomes looks for a way up, and Hill works to take the back and hangs on the younger woman. Gomes grabs the glove a few times to get out of the bad position, and Hill breaks away and tags her once on the way out. The two trade hands, and Gomes succeeds in tripping Hill and dumping her on her face. They both get back up, and Hill counters her with a throw of her own. They explode upright again, and Gomes loads up on power punches that ring Hill’s bell repeatedly. Hill leans on heavily to clinch and hold onto Gomes, thereby shutting down the swinging fists that smack her in the face. Hill drives her knees in the solar plexus again and again, until Gomes has had enough of this and pushes her off. Hill resets and pushes out a front kick, and Gomes swings at air when this meets her. Gomes scores a big right hand, and Hill backs off but is snagged and throws to the mat. Gomes latches onto Hill’s left arm for an armlock of some kind, and she considers a kimura or an armbar, as she sits on top in an awkward position. Gomes drives down several hammerfists, and before she can get the armbar, Hill slides out the side. Hill, now in the driver’s seat, gets blasted with a right hand from Gomes on her back. Hill toughs it out and elbows Gomes in the face, and Gomes forces her way back up at the bell to end the close, exciting round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hill
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Hill
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hill

Round 2

Hill keeps her guard up high when she comes out of her corner, as Gomes whips a head kick at her to lead off the round. Gomes is intercepted when looking for a big overhand right, and Hill ties her up for a second before pushing off. Hill snipes Gomes with a solid right hand, and Gomes grins at her. Hill works her with a second overhand right, and a third before Gomes lobs another kick at her. Hill takes the strikes of the Brazilian and fires back, and she leans away from a spinning kick from Gomes. The two trade hands, and then land low kicks at the same time. Hill ducks a strike and comes over the top with a left, and she connects with two punches to follow. Gomes loads up again with power, and it hits air as Hill is too quick to eat it flush. Gomes absorbs a right hand on the chin and tags Hill with an uppercut, leading Hill to tie her up in the clinch and shove her to the wall. Hill gets off an elbow, and Gomes lowers her hands and looks for hefty counters. Hill spins with an elbow that bangs into Gomes’ chin, and Gomes goes not bat an eye and continues advancing. Hill shoots for a takedown, and Gomes defends with a standing guillotine that makes Hill think twice about the attempt. Hill sneaks in a few clinch strikes before backing off, and she watches Gomes’ winging strikes blaze past her. Hill catches a kick and deposits Gomes to the floor, but Gomes get right back up and takes a deep breath. Hill scores a few punches, and Gomes crowds her and blasts her in the face with a fierce right hand. When Hill grabs hold of her, Gomes answers with a number of vertical, hacking elbows. Gomes overswings, and Hill snags her and looks to drag her down. When Gomes keeps her balance, Hill smacks her in the face with a knee. Hill turns the corner, and Gomes succeeds in fighting off the takedown but gets kneed in the dome twice more. The round ends as the two are stuck together.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hill
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Hill
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hill

Round 3

As if she thought she was down on the scorecards, Gomes charges out of her corner and busts the veteran in the chops with a number of wide punches. Hill fires back, and she blunts the momentum by clinching up the younger woman and tripping her with a body lock. Gomes drops to her knees, defending the strikes from the side, and Hill hangs on from behind. Before long, Gomes works her way back to her feet with the fence at her back, and Hill drags her down again. Hill stays on the Brazilian like a bad penny, never giving Gomes a moment to breathe and not allowing her to get anything off. Hill peppers Gomes with knees to the head, side and thigh, attacking any target she can find while Gomes is stuck without answers. This grinding approach is slowing Gomes down, and a knee to the belly takes a bit more of the wind out of her sails. Gomes manages to push off and keeps throwing hands, but one left hand allows Hill to duck it and secure a single-leg takedown. When Gomes attempts to scramble, Hill is one step ahead, whether trying to take the back or working Gomes with strikes to the side of the melon. Gomes defends but is totally out of her game, and a short elbow from “Overkill” opens a cut on the side of Gomes’ eye. Hill flattens Gomes out, but Gomes explodes with 15 seconds to go and gets back up through sheer aggression. Hill tags her with a jump knee, and the close contest concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hill (30-27 Hill)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Hill (30-27 Hill)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hill (30-27 Hill)

The Official Result

Angela Hill def. Denise Gomes via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Modestas Bukauskas (205.5) vs. Vitor Petrino (206)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Petrino (-218), Bukauskas (+180)

Round 1

The second of three undefeated Brazilians on the card takes center stage next, as Petrino (9-0, 2-0 UFC) aims to pick up his 10th win as a pro at the expense of Bukauskas (15-5, 3-3 UFC). Fists and feet are sure to fly shortly between these two light heavyweights, but before they do, referee Marc Goddard has to clock them in. A brief tap of the gloves leads to a faked kick from Bukauskas, who looks for his range and manages to plant his shin on Petrino’s calf early. Bukauskas fires off a head kick to follow, and Petrino’s guard is up well in time to defend. Bukauskas comes up short with another high kick, and he parries a jab and whiffs with a low kick. Bukauskas protects his face from an oncoming head kick, and he pokes at the lead calf. Petrino paws out a jab and absorbs a thumping calf kick, and he tosses another high kick that does not find its target. Jabs are attempted from both sides, and Bukauskas reaches out with a left hook and blocks a kick aimed at his temple. Petrino doubles up on a jab and fires off a left hook that grazes the hair, and they reset with a jab from both men. Petrino sneaks in a jab, and he takes a calf kick and attempts a takedown. When he trips Bukauskas up, the Brazilian elects to lift Bukauskas in the air and slam him down with a powerbomb seen in the professional wrestling circuits. When Bukauskas looks to scramble, Petrino continues maintaining top position while shifting into half guard. Bukauskas defends himself from any ground-and-pound by hanging onto Petrino’s forearms, and the subsequent inactivity prompts Goddard to issue a warning. Petrino scores a pair of punches, and Bukauskas bucks off and starts striking back. A few more short punches from Petrino end the low-paced frame.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Petrino
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Petrino
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Petrino

Round 2

The light heavyweights touch gloves, and Goddard steps in 15 seconds into the round to command that Bukauskas get his mouthpiece replaced, and that the commission get it together. When they resume after the awkward pause, both men go for big strikes, and they partially connect. Bukauskas looks to settle down with a jab, and as soon as he sits down on it, Petrino slides to the side and uncorks a short but lethal left hook that completely flatlines Bukauskas. The back of Bukauskas’ head clatters off the floor as his eyes roll back, and an attentive Goddard leaps in before Petrino can clobber him with any additional strikes. Bukauskas tries to get back to his feet and motion that he was just flash knocked down, but he needs help standing up as commission and medical officials rush to his aid. This is a massive victory for the still-undefeated Petrino, who has performed finishes in eight of his 10 pro wins to date.

The Official Result

Vitor Petrino def. Modestas Bukauskas R2 1:03 via KO (Punch) 

Rinat Fakhretdinov (170.5) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Fakhretdinov (-360), Zaleski dos Santos (+285)

Round 1

A serious test with top-15 implications will come now for Russian grappler Fakhretdinov (21-1, 3-0 UFC), who trains not in his motherland but down at American Top Team. Zaleski (24-7, 10-3 UFC) will represent Brazil in this welterweight clash of styles, with spinning and flying strikes for days even as he advances in age. The two men share an embrace, and referee Fernando Portella steels himself for what comes next. Zaleski lands a leg kick, and Fakhretdinov does the same and follows it with a jab. Fakhretdinov ignores the offense coming at him from the Brazilian, and he sets Zaleski on his seat with a left hand and starts beating on him. Zaleski hits his back and looks to grab hold of his opponent to clear out the cobwebs, and Fakhretdinov drags him flat on the floor and pummels him with a short, methodical barrage of punches. Sensing the finish may be off the table in this exchange, Fakhretdinov slows himself down instead of burning out, and he calmly holds down Zaleski while striking. Zaleski powers to a knee, leaned against the fence, and Fakhretdinov knees him in the thigh several times and tries to trip Zaleski’s foot out. Fakhretdinov controls both of Zaleski’s hands until he sneaks in a rear-naked choke, and the grip fastens around the chin and is more of a face crank. Zaleski yanks the arm off and defends from the submission, and Fakhretdinov decides to hammer Zaleski’s thigh several times with knees until Zaleski powers out of the bad position and offers a fist bump after the good work from the Russian. Zaleski starts throwing, landing low kicks and a few hooks, and Fakhretdinov snipes him with another powerful left hand. The Brazilian keeps on his feet after taking some damage again, and he aims a kick to the ribs as he gets his sea legs back beneath him. Zaleski swings and misses on two home run punches, and Fakhretdinov smiles at him and checks a leg kick. “Gladiator” lets loose with a right hand, and he clubs Zaleski with a blistering left as he recoils. Zaleski throws back at him, and Fakhretdinov raises his arm in the air and is having a blast in the cage. Zaleski rips the body with a kick, and a subsequent spin is met by Fakhretdinov crashing into him. Fakhretdinov kicks the plant leg while Zaleski spins with a kick, and Zaleski drops to a knee. Fakhretdinov celebrates, thinking he might have finished the fight, but the horn sounds instead.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fakhretdinov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Fakhretdinov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Fakhretdinov

Round 2

The fighters double-bump fists before getting after it, and they proceed to go bonanza immediately. Zaleski throws punches and kicks in rapid succession, and Fakhretdinov does the same and shoots in for a double. Zaleski stuffs it and circles away, and he walks into a leg kick. Fakhretdinov jabs out and eats one from the other direction, and Zaleski sits down on two hooks and makes Fakhretdinov grin again. Fakhretdinov motions that they need to keep trading, and when Zaleski does not bite, Fakhretdinov strikes with big kick. Fakhretdinov takes a right hand on the chin, and he gets his legs chopped down with a few low kicks. When Fakhretdinov swings for the bleachers, Zaleski times a kick on the plant leg and drops the Russian to his knees. Zaleski sees the booming hooks coming, and he is able to avoid them and chip away with effective strikes. Fakhretdinov mixes things up with a body kick, and he snaps out a jab after an overhand right blows the hair back of the people in the first row. Zaleski slips and rips with a short combination, and he chains together a low kick into three punches up top. Zaleski fakes for a takedown, and when Fakhretdinov ducks down to prevent it, Zaleski unloads with flailing fists. Zaleski digs a left to the body when Fakhretdinov misses on his offense, and he gets bopped on the nose from a standing hammerfist from the Russian. Fakhretdinov takes a strike he does not like, and he shoot in for an awkward single that plants Zaleski on his seat. Zaleski defends with elbows at an angle that is not 12-6, and Fakhretdinov knees his tattooed thigh in response. Fakhretdinov keeps kneeing and attempting to sweep the foot out, as Zaleski clings to his balance. Fakhretdinov turns his takedown effort into a double, and Zaleski wrenches the arm up and splits up, all while landing a knee on the Russian’s head. The two share a grin before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Fakhretdinov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Fakhretdinov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Fakhretdinov

Round 3

The two welterweights hug it out after 10 minutes of combat, and then it is right back to business. Zaleski intercepts an advancing Fakhretdinov with a few kicks, and he shuts down a takedown and slides a kick off Fakhretdinov’s dome. Zaleski looks to change things up and attempts a takedown of his own, and his foe stops it and laughs. Zaleski stifles another takedown effort that comes his way, and he belts Fakhretdinov with a pair of uppercuts while Fakhretdinov is ducked down. Zaleski, feeling he is able to get strikes off safely, kicks the body and jumps with a flying knee that clangs into Fakhretdinov’s bald head. Fakhretdinov slaps his head and signals for more action, and Zaleski instead rips the body with three kicks. The strikes from Zaleski have a greater effect in this round, as Fakhretdinov is enjoying them but reeling after absorbing them. The takedown from Fakhretdinov is labored, and Zaleski continues beating on the body with his feet and shins. Fakhretdinov darts forward with jabs and a meandering hook, and Zaleski is well out of the way in time. Zaleski prods out a jab while Fakhretdinov is working towards him, and they proceed to slam one another in the face with fiery fists of fury. Zaleski eats the strikes and lets fly a kick to the liver, and Fakhretdinov shuts down completely as he bends over and crumbles to his knees. Zaleski climbs on top to finish the job, and he clobbers the Russian with punches and hammerfists. Fakhretdinov shells up and protects himself from a possible finish, and Zaleski gets his hooks in around the back and sets up a rear-naked choke. Zaleski changes his grip to attack a choke on the other side, and Fakhretdinov decides against defending it and just smacks Zaleski with a few punches from behind. Fakhretdinov scrambles, and he manages to stand back up and gets upkicked for his work. Zaleski follows him up, and before he can do anything, the fight ends. Scores could be all over the map after this wild 15 minutes of action.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zaleski dos Santos (29-28 Fakhretdinov)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-8 Zaleski dos Santos (28-28)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Zaleski dos Santos (28-28)

The Official Result

Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos is Scored a Majority Draw (28-29, 28-28, 28-28)

Elves Brener (164) vs. Kaynan Kruschewsky (165)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Brener (-225) Kruschewsky (+185)

Round 1

Due to the late nature of this matchup coming together, the UFC booked Brener (15-3, 2-0 UFC) vs. Kruschewsky (15-2, 0-0 UFC) at super lightweight—or 165 pounds. This remains the lone fight on the billing between two men that represent Brazil, and fittingly, their preferred method of victory is the submission in both fronts. To wit, 20 of their 30 combined pro wins have come via sub, with 12 of those in Round 1. Referee Osiris Maia is ready and rearing to watch over this bout between a pair of fighters with four-fight win streaks, and they touch gloves before his very eyes. Brener, with a haircut reminiscent of Zorg from “The Fifth Element,” has his guard ready when Kruschewsky attacks with a jab and a low kick. Brener stays on his bike and fires off kicks to the lead leg and belly, and he slides away from a Kruschewsky rush with a swiping right hand. Brener chains a few leg kicks into an overhand left, and the two clack heads together when Kruschewsky surges ahead with a handful of strikes of his own. Kruschewsky scores a leg kick as he races forward, but Brener dodges the rest that does or could follow. Kruschewsky uses a front kick to keep his man at bay, and Brener reaches him with a wide left hook and slams his shin on the crook of the knee. Kruschewsky wears the strikes well and checks a kick aimed at his calf, and he swings back and just misses with a right hand. The two trade kicks from a distance, and Kruschewsky steps in with a right hand that bounces off the pectoral of his opponent. Kruschewsky swings out with two strikes, and Brener counters him and just misses with a jump knee. Brener swings a right hand, and Kruschewsky leans back and turns his head to the side. The Chute Boxe fighter follows with a looping left hand that slams directly behind the ear of his foe, which completely shuts Kruschewsky’s lights out. “Bahia” collapses face-first to the mat, totally unconscious, and Brener pulls back and raises his arms in the air instead of unnecessarily hammering the nail. Maia is there just in case Brener went rogue, but Brener is more thrilled about his handiwork and walks away, beaming with pride. Medical professionals and commission officials flood the cage to check on the condition of Kruschewsky, who manages to come to but might not know what planet he is on. Put that on the “Knockout of the Year” list, with a spectacular, unusual blow that will almost certainly earn the rising star an extra $50,000 tonight.

The Official Result

Elves Brener def. Kaynan Kruschewsky R1 4:01 via KO (Punch)

Armen Petrosyan (186) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (185.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Petrosyan (-112), Vieira (-108)

Round 1

The fight was canceled on Saturday evening, after Petrosyan was forced to withdraw due to an illness. The news was first reported on the broadcast prior to Brener vs. Kruschewsky.

Caio Borralho (186) vs. Abusupiyan Magomedov (185)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Borralho (-265), Magomedov (+215)

Round 1

On the outside of the top 15 at middleweight looking in, surging Brazilian grappler Borralho (14-1, 1 NC; 4-0 UFC) may be one win away from getting a number next to his name. Coming off a loss to future champ Sean Strickland, Magomedov (25-5-1, 1-1 UFC) could surprise many if he pulls off the upset and ends Borralho’s 14-fight unbeaten streak. The third man in the cage is referee Marc Goddard, and the fighters bump fists and nod to one another before engaging. Magomedov switches stances and fakes numerous kicks initially, and Borralho leaps into action with an unorthodox stomp kick to the rear leg. Magomedov swipes out with a leg kick, and Borralho counters with one up high. Borralho darts forward with a jab, and he ducks when Magomedov is about to catch him with a right hand. Borralho pokes out another jab, and the crowd loudly starts chanting “Borralho.” He does not change his approach despite the deafening cheering, instead firing off a head kick and not finding the mark. Both men go for leg kicks, and jabs are traded as well, with neither committing to much of merit. Magomedov tries to corner his foe, and Borralho circles and bounces off the wall to escape a hefty right hand aimed at his mug. Magomedov checks a leg kick and reaches a right hand to the body, and he escapes before absorbing a counterattack. Borralho pushes off with a front kick, and he goes wide with a whipping kick. Borralho shoots in for a double, and Magomedov shuts it down and launches a kick that just misses the top of Borralho’s head. Some damage has appeared on the right side of Borralho’s face, with rapid reddening from the select few strikes that have landed cleanly. Borralho lunges with a one-two, and Magomedov pushes off with his fingers outstretched and jams his pointer finger into the eye socket. Goddard recognizes the foul immediately and pauses the action, and he brings the physician in to check on Borralho’s vision. The Brazilian wipes at his eye, and after a minute of recovery time and a little towel to wipe it out, Borralho is good to go. The two share an embrace to signal that there are no hard feelings, and they get back to it. Magomedov reintroduces himself with a sharp one-two, and Borralho slides out of the way of anything that could follow. The horn sounds to end this less-than-stellar round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov

Round 2

Fists are bumped to start off Round 2, and Borralho strikes first with a kick to the ribs. Borralho jumps with a knee out, but Magomedov is well out of harm’s way. Magomedov crowds his man and slams his fists into Borralho’s midsection, and when Borralho looks to fire back, Magomedov hand-fights and a finger nearly sticks into the eye. Borralho powers out a solid jab, and he gets backed up to the wall and tries to spin to keep Magomedov honest. Borralho sees an opening when Magomedov is advancing, and he cracks the Russian with a right hand behind the ear. Magomedov signals that it was no big deal, and Borralho lands another. Magomedov gets away with another eye poke, despite Borralho’s protests, and Goddard tells Magomedov to keep his hands closed. They both fire off body kicks, and Magomedov adds a leg kick to his effort. Magomedov prods out a right hand, and Borralho misses with a counter. Magomedov steps in with a heavier right, and Borralho aims and fires multiple kicks in response that are largely blocked. Magomedov gets in a single front kick down the middle, and he dodges when Borralho jumps in the air. The power strikes are missing from both fighters, but a jab from Borralho gets Magomedov’s attention. Magomedov offers a high-five after getting tagged with a straight jab, and Borralho lets him crowd him so he can mark him up with a jump knee. Borralho picks up his volume a little after opening a cut beneath Magomedov’s left eye, but time expires before he can do much.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Magomedov

Round 3

The middleweights hug it out with five minutes to go, and then decide to be more violent than before. The two alternate kicks to the body and power hooks, and Borralho looks for his stiff jab. The jab has caused some damage on the nose and eye, and he aims that right hand at the red areas. Borralho follows a jab with a left hand down the middle, and his jab snaps the head back when he flicks it out again. Magomedov walks into the jab, and Borralho slaps him upside the head with an open hand. Magomedov comes up short with a one-two, and the two are largely relegated to potshotting one another. Another open-handed strike from Borralho lands behind the ear, and he lashes out with an elbow that hurts Magomedov. The Russian acknowledges he is hurt and takes a deep breath, and Borralho charges after him and spins with an elbow. Borralho pours on the pressure and takes Magomedov out of his game, targeting the body with strikes and connecting with a solid knee that buckles Magomedov’s legs. Magomedov slowly sits to his seat against the fence, and Borralho looks to finish the fight and complete the mighty comeback, but Magomedov is tough and surviving despite his fatigue and discomfort. Borralho lowers himself down to pursue a potential submission like an arm-triangle, and after multiple scrambles, Borralho takes the back and gets both hooks in. With one minute to spare, Borralho starts fishing for a rear-naked choke, and he simultaneously fastens the body triangle. The two start talking to one another, and they strangely clap hands while Borralho hangs on from behind. Borralho cannot muster a stoppage, and it remains to be seen if his third-round scorecard is enough to sway things in his favor or towards an even tally, depending on how the first two were scored. The lackluster encounter comes to a close, and the two are happy to be done with fighting one another.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Borralho (29-28 Magomedov)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-8 Borralho (28-28)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Borralho (29-28 Magomedov)

The Official Result

Caio Borralho def. Abusupiyan Magomedov via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Don'Tale Mayes (264) vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (264)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nascimento (-185), Mayes (+154)

Round 1

Always cognizant of giving the fans what they want, the UFC responded to a loud, excited MMA community by rematching mid-tier heavyweights Nascimento (10-1, 1 NC; 3-1, 1 NC UFC) and Mayes (10-5, 1 NC; 3-3, 1 NC UFC). The first went the Brazilian’s way back in 2020, when he hit a submission on Mayes to presumably seal the deal. One fight was not enough, and they will run it back high on the main card while referee Osiris Maia is on his guard. There is no bumping of fists, and Mayes instead starts off with a leg kick. Nascimento charges like a bull, and he proceeds to smash up Mayes with a long series of punches. Mayes bounces off the fence and gathers his thoughts, and Nascimento slows down. Mayes whiffs on a huge overhand left, and he intercepts an advancing Nascimento with a stiff jab. Nascimento blocks a pair of punches and swipes out a left that reaches around the guard, and he walks through a leg kick and cracks Mayes with a few more strikes. Mayes fights off the pressure and gets some space, only for Nascimento to crowd him and tag him with an uppercut. Mayes blinks his eye several times, perhaps from a punch or an uncalled poke. Mayes strings a few punches together, and Nascimento whips a kick to the ribs and follows it with a number of flailing fists. Mayes responds with an open-handed strike, and Nascimento belts him in the chin with a right hand. Mayes delivers a knee up the middle when in close proximity, and Nascimento marks him up with four punches in rapid succession. An uppercut from “Yogi Bear” rocks his opponent, and Nascimento looks to change levels but settles for a few short strikes before pushing off. Nascimento doubles up on a jab, and he snipes Mayes with a right hand. Mayes leans with his back to the wall, and Nascimento lays into him with a number of punches. Nascimento drops down for a single, and he picks up the larger Mayes and sets him down. Mayes defends against the attempt well enough to stand, and he knees Nascimento in the bell when back upright. Mayes presses his weight on the Brazilian and knees the body a few times, and the uppercuts from Nascimento have busted up Mayes’ nose. Nascimento sweeps the leg with a kick, and he leans back and barely avoids a haymaker. Mayes comes up hitting air when throwing hands, and Nascimento sticks him with a jab and keeps on moving. Nascimento stutter-steps his way in, flustering Mayes, and Mayes loads up with an uppercut to respond and an axe kick that whiffs at the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nascimento
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Nascimento
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nascimento

Round 2

The second round opens with an aggressive Nascimento, who beats Mayes to the punch with a series of blows. Mayes swings hard but is unable to find his home with any of them. Mayes has a body kick checked, and Nascimento crashes into him and fires off a head kick that slams into his guard. Nascimento lets his hands go, and Mayes waves him in and is looking for big, looping counters. Nascimento times a double, but Mayes somehow stonewalls him and stops it from going anywhere. Mayes attempts a counter trip, but Nascimento is not having it as he imposes his weight on “Lord Kong.” Knees to the body are traded as the two are up close and personal, and Mayes looks to frame him off and land uppercuts, but it is Nascimento who uses that short range to elbow Mayes repeatedly. Mayes is warned for grabbing the glove, and he gets a little space to land a knee and push off. Mayes lunges forward, but Nascimento is well out of the way. A sudden head kick surprises Mayes, who just gets his guard up in the nick of time. The two paw jabs at one another, and they slow down and need some time to catch their breath. Mayes tries to land a body kick, but he cannot raise his leg high enough and it slaps off the thigh. Nascimento rushes in, where he is met with a stern knee but still manages to club Mayes with a few punches. Mayes connects with a single overhand right, and the two connect with uppercuts and elbows when they tie up. The Brazilian breaks off, and he avoids a whipping kick that buzzes past him. Mayes surges into action with a lead left hand, only for Nascimento to parry it with ease. Nascimento gets off a leg kick, and the horn sounds as Mayes looks for a leaping uppercut.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nascimento
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Nascimento
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nascimento

Round 3

The heavyweights decide to touch ‘em up to start off the last round, and Mayes is swinging for the bleachers but cannot find his range. Nascimento is able to jab and move, and dodge the worst of the blows. Mayes tosses up a high kick, and Nascimento intercepts him with a leg in the air thanks to his jab. Nascimento doubles up on his jab, and he sets up a Thai clinch and knees Mayes square in the face. Mayes swats his way out with two hooks, and he gets sniped with a sharp jab. Mayes jabs him back, and he attempts a sort of Superman jab to mix things up. Nascimento strides forward with a one-two, and the right hand catches Mayes right on the beard and turns him momentarily. The Kentucky native recovers, and he blocks a speedy high kick from the Brazilian. Nascimento reaches Mayes at the end of a third strike, and the pace wanes significantly. Single strikes are authored, and they come up close and start elbowing the other while adding in the occasional uppercut. Mayes pushes his man back, only to get his head snapped back courtesy of a fierce uppercut. Mayes considers a takedown, and Nascimento stands him up and strikes him in the body before smacking him with an uppercut before splitting off. Nascimento rushes in and Mayes reaches him with strikes on the way in, but he manages to connect with his own offense before backing off. Mayes lumbers forward with a right hand that blows Maia’s hair back, but Nascimento is out of range. The Brazilian slaps down a low kick, and Mayes tags him with a looping left. Mayes scores with punches and short elbows when Nascimento closes in, and they split off with 10 seconds to go. Mayes lands a hard left hand, and he spins to no effect right before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Mayes (29-28 Nascimento)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Mayes (29-28 Nascimento)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mayes (29-28 Nascimento)

The Official Result

Rodrigo Nascimento def. Don’Tale Mayes via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Gabriel Bonfim (170.5) vs. Nicolas Dalby (170.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bonfim (-625), Dalby (+455)

Round 1

On Friday morning, two Bonfim brothers were expected to be competing on this lineup. After elder brother Ismael missed weight by a boat anchor, Gabriel Bonfim (15-0, 2-0 UFC) will be the one repping the family tonight. Putting the family reputation as well as his spotless record and 100% finish rate on the line, Bonfim draws an extremely tough test in Dalby (22-4-1, 2 NC; 6-3-1, 1 NC UFC). While arguably the greatest fighter from Denmark to compete in MMA—Martin Kampmann may disagree—Dalby is also known from having one of the wildest fights in MMA history against Ross Houston in Cage Warriors, when so much blood was spilled on the vinyl cage floor, referee Marc Goddard had to call the title fight off in the third round. This “Just Bleed” mentality comes with him in this co-main event, and Bonfim will have his hands full here. Referee Jason Herzog is cool and collected, but inside he’s amped up and ready, and the fighters are as well. Bonfim would rather get right to business, and wastes no time with a glove touch. Instead, the Brazilian walks straight forward and busts Dalby in the chops with two big punches. The two proceed to go wild with big strikes, and Bonfim connects a number of powerful low kicks to give Dalby pause. Dalby presses forward, gathering a full head of steam, and he plows Bonfim to the fence and hunts for a trip. Bonfim defends himself against the fencing, and he splits off and resets. Dalby doubles up on a jab and follows with an overhand right, and Bonfim just misses with a head kick. The Brazilian hammers the lead wheel with a kick, and he aims a few more kicks to the same target until Dalby switches stances briefly. Dalby powers forward, keeping his high-pressure game going, and he gets knocked back with a one-two and a kick. Bonfim digs a kick to the body and reaches with a left hand, and he intercepts a countering Dalby with a chopping kick. Dalby pushes forward and just misses with a head kick, and Bonfim strings three jabs together in rapid succession. Dalby attacks the lead leg, and Bonfim snatches him up and body locks him to the ground. Landing in half guard, Bonfim has over two minutes to work should he keep it horizontal. Bonfim skips over to the side, and Dalby raises one leg up high in hopes of bucking Bonfim off of him. Bonfim slowly works with elbows, drawing a tiny bit of blood with his strikes as he isolates Dalby’s right arm. Bonfim lets it go so he can move to full mount, and he sets up an arm-triangle choke by slithering one arm beneath the neck. Dalby defends against it, but Bonfim remains in dominant position despite Dalby’s movement. Bonfim elects to move to the side so he can batter Dalby with elbows, and Dalby defends most but not all of them. Bonfim opens up an additional cut on his opponent, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bonfim

Round 2

Dalby opens up the second round just as aggressive as before, with his pace trying to take some of the wind out of Bonfim’s sails. Bonfim counters that with a few powerful punches, and he scoops the Danish fighter up off the ground and slams him to the mat. Dalby sits up, and Bonfim considers a guillotine choke but lets it go. When Dalby partially stands, Bonfim sucks his hips out and deposits him to the ground with a single. Dalby defends with a guillotine choke, and Bonfim welcomes this so that he can set up a Von Preux shoulder choke. Dalby does not fall for the trap, and he releases the grip in time so that he does not get choked out. Bonfim does manage to claim side control in this position, until Dalby rolls all the way over and goes after a double. Bonfim latches his arms around the neck for a brabo choke setup, and he hops over to the back. Dalby deftly scrambles to get back to his feet, and he stands and pushes Bonfim to the wire. Bonfim welcomes him with an elbow, and Dalby throws back and continues plodding forward. Dalby maintains his suffocating pressure, and Bonfim shoots for a single that comes up short. Dalby comes up high with a pair of elbows, and the two start slugging it out. Dalby drives his knee on the chin a few times, and he ignores the strikes that belt him in the face so he can fire back fearlessly. Bonfim leans his back to the wall, and Dalby is on him like a cheap suit. Bonfim’s gas tank begins to fade as his body language starts to show he is struggling, while Dalby is ready and rearing to go for several more minutes. Bonfim drops to his knees for a single, and Bonfim shells up against the fencing as Dalby lays into him with knees and elbows. Bonfim lets loose with uppercuts, only for Dalby to completely no-sell them and further use his cardio and durability as a weapon. A ferocious knee in a series from the Danish fighter smashes right into the jaw, and Bonfim collapses to the canvas. Dalby finishes the job with a number of punishing left hands, forcing Herzog to step in and wave the fight off. “Danish Dynamite” has exploded, blowing up the massive favorite while detonating the unbeaten record of the highly touted Brazilian finisher.

The Official Result

Nicolas Dalby def. Gabriel Bonfim R2 4:33 via TKO (Knees and Punches)

Jailton Almeida (236) vs. Derrick Lewis (265)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Almeida (-485), Lewis (+370)

Round 1

Referee Marc Goddard better be ready for this heavyweight main attraction, because the judges can almost certainly take this fight off. For reference, the betting line that this fight ends inside the distance can be found anywhere from -3000 to -10000. Meteorically rising in the division is Almeida (19-2, 5-0 UFC), who has rattled off five finishes since joining the league in 2022. His foe Lewis (27-11, 1 NC; 18-9 UFC) celebrates equalizing power and can never truly be counted out, but it could be rough sledding in this style vs. style contest for “The Black Beast.” The sport is wild, and anything can happen. Before it does, the fighters calmly touch ‘em up. There is no flight from Lewis to start the fight, and instead he measures his distance early with a front kick. Almeida boots the Houstonian upside the head, and he drops down to snatch up a single. Almeida throws Lewis to the mat 30 seconds into the fight, and he lands right in side control. Almeida steps over into full mount, and he turns around to give up his back before taking a shot or two. Almeida searches for an arm-triangle choke, and he pulls Lewis away from the fence to set up the choke. Almeida presses his weight down to try to complete the choke, but Lewis fights the grip and frees his neck from submission danger for the moment. Almeida sits on top without a care in the world, and he hangs on as Lewis looks to toss him off the side. Almeida punches the chest and smacks Lewis with a left hand, and Lewis turns over and gives his back up again. Almeida looks to fasten a body triangle, but he cannot get his legs fully around the waist. Through sheer power, Lewis turns and stands up, and the Brazilian completely stifles his excitement by hitting an easy single and hopping right into mount again. Almeida slashes down with an elbow, and he lowers himself down to set up another arm-triangle choke. The Brazilian partially steps to the side to lock the move down, and Lewis keeps Almeida’s leg trapped between his own. Lewis attempts a sweep, and “Malhadinho” thwarts it and connects with some ground-and-pound. Almeida grinds his elbow down, and he stands up. Lewis follows him up, and he stops a takedown at the tail end of the round and elbows his man in the side of the head until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Almeida
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Almeida
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Almeida

Round 2

Hands are clapped to begin the second round, and Lewis fakes an uppercut to make Almeida think twice about a naked shot. Lewis jumps in the air to fire off a switch kick, and he misses by a wide margin. Almeida pump-fakes and eats a right hand on the side of the head, and he still manages to take Lewis off of his feet with a double and set him gingerly down to the mat. Almeida allows Lewis to turn to his side and stomach so that he can take the back, and he aims to flatten “The Black Beast” out. Almeida sits down on Lewis’ belly in mount, and he gets in short but effective strikes to irritate Lewis. Lewis turns over once more, and Almeida hangs on and drags him around so he can start fishing for a choke from behind. Almeida goes palm-to-palm for more of a face squeeze or neck crank than a choke, and Lewis does not show any cause for concern. Almeida attempts another face crank, at an awkward position with Lewis on his side, and Lewis no-look elbows the Brazilian in the face a few times. Lewis turns over and gest flattened out, and Almeida fastens another tight grip on the jaw. Goddard checks on the fighters to make sure there are no gloves being grabbed, and he tells Almeida that Lewis is grabbing his wrist. Almeida looks irritated, and then starts smacking Lewis in the side and head with elbows and the occasional punch. The strikes continue from “Malhadinho” until the horn blares, ending another dominant round in his favor.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Almeida
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Almeida
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Almeida

Round 3

Hands are clapped to start the third round, and Lewis is energized and ready to throw hands. Lewis fires off a few uppercuts, and Almeida gets shut down in a takedown attempt as Lewis hammers him on the side. Lewis nearly pushes Almeida over to toss him to his back so he can climb on top, but the Brazilian is savvy enough to slide around to put Lewis on the mat. Almeida steps into mount easily, and he starts working with strikes but is not doing much. Goddard tells them to keep working, and Almeida complains that Lewis is grabbing his gloves when he is just grabbing the wrist. An enraged, empowered Lewis muscles Almeida over and throws him over, and he proceeds to clobber his foe with a number of punches. Almeida tries with all his might to turn the tables, and he succeeds in hitting a sweep to dump Lewis to his back again. Almeida slices over to mount once more, and he appears just as exhausted as Lewis. Almeida manages to gather some steam and hack down with an elbow, but his own offense is practically zero as time ticks off the clock. Lewis turns himself over, and when he is about to fall into submission territory, he turns back about and gets punched in the face for his efforts. Almeida stands up and moves to side control when Lewis falls to his back, and he does nothing when holding the dominant position. Goddard tells Almeida to do something, so the Brazilian stands back and lets Lewis have it. A number of big right and left hands get through, forcing Lewis to shell up, and the round concludes with Lewis possibly saved by the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Almeida
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Almeida
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Almeida

Round 4

The championship rounds have unexpectedly been reached, and Almeida opens up with a leg kick. Lewis sees a takedown coming, and he blasts Almeida in the face with an uppercut reminiscent of when he knocked Curtis Blaydes’ block off. The strike does not connect cleanly enough to do the damage he hoped, and Almeida succeeds in completing the takedown and putting “The Black Beast” on the floor. Almeida goes into mount fearlessly, and as Lewis looks to bench press him off, the Brazilian hangs on and moves over to the side. Lewis’ subsequent explosion fails, and Almeida smothers him while trying to land a strike or two. Lewis turns over, giving his back up once more and allowing Almeida to maintain a dominant position. Almeida follows a barrel-rolling Lewis so he can keep the back control, and he gets both hooks in and thinks about a rear-naked choke. Almeida bails on it so he can get back on top, and he maneuvers himself into the mount position. Lewis shakes his body to make Almeida break his grip momentarily, and he turns to a knee with Almeida hanging on from behind. The stalemate continues until the round wraps.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Almeida
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Almeida
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Almeida

Round 5

Defying all expectations, the heavyweights have reached the fifth round for the first time in their respective careers. The two hug, totally exhausted. Lewis is more fired up than usual, and he walks Almeida down and slugs him in the face. Lewis hunts for uppercuts, and he succeeds in shutting down the attempt of his opponent in a wild exchange. Lewis bashes Almeida on the side of the head until Almeida turns the corner to get the fight down, and Lewis hops from one side of the cage to the other to stop it. Lewis keeps himself upright with the fence behind him, until “Malhadinho” decides to lift the 280-ish pound fighter off of his feet and slam him to the ground. Almeida leaps into mount, and he sits there. Goddard asks for more work, which has been an extreme oddity for a dominant competitor in the full mount position. Almeida presses chest-to-chest as he embraces the grind, and Goddard raises his voice to get them to continue moving. Almeida moves back to a partial mount as Lewis’ attempts to buck the Brazilian off all fail. With a minute to go, Lewis explodes back up, and Almeida doggedly pursues the single and throws Lewis down much to the delight of the crowd. Lewis turns to his knees, without absorbing a strike in the whole exchange, and Almeida is warned for grabbing the glove. Lewis stands with seconds to spare, and Almeida concludes the horrific, exhausting and totally one-sided bout by tossing Lewis to his seat one more time. Incredibly, the fighters have heard the final bell in this five-round slog, and they are not happy to have done this. The scores could vary depending on how many 10-8 rounds are issued for the Brazilian, especially in the earlier rounds, but the 50 on his side is practically guaranteed. It may be a moral victory that Lewis went the distance, and that he landed more significant strikes on his opponent than all four of Almeida’s past UFC foes combined. In his victorious post-fight interview, Almeida puts a capstone on his evening by calling out former interim champ Ciryl Gane. If that fight comes together, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Almeida (50-45 Almeida)
J.L. Kirven scores the round: 10-9 Almeida (50-45 Almeida)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Almeida (50-45 Almeida)

The Official Result

Jailton Almeida def. Derrick Lewis via Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-45)