UFC Fight Night ‘Dos Anjos vs. Alvarez’ Results: Play-by-Play & Updates

Alvaro Herrera vs. Vicente Luque

Round 1

Luque strikes first with an outside leg kick, but there’s little else to note in the opening minute of the bout. Luque gets zapped with a straight left counter to his next kick, but now the Brazilian is picking up the pace, attacking Herrera’s legs and body with more kicks. About two minutes in, Luque shoots for a takedown, but Herrera sprawls ably and keeps his footing as he’s backed up to the fence. Luque keeps working and eventually drags Herrera down to the base of the wall, where Herrera tries to post and stand while Luque drops punches from half guard. Herrera momentarily gives up on standing and closes his guard around Luque, but as soon as Luque’s offense drops off, Herrera springs to his feet. Luque closes the distance and scores another takedown before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Luque
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Luque
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Luque

Round 2

Luque goes straight after his third takedown, and he succeeds in planting Herrera on the canvas within the opening minute of round two. Herrera alternates between open and closed guard as Luque grinds away from the top, staying close as the Mexican fighter tries to kick him away. Herrera gets to his knees, then back to his feet, but he’s looking tired as Luque shoots in and takes him down yet again. With two minutes left in the round, Luque is dominating from top position, and Herrera seems to be fading rapidly. From half guard, Luque begins framing up an anaconda choke; when he passes to side control and adjusts the choke, Herrera is forced to submit.

The Official Result

Vicente Luque def. Alvaro Herrera via Submission (Anaconda Choke) R2 3:52

Reginaldo Vieira vs. Marco Beltran

Round 1

Vieira takes 30 seconds to wade into range, then muscles Beltran against the fence and deposits him on the ground. Beltran is quick to stand but can’t escape the grasp of Vieira, who stays glued to a single-leg shot and completes another takedown. Vieira tries to flatten out Beltran, but the Mexican fighter uses butterfly hooks to create space and scramble up. After being taken down once again, Beltran posts and stands to return to the center of the cage, now halfway through round one. Vieira dives for another takedown, but this time he’s kneed in the face for his trouble. Beltran is keeping his distance here in the second half of the round, hitting Vieira with range strikes, but it’s Vieira who gets the final word with a last-second takedown. Vieira returns to his corner sporting a nasty cut on his right eyebrow.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Vieira
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Beltran
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Beltran

Round 2

Beltran denies the first takedown attempt from Vieira and lands a few long punches while circling the edge of the fence. Vieira opts for a windmill approach and charges at Beltran with hands flailing, then drops levels for another takedown. Vieira lifts and slams Beltran toward the middle of the cage, but Beltran scoots backward and attempts to work his way up from the wall. Vieira stands over his prone opponent, looking to improve his position, but Beltran knocks him silly with an upkick. Vieira goes tilting to the ground and grabs for a desperation heel hook, but Beltran relieves the pressure on his leg as he sits up and spins to take Vieira’s back. In a flash, Beltran applies a rear-naked choke and squeezes tight, forcing Vieira to tap out.

The Official Result

Marco Beltran def. Reginaldo Vieira via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R2 3:04

Gilbert Burns vs. Lukasz Sajewski

Round 1

Burns stakes out the center of the cage and follows as Sajewski circles around the outside. Sajewski gets in the first good shots of the fight with probing punches down the center, but after a minute, jiu-jitsu ace Burns comes shooting for a takedown. Sajewski denies the shot and presses forward on “Durinho,” landing more solid punches which have Burns turning away. Sajewski lands a few more before giving up the pressure and allowing Burns to meet him back in the center. Burns throws a low kick targeted at Sajewski’s inside thigh, but the Polish fighter takes it square on the cup. Sajewski takes a minute to recover from the foul, and the fight is back on with about half the round remaining. Burns retakes his position in the center and steps toward Sajewski with a right, clipping him on the temple. Sajewski’s legs wobble as he tries to keep his footing, then he dives on Burns’ left leg for a desperation takedown attempt. Burns threatens with a guillotine but ultimately ends up pressed against the fence, where Sajewski switches from the leg to double underhooks. Burns separates with 70 seconds left in the round, dings Sajewski with a pair of punches on the fence and then takes him to the mat. Burns tries to climb on Sajewski’s back; his right hook is blocked by the fence at first, but he pulls Sajewski off the cage and secures back-mount with a body triangle. Sajewski fights off a rear-naked choke, so Burns throws his legs over the Pole’s face and peels off to the side, extending Sajewski’s right arm in a fight-ending armbar.

The Official Result

Gilbert Burns def. Lukasz Sajewski via Submission (Armbar) R1 4:57

Felipe Arantes vs. Jerrod Sanders

Round 1

Arantes connects with a pair of leg kicks in the first 30 seconds but stumbles when he tries to go upstairs. A glancing knee and a right hand from the Brazilian send Sanders shooting for a takedown, but Arantes sprawls all over the shot and forces Sanders backward to the fence. Arantes tries to turn the corner and jump on Sanders’ back, only to be swept underneath by the wrestler. With 3:30 on the clock, it’s Sanders on top, navigating Arantes’ rangy guard before passing to full mount. Sanders has plenty of time to work from the dominant position, but a minute ticks off the clock with hardly any action as Arantes ties up from the bottom. Sanders shifts back to half guard and drops a couple punches before Arantes reclaims full guard. Sanders is back in half with 30 seconds left and forces Arantes to cover up with a steady stream of elbows and left hands.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Sanders
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sanders
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Sanders

Round 2

Arantes backs up Sanders to the fence by threatening to strike, but before he can land, Sanders changes levels and plows him to the mat at the base of the fence. Sanders lands short left hands while he works from Arantes’ full guard. Arantes kicks him away, but Sanders kneels down again and continues to drop shots. With 3:30 left in the round, Arantes grabs hold of Sanders’ right arm, pivots on the bottom and extends the limb, forcing Sanders to tap out to a lightning-fast armbar.

The Official Result

Felipe Arantes def. Jerrod Sanders via Submission (Armbar) R2 1:39

Russell Doane vs. Pedro Munhoz

Round 1

Doane opens with a pair of hard front kicks to the body of Munhoz, followed by two left hooks up top. Munhoz’s stomach is marked up inside the first minute as Doane scores with two more stout kicks. Doane steps in to land a knee, another left hook, but Munhoz eats them. A slashing, standing elbow from Munhoz gets Doane going backward, and Munhoz chases him down for a trip takedown. Doane tries to stand, but Munhoz -- now bleeding from a cut on his hairline -- takes his back in the scramble. Munhoz spins around to the front, snatches Doane’s neck with his right arm and jumps guard with a tight guillotine choke. It looks at first as though Doane might be able to slam his way free, but after a few seconds of struggling, the Hawaiian taps out.

The Official Result

Pedro Munhoz def. Russell Doane via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1 2:08

Anthony Birchak vs. Dileno Lopes

Round 1

Both men switch between stances in the opening moments, but it’s Lopes who uncorks a right hand that sends Birchak stumbling backward. Lopes tries to blitz him with punches but quickly switches to the clinch, grapevining Birchak’s leg and trying to drag him to the floor. Birchak seems to have recovered as he blocks the takedown attempt and stuffs Lopes to the mat instead. Birchak drops a few punches but doesn’t control Lopes on the mat, and the Brazilian is able to drive forward on Birchak’s legs to complete a takedown. Lopes climbs on Birchak’s back, but the American calmly stands up and walks over to his corner. While Lopes fishes for a rear-naked choke with nearly three minutes on the clock, Birchak drives elbows into his opponent’s legs, trying to get Lopes off his back. Birchak succeeds in shaking Lopes and now stands over him, dropping punches to the body. Lopes rolls to his knees, then powers back to his feet and narrowly avoids a knee to the face. Birchak is coming alive now, tagging Lopes with hooks and stomping toward him with front kicks. Lopes changes levels for another quick takedown, then hops on Birchak’s back once again. Birchak stands and loses Lopes almost immediately, but Lopes stays glued to his back, holding Birchak against the cage for the final minute of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Lopes
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Lopes
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Lopes

Round 2

Birchak keeps his shorter opponent on the outside with leg kicks for much of the opening minute, though the southpaw Lopes finds his way through with a hard left hand down the middle. The bantamweights tangle on the fence, Birchak taking the outside position in the clinch. After a brief struggle, Birchak releases and pops Lopes with a good, short left hand. He pushes the Brazilian across the cage with a body kick, but Birchak leaves his guard down and allows Lopes to come back with a one-two. Lopes clinches up and brings the fight to the fence, only to be reversed by Birchak midway through the round. Birchak makes things uncomfortable by putting his forearm across Lopes’ throat. With 90 seconds on the clock, Lopes reverses to the outside and works for a trip takedown. Birchak continues to score with peppering punches in the clinch until Lopes underhooks his arms and slows the fight to a crawl. Lopes releases the underhook and tries to take Birchak’s back again, but the final 20 seconds tick away before he can get there.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Birchak
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Birchak
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Birchak

Round 3

Birchak looks the fresher of the two fighters as the final frame begins, throwing cleaner strikes than the suddenly plodding Lopes. The American shuts down Lopes’ first takedown attempt of the round, a double-leg shot from a mile out. It’s slow going here in round three; Birchak is sticking to the outside, landing the occasional long punch, while Lopes struggles to find a way inside. Birchak steps inside with a sloppy low kick and gets popped with a right-handed counter. Lopes gets backed up to the wall and grabs for Birchak’s legs, only to be denied again. Birchak is taking some shots here in the latter half of the round, but there’s not much pop behind Lopes’ punches at this stage. Birchak stuffs another shot and pushes Lopes against the fence. The Brazilian circles off and jogs away from Birchak, who walks forward with hands on hips. Lopes comes over the top with a left hand, but again Birchak seems unfazed. The bantamweights touch gloves in the center with 30 seconds on the clock. Birchak stuffs a double-leg, gets clipped with a Lopes left hand on the break. Just when it looks like the fighters might throw hands in the closing moments, both men stand back and put their hands on their hips as time runs out.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Birchak (29-28 Birchak)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Birchak (29-28 Birchak)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Birchak (29-28 Birchak)

The Official Result

Anthony Birchak def. Dileno Lopes via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30) R3 5:00

Mehdi Baghdad vs. John Makdessi

Round 1

The 6-foot-1 Baghdad crouches low as he steps forward on 5-foot-8 Makdessi, who moves fluidly in his wide, reactive stance. The fight is off to a slow start, with nearly half a round of pawing and range-finding. Both men land the occasional leg kick, and Makdessi catches a kick from Baghdad at one point but can’t do anything with it. Baghdad whips a right high kick over the shorter man’s head before Makdessi presses forward with a side kick to the body. The round still seems up for grabs with 90 seconds on the clock, but neither man looks to be in a rush to take it. Makdessi scores with a leg kick; Baghdad gets him back with a cross counter, then a low kick of his own.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Baghdad
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Baghdad

Round 2

It’s more of the same at the start of round two, with the lightweights keeping a healthy distance from one another while testing the range with strikes. Baghdad gets something going with a few leg kicks, a jab to the body and a kick to the breadbasket. Makdessi lands a push kick to the stomach and an inside leg kick. Still, there’s not much rhythm to the fight; both men seem hesitant to open up, with Baghdad slipping on a half-hearted high kick. Makdessi tries a flashy heel kick but Baghdad steps out of the way. More leg-kicking down the stretch, with Baghdad appearing to land the harder chops to the outside of Makdessi’s lead leg.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Makdessi
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-10
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Makdessi

Round 3

Baghdad connects with a right hand over the top just seconds into the round, sending Makdessi stumbling backward. Baghdad follows up with a clinch knee, then decks Makdessi with a left hook. The Canadian powers back to his feet while under attack, then jumps guard and wraps up Baghdad’s arms to slow the assault. When Makdessi threatens to throw up an armbar, Baghdad allows him to stand. The lightweights are back to striking in the center of the cage with 3:00 left in the fight. Makdessi is starting to open up now, tagging Baghdad with short hooks and leg kicks. Baghdad may be fading as he backs up and raises his guard when Makdessi pushes forward with more strikes. Makdessi sticks a right hand counter, makes Baghdad whiff on a kick and comes forward to pop him again. Baghdad shoots a long double-leg, but Makdessi sprawls all over it. Now, Baghdad tries to pull guard; Makdessi stands over him for a moment, dropping punches, but then follows him down to the floor for the final seconds of the fight.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Baghdad (29-28 Baghdad)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Baghdad (30-29 Baghdad)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Baghdad (29-28 Baghdad)

The Official Result

John Makdessi def. Mehdi Baghdad via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00

Mike Pyle vs. Alberto Mina

Round 1

Pyle and Mina get off to a slow start, with little action in the opening two minutes. When Pyle throws a leg kick, however, Mina immediately latches on to the limb and runs the veteran to the ground in the center of the cage. Pyle wraps up Mina from the bottom, slowing the action for the better part of a minute until the fighters are brough back to their feet by referee Jason Herzog. Mina bursts forward with a pair of hard left hooks, knocking Pyle backward and to the ground near the fence. Mina tries to capitalize but can’t connect through Pyle’s lanky guard, and they wind up in another stalemate on the floor. This time, Mina stays busy enough with short strikes to keep the fight on the mat. He allows Pyle to stand with 15 seconds on the clock, only to double-leg him back to the ground again. Pyle tries a last-second guillotine, but Mina wags his finger and rides out the choke until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Mina
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Mina
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Mina

Round 2

Pyle throws a high kick, gets tangled up and knocked to the ground, but Mina does little to capitalize on the position before Pyle scrambles back to his feet. Mina presses forward and catches another kick, forcing Pyle to turn around and dash away. As Pyle turns to face his opponent again, Mina lunges at him with a flying knee to the jaw. Pyle collapses to the ground immediately, and a few more punches from Mina are all that referee Herzog needs to see before rushing in to halt the fight.

The Official Result

Alberto Mina def. Mike Pyle via KO (Flying Knee) R2 1:17

Joseph Duffy vs. Mitch Clarke

Round 1

Duffy sends Clarke to the canvas with an overhand right in the first 10 seconds of the bout. Clarke drops face-first to the floor and flips to guard as “Irish Joe” stands above him, dropping punches. Duffy comes down to kneel in side control, then takes the back of Clarke as the Canadian tries to escape on the other side. Within seconds, Duffy has a tight rear-naked choke locked up, and Clarke is forced to tap out.

The Official Result

Joseph Duffy def. Mitch Clarke via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1 0:25

Alan Jouban vs. Belal Muhammad

Round 1

Muhammad presses the action early, marching toward Jouban with a few low kicks. One clips Jouban on the cup, but “Brahma” says he’s OK to continue. Shortly after the restart, a sweeping left hand from Jouban knocks Muhammad to the canvas. Jouban comes down to kneel in his opponent’s guard, but Muhammad rolls free and the welterweights scramble back to their feet. Muhammad pushes Jouban against the wall and double-legs him to the floor, and suddenly it’s Muhammad coming on strong, looping left hands underneath Jouban’s armpit. Two minutes in, the fighters scramble up and return to the center of the cage. Muhammad closes in on Jouban again and gets lit up with a left high kick to the face. Jouban follows his wounded opponent to the floor and tries to pound out Muhammad with left hands and elbows. Referee Herb Dean is watching from nearby but giving Muhammad every chance to recover from the bad spot. Jouban’s storm subsides, allowing Muhammad to work back to his feet with about 40 seconds on the clock. The 170-pounders paw with strikes in the final minute, but neither man lands anything of significance.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-8 Jouban
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Jouban
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Jouban

Round 2

Muhammad once again pushes forward on Jouban at the start of the round. Jouban looks a bit tired in his movement after expending loads of energy trying to finish Muhammad in the first frame. Jouban appears to catch Muhammad in the eye with an open hand twice in the first 90 seconds, but Muhammad doesn’t ask for a stoppage and Jouban apologizes immediately. Muhammad walks right into a big left hand from Jouban, momentarily knocking the UFC newcomer to the floor. Muhammad springs back to his feet and shoves Jouban against the fence with double underhooks. He switches to a single-leg but can’t wrestle Jouban to the floor, so the welterweights remain in the clinch, trading short punches inside. They split with 90 seconds on the clock and Muhammad comes forward again, his nose busted up from Jouban’s earlier shots. Jouban backpedals and keeps sticking his jab in Muhammad’s face as the final minute ticks down. Muhammad scores a late takedown and tries to attack but can’t do much before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Jouban
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Jouban
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Jouban

Round 3

Muhammad tries to close the gap by walking toward Jouban, but he winds up shooting for a takedown from way out. Jouban stuffs the shot and clinches with Muhammad, who turns him against the fence for a few seconds until they separate. Muhammad is showing some fatigue now, his hands dropping to his waist as he tries to get into striking range. Meanwhile, an equally tired Jouban stays on his back foot, fending off Muhammad with jabs, his back always near the fence. Muhammad is throwing with high volume and starting to connect with greater frequency, but Jouban is just eating every punch. Inside the final minute now, Muhammad is charging hard for the finish but still hasn’t managed to send Jouban to the mat. Jouban is still getting in a few licks, but he’s being badly outlanded down the stretch as he wobbles around the outside. Muhammad is still attacking with punches when the fight draws to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Muhammad (29-27 Jouban)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Muhammad (29-27 Jouban)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Muhammad (29-28 Jouban)

The Official Result

Alan Jouban def. Belal Muhammad via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-28, 28-27) R3 5:00

Derrick Lewis vs. Roy Nelson

Round 1

Lewis opens with a couple kicks to the midsection of Nelson, who stakes out the center of the cage to start the fight. Nelson runs at Lewis with a right hand, misses and winds up pressing the “Black Beast” against the fence. Lewis widens his base and stays vertical with the help of a cage post, while Nelson stays glued on and tries to wrestle the larger man to the floor. After a minute or so of inactivity, referee John McCarthy separates the big men. Lewis bursts forward with punches and a head kick, but Nelson changes levels and drives him to the mat for the first takedown of the bout. Lewis powers back to his feet and drills Nelson with a knee to the stomach, then follows up with two or three big uppercuts as Nelson tries to wheel away. Nelson gets hold of Lewis and pushes him against the fence again, slowing the pace with 90 seconds on the clock. Referee McCarthy breaks them up again with 30 seconds remaining in the round, and Lewis goes on the offensive with more big uppercuts. Nelson looks hurt, stumbling backward as Lewis attacks, but once again “Big Country” is able to wrap up his opponent for a takedown.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Lewis
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Lewis
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Lewis

Round 2

Both heavyweights are looking for the homerun shot early in the second stanza, but Nelson’s right hand pulls up short and Lewis’ is deflected. Nelson steps forward slowly while Lewis backs away, leading to an uneventful couple of minutes at the top of the round. Two minutes in, Nelson digs an underhook and shoves Lewis against the wall. “Big Country” gets the takedown and passes to side control, then leans right to left across Lewis’ body to frame up a kimura. While Nelson looks for the submission, Lewis rolls free and powers back to his feet. The escape is short-lived, as Nelson pulls him right back to the canvas. Lewis gets up again, only to be taken down again, and now Nelson puts his weight on his opponent from cross-side control. Lewis is back up again with only seconds to go, and he finishes the round swinging.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Nelson
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Nelson
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Nelson

Round 3

Nelson goes after an early takedown and succeeds in single-legging Lewis to the ground near the fence in the opening minute of the round. Lewis works slowly back to his feet but can’t escape the clutches of “Big Country,” who holds Lewis on the fence until he’s able to take him down again. Lewis gets up again, but Nelson stays stuck on him, throwing knees to the legs and body as they rest in a weary clinch. Referee McCarthy resets the fighters with just over a minute on the clock, and Lewis wastes no time in slugging Nelson with a right hand. Lewis follows with a kick to the body, closes in on Nelson near the fence and hits him with a pair of rights. Nelson wraps him up in a bodylock, but Lewis separates with 20 seconds left. Nelson gets caught flailing and eats a huge right hand, but it could be too little, too late for Lewis.

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Nelson (29-28 Nelson)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Lewis (29-28 Lewis)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Nelson (29-28 Nelson)

The Official Result

Derrick Lewis def. Roy Nelson via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00

UFC 155-Pound Title Fight:
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Eddie Alvarez

Round 1

Herb Dean is the referee for tonight’s 155-pound title bout. Defending champion dos Anjos takes the center of the cage to start the fight, jabbing his way toward Alvarez, who answers with a solid right hand. The lightweights paw at one another for a minute before Alvarez shoots for a takedown and gets sprawled upon. Dos Anjos keeps his jab in Alvarez’s face, denies another shot and then goes for a takedown of his own. Alvarez withstands the shot but gets tagged with a left hand on the break. A second later, Alvarez clips dos Anjos with a perfect right hook on the jaw, and suddenly the champion is on rubber legs. Alvarez swarms him, punching away with both hands, but he can’t find the button to knock down dos Anjos. Alvarez slips to the ground on a flying knee but powers back to his feet before dos Anjos can secure top position. Dos Anjos is still hurt, his back to the fence, getting lit up with punches as Alvarez tees off. An uppercut rocks the champion’s head, then a left hand, another uppercut. Herb Dean has seen enough; with dos Anjos no longer fighting back, the ref steps in to stop the bout, making Eddie Alvarez the UFC’s new lightweight champion.

The Official Result

Eddie Alvarez def. Rafael dos Anjos via TKO (Punches) R1 3:49