UFC on Fox 18 Results: ‘Johnson vs. Bader’ Play-by-Play & Updates

Tony Martin vs. Felipe Olivieri

Round 1

Olivieri gets the evening underway with a low kick, checks one from Martin and gives the American another quick shot to the leg. The next kick from Olivieri takes the legs out from underneath Martin, though he pops right back to his feet. After absorbing two or three more kicks to the knee, Martin charges forward to clinch on the fence. He lifts Olivieri into the air and slams him down, then repeats the takedown after Olivieri posts and stands. Olivieri scoots backward to the fence, posts and stands again. Halfway through the opening round, it’s Martin working the outside position in the clinch, looking for a trip takedown. As he defends, Olivieri hits Martin with a couple hard elbows to the head and body. Martin tries to slam again, can’t get Olivieri off balance, and now referee Liam Kerrigan restarts the fighters in the center. Another heavy leg kick from Olivieri appears to hurt Martin, who comes shooting for a high double-leg takedown. Again, Olivieri keeps his balance and lands elbows to the side of Martin’s head. Olivieri scores with a clinch knee and spins Martin against the fence, then releases with about 30 seconds on the clock. Olivieri whiffs on a spinning backfist but catches Martin in the Thai clinch behind it to land a knee.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Olivieri
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Olivieri
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Olivieri

Round 2

Olivieri sticks to the outside at the start of the second frame, jogging away when Martin tries to trap him near the fence. Leg kicks continue to score for the Nova Uniao fighter, at one point sending three shots to Martin’s left knee in quick succession. Jabs are beginning to find the mark for Olivieri as well, despite Martin being the longer lightweight. Martin sticks a jab in Olivieri’s face and follows through with a straight right. Olivieri lands a left hook, jabs twice to the body and now attacks Martin’s right leg. The jab-right straight works for Martin again, this time opening a cut on the Brazilian’s left temple, but Olivieri comes right back with more chopping low kicks. Olivieri looks to be gassing slightly late in the second, holding his hands a bit lower and circling away to kill time near the end of the round. Suddenly, Martin begins teeing off with the range-finding jabs and follow-through right hands, and Olivieri has to initiate a clinch on the fence to recover before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Martin
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Martin
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Martin

Round 3

Martin wants to get back to punching while Olivieri looks to resume leg-kicking, but both men are coming up short in the first 30 seconds. The leg kicks start scoring for Olivieri after that, a couple hard shots forcing Martin to back up near the fence. It’s Olivieri in forward motion now, sending a hard right hand over the top. He covers up as Martin throws the jab-cross and then lands another leg kick. Martin shoots a high single, pushes Olivieri to the fence and switches to a bodylock to complete the trip takedown with three minutes left to fight. Martin threatens with a kimura, gets Olivieri leaning one way and then slips around to climb on his back. Olivieri rolls and nearly shakes him, as Martin loses one of his hooks. Martin reestablishes the position and slaps on a rear-naked choke which puts Olivieri to sleep almost instantly.

The Official Result

Tony Martin def. Felipe Olivieri via Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R3 3:02

Levan Makashvili vs. Damon Jackson

Round 1

Jackson comes out swinging big right hands, forcing Makashvili to back up near the fence. “The Leech” slips as he throws a kick, but Makashvili can’t capitalize before Jackson jumps back to his feet. Jackson eats a right hand and comes in to clinch, using over-unders to pin Makashvili against the fence and then delivering knees to the body. The featherweights trade positions, then trade again to put Jackson back on the outside, and the action slows as they engage in a protracted battle for position in the tie-up. Referee Gasper Oliver separates the fighters with 2:00 on the clock. Jackson takes another punch, shoots, can’t get the takedown and winds up holding Makashvili on the fence again. Jackson throws short knees while Makashvili throws short punches, neither man getting much force behind their strikes. Jackson drops levels in the final seconds and Makashvili looks to hit the switch, but time runs out.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Makashvili
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Makashvili
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Makashvili

Round 2

Jackson is swinging for the fences again at the start of round two, but Makashvili looks unconcerned as he slides around the edge of the cage, evading most of the American’s strikes. Makashvili stops in his tracks a few times to throw combinations, with mixed success, but he fends off another takedown attempt from Jackson up against the cage. Both men are fighting a bit wild here, both looking off balance as they attack. Jackson opts to clinch up once more but isn’t allowed to stay there long, as referee Oliver breaks it up quickly this time. Makashvili slips a few punches and then catches a kick under his left arm to sock Jackson in the face with three quick right hands. Jackson wants to clinch again in the last 30 seconds but it’s Makashvili getting the better of it with short punches.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Makashvili
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Makashvili
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Makashvili

Round 3

It’s Makashvili who comes looking for a takedown early in the final frame, but Jackson stuffs it and the 145ers wind up right back in the clinch on the fence. Both guys land some short knees to the legs and body before they’re split up by the referee for inactivity. Makashvili explodes into a quick takedown in the center of the cage but nearly gets his neck caught in a guillotine and has to bail out just as fast. Back to their feet they go with three minutes remaining. Makashvili puts a couple kicks on the body of Jackson to keep him at bay, but Jackson charges in to clinch anyway. Makashvili reverses him on the fence, drops down to try a high double-leg takedown, but Jackson underhooks the Georgian’s right arm to defend. Makashvili gets his arms around Jackson’s legs after a struggle and completes his second takedown of the bout. Jackson looks frustrated as Makashvili triangles his legs and tries to keep him trapped at the base of the fence. With 70 seconds left, Jackson posts and stands up, leaving one hand on the mat. Makashvili drills him with a knee to the face, and referee Oliver pauses the fight to allow Jackson to recover from the illegal strike. Action resumes after a warning to Makashvili, but almost as soon as it does, Makashvili catches Jackson with a finger in the left eye during an exchange. This time, referee Oliver takes one point from Makashvili. The doctor is called in to examine Jackson, who is cleared to continue. Makashvili dodges a high kick and some punches, shoots for a takedown and gets stuffed. Jackson may be looking for a late choke here as Makashvili runs him against the cage, but time expires there and this one will go to the judges for what could be an interesting decision.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 9-9 (29-27 Makashvili)
Brian Knapp scores the round 9-9 (29-27 Makashvili)
Chris Nelson scores the round 9-9 (29-27 Makashvili)

The Official Result

Damon Jackson vs. Levan Makashvili declared Majority Draw (28-28, 28-28, 29-27) R3 5:00

Matt Dwyer vs. Randy Brown

Round 1

Dwyer lands an outside leg kick but leaves his right hand low and takes a left hook counter on the cheek. It’s slow going between the welterweights in the first couple minutes of the fight, as the rangy 170-pounders take turns sliding in and out of range, testing the distance with kicks. Dwyer flicks out a jab and comes behind it with a hard overhand right, but Brown eats it and presses forward to land a body kick. The overhand right grazes again for Dwyer, then again, and Brown isn’t helping his case by leaning into the punches. Brown uses a push kick to the chest to back up Dwyer to the fence but doesn’t follow up. A few leg kicks connect for Brown in the final 30 seconds but his harder strikes all come up short.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Dwyer
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Dwyer
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Dwyer

Round 2

Dwyer presses in to clinch on the fence with over-unders, but he’s spun around by Brown. The fighters exchange positions a few times before they’re separated by referee Liam Kerrigan due to inactivity. Dwyer is looking to land that hard right hand again, but he has to settle for kicks to the leg and body as Brown evades him on the outside. Brown steps into range and clinches to deliver a couple knees, then pushes his opponent to the fence and reverses a Dwyer takedown attempt with a beautiful throw. Dwyer winds up on his knees and Brown tries to catch him in a D’arce choke, but Dwyer powers back to his feet. With 70 seconds on the clock, Dwyer grabs for a single-leg. Brown resists but eventually hits the deck when Dwyer switches to a double. Back up pops Brown, still held against the cage, but now he tags Dwyer with some quick right hands as he defends another takedown in the closing moments.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Brown
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Brown
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Brown

Round 3

Dwyer seems to retract after an apparent eye poke, but it’s not called by the referee and Brown blitzes him with punches up against the fence. Brown sprawls on a desperate takedown attempt from Dwyer, who turns the corner and tries to get on Brown’s back as he kneels. Brown peels off Dwyer’s hooks, stands up and turns the tables by putting Dwyer on his knees. Now it’s Brown trying to climb on Dwyer’s back, but Dwyer defends and escapes to the center of the cage with 3:30 remaining in the fight. Brown waits for a kick, catches it and uses the leg to run Dwyer up against the cage. The welterweights wind up in the whizzer, and then it’s Brown taking the outside position in a clinch on the fence. Brown throws a knee inside but it’s a low blow, and referee Kerrigan pauses the fight to allow Dwyer to recover. Dwyer is ready after only a few seconds, but he comes back out throwing wide, wild punches which Brown easily ducks underneath. A clinch knee from Brown seems to put Dwyer on unsteady legs, and Brown capitalizes by putting his man down with another nifty throw. Brown tries to hold down Dwyer with head-and-arm control, but Dwyer springs back to his feet and grabs for a single with 40 seconds on the clock. Dwyer can’t get the takedown and winds up pulling guard, but Brown pops back up. Dwyer is exhausted, swinging hard and looking for a homerun shot but it doesn’t materialize before time runs out.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Brown (29-28 Brown)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Brown (29-28 Brown)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Brown (29-28 Brown)

The Official Result

Randy Brown def. Matt Dwyer via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Alex Caceres vs. Masio Fullen

Round 1

Caceres puts a kick across Fullen’s body but misses as he follows up with a plunging right hand. The afro’d southpaw steps into the pocket with his hands down and eats a short, hard right hand from Fullen. A left hook scores for Fullen, but he’s backed up to the fence and caught with a few Caceres kicks. Fullen misses with a flashy spinning kick and Caceres clowns by wobbling a bit at the grazing shot. Caceres denies a clinch attempt and knocks Fullen backward with a spinning roundhouse kick. Fullen eats a left hand behind it and wobbles to his right along the fence. Caceres catches up with him and scores a pair of clinch knees before tripping Fullen to the floor. Back up pops the Mexican fighter, now to disengage with Caceres inside the final 30 seconds of round one.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Caceres
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Caceres
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Caceres

Round 2

Caceres comes out for the second round firing body kicks, but his roll is slowed by a Fullen counter right hand over the top. Fullen backs up Caceres with a spinning back kick, misses with a left hand but seems to catch the leaning “Bruce Leeroy” with a right straight behind it. Caceres gets back to moving Fullen around the outside, and now he’s able to find the mark with a couple hard, straight punches which split the Mexican’s gloves. Two minutes left in the round, and Caceres twice jumps into range to drive a hard knee into the body of Fullen. The featherweights tangle on the fence, Caceres on the outside, but nothing much comes of the position before they split. Fullen tries to turn up his offense but Caceres uses good head movement to slip and dodge. One more clinch finds Caceres on the outside, barely missing with a high knee aimed at Fullen’s face.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Caceres
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Caceres
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Caceres

Round 3

Caceres is keeping Fullen on his back foot through the first minute of the final period. There’s not much offense coming from either man, but the strikes that do land are coming from “Bruce Leeroy” in the form of single punches and kicks. Fullen sticks a jab and denies a clinch attempt from Caceres, who takes a few steps back and forces Fullen to cover up under fire from kicks to the head and body. Caceres steps inside, lands a clinch knee to the gut and smacks the side of Fullen’s head with a high kick on the break. A straight left scores for Caceres, knocking the off-balance Fullen to the canvas. Fullen powers back up, eating a few more punches from Caceres along the way, but he survives to hear the final horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Caceres (30-27 Caceres)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Caceres (30-27 Caceres)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Caceres (30-27 Caceres)

The Official Result

Alex Caceres def. Masio Fullen via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

George Sullivan vs. Alexander Yakovlev

Round 1

Yakovlev stakes out the center of the cage and moves Sullivan around the outside with leg kicks. Sullivan throws a kick in return and gets it snatched up by Yakovlev, who drags the American to the ground in the middle. Sullivan is back on his feet a few seconds later but can’t escape the grasp of Yakovlev and gets shoved against the fence. The welterweights break about 90 seconds into the round. Yakovlev hits a powerful takedown, lands in side control on Sullivan’s right and tries to take the back when Sullivan turns to escape. Sullivan punches over his shoulder, peels away Yakovlev’s waistlock as they stand up, and now they’re back to striking with 2:00 on the clock. Powerful kicks from Yakovlev continue to land on Sullivan’s lead leg and body. Sullivan walks toward Yakovlev, feinting and faking but not letting his hands fly. In a flash, Yakovlev lights up his opponent with a straight left-right hook combination, and that’s all she wrote for Sullivan. Yakovlev pounces and tacks on a few more punches, but the ref steps in to stop the fight as soon as he recognizes that Sullivan is out cold.

The Official Result

Alexander Yakovlev def. George Sullivan via KO (Punch) R1 3:59

Dustin Ortiz vs. Wilson Reis

Round 1

The flyweights trade leg kicks before a close-quarters flurry sees both men connect with clipping right hands. Ortiz sends a straight right down the center on the southpaw as they continue to bounce around the cage. Reis counters with a left hook as Ortiz tries to jab his way inside. Ortiz looks for a clinch, can’t keep hold of Reis and decks the Brazilian with a level elbow on the break. Reis swings and misses with a four-punch combination but shuts down Ortiz’s takedown attempt at the end of it. Leg kick from Reis, body kick from Ortiz, and Reis closes out the exchange with a left hook to the body. A right hook gets the attention of Ortiz, who backs up against the fence and drops to a knee as Reis shoots for a takedown. Reis switches to a bodylock, trips Ortiz to the ground and tries to jump on his back in the transition. Ortiz shakes him off but eats a right hook as they get back up. Reis sticks a straight left hand from range and a short right hook in close. He kicks the body and rips his leg back as Ortiz tries to keep hold. Ortiz denies a shot in the middle of the cage and makes Reis pay with a knee. Reis tries to run his man against the fence and gets shoved away. Ortiz shoots in the final 20 seconds, but Reis sprawls all over it and spins to grab a rear waistlock as they stand. Reis keeps the position and uses it to drag Ortiz to the ground once more just before the horn.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Reis
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Reis
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Reis

Round 2

Ortiz steps in to clinch and gets swept right back out with a Reis left hand which appears to stun the American momentarily. Reis sprawls on a takedown attempt and tries to repeat the sequence from the end of round one, but Ortiz escapes to his feet. The striking exchanges continue to favor Reis, but now he shoots in to close the gap on Ortiz near the fence. Reis gives up on the takedown after 30 seconds and takes a hard kick on the body from Ortiz as they separate. Ortiz scores with a straight right in an exchange but takes two punches from Reis in return. Halfway through the round, Reis gets Ortiz to the ground near the fence but cannot hold him there. Ortiz drops to his knees to try a double-leg, but Reis stuffs it, stands him up and executes a single of his own. Ortiz stands and escapes the clinch with just about 90 seconds on the clock. Reis times a kick perfectly, grabbing Ortiz’s leg and running him to the ground near the center of the cage. Reis jumps on Ortiz’s back and works for a rear-naked choke on his kneeling opponent as the seconds tick down. He switches to an armbar but Ortiz goes palm-to-palm and survives to see round three.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Reis
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Reis
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Reis

Round 3

Ortiz strikes down the middle with a hard right hand that leaves Reis wiping at his face. After 30 seconds of circling and coming up short with punches, Reis comes shooting and once again puts Ortiz on his knees. Reis tries to get the back again but Ortiz’s right side is blocked by the fence. Ortiz escapes to his feet and is instantly brought back down by the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Reis comes even closer to securing the back this time, only to be shaken off and allow Ortiz to escape to his feet. The flyweights are back to circling and striking with 3:30 left to right. Reis wants the fight back on the fence, and he forces Ortiz into defensive mode with a rear waistlock, hunting for a takedown. Reis gets the trip and this time it’s Ortiz’s left side which is flush to the fence, blocking the back-take. Ortiz pops up and trips up Reis in the scramble, bringing the Brazilian to his knees. Reis reverses straight away, holds a rear waistlock as they stand and drives Ortiz back to the canvas. Ortiz turns his back and Reis jumps right on, but this time, he’s not looking for the choke. Half a dozen heavy left hands fall on Ortiz’s face before he’s able to tie up Reis’ arm and slow the assault. With only seconds remaining, Reis concentrates on keeping hold of Ortiz as they stand, and he uses the bodylock to finish one final takedown.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Reis (30-27 Reis)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Reis (30-27 Reis)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Reis (30-27 Reis)

The Official Result

Wilson Reis def. Dustin Ortiz via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00

Kevin Casey vs. Rafael Natal

Round 1

The middleweights spend 30 seconds circling before southpaw Casey tries to wade into the pocket with a left hook. Both men swing and miss in a couple exchanges, but soon after, Casey decks “Sapo” with a straight left that has Natal shooting for a takedown. Casey denies the shot and stands up Natal to pin him against the fence with an underhook. They head-fight and grind in the clinch for the better part of a minute before Natal finally breaks away. Natal seems to take a finger in his left eye during an exchange but he tells Casey that he’s alright to continue. Casey sprawls on a double-leg shot in the center of the cage, only this time Natal finishes the takedown on second effort. Casey posts and sits up to his knees, then escapes to his feet. Natal tries a trip takedown but winds up on the bottom after the 185ers go bouncing off the fence. Casey can’t keep Natal on the floor but slugs him with a left hand in the transition. Casey walks down Natal and feeds him three hard right hands as time winds down, but the American leaves his hands down and is dropped with a counter left hook just as the horn sounds. Natal raises his arms in celebration, but referee Gary Copeland tells him that the round was over.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Casey
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Natal
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Casey

Round 2

Casey takes an inside thigh kick right on the cup in the opening seconds of the round, and referee Copeland pauses the action so the “King” can steady himself. Casey takes a minute and then comes back to fight, and he’s soon wobbled by another punch from Natal, this time a right on the chin. Casey springs back to his feet and tries to rush forward with a left hand, but Natal changes levels and takes him down near the fence. Natal works from Casey’s open guard, now 90 seconds into the round, grinding away with short punches. He passes to half guard, where Casey thwarts the offense by wrapping his arms around Natal’s body. Casey posts and scrambles up, then turns Natal’s back against the cage. Natal makes Casey pay for the position with a few knees to the body, turns him around and lands an uppercut-right hook combo on the break. Natal lands a pair of outside leg kicks from his back foot, then catches Casey’s leg and drives him back to the mat. This time, Casey closes his guard and appears content to ride out the last 40 seconds on the ground. Natal has other plans and gets busy with punches in the final 20 ticks. Casey throws up his legs, looking to snare Natal in an armbar or triangle, but nothing materializes.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Natal
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Natal
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Natal

Round 3

Natal explodes forward with a three-punch combination and plants a pair of right hands on Casey’s face. Both men look tired and are conserving energy with only short bursts of offense. Natal runs Casey to the ground with a long single-leg shot, and now the Brazilian passes to half guard on Casey’s left side with under three minutes on the clock. Short, pesky hammerfists come down from Natal as he works to advance. He steps over to full mount at the two-minute mark, nearly loses the position with an arm-triangle attempt but stays atop Casey after a scare. Natal is going for the finish now, unloading with a dozen or more heavy, accurate punches to Casey’s face. Casey is not fighting back; he’s trying to cover up, but not doing very well at that, either. Referee Copeland tells Casey to fight back, and when he doesn’t, the ref calls a halt to the bout.

The Official Result

Rafael Natal def. Kevin Casey via TKO (Punches) R3 3:37

Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira

Round 1

Cautious striking at the start of this lightweight bout, with Ferreira finally connecting with a good right hand before the southpaw Aubin-Mercier puts a pair of kicks on his opponent’s body. Aubin-Mercier slides into range with an uppercut and then backs out before the Brazilian can clinch. Ferreira rips Aubin-Mercier with a right cross but the Canadian eats it and slides backward, looking to counter. Another uppercut lands for Aubin-Mercier, but he takes a hard right hook in return. Ferreira misses with a spinning kick and Aubin-Mercier tries to tee him up, but Ferreira whips around and smacks Aubin-Mercier with a backfist, followed by a hook in a beautiful sequence. Aubin-Mercier goes for a clinch, can’t get it and then has a body kick countered with a Ferreira left hand. Ferreira fights off another takedown attempt on the fence, gets some space and comes back at Aubin-Mercier with a step-in knee. Ferreira holds Aubin-Mercier on the fence with a quick clinch near the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Ferreira
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Ferreira
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ferreira

Round 2

Ferreira catches a kick from the “Quebec Kid” and runs him to the ground, then tries to keep hold as Aubin-Mercier springs back to his feet. Aubin-Mercier escapes and circles away, and now the lightweights are back to exchanging in the center. Ferreira goes body-head with a pair of punches and then slaps the retreating Aubin-Mercier’s face with a right high kick. Two minutes in, Aubin-Mercier steps in to clinch and gets a trip takedown, but Ferreira is back up within seconds. Ferreira’s hands are flying now, cracking Aubin-Mercier with a straight right in a close exchange. Aubin-Mercier answers with an uppercut, only to be decked back with three fast punches from the Brazilian. Aubin-Mercier goes up top with a left high kick which lands but catches Ferreira leaning the same way. Ferreira finds another uppercut, eats a straight right. Both men stick right hands at the exact same time, and then they do it again. Ferreira bursts forward, whirling at Aubin-Mercier with punches and backfists but they pull up short.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Aubin-Mercier
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Ferreira
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ferreira

Round 3

Ferreira looks for a takedown with an early bodylock; Aubin-Mercier keeps his footing and catches Ferreira with a right hand in the exchange. Aubin-Mercier lands his lead uppercut again but takes a left hand to the face in return. The Canadian catches a kick and drives Ferreira to the ground, then stands up and allows Ferreira to do the same after being threatened with an omoplata. Aubin-Mercier slugs his way into range with another uppercut, quickly trips Ferreira to the floor but loses the position to a fast sweep. Ferreira attaches himself to Aubin-Mercier’s back and looks for the rear-naked choke, trying to slip his right arm underneath Aubin-Mercier’s chin. Aubin-Mercier protects his neck well, so Ferreira comes off the back and transitions to side control on the right. Ferreira drops a few hard elbows on Aubin-Mercier’s face, then a couple punches. Aubin-Mercier tries to sit up and gets his back taken again with about 90 seconds left to fight. Aubin-Mercier tries to lock down Ferreira’s arms, but Ferreira gets his left hand free to land a few punches. Ferreira has secured back-mount with a body triangle and continues to peck away at Aubin-Mercier with punches as the final seconds wind down.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Ferreira (29-28 Ferreira)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-8 Ferreira (30-26 Ferreira)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Ferreira (30-27 Ferreira)

The Official Result

Carlos Diego Ferreira def. Olivier Aubin-Mercier via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Tarec Saffiedine vs. Jake Ellenberger

Round 1

Ellenberger swings a couple hard hooks to open the fight, deflected by Saffiedine’s high guard. Saffiedine slides back and catches Ellenberger coming in to clinch up, then drives a pair of knees to the body of the “Juggernaut.” Ellenberger doesn’t come away from the clinch empty-handed, as a few short hooks and inside uppercuts seem to sneak through. Ellenberger steers clear of Saffiedine’s quick jabs as he tries to walk down the southpaw. A right hook gets across for Ellenberger but he pays for it with a hard leg kick. Saffiedine sticks a long jab, then backpedals as Ellenberger swings hard. A failed clinch from Saffiedine leads to a massive right hook from Ellenberger, and now “The Sponge” looks hurt. Ellenberger either opts to stay measured or doesn’t notice, since he lets Saffiedine off the hook and doesn’t follow up. Saffiedine seems to have regained his composure as they fight inside the final minute of round one, sticking a jab in Ellenberger’s face and following with a left hook.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Ellenberger
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine

Round 2

Ellenberger presses forward at the horn but has to back up after a Saffiedine jab bounces off his temple. He tries to find another hard strike at the end of a short clinch; Saffiedine is hip to it this time and escapes without damage. The jabs keep coming from Saffiedine, landing on Ellenberger’s reddened nose or lumped-up left eye. Ellenberger gets the Belgian’s attention with a left hook, though his single strikes are coming up empty more often than not midway through the round. Saffiedine gets hold of a leg and tries to sweep the other but he can’t hit the trip. In the next tie-up, Saffiedine lands a low blow while throwing a knee inside. Ellenberger recovers quickly from the foul, and the welterweights are back at it with under a minute to fight. Saffiedine lands the back end of a double jab which leaves Ellenberger swinging wild with an overhand right. Ellenberger explodes into a takedown with 15 seconds on the clock. Saffiedine springs back up and finishes the round on his feet.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine

Round 3

Saffiedine’s long jabs and high kicks keep Ellenberger out of range for the opening minute, but after that, the Nebraskan makes his way inside for a clinch on the fence. Nothing much happens there before the welterweight disengage, and now it’s back to Saffiedine jabbing and leg-kicking, circling away when his back gets too near the fence or Ellenberger lobs a bomb in his direction. A particularly hard jab snaps back Ellenberger’s head, and he flinches at the threat of another. He tries to blitz Saffiedine and winds up running against the cage as the “Sponge” slips sideways. They tie up with 90 seconds remaining and Saffiedine turns Ellenberger’s back against the fence. Saffiedine scores with a few knees inside before being reversed. The moment Ellenberger drops to try a single-leg, Saffiedine spins and jumps on his back. With one hook in, Saffiedine tries to finish with a neck crank. The kneeling Ellenberger peels away his opponent’s hands and scrambles back to his feet. Saffiedine fends off a late takedown attempt but winds up on rubber legs at the final horn after Ellenberger clips him with a final left hook.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine (29-28 Saffiedine)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine (30-27 Saffiedine)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Saffiedine (30-27 Saffiedine)

The Official Result

Tarec Saffiedine def. Jake Ellenberger via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Sage Northcutt vs. Bryan Barberena

Round 1

Northcutt takes 30 seconds before exploding forward with a barrage of straight, hard punches which backs up Barberena to the fence. Barberena clinches up, spins the Texan against the cage and disengages, and now the welterweights come back to the center. Ninety seconds in, an off-balance Barberena is knocked to the ground by a deflected right hand, but he comes right back up to press “Super Sage” against the cage. Northcutt reverses and changes levels, quickly flooring Barberena and looking to jump on his back. Barberena stands up and shakes off Northcutt’s hooks, but the teenager lands a couple hard punches as they separate. A straight right hand bloodies Barberena’s face, and Northcutt shoots in behind it to complete a quick takedown on the fence. Barberena gets back to his feet, blood leaking into his left eye, and digs an underhook to throw Northcutt to the ground. Northcutt, with an arm across his neck, kicks away Barberena and leaps back to his feet, where the welterweights finish the round throwing hands.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Northcutt
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Northcutt
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Northcutt

Round 2

Northcutt whiffs on a right hand and falls to the ground; as he does, he plants a hand and whips his right leg behind him to clip Barberena with a rolling kick. Barberena comes down to set up in Northcutt’s open guard and works the youngster’s face with some grinding elbow strikes. Barberena feeds his opponent a couple heavier elbows as he passes to half guard on Northcutt’s left side. Barberena leans across the body and frames up an arm-triangle choke, trapping Northcutt’s head and right arm. Barberena is trapped in Northcutt’s half guard, but the choke looks tight and he may be able to finish. He bears down and, after a moment’s hesitation, Northcutt taps out. Bryan Barberena, on eight days’ notice, has derailed the Sage Northcutt hype train with a second-round submission victory.

The Official Result

Bryan Barberena def. Sage Northcutt via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) R2 3:06

Iuri Alcantara vs. Jimmie Rivera

Round 1

The southpaw Alcantara strikes first with a step-in knee which clips the smaller fighter. Rivera retaliates with a leg kick, misses with the spinning backfist behind it. A quick exchange in the pocket sees Alcantara score with a standing elbow and a short right hook. Rivera, working from the middle, moves Alcantara around the outside and finds a home for a straight right hand. Halfway through the round and nothing has been decided between the bantamweights. Rivera scores with a hard right hook buut Alcantara slips backward to evade further damage. “Marajo” flashes a high kick up the center, trying to keep Rivera at bay as the Tiger Schulmann pupil walks him toward the fence. Alcantara dashes over to the other side of the cage, where Rivera joins him to deliver a right hand to the body. A finger from Alcantara’s outstretched hand pokes Rivera in the eye, and Alcantara calls his own foul. Rivera says he can continue and comes back to finish the round with an explosive takedown in the middle.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Rivera
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Rivera
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Rivera

Round 2

Alcantara tries to take the center of the cage at the start of the frame, but he’s soon pushed backward by the more active Rivera, and now the bantamweights resume their motions from round one. Rivera catches Alcantara up against the cage and blasts him with a pair of left hooks before backing out. Rivera throws three or four punches in an exchange but only seems to land a right hook, while Alcantara comes away with an outside leg kick. Halfway through the period, Rivera digs an underhook and puts Alcantara’s back against a cage post. They stay there for a minute, not doing much, until referee Liam Kerrigan separates them. Rivera gets backed up with a push kick, tries a takedown and abandons it to deck Alcantara with a left hook. A straight left on the chin sends the American to his seat, but he springs back up and drives on Alcantara’s legs to complete a fast and hard takedown. Alcantara posts and gets to one knee, where he has to slowly work his way up to prevent Rivera from taking his back.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Rivera
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Rivera
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Rivera

Round 3

Alcantara gets backed up to the fence and fed a right straight which gets his attention. Rivera is throwing with bad intentions, digging a right hook into Alcantara’s body but coming up short with the follow-up left. Alcantara twice fakes a kick, then throws it and gets it caught. Rivera trips his man to the ground and slugs him with a punch on the floor before Alcantara is able to spring up again. Three minutes remain in the fight and both men still appear fresh enough that one hard punch could change things. Alcantara thumps the liver side of Rivera’s body with a nice left round kick. Rivera takes a left hook on the ear and gives one back to Alcantara in a fair trade. Inside the final minute, a long, straight left hand on the jaw puts Rivera on his backside again. He seems unfazed, though, as he hops back up and drives Alcantara against the cage, hunting for a late takedown. With seconds remaining, Rivera lets go of the leg and goes bananas with one last barrage of punches, forcing Alcantara to cover up on the fence.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Alcantara (29-28 Rivera)
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Alcantara (29-28 Rivera)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Rivera (30-27 Rivera)

The Official Result

Jimmie Rivera def. Iuri Alcantara via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Josh Barnett vs. Ben Rothwell

Round 1

Rothwell waves his right hand in Barnett’s face and tries to flash a sneaky left straight behind it, but Barnett backs away from the early strikes. As Rothwell continues to press forward and feint, Barnett comes over the top with a right hand to the jaw and follows with a jab moments later. Single jabs continue to land for Barnett, but there’s no volume coming from either of the big men here in the first two minutes. Rothwell’s nose seems to have a small cut already from Barnett’s jab work. Rothwell puts a couple left hooks on Barnett’s body and just misses with an uppercut. Barnett ducks under a hook, gets driven against the cage but escapes without damage. Another jab snaps back Rothwell’s head, and now “Big Ben” starts jawing at Barnett. A quick three-punch combo connects for Rothwell, finished with a leg kick. Barnett stays behind his jab and away from Rothwell’s hands as the final seconds tick down.

Sherdog Scores

Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Barnett
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Barnett
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Barnett

Round 2

Barnett wraps up Rothwell with over-unders and pushes him against the fence, but Rothwell doesn’t want the clinch and punches his way free. Rothwell is mixing some leg kicks in with his punches here in the early part of the middle round, prompting Barnett to go back to the legs as well. Rothwell works from the middle, moving Barnett clockwise around the edge of the cage. Barnett whiffs on a big overhand right, resets and dodges a whipping right high kick. Barnett is still landing his jab, but now Rothwell is eating them in order to land harder right hands on the leaning Barnett’s face. “The Warmaster” ducks under a punch and grabs Rothwell’s left leg to try a single-leg takedown on the fence. Rothwell catches Barnett’s exposed throat with what looks like a 10-finger guillotine and drags the catch wrestler to the ground by his neck. They hit the ground and Rothwell squeezes the modified guillotine choke; Barnett is already at a bad angle, and he’s forced to tap out within seconds.

The Official Result

Ben Rothwell def. Josh Barnett via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R2 3:48

Anthony Johnson vs. Ryan Bader

Round 1

Keith Peterson is the referee for tonight’s 205-pound main event, which is scheduled for five rounds. Bader dives for Johnson’s left leg from five feet away, but “Rumble” sprawls on the shot and tries to turn the corner to take Bader’s back. Bader leans to his left and works to secure a kimura on Johnson’s right arm; while he’s doing that, Johnson works his way into full mount. As soon as Bader releases the arm, Johnson starts landing heavy right hands, thumping away with half a dozen shots while the belly-down Bader tries to cover up. Johnson throws one left hand on the other side and Bader never sees it coming. It puts the wrestler to sleep and sends referee Peterson in for the stoppage, and Anthony Johnson has collected another knockout.

The Official Result

Anthony Johnson def. Ryan Bader via KO (Punches) R1 1:26