Frankie Edgar Marks Bantamweight Territory, Edges Pedro Munhoz at UFC on ESPN 15

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Frankie Edgar forced those intent on writing his career epitaph to put down their chisels and hammers a little while longer.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder marked his territory at 135 pounds, as he eked out a split decision over Pedro Munhoz in the UFC on ESPN 15 main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Scores were 48-47 and 48-47 for Edgar, 49-46 for Munhoz.

Neither man was willing to give ground in what turned into a war of wills. Edgar (24-8-1, 18-8-1 UFC) let his hands go in crisp, multi-punch volleys and routinely snapped back the former Resurrection Fighting Alliance titleholder’s head with straight rights and sneaky uppercuts. Munhoz (18-5, 8-5 UFC) answered with suffocating pressure, a thudding jab and a steady stream of leg kicks. It appeared to be anyone’s fight in the later rounds. Munhoz connected with more of the consequential blows, but Edgar often responded to one of the Brazilian’s shots with two, three and sometimes four of his own.

Rodriguez Blasts Reeling Prachnio

Lauzon MMA rep Mike Rodriguez wiped out Marcin Prachnio with a standing elbow strike and follow-up punches in the first round of their light heavyweight co-headliner. Rodriguez (11-4, 2-2 UFC) tied the bow on his victory 2:17 into Round 1, as he evened his record inside the Octagon and rebounded from his December knockout loss to Da Un Jung.

Prachnio (13-5, 0-3 UFC) wandered too close to the fire, and the consequences were predictable. Rodriguez trapped him in the Thai clinch, tore into him with knees and scrambled his circuits with a short standing elbow to the side of the head. Prachnio fell backward to the canvas, where he was met with a pair of devastating left hands that resulted in an immediate stoppage.

Still winless in the UFC, Prachnio finds himself on a three-fight skid.

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Solecki Choke Submits Hubbard

An ascendant Joe Solecki submitted former Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Austin Hubbard with a standing rear-naked choke in the first round of their featured lightweight pairing. Hubbard (12-5, 2-3 UFC) conceded defeat 3:51 into Round 1, as he lost for the second time in three outings.

Solecki (10-2, 2-0 UFC) forced a clinch along the fence, climbed onto the Elevation Fight Team standout’s back and secured his position with a body triangle. Hubbard staved off his initial advances, but the John Salter-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt continued to pursue the choke, snuck his arm underneath the chin and forced the tapout.

The 26-year-old Solecki will carry a five-fight winning streak into his next assignment.

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Dobson Upsets Favored Agapova

Elevation Fight Team’s Shana Dobson put away an exhausted Mariya Agapova with punches in the second round of their women’s flyweight showcase. Dobson (4-4, 2-3 UFC), who entered the cage as a prohibitive +800 underdog, sealed the deal 1:38 into Round 2.

Agapova (9-2, 1-1 UFC) largely controlled the first round with straight punches, a takedown and ground-and-pound. However, she hemorrhaged fuel in her bid to finish and had nothing left in the tank by the time the middle stanza started. She secured a takedown, only to be immediately swept. Dobson assumed top position and cut loose with punches until the job was done.

The win was Dobson’s first since December 2017.

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Rodriguez Rallies, Vanquishes Grant

Daniel Rodriguez waded through considerable difficulty to dispatch the American Kickboxing Academy’s Dwight Grant with punches in the first round of their welterweight feature. Rodriguez (13-1, 3-0 UFC) brought it to a close 2:24 into Round 1, as he pushed his run of consecutive victories to nine.

Grant (10-3, 2-2 UFC) dropped the Combate Americas veteran with a right hook and showered him with a sustained barrage of punches that brought him to the brink of a finish. Rodriguez somehow weathered the attack, returned to his feet and stepped up his pursuit of “The Body Snatcher.” Winded by his earlier efforts, Grant retreated to the fence in an effort to recover. Rodriguez decked him with a chopping left hook, allowed him to stand and sent him back to the canvas with a short right to the head. It was enough to prompt referee Chris Tognoni to intervene.

The loss closed the book on Grant’s two-fight winning streak.

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