PFL Challenger Series 5 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Helen Peralta (125.4) vs. Lisa Mauldin (125.2)

Round 1

Kicking off the female flyweights, long-time Invicta veteran Helen Perelta (6-3) faces Lisa Mauldin (4-3). Referee Marcos Perez gets the opening assignment. Peralta throws a very telegraphed overhand right and Mauldin easily ducks under and takes her down with a double-leg. Peralta throws up a very loose triangle, but Mauldin angles off, though Peralta continues attacking with an armbar. Mauldin is in an awkward position, having side control but with her head down and her arm continuing to be torqued. Eventually, she gets out and they resume in the full guard. Yet again, Peralta tries to attack with submissions and Mauldin is throwing nothing at all from the top. Peralta goes for another armbar which Mauldin avoids, though it's Peralta landing the odd strike from her back. Finally, halfway through the round, Mauldin lands an elbow to the body and a punch to the head. However, the action slows as both women throw small strikes that have little effect. Mauldin then lands a more meaningful punch with about 1:45 left. Mauldin then picks up Peralta partially off the ground and slams her a little. Peralta is suddenly doing very little, too. Peralta tries to get up but only succeeds in Mauldin getting to half-guard. She does little there and switches back to the full guard, where she lands a few punches and hammerfists as the round ends. Hard to score this.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Mauldin
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mauldin
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Mauldin

Round 2

Both fighters begin the next round cautiously. Finally, after over 20 seconds, Peralta throws a wild uppercut that isn't remotely close. Mauldin scores with a right cross soon after. Peralta throws an overhand right which misses but doesn't get her taken down this time. However, a second overhand right lands, though it does little damage. After Peralta throws an overhand right for a third time and misses, Mauldin again ducks down and gets an easy single-leg takedown. She soon finds herself in half-guard. Peralta tries to get some separation, but only succeeds in getting it to full guard. Mauldin postures up and scores with some solid hammerfists. Unlike round 1, Peralta isn't throwing up any submissions and is resigned to her fate on the bottom. Mauldin lands a few small punches and when she postures up, decides to go for Peralta's ankle. Peralta sits up and is able to get up along the fence with a minute and a half left. A strange decision by Mauldin, who never had any kind of submission there. Mauldin and Peralta exchange small knees in the clinch, with the occasional uppercut by Peralta, though nothing is hard. Mauldin is scoring a little better with knees to the body and uses a Thai plum with 20 seconds left to land one upstairs. Peralta returns a knee to the head in kind. They finally separate with 7 seconds but Peralta misses her overhand right attempts.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Mauldin
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mauldin
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Mauldin

Round 3

Mauldin throws out a few front push-kicks but none land to begin the stanza. Peralta misses a very odd and telegraphed jab. They soon clinch against the cage, with Mauldin landing a few small knees to the body. These lack power because she doesn't turn her hips into the strikes at all. Peralta is doing very little in this position, though, simply pushing Mauldin against the cage but not throwing strikes or trying to take her down. Mauldin continues landing knees to the body, and Peralta throws an occasional ineffectual punch. Eventually, Mauldin scores a nice hip-toss, landing in side control, scoring with a few hammerfists and punches. However, Peralta regains full guard with 3 minutes left in the fight. Mauldin now gets a little busier, landing a few punches now and then. She postures up midway through the round and lands one of her best sequences, as Peralta does little to avoid the punches, with her head flat against the canvas, a no-no. Mauldin throws some highly unusual knees to the glutes of Peralta. She soon gets back to half-guard and lands a few small elbows and punches. Sensing little resistance, Mauldin easily passes to mount and unleashes with a series of punches. Peralta isn't even trying to defend, awkwardly turning her head but continuing to take damage. The referee has no choice but to stop the contest.

The Official Result

Lisa Mauldin def. Helen Peralta via TKO (Punches) at 3:51 of Round 3

Maira Mazar (126) vs. Desiree Yanez (125.8)

Round 1

Up next, Bellator veteran Desiree Yanez (6-4) goes to battle against Invicta veteran Maira Mazar (8-5), moving up to flyweight from strawweight. Referee Larry Folsom will have the closest vantage point to the action. As soon as the fight starts, Yanez throws punches and uses them to clinch, pushing Mazar into the cage. Yanez works the takedown, throwing knees to the thighs while fighting for wrist control. Yanez scores with a knee to the body. However, Mazar gets herself off the cage. Yanez throws an awkward, straight-armed overhand right that misses, gets hit with a jab, but clinches again. They soon break again, with Yanez scoring with a right hand on the break. Mazar scores on a few light leg kicks. Mazar touches Yazar with the second part of a 1-2. Mazar now touches Yanez again with a right hand and then a leg kick. Yanez misses an overhand right, gets hit with a Mazar right cross, and then clinches yet again. They break, and after Yanez misses a few punches, they go right back to the clinch. Yanez scores with some dirty boxing with some effective uppercuts to the body. However, Mazar again gets out. Mazar throws a flurry of punches that misses but then scores with her best leg kick of the fight. Mazar partially lands with a front push-kick to the body and then dodges some punches. Mazar evades more Yanez punches and then lands another leg kick, this one more solid. She then lands another leg kick. Mazar lands a right hand and then another leg kick to end the round.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Mazar
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yanez
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Yanez

Round 2

They begin the round and Mazar lands a leg kick which instead lands below the border, which Yanez complains about and gets a brief period to recover from. Yanez clinches soon after they resume. However, it's Mazar who lands the knees to the body before they again separate at range. Mazar lands a jab. Realizing Yanez is doing little to dodge them, Mazar pops her with a second and then a third such punch. Yanez scores with a leg kick. Yanez shoots for a leg but Mazar easily stuffs it, though they end up clinching again. Yanez forces matters with a throw but it ends with Mazar on top, taking Yanez's back with both hooks in! Mazar lands punches as Yanez covers up. Yanez slowly tries to turn into her, and eventually, Mazar only has one hook in, but continues landing small right hands to Yanez's head. Yanez is doing little to reverse position, taking the occasional punch to the head. Yanez is breathing very heavily in this position. Finally, with 15 seconds left, Yanez escapes and as Mazar gets up, Yanez throws a crazy flurry of punches, with a few landing.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Mazar
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Mazar
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Mazar

Round 3

Mazar begins the final stanza jabbing. However, it's Yanez who throws a series of punches and lands a few left crosses. Yanez touches Mazar with an overhand right and Mazar touches Yanez with a right cross. Mazar then lands a couple of jabs, which she has had the best success with among her punches. Mazar lands a leg kick, but Yanez mostly lands with a 1-2. As Mazar is throwing punches, Yanez changes levels and barely gets the double-leg takedown as Mazar is on her back. Both women throw small, short strikes. Yanez is going for some sloppy, telegraphed right hands which Mazar avoids from the bottom. Mazar seems to be working for a triangle choke but that will be hard to do given how much shorter her legs are than Yanez's, and she never even gets off an attempt. Meanwhile, they trade small, short punches. Yanez has some success with short right hands to the body. Finally, with about 45 seconds left, Yanez shortens her right hands and lands a clean one to Mazar's head. Mazar is doing very little from the bottom, seemingly resigned to her fate, only throwing the occasional hammerfist from her back. Yanez lands more right hands as the fight ends.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Yanez (29-28 Mazar)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yanez (29-28 Yanez)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Yanez (29-28 Yanez)

The Official Result

Desiree Yanez def. Maira Mazar via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

Shanna Young (126) vs. Sandra Lavado (127.6: Missed Weight)

Round 1

Moving along, recent UFC veteran Shanna Young (8-5) looks to get back on the winning track against Peru's Sandra Lavado (11-3), who missed weight by a considerable 1.6 pounds. Referee Marcos Perez will keep them honest. Young begins the fight jabbing, with the second one getting through. Young scores on a right cross. Young lands a leg kick but she is exposed and eats a Lavado right cross counter. Young then lands a side-kick straight to Lavado's face, who doesn't avoid it in any way. Lavado reaches with a weird left hand of some sort which barely misses. Young again wades forward and Lavado again scores with a right cross counter. Young misses on a few kicks and then dodges a Lavado counter. Lavado throws a flurry of straight punches and a few touch Young. Young misses a few punches and yet again, Lavado has some success with her right cross counter. Young misses a 1-2 and this time, looks a little hurt when Lavado responds with a right counter to the head. Young now misses with a leg kick. Young scores with a leg kick. Lavado throws a 1-2 and the right cross stumbles Young a little. Young now clinches with Lavado against the cage. Lavado lands an uppercut to the body. Young gets an inside trip as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Lavado
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Young
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Young

Round 2

Young scores with a body kick to begin the round. Lavado misses on a few telegraphed left hooks. Young misses on a head kick and then a side kick to the body. Young changes levels and easily double-legs Lavado with over 3 minutes and 30 seconds to work with. Young is in the half-guard and tries to hit Lavado with some shoulder shrugs. Young continues chipping away with short punches, one after the other. However, she postures up way too much and Lavado gets up with a little over a minute left. Suddenly, Lavado lands a big right cross that clearly hurts Young. Then, she follows it up with a second one, again rocking Young. Lavado then hits a hard jab that again bothers Young. Young touches Lavado with an axe kick but then eats a 1-2. Very difficult round to score.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Lavado
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Young
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Young

Round 3

Lavado has her left hook blocked to begin the final stanza. Young runs right into a very hard Lavado jab that again has her visibly hurt. However, Lavado doesn't take advantage and allows Young to recover. Young decides she doesn't like the striking and easily muscles through another takedown with 3 minutes and 45 seconds left in the round, very similar to what she did in round 2. She is again in half-guard and chips away with some small punches to the body. Young then begins throwing the occasional small punch to the head as Lavado is doing little from the bottom. Lavado decides to go for a sweep, but she is nowhere near success. Lavado throws a few ineffectual hammerfists from her back. Young finally gets to side control with about a minute and 15 seconds left. Soon after, she spins to the mount and Lavado gives up her back. Young now begins pounding away with punches as Lavado is doing little to defend. However, Young allows Lavado to get up and Lavado reverses position and lands a few hard punches from the top. Now both fighters fight for heel hooks and kneebars. Young eventually gets up from the attempt and lands a few solid punches to end the fight.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Young (29-28 Lavado)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Young (30-27 Young)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Young (30-27 Young)

The Official Result

Shanna Young def. Sandra Lavado via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Kaytlin Neil (125.6) vs. Katherine Corogenes (125)

Round 1

In the main event, Kaytlin Neil (6-4) meets Katherine Corogenes (3-1). Referee Larry Folsom gets the final assignment of the night. Neil begins with a jab and front kick to the body, all of which miss. She touches her foe with a leg kick. Corogenes misses with a 1-2. Corogenes misses with a leg kick. She comes forward with a right cross but Neil retreats out of range. Neil throws a 1-2 of her own that is mostly blocked. Corogenes touches Neil with the same searching right cross and then uses it to clinch. Neil, however, is the one who turns her around and has the better position. Neil lands a few knees to the body. Corogenes lands some very small short punches to Neil's head. I'm not exactly sure from what, but Neil is bleeding badly from what appears to be her forehead. Neil lands a few knees to the body. Neil continues throwing the odd knee to the body and Corogenes continues touching Neil with punches. Neil lands a few small punches of her own. Finally, they break. Both women miss jabs and kicks. When Neil touches Corogenes to the body with a kick, Corogenes pushes her back against the fence. Again Neil reverses position and lands a few small punches as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Neil
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Neil
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Corogenes

Round 2

Neil starts the round striking, despite the massive cut over her eye she suffered. She touches Corogenes with a sidekick to the body and then lands a 1-2. She then touches Corogenes again with that same sidekick to the body. Neil paws her jab a few times but none of them land. Corogenes lands a right cross, her best connect of the round. However, she makes the strange decision to clinch and yet again, Neil reverses her against the cage. Neil lands a few small uppercuts to the body. Finally, they push one another off the cage and separate soon after, with 90 seconds left. Corogenes misses a jab but comes forward and eats a right hand. They clinch again but separate very quickly now. Neil misses a few jabs. Corogenes misses a few jabs as well. AN axe kick by Neil lands. Corogenes lands a leg kick. And then she lands another one. Neil lands another right cross. Neil lands a clean 1-2, perhaps the best connect of the fight. She clinches as the round ends and Corogenes is now bloody, too.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Neil
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Neil
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Neil

Round 3

Corogenes misses a 1-2 to begin the final round. Neil lands a side-kick to the leg. Neil touches Corogenes again with a roundhouse leg kick. Neil continues to paw with her very slow jab. Corogenes then pokes Neil right in the eye, the same one near where the cut is. Dirty? The replay shows her blatantly extending her fingers right into the eye. Larry Folsom has no patience for it and takes a point off, a decision I completely agree with. Corogenes tries to be aggressive with right hands, though none land. On the contrary, it's Neil who lands a 1-2 and then another right hand. Then Neil decides to clinch. Neil lands a short right hook on the break and Corogenes a right cross. Neil lands a leg kick and then partially gets a 1-2 through. Neil scores possibly her first jabs of the fight. Neil with another leg kick and Corogenes clinches yet again. Neil turns her into the cage again. Corogenes lands a knee to the body but Neil lands a right to the head as they break. Neil lands a 1-2 but Corogenes touches her twice with leg kicks. Neil lands a right hand. Corogenes clinches again but Neil instantly gets her off. Corogenes lands a leg kick and then eats a 1-2. Corogenes pokes Neil in the face yet AGAIN and is lucky she doesn't get more points deducted. Neil gains revenge with a nice 1-2. Soon after, she lands a head kick that has Corogenes moderately hurt, forcing her to clinch. Neil lands several knees to the body. Both fighters exchange short punches in the clinch. Suddenly, Neil gets a takedown with 30 seconds left and takes the back, locking in a rear-naked choke! However, Corogenes gets out and Neil makes the strange decision to get up. Neil misses a head kick as the fight ends.

Sherdog Scores

Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-8 Neil (30-26 Neil)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Neil (30-26 Neil)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-8 Neil (29-27 Neil)

The Official Result

Kaytlin Neil def. Katherine Corogenes via Unanmous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)