UFC 203 Prelims: Bethe Correia Spoils Jessica Eye Homecoming, Pockets Split Decision
Bethe
Correia brought out the boo birds.
Correia spoiled the homecoming of Ohio native Jessica Eye, as she eked out a split decision over the Last Stand Fight Team standout in the featured UFC 203 “Miocic vs. Overeem” prelim on Saturday (online betting) at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. All three cageside judges scored it 29-28: Derek Cleary and Eric Colon for Correia, Sal D’Amato for Eye.
Neither fighter seemed capable of seizing control. They spent a
majority of the three-round encounter trading right hands and
intermittent kicks to the legs and body. Eye (11-6, 1-5 UFC) was
the busier of the two for much of the first 10 minutes, tagging and
bloodying the Brazilian with a series of overhand rights and crisp
jabs. Correia (10-2, 4-2 UFC) saved her best for last, however, as
she staggered Eye with a right hand in the third round and spent
the closing seconds corralling her against the cage.
Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts rep Brad Tavares made a successful return to the Octagon, as he was awarded a split decision over Caio Magalhaes in a preliminary middleweight encounter. Judges Derek Cleary and Eric Colon scored it for Tavares, 30-27 and 29-28, while judge Rick Winter cast a dissenting 29-28 nod in favor of Magalhaes.
American Top Team’s Nik Lentz disposed of onetime Midwest Cage Championship titleholder Michael McBride with punches in the second round of their catchweight clash at 158 pounds. A short-notice fill-in for the injured Mairbek Taisumov, McBride (8-2, 0-1 UFC) bowed out 4:17 into round two.
Lentz (27-7-2, 11-4-1 UFC) punched into clinch range with rolling right hooks in the first round, executed multiple takedowns and let loose with his ground-and-pound before advancing to the back. It foreshadowed what was to come. Lentz withstood a sharp right hook from the UFC rookie midway through round two, lured him into a ground exchange and again settled in top position. He later climbed to the back and finished it there with unanswered punches.
The 32-year-old Lentz has recorded six wins across his last eight outings.
Yancy Medeiros submitted Octagon MMA rep Sean Spencer with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their undercard pairing at 170 pounds. Medeiros (13-4, 4-4 UFC) brought it to a close 49 seconds into round two.
Spencer (12-6, 3-5 UFC) had the fight to his liking through the first five minutes. The 29-year-old pestered Medeiros with his jab, occasionally doubling up on it, and mixed his strikes to the legs, body and head. However, the Hawaiian sent Spencer crashing to the canvas inside the first 30 seconds of round two, as he connected with a head kick and attempted a guillotine before transitioning to the back and cinching the rear-naked choke.
Medeiros, 29, has won four of his past six bouts.
Elevation Fight Team export Drew Dober knocked out Jason Gonzalez with first-round punches in a preliminary lightweight affair. A replacement for the injured Erik Koch, Gonzalez (10-3, 0-1 UFC) succumbed to blows 1:45 into round one.
Dober (17-7, 3-3 UFC) applied heavy pressure and eventually cracked the Octagon newcomer’s defenses. The 27-year-old Nebraskan clipped Gonzalez with a sweeping right hook that forced him to backpedal to the fence. Once there, Dober swarmed with lefts and rights until his counterpart collapsed face first to the mat. The last of his punches sent Gonzalez’s mouthpiece flying.
The loss snapped a six-fight winning streak for Gonzalez.
Correia spoiled the homecoming of Ohio native Jessica Eye, as she eked out a split decision over the Last Stand Fight Team standout in the featured UFC 203 “Miocic vs. Overeem” prelim on Saturday (online betting) at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. All three cageside judges scored it 29-28: Derek Cleary and Eric Colon for Correia, Sal D’Amato for Eye.
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Returning Tavares Edges Magalhaes
Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts rep Brad Tavares made a successful return to the Octagon, as he was awarded a split decision over Caio Magalhaes in a preliminary middleweight encounter. Judges Derek Cleary and Eric Colon scored it for Tavares, 30-27 and 29-28, while judge Rick Winter cast a dissenting 29-28 nod in favor of Magalhaes.
In his first appearance since May 2015, Tavares (14-4, 9-4 UFC)
entertained the Brazilian in a series of clinches, denied his
takedown attempts and struck in basic two- and three-punch
combinations when they separated. Leg kicks were also on the menu.
He turned up the heat in the third round, where he unleashed
multiple flying knees, and capitalized on a fatigued Magalhaes
(9-3, 4-3 UFC).
Lentz Sinks Newcomer McBride
American Top Team’s Nik Lentz disposed of onetime Midwest Cage Championship titleholder Michael McBride with punches in the second round of their catchweight clash at 158 pounds. A short-notice fill-in for the injured Mairbek Taisumov, McBride (8-2, 0-1 UFC) bowed out 4:17 into round two.
Lentz (27-7-2, 11-4-1 UFC) punched into clinch range with rolling right hooks in the first round, executed multiple takedowns and let loose with his ground-and-pound before advancing to the back. It foreshadowed what was to come. Lentz withstood a sharp right hook from the UFC rookie midway through round two, lured him into a ground exchange and again settled in top position. He later climbed to the back and finished it there with unanswered punches.
The 32-year-old Lentz has recorded six wins across his last eight outings.
Medeiros Head Kicks, Chokes Spencer
Yancy Medeiros submitted Octagon MMA rep Sean Spencer with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their undercard pairing at 170 pounds. Medeiros (13-4, 4-4 UFC) brought it to a close 49 seconds into round two.
Spencer (12-6, 3-5 UFC) had the fight to his liking through the first five minutes. The 29-year-old pestered Medeiros with his jab, occasionally doubling up on it, and mixed his strikes to the legs, body and head. However, the Hawaiian sent Spencer crashing to the canvas inside the first 30 seconds of round two, as he connected with a head kick and attempted a guillotine before transitioning to the back and cinching the rear-naked choke.
Medeiros, 29, has won four of his past six bouts.
Dober KOs Replacement Gonzalez
Elevation Fight Team export Drew Dober knocked out Jason Gonzalez with first-round punches in a preliminary lightweight affair. A replacement for the injured Erik Koch, Gonzalez (10-3, 0-1 UFC) succumbed to blows 1:45 into round one.
Dober (17-7, 3-3 UFC) applied heavy pressure and eventually cracked the Octagon newcomer’s defenses. The 27-year-old Nebraskan clipped Gonzalez with a sweeping right hook that forced him to backpedal to the fence. Once there, Dober swarmed with lefts and rights until his counterpart collapsed face first to the mat. The last of his punches sent Gonzalez’s mouthpiece flying.
The loss snapped a six-fight winning streak for Gonzalez.
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