UFC 288 ‘Sterling vs. Cejudo’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Joseph Holmes (189: Missed Weight) vs. Claudio Ribeiro (185)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ribeiro (-175), Holmes (+150)

Round 1

The UFC plants its proverbial flag back in the Garden State this weekend with a dozen fights culminating with a terrific title fight on top. Whether the event is worth $85 or not, that is for the fans to decide. This hopefully action-packed lineup begins with a 189-pound catchweight contest, between two fighters that celebrate 100% finish rates. The rear-naked choke aficionado Holmes (8-3, 1-2 UFC) clocked in three pounds heavy for his match with iron-fisted Brazilian Ribeiro (10-3, 0-1 UFC), and sparks will soon fly when they collide. Referee Gary Copeland may be needed in the blink of an eye, while judges might be able to sit this one out. Before the opening match commences, the fighters bump fists. Holmes leads off with a number of low kicks and stomp kicks to the knee of the Brazilian, who lunges towards him. Holmes strings together a one-two that catches Ribeiro surprised, and he tackles Ribeiro to the floor with his sheer momentum. Ribeiro stands up and jams Holmes up against the wire, slowing things down until Holmes turns him around. Holmes hunts for trips when not throwing knees, and he pursues a body lock takedown that is unsuccessful. Ribeiro keeps his balance and leans up against the wall and fights off another attempt, forcing Holmes to drop down and attack a double-leg entry. Ribeiro stands him up, and the active crowd lets the fighters have it with a shower of boos due to the clinching and grappling. Holmes hunts for a single-leg but cannot lift solid Ribeiro off the floor. Ribeiro escapes, and the fighters resume at kickboxing range much to the delight of the fans. Holmes looks to hop back away from a calf kick, but Ribeiro throws it so hard he knocks Holmes clean off his feet with one powerful blow. Holmes scoots back to his feet, and Ribeiro bears down on him and drills him with a few looping punches. With Holmes reeling, Ribeiro’s pressure allows him to scoop Holmes up and deposit him to the floor, much to the surprise of “Ugly Man Joe” – this is his nickname, and not a slight from the play-by-play team. Holmes attempts to turn the tables with a single, but Ribeiro bowls him over and steps into three-quarter mount. Ribeiro practically falls into mount with 20 seconds to go, and he slams a few right hands into Holmes’ head until Holmes turns over. Ribeiro pummels his man with a series of devastating punches, but Holmes barely manages to survive the onslaught and hear the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ribeiro

Round 2

Holmes appears to have gotten his sea legs back beneath him after the late pounding from the Brazilian, and he attempts to spring back away from the advancing Ribeiro when they start off the round. Ribeiro reaches him with another whipping leg kick, and he uses the heavy blow to push Holmes back to the fence and club him with shots. Holmes manages to tie him up to stop the fists from meeting his face, and the crowd immediately voices its disapproval – they appear to be quite hungry for violence and carnage tonight. The stalemate in the clinch continue until Ribeiro can get some space and push off, and he resets. Holmes is tentative to engage with his opponent, and Ribeiro winds up on bombs but does not actually throw anything of his own. Holmes lets go with a leg kick, and he is able to slide back from one big right hand but not the second from the Brazilian. “Ugly Man Joe” keeps his wits about him, bending over with his back to the wall, and Ribeiro unloads a knee right on his chin that sends him crumpling to the canvas. Ribeiro sits down on top of his fallen foe, and he beats on him like a rented mule until Holmes turns to his side. Copeland watches on closely, and Ribeiro is not going to let the Texan off the hook. As relentless sledgehammers drop down on the defeated Holmes, Copeland steps in to call the fight, and Ribeiro has retained his 100% career knockout rate in victory.

The Official Result

Claudio Ribeiro def. Joseph Holmes R2 3:21 via TKO (Punches)

Ikram Aliskerov (186) vs. Phil Hawes (185)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Aliskerov (-210), Hawes (+180)

Round 1

On home soil for the first time in his career, Hawes (12-4, 4-2 UFC) will have the full support of the New Jersey crowd at his back for this middleweight tilt. He welcomes Dagestan’s Aliskerov (13-1, 0-0 UFC) to the Octagon in this preliminary affair, and finish rates of 69% or higher for the two men means that referee Gasper Oliver could be busy. There is a sporting glove touch, and Hawes leads the dance with a jab and a low kick. When Aliskerov looks to counter, Hawes goes over the top with a pair of sharp punches. Hawes jabs at the body and ignores one coming back at him so that he can let loose a high body kick. Hawes swings and misses with a few fastballs, and he cannot get out of the way from a leg kick from the Dagestan-based fighter. Hawes retaliates with one of his own, and he doubles up on it. When Aliskerov advances, Hawes greets him with a right hand over the top and a slamming kick to the liver. Hawes bears down on his man, sensing he might have some damage with the combo, and he repeats it to decent effect. Aliskerov backs off, and Hawes is on him with another ripping kick to the body. Aliskerov cracks his foe with a three-punch salvo, but Hawes gives him a couple punches right back. Hawes throws a body kick, and Aliskerov slips and drops to his knee. Aliskerov lets him back up, and the two start brawling. Aliskerov sneaks a head kick up that stings Hawes, and Aliskerov looks to follow it with a slashing elbow. When Hawes dips down, the Dagestan native fires off a piston-like one-two that crashes perfectly into the chin of “No Hype,” and Hawes is out cold before he hits the canvas. Knowing his work here is done, Aliskerov does not follow his wrecked opponent to hammer any nails. What a way to make your UFC debut, posterizing out a solid fighter with a blistering blow. Aliskerov maximizes his time on the microphone, calling out the heavily hyped Bo Nickal, while claiming that Nickal needs to take on someone from Dagestan.

The Official Result

Ikram Aliskerov def. Phil Hawes R1 2:10 via KO (Punches)

Parker Porter (249) vs. Braxton Smith (262)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Porter (-170), Smith (+145)

Round 1

The lone obligatory heavyweight slobberknocker of the night is not on the main card, but instead is relegated to the early preliminary headliner. With all six of his pro appearances ending by knockout, win or lose, “The Beautiful Monster” Smith (5-1, 0-0 UFC) would like nothing more than to unleash his inner monster on Connecticut native Porter (12-8, 3-3 UFC). The big men do not touch ‘em up before trading, and jacked referee Gary Copeland steels himself for what is about to come next. Smith starts off with a body kick and a jab, and he lumbers forward with a huge overhand right. Porter tanks it and comes forward with his own jab, and he gets caught with a looping shot from the newcomer. Porter throws a big punch back at him, and he considers a level change but is shoved back. Smith sneaks in with crafty footwork and unleashes a bomb of a right hand, and Porter dodges it and gets off a jab and a right. Smith blasts his foe in the face with few heavy hands, and Porter replies in hind. Porter flicks out a jab, and he catches Smith with a knee to the midsection. Smith drops down, possibly hurt or potentially fatigued after less than two minutes of combat, and he looks for a desperation takedown. Porter lowers himself down to push Smith to his back, and he drops bombs on the flagging Smith while sliding into mount. Porter, fresh as a daisy, continues his bombardment, and Copeland asks Smith to fight back. As Porter keeps beating down the newcomer, Copeland steps in, and Porter is back in the win column while recording his first stoppage inside the Octagon.

The Official Result

Parker Porter def. Braxton Smith R1 2:10 via TKO (Punches)

Virna Jandiroba (115) vs. Marina Rodriguez (115)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rodriguez (-140), Jandiroba (+120)

Round 1

An all-Brazil top-10 strawweight clash kicks off the ESPN prelims, when muay Thai striker Rodriguez (16-2-2, 6-2-2 UFC) collides with slick submission grappler Jandiroba (18-3, 4-3 UFC). A lot is on the line in this 115-pound pairing, as the division is still in flux and the champion Weili Zhang has no return or opponent in sight. The ladies bump fists before engaging, as referee “Shaolin” Vitor Ribeiro watches on. The ladies do little to engage until Jandiroba surges forward to snatch up a single and throw Rodriguez on her back. Rodriguez lands on her seat and leans back against the cage, and the crowd grows restless as Jandiroba secures top position and slowly slithers into a better posture. Rodriguez posts off her right arm to free up one of her legs, and this allows Jandiroba to claim back control with three minutes left in the round. Rodriguez turns to her back to defend from a potential submission setup, and Jandiroba elects to slide to half guard. The audience again voices its frustration as Jandiroba methodically racks up control time and smacks Rodriguez with occasional left hands. Jandiroba sits up with an elbow, and she isolates Rodriguez’ right arm with a two-on-one wrist lock for a kimura. Jandiroba shifts to mount while keeping the arm, and she lets it go to hammer Rodrigues with punches. Jandiroba loses position and gets pushed up to her feet from Rodriguez’ heels, and she wades through a few upkicks to lower herself back into the guard. Jandiroba moves to half guard and rides out the remainder of the frame, while she lands a few solid elbows and punches.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jandiroba
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jandiroba
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jandiroba

Round 2

The second round opens up tentatively again, and Rodriguez keeps a wide berth while pecking out with inaccurate low kicks and jabs. Jandiroba spins with a back fist and closes the distance, and Rodriguez stands her up and greets her with a knee to the solar plexus before pushing off. Jandiroba leaps down to get hold of an ankle and drag her foe to the floor, and Rodriguez gets away with several fence grabs – Ribeiro slaps her hand repeatedly until it is released – and is eventually tugged down to the floor. Rodriguez responds with a “floor is lava” approach, springing right back to her feet, but Jandiroba still has her hands on her. Jandiroba pulls guard and pursues a leglock, and she does this to force a scramble and slides back into top control. Rodriguez punishes her with a few stiff left hands, until Jandiroba gathers her thoughts and gloms back down on the striker to suffocate her. Rodriguez hangs on in half guard, trying to lock down one of Jandiroba’s arms to prevent her from passing further or hitting her. Jandiroba hooks her own legs around one of Rodriguez’ to keep her pinned, and Jandiroba slowly starts opening up with ground-and-pound. The fans in the building bemoan the prolonged grappling exchange, and Jandiroba hops over from the other side to beat down Rodriguez with punches and elbows. One such elbow shreds open a cut on the eyebrow of Rodriguez, and Jandiroba deftly moves to north-south position and she fastens a north-south choke in this position. Rodriguez knees her a few times in the shoulder and body to keep her honest, and Jandiroba maneuvers herself to top position to wrap up Round 2.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jandiroba
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jandiroba
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jandiroba

Round 3

The final round kicks off with the Brazilians meeting in the middle of the Octagon, and Rodriguez tosses out a couple half-hearted body kicks. As Rodriguez sets up a collar tie, Jandiroba slings a pair of punches on the outside to back her off. Jandiroba spins with a back fist again, and Rodriguez sees it coming, slips it and tags her with a couple shots. Rodriguez leaps forward with a knee on the jaw, and Jandiroba takes it right on the chin and bounces off the wall. Jandiroba changes levels and grabs a single, and the crowd screams boos at her for this grapple-heavy strategy. Jandiroba manages to get her down after a scramble, and Rodriguez elbows her behind the ear and pushes off the back of the head to try to stand up. Jandiroba ties up Rodriguez’ legs to disallow her from standing, thwarting any wall-walking and nullifying any offense coming back at her. Rodriguez appears dismayed as precious seconds tick off the clock, unable to get back up but not taking any strikes from her fellow countrywoman. Jandiroba keeps Rodriguez flat on her back and move to half guard, and she sets up an arm-triangle choke. Jandiroba presses her fully body weight on her opponent while hanging onto the shoulder-based submission, and Rodriguez toughs it out and wriggles just enough to get breathing room. Jandiroba sits up and belts Rodriguez with elbows until Rodriguez lowers herself to her back. Rodriguez swings upkicks and pushes off the chest to make Jandiroba stand, and she nails Jandiroba with a powerful one as Jandiroba is warned for fence grabs. Jandiroba drops down into the guard, and Rodriguez throws everything and the kitchen sink at her but cannot sting her or do anything to come close to forcing a finish. For the first time tonight, fighters have heard the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jandiroba (30-27 Jandiroba)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rodriguez (29-28 Jandiroba)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jandiroba (30-27 Jandiroba)

The Official Result

Virna Jandiroba def. Marina Rodriguez via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Rolando Bedoya (170) vs. Kalinn Williams (169)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Williams (-305), Bedoya (+255)

Round 1

Carrying on the prelims is a welterweight clash when power puncher Williams (13-3, 4-2 UFC) introduces Peruvian newcomer Bedoya (14-1, 0-0 UFC) to the promotion. Fists are sure to fly soon, and referee Keith Peterson is right on top of the nonsense-free action when it begins. Before the looming slugfest, they tap their gloves together. Bedoya starts off with a leg kick, and Williams marches him down and slugs him in the face. Bedoya wobbles back, keeping his head on a swivel, and he appears no worse for wear after the charging salvo. Williams continues plodding forward, stringing punches together, and Bedoya skirts on the outside to protect his mug from the brunt of the damage. Williams shows no fear and throws caution to the wind, catching Bedoya but not hurting him, and the two wind up in the clinch. Bedoya sneaks up a few knees before breaking off, and he flashes out a jab when Williams comes at him. Bedoya pushes out a front kick and a one-two, and Williams no-sells it and throws a straight right hand down the pipe. Bedoya attacks the body with a kick, and he loads up with a few punches to the midsection. Bedoya grins and circles away, smacking the lead leg with a kick but getting belted in the face with a right hand from “Khaos.” Bedoya hammers the breadbasket with a few knees, and Williams gets one off on the break. Williams whiffs with a right hand, and he counters with a left over the guard. Williams intercepts his foe with a short right hand, and Bedoya flashes a big grin after taking it flush. “The Ox Fighter” goes for a kick to the body, and he strings several punches into a body kick as Bedoya grimaces. Bedoya fires back, and Williams grabs hold of his foe to conclude the close round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Williams
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Williams
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Williams

Round 2

The second round kicks off with a body kick from the Peruvian fighter, and brimming with confidence, he throws one low. Williams counters with a calf kick, and he slides back from a windmilling right hand that zooms past his face. “Khaos” digs in another low kick, and he catches a front kick to land his shin on the inside. Williams cracks the chin with a few punches, and Bedoya smiles at him and shakes it off, only to absorb a chopping low kick at the end of a combination. Bedoya lets go with a leg kick, and he counters a kick with a right hand around the guard. Williams surges forward with three punches, making the Peruvian smile. They trade leg kicks, and Bedoya gets in a right hand and a front kick. Williams ignores it and comes out firing, and Bedoya catches him with another right on the chin. After a brief clinch, Williams splits it up with a sharp uppercut, and Bedoya answers with a leg kick that makes Williams frown. Williams scores two punches coming forward, and Bedoya shakes them off and starts showboating and taunting his foe. Williams does not bite, instead loading up with two leg kicks, and Bedoya makes a matador motion. Williams clubs his man with a looping left and a hard right leg kick, and Bedoya replies with a knee up the middle. The Peruvian fighter kicks low and then high, surprising “Khaos” with his shin to the chin. Williams tanks it without flinching, and he springs into action with a few punches and a body kick. Williams splits the guard with a pair of punches, and Bedoya answers with a leg kick that irritates Williams. To respond to that, the American pops him with a few punches, and both men tag the other in a fierce exchange. The two welterweights clash legs together with one final kick, and the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Williams
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Williams
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Williams

Round 3

There is a final clap of hands to open up the last round, and they begin trading shortly thereafter. Williams smacks his shin on the inside of the leg, and he counters Bedoya’s kick with two punches down Broadway. This leads to a clinch, and they break away and sting one another with power shots. Williams lets fly four punches and a leg kick, and Bedoya replies with a few leg kicks to draw a reaction. Williams is intercepted when lunging, and he takes an elbow that stuns him. Bedoya decides to throw leather, and Williams obliges him and does not throw as many kicks. Bedoya flicks out a few jabs and shells up when Williams swings back at him with a vengeance. Bedoya slips back when tossing out a low kick, and Williams stands right in front of him and strikes. Williams absorbs a flush leg kick that makes him stumble, and his plant leg is compromised and he cannot throw quite as hard as before. Bedoya jabs and sticks a leg kick, and Williams replies in kind. They both push off with lefts, and Bedoya pops his man with a one-two. Williams gets clinched and breaks away with a vertical elbow, and he loops a right hand that smashes square into the newcomer’s chin. Bedoya’s beard is made of tougher stuff, as he does not appear fazed and instead goes right back to chopping at Williams’ leg. Bedoya throws, and Williams replies. Bedoya doubles up on a few jabs, and Williams hurts him with a leg kick. The two rock one another with right hands, and they gather their bearings and hear the final horn blare. This one could go either way.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bedoya (29-28 Williams)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bedoya (29-28 Williams)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Bedoya (29-28 Williams)

The Official Result

Kalinn Williams def. Rolando Bedoya via Split Decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)

Devin Clark (205) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (205)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nzechukwu (-190), Clark (+160)

Round 1

It’s a clash of highly regarded gym products in this next match, when light heavyweights Nzechuwku (11-3, 5-3 UFC) and Clark (14-7, 8-7 UFC) come to blows. With the former repping Fortis MMA and the latter now training at Elevation Fight Team, bragging rights are on the line. The two men do not bump fists while referee Gasper Oliver stands back. Clark whips a kick low and falls to his knees, and he climbs back upright and slings one high. Nzechuwku is out of the way of both, and he fights off a leaping takedown entry. Nzechuwku slowly walks Clark down, thwarting another takedown try and avoiding the strikes that follow, until he intercepts Clark with a short left. Clark powers through it and grabs his arms around Nzechuwku’s waist, and he trips “African Savage” to a knee but cannot keep him there. Clark mashes Nzechuwku against the wall and tries for a body lock or level change, and the towering Nigerian fighter stands him straight up before turning around in the clinch. Clark sneaks a knee up the middle, and Nzechuwku eventually replies with one as he hangs onto his foe. The grind is embraced until Nzechuwku starts opening up with left hands, and a few get through and get Clark’s attention. Clark frantically breaks off, and fires off a right hand and clocks Nzechuwku. Clark surges forward, looking to finish the job, flailing with punches and unleashing a storm of elbows while Nzechuwku is shelled up against the wall. Clark gets a few elbows through and a series of uppercuts, and Nzechuwku takes it all and grits his teeth. Turning Clark back around, Nzechuwku batters Clark with several punches, and he smashes Clark’s nose with his fists, Nzechuwku hammers his foe with elbows, and Clark is barely on his feet as he is taking serious punishment. Nzechuwku continues beating on Clark with knees, punches and uppercuts, and a fierce knee from Nzechuwku makes Clark double over. The round ends before Nzechuwku can get the job done.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nzechuwku
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Nzechuwku
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Nzechuwku

Round 2

The second round begins after an awkward break, as the doctor came in to check on Clark’s condition. Nzechuwku pressures forward, looking to pick up where he left off, and he pushes Clark back to the wall and delivers a few knees to the sternum. Clark gains a little space to fires off a right hand, and Nzechuwku backs him off with swarming blows. Nzechuwku hammers the midsection with knees, and Clark attempts to reply with an elbow and a few short punches. Clark rips a knee to surprise Nzechuwku, but Nzechuwku dodges the subsequent blows and ties Clark up to knee him in the guts. Clark exhales and circles away, and he shoots in for a single. Nzechuwku defends it with a right hand under the neck, and he locks up a deep guillotine choke as Clark frantically pushes off his opponent’s hip. The fight is not over as a phantom tap appears to be simply Clark finding somewhere to grab, as Nzechuwku completes the power guillotine, and Clark is hanging on by a thread. As Nzechuwku squeezes his vice-like grip, Clark loses consciousness, and Nzechuwku releases his unconscious foe as Oliver looks to step in. This marks first professional submission victory for “African Savage,” who is now riding a rock-solid three-fight finish streak.

The Official Result

Kennedy Nzechuwku def. Devin Clark R2 2:28 via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke)

Drew Dober (155.5) vs. Matt Frevola (155)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Dober (-205), Frevola (+175)

Round 1

What many are coining the must-watch battle of the evening takes place in the ESPN prelim headliner, when hard-chinned brawler Dober (26-11, 1 NC; 12-7, 1 NC UFC) throws down with aggressive action fighter Frevola (10-3-1, 4-3-1 UFC). Ahead of what hopes to be a lightweight thriller, the two men bump fists. Referee Herb Dean stands at the ready. Frevola engages with a jab and a body kick, and the latter lands flush. Dober counters with a left hand, and he gets tagged with a right hand over the top. Frevola comes at his foe with a superman punch and a head kick, and he scores a right hand that gives Dober pause. They crash together and bump heads together, and Dober gets a left hand to find the chin. Frevola flails back with powerful punches, and he changes levels and bails on it to knee the body. Dober swats away a kick to his ribs, and he gives Frevola a shove. Frevola slides a punch but cannot dodge the subsequent body shot. A few punches from Frevola bust open Dober’s nose, and he fights his way of the fence. Dober keeps walking him down, slipping a pair of hooks and walking him down. Dober thumps a left to the body, and Frevola loads up with everything he has to fire back. Dober sticks a straight right down the pipe that reddens Frevola’s nose, and he is backing Frevola off but not slowing his offense. Frevola sings a few right hands, and they crash together swinging fists. Both split apart, no worse for wear, and Frevola boots him upside the head with his shin. Dober practically ignores it to retaliate with a one-two, and a left to the body. Frevola connects with another Superman punch, and Dober wobbles but continues marching forward. Dober looses head kicks, and one slides under the arm to the upper ribs. Frevola sits down on a right hand that pounds square into Dober's perfect jawline, and Dober collapses to his seat. Sensing he might be able to pull off the finish and upset, Frevola leaps on top and hammers Dober with a lengthy barrage of unanswered blows. Frevola beats down on Dober with a long stream of punches, and Dober’s eyes roll back briefly before he gets knocked back into his senses. As Frevola keeps swinging to finish the job, Dean steps in to wave the fight off, and Dober immediately protests. Dober tries to get back to his feet to show he can still fight and that Dean made a mistake, but he is wobbling on his feet and barely upright. Blood streams from Dober’s face, and the fight is officially over. Frevola goes over to make sure there is no bad blood, and tensions cool down.

The Official Result

Matt Frevola def. Drew Dober R1 4:08 via TKO (Punches)

Kron Gracie (145) vs. Charles Jourdain (145)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jourdain (-180), Gracie (+155)

Round 1

Styles make fights, and that could scarcely be said more appropriately the UFC 288 main card opener. Submission master Gracie (5-1, 1-1 UFC), competing for the first time since October 2019, will be hoping to shake off any rust in short order. He will collide with high-flying striker Jourdain (13-6-1, 4-5-1 UFC), who aims to lift his UFC record to an even .500. The Octagon ranger for this featherweight matchup will be referee Gary Copeland, and the fighters do not touch gloves ahead of the bout. They meet in the middle of the cage but do not throw much of note, pawing out with occasional jabs and hand-fighting. Jourdain splits the guard with a few such jabs, and he chains a few sharp punches and powerful uppercuts together to get Gracie’s respect early. Gracie walks forward, and reaches out with a right hand simply to distract Jourdain enough to close the distance. Jourdain fights off a takedown attempt frantically, and when Gracie re-engages, the Canadian chucks his man down to the canvas. Jourdain intercepts the rushing Gracie with an uppercut, and he stays on his back foot as Gracie is committed to stalking him down and looking for some kind of level change. Jourdain stops this in its track momentarily with a fierce combination, and he slides away from the plodding Gracie. Jourdain cracks Gracie again and pushes him off when Gracie tries to tie him up, and his uppercut continues to split the guard. As Jourdain is moving and sticking, Gracie snatches him up just enough to pull guard. The Brazilian gladly lands on his back, and he slowly moves his guard up high to threaten with a potential triangle choke or armbar setup. Jourdain is wise to it, and he slowly slides his upper body out of danger and softens Gracie up with body shots. Jourdain leaps back to his feet and hops away before Gracie can trip him up, and Gracie scoots on his posterior until the crowd boos him. Gracie stands back up, and he meanders forward to close in and tie Jourdain up. The two trade short body shots until Jourdain breaks out, and he scores a few uppercuts when backpedaling. Gracie throws two naked leg kicks, and Jourdain tags him with a few punches that damage his nose before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain

Round 2

Jourdain opens the round up with a few quick punches, landing fast enough to quell Gracie’s never-ending forward movement. Gracie wanders forward into the fray, throwing little in the way of offense as he is singularly obsessed with just getting his hands or legs on his foe. As they clinch, Gracie pulls guard, and he succeeds in managing to bring Jourdain with him. The Canadian positions Gracie in a bad place with his neck up against the wire, and Gracie is quick to roll for an armbar as Jourdain opens up with ground-and-pound. “Air” resets on top and starts absorbing elbows to the top of his dome, but he is not in submission danger. Gracie puts a high guard up again and looks to isolate Jourdain’s left arm, and Jourdain maintains heavy chest pressure to not let Gracie get enough space to secure anything. Jourdain ignores offense coming from his adversary, as it is short and not particular effective, and more of a setup for Gracie to try a submission. Jourdain explodes out of the guard and gets back to his feet, and he backs off and knees Gracie in the body when Gracie bears down on him. Jourdain strings several punches together that get around the guard, and he whiffs on an uppercut that lets Gracie close in. Jourdain swings out with an elbow, and he gets tagged with an unexpected left hand before getting mashed up against the wall. Gracie pulls guard once more to force the fight horizontal, and Jourdain shucks off arm control to drop down a solid elbow. The round ends with Jourdain in no particular danger.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain

Round 3

The last round kicks off, and Gracie slowly lumbers from out of his corner. Jourdain dances his way in and out, ripping body shots and keeping out of reach. Jourdain lands an uppercut and takes one punch on the chin, with Gracie throwing a modicum more of offense but not enough to make a difference. Jourdain tags Gracie with a right hand, and Gracie attempts to pull guard. Jourdain drives him to the fence and slides him off, and Gracie crashes forward and bangs his head into his opponent’s. Jourdain releases clean combinations, rarely throwing single blows and landing en masse. Gracie takes them on the chin, generally, and succeeds to pull guard again. The crowd lets Gracie have it for this tactic, and he does not adjust his approach and hopes to secure a submission. Jourdain pounds on the ribcage with short punches and elbows, not concerned with the grappling chops of his opponent, and he stacks Gracie up briefly. Gracie hangs on from beneath, until Jourdain sees and opening and darts back upright. Gracie follows him while on his seat, aiming kicks to the knees, and Jourdain answers with slapping kicks. Copeland forces Gracie to stand up, and Gracie carries out his perpetual forward motion that is unable to lock Jourdain down and do anything. Jourdain breaks away thanks to a knee to the body, and he slams a shin into Gracie’s liver. Jourdain slips a few punches and tees off on Gracie, who is taking a beating but not slowing. Jourdain jumps in the air with a flying knee with seconds to go, and he lets fly a few more punches and kick until the lackluster match ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain (30-27 Jourdain)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain (30-27 Jourdain)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jourdain (30-27 Jourdain)

The Official Result

Charles Jourdain def. Kron Gracie via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Movsar Evloev (145) vs. Diego Lopes (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Evloev (-900), Lopes (+600)

Round 1

On extremely short notice, unbeaten Russian Evloev (16-0, 6-0 UFC) will no longer be facing Bryce Mitchell in a major featherweight collision. Instead, he battles late replacement and unsuccessful Dana White’s Contender Series vet Lopes (20-5, 0-0 UFC), who springboarded into the organization on the heels of a pair of knockouts last year. Evloev will serve as the highest betting favorite of the evening by a wide margin, with odds around -1000 in his favor, and he may need to demonstrate that level of perceived dominance to move up in his crowded division. Thankful to be competing tonight, the fighters touch gloves, and referee Keith Peterson is ready for however the match plays out from here. There will be no nonsense. Lopes takes the center of the cage, and he slaps out a low kick early. The Russian replies immediately with the same kick, and Lopes loops a right hand over the top. The Brazilian follows it with a calf kick, and Evloev ducks back and catches the newcomer with a left hand. The strikes landing from Lopes draw a reaction from Evloev immediately, who starts slinging punches. A mighty brawl ensues, and Evloev manages to trip Lopes out and drop him to the mat after they trade fists. Lopes falls to his back in search of a leglock, and Evloev spins out of it and shuts down a subsequent triangle choke attempt. Evloev begins to open up with his strikes, until Lopes turns to his side to lock one leg over and around Evloev’s shoulder. Evloev fights out of it before it transforms into an armbar, and Lopes is quick to set up one on the other side. Lopes rolls to his back and locks the armbar down, and Evloev brilliantly survives it, turns into it and winds up on top. Evloev breaks out of another possible submission setup to lower himself flat on top, and he drills the neophyte with a clean right hand. Lopes looks for another armbar, and he rolls all the way to his face on the ground, and Evloev stops this by smashing him in the face. Lopes returns to his back, and he sets up a triangle choke with seconds to spare. The round ends, and judges might see this one going either way.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lopes
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Lopes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Lopes

Round 2

The featherweights greet in the middle of the cage with a clap of hands to reintroduce themselves to one another, and Evloev is the initial aggressor. The Russian lands a right hand behind the ear, and Lopes catches him and staggers him with a left hook. Evloev gets backed off from a stream of punches, and he retaliates with a right hand that wraps around the guard. Lopes sneaks a right hand in when trading, and Evloev takes a few steps back to get out of range and stick out a jab. The unbeaten fighter fires off a head kick, and he spins with a wheel kick that misses the mark. Evloev strings three punches together on the chin, and Lopes loads up on his punches. Evloev’s sharp strikes start to connect more frequently, and Lopes is keener on unloading single dangerous blows. Evloev backs him off with a few punches in a row, and Lopes tags him with one back. Evloev shoots in for a takedown, and he succeeds in putting the Brazilian on his back. Lopes gets pummeled with a series of punches to the head and body, and Lopes briefly boots him with an upkick to back him off. Evloev climbs back down into the guard without fear, as the submission attempts from the short-notice replacement are fewer and farther between. Evloev alternates his right hands to the ribs and temple, and Lopes cannot defend against them before the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Evloev
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Evloev

Round 3

The last round kicks off with Lopes pushing the pace, and he connects with a few looping strikes before Evloev counters to shut him down. Evloev attacks from angles while Lopes plods straight forward, and Lopes eats a few body shots and blocks a head kick in the nick of time. Evloev launches a huge right hand that slams into the side of his foe’s head, and he lands a few punches and an elbow before Lopes can muster a response. Lopes loads up on his punches, and Evloev sees them coming and dodges and weaves. Evloev evades a swing to elbow his man in the face, and he scoops Lopes off the ground and dumps him to the mat. Evloev opens up immediately with ground-and-pound, and Lopes pushes him off with his feet and works his way up to his feet. The quick mat return from Evloev puts the newcomer back down again, and Evloev hangs onto him from behind while Lopes stands once more. From an unusual angle from the back, Evloev whips several kicks to the leg and even one up high, further frustrating a fatiguing Lopes. Evloev knees the inner thigh, and he hits a takedown. Lopes instantly threatens with a kimura, and he succeeds in sweeping Evloev over while still hanging onto the sub. Lopes considers a triangle choke to keep Evloev downed, but Evloev musters all of his energy to power back up and out of the submission. Evloev fights off an armlock, and Lopes quickly dives after a kneebar. The knee hyperextends, and Evloev rolls over through it and shakes his head that he will not tap out. Evloev’s poker face is incredible, as the damage to his tendons and ligaments must be severe. Evloev grits out the pain as Lopes torques on his limb with all his might, and the bell sounds before the submission can be completed. Even in likely defeat, Lopes likely impressed the masses with his promotional debut, threatening the undefeated fighter several times from bell to bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Evloev (29-28 Evloev)

The Official Result

Movsar Evloev def. Diego Lopes via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Jessica Andrade (115) vs. Xiaonan Yan (115)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Andrade (-195), Yan (+165)

Round 1

Even with each woman sporting just one recent victory in the strawweight division, this “featured fight of the night” battle should have major stakes for the weight class. Returning to her old stomping grounds, former champ Andrade (24-10, 15-8 UFC) will look to assert herself against China’s Yan (16-3, 1 NC; 7-2 UFC). Referee Vitor Ribeiro takes charge of this scrap, and it begins without a tap of the gloves from the women involved. Yan scores a right hand early, and she backs off when Andrade considers a jumping switch kick. Yan flicks out a jab and a thudding low kick, and she targets the body with a subsequent strike. Andrade walks forward into a firefight, and Yan successfully evades the haymakers and sticks her foe with a kick and jabs. Andrade ignores the leg kicks and jabs, but she cannot find her range yet. Andrade gets within range to throw hammers, and Yan takes one on the chin and wades back. Yan sits down on a one-two, and Andrade walks forward lobbing inaccurate heavy blows. Yan times the advancing Andrade with a big right hand that loops right around the guard and on the nose. Andrade’s head bounces off the ground, and Yan follows her down with a few hammerfists that are potentially unnecessary. Ribeiro leaps in to stop the fight as Andrade looks at him, shocked with her eyes wide. A brief protest falls on deaf ears, as Yan runs off to celebrate the biggest win of her career and her first knockout inside the Octagon. She might have punched her ticket to an all-China championship battle at 115 pounds with her statement victory.

The Official Result

Xiaonan Yan def. Jessica Andrade R1 2:20 via KO (Punch)

Five-Round Co-Feature:
Gilbert Burns (171) vs. Belal Muhammad (170)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Burns (-125), Muhammad (+105)

Round 1

A rarity in the promotion the last several years, the UFC is offering up an official “title eliminator” status for a fight. This comes at 170 pounds, between two excelling talents who are stringing win streaks together at the right time. While many believe Muhammad (22-3, 1 NC; 13-3, 1 NC UFC) should have gotten a title shot already, he will look to push his unbeaten streak to 10 when he collides with brick-fisted grappler Burns (22-5, 15-5 UFC). The two will have five rounds to work, even with no championship or main event status available. This short-notice tilt will receive oversight from referee Keith Peterson, and there is no nonsense or touching of gloves to start things off. Chants for “Let’s go, Burns” rain down immediately in the building, and Burns is spurred into action with a charging right hand. Muhammad absorbs a low kick and looks to find angles and get to Burns with his footwork. Muhammad ricochets a kick off his opponent’s raised guard, and he sneaks a left hand through it. Burns loads up on his power right hand, and Muhammad darts away and aims out a jab. Another solid right from the Brazilian connects square on the chin, and Muhammad backs off and eats a leg kick to follow. Burns flicks a kick up high off the raised guard, and he sneaks a right hand through. Muhammad retaliates with a shin to the ribs, and Burns intercepts a subsequent kick to tackle his man to the mat. Muhammad climbs right back up and strikes a few more kicks to the liver, and he dodges a swatting left hook. Muhammad stays composed and utilizes his jab effectively, mixing in kicks occasionally to stay busier. Burns comes up short on a winging hook, and he kicks the body. Muhammad counters with a straight left hand that staggers Burns, and Burns grits his teeth and slams his right fist into Muhammad’s jaw twice to make “Remember the Name” remember his power. Burns has a kick caught, and he scrambles out of the way before getting dumped to the floor. Burns goes up high with a kick, and Burns stumbles back right as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 2

The second frame kicks off as the two welterweights meet in the middle, and Burns strikes first with a stomping kick to the kneecap. Muhammad strafes to his right, and Burns follows him with a kick to the inside of the knee. Burns comes up short with a right hook, allowing Muhammad to sink in another liver kick. Burns chambers and fires a low kick and a massive right hand, and Muhammad’s beard absorbs it without much issue. Muhammad whips a high kick up, and he aims one to the body as Burns retaliates low to the inner calf. Burns paws away a one-two, and he gathers his thoughts to blast Muhammad in the face with a power right. Muhammad replies with a blocked head kick, and Burns hops around to shake it out. Muhammad is far less active, as Burns steps in with a right. The jabs from Muhammad are less constant, and Burns stings him with a right hand on the temple. Muhammad flashes his jab a few times, and Burns walks into one and storms forward. Muhammad times a body kick, and Burns gives him one to the calf back. Burns fires off a short right hand when Muhammad bears down on him, and he lets go with an inside low kick. Muhammad rips a kick to the side, and Burns surges into action and has a right hand slide off the shoulder. Burns lets fly a low kick, and he dodges a zipping left hand. Muhammad gives chase, and his fists collide with the guard. The slower round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Burns

Round 3

The round begins with a body kick from the Brazilian, and Muhammad retaliates with a front kick that grazes the cup. There is no pause, as Burns waves it off, and the crowd grows restless from the otherwise lack of action in the first minute. Muhammad gets off a jab or two, and Burns chambers his right hand and blocks a head kick. Burns gets off a single jab of his own, and he steps back from a looping punch. Burns kicks the lead leg a few times, and he stumbles when walking forward. Muhammad fires off a high kick that smacks into a shoulder, and Burns swings and misses wit ha haymaker. The pace is very deliberate and ineffective on both sides, and Muhammad throws two punches at a time if he can. Burns backs off, and Muhammad follows him with a head kick that bounces off the shoulder and a few straight punches. Burns tags him with a big right hand, and Muhammad shakes it off and sneaks a kick under Burns’ elbow. Burns steps in with a knee to the chest, and he gets kicked in the neck for his effort. The Brazilian appears no worse for wear, and he backs away when Muhammad jabs and front kicks at him. Burns throws a high body kick that smacks into the armpit, and Muhammad chains two kicks together with his left leg. Muhammad jabs quickly when Burns races forward, and he stays active with kicks. Muhammad gets into his groove of head kicks and jabs, stifling Burns. “Durinho” swings and misses with his right, and Muhammad makes him pay with a body shot. The tepid round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 4

Between rounds, Burns appears to be struggling with his left arm, and he complains to his corner that he cannot use it. Despite this, the championship rounds are upon them, and Burns’ body language and face show he is not having a good time in the cage. Muhammad compounds this by starting off Round 4 with a body kick and a few punches, and Burns blinks hard and drills Muhammad with a right hand on the jaw. Muhammad shakes it targets the same spot on the ribs with one more kick. Burns shells up as Muhammad kicks his body, and Burns replies with one of his own. Muhammad narrowly blocks a head kick in time, with Burns surprising him with the sudden strike. Muhammad stutter-steps his way into action, with a one-two off the guard as he leans back from a home run punch soaring at him. Burns drops down to snatch up a single, and he nails Muhammad with a blistering right hand that gives Muhammad a little wobble. Burns celebrates this with a body kick, a knee to the body and a leg kick, and he backs Muhammad away with a feint. Burns considers another single, and he abandons it because he cannot use his arm to secure it. Muhammad kicks high to the hurt arm, and Burns grimaces. Seeing this, Muhammad attacks it again with a kick up high. Muhammad shrugs off a leg kick to the inside of his knee, and he fires off two kicks to the shoulder. Burns blocks the strikes that come at him, and he splits a right hand down the pipe that shakes Muhammad up again. Muhammad weathers it and goes to jab, and the round ends with the crowd booing the welterweights.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 5

A dejected Burns is able to come out of his corner to start the last round, and a corner stoppage would not be out of the question given Burns condition. This sport rarely allows for such a courtesy, and the last round begins. Burns blocks an early head kick and loops two right hands over the top. Burns drops down for a takedown, and he abandons it and absorbs a few kicks to the head and body. Muhammad reaches his foe with a lunging right, and he is out of range when Burns attempts his overhand right. Burns is caught with a right hand coming in, and he wobbles back but gathers his balance. Muhammad punishes the ribs with the umpteenth kick to that same target, and Burns toughs it out. They both clash together with their fists, and Muhammad is the one to land better and backs Burns away. Burns secures a leg kick to buckle Muhammad’s knee for a second, but Muhammad speedily recovers and he takes another. Burns leaps in with a few rights, and Muhammad counters and fearlessly walks Burns down. Muhammad leans back from the obligatory right hook and tags him with a few punches, and he sees the telegraphed bomb and dodges it again. Burns knocks Muhammad back with his right, only for Muhammad to step in front of him and connect with a one-two. Burns swings and misses with two missiles that are right hands, with his left completely out of the picture in this fight other than as a blocking limb. They both trade heavy fire, and Muhammad darts out of harm’s way when Burns looks to reach him. When the 10-second clapper sounds, Muhammad kicks high and then aims one to the body, and the disappointing 25-minute affair comes to a merciful conclusion. The two immediately hug it out after the bell rings, and Muhammad should finally have done enough to earn a crack at the 170-pound throne.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (49-46 Muhammad)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (50-45 Muhammad)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (49-46 Muhammad)

The Official Result

Belal Muhammad def. Gilbert Burns via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

UFC Bantamweight Title Fight:
Aljamain Sterling (134) vs. Henry Cejudo (135)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cejudo (-115), Sterling (-105)

Round 1

This one is for all the marbles, and a fair amount of divisional glory as well. Sterling (22-3, 14-3 UFC) will be trying to set the UFC bantamweight record by notching his third successful title defense, while Cejudo (16-2, 10-2 UFC) would like nothing more than to get his old belt back. The winner of this pairing will elevate themselves in the all-time rankings at bantamweight, and they will have 25 minutes to figure it out. Like the legion of fans in the Prudential Center, referee Herb Dean is excited for how this one will play out. The fighters share a stern glove touch, and let the games begin. Sterling comes out aggressively, and he leads the dance with an early head kick. They clash shins at the same time, and Sterling recovers and kicks the leg. Cejudo ignores a few low kicks and backs away when Sterling leaps at him with a flying knee. Cejudo dodges a body kick, and he counters with a right hand. Sterling stalks him down and reaches out with a swatting right up high and left to the body. Cejudo tries to catch leg, and he elects to snatch up a body lock and easily take the champ to the mat. Sterling sits up against the wall, and Cejudo holds on in half guard until Sterling sets up butterfly hooks. Cejudo drops down to grab hold of a guillotine choke with Sterling on his knees, and Sterling breaks the grip but is holding Sterling’s head down. Sterling explodes to his feet, and he eats a leg kick and a right hand on the way. Sterling loads up with a body kick, and Cejudo catches it and whiffs with a huge right hand. Sterling snipes him with his superior range, and Cejudo pushes forward into a clinch. Sterling considers a level change, and Cejudo staves it off and again presses on the back of Sterling’s neck to keep him low. They stand up, and Sterling hunts for a single-leg with Cejudo against the cage. The crowd opens up with chants for “Henry” despite Sterling the fighter from the area, and Sterling manages to take that energy and muscle the ex-champ down to his knees. Sterling cannot keep him down or take his back, and he slams a few knees to the side before Cejudo stands. Sterling hits a mat return, and he snatches up back control and gets one hook in. Cejudo looks to break up the leg wrap, and Sterling knees his man in the thigh a few times and swings with a huge punch right before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sterling

Round 2

Cejudo starts off the second frame with a calf kick, and Sterling greets him with sharp jab and a body kick. Sterling jumps with a switch kick that lands on the shoulder, and Cejudo is still trying to find his distance. Cejudo connects with a calf kick, and Sterling shoots in on him. Sterling shoulder rolls a few punches, and he sticks Cejudo with a straight left. They trade low kicks, and Sterling catches a kick only to get caught with an uppercut to let it go. Cejudo presses the action and shocks Sterling with a head kick, and the champion reels and reaches out with a right hook. Sterling pushes out a front kick, turns to dodge a head kick, and he intercepts Cejudo with a knee to the guts. Sterling surprises his foe with a left hook when faking with a front kick, and he throws kicks to all targets to fluster the ex-flyweight. Sterling shoots in for a takedown, and Cejudo stops it in its tracks with ease. Sterling gets in a left hand, and when Cejudo counters, Sterling is there to catch him with a strike and be out of harm’s way in time. Cejudo puts some mustard into an overhand right, and Sterling jukes and keeps moving. “Funk Master” retains his awkward movement and strange angles, and this allows him to take most of the steam out of the heavy strikes Cejudo throws. Cejudo backs his man up with a straight right to the pectorals, and Sterling spins him around with a calf kick. Cejudo walks into a left hand, and he tries to hop forward with a hook only to get backed off. Sterling quickly spins with an elbow, and Cejudo looks for answers and loads up on a power right. When Sterling ducks away, Cejudo nearly dislodges his dome with a head kick. Sterling slides away and gets a straight left out, and he keeps a high guard to blow what comes back immediately. Sterling digs a punch to the body, and Cejudo replies with a few punches up top. Sterling kicks the side, and Cejudo looks for a takedown only to get shut down. Cejudo wings a monster right hand, and Sterling brushes past it and looks to trip Cejudo down. The wild scramble allows Cejudo to land on top, but the round ends before anything comes from it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sterling

Round 3

Cejudo practically comes out sprinting from his corner, and the two engage in a series of leg kicks. Cejudo breaks this up with one to the ribcage, and Sterling ducks down with a jab. Cejudo times a perfect flying knee that skims off the top of the head, and Sterling drops down to shoot in for a takedown. Cejudo sprawls perfectly and is pushed down to the floor, with no submission or anything from Cejudo. “The Messenger” lets him back up, and Sterling thanks him with a big right hand. Sterling shoots for another takedown, and this time, Cejudo makes him pay for this try with a stern knee. Sterling pursues another from a different angle, and Cejudo defends it and turns his foe around to push him to the fence. Sterling gets off a short knee while they jockey for position, and Sterling trips out a leg and drops Cejudo to the floor. Sterling sneaks his right leg in for a potential hook, and Cejudo hangs onto Sterling’s left arm but cannot keep the gold medalist grounded. Sterling lets him up so that he can smash Cejudo in the face with a clean knee, and he aims one more to the body. Sterling looks for another takedown entry, and Cejudo tosses him out of the way. Sterling lands a left, and Cejudo replies with a right and sprawls to stop a naked takedown. Cejudo nearly circles around to the side, and Sterling answers by switching up for a single. Cejudo keeps his chest pressed on the back of Sterling’s head to stop the takedown from getting anywhere, and he hammers Sterling with a punch before waving Sterling back up. Sterling obliges and they trade body kicks. Sterling fires off a one-two into a level change, and Cejudo stops it but absorbs a pair of flush knees to the torso. Cejudo hits a trip, plopping Sterling on his back with seconds to spare, and he rides out the remainder of the round in the guard.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cejudo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cejudo

Round 4

The championship rounds are upon them, and Sterling scores a few low kicks to start them off. Sterling swings a left hand, and Cejudo answers with a leg kick. The champ measures a kick to the side, and he loads up with another. Cejudo tries to fire back a low kick, and Sterling strikes the same spot and then has one calf kick checked. Cejudo blocks one and lunges forward, with a right hand connecting before Sterling is able to escape. Sterling sits down on a leg kick, and he follows with a right hand. Cejudo steps in with a knee and two punches, and these two are striking tit-for-tat one after the other. Sterling stings the calf with a shin, prompting Cejudo to charge at him with his fists out to clinch up. Cejudo cannot keep him tied up, and he tosses him away and catches a kick to release a left hand over the top. Sterling sticks out a jab and fails for a takedown, and he nails the calf with another kick. Sterling snaps the head back courtesy of a sharp jab, and Cejudo walks through a kick on his calf to consider a takedown. Sterling breaks free and aims a punch high and a kick low. Cejudo fakes a takedown and walks Sterling down to smack him with a shovel uppercut, and Sterling knees him in the liver. Cejudo grabs the raised leg but cannot elevate him, and Sterling turns the corner and knees his foe in the body. Cejudo whips Sterling around and uses a head lock to drag Sterling to the mat. Sterling pushes through to attack a double, and Cejudo does a whole split but cannot stop Sterling from taking him down. Sterling laces up the leg and lands a few right hands, and Cejudo bursts back up and gets slugged in the chops before the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sterling
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sterling

Round 5

Sterling points at the ground and says “Let’s go” to start off the last round, and the bantamweights meet in the middle of the cage for five more minutes of combat. Cejudo charges, ignoring a leg kick and launching one up high off the shoulder. Sterling slaps another calf kick to the swollen leg of his opponent, and Cejudo blocks one to his liver to follow. Sterling circles on the outside to avoid the looping strikes of his opponent, and Cejudo steps in with a solid body kick. Sterling gives two right back, and he whiffs on a big right hand. Cejudo charges recklessly, face-first into a right hand, but he pays it no mind as he strikes the side with his shin. Cejudo is pressuring aggressively, and Sterling backs him away with a few punches and a high kick. Cejudo scores a right hand as he comes in, and the fans rain down cheers for “Henry” again. Sterling spins with a back kick as Cejudo is kicking low, breaking up this attack. Cejudo stuns the champ with a left hand, and Sterling blinks it out and fights off a single. Cejudo lets it go and cracks Sterling with a right hand and follows it with a leg kick. Sterling reaches out with a right that misses the mark, and he boots the liver as Cejudo takes a look at the clock. Sterling slips a punch and sticks a straight left out, and Cejudo absorbs a calf kick and stuffs a takedown. Cejudo knees the body a few times and looks to follow it with an uppercut, and Sterling rolls with a punch and gets tied up. Sterling backs away from the advancing Cejudo, who grabs hold of a single and lifts Sterling’s leg in the air. Sterling topples down to his seat, but he powers right back up to his feet with Cejudo holding on from behind. Sterling tries to break the grip, and he spins around to get tied up. Cejudo lets go with clinch punches and knees, and the fight has reached its conclusion. It might go either way, possibly depending on the scoring of the second round. In victory, Sterling becomes the first bantamweight champion in UFC history to record three consecutive title defenses. One of the most underappreciated champs in the company is received by a series of boos, but Sterling lets it slide off like water off a duck’s back.

The defending champ calls out Sean O’Malley for his next challenge, and O’Malley enters the cage wearing a jacket reminiscent of “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. O’Malley steps right up to Sterling’s face and constantly repeats the line “you better do better than that.” UFC head Dana White gets between them, and Sterling calls for O’Malley to be removed from his cage. O’Malley approaches Sterling’s teammate, Merab Dvalishvili, who grabs his jacket, puts it on himself and runs away. Sterling is ready to go help out his teammate should a skirmish break out, with O’Malley hurling expletives and middle fingers until his red coat is returned. The security prevents anything bad from arising, and Sterling takes the mic again and tells O’Malley that they will fight in September. After this cools down, Cejudo is given the microphone, and he removes his gloves. Cejudo expresses his disappointment for the close fight, but holds no ill will towards the man that defeated him. Quoting “Talladega Nights,” Cejudo states that “If I’m not first, I’m last” and says this might be the last time he competes. If he fights again, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cejudo (49-46 Sterling)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cejudo (48-47 Sterling)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cejudo (48-47 Sterling)

The Official Result

Aljamain Sterling def. Henry Cejudo via Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)